'Not Tough Enough': Cavs Aren't Panicking, but Chronic Issues Can't Be Ignored

CLEVELAND — The Cleveland Cavaliers are doing what you might expect after losing their first playoff game in 2017: not overreacting. A day after a chaotic evening that included an improbable game-winning shot by Avery Bradley and some testy postgame encounters, the Cavaliers aren't pushing the panic button just yet.

"We lost the game," said Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue. "It happens. You're not going to win all the games."

In the aftermath of the 111-108 Game 3 loss to the Boston Celtics, Lue in particular downplayed the defeat as fluky, citing an uncharacteristically bad night from LeBron James and equally unexpected strong shooting night from Marcus Smart.

"It was a weird game," Lue said. "It was a weird feeling game. But give them credit. They came in. They played tough. They scrapped. They competed."

But just because the Cavaliers aren't in crisis mode doesn't mean the team is ignoring the game. While Sunday's loss might prove to be a blip on the radar en route to another NBA Finals rematch, it also reintroduced some concerns that have plagued the team all season.

It wasn't long ago that Cleveland seemingly had major question marks after sputtering down the stretch and losing the No. 1 seed to Boston. First and foremost: defense.

Lue's media session on Monday was peppered with questions about how his team played on that end of the floor. On Sunday, the Cavaliers gave up 111 points (their highest total in a month), including 61 points in the second half.

"Defensively, I told them at halftime that we could be better," Lue said. "More physical. Not into their bodies. Not tough enough defensively. You saw in the second half they were able to get some open shots because of that."

This is not a new concern for Cleveland. Only three playoff teams allowed more points this season than the 107.2 points per game the Cavaliers gave up. Take out Boston's 86-point clunker in Game 2 and the Cavaliers aren't doing much better in the postseason (105.4 PPG). Second-half defense has been particularly concerning all season. On Sunday, the Cavaliers blew a 16-point halftime lead, reminiscent of the team's 26-point collapse to Atlanta in mid-April.

And with Isaiah Thomas out for Boston, the Cavaliers faced a more balanced attack and struggled at times to key in on the right player.

"We didn't do a great job defensively," said Cavaliers guard JR Smith. "In the second half, it showed. You can't do that against anybody."

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The offense had issues on Sunday, too. Despite having the home crowd behind them, the Cavaliers struggled to match the energy of the Celtics.

"Offensively, we didn't attack," Lue said. "We didn't play with that same pace and that same power and speed that we've been playing with the first two games. We've got to get back to that."

Cleveland's shot selection was not to Lue's liking either. The Cavaliers have all season been a team that has relied heavily on the three-pointer, as their 33.9 attempts per game were second-highest in the NBA. However, there are times when that approach can become the detriment to their offense.

"I thought we fell in love with the three a little too much after making 14 in the first half," Lue said. "I thought in the second half we were seeking the three instead of attacking."

The early three-point barrage coincided with a larger issue—the importance of James. After one of his most dominant 10-game stretches ever, James had 11 points and shot 4-for-13 from the field. He wasn't attacking as often and seemed to be deferring to teammates.

"It wasn't his ordinary game," Lue said. "Kevin [Love] and Kyrie [Irving] had it going early, and they played well. It kind of got him out of rhythm a little bit in that first half."

Using the 2017 postseason as the sample size, there's more to suggest that James will come back strong in Game 4 than have another off night, but it does raise the concern as to whether the Cavaliers can win when James is subpar. The team would rather not find out more about that concern.

"He just has to be more aggressive," Smith said. "Play downhill. Play like he's been playing. Play comfortable. Play confident."

The Cavs also looked tired for the first time this postseason. Of the four remaining NBA playoff teams, Cleveland has the most rotation players over 30 years old. Early-round rest or not, it certainly doesn't help that Game 3's loss means Cleveland has a longer series.

For now, all of these concerns can be quieted with a Game 4 win on Tuesday. But doubt is back for Cleveland, and the goal is to make sure Game 3 wasn't a preview of things to come.

"It's natural," Lue said. "You win 10 in a row, and you're feeling good. The same thing happened last year versus Toronto. We have to be better."