Cleveland Cavaliers Who Need to Step Up Most in 2017 NBA Finals
As the Cleveland Cavaliers head back to Northeast Ohio for Game 3 of the 2017 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday, there's a real fear. It isn't just because of how good the Warriors are, but also how poorly many of the Cavs played in Games 1 and 2.
While LeBron James (28.5 points, 13.0 rebounds, 11.0 assists) and Kevin Love (21.0 points, 14.0 rebounds, 1.5 blocks) have come out strong, most of Cleveland's former juggernaut offense has yet to do its part. Give the Warriors credit, as they've held opponents to 41.4 percent shooting this postseason, far and away the best mark of any team.
Cleveland doesn't need all five of the following players to suddenly perform at an All-Star level, but they can't maintain their current production if the Cavs have any hope of getting back into the series Wednesday.
5. Deron Williams, PG
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2017 Finals Stats: 16.3 minutes, 0.0 points, 2.0 assists, 1.0 turnovers, 0.0 FG%, minus-8.0
In 33 total minutes over two games, Deron Williams is a perfect 0-of-9 from the field. This comes after a first-round series against the Indiana Pacers during which Williams missed just three shots in the sweep (10-of-13, 76.9 percent).
Cleveland doesn't need Williams to make shots to be productive, but he must keep others involved when LeBron James or Kyrie Irving take a break from handling the ball. So far, the 32-year-old Williams has appeared to press in his first Finals appearance, pushing the ball into traffic and looking for his own shot first.
He hasn't fared any better in this series defensively. Staying in front of Stephen Curry is tough for anyone, much less an aging point guard with surgically repaired ankles. While he's strong enough to prevent Curry from posting him up, chasing around the two-time MVP is asking for trouble.
Williams needs to run his 10-15 minutes efficiently and look to get shooters open opportunities with his drives to the basket rather than trying to finish around defenders in the paint.
4. Kyle Korver, SG
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2017 Finals Stats: 21.5 minutes, 4.0 points, 2.0 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 16.7 3FG%, minus-5.5
Kyle Korver was brilliant in the regular season, leading the NBA with a 45.1 percent success rate from deep. In the postseason—especially against the Warriors—he's been searching for his stroke.
Korver's primary job coming off the bench is to make three-pointers. So far, he's made one in six attempts.
While the Warriors' stifling defense often deserves credit for a shooter's struggles, that isn't the case with Korver, who is just 1-of-5 on three-point attempts with no defender within four feet.
Cleveland needs him to be an equalizer when the Warriors start to go on runs, particularly in the third quarter. Korver can get hot quickly and rack up three, six or nine points in a row to help kill any momentum an opponent has built.
One hot night from Korver could swing the tide for Cleveland. Will it happen in Game 3?
3. Tristan Thompson, C
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2017 Finals Stats: 21.8 minutes, 4.0 points, 4.0 rebounds, 0.0 blocks, 40.0 FG%, minus-15.5
While many expected Kevin Love to struggle against the Warriors' bigs, Tristan Thompson is the one who's been contained, frustrated and ultimately benched.
Golden State has made it a point to double Thompson regularly, even if it means letting others beat them.
"They're doing a good job sending two, three guys to box me out," Thompson told reporters after Game 2. "They're doing that and it's opening up Kev [Love] for the offensive rebound. So if Kev is getting the offensive rebound instead of me, it's still a win for us. I just have to keep battling down there and keep playing hard."
The extra bodies are working. Nearly half of Thompson's rebounds (49.6 percent) during the postseason have been contested, an impressive haul. Against the Warriors, however, only 37.5 percent of his boards have fallen into that category.
Given Thompson's lack of rebounding, head coach Tyronn Lue has gone away from him in second halves, when the 26-year-old center has previously shined. After Game 2, Lue told reporters why Thompson's playing time is down:
"They're doing a good job of trying to keep him off the glass, and at times we're down and they are playing well defensively, so we decide to go smaller and kind of open the floor up and space the floor, which was good for us for about three quarters or two-quarters-and-a-half. So nothing Tristan's done...it's just basically just trying to get more scoring on the floor, more shooting, because they try to load up and help so much."
While Lue's logic is understandable, Thompson is a key part in helping others jump-start their offense. He's the team's best offensive rebounder and screen-setter in the pick-and-roll.
Benching Thompson hasn't helped Cleveland's offense, so Lue needs to try something different.
2. Kyrie Irving, PG
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2017 Finals Stats: 37.5 minutes, 21.5 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 turnovers, 40.0 FG%, minus-17.0
Kyrie Irving's numbers aren't bad on paper, especially compared to the production of Thompson, Korver, Williams and others.
The film doesn't lie, however.
This is perhaps the worst Irving has looked in any postseason series of his career. He's forcing tough shots at the rim, looking to take on great defenders like Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant even when better offensive matchups are available.
Irving appears to be pressing, likely a product of watching his counterpart put up big numbers night after night. After outplaying Stephen Curry in the Finals a year ago, Curry is putting up 30.0 points and 10.5 assists to Irving's 21.5 and 4.5.
Tyronn Lue thinks Irving's struggles have to do with the pressure on him to perform defensively, something he hasn't had to do in the playoffs up to this point.
"Well, defensively now he has to do a lot more," Lue told reporters after Game 2. "Running around with Steph and chasing Klay and chasing Steph and constantly having to be on alert, it takes a lot out of you offensively."
Wouldn't the opposite be true? Shouldn't Curry be exhausted from guarding Irving as well? That hasn't been the case through two games.
Irving needs to recapture the same magic he had last year at this time while making smart plays rather than looking for his own shot.
1. JR Smith, SG
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2017 Finals Stats: 21.1 minutes, 1.5 points, 0.0 assists, 2.5 fouls, 16.7 FG%, minus-15.0
It's tough to criticize JR Smith given the trials he's endured off the floor this year, but he's been a complete non-factor in this series to date.
Smith hasn't scored in his last 40-plus minutes on the court, going 1-of-6 from the floor in two games. His green light has faded from yellow to red.
He coupled that offensive no-show with questionable fouls and awful defense. When Smith guarding them, Warriors shooters are converting 90.9 percent of their shots (10-for-11 overall). After outstanding performances against Paul George and DeMar DeRozan earlier this postseason, Smith hasn't maintained that same defensive focus.
Cleveland's coaches have been asking Smith to shoot more, which would hopefully inspire a better defensive effort as well, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin.
"The Cavs' coaching staff encouraged Smith to be more aggressive on the offensive end after a Game 1 loss in which he had just three points on 1-for-4 shooting in 28 minutes. But he was even less effective in Game 2. He finished with zero points on 0-for-2 shooting and four fouls in 14 minutes, netting a plus-minus of minus-18, tied with Tristan Thompson for worst on the team."
McMenamin also noted Cleveland left Game 2 considering benching Smith for Iman Shumpert, who's shooting 25.0 percent in this series. While Shumpert isn't providing much more offense than Smith, he has at least been locked in defensively and can hit open catch-and-shoot opportunities as needed.
It's unclear what's going on with Smith, but a change in role may be best for all parties involved.
Stats via Basketball Reference and NBA.com and are accurate through June 5.
Greg Swartz is the Cleveland Cavaliers Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.
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