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Let’s do a public service and get all of the over-reaction points from Cavs-Bulls Game One out of the way before we get into the grown folks talk …
1. The Cavs can’t win without Kevin Love.
2. Lebron choked down the stretch
3. Jimmy Butler is the “Lebron Stopper” (ala Reuben Patterson with Kobe Bryant years ago, when it was never remotely true. Patterson had a cumulative seven good defensive plays against Bryant and somehow earned that tag)
4. Lebron should have stayed with the Heat
Now that we have that out of the way, here we go.
The one truism is that this Chicago Bulls team has the best chance to break the series 0-fer against Lebron James-led basketball teams in the playoffs than any has at any point since that semi-rivalry has begun. It’s in part because the Cavs are still learning what it takes to win here, in part because they’re as healthy as they’ve been in years in this spot, and in part because Jimmy Butler is a budding star that is capable of creating his own offense off the dribble the likes of which they’ve been starving for as Derrick Rose has been in and out of injury situations.
It’s important though, to not over-react to one game. Lebron wasn’t good down the stretch. He gave it good effort, aside from Matthew Dellavedova, seemingly the only player with any interest in taking the ball into the paint the last five minutes of the game to make a play.
The remainder of the team was content to settle for obtuse, difficult jumpers without much resistance. Whether that’s nerves or not is to be debated. Other mental errors late … such as sending two screeners to the same side of Kyrie Irving in a four point game, who takes an off balance three around his stumbling teammates reeks of indecision or lack of play call knowledge.
It’s hard to fathom it’s the latter, and the former comes from being nervous.
As for Lebron jumper was off like the days of yore before he simply couldn’t be stopped, and on top of that, he committed two unsightly fundamental errors, a traveling violation and then the dreaded “leaving your feet to pass” that was really the back breaking turnover with just over a minute remaining.
Cleveland does have major issues though that they need to react to. They were terrible against the pick and roll, pick and pop, pick your nose, pick whatever. Chicago’s was the most filthy rendition of The Pick since the Seinfeld episode in 1992.
“I am not an animal!” shouts Jerry after his model girlfriend dumps him over what she perceives is him picking his nose at a stop light.
Jerry might not be, but Cleveland’s other issue is that Butler was an animal. Chicago is tough enough with a banged up Rose and banged up roster overall, as we’ve seen in previous years. Butler gives them a different dimension because he’s another guy whom you can stick the ball in his hands late in the shot clock and he can get a shot and score. His multi-pump fake off a switch with under a minute left leading to a banked two point bucket that stole the Cavs soul was outstanding. He’s invaluable.
And Butler’s defense was good, but it was a team effort, making Lebron uncomfortable when Lebron was ready to go up and make a decision.
Cleveland’s other issue is their switching, a problem for which Kevin Love wasn’t going to cure one way or the other. The Cavs looked confused, discombobulated, frustrated when trying to switch all game long. It’s something the coaching staff will need to stress at a practice tomorrow. None of it is anything that cannot be fixed fundamentally.
But the Bulls have sent notice that they’re not the meek outfit that couldn’t put the Milwaukee Bucks away at home. Nope. They’re the asses on fire group that drew and quartered the Bucks in Game Six in Milwaukee to close out the series.
This is their best shot at reaching The Finals probably since the Rose era began, with relative title contending newbies Washington and Atlanta awaiting the winner of this series. Lebron acknowledged how difficult this would be when he signed with the Cavs. Chicago isn’t intent on changing that difficulty level.
But it starts with fundamentals, eschewing long-range shots to be aggressive into the paint, being more cohesive on the pick and pop, and orchestrating switches with more competency rather than any magical fix otherwise. Whether it happens or not, I have no idea.
As Jerry said in the famous elevator scene, “if we pick, do we not bleed?” When the Bulls picked tonight, the Cavs … they bled profusely.
