Dating back to previous year, Cleveland hasn’t lost a playoff game with Kevin Love available.
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After completing their sweep of the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, they’re now a flawless 8-0 in the postseason.
LeBron James has denied throughout the playoffs the Cavs are a 3-point shooting team and Jones agreed he doesn’t want the Cavs to be viewed that way.
Closing out the win was not easy, as the Cavaliers needed small forward LeBron James to get a basket on a goaltending violation on an attempt off of an inbounds pass, and then, bury a deep jumper from just inside the three-point line for the final hoops of the game. If they breeze through either the Raptors or Heat before taking part in a decisive NBA Finals matchup, the Cavs might not accrue enough court time to etch themselves in the record books once more during these playoffs.
Cavaliers forward LeBron James (23) smiles after defeating the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the second-round NBA basketball playoff series, Sunday in Atlanta. Amazingly, the Cavaliers almost made as many three-pointers against the Hawks (77) as they did two-pointers (79).
There was legitimate hope in 2010, when the Cavs won 61 games in the regular season, and a year ago before Love and then Irving went down, but 2009, I’ve always felt, was the best chance for the basketball team to end Cleveland’s major pro sports championship drought, which dates to 1964. “It’s been a treat to see those guys grow, those young guys grow”. But I do know a few people who actually like this franchise, so this column is for them. He’s had two good seasons with this bunch and if Budenholzer blows this team up, there’s no guarantee he will be retained to see them contend for a possible National Basketball Association title with the superstar draftee(s) years later. They’ve accordingly emphasized the three-ball by attempting 22.2% more three-pointers per game.
That process – and progress – dates back to a talk Lue had with James fairly late in the regular season. It’s the way the Cavs are doing it.
That’s exactly what has happened in the playoffs, as Love has been a huge factor – he has posted a double-double in every postseason game – despite outings where he went 3-for-15, 4-for-17 and 3-for-12 from the field.
“I thought it was great after the first half”, Lue said. One is the focus placed on the Western Conference, where Stephen Curry’s health status and the ongoing drama between the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder have dominated the league’s attention.
“When you have a team with three All-Stars, sometimes you don’t get to play the role you’re capable of playing”.
“We’re in a great rhythm right now”, said King James after the game.
“Look at Steph’s numbers”, he said. “Can you have any debate over that, really, when it comes to that award?” From the various flare-ups surrounding LeBron James’ use of social media to the mid-season firing of David Blatt as head coach to the acquisition of Channing Frye at the trade deadline, the Cavaliers had plenty of issues to iron out over the course of those 82 games.
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The real Cleveland Cavs team has stood up.
