Alright, the Finals are over. The dust has settled. A victor has emerged. The evidence has presented itself. The Golden State Warriors proved they were the best team in the NBA. Democracy triumphed over the feudal system. After steam rolling through the Eastern Conference, the Cavs just ran into a better team. Before I move on to more pressing matters let me explain to you why this is ALL LeBron James fault lmaoooooooo.
Ok, ok it’s not all his fault but honestly he’s at the center of most of it. With great power comes great responsibility and the son of Gloria James has more of it in that franchise than practically anyone, on and off the court. All the extra stuff aside, let’s just focus on what happened on the court in the 2017 NBA Finals that led to the Cavs demise.
Don’t mean a thing if the ball don’t swing: The way the Cavs play offense was a serious issue against a lengthy, smart, active Warriors defense. They usually go iso with LeBron or Kyrie. One of those guys holds the ball and either waits for a pick or tries to beat their man one on one to get a layup or kick the ball out to a 3 pt shooter. The problem is they’re banking on the other defenders to help off of their man so they can pass to a wide open sniper waiting to pull the trigger. But what happens if the help doesn’t come and the other players stay home? I’ll tell you what, a tough finish or a tough 3 pt attempt by a player who has been standing and watching for a majority of the shot clock. No rhythm. No flow. Golden State played it perfectly. Guarded LeBron man to man, let him get his and limited everyone else. Then at the end of games, LeBron was making those passes to his teammates at the 3 pt line who had to make tough shots over the outstretched arms of defenders.
DEFENSE!!!! DEFENSE!!!: Or lack thereof…………The Cavs did not defend well at all as a whole this series. But since we’re blaming everything on LeBron, let’s focus on his ineffectiveness against Kevin Durant. This series was reminiscent of the 2014 Finals between the Spurs and the Heat. The Spurs team was clicking as a unit but Kawhi Leonard’s individual brilliance stood out at the expense of LeBron. Nobody really cares if Klay Thompson outplays J.R. Smith. But the Clash of the Titans is on front street. You can’t hide in obscurity when you’re the main attraction. And Durant outshone James on the main stage much like Kawhi did three years ago. Numbers are nice but if you can’t get the best of your guy then you my friend are part of the problem.
Personnel Problems: Cleveland’s roster isn’t suited for a up and down horse race. These guys were hand picked by LeBron to space the floor for him and create driving lanes. Then should he get stuck or help defense comes, he can kick out for an assist. Players like Kyle Korver and Channing Frye fit this plan perfectly. Only issue is they are vulnerable on the other end. While Cleveland is still a very good team, they brought muskets to war when the enemy had machine guns.
I could find more things to blame LeBron for but I’ll let you guys digest on this for a while lol. Seriously though, no one man wins or loses a game/series for his team. But I am gonna say that when the C.S.I. Unit comes and sweeps the crime scene they are gonna find LeBron’s fingerprints all over it. I’m just saying……………….