There's really no reason to waste any breath, or words, on Tuesday night's basketball game between the Cleveland Cavaliers and a group of guys in red uniforms. We'll just list some quick facts and then move on. The Cavaliers won, 118-88, to complete a four-game sweep. The game was never close. The Hawks seemed content to end their season in Cleveland. The end.
So instead, let's focus on something, or someone else -- LeBron James. James is now headed back to the Finals for the fifth straight season, something last done by Bill Russell in 1966. Think about that for a second, about all the great players who have come along since but failed to accomplish what LeBron now has. This year he did it by averaging an incredible 30.3 points, 11.0 rebounds and 9.3 assists per game in the Conference Finals. It also helps to be in the East, where mid-tier players like Roy Hibbert and Jeff Teague are all that stand between you and the Finals, while out West you have star-studded groups like the Clippers and Spurs going toe-to-toe in the first round.
This is why LeBron came back to Cleveland. Forget all the coming home bromides written in that first person essay -- James returned because he saw the Cavaliers as the team that gave him everything he wanted: all the power, but also the ability to compete with younger players. Now he's led J.R. Smith to the NBA Finals. That right there may be the most incredible feat of his career.
So, does Cleveland have a chance against Golden State? At first glance it certainly doesn't seem like it. The Cavaliers are depleted and playing too much isolation basketball. The Warriors are completely healthy and coming off one of the best regular seasons in NBA history. They also have the league MVP, one of the few players in the league capable of meeting LeBron blow-for-blow. And they have Draymond Green, one of the few players in the league seemingly capable of staying with LeBron step-for-step.
Then again, this Cavaliers team has morphed into something interesting and different. Now they're big and really good at defense. In the regular season, Cleveland surrendered 104.1 points per 100 possessions; during the playoffs that number has dropped to 98.9. Tristan Thompson (more on him below) has become a rebounding machine who can't be contained.
Maybe the Cavaliers can't keep up with the fast Warriors. But maybe Golden State can't keep up with Cleveland's size or that LeBron James guy. The Warriors, assuming they don't blow their series against the Rockets, should definitely be favored in the Finals, but the Cavaliers shouldn't be counted out.
3 other things we learned
The Hawks have lots of decision to make. It was a great season for the Hawks -- 60 wins, four all-stars, a 19-game win streak -- but a disappointing end. Now Atlanta becomes a team with an interesting offseason ahead. Forget, for a moment, all the Danny Ferry stuff, and let's just look at the on-court decisions the Hawks have to make. Paul Millsap will be an unrestricted free agent, and so will DeMarre Carroll. Both players are essential to what Atlanta does, but does Atlanta view this season as the first stone in a new foundation, or rather just a mix of luck and hot stretches that morphed into something unsustainable? The all-for-one-and-one-for-all approach is great, but are we sure Atlanta, a team that has chased stars in the past, truly believes in it? It's going to be fascinating to watch.
The Cavaliers are good when LeBron sits. One interesting trend to pay attention to -- the fact that this postseason the Cavaliers have actually be better with LeBron off the court. During the playoffs they're outscoring opponents by 9.7 points per 100 possessions with LeBron on the court and 12.5 off of it, per NBA.com. That's not to say Cleveland is better without James (just to be clear), but what it does mean is that the team has managed to hold its ground when he grabs some rest. LeBron can't play 40+ minutes a game against the Warriors, so if Cleveland can keep this trend going, it just might have a chance against Golden State.
Tristan Thompson is going to get paid this offseason. First off, Thompson is represented by Rich Paul, which pretty much means he's represented by LeBron James, which pretty much means he's represented by the Cavaliers GM. So there's that. Thompson certainly had all that in mind when he turned down a four-year, $52 million extension last offseason. Then there's how well Thompson has played this postseason. Cleveland has been 4.4 points per 100 possessions better with Thompson on the court this postseason, per NBA.com. He's been a beast on the boards (9.9 per game) and particularly on the offensive end (4.0). He's also figured out how to fit in on offense, even when he's on the floor with another big man like Timofey Mozgov. All this is a roundabout way of saying that Thompson is about to get a very large contract from the Cavaliers.
Play of the Game
Remember when we were all worried about LeBron's athleticism back at the beginning of the season? Yeah, that was funny.
4 fun things
LeBron can still fly. Check out the screencap!
This is an AWESOMELY weird halftime show.
David Blatt knows where his bread is buttered.
And here's David Blatt trying to endear himself to the people of Cleveland.
Final Score
Cavaliers 118, Hawks 88 (Fear the Sword recap | Peach Tree Hoops recap)