If there was ever any match that looked like a sure win for the Cavaliers, yesterday’s was it. Sure, they were on the road, but Amway Center was about as close to home as they could get; the last nine times they set foot in the arena, they wound up with victories. Moreover, they were coming off two days of rest, in contrast to the Magic, who played the other night. Most importantly, there was the talent base to consider; apart from Kevin Love, they were complete and led by All-World LeBron James, while the hosts missed four cogs, top dog Aaron Gordon included.
For a while there, the set-to appeared to go exactly as conventional wisdom foresaw. In jumping to a double-digit lead after the first quarter on the strength of a season-high 43, the Cavaliers looked energetic and purposeful; at the very least, they exhibited the ball movement and type of activity that had them posting top-shelf offensive ratings prior to the turn of the year. James was particularly efficient, shooting and boxing out well and keeping teammates involved with crisp passes that presented open opportunities or resulted in hockey assists. They were poised to prevail, or so it seemed. They padded the lead to 21, and even after a four-minute drought shortly thereafter, they were up 16 at the half.
Unfortunately, the Cavaliers allowed their Hyde side to take over after the break. Soon enough, no one could buy a bucket, and when their offense could no longer mask their systemic infirmities at the other end of the court, they responded with resignation. They found themselves behind by the end of the third quarter, and then only too ready to accept the inevitable collapse. The Magic, losers in 21 of the previous 26 outings, emphatically blew them off the court, their abject surrender no more evident than in the fact that James scored a measly point in the payoff period and tallied zero rebounds and zero dimes for the entire second half.
Needless to say, these Cavaliers stink. They’re a shadow of their champion selves. Heck, they’re not even close to the smoke-and-mirrors version that posted hard-earned triumph after triumph against supposed patsies earlier in the season. They’re still third in the so-called Leastern Conference, but boasting of a negative point differential and nearer to missing the playoffs than taking the top seed. And the trek won’t get any easier in the immediate term. Assuming head coach Tyronn Lue is okay, he’ll be prepping for the Timberwolves’ visit today, a tall order under the circumstances; the last time they met, he was on the receiving end of a shellacking.
Given the Cavaliers’ rut, it’s no wonder advanced metrics peg their chances of making the Finals for a fourth consecutive time at a measly three percent. And that’s not the end of their worries; anything less than the East title will almost certainly compel James to leave for greener pastures via free agency in June. So, while they ponder their future, they’re caught between the proverbial rock and a hard place; they need to placate him to stay but, at the same time, have to be ready for the possibility of his departure. It’s a dilemma not even a blockbuster deal at the trade deadline this week figures to definitely address.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is the Senior Vice-President and General Manager of Basic Energy Corp.
