The Cavs built their team around LeBron and the Warriors just built a team.
LeBron did his thing Thursday night as he had 23 points, 11 rebounds and was an assist shy of a triple-double. At times he had to guard everybody on the Warriors roster, but he still looked static at points. Last year at this time he had nowhere near the talent he has now and he put up 44 points in a losing overtime effort in Game 1. This year, and this playoffs especially, he’s been more passive. In a good way. He’s relied more on the talent around him after dispatching three opponents in just 14 games. His new cast of JR Smith, Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving, however, shot 36 percent from the field Thursday night, which cannot continue if the Cavs hope to make this a series. They are going to need an explosion from somebody like Channing Frye, who’s been shooting great all playoffs long.
The Warriors, on the other hand, have been relying on the team’s depth ever since Steve Kerr joined the franchise. Bob Myers loaded up the roster with superstars, versatile veterans and NBA castoffs. Kerr’s deftness with his rotations creates a great internal competition within the roster. The depth lead them to 73 wins in the regular season and ultimately to a seven-game series win over an exhausted Thunder team. Shaun Livingston is just one of many bench players to step up during these playoffs and before a banner is raised, on either side, someone else from Kerr’s squad will have a game-changing impact on the game. The Warrior reserves outscored the Cavs bench by 35, the biggest disparity in 50 years of The Finals. Throughout the game, the waves of unique talent kept coming at Cleveland and once the Warriors’ bench went on the extended run, the Cavs faded.
LeBron isn’t Michael Jordan; he never was. That will never be his game and it never will be. He’s been a passer, a great one, ever since high school. He wants to get everybody involved and sometimes that can also be his biggest fault. No one can deny that he’s a top five player of all-time, but he’s going to have to take over the Finals starting Sunday or this could be a very quick series.
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