Cleveland trounces a Tim Duncan-less San Antonio Spurs crew
The NBA isn’t as stringent as other leagues when it comes to uniform, um, uniforms, but it would like you to wear the same shorts as your teammates. LeBron James probably won’t be fined at an NFL-level due to his first quarter misstep …
… not because he’s LeBron James, Star of Stars, but mainly because they’re just shorts, guys, and settle down:
Sadly, James’ shorts mishap was the lone notable nationally-televised takeaway from Cleveland’s dominant 117-103 win over the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night. NBA fans should be somewhat concerned about LeBron’s misstep, as those Al McGuire-era Marquette-styled Cavalier shorts are as cool as this league’s trunks come, but the main focus had more to do with Cleveland’s systematic destruction of one of the best defensive teams in NBA history.
One of “the best overall teams in NBA history,” we should say, full stop. Providing Tim Duncan is around, of course.
[Follow Dunks Don’t Lie on Tumblr: The best slams from all of basketball]
Even though the Spurs center lists at 39-years old, he remains one of the league’s best players. The center sat out Saturday’s contest with a sore right knee, just as he sat out Monday’s blowout loss to Golden State with the same malady. San Antonio lost by 30 points in that contest, recovering in time to blow Houston out by 31 points (gotta keep that point differential game flowing), but it was clear on Saturday that Cleveland did not want to be embarrassed on national TV for the third time in 12 days.
James finished with 29 points and seven assists in the win, pushing the ball early and often and setting a pace that led to a season-high 66 first half points for Cleveland. To collect a season-high against what could be a legendarily-great NBA defense is achievement in itself, but for the Cavs the opponent hardly mattered. The Cavaliers have rung up underwhelming wins over the Timberwolves, Suns and Pistons in the days since their defeat against Chicago in new coach Tyronn Lue’s debut, and this win over the Spurs was a needed refresher course.
A conquest like this would have served as a needed tonic regardless of opponent. Yes, San Antonio famously leads the NBA (the NBA’s history, this deep into a season) in point differential, but the way in which Cleveland won would have acted as a warming note even had they suited up against Philadelphia.
The Cavs pushed the ball offensively without hesitation, diving into sets with alacrity, with Kyrie Irving (21 points) acting as the reliever down the stretch. Kevin Love (21 points as well), a night after working as just another sweet-shooting stretch four (save for one jump hook) against Detroit, was as active within the team’s offense as he’s been all year.
The team finished with 55 percent shooting and, one would hope, a newfound sense of purpose some 46 games into what is currently a 34-win year. Cleveland entered this win as the third-slowest team in the NBA, a frightening proposition for what is the East’s most frightening team defend on the break.
For San Antonio? Duncan’s absence cannot be used as an excuse.
It’s true that big man LaMarcus Aldridge (15 points, two rebounds in 26 minutes) does his best work alongside another seven-footer up front, and that 6-8 David West (despite providing enough hustle to set Erie back afire) can’t be counted on to provide for Duncan’s ability to dissuade opponents from even trying in the paint, but San Antonio could have made a game out of this one. Even with Cleveland’s newfound purpose. Even with Kyrie’s lefty lay-ins.
Even with …
Well, maybe not that. There’s only so much that Tim Duncan can help with.
Cleveland’s initial three-game winning streak behind Tyronn Lue was unimpressive, and they’ve let themselves down before. There’s always a good chance that the Cavs only decided to push the pace and move the ball because the ABC klieg lights were in town. Again.
Or, this could turn into something bigger. For as much as this league respects the Spurs and for as frightening as the Warriors can be with anglers running to a lit-up line, nothing should be scarier than LeBron James on the break. The Cavaliers don’t need to work with big statements anymore. They just need to pull these sorts of wins off in a way that has the left coast paying attention.
– – – – – – –
Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @KDonhoops
