Jun

13

Offensive Break Down Cost Cavs Game Spurs Lead 3-0

Posted by Jeff Sack under Main 

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The Cleveland Cavaliers, came out of the gate in their first home NBA Finals Game in team history aggressive. Looking like they did for most of the fourth quarter in game two, they controlled the tempo of the game offensively and defensively, for most of the first half. They easily won the battle of the boards especially in the first quarter when they out rebounded the San Antonio Spurs by a 19-8 margin. LeBron James, Drew?Gooden and Zydrunas Ilguaskas combined for 14 rebounds in the opening 12 minutes. They beat San Antonio in points?in the paint by an 8- 4 margin in the first quarter, and?20-14 at the half. They also led in in second chance points 6-3 in the first quarter.??And even though Cleveland only?led by a score of 18-16 at the end of the?quarter, it was the first?opening quarter they had won in the series.? The Cavaliers dictated the flow of the game in that first quarter, and showed that they had shown up to play.

James again got into foul trouble in the first half, getting his third foul of the game in the second quarter,?and playing less than six minutes of the period. But even with their superstar on the bench?the Cavaliers were still only down by two at the half 40-38.? The Cavaliers had held Spurs point guard Tony Parker, who they did not have an answer for in the first two games without a point until the 7:31 mark of the second quarter, when he sunk his first field goal. Parker would end up with only eight in the first half.??Cleveland had to feel confident going into the locker room given that showed they could stand to toe with this team even without LBJ on the floor.

Cleveland maintained their defensive intensity, in the second half but could not get back on track offensively, mainly due to two factors. Number one Cavaliers power forward Drew Gooden who looked his most focused this series, and was on pace for a big game, got into foul trouble,?limiting his time on the court, and eventually fouled out? of the game. Number two instead of penetrating as they had in the first half?Cleveland started settling for outside low percentage shots. As the deficit grew to ten points, point guard Daniel Gibson tried again and again to sink three point shots, and long twos all unsuccesfully?. The Cavaliers chipped away mainly by denying? San Antonio scoring opportunities, and had the lead down to three in the closing seconds. But LeBron James had a three point attempt rim out, and a possible foul by Spurs defensive guru Bruce Bowen went uncalled, final San Antonio 75 Cleveland 72.

With the victory, San Antonio takes a 3-0 margin into Thursday’s game four. History of course is no friend to Cleveland as no NBA franchise has ever?come back from a 3-0 deficit. The big question is, did the loss have a carryover effect for the Cavaliers, or do they still have enough left in the tank to make a series out of this.

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