2016 NBA Finals: How LeBron James Can Save The Cavaliers

LeBron James isn’t the reason the Cleveland Cavaliers are trailing 2-0 in the 2016 NBA Finals, but he’s not doing enough to help them win.

As it pertains to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the 2016 NBA Finals haven’t gone according to plan. Cleveland failed to withstand the Golden State Warriors’ ferocious offensive rally in the second half of Game 1, and were run out of the building in Game 2.

As one might expect, the one and only man who can save the Cleveland Cavaliers is LeBron James.

James is averaging 21.0 points, 10.0 rebounds, 9.0 assists, 3.0 steals, 1.0 block, and 1.5 3-point field goals made through two games. Averaging a near triple-double is usually enough, but Cleveland needs more.

Unrealistic as that may seem, it’s the unfortunate reality of life as an NBA superstar.

Cleveland has lost by 15 and 33 points, which has created the understandable belief that it’s overmatched. The series is far from over, however, as the Cavaliers will play the next two games at home.

The question is, how can the James save the Cavaliers?

Play Like A Different MJ

It seems insane to say, but LeBron James is far too concerned with appealing to his teammates. It’s an admirable approach to the game that’s certain to make his teammates feel better, but at some point, James needs to stop worrying about making everyone happy.

At some point, James needs to do what everyone on the planet knows he’s capable of doing: dominate.

This Magic Johnson style of play isn’t working, primarily because James isn’t efficiently finding his offense like Johnson was able to. James is getting his teammates involved, and that’s wonderful for team chemistry, but at some point in time, he needs to change to a different MJ.

Much as Michael Jordan did during the 1998 NBA Finals, James needs to will his team to victory by relentlessly attacking the rim and creating opportunities for his teammates to thrive off-ball.

James is of little use to the Cavaliers when he’s living in the mid-post and making passes from the elbow. When he drives, however, the referees are forced to either allow blatant fouls to be committed or blow the obvious whistle.

In other words, James needs to stop playing for his teammates and start dominating in a way that allows his teammates to play off of him.

First Time

Kyrie Irving missed all but one game of the 2015 NBA Finals, and had never made the playoffs before last season. Kevin Love missed all but the first round of the 2015 NBA Playoffs, and had never made the playoffs before last season.

All things considered, the 2016 NBA Finals mark the first time in Irving and Love’s respective careers that they’ve played meaningful basketball.

It’s entirely understandable for Irving and Love to go through the process of growing accustomed to the pressure of the NBA Finals. All things considered, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson went through that a season ago.

The difference in this situation is that the Cleveland Cavaliers don’t have an overwhelmingly deep bench or an Andre Iguodala to bail them out.

What Cleveland does have, however, is the greatest player of this generation; a player who almost single-handedly won the Cavaliers a championship a season ago. That creates the blueprint for 2016.

Irving and Love can contribute what no Cavaliers player did in 2015, but they need James to play like this is 2015.

The Key Changes

LeBron James must make a number of important changes, but none are impossible to make. In fact, every one of the changes James must make in order to make this a series can be done with a slight change in strategy.

Without the changes, however, the Cleveland Cavaliers will continue down the same path that’s placed it in an 0-2 hole.

The key to James turning this series around is his being relentless in the way he attacks the rim. Settling for a jump shot is bailing the defense out, and for as much praise as Golden State deserves, it has no answer for James on the drive.

If James can simply take care of the ball and power his way to the rim, the Warriors’ defense can—not will—be exploited.

The second change is that James must stop looking for the pass and start looking for his shot. That doesn’t mean he should stop facilitating, but Cleveland is at its best when he’s aggressive and his teammates can play off of him.

The final change is the big one: James must lead by example in the intensity he displays on the defensive end of the floor.

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This is no easy task, but a series isn’t a series until a team loses at home. It’s on James to make sure Cleveland doesn’t lose at home.