Cleveland Cavaliers: 3 takeaways from Game 1 vs. Pacers

2. 3-point shooting

As a team that ranks top five in both made and attempted 3-pointers, it’s safe to say the Cavaliers rely heavily on the long ball to generate offense. With a defensive rating that ranked 29th, Cleveland isn’t able to win games by locking up its opponents.

Simply put it, this team lives and dies by the 3, and against the Pacers, the Cavs died really hard. They shot a putrid 8-for-34 from distance, which equates to a 23.5 percent conversion rate.

So much of their offensive game plan revolves around their ability to space the floor around LeBron James.

Guys like Smith, Hood and Jordan Clarkson have a tough time creating looks for themselves off the dribble on a consistent basis, which means if they’re not hitting their 3-point looks, they don’t provide much else on the offensive end.

With so much of Cleveland’s offense coming from outside the arc, their cold streaks make it incredibly difficult to generate offense, and with a less than imposing defense, the struggles from deep make it even more difficult to remain competitive.