INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — If the Cleveland Cavaliers weren’t ready coming into the playoffs, an embarrassing 98-80 Game 1 loss to the Indiana Pacers certainly shook Kevin Love up enough to know that the first round will be no cakewalk.
“It’s like that sometimes,” Love said after practice Tuesday. “Sometimes you need to get hit in the mouth and that will wake you up pretty fast. That will make you pay attention.
“So we did that, we fought back, gave ourselves a chance, cut the lead down to single digits, but at that point they just had a ton of confidence. They’re a good team. They’re a really good team, well-coached with guys who do a lot of different things, so we’re going to have to read and react, continue to watch film, see where we can get better and make sure that our coverages are on point.”
Cleveland’s defense held Indiana to just 65 points after the first quarter and to a manageable 45.6 percent shooting for the game, but the Pacers’ All-Star guard, Victor Oladipo, went off for 32 points on 11-for-19 shooting.
The Cavs’ All-Star duo of Love and LeBron James didn’t fare as well. James finished with 24 points, 12 assists and 10 rebounds, but didn’t attempt a shot until there was 1:52 remaining in the first quarter with Cleveland trailing 25-8. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said James must be more aggressive from the opening tip in Wednesday’s Game 2.
Love shot just 3-for-8 from the field Sunday, finishing with nine points and 17 rebounds. He too says he needs to sharpen his approach in Game 2.
“I think part of it is on me just to be more aggressive, to get post touches,” Love said. “Sometimes I fall into my own trap of just spacing everybody. That allows other guys to get downhill, Bron to play his game. But I think just mixing it up even when he’s not in the game, getting in the post a little bit more, getting offensive rebounds, getting more touches in there, not even to shoot it in some cases, but just to feel the ball down there and guys to maybe get different looks in two-man game or in second-side action. That’s partially on me too with just coming out and attacking first and being more aggressive.”
Lue was asked again Tuesday about any potential lineup changes, but he would not reveal what he has planned.
“That’s a fair question,” Lue said. “But I’m not telling you, again. But I like the question.”
It appeared like a lineup change could be necessary with Lue saying starting point guard George Hill‘s back was stiff Monday from a screen set by Indiana’s Trevor Booker. But the Cavs’ injury report was blank on Tuesday, meaning that Hill’s back and Kyle Korver‘s sore right foot are not expected to limit either player from giving it a go in Game 2.
With a full roster, home-court advantage and a clear recognition of the challenge the Pacers present, the Cavs have everything they could ask for to try to even up the series.
“The mood is good,” Lue said. “I think guys understand what it takes to win, to beat this team. Got to be aggressive. Got to be more physical. Got to own our space offensively. They pick us up full court, they deny us swing passes, denied elbow passes. So we just got to be stronger with the ball. Can’t turn the ball over 17 times. We got to be physical with the ball, own our space, and we’ll be fine.”
Love was even more to the point.
“It feels like the playoffs, especially now that we’re down 0-1,” he said. “We better be ready for it.”
Source : ESPN
