5 Adjustments the Cleveland Cavaliers Must Make for Game 2

3. Help-Side Defense

Despite the heavy criticism of Cleveland’s defense Thursday night, the first line of defense was actually very good. I can’t think of but a few examples of the Cavs getting beat on a one-on-one matchup. Kevin Love and Irving were relatively successful at trapping the pick-and-roll ball-handler, mostly Curry, and forcing that player to pass off.

Unfortunately, that’s where things get hairy. Cleveland’s second and third line of defense were simply atrocious. The off-ball rotations were non-existent at times, which allowed the Warriors to get easy buckets after some quality defense from two of the Cavs’ lesser defenders.

Take for example, the play early in the game where Love is forced into a switch onto Curry. Love plays great defense, pokes the ball out of Curry’s hands and then attempts to out-hustle the guard to the ball in the backcourt. Love dives and barely misses, while Curry picks up the ball and starts to push it back up the other way. As Love sprints back just a few steps behind, the other four Cavaliers simply look lost as to who they should cover. Curry finds Green, who takes a dribble towards the hoop and then throws up a lob for a slam to Andrew Bogut.

Plays like that cannot happen after Love sacrifices his body on the defensive end.

Tristan Thompson also looked to be extremely frustrated with the help he was receiving. Forced on numerous occasions to guard Curry or Barnes, Thompson generally did a solid job against these players, aside from one slip up. But on more than a few occasions, when he stepped up to stop the ball, or switched onto those players, his man was given an easy bucket because there was no help-side defense.

The Splash Brothers were held to just 20 points on 8-of-27 shooting, and again I’d argue that it was because of some quality first-line defense. But again, the second and third lines broke down which allowed Bogut, Barnes, Green and Iggy to combine for 51 points. It also allowed the Warriors to rack up a whopping 54 points in the paint.

Good defenses have a good first line of defense, but great defenses make plays in the second and third lines. The Cavs are playing a historically dynamic offense in the NBA Finals. Good defense is not good enough.

Next: More Involvement on Offense