This is not the group that the Cavaliers were planning on going to battle with this postseason. Kevin Love is out for good. Kyrie Irving is hobbling around on the court and can barely dribble past his man. Iman Shumpert has a groin issue.
J.R. Smith’s three-point shooting is saving the Cavaliers
The Cavaliers guard’s ability to shoot from deep is a major reason why Cleveland has a chance to win its second round series against the Bulls.
That mummies like James Jones and Kendrick Perkins are seeing the floor shows just how depleted Cleveland is.
And yet, here are the Cavaliers, tied at two with the Chicago Bulls and in a great position to advance one more round. LeBron James is obviously the primary reason why. He's averaging 26 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists this series and has made myriad big plays. But James is also only shooting 38 percent from the field and that number hasn't gotten any better during the fourth quarter. Buzzer beaters are great, but you have to hit enough shots beforehand to get into a position to take them.
That's where J.R. Smith comes in. First, the numbers: Since returning from the suspension that forced him to sit out the first two games of this series, Smith is averaging 13.5 points and has connected on seven of the 14 three-pointers he's attempted. Incredibly, six of those seven makes have come during the fourth quarter, where Smith has missed just two shots from deep.
In Game 4 on Sunday, Smith’s hot fourth-quarter shooting helped the Cavaliers to overcome a seven-minute stretch during the third quarter where they didn’t score a single point. Smith hit three shots from deep during Cleveland’s 19-3 run and scored 11 points in the fourth. His ability to shoot allowed the Cavaliers to space the floor, which was essential considering they were pretty much running high pick-and-rolls on every play down the stretch. Take a look below for an example.
Check out the spacing here as Timofey Mozgov sets the high pick for LeBron James. That's Smith in the left corner being guarded by Tony Snell. Even as James drives to the basketball Snell doesn't budge off Smith. This makes it easier for James to finish at the rim.
Game 3 was a similar story. Forget, for a moment, Derrick Rose’s buzzer beater and the final score. Remember the play before that? It was a catch-and-shoot three-pointer from the top of they key by Smith, which tied the game at 96 with just 10 seconds remaining. It was also the third time that quarter that Smith had tied the game with a shot from behind the arch.
With Smith on the floor this postseason the Cavaliers have been scoring 107.8 points per 100 possessions. With him off the floor that number falls to 106.3. Surprisingly, Cleveland’s defense this postseason has also improved with Smith on the court, when the Cavaliers are surrendering 98.4 points per 100 possessions, compared to 99.8 when he’s off (all numbers via NBA.com).
These are exactly the results Cleveland was hoping for when it pulled the trigger on that trade with the Knicks in January. The best way to use LeBron is to surround him with shooters, and ones that aren't afraid to pull the trigger with the game on the line. This stretches the defense and gives LeBron more room to operate. The problem with Smith in New York (aside from the whole clubbing thing) was that the Knicks needed Smith to help Carmelo Anthony carry the load every night. That's not the role he should be playing.
In Cleveland, the Cavaliers just need Smith to spot up and hit open shots. By doing that he helps the team’s offense transform into one that at times this postseason has become unguardable. J.R. Smith is not the reason the Cavaliers are tied at two with the Bulls. But he’s certainly one of them.
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