The Cleveland Cavaliers have been manhandled so far in these NBA Finals, and nearly everyone has written them off. After two games in which they both lost, the Cavs looked like they don’t belong in this stage.
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With the Golden State Warriors finding answers in every corner, coach Tyronn Lue is fronted with the daunting task of regrouping his troops for the next two, or more, games. Adjustments are expected to be in place and former NBA legend Scottie Pippen, in his interview with ESPN’s Mike & Mike show, weighed in on what needs to be done if Cleveland wants to regain their ground.
For the Cavs, it’s time to change the lineup. Mozgov needs to be in the starting five. Last year, Lebron was effective with Mozgov protecting the paint. Right now, it’s a lineup problem for the Cavs. You look at what Warriors are doing, Andrew Bogut is playing well and protecting the rim. Cleveland need to find a cushion.
Interestingly, Timofey Mozgov has been a lost man all year long for the Cavs. After offseason knee surgery resulting in a slow start, Mozgov never gained his confidence back. Even dating back to last year’s finals where the seven foot Russian had a relatively strong performance, he was made a liability by Steve Kerr’s small ball attack.
If he is to become a factor, Lue needs to commit on imposing the Cavs’ advantage down low instead of playing the Warriors’ game.
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Meanwhile, the six-time NBA champion in Pippen does not believe the popular notion that Golden State virtually has the trophy in their hands.
No. I don’t think the series is over. Warriors protected their home court. I expect this all to reverse when the series shifts to Cleveland.
I expect the likes of Matthew Dellavedova and JR Smith to perform better in their own environment. The Warriors bench outperformed them at home and now Cavs can return the favor.
There are still many reasons to believe in the Cavaliers, starting with LeBron James. But they must be as sharp as ever if they want to turn this series around. For more on Scottie Pippen, watch the video below.
