Jason Lloyd @JasonLloydABJ
5 hours ago
It's time to call LeBron an MVP candidate and where #Cavs rank defensively during this streak. Final thoughts
Cavs 108, Thunder 98: Jason Lloyd's 13 final thoughts
By JASON LLOYD Published: January 26, 2015
LeBron James backs in against the Thunder's Kevin Durant Sunday in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)
CLEVELAND: Thirteen thoughts for 13 rebounds from Kevin Love in an impressive 108-98 victory Sunday over the Oklahoma City Thunder…
1. LeBron James began the day seventh in the league in Player Efficiency Rating, or PER, which combines all of a player’s statistics into one number. He’s second in the league in scoring and his team can’t win when he doesn’t play.
2. So why, exactly, is he never mentioned in the MVP race?
3. It’s striking to me how little consideration James is receiving when discussing the top candidates this season. The Cavs are 24-12 when he plays and 1-8 when he doesn’t. If the definition of the MVP award is a player’s value to his team, I’m not sure how much more proof is necessary. That .667 winning percentage when he plays matches the Wizards’ winning percentage this season – and they’re ranked second in the East.
4. James is averaging 30.3 points and shooting 51 percent since taking two weeks off. He seems re-engaged, presumably because he’s healthy and GM David Griffin gave him the pieces he wanted in a big man and help on the wing.
5. In fact, James is starting to soften his stance on the Cavs’ outlook. For months, any time the idea of the postseason was mentioned, James immediately dismissed it with some variation of, “we’re nowhere good enough to worry about the playoffs.” When I revisited the topic with him after this win, however, his answer started to change.
6. “There’s such a long road ahead of us, I’m not going to get too ahead of myself personally. As the leader of the team I understand how important each day is,” James said. “But we’ve improved mentally more than anything. Obviously we added some great pieces in Shump, J.R. and Mozzy. We’ve played some great basketball as of late.”
7. With nearly three months left in the regular season, that’s as close to an endorsement as you’re going to get from him.
8. This was one of the more impressive victories of the season with this disclaimer: This was the Thunder’s final stop on a five-games-in-seven-nights trip through the Eastern Conference. The last game is always difficult on tired legs. But the Cavs played well.
9. They held their fourth consecutive opponent under 42 percent shooting, the first time that has happened all season. Forget all the other numbers. That’s the most important.
10. In four games this week, Cavs’ opponents shot 39.8 percent – sixth in the NBA. This is the same team that began the week ranked 29th in defensive field-goal percentage. Take it back all the way to the road win against the Lakers and the start of this six-game winning streak and opponents are shooting 42.8 percent, which ranks eighth.
11. I’ve written it all season and will continue to write it until my fingers bleed – the Cavs have no chance of winning a championship without a top 10-12 defense. And right now, for the first time all season, they are finally defending like a top 10 team. As Iman Shumpert gains more of a role on this team, that should only continue.
12. Not to get too far ahead here, but the only game that should challenge the Cavs in the next 10 days is a home game against the Trail Blazers on Wednesday. The other opponents between now and a visit from the Clippers Feb. 5: the Pistons, Kings, Timberwolves and 76ers. Somehow the Cavs have already lost to three of those four, but the way they’re playing now they should get all four of them.
13. Cutting these short tonight. Cavs are taking Monday off except to fly to Detroit for Tuesday’s game. Something tells me this one won’t end in a 23-point loss to the Pistons. Talk to you Tuesday from the Palace.
this Cavs team would blow that cav team out the water just like they did the Hornets.
