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SPORTS Thursday 17 May 2018

Backcourt blues: Cavs guards Smith, Hill horrible in Game 2

By TOM WITHERS ference finals. Now an in-
AP Sports Writer jured Irving sits on Boston's
CLEVELAND (AP) — J.R. bench in street clothes un-
Smith reached out, placed able to help his new team-
his hands on Al Horford's mates while his presence
back and shoved Boston's teases the Cavaliers, who
big man out of bounds. have not adequately re-
It was the only time Smith placed the All-Star since
was on target. trading him.
Smith's shoddy perfor- They are finding life in
mance in Game 2 — he the playoffs is more diffi-
missed all seven shots and cult without Irving, who at
committed a flagrant 1 foul times carried Cleveland's
in 27 forgettable minutes offense, giving James a
— underscored a startling break and Lue a depend-
disparity between Cleve- able second scoring op-
land's and Boston's starting tion.
backcourts that allowed It's easy to second-guess
the fearless Celtics to with- the decisions now, but it
stand a brilliant, 42-point feels as if the Cavs' trades
effort by LeBron James and of Derrick Rose and Dwy-
take a 2-0 series lead. ane Wade at the dead-
Smith and point guard line were hasty. Cleveland
George Hill were outscored lacks enough playmakers
41-3 by Boston's Jaylen capable of creating their
Brown and Terry Rozier, own shot or opportunities
who were faster, hungrier Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown, right, tries to drive against Cleveland Cavaliers guard JR Smith for others.
and maybe tougher. (5) during the second half in Game 2 of the NBA basketball Eastern Conference final, Tuesday, Hill has been unusually pas-
"I don't think tougher," May 15, 2018, in Boston. sive in the first two games,
Smith said afterward, Associated Press and the Cavs need to get
showing better defensive him going.
instincts than during the rotations. After a 25-point have to work harder than suming he'll get it together. And they certainly need
game. "They made shots, lambasting in the opener, he is already. Lue's decision not to play more from Smith, whose
we missed shots at the end Lue altered his frontcourt Another possibility is to guard Jordan Clarkson for frustration surfaced at the
of the day. We had some by putting Tristan Thomp- drop Smith, who is 2 of 16 a single minute in Game worst possible time when
good looks, they didn't fall. son with the first five and from the field and missed 2 was curious, mostly be- his hard foul on Horford
For them playing on their bringing Kyle Korver off the all seven 3-pointers, from cause Clarkson is quick riled up the Celtics and
home court, they fell. It's bench. the starting lineup, but that enough to handle Rozier their rowdy crowd.
a matter for us to bounce The moves worked as would be risky because of and he scored 10 points in As the referees reviewed
back, go home, try and get Thompson provided his mercurial nature. Sit him Game 1. the play, Boston fans chant-
(win) two, even the series needed energy and Ko- and risk never getting him Veteran Jose Calderon ap- ed profanely at Smith, who
up and come back here." rver knocked down four back. pears to be out of consider- smirked and later said the
Smith will not be further 3-pointers and had Boston's Lue is willing to live with ation despite his steadiness taunts didn't bother him.
punished by the NBA for his defense focused on more Smith's streakiness — he and experience. Lue may "I love it," he said. "I don't
aggressive foul on Horford, than James. went 6 for 6 in Game 4 fear the 36-year-old will be want the opposing fans to
who was in the air when Now, Lue has to ponder an- against the Raptors — but targeted and exposed de- like me. That's not why I'm
he got pushed and could other shake-up. what he can't afford are fensively. here. They can chant and
have been seriously hurt. One option is to re-insert the defensive lapses that Of course, there's irony in scream all they want. It ac-
Thanks to the league's odd Korver at small forward, sit led to slow rotations and Cleveland having back- tually makes me feel better
scheduling, Game 3 is not Hill and slide James to the gave Rozier and others court issues in this series. about myself. They know
until Saturday, giving Cavs point, where he typically wide-open looks in Game A year ago, Kyrie Irving av- me."
coach Tyronn Lue plenty plays anyway but where 2. Smith has been locked in eraged 25.8 points in the The Cavs know him better,
of time to consider tweaks he'll be more susceptible defensively throughout the Cavs' five-game rampage and they need Smith to be
to his starting lineup and to double teams and will postseason, so Lue is as- over the Celtics in the con- himself.q