Though overall this wasn't a good game against the Spurs, there were many positives, the biggest being that when the starting lineups went against each other, the Cavs' was a lot better. Love didn't shoot well but he was +26, Kylie was +12, Shump +19, TT +14. As far as extrapolating for the playoffs is concerned, how your starters do is more important than anything. Then the bench came in and it's interesting. If a few FTs were made, the story is entirely. The defense was shitty overall, but crunch time defense was pretty good but once again, our bottom 5 in the league defensive rebounding let us down.
LeBron + the bench units have been our best lineups for the past 2 seasons and the for the first two months of this season. TT or Frye or Moz/LBJ/Shump or Liggins/Dunleavy/Jefferson or Delly. Ever since the addition of Korver, the bench units have been a mess.
Multiple things going on.
1) LeBron is staying in too long during the firs period. He comes out at like the 2 minute mark and change instead of at the 4 minute mark first set by Blatt. He barely rests and then is back with the bench. Lue needs to change this. I know he wants he starters in as long as possible and fears the Big Three-less lineups, but he thinks he can build enough of a lead with them in.
2) We have to realize just how great James has been to carry these lineups to top 3 NET differentials in the NBA. It's been astonishing. Now, Jefferson and Frye have been poor defensively the last month. James has not put in the defensive effort necessary to keep this group humming but has instead opted to coast defensively and try to break the game open with Frye/Korver/Jefferson threes. When they don't go in, the defense isn't making any stops and James isn't going to put in the effort necessary to get them. Dunleavy was actually part of our best lineup (Frye/LBJ/Jefferson/Shump/Dunleavy) because he was playing pretty good defense as I posted here:
http://www.realcavsfans.com/community/index.php?posts/2562754/
3. Last year, James had Delly to run the offense so he could play off the ball some and that helped save some of his energy not to mention the Delly/James pick and roll was deadly.
4. LeBron's turnovers when belaying with the bench especially have been bad and it's all about the handle. He had 99 lost ball turnovers coming into this game. HIS CAREER HIGH in lost ball turnovers for a season was 85 in 2011 in 79 games. On the other hand, he has only 38 bad passes. The fewest he's ever had was 113 in 2008. You see teams adjusting and daring LeBron to score even when he's in the paint (he's getting into the paint much off the bounce better this year even with all the lost ball turnovers) he opts for impossible passes that only he can make. At some point (I'm assuming the playoffs, he'll opt to score.
5. The good news is that Kyrie and Love are playing better together (plus +3.6 per 100) without James.