Here’s how Terry Pluto sums up game three of the playoffs:
“The Cavs just suddenly decided, ‘Well, we can just go home.’ And they pretty much did, mentally.”
The Cavs blew a 21-point lead in Cleveland on Sunday, ultimately losing by a mere three points to the Boston Celtics.
Pluto somehow knew this would happen.
“Even in basketball, pride and arrogance are deadly sins,” he says.
“LeBron seemed detached. He was not driving to the basket like he did almost every other playoff game," Pluto says. "This is the guy who was averaging 34 points per game in the playoffs.”
Pluto says LeBron seemed to be content to sit back and watch his teammates take shots. LeBron only scored three points in the second half of the game.
With a close game in the fourth quarter, Pluto expected LeBron to step things up.
But, “he didn’t even score a point in the last 16 minutes he was on the floor.”
The Cavs’ apparent listlessness didn’t make sense: more playoff games mean more work and a greater risk of injury before the finals.
Even in basketball, pride and arrogance are deadly sins
Pluto said LeBron just seemed tired.
“This is his third game in six nights,” Pluto said. “He just didn’t have a lot of energy.”
At game four, the Cavs could very well “take the Celtics apart,” especially considering Boston’s star player is out due to an injury.
“The only thing would be if there were something physically wrong with LeBron. He said there wasn’t, he just said he ‘didn’t have it,’” Pluto said.
The Cavs still lead 2-1. Game four is Tuesday, May 23 at the Quicken Loans Arena.
