The Best Adjustment the Cleveland Cavaliers Can Make in Game 2

Hint: Let the superstar be the superstar

Photo via Erik Drost

Game 1 didn’t go as planned for the Cleveland Cavaliers. After working for 82 games to secure homecourt advantage throughout the Eastern Conference playoffs, 48 minutes and one wretched shooting performance later, that advantage has disappeared. A Game 7 in this series would, obviously, still take place in Cleveland, but the Cavs will need to win a game on the road to make that happen.

The Cavs have to throw the next punch in this series. Indiana landed a haymaker in Game 1 and the Cavs have to get up off the floor, dust themselves off and fight back.

The good news for the Cavs is that they’re in a very advantageous spot, all things considered. Teams that are favored at home in Game 1 and lose very rarely suffer the same fate in Game 2. The Cavs not throwing the next punch would be more shocking than the shooting variance in Game 1 went.

The bad news is that the Cavs will likely be without Evan Mobley, De’Andre Hunter and Darius Garland in tonight’s Game 2. All three players are listed as questionable for the game, but it would be a surprise if any of them suited up. The Cavs are likely going to be entering this game without their full compliment of players, potentially missing three of their five best.

There are adjustments that the Cavs can make in this game after a poor showing in the series opener. They’ll likely do that behind newly-minted NBA Coach of the Year Kenny Atkinson. Schematics will look different, because of the available roster and to adjust to how the Pacers played in Game 1. The Cavs will come out and play with more force and attention to detail on both ends of the floor. Even with the injuries, they’ll find a way to look much more like the team that won 64 games during the regular season than the team that showed up on Sunday.

“We didn't have the force, energy or focus. And it really, just out of character for us,” Atkinson said on Monday. “I was really kind of surprised looking at the film because it didn't resemble the team that I've seen all year.”

There are plenty of reasons to believe the Cavs will correct that. If so, that would go a long way towards righting this ship. I planned on writing a post on certain things I think make the most sense, other than making more 3-pointers which is obvious. I was thinking of what made the most sense to include. Things like staying more disciplined defensively were at the top of the list.

Then I realized something.

What the Cavs need most on Tuesday isn’t any of that.