It's All On The Line Tonight For Cleveland

If you’ve been following the Eastern conference finals this year he witnessed team that was 8-0 in the playoffs going up against a team that had to battle to make it to the Eastern conference finals.  As we enter game five tonight the 8-0 team, Cleveland, is facing elimination being down three games to one.  Besides the obvious of some of the strategic and physical play that may need to change for tonight’s game must look at some of the mental aspects that the players need to be aware of.

If you are Cleveland there needs to be a sense of urgency and a renewed focus on what the individuals have to do in order to be successful as a team.  Between games Cleveland players have been very vocal about their confidence to be successful and that they are the better team.  Yet based on their play will only really seen that in one game and in that one went it’s arguable whether they were clearly that much better of a team.  While you may hear the cliché of “take it one game at a time”, it truly fits in the situation.  As soon as you feel like you have to win multiple games in a row your focus is no longer in the present.  Teams had to make a comeback in a best-of-seven series of the ones who recognize the importance of having to focus on smaller outcomes.  For example, trying to just win a quarter and then winning the next quarter and so on and so forth.  Also as an individual team sport not trying to do more than is asked of you for simply doing your job is a better approach in these type of pressure situations.  All season long in practice usually asked to perform certain duties and play at a certain level.  So starting to try to do more when you are three series into the playoffs is not the right approach.  If somebody from Cleveland to step up and becomes the unlikely hero that’s fantastic for the team but nobody should be expected to do that.

Even if we look at what may be expected of Lebron James, his focus should be the same as it was all season.  To do his job, to facilitate his offense, exploit mismatches, and score when he has the opportunity.  If he tries to take the whole team on his back and win by himself to be a seen time and time again in the NBA that he will be unsuccessful.  Great teams need role players and great players need that support as well.  Any championship team throughout history have had multiple stars along with role players or many players who fill the role as part of a team perfectly.

Lastly, from Orlando’s viewpoint this is a situation where ending the series is important.  Despite the troubles Cleveland has had they were a great team during the regular season and has done some great things in the playoffs.  It is not entirely impossible to think that they can’t get their act together and play to their potential.  While Orlando only has to win one of the next three games the more chances they need to complete this, the more pressure is then on them.  Orlando has the momentum and the lead in the series and similar to Cleveland having to make sure that everybody is filling the role and doing their part will then also need to make sure that they do not get away from one’s got them to where they are and continue to use strategies, situations, and players that have helped them win so far.

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