The Cleveland Cavaliers’ 2017-18 NBA season is off to a rocky start. As of Friday, November 17, the Cavs sit at 8-7, and while that would be a respectable record for a lot of NBA teams, Cleveland is one of a handful of legitimate NBA Finals contenders, and they should be better than this.
To make matters worse for the Cavaliers, head coach Tyronn Lue announced on Friday afternoon that Derrick Rose would miss at least two weeks as he recovers from a sprained ankle. The Cavaliers are already without projected-starting-point-guard Isaiah Thomas, leaving Cleveland incredibly thin in the backcourt. It’s worth noting that Tristan Thompson is also out with a left calf strain, and we don’t have a specific timetable for his return. If you’re looking for reasons why Cleveland has struggled thus far, injuries certainly have something to do with it.
The good news is LeBron James is still healthy, and that’s all you really need to remain competitive in the Eastern Conference. He’s having another incredible year across the board, but he’s also playing 38 minutes a night, and you have to wonder if his body can support that kind of workload as he nears his 33rd birthday. They’re asking for a lot out of him, and he’s delivering, but at what cost?
James turned in another classic performance at Madison Square Garden versus the New York Knicks on Monday night. Cleveland erased a 23-point deficit, culminating with James isolating against Kristaps Porzingis and dropping a ballsy game-sealing step-back three. You can argue that the Cavaliers shouldn’t have been down by 23 to the Knicks in the first place, but it’s been that kind of year for this team.
While James’ clutch three is a fantastic highlight by itself, YouTuber Shady00018 went the extra mile by re-creating the shot in NBA 2K18. We’ve shared a few of these re-creations in the past, and like always, it’s remarkable how accurate they turn out.
The detail here is incredible, from the shot, to how the defense is set, to James’ celebration at the end. Now, if Shady00018 could just create a universe where Isaiah Thomas never injured his hip, the Cavaliers would really be in business.
