Live Thread: Cavs @ Warriors, NBA Finals Game 4

Welcome to Game 4, ladies and gentlemen. After a scintillating Game 3 Cavs win, we’ve been subjected to two days of the dumbest hyperbole in the history of NBA punditry: so much talk about how Kevin Love not playing in game four means that he was the entire problem in Games 1 and 2. (Hint: he wasn’t.) Game 3 featured plenty of great offense and defense and the Cavs definitely dialed up the ole effort meter. I’ve been saying since then that it doesn’t matter nearly as much who played in Game 3 as much as how they played. And they played hard.

So as we look toward tonight, Kevin Love made it through the pregame workout, and if I was a betting man, I’d say he was playing. The real question now, is who starts, and who plays when? But like last game, playing hard matters more than scheme and personnel to me – well, as long that personnel includes LeBron James. Speaking of LeBron, the return of his jump shot in the second half of game four was an extremely pleasant surprise, and I know we’re all hoping it continues.

Commenter, Kevin (not Love) had an interesting comment after Game 1. He said, “LeBron played with a sense of freedom last night that I have seen in awhile. I think it cause his handle to be shaky, but it also made his jump shot work. Like the more rigid he plays, the less he turns it over but the more he bricks shots.” I don’t know if I buy it, but I’ve definitely been wanting to see this team play loose since the beginning of the series (but not, you know, too loose). If he can do it again, and Kyrie can play like he did Wednesday (check out David Wood’s “woodshop” piece on Kyrie from earlier today) Cleveland as a very good chance to even things up.

…and this just in. Kevin Love is going to play. No word yet on his role. Go Cavs.