The Cleveland Cavaliers are down in the 2016-17 NBA Finals 2-0 and things look bleak for the defending NBA Champions. According to ESPN analyst Chris Haynes, if the Cavaliers lose to the Golden State Warriors this year in the NBA Finals they could make "drastic changes" to their roster. Haynes also added that if the Cavaliers had lost last year, they would likely have let Kevin Love leave after the season.
LeBron James says not to overreact
LeBron James has been answering the same question over and over heading into Game 3 of the NBA Finals. Reporters keep asking him if he is "frustrated" or "disappointed" in the performance of the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Golden State Warriors this year.
LeBron is showing frustration but it is with the reporters asking him questions.
In the first two games of the NBA Finals, LeBron James has averaged 28.5-points a game. He had a triple-double in Game 2, with 29 points, 14 assists, and 11 rebounds. In game one, he finished with a double-double, with 28 points and 15 rebounds. Despite that great play, the Golden State Warriors won the first game by 22 points and the second by 19.
The Cleveland Cavaliers performance
Interestingly, if the Cleveland Cavaliers had cut Kevin Love after last season, things might be worse this year. In the Game 1 loss, Love had a double-double, with 15 points and an eye-popping 21 rebounds. Kyrie Irving had 24 points. In Game 2, Love had 27 points and Irving had 19.
However, no one else scored in double-digits in the two NBA Finals games for Cleveland.
Why could changes in Cleveland come?
The Cleveland Cavaliers went down 2-0 last year in the NBA Finals as well and came back to beat the Golden State Warriors and win the NBA Championship. However, Haynes said there is no doubt in his mind that, if the Warriors win in four or five games, LeBron James will demand changes.
Haynes said that James will not be happy and he will look at the Golden State Warriors. After losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers last season in the NBA Finals, the Warriors made no major changes when it comes to stars but added Kevin Durant to build a superteam. LeBron has to recognize that the Warriors have built a team like his old Miami Heat.
LeBron James knows better than anyone what a super team in the NBA can accomplish. If the Warriors beat them in the "rubber match" this year in the NBA Finals, James might look at making a new superteam in Cleveland. Haynes brought up names like Chris Paul and Carmello Anthony as possible arrivals for the Cavaliers and Kevin Love might be who they risk losing as a result.