Three Down: Downtown

You will not find any statistics in this article.

Not the score, not the meager shooting or pathetic free throw percentages. I won’t type a single word about rebounding digits, missed layups, or assist to turnover ratios. We all know it was ugly, you don't need me to tell you that.

But a number did decide the game…(in your best Count von Count voice)…”3”. As in game 3, and more importantly the 3-point shot.

While the storylines echo the notion that Cleveland is trying to emulate the Spurs on the court and in the front office, the Cavaliers have failed to integrate one pivotal element, a subtle aspect of basketball that many NBA teams remarkably neglect in their rosters: shooting. Consider it a slight oversight on their part.

The Spurs, fortunately, know the value of long distance specialists.

In their dominance of the first two games these Finals it has been easy to overlook the fact that the Spurs’ shooters had yet to find their rhythm. They were riding Manu, Tony, and Timmy for all they were worth, and with their ease in getting at the basket there was almost no need for the snipers. But for Michael Finley, Brent Barry, Robert Horry and Bruce Bowen, you knew it was only a matter of time before the shooting showed up.

With Duncan in foul trouble, Parker picking his spots, and Ginobili still on the team bus, the team’s outside shooting became the unspoken 4th star to step up. Finley made his first appearance in the series, and Bowen actually carried the offense for stretches. Barry provided a lift from the bench that Manu couldn’t. Veteran players that you can count on finally arrived…players that the Cavs simply don’t have.

Did anyone actually expect Daniel Gibson to carry them from the outside line? Was Donyell Marshall going to open up their offense and give Lebron space to operate? Not likely. That’s the difference playoff experience makes; players can have bad games, but seldom have a bad series. While Marshall and Pavlovic hang their heads, Barry and Finley have the confidence to let the ball fly.

But the Cavs saw this coming. The knock on them all season was their lack of shooting. Yes, a combination of a hot Gibson and Lebron got them past Detroit, but maybe we should consider that a fluke. They didn’t have to perform from the perimeter to get past New Jersey (terrible interior defense) and Washington (terrible… well, everything after their injuries). The East is so weak that Lebron carried them through it almost single-handedly.

Remember the rumors about them trading for Mike Bibby or signing Michael Redd? Remember how everyone said they were a few shooters away? That hasn’t changed, the Cavs just got timely (or lucky). Gibson got hot at the right time against Detroit, and Marshall caught fire at the right time against New Jersey. With those shooting performances, people seemed to forget that they had terrible outside shooting for the rest of both series. And when they needed a 3 the most, the best they could muster was a 28 foot heave from Lebron.

(Who yes, was fouled, but no, would probably not have made 3 free throws.)

R.C. Buford and the Spurs, on the other hand, placed an emphasis on finding veteran shooters to surround their stars, and rightfully so. Time after time the Spurs knocked down open shots, while Cleveland’s role players froze with the ball in their hands. The 3-point shooting wasn’t there for the Spurs all series, but it showed up at the right time. In game 3, the 3 made the difference, and it could affect another “3”…the amount of trophies in the display cases of the AT&T Center.