Cavs hold in-depth film study following three-game skid

Ahead of Monday night’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors, currently the second-best team in the Eastern Conference and winners of six consecutive games, the Cleveland Cavaliers have lost three-straight games of their own. Within this three-game skid is a 17-point loss at Milwaukee and 19-point loss at home to the Los Angeles Clippers.

While the Bucks game was said to be a “throw-away,” things are much different for the Cavs following their recent losing streak. For the first time this season, the reigning NBA Champions are facing some adversity. This is the first time the team has lost three-consecutive games under head coach Tyronn Lue.

After starting the season 13-2, the three losses seems to have gotten to the Cavs, or at least to star LeBron James, who took it upon himself to remind his team that last season is over and has no effect on this season and anything going forward.

Via cleveland.com’s Joe Vardon:

“We’ve got to get out of the honeymoon stage … “You’ve got to play the game the right way,” James said. “You’ve got to battle every night like we ain’t won nothing. Last year is last year and after ring night, it’s over with. Now it’s a new season and everybody is gunning for us every night and we have to understand that. The honeymoon stage is over and it’s time to play some real ball and be physical, especially in the trenches. Giving up 78 points [in the paint to the Bulls] is ridiculous. We’ve got to man up. Everybody.”

During this bad three-game stretch, James has 20 turnovers, forward Kevin Love has struggled on the defensive end, and J.R. Smith has been ice cold, making just 6-of-18 (33 percent) shots from the field, all of which were three-pointers. In his last five games, Smith is shooting just 7-of-40 (18 percent) from the field and 7-of-35 (20 percent) from beyond the arc.

Whether it’s Smith’s struggles with his shot, going to an opponent’s bench and hugging players during the game (and giving away easy layups), No. 5 has struggled lately, to say the least. Even with many of the Cavs struggling throughout this losing streak, Lue realizes that part of the blame can be placed on his shoulders as well.

“I’ve got to come up with some better schemes or something. It’s not just schemes, it’s better 1-on-1 defense.”

Prior to the Cavs’ practice Sunday afternoon, the head coach held an intense film session with the team, where he showed 151 video clips that showed bad defense being played during the last three games. For those wondering, it’s not just one or two players, it’s the whole team, or at least everyone who has played.

Here’s more from Vardon:

“About eight-to-10 per guy. We’re an older team, we don’t have the best one-on-one defenders. We’ve got to be better as far as scheme-wise helping our teammates, recovering, making the multiple effort.We had kind of gotten away from that so today we showed them so film, for the guys it was good for them to see it. They were pretty embarrassed by it, and then today we went to work on it.”

James believes that it’s on every one of his teammates to motivate themselves, including himself. Last season means nothing on what could happen this season.

“The process is what should drive you. For me, it’s part of my motivation is the process and every day you have to work it. Like I said, last year is last year. We had an unbelievable accomplishment, but that’s in the past now. You have to be able to motivate yourself.”

Whether it’s the fact that the Cavs believe they can just coast until the playoffs begin in April, that they are somewhat bored with the regular season, or that they know that, if they come to play, they will most likely make it to the Finals for the third-consecutive season, the wine and gold must remain focused.