The Cavaliers looked to be losing a war of attrition in Game 4. Despite the valiant effort that put them up 2-1 after seemingly devastating personnel losses — Kyrie Irving following Kevin Love — the Cavs clearly ran out of fuel in Game 4. But why? Cavaliers players are literally cramping up on the floor while coach David Blatt keeps the Cavs rotation shorter than Nixon’s temper. Why doesn’t Kendrick Perkins, Mike Miller or Shawn Marion play?
[Steve Kerr’s Morality Problem]
Miller was personally recruited by LeBron James because of his playoff bona fides as a James teammate — and NBA champion — in Miami. A streaky, nervy shooter, Miller got just three minutes of garbage time in Game 4. Perkins got the same three minutes. Shawn Marion didn’t play at all — coach’s decision. (Marion started games for the Cavs as recently as April.) Couldn’t these players at least spell the spent troops Blatt will need for Game 5? Couldn’t they maybe even have given Cleveland a jolt, especially at home? Hasn’t Blatt ever heard Bob Dylan sing? When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose.
