Cavs hope new attack will force Game 7

Cleveland’s LeBron James is taking the ball at the high post, trying to force double teams.

By BRIAN WINDHORST

THE Plain Dealer

ORLANDO, Fla. — LeBron James has been voted into the All-Star Game as both a shooting guard and small forward. He won a gold medal with Team USA playing mostly power forward.

If he gets the Cavaliers into the NBA finals, he’s probably going to have to perfect another position: The Nail.

That’s what the Cavs’ terminology is for James’ role in the high-post offense that proved to be remarkably effective in their 112-102 Game 5 victory over the Orlando Magic on Thursday.

In all likelihood, the Cavs will need “the nail” again tonight in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals as they look to extend the series to a seventh game in Cleveland.

The concept is nearly as old as the game. James receives the ball on the elbow, also known as the high post. Because of his position on the floor, it becomes difficult to double team him without instant consequences unlike when he’s outside the 3-point line as has been his typical position in recent years.

Combined with a small lineup stacked with shooters who were on their games — Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson — the Magic’s defense lost its teeth.

James used that play to score or assist on 32 consecutive points Thursday. Now for the first time in this series, the Magic might be on their heels like the Cavs have been for the past week.

The play also can limit the effectiveness of Dwight Howard defending the basket. With the play’s options, which include James driving, Howard doesn’t have as much time to react.

“My game is all geared to attacking and what the defensive gives me,” said James on Friday.

“Dwight is the anchor of their defense, and if you attack the anchor, then it is tough for the defense to stand still.”

James is really a novice in the high post. For years, experts said his post game is the one undeveloped segment of his arsenal that’s preventing him from being totally unguardable.

He played from the high post a lot with Team USA against the zone defenses often seen in international play. James said much of what he’s doing comes from watching Paul Pierce, Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki, the three NBA stars who seem to be the best at playing there.

“Paul, Kobe and Dirk are the best guys we have in the league from that elbow; I stole a little bit from those three guys,” James said. “Against [Orlando], you have to change up sometimes. That is a point where most teams can’t double from because I can see the whole court with shooters on both sides and it is tough to defend that.”

Putting James at the top of the floor in position to drive or distribute is not a new idea for the Cavs. In past years, they often played a high pick-and-roll game with James and Anderson Varejao and spread the floor with shooters. Teammates like Donyell Marshall, Damon Jones and Gibson were involved in those sets.

This season, after Ben Wallace got healthy and he was paired with Joe Smith, the Cavs went away from their small, three-guard lineups and played two standard big men. Now they have gone back to having James technically at the point power forward position in an effort to deal with the Magic matchup issues.

The added touch is putting James directly in the post to receive the ball and start the set.

“The more we can stay away from that the better, but you put a guy at the nail and space the floor, they are going to have to come off somebody,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “When that happens, we need to knock down some looks.”