INDEPENDENCE: LeBron James might prefer to start the game like Magic Johnson.
But since the Cavaliers lost Kevin Love to postseason-ending shoulder surgery, that is no longer an option. They need James in full beast mode from the opening tip.
During the regular season and in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs, the four-time league MVP usually began as the facilitator. He went out of his way to involve his teammates while he got a feel for the opponent’s game plan.
It seemed like a smart approach. James has been a proponent of the team concept since high school, but no one on the current Cavs’ roster except Anderson Varejao knew that.