“Honestly, I don’t really think it did much,” Smith said. “They got a few cherry picks where we didn’t get back on defense. But other than that, they just made shots. Their non-shooters just made shots.”
However, the stats say otherwise as Andre Igoudala was inserted into the starting lineup and did a masterful job putting up 22 points. The change involved going small with Andrew Bogut out and 6’7″ Draymond Green filling in at center. Green also had his best game of the series posting a well-rounded stat line of 17 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists. Cavs guard Iman Shumpert also threw in his two cents according to NBA’s Matt Moore:
“I think Andre Iguodala and Draymond Green did a tremendous job scoring the ball,” Iman Shumpert said. “That took pressure off Curry and Klay. These guys are in the NBA. We know they can play. We have to make sure that we come out in the next game, set down, contest and rebound.”
Smith blamed the series being tied at 2-2 on himself too, as he called his performance thus far in the finals “horses–t.” J.R. has been playing awful in the biggest games of his life as he’s shooting the rock at a 29.8 percent clip from the field and 25 percent from beyond the arc. Smith still has high confidence in his squad however saying “We’ve controlled the pace the whole series outside of the last game. We’ve played where we want it, how we want it.” Hopefully we see an improved and focused J.R. Smith in game 5 tonight at 8 and we all get to watch a more competitive game.
