The Cleveland Cavaliers had seven days off between their sweep of the Indiana Pacers and game one against the Toronto Raptors. With such a long layoff, the threat of rust could loom over the team.
But according to J.R. Smith and Kyle Korver, the rest doesn’t concern them too much. Both talked to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com and had the following to say:
"With having so much time off, guys can get a little loopy and start getting a little fidgety and ready to play," Smith said. "But this team is a veteran team and overall, one through 15, this is probably the best team we've had since I've been here. We've got a lot of good vets and guys that understand what this is about. I think if anything that helps us the most.
"No one is doing anything too crazy, going too hard, trying to push themselves, understanding this is still a marathon."
Korver, on the other hand, had an even more excited view about the time off:
"It's been amazing," Korver said of the break. "It's sort of like it was the offseason. I came in for an amazing workout every day and then I went home with my family and got good rest and watched games."
Tyronn Lue, possibly remembering the 7-0 run the Raptors started last year’s Conference Finals with after a Cavs break, offered up the following opinion:
"I'm not concerned," coach Tyronn Lue said. "First six minutes might be a little whatever, but after that we will be fine."
This break could prove to be incredibly valuable for the Cavs. Both Tristan Thompson and Kyrie Irving have battled knee tendinitis recently, while Smith injured his hamstring against the Pacers.
There could possibly be some rust, despite what the team is saying. If the Raptors once again go with a smaller lineup, the Cavs could find themselves in an early hole as a result of turnovers and points in transition.
When the Cavs are at their best, they play with confidence and pace. While they aren’t known for getting out and running, they get into their sets and run their plays with a purpose. Rather than standing around and isolating. Hopefully the week of practice will help the team find more consistency on both ends of the floor than they displayed against the Pacers.