CLEVELAND: It took a few games, but J.R. Smith is starting to get his legs under him again. He’s also starting to eat again.
Smith broke out of a shooting funk that plagued his start to the season with three 3-pointers in the final 3½ minutes Saturday. Prior to that burst, Smith started the year just 5-of-22 (23 percent) from behind the 3-point arc.
“The guys just set the table for me,” Smith said. “It was just time for me to eat.”
There are a few reasons to explain Smith’s slump, most notably the fact he is still playing his way back into shape after missing most of the preseason following a contract dispute. But he remains their most fearless and consistent 3-point shooter and a necessary piece to defend the championship.
Smith eventually signed a four-year deal that could be worth $57 million, but played in just one preseason game as a result. Still, coach Tyronn Lue insists he never imagined what life would be like without his starting shooting guard.
“I knew he was coming back,” Lue said.
The Cavs would be lost without him. They’re already muddling through a sticky situation at backup point guard, where no real candidate has emerged. Trying to replace a dead-eye shooter that made more than 200 3-pointers on top of that would’ve crippled this team.
“J.R. is the lifeblood of our team,” Kevin Love said. “It wouldn’t run like it does without J.R.”
Lue noticed in recent days that Smith is playing himself to exhaustion trying to get his wind back. Given the explosiveness he showed with his one-handed dunk and putback early in the first quarter, his legs are just fine. His shot will be, too, with a few more reps.
“Don’t expect too many of those,” Smith joked of the dunk. “I’m getting too old.”
Another milestone
LeBron James became the franchise leader in defensive rebounds Saturday and now has 4,021, passing Brad Daugherty (4,020). He’s also closing in on Hakeem Olajuwon to move into the top 10 on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
“When you talk about Cavaliers history, Brad’s name comes up a lot,” James said. “For me to be a part of this history for 10 years now of my career it’s pretty special. I’m just blessed that I’m able to put my name in history, especially with this franchise.”
Felder debut
Kay Felder made his NBA debut in Saturday’s win over the Orlando Magic. He missed the opener with a concussion and Lue didn’t want his debut to come against All-Star Kyle Lowry Friday at Toronto, so Lue held him out until Saturday. The rookie had a basket and an assist in five minutes.
“I thought Kay did a good job,” Lue said. “I thought he made some plays, pushed the ball, pushed the tempo, changed the pace and defensively he was pretty good. That was good to see him out there getting his first taste of NBA action.”
Jason Lloyd can be reached at jlloyd@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Cavs blog at www.ohio.com/cavs. Follow him on Twitter www.twitter.com/JasonLloydABJ.