To say that the Cleveland Cavaliers looked completely rejuvenated in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals would be an understatement, and JR Smith insists it is no coincidence that his team looked so sharp after several days off.
Because of the way the schedule fell, the Cavs and Celtics had three full days off between Game 2 on Tuesday and Game 3 on Saturday. After losing both games in Boston, Cleveland cruised to a 116-86 win at Quicken Loans Arena. According to Smith, the lengthy layoff helped the “old guys” in his locker room.
Media: "How much did the three days off help?"@TheRealJRSmith: "It helped us a lot 'cause we old." pic.twitter.com/YwqyLNC8bI
— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 20, 2018
“It helped us a lot ’cause we old,” Smith told reporters with a straight face. “We got some old guys over here. They got one guy out there that was born in ’98 or ’99. Just to think about that is crazy. We needed (the rest). We definitely did.”
Smith was probably referring to Celtics rookie Jayson Tatum, who has played incredibly well during the postseason despite being just 20 years old.
If you ask Brad Stevens, Boston’s problem on Saturday may have been more of a reflection of a bigger issue the team is having in the postseason. Still, you can understand why guys like the 32-year-old Smith and 33-year-old LeBron James felt they needed the extra days off.
