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 3 { minutes Saturday. Before 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, Cavaliers 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 Saturday, 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."
