Down 1-0 going into Game 2 of their playoff series against the Pacers, Cavaliers coach Tyronn Lue and LeBron James are focused on one tactic to even the series — be aggressive.
“(James) has to be aggressive and set the tone early," Lue told reporters Monday . "We talked about that today ... being aggressive early, setting the tone, especially for these new guys, bringing these guys along.
MORE: NBA playoffs 2018: Important takeaways from Game 1 of each series
“He understood that but once again, he's always a guy trying to get his teammates off early, get them guys going, then try to feel the game out. But be ready to set a tone."
James finished with a triple-double (24 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds) in the 98-80 loss Sunday. After leading the league in minutes during the regular season, he totalled 44 minutes to start the postseason.
Lue said James “felt good” after the heavy workload and is ready to attack more when the two teams take the floor next.
“He's in a good place. (James) just said, 'We got to be more aggressive offensively, me being aggressive.' That's about it,” Lue said.
Game 2 is scheduled for 9 a.m. AEDT Thursday in Cleveland.