J.R. Smith and George Hill aren’t helping the Cavaliers | Jeff Schudel

A sketch artist with access to a copy machine could help the Cavaliers by making drawings of J.R. Smith and George Hill and posting them on telephone poles around town before Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals on May 19:

“Missing: Tall, athletic-looking members of Cleveland’s professional basketball team. Smith is covered in tattoos. Hill might be wearing a cap and gown after recently graduating from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. If found, please return to the Cavaliers immediately.”

There are many reasons the Cavaliers are down 2-0 to the Celtics. One of the biggest is Boston’s starting guard combination of Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier outscored Cavs’ starting guards Smith and Hill, 41-3, in Game 2 on May 15. The Celtics won, 107-94.

Smith and Hill were outscored by Brown and Rozier, 31-9, in Game 1 on May 13. The Celtics won, 108-83.

Coach Tyronn Lue after Game 1 said LeBron James had to be more aggressive. James responded with 42 points, 10 rebounds and 12 assists, but the Cavaliers were still out-hustled by a more well-rounded, fundamentally better Boston team in Game 2.

The Cavaliers have to win four of the next five games to topple the Celtics and advance to the NBA Finals for a fourth straight year. That won’t happen if Smith and Hill don’t contribute more than they have so far this series.

Smith was 2-for-9 from the floor in Game 1 and 0-for-7 in Game 2. When his shot isn’t dropping, he goes into a funk and lets it bother his defense. A player that isn’t shooting well and is two steps slow on the defensive end is a liability.

“Of course he didn’t shoot the basketball well, but it was hard to get in a rhythm if you’re not getting consistent touches,” Coach Tyronn Lue told reporters after Game 2. “Not too much worried about his shot. We know he can make shots, but just communication defensive-wise.

“He’s taken big shots, made big shots for us. No matter what he’s shooting in the game, we know he can get going at any point in time.”

The Cavaliers expect the tide to turn because Game 3 is at Quicken Loans Arena. Game 4 on May 21 is also at The Q. More effort from players not named LeBron James is required to take advantage of home-court advantage.

Hill helped steady the ship in the Toronto series. He did not assert himself in the first two games against Boston. The Celtics’ sound defense is a major reason for that, but the Cavaliers must find a way to counter the switching on defense that has made the Celtics successful.

Smith told reporters the Cavaliers are playing too much one-on-one basketball. One result of that is the Celtics made eight steals compared to two for the Cavaliers in Game 2. Likewise, the Cavaliers were guilty of 15 turnovers compared to five for Boston in Game 2. The Cavs made 18 turnovers — seven by James — in Game 1. The Celtics made nine in the series opener.

“They play hard all the time,” Smith said. “We’re playing too much one-on-one. We have to get the ball to the weak side, get it back to the strong side and make the ball move. They had a lot of assists and we didn’t. You look at the box score, the first thing that jumps out is who had more rebounds and who had more assists. I’m sure in the first two games, they won both those categories.”

Smith is correct, and he is a reason the stats are lopsided in Boston’s favor. The Celtics outrebounded the Cavaliers, 48-40, and had 27 assists compared to 18 helpers by the Cavs in Game 1. Smith had one rebound and one assist to go with his four points.

The numbers were closer in Game 2; the Celtics won the rebound battle, 46-45, and had 24 assists to 18 for the Cavs. Smith had three rebounds and one assist.

If Smith and Hill don’t get going, the Cavaliers aren’t going anywhere.

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