INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- After taking longer than usual for the weather to warm up, JR Smith has finally been able to return to the golf course. His favorite off-the-court activity has helped him get back to his old self -- the team's X factor that elevates them to higher ground.

"The weather started getting nice, the grass started growing and I get to play golf," Smith said following Friday's practice at Cleveland Clinic Courts. "I get to take my mind off basketball for a second and just remember why I'm here and that's to have fun and take it back to when I was a little kid dying to be in this position."

For the mercurial shooting guard, the regular season was anything but enjoyable. The playoffs have given him a shot at redemption and he's making the most of it.

Aided by a message from PGA Tour golfer and buddy Justin Thomas, who told Smith to "hit 'em straight," and Smith getting to play "four or five rounds" on the course, he has finally been able to refocus and block out the noise that surrounded him during one of the worst season's of his career.

His defensive performance against Victor Oladipo in Round One earned him plenty of praise from coaches and teammates, wiping away any memories of Smith ranking as one of the league's worst defenders over the 82-game grind.

"He's locked in," Lue said of Smith. "I think we always give JR one assignment in the playoffs. Every year he has the toughest matchup. I think having Oladipo last series, having (DeMar) DeRozan this series, he really locks in defensively, knowing what we want from him. Offensively, just keeping it simple, taking his shots, or straight line drives when they give it to him. He's been shooting the ball extremely well."

At numerous points this year it looked like this version of Smith was gone.

He averaged just 8.3 points on 40.3 percent shooting and 37.5 percent from 3-point range during the regular season. He lost his starting role shortly after Dwyane Wade arrived in Cleveland before getting it back and then losing it once again. Two new trade-deadline arrivals on the wing -- Jordan Clarkson and Rodney Hood -- threatened Smith's spot in the rotation. The infamous soup-throwing incident didn't help, earning him a one-game suspension, the latest in a long line of unjustifiable antics.

That season-long inconsistency carried over to the first-round series against Indiana on the offensive end, but Smith has been at the center of Cleveland grabbing a 2-0 lead against top-seeded Toronto in the Eastern Conference semifinals. His outside shooting has helped the Cavaliers erupt on the offensive end after being suffocated by the Pacers. He's also carved out a role in the team's starting lineup once again while finishing games alongside a group of experienced veterans who are able to handle the pressure on the game's biggest stage.

"JR, he's been here," Lue said recently. "He's done it. He's been our starter for the last four years. So, he only didn't start for I think like a month and a half of the season. So, he's used to being our starter."

In two games against the Raptors, back to playing free and loose, Smith is averaging 17.5 points on 57.9 percent from the field and 77.8 percent from beyond the arc in 35.5 minutes. He's also doing an admirable job against DeRozan, one half of Toronto's All-Star backcourt, who has been held right at his season average and only taken five free throws all series.

"He understands what it takes and what's at hand, as far as trying to win a championship," Lue said of Smith. "He likes that. He likes taking on that challenge."

It appears, for now, the storm has passed for Smith and the clouds have started to dissipate.

His plan to build on two terrific performances in Toronto? More golf.

"We haven't really had that many nice days. I might take advantage today," he said with a smile. "I might play 27 (holes) today for sure."