Recap: Cavs 124, Knicks 93 (Or, Knicks Fill Their Cap Space With Shame)
2010-03-01
Overview: The Cavaliers absolutely routed the Knicks on Monday night, winning by 124-93. The game was nowhere near as close as the final score indicates.
Cavs-Related Bullets:
I don’t want to spend too much time with this one. That may be the worst performance I have ever seen from an NBA team. The Knicks don’t seem to be as bad against other teams as they are against the Cavaliers, but they didn’t look like an NBA team on Monday. It’s really that simple.
Quickly, the small-ball lineup worked like a charm for the Cavaliers. It won’t always work this well, but the Cavs were able to play the Knicks’ style and do a much better job of it than they did.
When the Cavs wanted a layup, they got one. When they didn’t get a layup, a lane opened up leading to a pass for a layup. When they shot jumpers, they were so confident that they knocked them down. When they did miss, they beat the Knicks to every loose ball and rebound. 60-31 edge on the boards for the Cavaliers. Unbelievable at the NBA level.
When the Knicks had the ball, it looked like they didn’t want to be there. One pass, jump shot, next possession, repeat.
The guys who had the best lines for the Cavs were the guys who were trying hard the entire time. West, Varejao, and Hickson don’t know any other modes of operation than trying to get dunks and layups, and shot a combined 19-26 from the floor.
Powe and Hickson both looked comfortable with the offense running through them on the block, but let’s see what they do against some better defenses.
LeBron was able to cherry-pick for dunks in an NBA game. I’m still trying to process everything I just saw.
Seriously, there’s not much more to say about this one. The Cavs looked like a team that wanted to win. The Knicks didn’t. LeBron setting the tone with jumpers early also helped. Hopefully this game will be a morale-booster after the news of the Shaq injury. Until tomorrow, everyone.
@HoopsDogg: In the playoffs the Cavs aren’t going to be able to play that style and win … but at the same time, I’d love to see that small lineup in spurts especially against a slow, old team like the Celtics in the playoffs … they wouldn’t know what hit them.
@HoopsDogg. The knicks are bad, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think you are giving respect for the gap between college and nba players. Every NBA team would steamroll their way through march madness without a sweat, even the Nets.
Watching that game it was easy to see how ridiculously talented the Cavs are, and how if they ran more, Shaqless they’d be amazing. That being said, they were playing a team that might not be in the top 10 in college this year. Andy’s line was sick: 14 and 10 in 16 minutes. He should absolutely be a 6th man candidate. I liked Danny Green’s contribution (even playing a little point), and finally it appears that Moon is going to be playing ahead of Jawad. All is right with the world (except Shaq’s thumb). Wonder if Boobie’s a daddy… Read more »
the knicks will never win anything with dantoni as the coach. no defense = no championship, even with lebron. lbj knows that, so he will not go to NYC. go cavs!
I’ve seen this whybedumb guy trolling on Cleveland.com. I’m sorry if fans like to watch six months of regular season sport and get excited when they win games. No one is crowning them champions. What kind of petty mindset do you live with that says fans should sit through 82 games of basketball and pretend to not care about wins?
The Cav’s demolition of the Knicks clearly shows they should be given the title now! They are the best…..really?
http://whybedumb.com/index.php/2010/03/the-cavaliers-are-the-best-team-in-the-regular-season-at-least/
“Now that’s an easy call to make.” – Hubie Brown
Rich: I imagine most Celtics fans weren’t worried on Saturday either …
Bradley, that was freaking hilarious. I instantly imagined Hubie’s voice.
Rich going with the Hubie Brown cmon now. I love Hubie’s commentary. “Cmon now, he’s gonna get you 15-17 a night with 45% shooting and we ALL know that he loves playing off screens. He’s a terrific player.”
Charlie, cmon now. If the Nets worry you then you must be worried everytime the Cavs play, and that isn’t healthy. Their avg. margin of loss is something like 12 ppg, not exactly super close.
This from the daily dime made me smile as much as the Knicks getting destroyed by the Cavs:
“3. Larry Hughes: The ex-Knick who left New York in the Tracy McGrady deal was all set to sign with Charlotte after the Kings waived him, but the Bobcats got cold feet Monday when they learned they’d have to wait at least a week or two for Hughes’ fractured finger to heal.”
Where’s your team Larry Hughes?
“(Or, Knicks Fill Their Cap Space With Shame)” Lol, perfect.
I kept waiting for circus music, or Sweet Georgia Brown to start playing last night … it was like the Globetrotters and the Generals out there. Or maybe cue “Anything you can do, I can do better” … it was clear that the Cavs said: you want to run D’Antoni? Let’s RUN! Which is a testament to the talent on this team because in years past that would’ve been a recipe for disaster. Actually, the Nets worry me just a little. They play more close games than their record suggests, and if Brook Lopez could give Shaq and Z fits,… Read more »
The alley oop reverse that ended up not counting was silly.
Sometimes, as a cavs fan, I wonder if we are being spoilt. Then I shake my head, dismiss the thought, smile smugly and watch a highlight of our packup shooting guard dunking on tracy mcgrady.
“I’m still trying to process everything I just saw.”
You and me both, John. I was fortunate enough to attend tonight’s game and sat 5 rows from the scorer’s table in section 125 (ridiculously good seats if anyone ever gets the chance). I couldn’t believe how many easy dunks there were and how the Knicks continually settled for jumpshots possession after possession. Regardless, it was a great thing to see. Maybe I’ll be able to better process this in the morning.
Well, John, I think you’re right about that natl. media. They infer nothing from something. But, to play the devil’s advocate, If LeBron doesn’t make that change then EVERYONE would think he was leaving. He made the statement, he has to file the paperwork, and if he doesn’t then it would appear to everyone that he is obviously leaving. So, maybe he is just using it as a preventive measure to calm speculation.
Food for thought: LeBron says he’s filed the paperwork to change his number to 6. Now, he would only need to file paperwork to wear number 6 next year for the team he currently plays for, the Cleveland Cavs. If he planned on playing somewhere else, he would not need to file the paperwork, he’d simply be allowed to select the number 6 upon his arrival in that city. Does this guarantee LeBron stays? No, but the national media makes inferences on more vague statements and actions than this, so I’ll do the same. In fact, I think this is… Read more »
Best part about the press, they actually think they know what they are talking about. Anyway, this was the same game as last time. The only thing different is a team didn’t hit insane jump shot after jump shot like Nate the Great did the last time they were at the Q. It wasn’t that the cavs just played harder on D this game compared to the last one against the Knicks, but instead that the jump shot can just go cold. It’s why that style will never win an NBA championship..ever. You can win a game like that, you… Read more »
Yeah when we went up 49 i wondered if we could win by 60. But then Brown emptied the bench and the Knicks started hitting everything in garbage time. It could have been “apocalyptic” lol Some of the best moments of the game: 1.) The bench’s reaction when Delonte posterized McGrady. Nothing makes me smile more than nba players rolling around on the floor pretending to be “holding each other back” 2.) LeBron laughing with Delonte as 4 different Cavs starting running up court before securing the loose ball. 3.) Dan Gilbert in the booth saying things like “Fred, what… Read more »
Mat, I’m sitting here reading your comment, and I can’t help but laugh out loud. Thanks for that! I shot milk out of my nose. Lol. After reading the ESPN recap, I’ve never had more respect for T-Mac. When asked about the Cavs’ celebrations in the game, he said something like “I don’t blame them, it’s up to us to do something about it.”. And it said that after West dunkfaced him and did a little celebration, T-Mac just smirked back. That’s the way sports ought to be. Have fun even if you lose, and if you don’t like what… Read more »
I like how D’Antoni kept the same guys out on the floor through the fourth quarter to keep the score of this one simply unacceptable rather than apocalyptic. If Lebron actually goes to NY after seeing this team, he’s either crazy or stupid. Even if Wade is there too. That third quarter was insane. Now the other half of the NYC ‘dynamic duo’ on Wednesday. We’d better watch out, the Nets are better at home (.103) than they are on the road (.100). But seriously, Boston just lost to this team, and both of their fans will be up for… Read more »