Live Thread: Cavs @ Knicks
2015-02-22
The Cavs are taking on the Knicks today at Madison Square Garden. The Knicks are without top scorer Carmelo Anthony (24.2 ppg), who is out for the season due to knee surgery, and top rebounder Amar’e Stoudemire (6.8 rebounds), who was bought out because he just didn’t feel New York anymore and New York wasn’t feeling his salary. In their places, Cleanthony Early and Lou Amundson, respectively, are now starting.
Yes, former Cavalier Lou Amundson is now a starter after not being able to earn serious playing time even during Wine & Gold blowout wins.
Stuff to think about today:
-Before looking at anything about this game, I tried to think of who the starters for the Knicks would be. I only knew two: Jose Calderon and the guy who makes tons of mid-range shots and helped the Knicks beat the Cavs on their opening night, Jason Smith. This might be the least known team in the league right now (Langston Galloway (who?) will be starting at shooting guard for New York).
-If the Cavs win today, this will be their 16th win in 18 games.
-This is the first game former Knicks J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert get to play on their old home court.
-All five Knicks starters combine to score 36.3 points a game. That’s about the combined score of Cavs starters LeBron James and J.R. Smith who average 37.8 total points a game.
-Jason Smith is the master of the inefficient game.
He shoots 68.3% of his shots from that mid-range zone, but at least he makes 45.7% of them. That might be among the top in the league.
What are your thoughts about the game today? Predictions?
The Cavs are predicted to win by 16.5 points as of now according to ESPN.com. I’m actually going to say they win by 7. It’s New York City, so I’m sure most of the team had a little bit of fun last night. There might be some J.R. Smith tour of New York clubs induced hangovers.
And I stand corrected… Lou CAN dunk….
HAHA much to my surprise as well!
Nice pass, JR!! Love with a swish!!!
Sloppy pass there by LBJ, leading to the ugliest lay up I’ve ever seen by Admunson!
I don’t know if it was sloppy so much as just LBJ trying to wow the crowd with some razzle-dazzle…
True statement, EG.
By pullling this game, the networks deprived the basketball nation of that visual.
Sweet Lou… I thought I was about to watch a Shaqtin’ a fool moment.
HAHAHA… I know, right???
Man that was nice of the officials to not whistle Amundson for traveling. That was like 5 steps!
They must’ve felt sorry for him… it already looked bad enough.
Sweet Lou with the unbelievable steal and breakaway dunk… That was the slowest breakaway I think I’ve ever seen…
I didn’t see a dunk.
Sorry… mis-typed it… that was about as close to a dunk as Lou can get anyway…
I think he took like four steps because he couldn’t believe that nobody was chasing him down…
Good for Lou. It’ll be one of the few highlights on his career highlight reel. (His friends will notice he took four steps, though.)
JR is on a mission.
Kyrie with the left hand….
That’s more like it, Kyrie!!!
Knicks are 0-9 from three… that makes Cavs opponents 1-25 over the last 6 quarters…
Their perimeter defense has been stellar!
Playing some great defense this quarter… just need to clean it up on offense now. They’re getting Love some touches though, looking great!
Great pass by Love there to TT!
Love with our 10th point on the quarter so far.
JR BLOCK!!! Get that weak stuff outta here!!
Or maybe a J&R Block in honor of tax time…
Endorsed by: J & R Block.
SHUMP! Keep shooting the rock!
#Samson
Kyrie looks like he stayed out too late last night…
HAHAHA… agreed, should run the offense instead of going one on one right now.
Doesn’t look like JR was out with him, though!
I think you’re right about that U-Dog!
TT cleaning the glass!!
LOVE that bank shot from KLove!
Effective in the post once again!
Lebron fueling the Knicks mini-run
Can’t just settle for threes… even against the lowly Knicks…
LBJ let Delly run the offense after the play in which the ball was stolen from him.
This is a game they should’ve rested LeBron.
He would never not play in the Garden though… Doubt he plays more than 25 minutes though…
I would agree if it was a back to back.
LBJ just trying stuff because he can…
Starters should rest second half
Knicks with 9 offensive rebounds. 5 defensive rebounds.
RUDY!!! FOR THREEEE!!!
RUDY RUDY RUDY!!!!
DELLY TREY IN THE GARDEN!!!
Only disturbing stat is that the Knicks already have 9 offensive boards…
Yes, need to finish defensive possessions off.
Cavs shooting 71%… Knicks held to 27%…
That quarter was nearly flawless.
Bargnani – the first pick of the 2006 draft . . . used to light up the Cavs.
And I think Calderon did, too . . . back when they were with the Raptors.
Watching the Knicks reminds me of watching the Cavs when Sessions, Hollins and Jamison were starting for the Cavs.
36 x 4 = 144 pts
The Cavs stepping up in the big city!!! Keep the energy up!!!
I think Hardaway thinks he’s a better three point shooter than he is…
LBJ didn’t quite get that lob high enough for Kevin…
It was also kind of a bullet pass… great that they’ve been going to Love inside consistently this game!
That’s TWO for LBJ… love the steal and jam!
Knicks fans again rooting for the Cav player.
KLove decided against dunking there. I’d just love to see him hang on the rim once!
KLove looks pretty good this game as well…
I think ALL the Cavs are looking good so far!
JR is playing to win this one… he looks awesome…
He’s definitely stepping his game up last game and this one. Going to basket is only gonna help is 3 ball.
He wants to put on a show for his fans.
Circus shot from Kyrie!
Knicks fans rooting for Cavs on Kyrie’s layup.
We only gave the Knicks 10 opportunities to get that basket.
Arch, I told you a million times never exaggerate.
That was Kyrie’s fault on that sequence. He leaked out early and it ended being a long rebound.
Ah Quincy Acy… my favorite scrub-fuego just checked in…
He single handedly gave the Knicks like 7 chances that possession…
Calderon is the lone remaining scoring threat the Knicks have… kind of surprised they didn’t deal him at the deadline…
Lebron in early “chill mode.” It shouldn’t matter though cause the Knicks suck so much
Is it garbage time yet? Next!
Wow… Kyrie missed everything with that shot… Got a feeling guys are just treating this like a practice day…
JR took them out till the rooster hours of the morning.
Well, JR doesn’t look worse for wear… he looks like he’s on a mission
Defense is starting to clamp down now. Offensively, they’re locked in…. the Cavs came to put on a show at MSG! Need to sustain the energy.
MOZGOV just imposed his will
I LOVED that play! Just beasted on everyone down there!
So many airballs today
A little too excited today hahaha!
Cavs aren’t playing particularly well but it don’t matter because the Knicks stink.
I wonder if Spike Lee is even at this game? Maybe with a bag over his head?
He’s too busy boxing Reggie Miller.
@NBA: With his last bucket LeBron James (24,369 points) passed Allen Iverson (24,368 points) for 22nd on the all-time scoring list.
Keep climbing King…
LBJ looked like he was just practicing his back down turnaround J there… looks good
KLove for threee!
Was that a pass by Jason Smith or just a really short airball?
There is very little inside D being played on either end right now…
All points in the paint or three so far.
I like the post-ups by LBJ and Love and assisting each other on each of those baskets.
Love the energy to start the game! Dominating on offense! CLean it up on defense, and the Cavs will be on their way to a W.
JR looks like he wants to go for 30…
I’m not sure what’s more unbelievable. This Knicks lineup or Lou Amundson making baskets.
JR with the nice oop to Moz!
If Lou looked this good on the Cavs… he’d still be on the Cavs…
I’ll go with Lou making baskets. The Knicks are the Browns of the NBA, so I’m not surprised.
The Browns fan in me just winced a little on that Arch…
This should be just a layup drill for the Cavs…
AC just said their plan is to attack inside no matter who’s down there.
Sweet Lou is going for 30!
JR with the block! And then sweet Lou gets the layup…
Well… that didn’t take long…. LBJ with the steal and walk up SLAM
D Fish has to be like “why the hell did I retire again?”
Prediction: Entire fourth quarter will be the garbage time all-stars versus the New York Knicks.
Who knows… maybe it’ll even be the entire fourth quarter…
This should have been “the entire second half…”
My prediction for the game?
Mr. T said it in a Rocky movie: “Pain.”
That’s right, sucka!
Unbelievable. Everybody out there is ready CtB! Welcome aboard Mr. T!
Check that: Everybody out there is “reading” CtB.
HAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! This is awesome!
118-101, Cavs
Irving with 42 today
You’re giving the Knicks 101 points? I don’t think they crack 90 with that roster.
Yeah… if the Knicks score 101, I’ll be a little concerned about the Cavs D…
Glad you mentioned the line, David… I was curious myself. I hope it’s the case where they couldn’t make the spread large enough!
A bunch of the betting sites didn’t even put a money line for this game.
HAHAHA…. Nice! I’m gonna take the Cavs to cover then!
We will win this easily. Two road wins to start off. I love the Perkins signing.
It was a great signing… and the Cavs didn’t have to give anyone up. Hopefully he’s the final piece to the puzzle.
Abc pulled this game. Yikes.
HAHA… I was wondering about that. So the game should’ve been on ABC, huh?
Hopefully ESPN and TNT pull all the remaining Knicks and Lakers games from the National spotlight.
No kidding, Arch… unwatchable they are.
If I was ABC, I would have pulled it too… Knicks are less watchable than the Sixers…
What’s crazy is I totally agree with you EG re: Sixers!
wait so is there no national broadcast?
No national broadcast, Bimmy.
Not any more… Only on FSO…
Fred & AC it is!