Live Thread: Cavs vs. Trailblazers (#ReturnOfTheSleeves)
2015-12-08
Don’t make him angry… you wouldn’t like him when he’s angry…
On the heels of their first three game losing streak since the Finals, there are a few things the Cavs can look forward to tonight… a return to the Q where they’ve been 9-1 (vs. just 4-6 on the road), a return of LeBron James after a night off in South Beach, an imminent return of Kyrie and Iman from injury… oh yeah, and also a return of the infamous black sleeved alternate jerseys. The last time (which was also the first time) that the Cavs went with their brand new, poly-blend mini-straightjackets, the King was not amused. After shooting just 4-11 in the first half of the November 4th contest with the Knicks, he went full on LeHulk and ripped the offensive sleeves almost entirely from his body. Though he didn’t wind up shooting much better post-rip, he did manage to rally the Cavs to victory that night, scoring 11 points in the fourth… sleeves flapping behind him as he raced past Knick defenders. We’ll see how long the sleeves survive tonight, although it does seem appropriate that they’d show up against the squad from “Rip City.”
According to LeBron, though, he’s much less concerned with what he wears versus how his team is currently playing…
“Whatever uniform is put in my locker I’ll wear and be ready for the game,” James said following this morning’s shootaround. “The last thing on my mind right now is our uniforms. It’s playing better.”
The Cavs could certainly use a few well played games, and hopefully victories, over their next few games. It’s a relatively light week, with just two games (Portland tonight and @ Orlando on Friday) and only three the following week. Mo Williams is considered probable following an MRI on his left knee after tweaking it against the Heat, although Kevin Love is a game time decision with an illness.
Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers, who many expected to be in complete rebuild mode, are a surprising 9-13 so far this season. They’ve found a serviceable big man rotation to complement their dynamic backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum. They’re coming off a tough loss (90-88) to the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, but their two guards should warrant plenty of attention from Cavs defenders (Lillard is eighth in the league in scoring, averaging 24.1 points).
Probable lineups: for the Cavs, Matthew Dellavedova, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov; and for the Blazers, Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum, Al-Farouq Aminu, Noah Vonleh and Mason Plumlee.
Tipoff is at 7 p.m. (EST), and the game will be shown on Fox Sports Ohio.
I’m predicting a bounce-back game for the Cavs (despite the uniforms and the dangerous backcourt duo of the Blazers), and believe they’ll put this one in the win column… 107-97.
What’s your prediction? And also your over/under on how long the sleeves last?
Let it RIP! And GO CAVS!
Blatt needs to send Mo Williams to a nice farm out in the country where he can run and play and chase birds.
How is that not a travel? You can’t just roll the ball around last time I checked…
BURN THESE UNIFORMS —–AT HALFTIME !!!
Better yet, give them to the Warriors.
What happened to RJ being a 44% 3-pt shooter?
We haven’t hit him in his best spot in weeks
Yeah, he’s more like 24% from the top of the key…
Seems like it’s been brick city for almost everyone from there lately.
Awesome block by LBJ!
Delly is making this happen.
Delly is so smart it’s almost unfair. Why don’t other cavs understand when to foul?
Delly… making things happen!
Delly’s the best player on the Cavs tonight.
This is making me ill…
Delly with a trick shot.
Every Cavs basket is contested… every Blazer basket is virtually unmolested…
That’s been the story of the last couple of weeks+, almost every game
AGREE WITH ARCH AND KEVIN —–BUT WHO DO WE TRADE AND FOR WHOM —WHERE IS COLS–HAVEN’T HEARD FROM HIM IN ABOUT 3 DAYS —-SOMEONE CALL 911
Mo Williams is. An embarrassment. Shooting when he should pass, passing when he should shoot.
Uncle! Just give GS their rings now.
Starting to wonder if the Cavs can beat anyone in the NBA right about now. I think they can beat the Lakers, not too confident about anyone else.
These teams are killing the Cavs with simple plays and denying the passing lanes. It’s like we assembled the most expensive team in history only to watch it get destroyed by basketball 101. Which tells me it’s all about effort — and these jokers don’t have any heart.
That being case…and I don’t suggest this should happen….but a bad loss here and how long for the heat to go on Blatt? Imagine various journalists sharpening their pens right now.
That’s the worst part of all this. LeBron isn’t even throwing Blatt under the bus. What the hell is going on.
Cavs need to make a trade. Stir up this roster.
Not happening. This is the Cavs team for the next two or three years.
The Blazers are perpetually open…
Hey Kevin… how would you feel about maybe, I dunno, dribble driving the ball once in a while?
AT THE START OF THE SEASON–OPPOSING TEAMS / PLAYERS WERE SOMEWHAT IN AWE OF LEBRON /CAVS BEING IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME / ALL THE PRE SEASON HYPE —CAVS HAD THAT PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE THEN—-TEAMS / PLAYERS HAVE FOUND OUT THEY CAN COMPETE / WIN AGAINST THESE GUYS —CAVS HAVE LOST THAT HUGE PSCHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE / JUST MY OPINION —STILL EARLY IN THE GAME —LET’S GO CAVS !!!
TT with an UGLY looking shot.
I really wish TT had any offensive skills at all….that would be nice
Wtf is going on.
Cavs really stand around and watch the other team shoot too much… and also look like they all have arthritis or something that prevents them from catching passes…
I’m pretty sure most of the Cavs are clinically dead….
This is an all too typical performance of late…
We desperately need Kyrie and Shump.
Mo with they stellar Mo Williams defense.
I agree with Carr every time the Cavs insert this line up of Varejao, TT, Jefferson, Cunningham and Mo it seems the only guys that are not afraid to shoot are Mo and RJ.
Warriors at 40, not even end of 1st yet.
Meanwhile the Cavs aren’t even playing basketball…
The Warriors would go on a 44-0 run on this Cavs team… ugh…
22-0 Warriors on a 22-0 run vs. Pacers here.
Well… on the bright side… it sure could have been a lot worse… Cavs need to pick it up in the second quarter…
Well that was a pretty pathetic quarter.
Smart foul by the Ninja…
Offense just looks like they are running in quicksand the last couple of weeks.
If Mo isn’t scoring… he’s pretty useless…
No doubt!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lol…we are on like pages that are next to each other always
Mo just played solid d for a whole possession!!!!!
Video please……
Remember when we used to pass the ball?
Better defense with Andy out there… looks spry tonight…
AV with the much needed block!
K Love ran to locker room when he came off the floor. anyone know why?
Maybe to throw up? He was sick today and missed shootaround…
No idea, he’s back on the bench now…
Mo is a train wreck. Passing when he should shoot and shooting when he should pass.
GS leading Indy 25-21.
MDN is going to come in in the 2nd quarter and score at least 8 points in the quarter. They leave that lane wiiiiiiiide open.
We can hope…
Hard to believe they’re only down 8… seems like much more…
Lillard only has 1 miss. PGs continue to torch us.
Good way to win in FanDuel is to play whatever PG is going against the Cavs on a given night…
I might have to start playing. with a strategy like that I wont ever lose.
At least Delly not afraid to shoot the ball…
Cavs just look like they’re running around… not running plays…
What the heck is that ref doing? That was a clear effing travel
No call on a moving screen by Aminu on Delly…
Vonley passed the ball to himself.
Horrible officiating there.
December is not the Cavs month.
Wake me when Kyrie is back.
Don’t understand why guys look afraid to shoot from the outside… letting Blazers just pack the paint to stop LBJ…
Another missed layup. That’s 5 missed lay ups by LeBron and Love.
DE JA VU —–REPORT IS OUT ON THE CAVS —CAN’T USE ANY BACK / BACK —AWAY GAME EXCUSES ——FRUSTRATED WITH THE WAY WE (DON’T ) START
LeBron’s sleeves look looser than the last time he wore them…
Cavs look lost lately.
LeBron with some bad possessions. Complaining led to a 5 on 3. A dopey turnaround followed. Like to see JR take these soft guards to the rim.
Very little contesting on the outside… even Delly got stuck on a screen…
Lebron is already pissed at Mozgov. He plays less than 20 mins tonight. You heard it here first.
Doesn’t he play less than 20 every night?
What the hell is wrong with this team?
Cavs letting opponent dictate pace again…
I am on board for Delly having a big game. He should at least get 18…they aren’t guarding him.
Man, KLove has had 3 misses at the rim.
Yeah… gotta put those easy ones down…
Delly getting that flip move to go more often…
Delly’s getting 30 tonight.
Worried about McCollum. This is a homecoming for him. Gonna want to put on a show.
Good opportunity tonight for the Cavs to get their swag back. After 2 days of rest they should be ready to go and they will have a lot of days of rest in the upcoming weeks.
So no excuses.
Let’s go Cavs!!!!!
GS playing in Indy tonight. Game is on NBATV at 7.
Maybe the Pacers can give them their first loss… although at this point, I’m kind of hoping they’re undefeated for the Christmas Day game and the Cavs can give them their first loss…
I think tonight is as good a chance for a loss for them as when they were at Toronto last week. Should be interesting.
Good evening CtB! Here are you numbers for this evening:
CLE is a 9pt favorite over POR, with an o/u @ 200. Money is split virtually 50/50 on the line, and smart money on the over. CLE has been a good OVER bet, and sharps would probably take CLE to cover.
I’ll take CLE to cover as well, 106-95. GO CAVS! Hopefully we’ll see some dominance from Mozerati protecting the paint, and KLove with a dominant offensive performance.
As for the over/under on the sleeves, I’m taking the over. I think LBJ will prove that sleeves can’t stop the GOAT!
I forgot about CJ McCollum. He’s had a solid year.
And he’s a local guy from GlenOak…