Live Thread: Cavs @ Thunder
2016-02-21
The Cavs are in Oklahoma City this afternoon to take on the Thunder. The Thunder are coming off of a three point loss to the Indiana Pacers. They gave up 34 points in the fourth quarter.
OKC is currently 3rd in the Western conference with a record of 40-15. They are a middle of the pack team defensively, according to points allowed giving up 101.9 a game. However, they limit teams to an average of 22.4 threes, which is seventh in the league.
They have been on fire offensively this season. They’re scoring 109.9 a night, which is second in the NBA.
Today’s game is going to be all about individual matchups for the Cavaliers. The Thunder’s offense is reliant on isolation play and drive and kick action. Can LeBron slow down Kevin Durant? Will Kyrie match Westbrook’s energy? Can Love keep Ibaka off the boards, while still getting his own points?
The Cavs must come out on the defensive end. Durant is averaging 27.8 points (3rd) this season and Westbrook is putting up 24.1 points (7th) and 10.1 assists a night. If the Cavs stop those two, even just slow them down a little, the game will be very winnable.
This should be a great Sunday Game. On a side note, who else loves day games for the NBA? I feel like I’m cheating the system when I get to watch pro level ball before 7:00 PM.
Iman Shumpert is a game time decision, and Channing Frye still hasn’t been cleared to play. OKC will be without Andre Roberson.
Cavs could bring Jakar Sampson home. He just cleared waivers.
Yes, I like that move. Would help this team. I’d really love to get Covington from Philly somehow. Maybe this offseason.
Delly with the answer!
Someone needs to put Westbrook on his ass.
Should be a clear path cause LeBron was behind defense.
Love is so good at manufacturing foul shots. An important part of his game.
Awful shot by LeBron.
Makeup call there for Delly. Cavs have a chance e to get to the bonus early.
Nice aggressive drive by Love.
Que the Delly is dirty tweets.
Hopefully not the 3rd quarter blues.
Total foul there by Westbrook. Ridiculous.
That looked like goaltending on Ibaka.
Kyrie is such a child. He has no idea how to take care of his own health. Baffling considering his fifth year in the league and the resources around him.
Do you expect him to walk around in a bee keeper suit?
At his salary, Kyrie could hire a posse to inhale every time someone sneezes.
? Yeah I don’t get this. People get sick. Especially when you travel a lot and are in a contact sport with 3 dozen different sweaty men every week.
16 bench points. Love it and Frye should only help w that. Lebron has been dialed since all star break like always
Great game so far! Love the contribution RJ is putting in. Tighten up d and come out strong in 3rd and we go this.
Next man up game for the Cavs. Lebron and Jefferson playing particularly well, but most of the guys are working hard. Not always pretty, but gotta appreciate the effort.
Jr’s shooting too.
Yeah, I also thought many played well. Love, TT, Moz (sort of, except for the butter hands).
And of course Delly.
I’ve got it on mute. Where’s Kyrie?
Flu like symptoms and most likely is done
Nothing serious. Good. Delly time.
Really nice quarter.
LeBron the point guard. Its super effective!?
Has been today!
As far as assisting baskets, KI is behind Delly, LeBron and even Love is a better passer.
I miss Hubie Brown’s Afro.
How is that only two FT’s?
Ibaka vs LeBron. Lots of deltoid on deltoid action.
Serge Ibaka sounds like the name of a computer virus.
As much as I’m totally depressed by the Andy trade, I’m glad Kevin Love is still on the team.
Way to attack, Kevin!
Sweet one handed lob to TT!
Great lob by LeB to TT
LeBron fully embracing the left lean.
LeBron missed a wide open tt on the roll there.
I like Adams but there’s no doubt he’s a dirty player. He embraces it with that porn stache tho.
Cavs could use some of that.
Yep, instead we took a care bear that likes Burritos.
My wife on Steven Adams, “oh my God, Nate. He waxed the tips.”
Hubie just called James Jones “Jimmy Jones”
That was a make up call for the bogus call on JR.
JR gets zero respect.
That was a horrible call against JR.
Good back to back sequence for LeBron. Balanced 3, patient drive.
Per #Cavs Kyrie Irving dealing w/ flu-like symptoms & is QUESTIONABLE to return. — Allie Clifton
That’s odd that he started the game, if he has the flu.
OKC’s legendary nightlife?
Really like this lineup. Playing sharp.
Hubie: you can’t be crying if you don’t get a call.
Aw, c’mon Lebron, don’t shoot that! Oh, alright.
Delly abusing people in the p/r
Kanter is in my top 5 of least liked players. Hate that guy!
Collison still has legs. Damn.
Good reverse pivot by Mozzy!
Definitely a foul on RJ, but thank you refs!
RJ giving a spark!
What is Jefferson doing?
Scoring five quick points!
Delly with a nice late double. Fun quarter. Tough matchup.
Love the LeBron off ball game with Delly.
More smart offense by Delly.
No defense being played by either team
Sam Presti looks like he should be on Man in the High Castle. Opengrupenfuher Presti.
LOLOLOLOL. Was thinking same thing. Maybe next season!
KI needs to watch Delly on how to assist baskets.
You mean like moving TO the player in position rather than waiting at the top of the arc and waiting for them to come to him?
How can Mo be injured? So few minutes lately, and he wwpould plat today. MDN might have gotten minutes too.
Can’t type. Would play today.
You can get pretty sore sitting in a chair for a long time.
Like Love’s bank shots from the left elbow.
Don’t like OKC making floaters after dribble penetration kick outs.
Westbrook has one mode: attack.
LeBron and Kyrie lazy as crap on that runout.
Thank you Dion. That’s why we drafted you.
Ya, good thing he cant shoot.
He helps us against the Thunder tho.
Jesus. That was awful. Guard the back line.
I like how the Cavs have a conscious game plan to slow down the pace, but they’ve got to try to limit the dribble penetration.
Adams has been involved in pretty much every play.
Adams has to get a role as an extra (or a lead) in a pirate movie.
We should call it “escape from Waiters’ island.”
Kyrie’s 3-point shooting is stuck on Waiters island.
Simmons thinks Billy Donovan is a midget vampire.
I spoke too soon.
Like the D so far and the patient offense. They look locked in.
Waiters missing at the rim? Shocking.
Don’t get caught on Waiters island.
This is a big game a measurement of what the Cavs have accomplished if anything. Look to see locked in Lebron but will that lead to iso play when Durant or Westbrook hit a big shot and Lebron or Irving try to answer? Best case scenario we will see a team with a game plan, executing that game plan and not getting distracted. Worst case we see mostly high pick and roll off balance jump shots.
I want to hear Hubie pronounce Ilgauskus.
I predict a fairly ugly and frustrating loss (OKC will be fired up, we are short-handed (no Shump – which is huge against RW), and the loss of AV still stinging with players), followed by media overreation and (dare I say) PANIC.
Come on man, OKC got Dion Waiters in the starting lineup.