Live Thread: Cavs @ Bucks
2016-12-20
In what seems like a fluke in the schedule, the Cleveland Cavaliers will play home-and-home back-to-back in one week when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks the next two nights. Unlike their back-to-back last week against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Cavaliers will be the road team first, as they take on the Bucks tonight at 8:00 at the Bradley Center.
The Bucks come into tonight’s game as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference, a bit surprising considering they have been without shooting guard Khris Middleton all season. Middleton, likely out for the year with a torn hamstring that required surgery to repair, is one of the best 3-and-D players in the league, and an underrated playmaker.
Of course,the Cavaliers shouldn’t be surprised by the Bucks at this point. After all, the Bucks are 1-0 against the champs this season, courtesy of a dominant 118-101 victory in Milwaukee on November 29th. That night Giannis Antetokounmpo was the the best player on the floor, posting 34 points, 12 rebounds, five assists, five steals, and two blocks in 35 minutes of action. Overall, the Cavs allowed the Bucks to shoot 53.5% from the floor as they had trouble dealing with Milwaukee’s superior length and athleticism.
With Kevin Love missing tonight’s game with a knee contusion, the Cavs will start Richard Jefferson in his place.. With Chris Andersen out for the season and love out for the evening, the Cavs are down to just two legitimate big men, and starting Jefferson means that they can keep Frye and Tristan Thompson apart in the rotation. Despite this, look for the Cavaliers to come out with solid energy from the opening tip. The Bucks had their way with the Cavaliers last month, and if there’s one thing this team has shown, it’s that they rise to the occasion whenever their pride is challenged.
Be sure to tune in to Fox Sports Ohio at 8:00 tonight to watch the Cavaliers and the Bucks, and be sure to stop by and share your thoughts here with the gang at Cavs: The Blog!
Good recovery from the Cavs. On the ropes in the 3rd with Love & JR out.
When LeBron just shoots the ball without over thinking it his FG% is better. At the other hand, that block shot with the left hand was sick.
Parker is a load.
LeBron James
That was absurd from James. DEEP 3.
Big three from the king. Gotta love the cavs’ grit tonight.
My new nickname for Shump is “monsignor” http://www.almy.com/UI/CMAlmyImages/Haberdashery_1/p_1848_d.jpg
I miss Delly
Liggins is playing really well.
Frye is an absolute joke on defense. Delly just drove right at him like he wasn’t there.
Liggs for 3! Had to. Delly over Frye. Up 6.
God help me I love Delly.
Liggins for three!
Still, we have stopped their run. Up 5. Close well!
Cleveland should trade Dunleavy for a traffic cone that can shoot threes.
Lol I agree
Kyrie pleaseee
Awful from Kyrie there.
Good move from Frye there. Frye is really a 4.
James posterized.
Wow. Frye can’t rebound. Like at all.
Brogdan just dunked on the king.
LeBron catch and shoot James.
LeBron saving his energy. He will close this out.
Let’s Go Kyrie!
Cavs got the tiger by the tail. Only the mamba can save them.
Ky to the rescue. Tied up.
Milwaukee > Cavs. JR out. There we go.
I sure hope this is like dropping the season series to the Pistons last year and wiping them out when it mattered
Lol. Delly totally in Kyrie’s head.
Wow the Bucks are being gifted for mediocre play.
James on Delly creates issues everywhere. Ky – Snell. Liggs/JR vs Freak. RJ v Parker.
Milwaukee wins this 10+.
Omg. This is the treavelingest team I’ve ever seen.
LeBron wishes he gets HALF these calls
Ye Gods. They are earning them by being aggressive, however.
I think Delly is starting to piss off Kyrie again like in the old days.
Delly trey for the lead.
Sigh.
O stinks at the moment.
First 20 minutes: Cavs 49, Bucks 32
Last 6 minutes: Cavs 8 Bucks 26
For that six minute stretch to be a whole game, the score would be 208 to 64, for comparison
Liggins for JR this quarter.
Smelling a Milwaukee victory afore that.
Bucks came out ready to defend. Cleveland jumped the early but there’s a wall between Cleveland and the basket now.
James has to defend Parker or the Freak some this half.
Dunleavy and JR weren’t great.
Wow interesting first half. Cavs lack of big man depth definitely an issue.
Not watching the game, but seems like Brogdon having a better game than Delly so far.
Yeah. Brogan looks sharp.
Not a great close to that half. Had them on the ropes. I will credit the bucks. Their length definitely bothered our offense in the second half of that quarter. We had too many possessions where we wasted time getting into our sets and ended up having about 6 seconds to shoot with the ball in the hands of a role player.
wow – terrible final possession.
Its been my pet peeve for decades. Dribble out the clock and take a horrible shot. A waste of possession. I’m to the point where I want the other team to get the last shot.
Ky should take those, not James.
Poor officiating this game. Each way.
Man, LBJ is going to play 39 minutes and still start tomorrow, isn’t he?
Probably. Love won’t be playing and Lue, other than the Memphis game, hasn’t seemed too keen on limiting James minutes and taking schedule losses.
They are so long. Lead at 5. Danger Will R.
It is astounding how much Lebron does on the Court. How many teams could NOT win a title with him on it?
No resistance in the paint. Strength coaches need to get the Cavs in the weight room.
Kyrie needs to create more. For himself or others. RJ triple tries aren’t what we need. Down to 8.
4 minutes without a point. That is poor.
O needs Irving at the moment. 6+ minutes in. It’s time.
Can they designate Dunleavy for assignment?
Its probably time to start referring to him as Mike Dunleavy’s Contract.
Whoa Jason Terry is still alive?
https://twitter.com/cavs/status/811385651048411136/video/1
Cavs trolling in top form.
Slow night?
LBJ is +20 in 13 minutes. That is not a misprint.
Giannis -21 in 10 minutes.
Frye is a great floor spacer for the Cavs but defensively he is the total opposite.
Yep. Don’t ask him to check anyone single handed or provide much help d. Not going to happen.
Not very good defense to close out the quarter. Parker embarrassed Frye and Jefferson.
In their defense, they are old, and Parker is really good.
The Bucks really foul a lot.
Tony Snell – what the hell?
I can’t decide if I like their floor or not. Its kind of cool, but also kind of distracting.
Great energy!! Maybe it’s a good time to rest either LeBron or Kyrie now. I believe it’s necessary to keep at least one of them in the court if possible.
LBJ 8th all time scoring. Kind of amazing that he isn’t even 32 yet.
https://twitter.com/CBSSportsNBA/status/811379858915913728
?
Great!
Holy TT – serious energy
Had some d breakdowns early but they have really locked in the last couple minutes. Their switching seems to be bothering the bucks. Also have had some nice p and rs with thompson as an easy finisher. So far so good.
Let’s Go Cavs!!