Live Thread: Cavs @ Hawks
2022-02-15Good evening CtB!
Tonight, the Cavs are down south in the Peach State to take on the Atlanta Hawks in a quietly important Eastern Conference tilt. The Hawks are looking to end their two game losing streak and maintain their position as the last play-in team in the East. The Cavs are looking to bounce back from their schooling at the hands of Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers to stay in the hunt for the top seed in the East. This is also the Cavs’ final game before the All-Star break, so they will be looking to end the first half of the season on a high note.
The Cavs will still be without Lauri Markkanen but he is apparently progressing and should be back post-ASB. The Hawks will be without young star John Collins, who is nursing a foot injury. As for the game itself, it will feature two of the best young point guards in the NBA, Trae Young and Darius Garland. But the similarity between the teams ends there. The Hawks have a high flying offense, but don’t really show a particular interest in imposing their will on the defensive end. The Cavs are an elite defensive team that has been quite frankly reeling on offense since the loss of Ricky Rubio. This game presents the perfect opportunity to get better offensively and get Caris LeVert integrated into the offensive game plan. The team that wins tonight will have a leg up in the season series after splitting the first two games, one a defensive struggle the Cavs won and the other a shootout the Hawks won.
Tip off is scheduled for 7:30PM ET and will be broadcasted on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes, Go Cavs!!!
Can’t watch but our defense seems to be slipping of late as least as far as a full 48 or 3/4 qtrs.
Damn just revewing EPM numbers, Cedi’s defense into the crapper too.
Perimeter defenders are just terrible on this team.
One possible solution? Try Rondo and Windler in the bench lineup.
Cavs have literally zero plus perimeter defenders among the regular rotation.
Okoro is pretty darn good usually. At least on ball.
-0.3 defensive EPM, he’ll be a great one but not now.
Another horrible close to a quarter. Not having fun. Cavs and JB need to get back to their identity. Defense first. I’d rather see Stevens and LeVert than Rondo with him. DG said STEVENS is the heart of the team. It looks to me we need a grit injection.
OMG. How is that not a travel?
man what is up with our D?
Everyone wants a week off. Plus they’ve been coasting in first halves.
in general: Rubio’s gone, was an elite perimeter defender.
Tonight: Allen’s not doing a damn thing.
Rubio +1.7 Defensive EPM, 92nd percentile in the NBA.
Yep. I’d argue he eas the 3rd most valuable player we had (behind DG & Allen). Certainly top 5 (Mobley, Love).
Beyond those 5, I am not convinced anyone is a keeper yet. I like Stevens & Wade, but they are 3rd string guys.
I cannot believe I am gonna say this, but we miss Lauri on D.
I’d say he was the 2nd most valuable guy behind DG.
Our on ball defense is just not getting the job done.
GREAT FINISH MOBLEY!
Gotta slyly punch Trae in the spine when he does that.
Coach Smith coaching them up!!!
Yaaaaasss!!!
Anytime DG has Huerter on him, he should look to score…Huerter can’t guard him much better than I can…
Not too often Okoro can’t guard someone, Young going right by him.
Lol. Mobley with an emphatic block.
MY GOODNESS DG!!! WHAT A SHOT!
GREAT ATTACK JA!
That hook foul was a terrible call
Ice trey!
Watching Trae gyrate out there really makes me appreciate Marcus Smart’s classical NBA game…
GREAT PASSING!!!!! ICE FOR THREE!
Wtf was that foul on DG?
Nm, was on Wade…
That was soooo weak
RIDICULOUS FINISH DG!
Starters (and Love) have been so much better than the bench this game.
Trying to keep tabs on this game whilst at work. I can only presume Cavs will engage their defensive effort once they fall 10+ behind in the 3rd?
LMFAOOOO safe bet Simmo!
JB refuses just to run Caris at the point, it’s idiotic, only way Cavs are going to do anything in the postseason is getting Caris comfortable running offense.
100%. Rondo is a 5-10 minute a game guy not the second pg.
exactly
GREAT DEFENSE WADE!!!!!
GREAT PASS DG TO JA!
Our transition D is non existent
James Dean Wade
WOW WHAT A FINISH DG!
Preach AC. Time to put a little hurt on the hawks
Mobley gets hounded every time he touches it in the paint…
ICE TO WADE EASY MONEY!!!
WYD kev just make the simple play.
WADE HUSTLE HE A DAWG
Rondo and Caris are awful together.
Cavs playing soft. Need to bring some physicality.
WTF MOBLEY WAS FOULED
DG now infected with dumb decisions LMFAO
Defense is atrocious. I want some dawg, Perfect time to put STEVENS in to change the energy.
Amen to that
Four straight terrible possessions (2 offense, 2 defense) for LeVert.
6
Good TO
awful shot LeVert, lead to easy basket, JB rage TO
Atlanta whiners
Easy call
Delense optional.
No shit, if Love hadn’t been on fire we’d be getting crushed again.
really bad D to close the quarter there, not sure why Mobley was pressuring the ball???
Seriously what is up with that?
MOBLEY HUSTLE!
LOVE FROM AUGUSTA!!!!!!
I really dislike this team. A bunch of foul hunters.
Yeah, pretty unlikable team…other than Okongwu, who at the time I wanted the Cavs to take…
this game is going exactly like the last one against the Hawks, 121-118 loss IIRC.
the game we won? 101-95 i think.
CEDI THERE YOU GO
wow what a lazy pass by Cedi, or use a ball fake.
bad decision Rondo, keep the ball don’t pass it Allen.
Pace favors Atlanta, Cavs getting caught up running.
JB calling timeout gonna ask Rondo what the hell he was thinking LMFAO
No advantage to have Allen alone with the ball ahead of the team
100%
Rondo outlet pass to Allen…. Why?
caught up trying to run with ATL, wasn’t thinking LMFAO
nice touch Allen! Big big PnR!
GREAT PASS LEVERT!
FRESH LOVE LEGS >>>>>>>>>>>>..
Trae with a failed insurance fraud attempt…
Hahaha
nice attack Love, get some fouls on these guys.
Hawks are getting the switch they want, Wade on Young. Trae to quick for him.
Okoro should guard Young
Too many easy buckets for the Hawks
another slow start for the D, yeesh not sure what is wrong there
This defense sucks WTF no pressure on the ball at all.
I think we miss Lauri. He turned out to be a much better team defender than I would have thought.
miss him dearly.
DG could score 60 on Trae if he really wanted to…
he may need to LMFAO
At least 40, yeah, he might…
DG 3’s dropping like a rain drop in an ocean
HOLY SHIT ICE IS ON FIRE!!! DG FOR THREE!
damn Cavs non-existent defense
Nice rebound Ice!
what a pass ICE TO MOBLEY!
POINT MOBLEY TO ICE!
DG from Duluth!
Hope to see the Cavs at least get a lot of good looks…Trae and Huerter are both bottom tier players in the NBA defensively…
Big opportunity tonight…