Live Thread: Cavs @ Hawks
2022-03-31The Cavs took the midnight train to Georgia and will face off against the surging Atlanta Hawks in a massive clash between two Eastern Conference play-in teams. The two teams are headed in opposite directions. The Cavs have lost four in five and the Hawks have won four in five. It appears as though the Hawks are making a mad dash up the standings before the season runs out while the Cavs are looking to hang on for dear life until reinforcements come back. Hawks have won the last two meetings against the Cavs, and will be looking to take the season series 3-1 should the Hawks win tonight.
Stats and Notes
The Hawks come into the game with the second highest offensive rating in the NBA (114.9). Trae Young is obviously one of the premier offensive point guards in the NBA, so Darius Garland will have to rise up to the challenge with an MVP performance just as he did last night against Luka Dončić. Luckily for the Cavs, the Hawks are an abomination on defense so there will be plenty of opportunities to score if the Cavs can overcome dead legs off of a back to back.
The Curious Case of Cedi Osman
As it was discussed on the last pod, apparently Cedi Osman has been benched due to going outside the bounds of his “scorer only” role. While there was good reason to bench Cedi, the publicly stated reason doesn’t withstand the tiniest bit of statistical scrutiny. If anything, Cedi’s two main offenses are easily identifiable: 1. His defense was an abomination, and 2. He was hijacking the offense with poor shot selection instead of deferring to Kevin Love in the second unit half court offense.
Will Cedi’s purgatory end tonight? It could given the recent struggles of Brandon Goodwin. Goodwin’s play has fallen off of a cliff, especially on defense. He’s also too deferential on offense, passing up wide open threes to dribble into worse shots. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff is in the unenviable position of cobbling together a second unit that isn’t a complete disaster. Maybe it’s time for the Return of the Jedi, stay tuned.
Tip off is scheduled for 7:30PM ET and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes, Go Cavs!
Caris and Okoro make no attempt at a defensive rebound.
they score on the 2nd chance.
Brown also just simply didn’t box out. His focus is completely gone to start the half. Hope JB didn’t overdo the halftime instructions
he did box out it was a long rebound. Guards have to rebound 3pt misses.
I miss Dean Wade.
something fierce LMFAO
I don’t blame him…but 100% of the joy is out of Garland’s game right now. That’s not a good sign.
Gassed
gassed sure, but clearly just frustrated. He’s gone from playing with really good teammates to playing with borderline scrubs half of his mins. got to be getting to him.
They’re making no attempt to get Trae Young matched up on DG.
Complete failure of coaching.
Yeah, Lauri just has no dawg in him. Okoro clearly has his limitations. LeVert is meh.
WTF Brown, pass that out!
5 point swing.
We’re gonna need 130 points to win. this is gonna need to be an epic half
That was a terrible call. Cabarot got the call cause Moses is tall.
Coach Buckner on the money defense trash all the way around.
Trae is back. I am SHOCKED.
Mr. Cavalier has spoken!!!!! WAKE UP JB
https://twitter.com/MrCavalier34/status/1509693067296755713?s=20&t=5qO0oxCN_qJbqW8W7VBfWg
Says the man that loves the LeVert midrange shot… lol
I don’t think there’s an inconsistency there, I want Caris shooting those too LFMAOOOO
think he means for our defense but fair
Cavs have shot 7 fewer threes, and made 6 fewer threes.
3pt shooting is the difference again.
Cavs on pace to get outshot from three 30-44, JB coaching like it’s 1992.
I mean, you’re right. But I guess my counter would be who should shoot them?
As much as everyone loves Windler guy can’t get a shot off
everyone but Brown should be shooting them!!! LMFAOOOO
Bah
LETS GOOO LAURI!!!!
Eff that call.
They could literally makes that call every single time down the court, which is my basic problem with NBA reffing in general…best to just never call that crap…
Hope trae is ok…by…like saturday
They’re not even Making Trae flop.
Omg did anyone just see that absolute matador defense by Love on trae??? Get him out
WOW GREAT DEFENSE AND GREAT FINISH LAURI!
Indeed!
I thought he was just going to go out of bounds with the ball…pretty athletic play…
We have gotten enough stops yo be within a couple possessions. Just didn’t hit many shots the last 6 mins
Lauri 0-3 with all shots being long contested 3s. Sorry I’ll stop now, this team is depressing the yell out of me
Not a lot of fun to watch right now…
He’s limping noticeably, got no juice left.
Lmfao. Trae took four steps.
TRAVEL BY YOUNG UNCALLED
They aren’t calling that on Trae. Ever.
great defense Caris!
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1509688325560545282?s=20&t=FAd_4oa3yUqkO1p5GdjEJg
Okoro finally attacks trae, first time all game down 14
the fact we’re not even trying to attack Young consistently, birdbrain coaching.
Where? Is? Moses?
He started, back in
Was not in when I posted. Returned right after.
oh I know, thought you missed the beginning my bad.
Sorry I was late. Was making this for dinner tmrw. Great recipe.
https://themodernproper.com/wine-braised-beef-with-mushrooms
LOL. Tha cedi foul is a nothingburger.
holy shit they’re gonna review this??? Cedi grabbed him and then let him go, dude flopped onto the ground.
Way wouldnt atlanta expect easier thresholds on various fouls the way they are called
Markkanen shoved off the spot, Cedi gets pushed in the back. We just getting pushed around out here
Opponents seem to shoot an insane percentage on 3s against us
It’s because of the undisciplined defensive rotations
Helps when so many of them are open…
Caris never moves after he passes. He stands and watches.
Zero…well more like negative margin for error here. Gotta be elite in offense and it least average on d
Gotta get stops.
Not contesting anything on D, just letting them shoot with no physicality
yup
So frustrating to watch
Goodwin terrible defense.
WHAT A PASS LOVE
TOUGH SHOT CARIS
and gives it right back LMFAO
Same shooting percentage from the field the difference once again is three-point attempts
Jesus, Windler’s not gonna play LMFAOOOO JB get your head out of your ass bozo
Following peripherally while at the gym… sounds like we gotta clean up some turnovers and limit second chances. Seems to be a theme night after night.
Nice to see a Cedi sighting.
Okoro with 12 minutes on the court, not one rebound or stock.
Cavs getting out-rebounded by 8.
They could play Windler, but not sure I have the trust level in him…
BURY HIM
Zero rebounds for Markkanen in 8 minutes and playing hurt.
Man I’m by also tired of seeing Ice out there running cardio
DG TO THE RIM!
Incredible shot…meanwhile Trae hurls some of the most ridiculously stupid shots in the NBA…yeah, occasionally he’ll hit one, but half the guys in the NBA would hit those occasionally, too…they’re just not entitled and stupid enough to take them…
HUGE THREE LOVE!
Cedi in meaning no Windler ?
It better not LMFAOOOOo
LOL if that is the case JB genuinely needs to be benched himself for a couple games
Just tired of watching Love on defense… yeesh
Pretty much…just want our defensive guys back…
WHAT A FINISH DG!
Buttery soft defensive rebounding
DG WHAT A PLAY!!!!
WTF Caris get your head into the game on defense
LOVE IS IN THE AIR LETS GO
DG FROM AUGUSTA!
Lauri looked at Love, and then dribbled into a turnover.
now there’s a weird beef going on possibly between Lauri and JB
We need willing shooters from the corners. Anyone. Willing to shoot even a little bit contested. That cannot be an area the other team doesnt have to guard
AGREE DANK—ICE HAS TO WORK ON HIS CORNER 3PT SHOT// AND ATTACKING THE BASKET–PULL UP JUMP SHOT
I would absolutely hate the face this Hawks team in the playoffs…loads of shooting, so lots of chances for someone to go en fuego for a game, and The Golden Turd Jr, who can get hot, too, and has been granted Most Favored Nation by the refs…
Okoro a complete 0 on offense. Just gets the ball and then immediately passes it as if he is playing hit potato
yeah, he needed to shoot that open jumper, dont care if it’s a 2 or 3 just shoot it in rhythm.
good middie LeVert
Cavs defense absolutely getting shredded.
Was always gonna happen. Gotta score off every miss and not trade too many 2s for 3s
DG REVERSE!
DG TO BROWN EATING
Lauri is limping, probably shouldn’t be playing.
DG BLOW BY!
DG TO BROWN ALL DAY
LET’S HAVE A “LEVERT INSTANT REPLAY —OFFENSIVELY AT LEAST ” OF LAST NIGHT
Gooooo Cavs!!!! Still hoping for that 5th/6th seed and a full playoff series, screw keeping our pick !
WE GOING ALL THE WAY LETS GOOOOO
HERE IS HOPING FOR MIKEO WE GET A WINDLER SIGHTING OF MORE THAN 5 MIN’S
I’m going full white pill…Cavs can sneak away with an improbable (and financially rewarding if you’re a betting man) victory tonight in Atlanta. Watch the pace, get Kevin Love involved in the post, play a little inside out to start, and then launch 498 three pointers in the 2nd half. Let’s go Cavs!
LETS F********** GOOOOOOOOOOOOO
https://twitter.com/BrianDulik/status/1509361320398921730?s=20&t=FD01XJFE-Vs-PZSSkoVogg
Is this game the make-up game from earlier in the season when we got covid postponed?
Confirmed. This game was originally scheduled for Dec 19th. Somehow the schedulers couldn’t figure out how to get this NOT on a b2b for cleveland within the last 4 months of the season. However…it was originally also the 2nd half of a b2b. So.
haha this end of the season sucks!
100%
I’m prepared to be infuriated. Most ref crews literally don’t allow Trae to be defended at all, and I expect no exceptions tonight.
ugh, yup good point they should go playground rules call your own fouls, if you can’t reach consensus it’s a replay.