Live Thread: Wizards @ Cavs 2026-02-11 Off By Chris Francis Sorry for the lateness, the CtB crew is busy at work tonight! Live Thread: Cavs @ Nuggets Live Thread: Nets @ Cavs
Per Amico, Minix is eligible to be active for 17 games a prorated amount of the full season 50.
His stats with the Charge: 12 games, 12 starts.
Per Game: 31.6 MPG, 19.3/6.7/2.2/1.3/0.7.
Shooting: 55.6/45.7/74.1. TS% 70.4%.
With apologies to Omier, I like this move better.
Should be useful late season depth if Strus continues to be sidelined.
the trade was for: 2027 first and second round NBA G League Draft picks
some coverage did not include “G League”, which seemed like a lot.
I HAVE TO BRAG ABOUT OUR VARSITY TEAM— LAST NIGHT WE WERE DOWN BY 20 MIDWAY THRU 3rd Quarter—- HELD THE OTHER TEAM TO 1 POINT THE FINAL 16 MINUTES—— MOST AMAZING DISPLAY OF DEFENSE I HAVE COACHED/ BEEN AROUND—— WON BY 12 POINTS 👍🏀💪
Cavs fill final 2 way slot. Wing shooter. Riley Minix. 6’7″. With Spurs on a 2-way last year. 42.6% from 3 in the G league this year.
40% from 3. NAIA guy, then 1 year at Moorehead State.
https://www.fearthesword.com/cleveland-charge/44859/cavs-riley-minix-cleveland-charge-g-league-nba-cavaliers
DG shut down for the rest of the season by the Clips.
And that is NOT a tank thing, as OKC owns their pick. Outright I do believe.
I hope that helps Nate out some.
Pluto sea indefinitely (so probably a theoretical possibility of return), but I’d be surprised to see him back.
Be a bummer to never see him and Kawhi but oh well. Maybe this spring is the “Mathurin soaks up usage and #s for his next contract” and next fall is DG return to form.
Wow. Well, that certainly makes the trade seem much much better for the Cavs. It also seems wild that the Clippers would pass him in the physical and then do that, so I guess they knew. Good for them, I guess.
Rumor has it his healthy status is the reason the Cavs went from asking for a pick to giving one.
CP3 retires.
Point God out.
I wonder what would have been if that Lakers trade had went thru.
yeah, that is a weird historic footnote.
NOT SURE WE CAN CATCH THE PISTONS—— THINK WE CAN BEAT THEM IN PLAYOFFS EVEN WITH THEIR HOME COURT ADVANTAGE
I’m less worried about home court against them, versus securing the 2 seed and putting off a head-to-head series against them until the ECF. Just because it will be such a physical grind, even if the Cavs prevail.
and Pistons might not make the ECF
Just hosting 2 serieses before the ECF is good
8 games back in the loss column is a lot with 27 left, 29 for them. We do have 2 left against Det. Win both & we’d have to make up 6 in the L column 25/27 games.
left: 2 every 8/9 games played.
My target for our tough 10 game stretch out of the ASB is 7-3 + the Nets win = 8-3 the first 11 + say, 14-2 coming home on the easy 16. A 22-5 finish for 56-26.
Detroit would have to go 16-13 (16-11 in non-Cavs games) to finish with 26 losses.
We cannot do much better than 22-5. Say we go 8-2 in the tough stretch: at Cha b2b, at OKC, NY, at Mil b2b, at Det, at Brk, Det, Bos, Philly b2b, at Orl. Plus beating Brk in the opener. 9-2.
And then close 15-1. 24-3 would put us 58-24.
Detroit would have to go 18-11 (18-9 in non Cavs games) for us to catch them.
But that is REALLY some finishing kick. But we are likely favored in 14, 15, or all 16 of the final strtch (at Lakers b2b, at GSW).
FWIW, in that tough stretch, regarding our b2bs:
Charlotte is also b2b (home v Hou)
Milwaukee too (home to Miami)
Philly has rest adv, but at least it is a H b2b
Harden should be highly motivated for Philly.
The loss column:
13: Detroit
14: OKC
16: San Antonio
————
19: Boston
20: New York, Denver, Houston
21: CAVS, Lakers
22: Minny
23: Toronto, Phoenix
That’s the top 6 in each conference.
Amongst the Cavs clickbait out there, kind of cool that Keon shared an email message from Delly about how much Keon will love playing in/for CLE:
Cavs’ Keon Ellis reveals Matthew Dellavedova text after trade
Very cool!
Delly’s been dealing with yet another concussion. Dude just won’t take a step back.
KHAYES COOLING OFF 18/8. OMIER TYPiCAL 22/12
Bucks pummeling the OKC with the Thunder missing SGA & Williams. Bucks down Giannis & Turner, have now won 5 of 6. Ousmene Dieng revenge game after a trade from OKC, 19/11/6 with 4 blocks. Pete Nance 11/7 with 3 3 pointers.
IDK how long SGA & JDub will be out, but if one or both miss significant time, they could come back to the pack in the West. 2 games up on SA.
Just to circle back to Merrill. He has the best ON COURT rating of any Cavs rotational guy: at +8.9.
This is not to say that makes Merrill our best player, he obviously isn’t. But it does say we do really hum when he is on the court. Not to say he does not struggle defensively when asked to guard up, he can. But overall, he is a huge plus.
ON Court: Merrill +8.9, Mitchell +7.4, Wade +6.6, Allen +6.4, Mobley +5.8, CPJ +4.7, Tyson +4.5, Tomlin +4.1, Bryant +1.3, Ball +0.3, Hunter -1.5, DG -2.6.
Sam is 2nd in ON-OFF Difference, at +6.9, second only to Mitchell at +9.4.
Now, Spida’s # is juiced because of DG’s absences/struggles. And DGs # is made worse because Mitchell is so good, and when DG is OFF, Mirchell is ON. The Mobes/Allen ON-OFF Diff numbers are more modest, because when one is OFF, the other is ON, and we are still pretty good.
But Sam being 2nd tells you he gives us something we don’t really have elsewhere. He’s valuable.
Elite motion shooters who you have to pay attention to and can drive and pass it a little are key cogs (Nesmith was out for like a half in the Pacers run last year and they got creamed in that game).
Having two in Max (assuming he’s back this year or next) and Sam is terrifying when combined with rim running and playmaking.
I get that we worry about Boston but I don’t think they can guard us at all.
I ain’t worried about Boston
FIGURED THEY WOULD SNATCH HIM UP
Sochan to Knicks.
Maybe OG’s toe trouble is worse than we think.
Lol. Good. Sochan sucks and Yabusele looks good.
If anyone remembers the All Star game where the East squad decided to feed Mark Price for awhile, and he hit six threes in one quarter – it reminded me of that!
Sam was so locked in last night. If he had half a second after the catch to put a shot up, it was going in. If you closed out and made him dribble, he reset and then it was going on. His last attempt in the first half, he barely even looked in the basket’s direction before shooting. Then late in the second half, after not shooting for a quarter and a half (having missed one early in the third), he drops two more like he was finishing a shooting drill. Incredible!
Those last couple of catch-and-shoots were just unconscious! He just flipped them in like it was nothing.
AGREED 👍👍. JASON/ RAOUL. “ SMART GUYS AGE BETTER 👍🏀💪”. ——STILL HAVENT CONVINCED “ THE “ MRS NOMAD OF THAT 🤪………..MORE BEER 🍺 PLEASE…………. HEY RAOUL I TOOK YOUR ADVICE/ GOT MOST OF MY SKIN CANCER “ ICED SPRAYED “ — THEY GAVE ME A TOPICAL CREAM FOR MY FACIAL SKIN CANCER———NEW NICKNAME “ SCARFACE —— LOOK LIKE I COULD FIT RIGHT IN THE MOVIE— NIGHT MARE ON ELM ST “ 😱
David Griffin: Koby [Altman] and his team just achieved at deadline has never been done before. I don’t think a team’s ever gotten appreciably better and closer to a championship while also getting less expensive.
https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/sports/pro/cavs/2026/02/11/cavs-james-harden-trade-donovan-mitchell-former-cleveland-cavaliers-gm-david-griffin/88518998007/
Absolutely. Schröder has not played particularly well yet. But he is aggressive. Ellis is as advertised in D. Harden has been fantastic.
For me:
Pillars: Mitchell, Mobley, Allen, Harden
Solid/plus pieces: Tyson, Merrill, Strus, Wade, Ellis
Fringe rotation: Schröder, CPJ, Tomlin, Bryant
Inactive/Cigar guys: LNJ, Proctor
Two Way: Enaruna, Miller
Finally getting thru the replay. Really astounded by the amount of work Allen is having to do under the rim – those Wiz kids were all over him. He’s rising to the challenge night after but I bet he can’t wait for Mobes to get back.
SAM > THAN JEROME
no kidding! all the whining about not keeping Jerome was way off base.
Jerome had a fantastic year last year and is a good offensive player.
But Merrill is an elite movement shooter. Elite.
Harden makes life easier for Sam (gravity and passing), Allen (P&R), and Mitchell (gravity open lanes, less playmaking duties).
FTS said we are playing at a faster pace since Harden arrived.
Look, in 4 years and beyond DG will be the better player because Harden will age out. But for this year and next, it isn’t close. Y3 will be close. But Harden has good old man game. It should age well.
yeah, Harden has maybe the smartest game ever, and smart ages a lot better than fast and quick.
we hated Hardin for it when he was the master at working the refs. now, watch how he makes the other team’s entire defense react to every step he takes — pretty soon someone makes a mistake and he passes for an easy basket. “gravity”!
Cam Thomas had 34 for the Bucks off the bench as they beat Orlando.
They have OKC tomorrow on a b2b for both. Thunder zapped the Suns but it looked like Williams may have tweaked his hammy again.
I kind of like the Bucks reload! A bunch of talented guys there plus Giannis and Turner plus vets in Prince and Trent. Get a point guard and it’s a fun squad.
No help in the East, but the Rockets lost to the Clips (thanks Kawhi). Within 1 of them in the L column.
Memphis went right to the wire in Denver. Just short. Jerome 19 on 4-11 FGs, 3-7 from deep.
GSW up on SA at half, but I doubt it holds. They are playing super hard, though.
JEREMY SOCHAN BEING RELEASED BY SPURS—— PURSUE OR NOT——- REPORTS SUNS / KNICKS / 76ers – SHOWING EARLY INTEREST
I saw that. He is such a bad 3PT shooter, I am hesitant. Plus, when Mobley & Wade get back, he won’t play much, so IDK how attractive we will be for him.
Longer term, I think our forwards are Mobley, Tyson, & Wade. Given Tomlin’s late start, I’d bet on his ability to improve more from deep. That’s 4 keepers in my book. 3 of whom can play PF comfortably. Tyson in a pinch. Then there is Strus, more of a SG/SF guy, but I’d take him over Sochan.
That leaves LNJ. But I gotta think he may be keeping that spot warm for someone else come next season.
He’s just not really good at anything in the worst kind of way. He’s having a horrible year offensively, and we don’t have a role that would make sense for him. He’d be best going to a team like the Warriors who need playable bodies and have a strong team culture to help get him to a playable NBA game.
Yeah, he and Johnson are really just guys. Competent ish but not good.
This was the worry about Tyson as an old rookie, too. Never been happier to be wrong
SORRY I MISSED—- CONGRATS SAM —-NEW PLAYER s STILL A “ WORK IN PROGRESS “ ——POST ALL STAR BREAKS HAVE BEEN SOMEWHAT OF A NEMISIS IN RECENT YEARS— STOPPING THE MOMENTUM WE HAD BEFORE THE BREAK—— WONDERING HOW MANY PRACTICES KA WILL SCHEDULE OVER THE BREAK———— A GOOD NIGHT FOR OUR BB PROGRAM s —— NOW 53-4 / YEAR——-BIG WEEKEND COMING UP 👍🏀💪
Merrill & Allen scored 53 points combined on 19-20 FGs and 9-10 from deep.
….pretty efficient…
9 of 10 on triples is prerty nasty.
I doubt anyone has ever made 10 without a miss.
No help tonight. Detroit, Boston, & NY all winning easily.
But Toronto, Philly, & Orlando are all gonna lose. So some separation from 5, 6, & 7.
We turned it over 20 times……and still scored 138 points.
150 easy if we take care of the ball.
The Wiz are awful.
Great night for Sam. Career high?
Yes
Sam I Am!!!
LNJ & Enaruna & Proctor in.
And scoring.
Other than being super sloppy with the ball (Mitchell & Harden) and stinking on the defensive glass, we have looked great.
Fantastic night from Merrill. Allen very efficient again. Mitchell good shooting night if not from 3.
Rebounding has been putrid.
We have 14 offensive rebounds…..but they have 18.
Percentage wise, we might be better. Both are super high numbers, though.
Yeah I looked the numbers up after I posted that. Still feels putrid giving up that many offensive rebounds
Oh. it is.
I was just oointing out the Wiz were just as putrid at the other end.
2 TOs out of the TO!
Spida heated up to close the quarter.
Good close. Up 19.
Spida + bench: Schröder, Ellis, Tomlin, Bryant.
JA & Tyson dunk and Tyson bucket pushes it up to 12.
We should be up 20. They are +6 in TOs and +4 Offensive glass. We are way up on shooting % & FTs.
Sloppy. Schröder & Harden b2b TOs.
Living at the line. Mostly Harden, but Tyson scratches
Box score says Harden leading the minutes?!
Terrible start. Wiz want it more. Lead down to 8.
Knicks & Celtics both up 20+.
Pistons also up big in Toronto. Come on, Raptors.
Sloppy close of the quarter, but still up 15.
Had a chance to hit 80 without the late TOs. 76-61.
Merrill: 26 PTs, 7-7 from distance, 9/9 FGs.
Allen: 14 pts, 6/6 FGs, 2 dimes
Mitchell: 11 pts on 4 of 7, 4 dimes, 4 TO
—-Total: 51 pts on 17 of 20
Rest of team: 4-19 FGs, 25 points, 8 assists.
Harden has 11 of those points and 8 of those dimes.
Harden, too Up to 3.
Mitchell a bit sloppy tonight. 4 TOs.
Merrill right now is a walking, talking cheat code
Goodness gracious, 2 more triples. Merrill atc26, lead at 19.
Barely even looked in the direction of the basket on the last one!
Merrill now on 20 pts this half.
Lead down to 7. Good TO.
Wiz did not let go of the rope. Bad quarter so far.
Sam’s going to be fun to watch with Harden. Great cut, great pass.
The tiny lineup has given up 5 offensive rebounds in less than 4 minutes.
Lead down to 10.
These 3 6’2″ or shorter lineups have to go.
If KA wont play LNJ, put Enaruna in.
Has anyone actually ever heard anything interesting at all when they mic up players? I haven’t even once. Stupidest idea ever next to “the diff”.
And we are suddenly getting killed on the glass.
Not a,big fan of this lineup.
Sorry guys. I missed LT. Seeing the offspring tonight
Schroder, Spida, CPJ, Tomlin, Bryant to start the 2nd.
Oops, review/overturn and I cannot add.
40-24.
42 … can’t watch this one, will check back in later to see who feasted.
Tomlin & Ellis with steals after a Spida bucket, leading to two Tomlin buckets.
Up 20 after 1. 44-24.
Sign them a lullaby this quarter.
Nice sequence there from Tomlin. A block on George, got the D board on the subsequent shot, got an offensive board & bucket.
George having a great game for the Wiz.
2 on Mitchell & Harden.
7-0 Wiz run. Spida for Beard.
Ok Brad that’s the last time you’re allowed to wax poetic about how Harden wants to play every minute of every game.
Tomlin for Tyson.
Schroder, Harden, Ellis, Tomlin, Bryant
Bryant in for JA. 8 pts on 3-3 for NoFro.
Schroder & Ellis in joining Beard, Tyson, & JA.
2 fouls on Harden.
No Embiid tonight for Philly.
9: Merrill
4: Spida, Beard, JA.
21-5. Harden more FTs, Allen bucket, Sam another triple.
GO CAVS 👍🏀💪
Nice uni sync between both teams
No Sarr for them. Or Davis/Young.
Wade still out for us. Mobes/Strus as well.
KA stays small. Harden, Spida, Merrill, Tyson, JA.
Though I doubt Sam is at the 3 on D much.
Quick 12-3 start. 2 3s from Sam, JA bucket, 2 FTs from Spida/Beard.