Live Thread: Cavaliers @ Magic
2015-03-15
The Wine & Gold are in Florida to take on the Magic. This game is going to be the opposite of the thrilling overtime game against the Spurs. The Magic are full of young talented guys playing in a system that seems to not maximize the talent. They have just 21 wins to date.
Big man Nikola Vucevic leads the Magic in scoring with 19.5 points per game and rebounding with 11.2 boards per game. At seven feet tall, he’s a legitimate center. His ability to pretty much hit any shot aside from the three could make Timofey Mozgov have to run a little bit more than usual. Tristan Thompson might have to box out even harder if matched up against this big guy. Vucci Mane gets his stats regardless of the situation.
ESPN points out that Elfrid Payton has averaged 16.8 points and 6.8 assists the past four games. The Magic have also lost three of their last five.
The Cavs should win this game easily, but perhaps it might be a trap. Cleveland has won the last ten games against the Magic. And, the Cavs are also topping a ton of categories these days according to NBA.com’s preview:
During their 23-5 stretch since Jan. 15, the Cavs rank 1st in the NBA in points per game differential (+11.1), 1st in three-pointers made (320), 2nd in field goal percentage (.468), 2nd in points per game (108.1) and 5th in three-point percentage (.375). Defensively since that time, the Cavs are 7th in opp. field goal percentage (.428), 3rd in opp. three-point percentage (.324) and 10th in opp. points per game (97.0).
I’m not really scared though. I think it’s safe to say the Cavs are past trap games now (unless the idea of jinxing something is real). However, I’m a little worried Elfrid (See above) might overtake Anderson Varejao for the best hair in the NBA title.
What are your predictions for today? I’m calling for a win, but it won’t be a blowout. There’s going to be some Kendrick Perkins post plays by the end of the fourth quarter tonight.
Kevin Love is sitting out to rest. Shawn Marion is listed as active.
Double OT with Pels and Nugs!
another nice game by SHUMP ( THE ” EMPIRE ” STRIKES BACK )—-man his passes are like missles —would hate to get blindsided by one of them —-how about we don’t start moz / don’t even play him the 1st qtr so he can PLAY IN THE 4TH QTR JUST TO GET THE FEEL OF IT —- still puzzled with this MOZ 4TH QTR ” BLACKHOLE EFFECT —- will there be both a love / matrix sighting next game ?
I think Love will be back and, if we are cruising, Marion gets some of LeBron’s minutes. Would love to see LBJ below 30 minutes tomorrow.
My hope with the Moz 4th quarter thing is that Blatt has a super lethal lineup designed for the playoffs and he doesn’t want to show his hand. I don’t mind TT getting some crucial minutes, but the big Russian gives us so much.
Apparently James Harden took more FTs than the entire Clippers team tonight. With hack a Jordan I’m slightly surprised, but then again it’s Harden. Unfortunately for the Rockets, Harden won’t get those ridiculous calls come playoff time.
It was an exciting ending but two debatable charges on clippers and the cRotchhits win. Gosh I hate them.
At least Barnes threw Harden to the floor MMA style though….
Loved that play!
we really only beat them because we shot a high percentage from three. We did not play good defense. Funny how crucial kevin love has become not as a scorer but as a team defense guy. Who’d have predicted that?
Good call, Scotch. I’ve been watching this for a while. As soon as someone makes fun of his D on another comment thread, I know they haven’t been watching the cavs play. Everyone says defense is about system and effort. Love gets the system and has been generous with the effort.
They’ve gotta figure out how to get Love involved. He really disappeared tonight.
Hahaha well done
We really need Charlotte to overtake Indy or Indy to overtake Milwaukee. Do not want to play The Pacers in the 1st round
The former is more likely than the latter with the amount of games left…
Mo Williams to the rescue! He has been a great pick up for fantasy too!
Totally with you, Tom. With PG back, the Pacers are going to have even more mojo going into the playoffs. LeBron absolutely owns Charlotte, so that might be a nice start to the post season.
This offense right now is unstoppable.
Raptors are losing by 16. Don’t see any way they or the Bulls challenge the Cavs for the 2 seed. Cavs came through the toughest part of their schedule (ending with the Spurs game) in good shape.
Cavs shoot nearly 60% for the game… 51% from three…. Perfect tonic for turnovers and getting outrebounded by 10… Gotta love this team…
Irving follows his epic game against the Spurs with 33 points on 12-15 shooting, 5-6 on threes.
Kyrie is killing it lately! I thought this might be a trap game early on, but they clamped down in the 2nd quarter and never really took the foot off the petal.
James Jones’ emergence is huge for the team here late in the season and into the playoffs
Cavs better save some of those 3’s for tomorrow’s game. The Heat is another team that allows a ton of 3 pointers.
They’re also gonna need KLove’s rebounding against Whiteside….
Let’s hope they play him tomorrow.
Perk went down like he was SHOT by a sniper…
Everyone’s talking about Westbrook. Look at what Kyrie Irving is doing
Are the Thunder even in the playoffs?
They are a half game up on Pels who are in OT with Nuggets right now… BTW Anthony Davis with a shot at a quad double…
I think if the Pels win they take the 8th seed.
The Magic have some good offensive players, but that doesn’t make them a good team.
James freaking Jones! Yeah no caps because the basket has no caps for James FREAKING Jones.
Sorry… force of habit with the caps on JFJ…
I guess my statement was too confusing. Had nothing to do with what you typed.
Oh, got it… sorry, I read it too quickly… ;)
Time to clear the bench finally Dave…
JFJ!
JAMES FREAKING JONES!!!!!!!!
You can’t give Kyrie that kind of time to shoot a three… he could close his eyes or stand on one leg and still make it…
Victor Oladipo: another big Cavs what if…
I so wanted Oladipo. Another CG fail.
James Jones is so steady.
He’s been really solid lately…
But also 16 threes with that last one by JAMES FREAKING JONES!!!
Those are the reason why the Cavs have been cruising all game.
Sloppy game by Cavs with 16 turnovers…
From the Cavs’ side, it’s had the feel of a scrimmage. Not a lot of intensity, working on some things, getting Perk involved.
True that… not a ton of intensity. Scary just how effortless this team can make scoring 120+ points look…
TT with some of the worst showing and switching D I’ve seen in a while from him.
Lauren on the case! Fan interference. Never seen that called.
Fan clearly touched the ball though… was that PSI?
That girl was completely out of his league too.
Well, at least he got his money’s worth…
HEE HEE.
That was a really bad possession by LBJ
Cavs really not protecting the lane… but neither is Orlando… Cavs with 44 points in paint, Magic with 42
Inside for James right down Euclid (Semoran if you live in Orlando).
You can tell the refs are just waiting for Perkins to commit the illegal screen.
It IS his calling card…
Orlando, like most teams this season, paying some of their best ball against the Cavs. Still strong lead.
Moz still not allowed to play in the fourth quarter apparently…
It must be a Russian custom.
LBJ just OWNED Payton on that layup attempt!
I like what I’ve seen from Perkins tonight.
As I write that he gets called for a moving screen.
He averages two per game though…
Need Kyrie to put it away in the next couple of minutes….
Not hard to do, but easily Perk’s best game as a Cav so far…
Well can’t blame the bad defense on K Love since he is not playing.
This is definitely good Kenrick
Probably going to need to get Kyrie back in this one soon…
Perkins with the Haywood-esque rocket pass out of bounds…
Hey Mr. Wheat!
O’Tay…
Kendrick looks spry, for him.
Strong move in the paint by PERK!
LBJ clearly trying to have a “teaching moment” with Delly….
This might be JR’s high scoring night in a Cavs uni… right? He’s got 25 already…
His high with Cleveland is 29, against Phoenix in mid-January — his 4th game after the trade.
Good to see Bron back out there and running okay…
Yes, glad LBJ is back in. In the 1st half, I was glad to see him attempt a hook shot. It didn’t go in, but that would be a good one in his repertoire, if he got comfortable with it.
Cavs score 34 in third, but give up 31. Need to play a little more D on the Magic to start the fourth…
Defense has been absent but thanks to the great offensive night they are having well it hasn’t been needed.
Cavs have cooled off to 52% 3-point shooting (14-27) through 3 quarters. One of the misses was JR’s half-court heave at the end of the quarter.
JR is amazing tonight. So relaxed when he launches many of his 3-pt shots.
Wonder if we’ll see LBJ again tonight if his knee is hurting after that awkward landing… even if it’s just precautionary
KEEP IT 100 JR!!!!!!!
Sometimes JR and Shumpert think they are still in NY with these kind of plays lol
Why is TT guarding Oladipo at the top of the key?
Do what happened with K Love?
I meant so what happened…..
Not playing… Blatt resting him…
Blatt is resting him tonight.
Thanks guys! I just read his having back spasms.
Kyrie with the chillest 30 points you’ve ever seen….
Just another day at the office. It’s like he’s leaning back in his chair with his feet up on his desk and his keyboard on his lap.
Tripping him is kinda the only way to stop Kyrie at this point…
JAMES FREAKING JONES!!!!
I’m in NYC, watching on NBA TV which has the Magic announcers. They showed concern when Lebron fell blocking that shot earlier in the 3rd Q. I hope he’s okay. Great game for the CAVs since parts of the 1st Q.
He seems okay… although has been on the bench for a little while now…
I also love Kyrie!
Kyrie doing the Tony Parker leaning layup even better than Parker himself!
Shump with the strip on the break, Lauren with the call: Cavs ball!
All five guys touched it on that last possession… TT almost scored it…
I’d really like to see them get to 100 by end of third…
Buckwheat at the line…
YEAH T.T. AND THE MOZ SOMEWHAT ” INVISIBLE ” TODAY IN THE REB COLUMN—DO WE MISS LOVE THAT MUCH—–GOOD TO SEE HIM RESTING—-WOULD GIVE HIM THE ENTIRE WEEK OFF —GO CAVS
That lob from LBJ to TT looked effortless…
JR Swish! Cavs are 12-21 from 3.
JR SWISH!!!! That’s 5 tonight!