Live Thread: Cavs at Timberwolves
2016-01-08
The Cleveland Cavaliers take their five-game winning streak to the Twin Cities tonight as they face the Minnesota Timberwolves for the first time this season. While a contest between the 24-9 Cavaliers and the 12-24 Timberwolves seems like a ho-hum route waiting to happen, a little trade that took place on August 23, 2014 will always make it more than that.
The idea that Andrew Wiggins was too steep a price to pay for Kevin Love has been a common narrative among basketball pundits. There’s no doubt that Wiggins has shown tremendous promise, averaging 20.1 points per game in just his second season. Along with Karl-Anthony Towns, Wiggins gives Minnesota a tremendous duo of young players to build around, complimented by other young prospects such as Shabazz Muhammad and Gorgui Dieng. But does that mean the Cavaliers made a mistake by trading the former number one overall pick?
Absolutely not. The Cavaliers are trying to win a championship while LeBron James is still in his prime, and the 27 year old Love is still a significantly more effective player than the 20 year old Wiggins at this point. Yes, Wiggins does have the higher scoring average by nearly four points per game, but that’s where it ends. Love has a significant edge in rebounds and assists per game, three-point shooting, PER, and RPM. While RPM isn’t a perfect statistic—what is?—it’s pretty significant that Love’s 5.41 mark is good enough for eleventh in the entire league, while Wiggins is rated 80th among shooting guards alone with a RPM of -4.20. He’s a long way from being a core piece on a contender, let alone a superstar. [Editor’s Note: RAPM over at least a season’s worth of games is superior to partial season RPM (or RAPM).  Over the last couple seasons, Love has posted a RAPM of ~3.2 while Wiggins’ first season netted him a MINUS 3.2]
Still, Wiggins seems to get up for playing against the team that drafted him, averaging 30 points per game against the Cavaliers in two games last season, his highest scoring average against any team. If he does that again, then tonight’s game could be much more of a battle for the Cavaliers than anyone expects. Be sure to tune in tonight at 8:00 on ESPN and share your thoughts on the game here at Cavs: The Blog!
It lacks the drama of other games against average teams, but I am totally fine with the Cavs dominating a team with ease. Lebron and Kyrie content to feed the ball to other team mates and ho hum every so often drive to the basket for a layup. All is fine with the Universe.
Security guard feeling wooziness! He got spun out watching JR. In all seriousness hope he is okay.
Lebron took that 3 a minute ago, but other than that, hasn’t every attempt been a layup?
Ok, he’s 0-3 from 3, duh. Just seemed like everything is in paint and not forced.
Does that FT not count because of the woozy security guard?
One of the refs did blow his whistle before the shot.
I feel bad for Sam Mitchell…
He has about the same rep amongst Wolves fans as Scott does with Laker fans. And gamecast is back, for now, anyway.
I really like LeBron’s passing in this game. He needs to always play like this (except for the missed shots, of course)
James jumped the passing lane so early that he overran the pass.
That was pretty funny. I don’t remember anyone guessing right, and over running it that much.
Nice give and go with LBJ and KLOVE.
This is just pick your poison for the Wolves.
LeBron’s shot though is like the Kennedy assasination again… back… and to the left…
Almost as if there are two different shooters.
It’s a conspiracy!
They can have all the 20 footers they care to take.
Agreed… that’s definitely the scouting report.
Wolves trying to claw back
KAT might be just as good as The Brow… maybe better…
JR BURNING RUBIO AGAIN!!! GREAT COACHING MIN!
And AGAIN!!!! HAHAHAHA!!! Wow…
LBJ is just firing lasers on his passes…
That was a great pass by Bron… wish KLove could have converted it…
Perhaps should’ve gone off the glass.
Nice roll by KLOVE though
True… He can get pretty much any shot he wants down low…
That’s stupid… Rubio has been torched by JR. Can’t believe the MIN coaches think it’s working.
Cavs, Ok mostly JR, have found their 3 pt stroke again- 7-16. Beating Minny on boards 27-20 limiting Minny to 4 offensive RB, and Cavs with only 4 turnovers.
Very impressive Jr with 21 pts in 14 mins. DAMN!
JR is now 18-30 from three over his last three games… amazing
Now that Kyrie’s back… JR can go back to focusing on hitting jumpers.
Weird stat of the night. Delly has 0 assists. Kyrie with only 1.
Yet they still have 12 in game. Whatever works. PG’s must be racking up the hockey assists.
It’s just peculiar. I don’t think I have ever seen that
I’m kinda surprised that Kevin Garnett hasn’t retired yet
Cavs making it look easy in the first half, with assistance from the Wolves.
I think they’re letting Wig just go for his, it’s throwing the rest of his team off…
He’s also hitting his jumpers, which he hasn’t done all season.
Exactly. He hit like 31% from 3 last year, but was 6-7 against the Cavs from 3 last year.
All right. They’re up 16 at the half. Just for pride, could they maybe hold Wiggins to single digits in the second half?
16 fastbreak points for Cavs vs. zero for Wolves
It’s absurd how Wiggins is kinda meh against most teams, but looks like an All Star vs the Cavs. C’mon, guys. And a big FU to ESPN for somehow having the gamecast to every game but the Cavs functioning. Stopped working around the end of the 1st, and I’m at work.
@ Mike- try cleveland.com for a feed
Thanks murphy – I’ll check it out.
Also check Cavs Nation Twitter feed for instant highlights…
Must be the wind-chill in Minnesota already disrupting civilization.
What the hell, I know we traded him, but if Wiggins played against everyone else like he does vs Cav’s he’d be in running for MVP.
According to ESPN ticker, we are up 154 … I really hope we rest guys in the second half.
62 in a half again. Uh, if Minny can score some points I’ll take the over also for 12 billion.
Well, the Cavs offense still rolling, and they clamped down on defense in the 2nd quarter. Cruising for an easy cover and OVER… guess we’re screwed Joey B.
Love coulda used a little help there, guys.
HAHAHA… yeah… LBJ and TT didn’t wanna end up on a poster.
WTH was that Love?? Wiggins just blew by. How about more bench 2nd half.
Ummm, no thanks, Ive had my fill of RJ tonight. Mozzy seemed oddly….. productive.
Lack of effort was embarrassing. Least be like Rondo and stick a foot out for cryin out loud. lol We have a decent lead, want starters to get some rest. Hope it goes that way
Love cannot guard Wiggins…
Myself, I like 4 or 5 dots…..
Whatever works… ;)
James with 5 points, Irving with 4, Cavs by 16.
JR broke the ESPN box score…
Love passed up a mostly open shot to get it to the hot hand in JR. Seen that a lot this year.
So, uh, I just checked the box score and saw JR Smith already has 21 points?! Is this for real?
WOW I didn’t realize that either. Delly defending Petrovic?? Lol
Didn’t even realize this was on Espn.
Me either. I’m camping on Fox Ohio. Want to enjoy this game more with AC and Fred
You guys are lucky you don’t have to watch the ESPN feed…
This is weird sloppy game. If TWolves played a little defense , game might be closer than this
Well yea. If they played a little defense they’d have quite a few more wins.
Talking about this game Only.
Smith has been really shooting lights out these past few games
JR !!! Pipe-popalis!!
I will predict an LBJ triple double tonight.
J(ust) R(idiculous)
LOLOLOLOL how do you leave him?
Buckets don’t lie!
Hard to listen to JVG without M Jackson.
JR comes right back from an ugly miss with a make.
And another!!!!!!!
Keep shooting them 3s JR! HAHAHA!
JR has been shooting great lately.
Swish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
KLOVE loves that right hand hook…. he needs a drop step to the left hand counter move.
He has one. Just needs. To use it.
Definitely… his defender on the last post up was playing that right hand jump hook hard.
Moz looked like he was going to tackle Wiggins…
DOT DOT DOT
Moz getting a lot of run this quarter…
DOT DOT DOT
That’s kinda my thing…
JR did not cool off at all while he was sitting.
Are you guys watching this on ESPN?
WHERES YOUR DEVOTION TO FRED AND AC!?
Only on ESPN for me :(
They black out the local feeds out here when games are on national TV…
I like to mix it up.
I took both Wiggins and KLove tonight on purpose for my Fanduel team… not disappointed…
I can’t wait for the Wolves to come to CLE, so I can break out my Tayshaun Princess sign!
Wtf. JR.
Keep shooting them 3s JR!
Tayshaun Prince’s elbow flares out a little more every year
JVG would eat popcorn that fell on the court.
Lebron making an extra effort to get the ball to Love tonight.
God I hate the fake and flail. Martin got one earlier.
That was a banana… with a side of popcorn…
A lot of banana plays tonight!
Love gets so many BIRDS
JR might wind up with 20 points just on run-outs…
Not sure if he’s missed a shot yet.
That highlights package led seamlessly into another transition dunk.
Plus another. Easy money.
I sear Love looks 8 years younger than last year
Correction: Swear to sear
If nobody can make a shot in half-court, maybe it’s…JR time! 10 points in the first quarter.
Don’t quite get why love isn’t getting more looks.
Also, where’s JR???
Love those easy buckets.
Bron went and broke his jumper again…
Shump redeems himself!