Live Thread: Cavs Vs Celtics
2019-11-05The Celtics are in Cleveland tonight looking to pick up their fifth win of the season. They are currently on a four game win streak behind the efforts of Kemba Walker. Walker is averaging 26.2 points a game to go with 5.2 boards, and 3.8 assists. Jason Tatum is a fine second stud putting up 22 a night and hitting 3.6 3s a night. Kevin Love is running the Cavs with 19.2 points, 15.3 boards, and 4.3 assists per game.
The Cavs should present a decent challenge this game. The Celtics are small and are a center by committee team right now with Enes Kanter (he has played just one game this season and is a game time decision), Daniel Theis and Robert Williams the III (currently day-to-day) all getting some minutes. None of that group are defensive stalwarts, and just one is taller than 6’9” (Kanter). Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson should do some work.
The Celtics are without Jaylen Brown.
The Cavs are without Kevin Porter Jr. (One game supsension), Ante Zizic, Dylan Windler, and John Henson.
Three Things To Watch
1.The Cavs have to play big tonight. Who on the Celtics is covering Love? Tatum? Love should be able to bully him near the hoop and draw enough help defense, so the ball can get kicked out to open shooters. And, rebounding matters. The Celtics and Cavs get roughly the same amount of boards per game, but the Cavs get more contested boards.
2. Kemba Walker has to cover someone tonight, he’s very small. Collin Sexton and Darius Garland can get shots against him. They just need to be wise about how they do it. No one on the Celtics is a rim protector, so Sexland must attack the hoop. There’s no reason to be heaving long 3s over a 6’1” man.
3.Cleveland must take care of the ball and get back on defensive. The Cavs are averaging 15.2 turnovers a night, which is a middle of the league number. That’s great. Here’s the problem though: 19.3% of possessions against them are coming in transition, which is the highest frequency in the league. The Celtics are hyper efficenct in transition getting 1.23 points per possession, which is third in the league. So, the team needs to channel their inner Delly and commit the, “opps, I’m slow, and am going to take a foul before the break even starts” swipes.
The Celtics probably think the Cavs are a joke after stomping them in the preseason, twice. The Cavs really aren’t though. They’ve been competing on a nightly basis and are watchable. They’re trying and have enough talent on the team that it keeps things interesting. A nicer fan would think that all the players on these two teams who previously played with Kyrie over the past years will be bonding over the trauma of having to hear how flat the earth is; I, however, am hoping Love and TT talk about flat earth stuff and emotional health the entire evening to force Tatum and Gordan Hayward into thinking Kyrie is on the court and that they are only allowed to take passive mid-range jumpers.
Cavs 110, Celtics 101
LeBron is still the best player in the NBA. Amazing.
Luka Doncic is better.
No it’s Tyler Herro!
Cedi was straight trash. Garland too. At least Garland is young though. Sadly thus is probably as good as Cedi will be.
He had a bad night. Still made some plays and shot well from three.
Lol
Forgot you were Cols. Must be troll night here at CtB.
Was gonna say, why are you wasting your time?
HOPING GARLAND MAKES THE SAME KIND OF IMPROVEMEMNT “YOUNG BULL ” LAST / THIS SEASON———-SEASON STILL YOUNG ——LIKE THE WAY THE ARE SCRAPPING ———HOW SOON DO WE HAVE A “WINDLER ” SIGHTING
Good hustle by Sexton at the end. But a young team ended this game the way young teams often do.
Cedi was straight trash on Hayward tonight, sadly.
Yes. If Windler shows any capacity to be a knockdown shooter, I wouldn’t be surprised if he starts by the end of the year. If Cedi isn’t defending well I am not seeing the offensive improvement to say he is going to turn the corner.
Cedi is shooting the three very well and that’s a big improvement.
That’s true. But there are so many other holes in his game.
Most of it is role, or lack of one.
I mean he tried to do too much last year. His role should probably be that of a 3 and d guy. Obviously the d has a long ways to go.
I agree with Nate, though stripping Cedi back to 3 and D to start might’ve been a good idea to help focus his game. I still think he has a quite varied skillset to offer and develop. Cedi’s defense of Hayward was unfortunately sub par at best, though I still argue he held his own vs Doncic. I think Windler will be a good thing for Cedi: to push him, give him more backup, and I can inagibe a lot of great bigger guard lineups with Cedi and Windler together switching between the 2 and 3 (and hopefully some small… Read more »
Fun game. Garland probably should not have finished that game. Tanking sucks.
What a sh#t finish. Oh well, Sexton growing up before our eyes.
In good news, Bulls are up on Lakers 65-48 at half…
Cedi missed that box out and that was the game. Somewhere Bill Simmons just got his happy ending.
Caught flat-footed and ball watching. Cedi guilty of this often.
Yeah. I am just not seeing the improvement from him.
Then they throw away the inbound? Christ
Not a great way to close out coming back.
Hayward looks like Larry Bird tonight…just stupid to let someone like him abuse you in the paint…
Maybe his most efficient game ever? Seems like everything was easy for him tonight
Lol. TT.
Sexton great hustle
Damn Collin Sexton wants it bad!
Sexton bullish down the stretch…
Sexton is a gamer. The young bull has a pair.
Celtics going under on p/r. I’d let Sexton fire one.
NEED TO FIND GARLAND SOME ” CONFIDENCE PILLS ” ………TOO GOOD OF SHOOTER NOT TO START KNOCKING SOME DOWN—HIS SHOT HIS “SILK ” ……….
Wow. That was a great call. The kind that usually gets missed.
Great hustle.
Got some serious fight in them. Loving it.
Yep.
Sexy
Anyone hear the beautiful sound of a felled buck?
Cavs need to punish the Celtics if they’re going to put Smart on Love.
This is a hell of an effort.
Man. Garland has got to shoot that open three instead of that garbage floater.
Yeah, I hope later in the season he just does that, and doesn’t think about it and not…
Cavs just better with Garland on the floor, he does all the intangibles…. just kidding Buck.
I thought another prolific poster to this board was annoying, and by god he was, but this is nearly as tiresome…
Feisty Cavs keep fighting back!
Man I’d love to steal this one!
Would make my month!
Love fueling this from high post. Awesome
Love the fight in this game…even with letting freaking Gordon Hayward punk them all game…