Live Thread: Cavs vs. Wizards
2020-01-23So tonight the Cavaliers host another bottom dweller of the Eastern Conference in the Washington Wizards. Hopefully all of the “end of a road trip voodoo magic” that infected the last game will be long gone. I don’t know how much I believe of any of those types of excuses but I want to believe the odd mix of brain-dead officiating and bouts of brain-dead play from the Cavs will be absent tonight.
In a bit of optimism, Washington does have two guards in Ish Smith and Isaiah Thomas that actually make Cleveland’s backcourt look comparatively tall, so there is that. Also defensive anchor John Henson should be back in the lineup tonight.
Not to be overly optimistic in the wake of many bad losses, I still predict the Cavs managed to pull this one out in a high scoring, high turnover, shootout.
Cavs 139 – Wiz 134
As always,
Go Cavs!
ARE KAREEM HUNTS DAYS AS A BROWN OVER—–PICKED UP FOR SPEEDING / FOUND MARIJUANA IN HIS CAR ………..” AND THE BEAT GOES ON—-THE BEAT GOES ON “
Anyone notice that predribble walks weren’t a point of emphasis last night? It’s almost like the refs were saying “yeah, if we call these we’ll be here till midnight. Cavs youngins and Smith and Beal got away with a ton of sloppy footwork.
So great, Christopher. Thanks for the link.
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1220764324446265361?s=20
No problem, Nate. Zach is basically nodding to a superior tanking job. They have made the total output much less than the sum of their collective talents.
This just in from Zach Lowe. Read #7 at your leisure…nothing new here, I guess…
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28516139/ten-nba-things-like-including-spurs-new-threat
Wins:
10 = GSW
11 = Hawks
12 = Cleveland, NY
—————
15 = Bees, Wiz, Kings, Wolves
———-
17 = Bulls, Pels, Pistons
18 = Suns, Nets (PO)
19 = Blazers
20 = Grizz, Spurs (PO)
THE CAVS OFFENSE—-DRIBBLE/ DRIBBLE / DRIBBLE / STAND AROUND —-CHUCK UP A DESPERATION CLUNKER
Good/bad PG play makes a huge difference. Not just hijacking the O, TOs, and lack of dimes. It creates transition opportunities for the opponent and it breaks the spirit. Guys stop moving when they do not get the ball.
FWIW, the Cavs give up the most transition opportunities in the league (TOs) AND guve up the highest points per possession in transition in the league.
Look at the difference Rubio has made in Phoenix.
You don’t necessarily need a true point, but you do need at least one of three things, those being a team where multiple guys share ball handling duties in a pass heavy offense with lots of movement, a ball dominant primary handler who is a true point that passes a lot, or a heavy iso based offense based around home run passes around a spread floor (the last requires more or less an unstoppable one on one force as the primary handler, a la the lbj cavs or current Houston team). We don’t have any of those three. We don’t have an offense where everyone passes a lot and ball handling is by committee, a true competent point guard, or a top 5 iso player talent that can also pass.
AGREE WITH YOU M IKE O——-THE ENTIRE TEAM HAS TO BRING THE ENERGY ON DFENESE / NOT JUST A FEW PLAYERS ——-NOT GETTING DOWN IN THE STANCE / NOT TALKING / NOT ROTATING —CLOSING OUT / PATHETIC DISPLAY OF PLAYING DEFENSE ——-IT IS ONE THING NOT HAVING THE SKILL TO PERFORM OFFENSIVELY—-DEFENSE IS MOSTLY ABOUT BRINGING THE ENERGY / HUSTLE / DETERMINATION / GETTING AFTER IT
Whatever you think about Sexton’s game, he’s one of the few who looked ready to compete in this game. He, Cedi, and maybe TT…the rest looked like zombies, and Wiz were on the 2nd game of a back to back (with the first game going to OT)…
LeBron and kyrie on TNT definitely bring back the memories.
Wonder if LBJ still refers to him as “kid” in his postgames.
GARLAND A + 6 —–LNJ A – 5 —-WHY I AM NOT A TRUE BELIEVER IN ANAYTICS —–GIVE ME THE “EYE TEST ” TO EVALUATE A PLAYERS PERFORMANCE
+/- is tricky, as the other guys on the floor with you impact it as well. Our bench is awful (KPJ out, Clarkson gone) so LNJs #s are gonna be worse.
BTW, bottom 4 (Dubs, Hawks, Cavs, Knicks) getting some separation. When Steph returns the Dubs pass us in short order.
ALL IS NOT LOST —LNJ WITH A MONSTER GAME AND CAVS GET SOME “SEPARATION IN THE “W ” COLUMN ——-GARLAND IN A BIG TIME SHOOTING SLUMP / HAS ” HIT THE WALL “
Collin Quinn rage timeout
Garbage time garland
Garland poor tonight. Love with a better 2nd. LNJ ballin. YB an efficient shooting game.
Beal killed them.
Geez, Lakers up on Nets 75-70…at the half…
Cavs not even running an offense.
Darius not so much tonight.
Not so much for a little while.
what a joke of a foul call.
Nance nice post work!
Beal gets away with everything. (including dragging his pivot foot)
Sexton’s making that pass to Nance on the PnR blitz, it’s creating good offense.
Even when Sexton goes to the line I yell for him to pass
GOOD PASS SEXTON! LARRY WHAT A PLAY!
Too early to say they are done? Anyone think otherwise?
Got no answer for beal
Beal running them.
Nice pass Garland! Nice cut McKinnie!
Freebies killing
Nice finish Sexton!
Stupid heat check by Smith, that could have iced the game for Wiz
McKinnie so great this game. Fancy pass Garland.
I’ve already counted three uncalled walks on Smith.
WOW… that was a flop!!!
Cheap call against Sexton….woof…
Argh. These refs.
great pass Sexton, on time, on target.
Henson man.
BS call there…. Cavs just finally playing defense first time tonight.
Glad McKinnie is back…apparently he had other 10 day offers, but wanted to stat with Cavs. Sounds like he is well liked by his teammates…
great pass Sexton! great finish McKinnie!!!
McKinnie! Sweet finish. Like this. Lineup
Ok, under 10. Let’s GO!!
Junior!
Now get some stops!!
Hans Klopek bewildered.
Omg this game is awful.
Collin Quinn pissed.
Henson and. Larry get the yips
Shoot the ball guys.
Shoot it larry
The Cavs physicality when rebounding this game has been. Pathetic.
Garland. Pretty terrible this game.
SIGN ‘THE FONZ ” FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SEASON —NO MORE 1O DAY B.S.
This officiating. Omg
Mckinnie, Cedi, Nance the Cavs best players this game.
Yep. And I say give the ball to McKinnie, at least we know he is motivated to perform…
Damn, Garland has to find a way to get that to a big on the help…. had two bigs open, threw up a wild shot over size instead.
Nice play McKinnie!!! Garland has to make that 3 tho
Garland with a little flurry… rage TO Wizards.
bad call, that should be a continuation.
great pass Garland to Love… just keep running that play.
” T.A.N.K ” YOU .WIZARDS —-THIS MIGHT GET UGLIER THAN THE KNICKS GAME
Awful shot Sexton, rage TO.
Good offense, Cedi gotta make that.
Pathetic effort right now
Isaiah Thomas wide open, chilling at the 3pt line.
What?
CAVS “HOLDING ” THE WIZ TO 50 % FROM 3 PT LAND : (
And the string of really questionable officiating…
Gets interrupted by a makeup call?
couldn’t convert a great defensive play from Love. Just can’t get over the hump right now.