Live Thread: Cavs vs Hawks
2020-02-12We’ve missed a few recaps lately, and while two of them were nailbiting losses to the Thunder and Raptors, the most recent was an obliteration at the hands of the Clippers. Cleveland was pounded 133-92, the Cavs’ worst home loss, ever. More embarrassing? The Clippers were missing their best player another starter: Kawhi Leonard and Patrick Beverly. It’s worth nothing a few inescapable conclusions about the Cavs.
- While older teams do well with more rest, younger teams, especially these Cavs fall apart with extended breaks between games. Playing at least every other day seems to get the Cavs in a rhythm that they seem impossible to recreate when they’ve got extended time off. I’m very wary of the first game after the All-Star break.
- Darius Garland, after some ok stretches this year has been abjectly awful recently. He’s not good at anything. The closest he comes to being not awful is his 5.8 assists per game to 2.6 turnovers, and 37% from three in the last three games. But he’s shooting just under 40% from the floor. When combined with the differently but also flawed Sexton, it’s an utter disaster and a huge reason the Cavs have lost 13 of their last 14. The pair combined to go 7-24 against the Clips. And let’s not even talk about defense. The teams looked like they were in different leagues.
- Andre Drummond probably isn’t the answer. While he looked like a real honest-to-God NBA player against the Clips with a 19/14/3 line, he got waxed along with everyone else. I’m very wary of his freedom to shoot threes even though he went 2-3 on the game. It brought his season total to 3-24. It’s a double edged sword for Cleveland. If Drummond develops a reliable three point shot over the rest of the season, he probably can opt out and sign somewhere lucrative. If he doesn’t, then he’s gonna kill the Cavs on the floor by taking the shot. Simlarly: 1-2 Tristan Thompson Sunday.
- Kevin Porter Junior passes the eye test, and should probably move into the starting lineup sooner than later. I’m not sure who he replaces though. The Garter or Sexter backcourts both sound a bit scary, and Porland and Porton both sound dumb. God. We’re picking backcourts based on nameology. That’s a low bar.
- Why do I feel like Drummond is going to kill Kevin Love’s game?
- See above for Larry Nance.
- The Cavs have a lot of negative defenders, and their worst ones start. Andre Drummond isn’t going to fix that.
Anyway, we’ll see who wins tonight’s tank battle between the Hawks and Cavs. Bembry, Labasierre, and Capela will all be out for the Hawks while Dedmon looks to get his first start in his return to the Hawks. Kevin Love is out with an achilles injury tonight (WTF!?) and obviously Ante and Dylan. At least I get to see Nance play with Drummond. Let the tank battle commence.
IDK if Larry is durable enough to play big minutes. Especially at C. Love either.
What we need is a combo forward, 3-4 type. And if TT walks, another 5.
If Nance is The Big of the future, what type of big is the right compliment? Would Wiseman work (don’t know much about him). It seems like a Love / Nance PF / C could work. The worst part of Drummond trade is less minutes for Nance
Once TT moves on the three man rotation of Love, Drummond, and Nance will be in full force. Nance is such a versatile player I think he could complement any type of Big to be honest.
Nance is a much better complement to Drummond at the four than love from a defense and offensive standpoint. Kev and Dre both demand too many touches to be effective to play together all that much. Plus they like the ball in many of the same spots. Not that kev couldn’t play in the high post the same way Nance does, but he just doesn’t seem as dynamic there.
DG with a solid performance tonight… really locked it down at the end in the 4th quarter. Led the starters in plus/minus @ +19.
Collin has taken his passing to another level last 5 games or so… kind of faltered in the beginning of the 4th, but i’ll take the improvement.
The big men were ridiculous…. LNJ with 23/12, Drummond 14/15, TT 27/11….. Love was on the bench!!!
The vibe of the team was really good tonight too…. felt business-like.
Go Cavs!
impressive.. let’s see them repeat the effort, stats and outcome a few more times
Dominating performance… this was a fun one!!!!
OMG TRISTAN THOMPSON!!!!!
TT 3-3!
So sign and trade Thompson for Hield. Thoughts?
Maybe? sounds good i guess
Depends on the cost but definitely don’t hate it, can he play SF? Start Garland, KPJ, Hield, Love, Drummond with Collin, Nance, Osman off bench
WOOOO WHAT A PASS DG! LNJ WITH THE FINISH!
You get a wing and a guard and this team is set in the front court.
NICE HELP DEFENSE DG!
TT good attack, LNJ WITH CLEAN UP DUTY
TT awesome off the bench.
First 6 min of 4th was brutal. Nice recovery.
WOOOOOOOO KPJ WITH THE DAGGER!
I guess kpj was playing for osman!
nice find Sexton to TT.
I MUST BE ONE OF THOSE ” O.C.D.’S ” TOO NATE —I WOULD DO THE SAME ———MAKE THEM EARN IT (FOUL SHOT ) ——–NOTHING DIRTY / JUST HARD —–LET THE OPPONENT “FEEL YOU “
Yuck that offense
There you go
Attack young every time.
You breath on Young and it’s a foul, Sexton, Cedi and DG getting knocked all over the place, no call
Kpj should be playing for osman here.
Guess he was!
GREAT DEFENSIVE PRESSURE SEXTON!
Yezus this offense.
Beautiful offense, Cedi just not his night.
Cedi just ice cold tonight
Good play though
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1227779516673724417?s=20
CLEAR PATH!!!!
WOOOH ! Nance with the pure jumper!
LARRY
FOUL. HIM. HARDER.
great designed play for Cedi 3!!!
50%-50% we blow this.
We got this!
This is getting bad. Sexton started it with awful shot selection and now they’re in their own heads.
agree with Daugherty, need to blitz the Trae pick and roll make him give it up.
STILL TOOOOOOOOO MANY T.O.’S —–AND HAWKS ARE A WEAK DEFENSIVE TEAM —-DRUMMOND WITH 5 ??
Oh man the Drummond Experience where he holds the ball even though the entire team is on him.
BIG TIME PLAY DG TO PORTER FOR 3!!!
Nice pass to Porter!
Cavs seemed to have taken a bunch of stupid pills to start the quarter.
EVEN THE INFERNO WITH A LITTLE OFFENSE TONIGHT
big shot DG… settled it down.
LMFAOOOOO some bad passing there.
JUST JOINING IN—-MAYBE I SHOULD STAY AWAY MORE OFTEN—WOW —T.T. “MR 3 ” —–LNJ SHOULD START !!!
there you go…. Sexton on time with the pass, leads to an easy basket.
Why did Sexton run that break so wide? Not a great quarter by him.
Sexton worst possession of the game… no pass post up miss.
TT had a wide open drive at first that he didn’t take…. one of his few bad plays.
Against other bad defensive teams, we look pretty good on offense.
YB has shown some improvement. LNJ is coming on. KPJ looked good since returning. Drummond is going to help. He is a top 5-6 center in the league. Like the Fonzie signing.
Cedi & Love up and down. Garland struggling lately but I think his tank is just empty.
TT messing around with a 20/10 game off the bench!
LNJ WITH THE FEED!
AC and Daugherty singing Drummond’s praises tonight!
SEXTON TO TT!!! what a play!
Cedi rough game night tonight.
has played some great 1v1 defense though, especially that first quarter.
what a defensive play Sexton!!!!
nance and drummond feasting like wolves.. nice.. having a beast like drummond is never a bad thing.. may not b the absolute most optimum thing in today’s game.. but excellence is excellence..
KPJ WHAT A FINISH!!!!
Sexton with the tough shot again!!!
Porter! The hang! The hoop! The harm!
nice feed KPJ, Drummond draws the foul!
damn some good defense there DG and Drummond!
I loathe Trae’s game : lawyer ball, chucking, and no defense.
He’s super annoying.
HOOOOOOO BOY!!!!!! DG WITH THE FLOATER!
KPJ 3!!!!!!!!!
WOOO Exum 3!
Nance moving like quicksilver tonight.
A pleasure to watch a guy like Drummond who is so slick cleaning up misses at the rim….
NICE HUSTLE DRUMMOND!