Live Thread Cavs @ Wizards
2023-02-06Good evening CtB!
The Cavs have ventured to the banks of the Potomac River to take on the current Eastern Conference 10th seed Washington Wizards and complete their road back to back. This is a game that the Cavs should win but will take a massive amount of grit to fight off the fatigue. The Wizards will be without two of their top offensive options with Bradley Beal and Kyle Kuzma both out, and Ricky Rubio is being load managed tonight as well. Caris LeVert is back from a short hiatus with a hamstring issue, and could come in handy if Donovan Mitchell continues to struggle with the gimpy groin.
One might say the Wizards are the poster child of NBA mediocrity, they don’t do anything particularly well or bad. For the Cavs, it will be about imposing their will on both sides of the ball and fighting off fatigue and the usual J.B. Bickerstaff/Tom Thibodeau 8-man rotation on the second game of a back to back. #FREENETO #FREELOVE
Tip off is scheduled for 7:00PM Eastern time and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes, Go Cavs!
4 points to go!
Westbrook with a 20 foot pull up with 10 seconds on the shot clock. Dude. read the room.
I can’t stand SGA
They should sit Lebron the rest of the game just to watch Lakers fans heads’ explode.
6 more points!
Man Anthony Davis seems washed
Like, badly. I don’t see how the Lakers fix this. Lebron clearly didn’t care about winning when he resigned. I was shocked he did. Westbrook and AD are done and make 80 million. They have no room to maneuver.
Westbrook is off the books after this season. They should look to move Davis.
That being said I never watch the Lakers. So take it with the grain of salt.
14
11
he might get it this quarter
8
Trivia question (triggered by topic of bad Cavs players plus watching the Lakers). I can’t remember the name of the young, talented but troublesome center who played for the Lakers and then briefly for the Cavs?
Just thought of it. Andrew Bynum.
he was an idiot
Joker is ridiculous this year. Another triple double. Nuggets had 49 in the first quarter.
I think he can get 16 by end of game.
Easy.
Kareem with the signature goggles!
LOL Lakers. They suck so bad. Lebron is only player in the positive on that team.
His productivity at his age is remarkable.
Westbrook with the dramatic miss!
It’s crazy that Kareem made that record with only making (and taking) 1 three point shot. That skyhook!
He also didn’t start until he was 22. Lebron had 8,000 points already by then.
Yeah that too! 4 years of college.
This is like counting down to the new year
Halfway.
I swear, I think this might be the worst team Lebron’s ever been on. Maybe not when AD is healthy, but what a pile of crap.
Larry Hughes
Hughes makes my top 5 of least favorite Cavs
haha!
who else?
Anthony Bennett, and Carlos Boozer probably make that list.
Isaiah Thomas too
These are good candidates. Boozer stabbing us in the back.
Where do we rank Kyrie? He was part of 2016, but one of the most unlikeable players in the game.
If he didn’t help win a title he could be a prime candidate.
Also Kyrie was a lot of fun to watch.
Ha. You got me. Boozer was a good player, but the good things that were supposed to happen were all in the future. I feel like Boozer robbed us. Kyrie on the other hand delivered the goods.
Derrick Rose is fringe list
I know. That’s what I’m saying. He’s dragged some bad teams to the playoffs and these Lakers are right up there.
LeBron needs 28 points to break the record
Now he needs 22 points
He’s gonna get it for sure. I’d triple team him just to be douche if I was the thunder.
He’s breaking it tonight. Even now, he can score 40 whenever he wants. If he’d had Kobe’s mindset for his career, he’d have 45,000 points by now.
Our home town kid going to make some serious history this week. CLEVELAND! THIS IS FOR YOU!
Suns squeak a win in Brooklyn. So Cavs remain 4th in the East.
Need us to keep winning, extend our lead on Nets and hopefully catch up on the 76ers.
and Bucks
Suns have Booker back. Hoping they can beat the Nets tonight.
Phoenix is finally healthy again (sans Crowder). I’d expect them to vault up the standings quickly. Won 8 of last 10.
I know the media consensus is we’re weak at the three, but are we? Watching Okoro’s progress, Wade beginning to find his legs again and Cedi’s production playing along Ricky, along with the LeVert at the three small ball lineup’s potential firepower … it looks to me that we’re going to be just fine.
With our core four we only need the three to play defense, rebound and be enough of a threat offensively that you have to cover him. Okoro is checking that box now.
agree.
The issue is that they’re good not great at rebounding. Cavs around tenth in adjusted metrics. None of the guys they’re playing at the three really help there, but to me, Hart can give you rebounding but he kills you as a shooter RN. I think the big thing they need now that love is out of the rotation is competent big man depth to throw at Giannis/Embiid/BAM/RGIII/Siakam, etc. I Like Chris Boucher as a trade target cold blooded as it is, I like Boucher/GTJr as the the trade for love and windl r.
So, is love out because they are trying to move him or is he shut down for rest and recovery?
ARCH GOOD ANALYSIS OF OUR NEEDS // PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN MENTIONED // IT HAS BEEN REPEATEDLY POSTED —-” DO NOT TRADE LEVERT –UNLESS IT IS A HUGE UPGRADE’ JHART DOES NOT CHECK THAT BOX —-WILL REALLY BE DISSAPPOINTED IF KOBY// CAVS ‘ PULL THE TRIGGER ” TO MAKE THAT TRADE ——-WILL TAKE A FEW TRADES AND TO SET OFF THE “TRADE DOMINOES ” PROBABLY START TOMORROW AFTERNOON
From the link below:
– Cavs want an upgrade at wing but don’t love the options available via trade
– Okoro shooting 50% from 3, in last 18 games
– mixed feelings from front office about Reddish
– Cavs have been high on Josh Hart for awhile
– Cavs checked in on Celtics Grant Williams but he’s unavailable
– Likely to extend LeVert – if he’s amenable
– Love out of rotation but no indication that he’s getting traded
Thanks for the update, Arch.
I got no problem letting them cook for a bit. We have still not seen this team at full strength. Rubio is getting closer. Spida’s groin recently. Wade missed 6-7 weeks. Okoro’s leveling up is fairly recent. Garland’s eye and Mobley’s injury pre-season had them off to slow starts.
I still think Love can help us. Get him rested & refreshed.
According to Elias, last night was the first time since 1997-’98 that all five starters scored in double figures in the first half.
The 30 assists streak got snapped. Finished with 25. No Rubio plus extended garbage time.
I wonder if some teams will now think they have a shot at KD (in the summer) and will want to dump salary to make a run/make a trade easier to complete.
Other than the Spurs, no one can really eat salary at the moment and still be under the cap. We’d have to eat salary.
Fun write up on DG over on the Ringer. They have him ranked number 7 on their league pass player rankings:
https://nbarankings.theringer.com/league-pass-value
And Mitchell at 9!
They also have the core 4 all in the top 50 of their player rankings which seems about right. 14. Mitchell, 29. Garland, 40. Allen, 45. Mobley. Maybe could quibble Garland is a little low but feels right-ish. Nobody else in the top 100 which also feels right.
Good find. If you look at the trade value rankings, Mobley & Garland are MUCH higher.
Though the fact that STEPH CURRY is not in the top 25 makes the whole list invalid.
I will say this. My earlier apron analysis was flawed. Somehow I thought the Apron was $6 mil BELOW the tax, but that is not true, it is $6 mil ABOVE. Stupid me.
With that $12 mil difference, I think re-signing LeVert + using the full non-taxpaying MLE $11 mil + keeping Love is possible. Though the latter may be less likely if he is out of the rotation, he may not want to stay.
For the sake of math.
23-24 Salary Cap: $134,000,000 (approx)
23-24 Luxury Tax: $162,000,000
23-24 Tax Apron: $168,600,000 (approx)
————————
23-24 Cavs guaranteed = $116,321,884 (7).
23-24 Non-guaranteed = $8,649,523 (2).
—————————-
23-24 Cavs total contracts: $124,971,207 (9).
————
Guaranteed: Garland $33.5 mil, Mitchell $33.16, Allen $20, Okoro $8.9, Mobley $8.9, Rubio $6.1, Wade $5.7.
Non-guaranteed: Osman $6.7, Stevens $1.9 (Team Option).
Let’s say we re-sign Caris ($15 mil?) and use the full taxpayer MLE ($11 MIL), which hard caps us at the apron of $168 mil. $125 + $26 mil = $151. 4 spots left.
Assuming the MLE guy is a 6’7″+ wing/forward type, our main rotation is now full. DG & Rubio at PG. Mitchell at combo guard. LeVert as the 6th man wing/sometimes point. Okoro at SF. Mobes & Allen. Wade and MLE guy as our “bigger” wings/forwards, along with Cedi & Stevens. What is left?
1. 3rd true PG. Neto’s spot.
2. A true C backup (big). Lopez’s spot.
3. A stretch big. Love’s spot.
4. Wilcard: the spot that is now open.
MLE guy took Windler’s spot. Except for possibly retaining Love, all these guys are gonna be vet min deals that count around $2 mil vs the cap (Neto & Lopez).
I’d say Neto, Diop, and I. Mobley are all decent bets to make the team next year. Diakite may be competing with Stevens. And we do have a 2nd round pick.
For the sake of argument, say we go the vet route on two of three spots ($2 mil cap hit) and bring in elder Mobley for the other ($1 mil). That’s just under $157 mil. We’d have have $5 mil to sign Love and stay under the TAX line, and $11 mil to stay under the apron.
IDK if we are gonna take that route, but I think it is doable. If both parties are willing.
For the record, I am not enamoured with any of the Caris/Love/Cedi trade options that have been floated, or that I can see. Perhaps they are out there. I think we stand pat.
However, if there is a Windler + a second deal that gets us a borderline rotational guy (doubtful), that would be a win. Even if the guy is a FA coming up. PJ Washington or McDaniels from Charlotte? Salaries a tad off. Something on that level. A more playable big than Lopez. A guy who is gonna walk/is redundant on their current team.
With an open spot we could play in the buyout market.
https://www.hoopsrumors.com/2023/02/cavs-rumors-small-forward-reddish-hart-g-williams-levert-love.html
I posted the language in the comments below, it just hasn’t been approved yet. So follow the link.
One more game before the deadline.
Ricky should be back.
Let’s go streaking!
you are probably too old for streaking!
As long as you can run, you aren’t too old. I can still run.
Does anyone else think it was kind of classless for the Nets FO to leak all the trade offers (Suns, Lakers, etc)?
I hope it makes other teams reluctant to deal with them.
agree, they are jerks.
But, it probably helped A LOT to get a decent haul for the Flat Earther. They might have gotten squat, because everyone know the FE is a head case. That might be why the deal went down so fast — before the Mavs had a chance for second thoughts.
Speaking of “deal go down”, check out former WV/SEO rocker to NOLA busker to overnight superstar:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GahK0qrAI6A
Was it the Nets that leaked it? Or Kyrie’s camp? Or the Lakers? I don’t know if that has been determined.
Kyrie’s camp would not know all the details. And neither would the Lakers. How would LA know what Phoenix offered?
Generally speaking, it is not helpful to team chemistry when it is known guys were offered up in trades. Which is why the offering team likes to keep it quiet. I cannot see any upside for Phoenix in leaking. CP3 is a pro. But some of the other guys from other teams?
Maybe but I also heard that the Lakers may of leaked the trade.
Cavs in these 3 wins:
Shooting Defense:
Grizzles: 10/23= 43.5% (47.1% FG)
Pacers: 8/32= 25% (43.5% FG)
Wizards: 6/28 = 21.4% (and 42.7 FG)
Cavs Offense:
VS Memphis:
16/22 = 72.7%
30 assist
53.8% FG
14/29 3PT 48%
VS Pacers:
15/16FT
33 assists
52.3% FG
15/37 3PT = 40.5%
VS Wizards:
14/20 FT
26 assists
56.4% FG
12/29 3PT = 41.3%
If we keep defending like the last two games especially, sharing the ball and making double digits 3’s I think we’ll have a great February.
We do need to start hitting our free throws though…
Mobley, Allen, Okoro, LeVert and Cedi are all under 75%. Wade hardly ever gets there. Love doesn’t play anymore.
DG, Mitchell, & Rubio are our only good FT shooters.
Jaden Handy (18) and Josh Green (29) joining Cam Thomas in having huge nights for teams temporarily depleted by the Irving trade. Dallas up in Utah, surprisingly.
Hart has made a couple triples tonight. Not being rested/out, either. So by that metric, no trade imminent.
Interesting no FGA for Wade in 26 minutes
He does not initiate offense hardly ever. He will take an open shot, but does not shoot on the move. Nor attack off the dribble.
But you cannot leave him open out there, either. 40%.
do what you are good at
NBATV says we have the most double digit wins in the association.
Surprising to me.
Did you see we have held teams under 100 a whopping 17 times!!! That’s just insane
Good D plus slow tempo.
And we defend the paint first. If the other team is not making triples, they are doomed.
Surprising.. but glad to hear.. top 5 in the league:
Cavs 24-8
Celtics 21-8
Nuggets: 20-9
Grizzles: 19-12
Suns: 19-13
Cips gonna beat Brooklyn. Back into 4th. Hopefully we stay there.
hopefully we move up some more!
9-0 Clips run. Up 1.
14-0 Nets run. Up 8.
Nets tied. Cam Thomas with 41, 7-10 3pt fgs.
27th pick in the draft.
Averaging 8 ppg that’s wild
Getting to play, now. But his 43 the other night were in 29 minutes.
Took care of business tonight. 3 in a row.
Detroit next at home.
I would love for us to win most of our games in February to either stay at 4th or move up.
yeah baby!
I do think it’s possible if we stay locked in like these last few games.
No starter played more than 30 except for JA…. THANK YOU JB!!!
38 was a bit nuts.
Agreed, guess JA wanted to cook longer lol
The friggin’ Nets are gonna beat the Clippers. Close but ahead late 3rd.
Thomas has 36 (6-8 triples) after 43 last game.
Clips up 3
Up 5
Catching snippets of game at work….can anyone tell me what minute mark JB pulled the starters tonight?
Final clearance came at 4 mins
Around the 10, 8, and 6. Kinda staggered them out
yup,
That’s an improvement.
Where is elder Mobley? On assignment ?
CHARGE! He is a two-way. Can only spend so many games called up.
Right but seems like Diakite is there more than him, he also a two way right ?
Yep. They both are. I wouod expect 1 gets signed after the trade deadline if we still have an open roster spot.
IMO the Cavs view Isaiah as a long term play. He’s getting development minutes in the G-league while Diakite is an emergency center.
sounds good
Man I wish Levert would have seen Diakite wouldn’t mind seeing him destroy the rim
He was wide open
holy shit you guys literally complain about everything… he’s supposed to be milking the clock not trying stupid shit LMFAOOO
A gratuitous dunk for a poor young fella? I’m on board with that.
There were defenders back that could play the passing lanes, it would’ve been stupid to not milk the clock.
Diakite has been freed
Do you guys think Love is pouting, or about to be traded?
He did not play last game garbage time either.
No. He’s been banged up.
True, but Fedor says also out if rotation. JB had a “difficult” conversation with him.
I don’t read too much into what JB or Fedor say
He isn’t on the injury report and he is dressed.
He’s not injured. He’s just old.
true, and he was on pace for over 1200 minutes or so this season
Didn’t JB inform him he was out of the rotation? (Don’t know whether that included garbage time)
I think he’s rehabbing/possibly getting traded.
He won’t play garbage time, vets with that kind of clout aren’t playing garbage time.
This.
I get that but he was like 1 for his last 25 on triples. He is not on the injury report. Use the time to get your stroke back.
If he could get that back, he becomes useful again.
I 100% agree he’s been useful this season and getting him going again would be huge, I think he’ll play after the trade deadline.
I agree with you but I’m just saying that is the rationale, imo. Either that or there really is a trade brewing
He doesn’t need to play in garbage time
and a bad thumb
Good TO. Sloppy.
Neto nicked up.
3 games in a row! On the road! Young guns looking studly!!! Goooo Cavs baby!
Rolo is about to be freed!
Bad turnover again by Caris forcing things.
John Michael said “Levert will orchestrate this offensive sequence” then Levert dribbled the ball off the stanchion lol
CRY MORE HATERS!!!
haha! same.
oh no Neto’s injured
#Free-Akite
Evan struggling. 2 misses, twice blocked. A TO. Still hitting the glass though. Llama time.
#FreeRolo
Llama has been freed!
Wizards playing small, JB going super big
#FreeLlama 😎
Neto lives!
Neto time!!!
Up 27.
Neto has been freed!
TOWER CITY PUTTING IN WORK
Honestly more impressive he managed to land without getting injured. Holy moly.
Starting over at the beginning cause I turned it on and they were up 23.
Alright get the starters out JB!
Woof. Nice finish Mitch
Wow
HOLY SHIT DONOVAN!!!!
I feel Donovan doesn’t dunk as much as the beginning of the season.
I think the groin has lot to do with it.
midseason dead legs
OK, I must admit, Spida looking more spry tonight.
DG seems to be fine with a quick 5.
11/25 from 3 for Cava through 3 quarters.
DG3!!!!!!!!