Live Thread: Magic @ Cavs
2023-12-06Good evening CtB!
The Cavs welcome the Orlando Magic, one of the new darlings of the NBA, to the shores of Lake Erie for a massive Eastern Conference battle. The Magic are 9-1 in their last 10 games. So, if the Cavs were able to hold serve tonight, it should serve as a big confidence booster for a team such as the Cavs that has been mired in mediocrity to start the season.
In order for the Cavs to secure victory, their putrid offense will have to overcome one of the best defenses in the NBA, with the Magic ranked 3rd in defensive efficiency. It would be a good time for the Cavs to start launching some threes given Orlando’s size, but that would require a wholesale change in the Cavs’ approach on offense. We’ll see what happens… one thing the Cavs can do to jump start their offense is exploit Orlando’s penchant for turnovers, since the Magic are prone to them (bottom five in the NBA in turnover rate).
BREAKING:
Tip off is scheduled for 7:00PM Eastern time and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio, Go Cavs!
Just watching ORL replay, had some friends in the crowd and trying to spot them. A lot of camera shots from floor level, and I have just noticed that JB is not short! Dude is 6’5”. Huh.
The dude is a former guard for the University of Minnesota Golden Gophers, circa 1999-2001. Next time I am in Minneapolis I am tempted to do an archival dive into the photo archive of the Minnesota Daily (the paper of record for the ‘U of M’ as it is called, with utter disregard for egos in Ann Arbor) to see what he looked like on the court beyond the handful of snaps available online.
Bam and Herro are out for the Heat tonight. Cavs need to take advantage of this opportunity.
👏👏👏
Right on. Cavs need to establish a pattern of winning most games !
Also Mobley is questionable.
Isn’t their record way better without Herro?
From CavsInsider, on Strus being most consistant Cav:
“Digging into three-man groups, he is also a part of Cleveland’s top unit. When Strus is on the court with Darius Garland and Georges Niang, the three have put forth a 127.4 offensive rating, good for best on the squad. That trio is only allowing 100 points per 100 possessions too. When you tick it up to four-man and five-man combos, Strus is involved in the most efficient groups on the floor.”
Dude is killing it. So happy to have him on the team.
Hire Koby! (Jerome tbd but Niang as a fat shooty goon is great)
Thing that draws my attention- he is all business. Interviews, pre-game, game. A serious player who doesn’t appear to take nights off. JA is possibly one of the nicest guys in the league, which is cool. But I wonder if he might learn something from Max.
Refreshingly good game from DG. Also, Okoro is valuable to this team. I will add that Strus is one of the most no-nonsense players I have ever seen. Very, very rarely does anything foolish or ill considered, and he’s coming every night to take your lunch money. I thought he’d be good on the Cavs, but he’s surpassed my expectations.
Okoro plus 16 for those who value that stat (I thought he was not good tonight at all offensively but acquitted himself ok on other end).
Biggest surprise of the game was Cavs winning two challenges
9 dimes/0 TO for DG. His best PG game of the year.
Funny how Okoro and Naing keep having the best +/-
2 games straight. If it becomes a trend, it will have my attention.
https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/2023/12/how-georges-niang-has-become-the-life-of-cavs.html
DIDNT THINK BANCHERO WOULD BE THIS GOOD THIS SOON
THE PRESS WILL “ICE “ THE QUESTION ON OKORO
Yep. Was all about DG, and the FT disparity. They gave JB the opportunity to slam the refs, which he politely declined.
ORL does that to a lot of teams: they play downhill with a lot of force bc they can’t shoot. Backfires sometimes too as they foul a ton.
HOW LONG IS LEVERT OUT FOR——- BE NICE TO PUT A THUMPING OM THE HEAT
He’s supposed to travel with the team and, hopefully, come back at some point on the 4-game road trip.
Wonder if press will ask JB about Okoro.
JB S JOB IS SAFE FOR ANOTHER DAY-/—STILL WOULD LIKE TO SEE JB FIND 4-7 MNS FOR CPJ /—LET THE KID GROW/ DONT STIFLE HIS POTENTIAL
He can grow in practice and with the Charge. I love him but if DG / DM cooking he can watch and learn.
Good night Hanz and Franz!
DARIUS DAGGER GO BACK TO DISNEY WORLD YOU FRAUDS
Dirty ass Houston!