Live Thread: Cavs @ Bucks
2024-01-24Good evening CtB!
The Cavs venture to the shores of Lake Michigan for a titanic Central Division showdown against the Milwaukee Bucks. Both teams are a the cream of the crop of the Eastern Conference and looking to establish themselves as legitimate championship contenders. For these teams, every win matters and home court advantage during the playoffs is of serious concern. In somewhat shocking news, the Bucks have just fired their head coach Adrian Griffin, and have replaced him with Glenn “Doc” Rivers. The story surrounding Griffin and Rivers is high drama, and it will be interesting to see how they respond to the chaos. For the Cavs, they are simply the hottest team in the NBA right now, and now they’re big game hunting for big game wins against the top teams to build that confidence needed to do actual damage in the playoffs instead of being cannon fodder for the “real” contenders. The Cavs do have their bit of drama with NBA champion Tristan Thompson getting popped for PEDs, which is a massive loss for a bench unit that has dominated during their recent run. TT was having a helluva year, and replacing him will be no easy task.
This game should have an intense, playoff-like atmosphere, let’s see how the good guys handle it. Tip off is scheduled for 8:00PM Eastern time and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio, Go Cavs!
%2Fcdn.vox-cdn.com%2Fuploads%2Fchorus_image%2Fimage%2F71816031%2F1245100489.0.jpg&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=74a0edea555bb06da1e655d0805be0c6236af8656d653352e10e460d6685fc95&ipo=images "Live Thread: Cavs @ Magic")
JEROME JUST HAD ANKLE SURGERY—🤪—- CAVS NEED TO TRADE HIS CONTRACT—— FREE UP MONEY/ ROSTER SPOT 👍
Even if you get one good year he’s worth the $ as a huge shooty PG. I see why you’d trade him but I like him as a depth piece.
Size at the 1 combined with shooting makes for some interesting possibilities. He’s kind of the opposite of CPJ.
It is not like we are gonna get much for him.
Mobley could return next week.
Sounds good. Windy just said “definitely after the all-star break,” and I have no idea where he got that.
Per the Athletic (I disagree and think they need a big. And the reason. They rank last in FTs is due to getting refballed). What they need: Downhill pressure. Donovan Mitchell has played well at point guard in lieu of Darius Garland’s jaw injury, but the Cavaliers rank 29th in the NBA in free-throw attempt rate since Dec. 12. Garland’s return this winter will help, as he is more likely to drive than Mitchell. But the Cavaliers needed more depth and juice on the ball even before Garland’s absence. Who they should target: Detroit Pistons shooting guard Alec Burks. Offensively,… Read more »
It’s bonkers that the Piston have a full time reporter, via the Athletic, but the Cavs do not.
I agree with the need for rim pressure. They rank last in FTs because they take a billion 3s and the driving lanes are super clean as a result. The only guys who really get ref balled are Okoro and Darius. Merrill gets a shockingly good whistle for someone who was a fringe roster guy. I think the bigs we have are really good passers and screeners – scrap heap bigs are usually rock hands like Biyombo (who is probably the most talented dude available). I’d almost rather give the minutes to Jones who can at least run jump and… Read more »
Cavs don’t have the assets to get Burks.
Agreed. The Pistons will want assets. Jones, an injured Jerome, and some 2nds ain’t it..
Don’t get me wrong, Burks is a much better player than Biyombo. But one is free and one isn’t. Plus, Strus, LeVert, Merrill, and Okoro is a pretty good 2-3 rotation. Plys Spida at the 2 and Wade a little at the 3. That is 6 guys at the 2-3 I feel can contribute in various ways.
https://www.theringer.com/platform/amp/nba/2024/1/26/24050272/sam-merrill-cleveland-cavaliers-3-point-shooting
Nice article. Koby and Sam deserve loads of credit
The scheduling has made this just like a playoff series. Interested to see what adjustments JB makes.
Probably getting Allen and Mitchell to make more shots and adjusting Dame’s whistle so he stops getting ghost calls.
Ty Jerome had surgery on his ankle and he will be out indefinitely.
just now? this is goofy.
I think they decided that it wasn’t getting better and it was the best route going forward.
Yeah seems like it was a last resort
Similar to Windler. Also, probably didn’t want to get traded
RESULT PRETTY MUCH EXPECTED—-UNFORTINATELY THE SAME –PROBABLY ON FRIDAY—–BUCKS ARE ‘ RIDNG THE WAVE OF EXCITEMENT OF A NEW COACH// DOC )—AT HOME / AND LET’S FACE IT THEY ARE A DAMN GOOD TEAM WHO HAS GIAANIS —-NOT LOSING SLEEP OR PUTTING ALOT INTO LAST NIGHT S LOSS OR ANOTHER ONE ON FRIDAY ———–A ‘ W ‘ WOULD BE NICE THOUGH !!
Junkyard Pod Comments on Emoni suspension:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI0jk-t9oWI
His point is that they just casually walked in the direction of the hecklers as opposed to going after them.
Seemed like they wanted to force the issue inside offensively and try to get there bigs in some early foul trouble. It’s a strategy that worked well against jokic earlier this year. I am worried that the tt suspension ripple effect. Think it shaves margins enough that the games get closer, which is not a forte for this group this year. But, maybe there’s the silver lining and elder or jones can show out.
Pretty easy to see how this one was going to go early on, when Cavs missed a zillion easy shots. Also, way too many sloppy turnovers. This one felt like an early season game. Yeah, Bucks are a good team, but Cavs stunk this one up on their own.
We’ll always have that mini-posterization at Giannis by Damian Jones. That’s something.
Georges leading in the +/- department again
I think they went to Allen way too much early instead of letting him get his looks on duck-in and put backs. Kinked everyone up and they got tight. Mitchell didn’t trust his teammates enough to let the ball come back to him.
Agreed. It seems Allen shrinks/mental lapses happen when the lights are bright (see premiere rebounding big men and NYK) and Mitchell gets too cocky at times on bigger stages (although Paris was tres magnifique). Throw in EM & DG’s return and their respective, regular mental lapse/turnovers and this previous 8-game win streak will have much relevance on our ultimate playoff performance….
The 28-15 free throw disparity was as bullshit as the numbers would indicate.
The fix was in.
This…was about right. Missed a few shots we usually make, got grifted a little and lost a few too many 50/50 balls.
No real lessons to be learned
At full strength, we can take this team.
Would have liked some CPJ tonight to ease the burden on Spida.
We need another big. Fast.
can’t understand the lack of CPJ time
Dame grifting
Still, a competitive effort by the Cavs. Not far off. Trim a few TOs, JB rotation awareness. And get a healthy backcourt.
Too many TOs, lack of size on the glass, a poor DM shooting night from deep, and getting refballed pretty hard.
At least the Cavs know they can play with these guys. Should help tomorrow.
they were with them the first game too and got refballed. frustrating
Something like 17 FTA in the fourth!!!
Friday.
Ballgame.
Man. That’s grifting by Lillard. Just uses his off arm to draw a foul.
because it was an and-1 and the refs hosed us again
Mitchell’s turnovers absolute back breakers tonight.
15 seconds of dribbling and a turnover
He’s channeling his inner Garland
He was better playmaking than usual. Some real nice hits among the usual misses from a decision making standpoint
He was fine. Just tried to do too much with the dribble against set defense, and threw some bad passes.
two great passes from DM these past two possessions.. let’s get some stops.
Two possession game!
Max!
What a pass, DM!
You are almost a minute ahead of me. But you’re right. Great pass.
Will try to avoid plot spoilers.
Nah. Share your joy.
Good lord the Bucks getting a whistle tonight.
DM 1-4 from the line.
Missed freebies…
The officiating this game is ass.
DM!
And 1!! Lovely drive by Spida
Man. Mitchell clearly fouled on that three.
Dang, DM just cannot hit from deep tonight.
He got pushed in back. No call.
JA!
Stick with it…..
I’m betting they lose this challenge.
womp womp!
Did they? I didn’t see.
They lost it.
The challenge was unsuccessful? Surprising.
Hell of a pass, Mitchell.
man we are not allowed to defend tonight
You can tell the call to the officials went in before this game.
Ok
Spida.
Finally got a g wagon meme. He’s earned it.
lol
JB’s worst coached game in a while. You can’t let Giannis take the floor without Wade or Allen on him. Niang ain’t ever gonna be able to do anything to stop the Freak.
JFC he’s sticking with it after the to.
And Niang stones him! Hits a 3 on other end too
Shawked.
Aaaand then has a brain fart v Portis
JB needs to be matching his rotation when Giannis is in.
Niang with his best Klove impersonation.
Minivan to bring it home!
Mitchell starting to handle too much.
Yeah. He’s been pressing. Let Okoro intitiate.
Lol. Lopez gets a shooting foul, but Mitchell didn’t.
Minivan just touch-parked next to Middleton 😂
Lol. Niang.
Cavs gotta get the ball out of Lillard s hands there.
Cavs can’t buy a call.
Lillard is such a fraud.
SAMVP
There we GD!
L3Vert missed it so bad he made it.
Cavs gotta make a run here… And Giannis wide open dunk
Jesus. LeVert.
Ugh. Caris missing the rim on a wide open 3.
Caris, come on.
Mitchell has 7 points. That’s not gonna cut it. On to the next, which unfortunately is the Bucks again.
Giannis with two different pivot foot changes.
aaaaaaand here comes the dooming. Peace.
Lights too bright.
Dean. You gotta finish that foul.
Attack Lillard too.
Keep attacking the drop!