Preview & Live Thread: Cavs vs Warriors
2015-02-26
They say to be the best, you have to beat the best. With that thought in mind, tonight’s match-up is the biggest of the season. The Golden State Warriors come in to Cleveland with the league’s best record: 44-10 and are 8-2 in the last ten games (as are the Cavs). We all know about the brilliance of Golden State’s starting back-court — Curry and Klay combine to score 46 points and 11 assists and eight rebounds per game while posting all-time shooting percentages. But there’s more than just these two that make Golden State click.
Chris Ballard wrote a fantastic piece in Sports Illustrated on how the Warriors have gone from playoff “One-and-done to NBA title Favorites.” Ballard examines Klay, Curry, Kerr, Barnes, Iguodala, and secret sauce ingredient, Draymond Green (who is playing like the biggest draft steal of the last 10 years). The article even touches on what CtBers know is the real reason for Golden State’s success, the presence of three former Cavalier Herculoids: Mo Speights, Shaun Livingston, and now assistant coach, Luke Walton. It’s a great article and a more complete Warriors preview than I could give you.
Speaking of Draymond Green, he’s got to be on the short list for the league’s “Most Improved Player” award, and he’s angling his way to a max contract this coming summer. He’s become an unbelievably smart and competitive defender, who despite his 6’6″ size can guard players at almost every position, and he’s added enough offense that he’s not a liability on that end of the floor. But is he really that improved or is he just getting extra playing time? The showdown with Draymond and Kevin, tonight, might give us some answers.
Another candidate for most improved is the Cavs own Kyrie Irving. According to Zach Kempner at NumberFire.com, Irving leads the NBA in improvement when it comes to Wins Above Replacement. Of course, the article notes, LeBron James’ addition might have something to do with that.
Enjoy the game, tonight, and Go Cavs!
Wins Above Replacement
| Player | ’13-’14 WAR | ’14-’15 WAR (Estimated) | Difference (Estimated) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyrie Irving | 1.45 | 13.12 | +11.67 |
| Khris Middleton | 0.10 | 11.14 | +11.04 |
| James Harden | 9.67 | 19.74 | +10.07 |
| Tyreke Evans | -0.75 | 8.96 | +9.71 |
| Anthony Davis | 5.46 | 14.18 | +8.72 |
| Ben McLemore | -4.29 | 4.10 | +8.39 |
| Markieff Morris | 3.20 | 10.81 | +7.61 |
| Lou Williams | 0.28 | 7.48 | +7.20 |
| Darren Collison | 0.82 | 7.84 | +7.02 |
| Cody Zeller | 0.09 | 7.08 | +6.99 |
| Jeff Teague | 2.05 | 8.96 | +6.91 |
| Gordon Hayward | 4.99 | 11.72 | +6.73 |
| John Wall | 8.30 | 14.55 | +6.25 |
| Tyson Chandler | 5.80 | 11.99 | +6.19 |
| Brandon Jennings | -2.82 | 3.29 | +6.11 |
| Russell Westbrook | 6.89 | 12.94 | +6.05 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | 4.45 | 10.47 | +6.02 |
| Draymond Green | 6.54 | 12.17 | +5.63 |
| Harrison Barnes | -0.74 | 4.64 | +5.38 |
| Jared Dudley | 1.93 | 7.26 | +5.33 |
Tom’s weekly segment on Dayton Sportsradio was in studio – Nate even called in! Â Listen here:Â http://www.wingam.com/Tom-Pestak-from-Cavstheblog-com-talks-NBA-Cavs-wit/17320024?pid=459695
LBJ FOR MVP!!!!! NO QUESTION!!!
I think it will be impossible for any voter not to make him top 3.
Kerr looks like an angry elf.
Must be from the South Pole.
Yes, LBJ is killing it. He is hot. But should I worry that he will fall in love with how hot he is and start missing shots and not realize it in time to get some assists to other scorers? If he goes cold, we haven;t had anyone else step up … yet. Yes, up by 11, but …
That extra long 3 being a case in point …
We’ve been feeding the hot hand. If Lebron gets cold, we feed the next guy. That’s our offense. There’s always somebody to step up.
I don’t mind that shot at all. Any of our hot hands would’ve taken it.
They’re gonna have to start running more plays for Moz… that jumper is SWEET like WODKA!!
I know we are winning – and should be overjoyed ( which I am ) and LeBron is locked in —but still have concerns with the assist disparity —G.S. / 21—-CAVS / 8—- the concern is team ball more often wins over iso ball —GO CAVS !!
It’s not a problem right now though… if the shots weren’t falling then maybe
this is why i don’t see warriors as threat out of west…a superstar can burn them apart and an equally smart and efficient team can beat them in 7 game series
Okc with a healthy KD can beat them.
Kerr is fiery. I love it. Never would have thought he so passionate.
Yea it’s actually awesome. It’s not lack of composure or anything. He’s trying to get his team pumped up. let’s hope it doesn’t work.
Totally. He was a prick when he wore the Bulls uni to me. But the league needs it.
So they get mad when they are getting beat lol.
Pulling a Clippers.
I love when we get in the other team’s head.
So do I. But it think it’s great for the league that coaches show passion. I think he might blow their shot at winning if he is not careful. But seeing a coach do that makes me think he is the anti mike brown.
Kerr is going to get himself tossed pretty soon…
Ref had to be held back from Kerr there! That was crazy.
Wow, ref had to be held back from Kerr right before the commercial break. Not sure I’ve seen that before.
warriors starting to lose composure…thats lack of leadership which they don’t have….yet
Stop whining, man.
Throw the bum out.
MOZGOD!!!!!! IF HE DIES HE DIES!!!!!
MOZ IS MONEY $$$$$$$$$$$$$$
James makin his MVP aarguments with some serious emphasis
LeBron is KILLING IT!!!!
LBJ is just not missing shots….
That’s how you beat this team… rough them up a little…
BINGO EG!!!!!! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ HE’S RIGHT YOU KNOW!!!!
GSW LOSING THEIR COOL YET AGAIN!!!!
Kyrie is clearly a plus defender now.
his improvement at that end has been remarkable
Normally, I would take issue with that play by LBJ, but he is locked in on his shot right now!
LBJ will NOT let us fail!!!!
Klay Thompson has an unlikeable face.
He still has that scar from earlier in the year…
Klay clearly fouled Kev on the hand on that three
MOZ-GOD!! With the moves!
Can’t believe Barnes missed that open three…
Haha Perk is averaging a foul a minute….4 minutes played total, 4 fouls. The consummate thug.
The only thing you can say is Cavs only have 8 assists to Golden State’s 18. Otherwise, Cavs doing a great job of attacking the paint and competing all around.
Also need for JR and Shump to start hitting their shots from the outside… and more KLOVE!
Cavs better pick up their defense… I bet Coach Kerr will demand more physicality from guys…. Especially on whoever is defending LeBron. I also hope that Kyrie has enough energy to make Curry play some defense and try to get him as tired as possible.
i think Barkley and Kenny’s points were that GS is getting their baskets off ball and player movement, while Cleveland is getting theirs with Lebron and Kyrie ISOs, point being that one is more sustainable and the other is not. They have a point, we should take a page out of GS’s book
I have no problem especially with LBJ’s isos…. they cannot stop him whatsoever. Just need to play off their isos.
Yeah Golden State’s offense is the best in the league. Their D has been unreal this year too – I think the Cavs exposed them a bit in the first half. They switch everything, right? Try to funnel little guys towards Bogut and Draymond Green. So LeBron posted up Green repeatedly. Then Barnes. Then went at the bigs. A team that switches everything takes away the benefits of the PnR which is big guys coming out to guard little guys. You can do that when everyone is kinda the same build. So the Cavs moved away from it and just… Read more »
Excellent point there, Tom…. exactly what’s playing out tonight.
as long as its situationally strategic, and not the primary offense i suppose
Golden State moves the ball well but the offense has ready become predictable. Look for the Cavs to shut them down on D in second half. Blatt is not letting David Lee best them.
That’s more like it Kev! Your nose deceived you… ;)
in almost every game this year cavs have made adjustments in 2nd half so i can see it being a slower paced half but still see both teams just over 100 like last game
I agree. Regardless of defense, these two offenses have way too many playmakers for either one to be held below 100.
GS is an incredible passing team. Their ball movement is incredible. However, Barkley’s commentary, while on point, misses the fact that while the Cavs only have 20 points in the paint, they have picked up another 19(!) on FT. They may be down 10 in the paint, but up 12 in FT! They were driving the ball …
Great point John… totally agree.
I hope the Cavs are watching the TNT commentary at halftime… Prove these jokers wrong guys…
We do need more ball movement in the second half. We can always resort to ISO ‘Bron or Kyrie, but GSW out-assisting us 18-8.
I agree. But they have to stop over helping on defense they are roaming too much and the Warriors are moving the ball really well.
What are these guys talking about?
“GSW does it better because, look, one pass, now Cleveland is spread out and running all over the place”
(Meanwhile, Cleveland has 4 guys in the paint playing good defense.)
These guys are trying really hard to make it look like GSW is much better than Cleveland.
They don’t want to anoint the Cavs yet… Fine with me… I’d rather them be doubted and play harder…
All that needs to be said…. SCOREBOARD@!!!!!!
Yes, but packing the paint is extremely problematic against this team bc of their shooters. If you do, your rotations and closeouts basically have to be perfect. Why gs scares me so much. Extremely well constructed team. Hopefully we limit the layups and still manage to force them into midrange shots in the second half.
Kenny has hated us all year…
His analysis was pretty weak IMO. I get his point, but the plays he looked at were pretty dumb. He acted like our defense was scrambling and everyone was in position. Dude made a nice drive.
They alll love Kerr and have been kissing GSW’s rear all season…
Yep. GS is a fun team to watch/like. But during the halftime analysis you could tell they were pre-disposed to tout GS, almost regardless of the actual first half performance.
I never liked Kenny…. nice guy, but adds NOTHING to my understanding of the game 99% of the time.
Can I say how much I love barleys commentary. Guy is a great color commentator
What did they say? I was on Foxsports.ohio . . . listening to Dan Gilbert in the first half.
Dang it…. I missed that…. anything interesting????
Nothing that we don’t chat about on blog. But it’s his way to mix his idea of how to break teams down. Like let them shoot outside shots and punish them in paint while going to free throw line. Also he messes with Kenny and shaq like they are in a casino or something.
Thanks for this Chemist!
Almost every stat Barkley just talked about was in favor of Cleveland or negligible. It’s like he was trying to find a reason why GSW was better and going to win and he just couldn’t do it.
The only thing keeping GSW in the game is their easy buckets in the paint. MOZGOD and WALL ST. need to impose their will on the game.
He’s not wrong about the pace of the game though… Cavs need to continue to slow it down and drive inside in the second half…
We’re great when we run.
Key thing when we run…. not when they run.
But they’re the best when they run… Cavs can play some devastating half court when they want to…
I agree EG…. grind this game down to slugfest.
That is why he is so predicable. Then calls Shaq a fat ass
Barkley, we all h8 you.
Forget Barkley – watch the FSO feed!
I like the FSO feed for Fred and AC!!!!
I don’t get it here in Chicago! I’m watching TNT.
That’s sucks, Gordon! I can’t stand Chris Webber’s commentary.
The assist commercials are clever but I have to give the Stockton one the edge for best use. Looks like db cooper for all you old guy americas most wanted fans
Cavs getting to the line with regularity… 19-20 already…
I love it…. they need to attack even more… grind the game down.
What a great game. This makes me so freakin’ excited for the playoffs!
Well, that was an exhausting half to watch. Almost impossible to post without missing a couple of plays.
HAHAHAH…. I agree!!! I try to wait till TV timeouts, but some things just have to be said.
cavs doubling up and trapping for no reason and that leaves wide open warriors with basic passing….figure cavs change up the defense in 2nd half and really spacing floor for lebron to drive to hoop since warriors have no answer at all
Great game, absolute joy to see basketball played at this level
Like a four year wait for the playoffs
What beautiful play by GSW…. there were so many contingency plans on that one.
they play some beautiful ball man
Can’t argue with that believeLAND… but SO DO WE !!!!! HAHAHA!
Can’t complain too much about that first half… Some sloppy play but defense was much better in second quarter…
I think the Warriors have played better…. yet the Cavs are ahead! Very good omen.
Klay hasn’t done much, so you know he’ll be looking for his shot in the second half…
Good point EG… Need to keep them out of the paint, we’ll be alright.
Curry is getting MVP’s calls without being one…. Yet
I think so too. It must be the baby face.
Refs calling the game way too soft
All NBA defensive move, Shump!
Good foul to give… wasn’t a foul, but love the effort from Iman…
That was good defense by #Samson…. terrible call!
Cavs need to fix the defense on that high pick n roll with Curry handling the ball. They are getting to many easy shots off it.
not liking the refs right now
LBJ wanted that and one…
Apparently I have devices that hide behind proxy servers and I can’t get comments to post. Any apple people who can identify my settings to change? Go cavs. Brilliant game. Cols is elated in Colorado.
That one got through…
I don’t know if my devices force me to be on wifi.
Same thing happens on my Android phone. I’ve been too lazy to pursue it.
LBJ giving it up for TT!
#Klutch!
There you go TT! Own them.
CLEVELAND HEART!!!
COMMMMEEEE OOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNNN BABBBYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE THAT HUSTLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GO GET YOU SOME, TT!!!!!
Bron looks like he wants to punch someone!
TT IS MY HEROOOO
YES CAVS ARE FIGHTING!!!!! WHAT AN EFFORT!
JR with the great save!!!
Veteran move, like the drive idea as well… looked like he got fouled!
I think a Love three is the happiest shot to watch!
Yesss KLUVVVVVVVV
KLOOOOOOVVVVVVEEEEEE!!!!!
LOVE IS IN THE AIR~!!!!!