Live Thread: Cavs @ Grizzlies
2015-03-25
The Cavs are facing a team going the opposite direction of most NBA teams. The Grizzlies play at a bottom five pace (92.1 possessions per 48 minutes). They run the ball through two true post behemoths, Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph. And, defensively, they hold teams to 95.2 points per game, which is second in the league.
Memphis has won their last three games just like the Cavs. Tonight there are two groups of guys I’ll be watching:
1. Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol Vs. Kevin Love, Timofey Mozgov, and Tristan Thompson- Can the Cavs bigs stop the Memphis guys from scoring without getting into foul trouble. The one nice part about this matchup is that Love should be able to stay on Randolph if he plays his mid-range game. Gasol might be able to just outsmart Mozgov down low and confuse him when he starts passing out near the foul line.
2. Tony Allen and Mike Conley Vs. LeBron James and Kyrie Irving- Conley is able to appropriately funnel guys where they need to be for one of the Memphis bigs to shoot some shots down. Tony Allen can simply make Kyrie and LeBron miserable whenever they touch the ball. Who will Allen cover? Will Allen be moved onto Kyrie if Kyrie starts playing video game ball?
I think this game is going to be decided by how fast it’s played. If the Cavs push and play their pace, they will win. However, if Memphis gets the game slowed down, it will be a battle between Grizzlies post play and Cavs shooting. Memphis can get points in the paint (46.8, which is number one in the league) when the game is slowed down to half-court play. The Cavs can’t get paint points against a set Grizzlies defense, so they would have to rely on their 3-ball. Fortunately, they make that shot. The Wine & Gold are first in that area since January 15th. Memphis also gives up a middle of the pack 23 three point attempts a game and eight makes a game.
What are your thoughts?
Cavs played a tough, big team and really dominated them, physically. LeBron, JR, Shump, Moz, and TT just wore them out. Combine that with great passing all over the place, and you have a really convincing win. Wow.
This team is for real.
Still riding high on the win. Comprehensive beat down of a very capable opponent. Espn’s assessment is that the Grizzlies “often stout defense was nonexistent tonight”, aka the cavs caught them on an off night. They missed some bunnies early but we beat the crap out of them in reality. ESPN can go…well you know.
How glad are we all that the Cava havw Moz and not Kosta?
Seriously… Moz owned Kosta tonight… But the Russians always beat the Greeks…
It’s kind of scary how good the Cavs are when they actually have time to practice. Bodes well for playoffs.
Welp, I guess Windy didn’t take my piece to heart:
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=2406595
Windy is trying to play both sides in that podcast. Lame. “I don’t know!” is code for stay tuned. He’s right that the eye-test shows a much more dynamic relationship with other guys on the team. But LeBron knows about basketball and knows that he and the team do better with Love on the court.
Your piece was WAY ahead of the curve and will find its vindication in the playoffs and then again in the offseason.
His loss… he’s probably gone too far down his own rabbit hole on this topic… can’t stop now
I’m not gonna bother listening to this one. I’m gonna hold off and wait for the podcast where they nitpick Delly and complain about how Blatt handles himself in a press conference.
Joe Vardon answering his own questions…. He’s like the last kid picked in dodge ball.
Yo. I have my taxes I’m doing so I figured both teams rest starters. Nope. Missed what appeared to be a sweet gane filled with passes and love block party.
Anyway I miss the regular posting so maybe I can be back to regular comments after I let Uncle Sam know what I’m sending him next month.
This win felt more satisfying than even the Spurs win. The Spurs win was a marvel of individual talent, but it felt as if it the performance was born of a desire to show the league that hey look we can play too. But this win was team-ball and felt more sustainable. The Cavs were businesslike, and acted like they had been there before. This felt like a more mature win
They can party when they hoist the Larry O’brien trophy!
David Blatt can coach the heck out of a basketball team
What do you want to bet that between now and the playoffs we’ll start to hear that Love is FINALLY starting to figure out how to fit in?
Which will be wrong, of course, but better than continuing to totally deny reality.
I bet Dan Patrick and Mike & Mike are scrambling to book Karen Love for tomorrow’s show…
“Has your son always had trouble fitting in?”
“Who do you think is the real MVP, Mrs. Love?”
“Would you enjoy having your son play in L.A. or Boston next season?”
KLove just photobombed LeBron and gave birthday wishes to his mom. What will the media have to talk about tomorrow?
KLove just interview-bombed LBJ to wish his mom Karen a happy birthday… AWESOME!
Cavs with 107 assists in their last 4 games…
Five Cavs had at least 4 assists. JR was the high man with 6.
I’m gonna go out on a limb and say the Cavs are ready for the playoffs.
70 wins next year if they stick together?
Interesting thought. Probably not but 60+ should be plenty to win the east. I’d be happy with more rest for the starters and fewer than 70 wins. No time like the present to extend lbj’s healthy years. And if kevin love stays I am so stoked to watch Blatt coach this bunch next year.
Will be incredible to see… Definitely agree about the rest. Hopefully by this time next year we could basically rotate rest games for the big 3.
I don’t think this team is at its peak yet either. Wow!
Lol this bench tho…….well you can’t have everything…
With any luck they won’t be needed for anything but garbage time in the playoffs…
Do you think the Memphis press or ESPN will be talking in the morning about why Gasol and Randolph didn’t play in the fourth quarter?
lol
ESPN will barely acknowledge this game by the Cavs
No, but they will start to fixate on the Cavs/Heat first round matchup…
I’m pretty sure Miami is gonna make the 6th and the bucks are going to fall.
I think Miami threw that game against the Bucks at the end so they didn’t get too close…
Even they aren’t going to be able to stop the Bucks slide. I’m not convinced that game will be a turnaround by any means.
Interestingly no article yet about the Cavs on ESPN
They must be feuding… ZBo is just NOT fitting in…
Better yet, ESPN will barely acknowledge this game by KLove
What a completely awesome display of team basketball by the Cavs tonight!
SHUMP!
Marion sighting! Everyone getting some love tonight.
PERK RATTLES IT HOME!
Perk with the roll off the glass!
J FREAKING R!!!
Perk just threw that ball over the rim and caught it… AWESOME
I’ve never seen a travel in that way. Hilarious.
COLS WAKE UP WHERE ARE YOU MAN ??
Cols is really LBJ. He’ll be on here after the game.
This has been an amazing dominant display of awesomeness.
This might go down as the Tom Pestak inspired KLove fits like a GLove game…
TT with 11 rebounds, Love with 10, Moz with 9 and LBJ with 8.
Cavs are plus 18 on the boards.
“Defensive specialist” Tony Allen… a game worst -26…
JR SWISH!!! Double figures all around!
Cavs get to the century mark with 5+ minutes left to go in this one… who’da thought?
When this team passes the ball like this, Kevin Love will have his best games. He thrives when he’s making big time passes and getting others involved. Just like a lot of guys need to hit a couple of shots to get going (or free throws), I honestly believe that Love can get rolling when he’s in his flow – which is getting others involved.
It opens his game up so much.
But when we go iso ball, he’s relegated to spot up duty and he doesn’t get rolling. His rhythm is a lot of movement in the offense.
OH NO! Shump got BLOCKED by the RIM!
WHO MENTIONED MIAMI BLOWING BIG LEADS —WERE UP BY 22 VS THE CELTS –IT IS NOW A 6 PT GAME WITH 1:45 LEFT
The Cleveland Cavaliers are good at basketball
KLove fitting the ball in the cylinder just fine…
Hey! KLove in the fourth quarter!
This is joyous. What a well-oiled, precision calibrated machine of Death the Cavs have been tonight. Also, i really like the Griz announcers. Fair, objective, not whiny. Class act
Agreed. I also really like the Grizzlies’ announcers. A breath of fresh air compared to some of the idiots out there. The Hawks announcers are the WORST.
Grizzlies and raptors have fair unbiased announcers
Agreed. Only the Raps’ color guy’s accent grates me a bit, it sounds affected and caricaturish
I used to complain about TT’s double clutch under the hoop every time he grabbed an offensive rebound. Now I’m choosing to complain about Shump’s stupid hesitation step every time he receives a pass for a wide open 3. He fakes like he’s going to drive, the defender doesn’t bite, and then he takes an out of rhythm three and bricks it. Every time.
Not quite every time. Sometimes he drives to where the defender is so he can take a contested 2.
This made me lol.
As long as he keeps playing defense the way he does… I’m not gonna complain…
Very good point! He’s a perfect fit for this team.
Just need a few points from JR and Delly to have six players in double figures tonight.
TT is EVERYWHERE! He has 10 boards in 15 minutes!
You think the Cavs kinda wish this was a tougher game?
If that wasn’t a flop by Green… then I don’t know what is…
THE TT SPECIAL
TT is really good tonight at drawing the “stay right here” fouls underneath…
Cavs with 26 assists on 35 buckets!
Game recap will be easy tonight:
“Cleveland had 26 assists on 35 FGs before the start of the 4th quarter.”
That’s literally all that needs to be said. The 25 point lead goes hand-in-hand with that statement.
Beat me to it Gordo!
It should be Gordo going forward.
Alright CtB nation – gird your loins. Kevin Love may not play in the 4th quarter again
Oh no! More fodder for the pundits! ;)
haha @ Lebron’s face going into the commercial
Well that confirms it, tonight is the Cavs night.
Ok that was just insane………