Live Thread: Cavs @ Spurs (#CollisionCourse)
2016-01-14
Aside from maybe Christmas Day (and the upcoming MLK Day matchup with the Warriors)… tonight’s game features one of the more anticipated clashes of the season, as the Cavs make their second stop in Texas to tangle with the San Antonio Spurs. As if this showdown needed more hype, both teams enter with lengthy winning streaks (eight games in a row for the Cavs and nine straight for the Spurs). The Spurs also just happen to be 22-0 at home to start this season (as they chase the all-time Western Conference record of 26-0 set by the Portland Trailblazers in 1977-78), and actually haven’t lost a game at the AT&T Center since the epic overtime thriller won by this Cavalier team last March 12th. In that 128-125 classic collision, the Cavs emerged victorious thanks to a career high 57 points from Kyrie Irving.
Since the last visit by the Cavs, most of the Spurs’ home games haven’t even been close contests. This year, they’re sporting a plus-16.1 points per game differential, just off the all time pace set by the 1995-96 Bulls (17.1). According to ESPN stats, San Antonio’s 93.5 points per 100 possessions allowed are on pace to be the fewest in the league in more than a decade, behind only their own mark of 91.6 set during the 2003-04 season.
Offensively, what makes the Spurs tough to defend is their ability to feature different scoring threats through their established system of sharing the ball. Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker have all taken turns as the high scorer in each of the last four games, and all four can prove to be difficult covers, as the Spurs’ offense flows wherever the team requires it.
The Cavs, meanwhile, have been able to diversify their own scoring lately with the return of a healthy Kyrie Irving. Even though he struggled a bit in his last two games (eight points on 3-of-15 shooting against the Sixers, and a rough shooting start against the Mavs), he came alive in the fourth quarter and overtime in Dallas to end up with 22 points and nine assists, and hit a deep dagger three to help cement the win. With Kyrie, LeBron, Kevin Love and a hot-shooting J.R. Smith, the Cavs have their own scoring threats to counter the Spurs.
With the Dallas victory, the Cavs have won eight consecutive games twice now this season, but they will need their best defensive effort to extend that streak to nine.
The probable starting lineup for the Cavs is: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson. And for the Spurs: Tony Parker, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan.
The game will be nationally televised at 8pm EST on TNT, and can be heard on WTAM 1100.
This is a hard one to predict, as I think the Spurs, more than any other team, match up really well with the Cavs. I don’t think there will be nearly as much scoring as 10 months ago, but it should still be a very close game. I forecast that the wine & gold will pull this one out in the end 102-100.
ALL ABOARD! And GO CAVS!
And another backtap my Mozzy!!!!
I use to like Chris Webber.. Marv and Chris giving plethora of advice how Spurs can win tonight. Broadcast so unbalanced
Ok, that’s just ridiculous.
No problems, time for Lebron to take a rest anyway.
Spurs playing amazing D right now. They are up on all the Cavs shooters. No breathing room.
Thank you Mozzy. Finally someone on the Cavs backtapped a rebound.
Cavs keep giving great effort on the defensive end, will keep them in the game until the end.
Our offense is getting stagnant though
Shump!
Don’t panic… I’m back!
Too late, Cols is already in full blown panic mode…
I was wondering where you ran off to. We’ve needed you back here.
That’s another bail out call there. You can’t just jump into the defender
why did delly pull up for a 3? chuups
why did delly pull up for a 3? chuups
For CtBers of a certain age: Is the Loaded Wombat (which, as we know, involves two players who are limited offensively) as effective as the Price-Daugherty pick-and-roll was?
Here come our 2nd unit!!
I was about to break my remote control if they didn’t called that one lol.
What a BS call on Aldridge. They hate the spurs.
Kawhi is a monster rebounder. He is the main reason we have only 3 off rebounds. Also, Love has been tremendous on defnse tonight, save for a couple missed defensive rebounds.
Great game so far! I think if Kyrie can find his rhythm in the 4th the Cavs can pull this one out.
At the other hand I don’t understand why the Cavs don’t try KLove in the low post a few times.
Sign of (no) Respect – Rookie gets benefit of doubt on foul call against JR Smith. — Chris Parker, Scene Magazine
How wasnt that a foul?
Parker hand checking every wear. No foul. Kyrie gets hit on a three, no call.
Nice shot Kyrie!!!! Hopefully that get you going!
Okay let’s predict what Cav gets the next foul call?
Really. Fouls are even at 13, and Spurs have shot a whopping 4 more FT’s. Game is won or lost by the players not refs 95% of the time.
That’s not what box score says
The difference is the Cavs are getting hammered and the Spurs are getting ticky tack fouls.
Love fighting hard defending Duncan wins that battle.
Waste 11 seconds of the shot clock just to pass around perimeter. Get the ball up the floor and move bodies and ball. Meek offense right now.
The ref is ruining this game.
wow they really dont like JR
I think we need to put Moz in. Getting beat down low right now.
This is just comical! Nice flop!
Surprised they didn’t call that a foul on LeBron!
Spurs going after our weakness in paint
I don’t understand how that was a 3 second call, when 2 other Spurs were standing in he paint?
Expect every call aginst Cavs tonight
It was actually about 5 seconds.
Okay fine, but if opposing players are standing right next to you, how do you call that?
It doesn’t really matter at this pt. It’s just the way it is.
Irving with blinders/tunnel vision.
Cavs only to free throw 7 times
Can’t believe I’m saying this. Maybe a little James Jones?
I thought for sure JR Smith would get calls in San Antonio***
*** I also thought Steven Avery would get a fair trial in Wisconsin
Kyrie ix coming guys. He is on his way.
What game are you watching?
he came!! nice 3
Yup NBA fixed this game. They hate the Cavs in general and Lebron specifically. That’s what he gets for leaving a hot city like Miami. Payback is a bitch Lebron.
I think/guess that the Cavs regroup after SA push there and come back hard and kinda pissed off.
Cavs getting in foul trouble. who didn’t see that coming? Damn shame. Just let them play
Sit down Kyrie!!
Nothing is happening on offense with Kyrie directing the game. Get the ball moving around the perimeter and develop something.
Wow. Bailout city for San Antonio.
Of course call it out of bounds cause transition defense.
This is just getting ridiculous. If I’m Blatt, I get myself tossed.
poor JR for true, you leave those slide… wow
Kyrie wake up please…………
Think he needs to look to facilitate more this game. Stop using picks to settle for 20 foot midrangers
JR too open again!
Quite simplE: unless kyrie steps up Cavs are going to lose.
Spurs are getting their offense by free throws tonight courtesy to refs
Agree, that foul was BS
Wtf are they reviewing for?
Surprised they didn’t give him 3 shots just because
poor JR for true, you leave those slide
OH TOTAL BAIL OUT CALL WOW! great defense JR
Leonard initiated all the contact there.
This league…I dunno sometimes
How much these refs get paid?
Give me a freakin break!
Nice defensive help on Parker by Kevin Love.
Phantom pass to a ghost
Kyrie was the worst starter for the Cavs, and by far. He needs to pick it up for Cavs to have a good shot at a win.
Lots of penetration but came up short. I hope it pays off later with defense getting tired. It did seem like he was starting to hit more.
He looks seriously overweight…
At least play some D.
I agree with Love to Love, 10 boards in first half with all of their bigs.
It would be nice if Delly could not keep getting roasted by Parker.
must not of been watching but I shouldn’t of bit
Okay Cols okay. Believe it or not, Parker is fully healthy and back to being one of the quickest players in the league.
Or Kyrie??????????????!??
Cavs are playing smarter than we have seen most games. They are not jacking a bunch of 3s. The only Spur really killing us is Parker. We have to defend better on him. Hope Kyrie gets his shot going. It’s been drought in the 1st half.
Also have you seen what Jimmy Butler is up to again? 48 and counting… Not remotely worried about the Bulls though.
Guys gotta give Kev some LOVE. He is a monster on the boards!
Cavs played great D. They were closing out the 3 very well and the Spurs patented offense, swinging the ball around netted them few open shots. TParker obviously destroyed them at the end, but otherwise a brilliant half effortwise.
Yeah even Love ran a few off the line, best first half energy I have seen in awhile.
Did anyone notice at the first clip Kenny showed that Duncan was in the paint for about 8 seconds of game time?
Happy camper….
You see the obvious inbound violation? Like wasn’t even out of bounds when he threw it in.
Missed that. Sure you re right though…
yea they are not gonna call that on Tim Duncan. Just not happening.
Kenny really does hate the Cavs. It’s a wonder they’re winning by six.
He hates everyone. He’s ruins a lot of shows imo
Kevin Love outplaying LA so far, would love to get him going coming out of the locker room
was just thinking the same thing. Need more of that and put pressure on Aldridge defensively, he doesn’t like to play both ends.
So apparently TNT doesn’t respect the Cavs after that halftime show.
missed it, what did they say?
Yeah according to them, the Cavs suck. They raved about Spurs defense.
There’s been a bad call or two, the ball off West for one, but it’s been fairly called overall I think. They have 7 FT, we have 5, and they have 11 fouls we only have 9. Not only that, we are the team on the road.
There were like 3 offense fouls called on the Cavs that were ridiculous, and balls that flew out of bounds that were called off Cavs, but we’re really off the Spurs. And how about that by LBJ dunk that was erased by the refs for a late foul call? Even if there was a foul continuation?
Mozzy set a terrible pick on Green, Lebron shoved TP RIGHT in front of the official. Go back and listen to the foul on Ginobli. He grabbed him, whistle blew then Lebron went to hoop. I’d have loved a continuation, but it wasn’t deserved.
I’m sure you could go to a Spurs board, and they’d be saying the Spurs are getting screwed. You see it on every team’s board every game. I personally feel it’s impossible to properly referee the NBA without going to video review after every single instance of contact, which they obviously aren’t going to do. It is what it is.