Live Thread: Cavs @ Lakers (#TheBusiness)
2017-03-19
The Cavs are in Los Angeles for a second consecutive night, as they go about their business of getting through the stretch run of the regular season in taking on the Lakers. Apparently, the League called the team out yesterday to give them the business for damaging their business by resting stars LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love against the Clippers. Reportedly though, the Cavs feel like it’s none of anyone’s business what they decide to do with their own players to ensure they’re rested and healthy for the impending post-season.
It should be back to business as usual tonight, however, as the big three are all expected to be back in the lineup, and the Cavs can officially clinch a playoff spot with a victory. The only remaining missing pieces for the wine & gold are Kyle Korver (still recovering from a sore foot) and Larry Sanders (getting in basketball shape in Canton). Sanders did play for the Charge last night, scoring a basket with one rebound, three blocks and five fouls in just 11 minutes of play. By all reports though, it sounds like even though he was rusty, he still had some presence when he checked into the game.
The Lakers have been resting former starters for a much different reason. They are clearly tanking to try and prevent their number one pick from going to Philadelphia this year, and have designated Timofey Mozgov and Luol Deng as healthy scratches for the rest of the season, while also moving D’Angelo Russell to the bench. They’ll also be without Nick Young (flu), so the Cavs will see a steady dose of youngsters in Luke Walton’s lineup.
Cavs probable starting lineup: LeBron James, Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, Iman Shumpert, Kyrie Irving.
Lakers probable starting lineup: Jordan Clarkson, Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, Nick Young, Ivica Zubac.
Prediction: The Cavs probably give the Lakers the business on their way to a 127-108 win.
Catch all the action (if you’re in the business of staying up late) at 9:30 EST on NBATV. If you don’t, then that’s none of my business…
Nice to pick up a game on the Celtics.
Gotta love it. Great game by the big three. See you all tomorrow. Find out about that scene EG. You have connections!!
I already told you… it’s not her… 99% sure
Cavs put up 125. Awesome.
Cavs to still trying to piss this one away.
I mean, pretty optimal outcome for the Lakers… they make the champs work for most of the game, get their young guys some confidence and still manage to lose in the end to help preserve the draft pick…
D Russell is the truth, the next coming of Kyrie…right??
Nah. Check out irvings stats when he was tussles age.
Huh, never thought about that, are you sure?? But he looks like it tonight against our guard’s defense, so it must be true.
Left handed Kyrie? Reminds me of Harden, actually.
Well, he can’t play defense either…
Now that might actually be true. Golly, I wish there was a way to indicate sarcasm on the internet other than context.
Game balls to love. Irving. And LeBron.
Good call. It started Kyrie doesn’t believe on spheres or defense.
It’s fun that they can go from chill mode to crazy awesome so fast. What a game.
Incredible game by Irving.
Incredible offensive game for sure… forgettable defensive game…
Cavs will be rewarded once again for 3 quarters and playing one. Analytics and defense stats don’t factor in effort, who knows what this team is actually capable of.
I guess we’ll have to wait to playoffs to find out…
Coasting through 3 quarters
Great point
Kyrie with 44!
Man, that looked like a legal block…
Close but i think clearly in cylinder
Getting close to my score prediction now…
Yes!!
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/843668500065517570
Nothing like outscoring a team by 20 in the fourth quarter.
LeBron point center tearing them up.
No real choice with Love on minutes limit and TT out with mouth injury…
If there was such a thing as “floods” for shorts… that would be what Ingram’s shorts are called…
I think Ingram is wearing child shorts…
They don’t win this game without RJ and Love.
Or Irving and LeBron.
Bah. Irving gave away more than he got
It was about equal tbh…
Which shouldn’t have been – Kyrie’s the all-star while D’Angelo is the underachieving sophomore. A win is win but I do not feel good that another point guard had either his personal career high or season best against Kyrie.
https://twitter.com/cavs/status/843667984761597952
Irving love and LeBron shooting great from three.
Variance?
Talent.
Read into that, “talent when it is our team, variance when it is the other.”
King James and1!
Lol, they haven’t learned how to flop yet in LA, Lebron busting out the bulldozer.
They don’t really have anyone who can stop LBJ from getting to the hoop…
Big 3 with 91
Big three carrying us.
14-2 scoring run for Cavs…
I can’t believe how much we rely on Richard Jefferson. Thank god he didn’t retire.
Lakers got the emotional win, now time to tank the game.
Exactly… gotta keep that draft pick!
You really should’ve gone.
Nah, I’ve been to plenty…
Good foul!
Kyrie offensive redemption…
Lakers all 24 and younger. We’re all 24 an older. And we’re getting schooled.
We are winning.
If we win, 3-5 point win against the lakers where our starters play 35 minutes plus will be worth as much as a 30 point loss against the clippers where our starters don’t play. In other words, nothing.
I mean a wins a win. Its worth exactly the same as a win by 30
Context is everything during the regular season. A win by 5 against the lakers is not the same as a win by 30. Let’s not kid ourselves…or go ahead. Same as a win by 1 against the rockets is a win by 10 against the lakers. One team is god awful, another is great.
They’re starting to show their inexperience though with the turnovers at inopportune times…
Looks like school’s out….
Yeah, as usual, I’m an idiot.
Haha. LeBron looking at Fred and AC’s monitor
Randall missed Kyrie’s mouth. Must be tired.
Cue Eddie Murphy pic, EG.
http://i.imgur.com/I2kpWTp.gif
Hee Hee. I giggle every time.
Ingram is a witch in the post
His legs sure look like broomsticks anyway…
At least they made Ingram take a tough shot…
Fun game. EG you should’ve gone.
Not worth the $$$
Need some more stops…
I guess its a good thing the big three rested last night. They needed all their energy to tie the actively tanking Lakers.
Yeah.
Wonder what the team with the least point differential and record was to win a ship. The cavs are way better than most teams in the east, but there is some history for defending champion teams coasting too much in the regular season, first round of the playoffs…
0-0, let’s put these clowns away
Sweet steal, sweet pass, JR!
https://twitter.com/cavs/status/843666418499436544
Great save by JR
Great accidental give-and-go between LeBron and JR.
Best defensive play of the night there by JR…
Yup, nice read there.
At least Kyrie is able to get some back with the three…
Hey everyone. Russell wants to go left.
Please, no scouting reports in the regular season.
That was just awful D there on Russell…
https://twitter.com/JasonLloydNBA/status/843665593098166272
How many players have had career games against Kyrie? I feel like I’ve heard that at least 3 other times.
God. Kyrie
Nwaba is doing a decent job on Bron…
Klove!
Big three from KLove!
Yeah, I figured they’d take a point away from Ingram… foot was clearly on the line on that last three…
So I ask you guys at what point will Griffin sits down with coach Lue and the rest of the coaching staff and demands some consistency at the defensive end?
When do the playoffs start?
Cripes hard to blame love there. They just switch so easily.
Lebron leads the league in taking 3’s after missing a free throw
Interesting DWill not shooting even when wide open tonight…
Yeah i dont even know what is up
He did hurt his thumb earlier…
Lebron needs to have TT coach him on shooting free throws. Ye Gods.
Ha!
Hey. Nates here
That was only a two by Ingram… still he was wide open…
Why does KI refuse to play good D during the regular season? We know he can do it. Why does he do this to us?
Because they are in first place. If he played good D he’d be injured or tired and we’d still be in first place.
That makes zero sense.
I think Cols just endorsed resting the Big 3 last night.
Nance yanked Love’s arm just like Olynyk did…
Lol. Nance didn’t even need to bring his arm down. Just fly by.
Kyrie’s defense has been so pathetic tonight. Sad.
He’s not the only one…
Close out! Ugh. Rj.
Come on J.R. couple more weeks to get your timing back.
Movement off ball leads to easier cuts and almost always easier opportunities if the ball moves during that movement. See John Wooden, Red Auerbach, or Phil Jackson, or Phil Jackson with the triangle.
PRESSURE
So I ask you guys at what point will Griffin sits down with coach Lue and the rest of the coaching staff and demands some consistency?
When do the playoffs start.
The Eastern Conference finals.