Live Thread: Mavs @ Cavs
2022-03-30Good evening CtB!
Tonight is another marquee matchup of two playoff seeking teams, with the Dallas Mavericks traversing north to the shores of Lake Erie to take on the hospital Cavs. Things have changed a lot since the Cavs went to the Big D and handed Luka Dončić and the Mavs a thorough beat down 114-96. That game was dominated by Tower City along with Ricky Rubio and Kevin Love off the bench, all of whom easily rendered Dončić’s triple double useless.
Now, there are only two surviving players among those five: Lauri Markkanen and Kevin Love. And besides the decimation of the Cavs’ roster to injuries, the Dallas Mavericks are playing their best ball of the season and are a dark horse candidate to make a deep playoff run. If the Cavs have any designs on winning tonight, they will require a MVP level performance from Darius Garland, along with some vintage Minnesota Kevin Love and a dash of “Robert Horry clutchness” from Lauri Markkanen. Also, perhaps J.B. Bickerstaff will let Moses Brown loose on his former squad? Or is that too much to ask?
The calculator paints a very interesting picture about tonight’s matchup. One could argue that these two teams are mirror images of each other. How are the Mavs winning this year? By slowing the game down to a crawl with lockdown defense and “good enough” offense. This game will be decided by which defense can impose its will on the other. Another key matchup will be on the boards, with the Cavs’ 11th ranked offensive rebounding rate versus the Mavs’ 11th ranked defensive rebounding rate. Can the Cavs manufacture some extra looks? Stay tuned.
Tip off is scheduled for 7:00PM ET and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes, Go Cavs!
They shot 17 more 3s
LMFAOOO you’re never gonna win with that kind of lopsided shot distribution.
Raptors up handily now and Hornets up 9.
The constant doubling of Luka and make their shooters beat us did not work. Dropping the big on the pnr against Luka did not work. We just didn’t seem to have the defensive chops tonight
yup, we need our switchable bigs, Allen and Mobley on him.
We had 5 rebounds in the 3rd quarter. 5
And gave up 39 points in that quarter…
holy shit, that’s an insane stat, great stuff.
Unless minny goes off this is probably goodbye to 6 seed
Yup. May not even be able to hold onto the 7th seed.
So…who told the cavs they could climb back into the game with 2 pointers?
JB’s obsession with prioritizing the rim attack doesn’t work when we can’t play defense like we used to.
JB gonna go back to Cedi at all? Cedi had been frustrating lately but I don’t think it was DNP-CD level
THE DEFENSE LOOKS A LOT BETTER WITH THE BACKUPS
this is an indictment on coaching, we need to be launching threes, they’ve shot 15 more threes and made 5 more than the Cavs.
JB pull the plug, we have a game tomorrow.
Read your mind
So is Uncle Kevin just not capable of coming in toward end of 4th when 3’s are needed? I’ve noticed this in many games
Why the hell are we not shooting 3s??
One of those nights when Lauri just feels invisible
Hopefully this is LeVerts coming out party. Maybe this is the start of something
Maybe the start of a hot streak…he’s always been super streaky…
FLOP
Come on, Lamar…2nd time tonight…dumb…
Of course Finney-Smith has the best game he’ll ever have in 3 lifetimes
Okoro should take notes.
Man… Okoro is young but It’s frustrating watching him out there getting no rebounds , not hitting open shots, etc
BALL DON’T LIE BOZO REFS
HOW IS THAT A FOUL CLEAN CONTEST
No. Foul.
Ice can’t hit
OKORO SECOND BLOCK OF THE NIGHT WAY TO GO
God I hate Brunson
Eat that, Brunson…
DG STEAL CARIS FINISH LETS GOOOOO
Damn, down 15. Sucks, another L. The close to this season not been very much fun
and when that Hail Mary goes in with half a second on the shot clock you’re probably gonna have a tough night.
Are the cavs not allowed to box out? Like is it in their contract or something?
We just don’t have the troops. The Cavs that are left played hard. Can’t really ask for more.
Mavs will be no fun at all in the playoffs due to Doncic and all the shooting…can win a series against anyone, probably, although Suns would be very tough…
This is how the first half likely would have gone if Levert played his normal game. Not unexpected but sucks butt to watch
Too many mistakes compounding together…. Giving up offensive boards, turnovers, wasted possessions
Cavs triple ply soft for about the last ten minutes
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/1509334327259246606?s=20&t=A_XI49SKy9VhPKDca2N6lA
THERE WE GO LOVE KEEP SHOOTING LAUNCH THREES
JB DO YOUR DAMN JOB TELL THEM TO LAUNCH THREES
Love has to make his shots from now on. Those are killer misses
Didn’t see the 3rd quarter . What the hell happened ?
Cavs have no more gas.
Can’t pressure Doncic at all…and Levert stopped hitting everything…
Can’t do anything without Garland
Just played with their heads up their ass for about ten straight minutes
JB looks so pissed
DAMN IT BRUNSON THE RAT STRIKES AGAIN
GET THE DAMN REBOUND.
SMH
We need to get back in the ball game right now
great shot Love doesn’t have it tonight.
Luka had 20 and cavs 22.. wow
WOW WHAT A FINISH DG
DG should just start jacking 3s.
Gotta somehow manufacture turnovers and score off them.
WHAT A SHOT DG
Is Marvin Bagley the worst draft pick of all time?
Can’t be worse than Gum Drop Bear lol
It was worse, because they passed up Doncic to take him. Absolute crime.
Right up there. And no hindsight needed…it was obvious, obvious, obvious, obvious at the time what a terrible decision that was…
Do any Cavs overall number 1’s come to mind?
If Cleveland doesn’t get their act together real soon, this game is over.
This 3 minute stretch at the end of this quarter is gonna be the game… Luka taking over and Cavs are just not executing on either end
Luka doing Luka things. Winning the game all by himself.
yup, need DG to go to another gear if he has it.
Maybe I should turn this off and go away. Had the lead when I first tuned in
WHERES THE FOUL????????????
12-0 run by Mavs.. sigh 😔
Goodwin’s one good shot was called off. That hurts
If Goodwin isn’t going to take wide open shots, put Windler in so he can not take wide open shots. At least he can play defense and rebound
Yep,the shot was there.
JB you seriously have the feel of a quadriplegic when it comes to roster adjustments
SHOOT IT GOODWIN
WHERES WINDLER WTF
Trust. Issues.
Goodwin take the 3!!!!
Finally calling that hook
WHERES WINDLER JB????
Trust issues…
How are we leaving Mavs this wide open?
For the love of god, stop leaving Finney-Smith wide open…
LeVert coming back down to earth
GOODWIN! WHAT A SHOT!
Don’t like this Levert/Goodwin backcourt lineup.
REBOUND THE DAMN BALL, great contest Stevens!
Luka looking to take over, Ice and Stevens need to put the wood to him and make life hard
Ugh, Raptors stormed back and are up at half.
Windler time yet?
Never…
Turn on the game just in time for a LeVert turnover. Ugh. Looks close at least