Live Thread: Cavs vs Spurs
2016-01-30
The Cavs final regular season match-up with one of the top two teams in the Association takes place tonight. It promises to be the biggest test yet in Tyronn Lue’s young head coaching career. The Spurs come to town without Tim Duncan, who is sidelined indefinitely with a knee issue. It’s a shame, because it would probably been Timmy’s final trip to the Q. Charles Barkley claimed in a podcast with Bill Simmons last week that, “Tim Duncan is pretty much done.” Â I don’t know if I believe that, but I do believe that this year’s playoffs will be the ride off into the sunset for Old Man Riverwalk. We’ll never see his likes again.
On the Cavs’ side, they’re looking pretty healthy aside from their own old man, Richard Jefferson, who is battling a toe injury on his left foot. Rumor is the Cavs are considering shutting RJÂ down for at least a week, and if I were them, I might make that week last through the All-Star break.
Jefferson’s toe been injected once and it will be injected again right before All-Star break, Jefferson told ESPN.com.
So, it’s just one of those things where it’s manageable. It’s affected a little bit but it’s not surgery, it’s not anything. It’s just you’re going to have to deal with it. It’s a pain-tolerance situation.
Cleveland is coming off it’s most promising win of the Lue era last night over a feisty 25-21 Pistons team. The Cavs played excellently with the big three all scoring over 20, and Mozgov and Thompson also in double figures. The Spurs have had four days rest after drubbing the Rockets 130-99 on Wednesday. LaMarcus Aldridge, after notching only five against the Warriors, dropped 25 and 10 with five dimes against the Rockets while Kawhi and Danny Green each notched 18. Parker added 15 and seven assists.
Beating the Spurs is a tough task because they spread the ball so well, and take what the defense gives them. Cleveland played San Antonio tough in their first battle, but I fear a better game from L.A. than his six point stinker ion January 14th. Also key to tackling the Spurs is making Tony Parker work on defense. Parker decimated Irving in their first battle, dropping 24 on 11-18 shooting. Meanwhile, Irving was a measly 6-17 from the field. Irving has to make Parker expend energy on the defensive end. Key to that will be Kyrie pushing the pace and moving without the ball.
Bench production has to get better too. David West was a game high +17 for the Spurs earlier this month, with 13 points in 18 minutes. West will be most probably starting tonight. I really hope that Anderson Varejao was held out last night to give the Cavs that kind lift tonight. But Diaw, Ginobili, and Patty Mills are always dangerous. I’d also like to see a better game from Delly whose shooting has really fallen off in the last five games: 37% from the field and 35% from three. Let’s hope Mozgov’s improved play of late keeps up. Aside from the hulking Boban Marjanovic, Mozgov should have a decided size advantage against the Spurs. Shump will also hopefully bounce back from his -13 showing in the first Cavs game.
The marquee tonight is, of course, LeBron versus Kawhi. LeBron has a chance to work towards reclaiming his “best player in the world” title since being surpassed by Steph, Kawhi, and Dramond Green. Here’s hoping LeBron boxes out tonight, after doing a lousy job last night, and an even lousier job against the Spurs on the 14th. The King will have to keep playing unselfishly, moving the ball (and without it), and exploiting the size advantage the Cavs will have inside. Oh, and he’ll have to play defense all night. Just like this guy.
Delly can’t tell if it’s a shot or oop
DELLY WITH THE FLOATER!!!!!!!
LBJ with the nice post up…. Delly misses the open 3.
TT with offensive rebounds…. Delly with the nice pass to LBJ!
Poor Patty Mills. LeBron sheds him like Jerome Bettis against a 160-pound cornerback.
So good. Beast.
Can you believe Cavs are playing on a B2B?
And ONE! Fat Lady is singing it proud!
Patty discarded to the side, Lebron looking like really ? lol
It could be a good thing for the Cavs that KLove and Kyrie weren’t selected for the all star game. Maybe they could use that week to get their conditioning were it should be.
THAT WOULD BE SO DANGEROUS!!! LoVE IT!
I really believe that it could get them motivated to work hard on those free days.
Oh my poor mills
Delly running a nice set there… LBJ had the layup…. dribbles off his foot.
LBJ with the STEAL AND THE AND 1!!!!!!!!
Wait. You can’t play an uptempo game on back to backs . . .
Kyrie is magic…
Thinking of the Magic Man song from Heart
Cavs shooting 58% against a pretty good defensive team.
Correction… best defense in the NBA
This has been so fun to watch!
JVG talking about Delly, realizing he’s a “much improved player.” Sends some respect his way.
Mike Breen bringing up Delly’s assist to turnover ratio while Kyrie is putting on a clinic. Then Delly hits back to back threes and the net barely moves.
This is the best game of the season. Hands down.
why is da link to SPURS/CAVS on ESPN/NBA not working, tskkk only game that boxscore is not working
Spurs looking sluggish and slow tonight. Who played yesterday? Home cookin’ is tasty!
This game is a lot of fun!
Lol that is so tru Arch.
Giving the national audience a real show, love it
MFQ! Delly from deep! Everyone else … well, they’re there!
Announcers are talking like maybe Kyrie ought to be an all star. I’m glad he’s busting loose.
20 points for the big three! What a shot for KI’s 20th point.
That was a crazy quick up from Kyrie, looking like he was going for the reverse lay-in.
BANGGGGGGG, Delly For 3!!!
DELLY DAGGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GREAT BALL MOVEMENT!
Kyrie with a crazy finish…. but TT was wide open for the dunk.
Kyrie PUTTING IN THE WORK!!
this is like what da Spurs did to us, went on a big run in the middle of the quarter. and MR 4th quarter!
Delly taking over PG duties in this segment…. Kyrie with the finish off the ball!
Kyrie conserving energy until he has the ball.
Delly with that instant offense
Delly with the teardrop!!!! From the PnR!!!
Delly!!!!
Way to push and dish, Kyrie!
There aren’t many spot up shooters who shoot as well as Delly on catch and shoots.
Does Simmons ever miss?
That’s why the Cavs need to push the pace.
Nice penetration and dish, Kyrie. That’s how he’s supposed to do it. Six assists.
DELLY 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kyrie needs 3 points for all three to have 20 points points in a row.
We are just taking what they are giving us. They want to overplay us so we can’t wing those passes around? That’s why we won the east last year and not the Hawks…we have guys who can get their own shot
21 assists so far……….
M-F-Q!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kyrie, kyrie, kyrie. But movement all but stops and he goes and does that.
Ball movement**
Kyrie picking up where LBJ left off. Won’t need LBJ again if he can keep it up.
Damn Kyrie that was filthy…
Has Kyrie passed the ball yet in the 4th?
Making some nice moves, though.
Well Delly. passed to Jefferson 3 times and brick and then West was getting over us. If Lue is allowing this, then we have to go with Kyrie as long as he is hitting
Irving is relentless even.
A little MFQ dribbling-to-nowhere magic. The Spurs were within an eyelash of a steal several times.
And he follows it with an and-one.
Kyrie attacks the basket on the KLOVE PnR…. burns West for the and 1!
Goodness… Kyrie tweaker dribbling around… gets the shot to go.
Sometimes he tweaking pays off…
Right?! He’s lucky he’s Kyrie…
That’s skill, not luck!
I’d like to see a fresh Varejao come in the game.
Good call he would probably get west his final t
If nothing else, he can defend West.
Forget Jefferson . Go to someone else
Why did we go small? No Mozzy?
West is getting the better of us. He did it the last Spurs game.
Need a TO Lue!!!!!
I don’t like in thereno Mozzy or TT
Spurs defense stepping up in the 4th quarter early.
SAS resorts to the “physical defense / bully ball” strategy being down in the 4th. Get in the game refs.
Look like Jefferson was snoozing there
SAS resorts to the “physical defense” strategy being down in the 4th. Get in the game refs.
I’m glad they called that on Simmons he is getting a little grabby
KLOVE on the post stripped by Anderson… needs to be quicker on the post.
We don’t have the 18 TO’s in this game
Irving dancing too much and not attacking the PnR.
Irving hitting the midrange jumper JR style.
If Cavs can stay strong for first few minutes of fourth, Pop will wave white flag…
Wouldn’t it be great if Lebron didn’t have to play the 4th quarter against the Spurs?
LBJ needs a long rest. Gonna need Love and KI to make plays for first half of 4th.
It would help if Mr. 4th Quarter shows up tonight.
It would have been good to be able to hear Fred and AC do this game.
I agree…………..
LBJ with 10 FTA… only 2 3ptFGA… Need to get KLOVE more shots in the 4th quarter.
Is Pop playing some kind of mind game leaving Mills on an island against LeBron? Bet he doesn’t do that again if we play them again.
Playing zone… LBJ just posted up there to dictate coverage. LBJ was successful when he moved quickly… LBJ turned it over when he was waiting.
Like the line-ups tonight.
So good I want to Lues control!
Cavs sit Kyrie and Loe with five minutes to go. LeBron destroys the Spurs with the remaining time. Start of the fourth, out come a rested starting PG and PF.
Good observation, Kevin.
92-76. I like starting the 4th quarter with a 16 pt lead.