Live Thread: Cavs @ Warriors
2017-01-16
Greetings, Cavs fans. Big game tonight… Cleveland completes its road trip tonight in Oakland where they look to sweep the Warriors in the regular season after wining their Christmas day battle, 109-108. The Roaracle will be roaring, and the Dubs will be looking for payback after their loss. Meanwhile, the Cavs look to keep up their integration of Kyle Korver into the offense, and to solve some of their recent defensive woes.
Most of the oddsmakers have the Warriors at +8.5, but it sounds like LeBron isn’t trying to amp this game too much, or maybe he’s trolling them softly with these comments to Dave McMenamin,
I don’t think we have a rival in our game today… we’ve had two great Finals appearances the last two years, but I had the same with San Antonio when I was in Miami. We weren’t rivals. And I think I played those guys more, so I wouldn’t look at it as rivals.
It’s brilliant passive-aggressiveness by the King, and I’m sure he’s trying to throw the Dubs off their game by amping themselves up again.
As far as Cleveland goes, they appear healthy, and it appears Iman Shumpert will continue to start for the Cavs until Kyle Korver is ready to take his place. I’m all for anything that minimizes Shump’s ballhandling.
Meanwhile, the Dubs are a league best 34-6 and winners of 12 of 14. They’ve a new big three this year with Draymond Green’s scoring falling to 10.7 points and KD, Steph, and Klay Thompson combining for 72 points and 12.7 assists. Kevin Durant is even averaging 8.6 rebounds and 1.7 blocks. But with Dray kicking in 8.6 rebounds and 7.7 assists, the Dubs certainly have a formidable big four.
Iman Shumpert gave away the secret sauce that the Cavs are using to guard Iman Shumpert: physicality.
Throughout the game if you consistently guard somebody that way at the end of the game, if they’re last five minutes isn’t as up to par, you feel like you did your job because you wore on him the whole game.
You just gotta stay consistent with guys like that because they have the ball so much that no matter what you do they’re going to get in a rhythm. You just gotta survive their runs they go on and hopefully you’ve done your job as far as getting in to him and applying pressure the whole game. You see the effects of that pressure in the last few minutes of the game.
I’m hoping the Cavs extend the same physicality to Kevin Durant. If they do, then they should win. My prediction: 112-110, Cavs.
Here’s my only question: if Cavs had missed on more shot and Warriors had made one more shot in game 7, and now this game, would Lue be fired?
I don’t think he should be, certainly, but funny the difference in perception. The margins are razor thin.
A hypothetical that we don’t have to deal with! Winning changes everything… :)
Whelp. Goodnight. Sorry the Cavs sucked tonight. But don’t forget the lessons of the last two years
You mean like, “never underestimate your opponent just because you beat them last year?”
Shame CtB doesn’t allow “likes” for posts – this one would rate highly. Sharp, my man!
Made the tough choice to watch the Cavs game or go see La La Land again in Imax (saw it earlier on a regular screen). Watched the movie again, and regret nothing. I had a feeling the Cavs would lose this one by a good margin, and I freaking love, love, love this movie.
Good choice. That was an ugly game. Not only did we have to watch the Frauds and their particularly ugly brand of offense, but the Cavs looked tired and bored.
There once was a Cavs the blog
When they lost is was always a slog
People would panic
Like its the Titanic
So Cols would have to start dialogue
These are kind of funny.
Lol ! ???
There once was a coach named Blatt
His Cavs team always went splat
They fired his butt
And call Lue up
Now they where championship hats.
There once was a team call the Frauds
Everyone thought they were gods
Then LeBron stomped their faces
And Kyrie came up aces
And now thE Cavs get all the applause
You whistle past the graveyard too, don’t you?
Nah. I just don’t worry until the Finals. I don’t forget my lessons
So then you’d be ok with resting LeBron and managing his minutes during the regular season, since those games don’t matter. Right?
Absolutely. LeBron should rest whenever he needs or wants too. Which is exactly what he’s been doing since he got back to Cleveland
One thing I always respect about LeBron is that he knows how to get his teams to the Finals. No matter what happens in the regular season.
Adding insult to injury, thanks for mentioning the 112-57 game Cavs dropped to the Lakers, Marv. THOSE were dark days. This is just a passing cloud. GO Cavs!
Don’t know what will happen come June but one thing I totally respect about Steve Kerr and the Warriors coaching staff is that they always have their team ready to play good defense and compete hard.
Against the Cavs…yeah. They have awful games too.
Well just 6 loses so far with around 7 new additions to the roster I would say it’s pretty impressive.
Eh. When the going gets rough they start to suck.
Nope. They suck sometimes. And they play a really ugly brand of basketball
Damn. Draymond out. There goes our chance to kick him in the nuts.
Seriously. Being a cavs fan is so much better than rooting for those arrogant players.
TT got a great block while we are getting killed…thank god he didn’t celebrate. All weekend NFL losers were celebrating things while getting killed.
everything is still pretty sweet.
http://25.media.tumblr.com/a1c8d8f233128e6ec21f31b7350fe815/tumblr_meuadalei91qfzgyio1_500.gif
Are Frye and Korver both unplayable against the Warriors? That would make for a really thin bench if these two teams meet in the Finals again.
ETA: Frye didn’t play at all in games 5-7 last year.
Everyone is unplayable against them today. It’s MLK day! The day the Cavs take off every year cuz it’s a Cleveland only holiday!
You may be on to something there…
Frye I think for sure. Maybe Korver for 5-10 minutes.
Nah
I’m 95% sure Frye is not playable against them. Korver can be used cause I believe he competes better defensively.
Can we please end this!?
Only down 31.
I like how much their fans hate LeBron. Warms my heart.
Why is LeBron still in?
Because he’s good at basketball
5 beers. Not too many. Just enjoying being champs.
I think Lue’s goal tonight is to play James 40+ minutes in a blowout
We should all be happy we root for the champs
Instead of these fakers
They’re champs too.
Did you forget what happened in June?
And the Dubs won the June before that.
Only because Irving and Love didn’t play.
So many terrible dribble drives by so many Cavs tonight.
Channing might be the NBA’s laziest defender.
Yep. Now it’s over. Get your damn hands up, Frye.
Such an ugly smug fake team. We know who the Champs are.
REal question is how many beers in are you?
So I guess the question is…can the Cavs win a title with shumpert as their best player?
Absolutely.
Gritty game by LeBron.
Bwahahaha!!! Good one
Huey Lewis working the scorers table for GS.
I can’t stand the fraud style of play. So ugly.
Why is lebron going in?
I miss the days of real villains instead of villains who insulted your manhood with disparaging cake decorations.
Love the Dubs’ offense. Always moving men and the ball.
It’s great when they’re making shots. When they’re not they quit doing it
SHUMPERT. With a “look what I found”
Well, it’s now or never.
Cavs won the third quarter!
Aside from three catch-and-shoot misses, Shumpert has been solid on offense, I have to say.
Even if Warriors win, they will be just 1-4 in their last five game against the Cavs. I like being able to say that!
Yet another loose ball Irving watched go out of bounds.
Ugh defense MIA all night..
Not nearly enough Liggins tonight. The Cavs’ best defensive player has only played five minutes.
Liggins played tough D in Cleveland, so I thought he might start tonight again.
Be a nice option to start the third. Balls out defense for first five minutes and see what you can do.
He’s the secret weapon for the playoffs. More seriously, his one-on-one offensive adventure against Draymond in the first half may have earned him some pine time.
Yeah, I cringed on that drive.
Yeah. That was…. not smart.
I can’t remember seeing a worse game from lbj.
Not for a long time.
11 more threes and we’re right back in this!
There’s nothing worse than cold Fryes.
If only TT could finish one-handed.
Nobody mentioned yet, but this lethargic offense is making me miss Delly. Hi Cols! ;)
If anybody could get the offense organized and executing, it was Delly!
The Cavs could film a laxative commercial with all the craps they’re not giving tonight.
Cavs watching multiple loose balls go out of bounds tonight and just not closing out hard on shooters. Never gonna beat the dubs that way.
Haha they already gave up in the 6 minute mark of the 2nd quarter lol.
They gave up at tipoff
Fair
I love watching the Cavs, but I’d rather watch Drayton getting a massage than the rest of this game.
*Draymond
LOL
Well, I’ve seen enough. Should have went ahead and rested the Big 3. Clearly nothing left in the tank, mentally or physically. Let GS underestimate us heading into the finals for the 3rd straight year. Hopefully we can get healthy come playoffs again.
I kind of feel like Lue isn’t subbing the Starters Caue he’s viewing this as high level practice and letting them take their licks.
Any news on KLove? Dang can’t catch a break. Really want to see him play in the ASG for the first time as a Cav.
Nate, sadly your game prediction needs autocorrect tonight.
Cavs running no type of offense whatsoever haha just shooting and hope they make it
Shump is Cavs best player tonight haha
Please just pull the starters
GOING TO SWITCH OVER TO JAYHAWKS / CYCLONES COLLEGE GAME —GOODNIGHT —–LIKE COLS SAID ” WE ARE STILL THE CHAMPS —UNTIL SOME TEAM BEATS US IN THE FINALS “—SEE YOU IN JUNE DUBS –WHEN THE GAMES REALLY MATTER
Love going to take about a month off I’ll bet. Get his body right. And the Cavs will go on their customary run in the second half of the season. And this game will mean nothing come june
A month???
NATE HE DIDN’T PLAY IN PRESEASON—HE( MORELAND ) WAS HURT
Well, worth a shot on a ten-day then.