Live Thread: Cavs vs. Wizards (#LueAgain)
2018-04-05
With just four games remaining in the regular season, the Cavaliers welcome back Head Coach Tyronn Lue after a nine game absence for health reasons. The team went 8-1 under interim Coach Larry Drew, but it has been reported that he was following the script laid out by Lue before he left. Ty has also been present for practices and shoot-arounds here and there over the past week.
Now that they have their coach back, all the Cavs are missing are their point guards. George Hill is still out with an ankle sprain, and now Jose Calderon will miss at least tonight’s game with some hamstring soreness. In response, Lue is inserting rookie Cedi Osman into the starting lineup. He’s also keeping Jeff Green as a starter, which will apparently be the case from here on out… even into the post-season.
Tyronn Lue says Cedi Osman will start tonight with Hill and Calderon out (meaning LeBron James will have plenty of ball handling duties vs WAS). He also said he plans to go with a starting front court of LeBron, Kevin Love and Jeff Green when the playoffs open up.
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) April 5, 2018
Obviously, there will be some dissenting views on whether or not this is a good idea. However, the Cavs are still 7-3 when Green starts, and he does have a knack for guarding star players well (i.e. DeMar DeRozan twice recently). Still, I hope Green starting does not mean he has a green light to shoot more threes…
The Wizards are struggling mightily, having lost six of their last eight games to fall to the 7th seed (if the playoffs started today). They did get John Wall back three games ago, yet they lost the last two contests, with Wall shooting just 9-27 from the field since he returned. The Cavs should be able to take advantage of Wall’s rustiness, although it may be a sloppy game without Hill or Calderon to keep order on the offensive side.
Prediction: The Cavs eek out a win in Lue’s first game back… edging the Wiz in an ugly game 95-89.
Catch all the action starting in just a few minutes (8pm EST) on TNT… and as always, chime in below.
Jokic has Dirk’s awkward shifty gait with a much more punchable face. Makes him hard to watch
Really? I could watch him all day if he isn’t playing the cavs. He confuses the hell out of a defense. He is like Anderson Verajao with shooting skills
More of a comment on his annoyingness than his basketball skill
Probably true lol
Oh good lord…I really hope he is saying that to protect tt’s feelings and not because he is serious
Why say anything at all?
there’s no way in hell it’s TT right?
This has to be a joke. Could he possibly be that dumb? Does he watch these games, look at any stats? If this is true we are going to win games in spite of how slow he is.
I came in with about 6 minutes left in the 2nd quarter, but from what I’m reading, seems like Cedi had a couple of nice plays early…if/ when he really nails down his shot, he’s going to be a stud. Practice catch and shoot threes until your arms fall off, Cedi.
Went to see ‘A Quiet Place’. I liked it, but wasn’t blown away. A lot of tension, and well directed, and it looks great. Worth seeing for sure.
Is that the movie directed by John K starring his wife Emily Blunt?
Yep
Yep.
Nets beat the bucks. That sucks
Randomness. Longibarfi, is that a thing?
NBA TV is showing Cavs-Pistons 2007 game 5. A team starting Pavlovic, Larry Hughes and Gooden really had no business reaching the Finals, except LeBron…
what a game
I need a Shirley Temple to wash this down with…
https://twitter.com/CavsFredMcLeod/status/982088567710154753
plz replace him and TT for a bowl of sliced oranges.
Great win but yeah Lue was sure a little rusty with some horrific decisions.
This is the problem with Tye Lue…he is weirdly endearing. I think with players as well…cuz he consistently gives you the benefit of the doubt. Doc Rivers is the same way. Most of the NBA players want a guy who will defend them to the death. Most of the NBA champions are coached by guys (until lebron’s female coach shows up) who just aren’t that way.
In other words, most nba guys want brown-nosers?
I tend to think so yeah
Although that’s probably extended to people in general
They want their ass kissed. Can’t be hating on me. If you criticize them, or bench them for poor play, it hurts their feelings & they stop trying after that.
He didn’t seem rusty at all. Seemed like the same old Lue.
Yeah not sure what was different…
LEBRON and CEDI! ……. can someone plz fire lue tho….
Speaking of Nick Wright, he’s just put up an interesting poll…..
https://twitter.com/getnickwright/status/982085393280618496
The Wiz comeback given that stat EG posted. 2/461 record when down 16 with 6 minutes left
https://twitter.com/NBA/status/982088276227043328
https://twitter.com/mcten/status/982088296686907393
Can someone please tell me what does TT gives that Zz don’t? TT is so useless.
Memories of the good old days…
Hehe. Nice
Well…until tonight he had been rebounding really really well. But I’d take Zizic’s post game and roll man hands any day over 2 or 3 more rebounds. You dont need offensive rebounds when you can finish the pick n roll
An honest answer – he probably rebounds better most of the time, and probably more reliable in PnR defense. Zizic still gets lost a lot.
My point is that Zz did good enough on my book when he was used before with all the Cavs injuries at that moment to now just shut him down for the season like he was a total scrub.
Well, I agree, but in the playoffs I doubt he plays, and Cedi may not play, either, which is unfair. But it is what it is.
I think this is right on. Chemistry… knowing defensive help schemes. And I’m not sure he even still has it without the crazy effort he used to give.
So…the pundits can say what they like. Lebron’s dominance isn’t because of a weak conference. The east is a weak conference because nobody wants to face lebron’s teams. If the former were true…stars would make the jump from the west to the east a lot more than they have the past decade.
Nick Wright made the same point yesterday – “East is not weak, it’s just that the best player in the history of the game has been romping them for 15 years straight”…or something like that.
It’s anecdotal…but really…if the east were so weak why wouldn’t there be several great players jumping to the east when they have a chance. Seriously…I can not think of the last real star to do it besides hayward
Shaq? :)
Bench has real negative plus minus because these lineups were doomed to fail. Clarkson, Korver, Smith, TT, Nance. Clarkson, Korver, Green, TT, Nance. Dumb
Any Nance and TT lineup is bad. Any Nance, TT, and Green lineup is nonsensical. Any lineup where Clarkson is the one making decisions is not good unless he is super hot.
Clarkson can’t play PG at all. He should play at the 2 all the time.
This is true
Shouldn’t Calderon lead the second unit? His veteran presence should keep stupid stuff from happening ad nauseum.
Yeah. I am sure he will when he gets back. Still, I would think the coaching staff would rein in Clarkson this game. Not that he shot all that poorly, but have him run some plays.
I believe love ended up with one shot in the entire second half. How does that happen?
Hard to believe…could have used him in the third quarter…
The Wizards went small against Love to take away his outside shot but the Cavs should had posted him more. But by the Wizards removing Gortat from the line up that gave LeBron a free layup drill to the basket.
Fair point.
Nice comeback win. I hope Jose can play tomorrow. The Wizards kind of choked at the end. They were getting great shots and all of the sudden they began to play hero ball.
You mean just like the Wizards always choke?
More that LBJ saved the cavs.
The guy who was scoring for them was Morris and all of the sudden Wall decided to play hero ball and just choked at the end.
Because they shrink in the clutch… because they aren’t a mentally tough team… and because they’re the Wizards…
Maybe, but they won’t choke +17 point leads four times in a series. Also I think we are discounting LBJ’s heroics. The Wizards didn’t lose a 13 point lead with like 3 minutes to go because they choked every possession. They lost because LBJ decided to drag them to a victory.
They won’t have 17 point leads to choke in the playoffs…
And yes, LBJ was great, but he had help… great rebound by Green, huge three by Korver, huge steal by Cedi…
For sure. But he basically got them back to within three singlehandedly.
I’m not saying the Wizards will beat the Cavs in a series but they will probably give the Cavs a better fight than the Raptors or Celtics would cause they are a nice jump shooting team and the Cavs just don’t play good defense in the perimeter specially against the 3 ball.
I believe the Wizards can win 2 games against the Cavs in a series.
Nice steal to seal it. Crew plays better D when they don’t have to do much but stand and watch LBJ on offense I guess.
Beal is just a disappearing act in crunch time. What a weird game, but hey, great comeback.
I like John Wall but Thebes rest of that team is trash, especially Oubre
Porter is decent and Beal is a good player. Gortat would be nice to have as an enforcer.
I’m trying to think of a comparison to the Wizards. They’ve been talking smack for 2 decades against the Cavs and have never won ANYTHING.
It almost feels like the Cavs haven’t lost a game to them in four years, although I know they have…
They have blown us out multiple times. Just never when we care.
North Korea?
Cuba?
They embody Deshawn Stephensen as an entity. He is the perfect example.
Soulja boy?
Just WOW !!!
James willed them back.
Rarely has there ever been such a huge variance on how good a player thinks he is and how good he actually is as John Wall. I know he had a big game tonight, but he thinks he is on Lebron/ KD/ Curry level…
IT wants a word
Good point. They are neck and neck.
Haha nice one
WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHAT A GAME!!!!
Cavs win in spite of many decisions by Lue. Feel like this playoff run is going to be tougher than it could and they may win some games and series in spite of him, similar to the 2016 finals.
Yup, he never found a way to fix the Cavs defense.
Yeah I don’t get that. Wasn’t he in charge of it when the cavs made their run in 2015? Does he defer completely to longiabrdi?
WALL = Wizards Always Lose Late
Nice
Or the Wiz just hit the Wall…
This one will stick in the Bullets craw, and good. Screw them.
One of the best comebacks in a long time.
Wizards would be tough matchup for Cavs… MWAH HAH HAH HAH HAH HAH!!!!!
“cold blooded”.
Ballgame! Cedi seals the deal.
*steals the deal.
CAVS WIN! CAVS WIN!!!!
CEDI WITH THE GAME WINNING STEALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Uninstall, John Wall.
Cedi w/ good awareness
USE THE FORCE!!
Great play by Cedi to sag onto Wall and recover for the steal.
Green clutch down the stretch and James unreal
WHAT A BOUNCE!
Return of the Cedi!
You know LeBron was like, we need some crunch time practice and Cedi needs to shoot some pressure free throws tonight. And while we’re at let’s mess with Wizards heads
Is tonight a podcap? Can it just be laughing?
LBJ WITH THE DEFENSIVE STOP ON WALL!!!
CEDI!!!
Good look for a midrange last second. Just didn’t make it. Glad bron got board now make fts
CEDIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!
Awesome!
Cedi steals the kick-out!
cediiiiiiioiiiiii
Cedi cedi cedi!!!
CEDI!!!
CEDI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We don’t deserve this one at all
Stop dude…
Never. Its in my blood to shump on parades
Gotta enjoy the comeback
RETURN KF THE CEDI
CEDI!!!!!
Jeez man…
I knew Wall would try to hero ball that…
LAUGHING MY ASS OFF at John Wall
Make these Bron…
This has heartbreak written all over it. Focus. Hopefully they don’t lose anyone
WOW!!
JR Smith for Defense??
Cavs D can close it out here!
Still gotta make some FTs…
Hard to fault starting Green if he’s gonna play within himself like this…
At least green can make clutch fts
CLUTCH OFFENSIVE REBOUND GREEN!!!!
Love that Money Money and the Hey Song still get played at the exact same time in NBA games for 30+ years
Gotta get a stop.
That was huge by Green
This is the type of game we lose on a lucky bank shot. Hope we win it that way
Great rebound by Jeff Green!