Links To The Present: December 6, 2010
2010-12-06
The Cavaliers lost to the Detroit Pistons 102-92 on Sunday night while shooting a meager six of 22 in the fourth quarter. The Cavs have now lost on the road to a team with a six-game losing streak (Minnesota) and a four-game losing streak (Detroit). In other words, they’re losing to some of the worst teams in the league. The Plain Dealer’s Mary Schmitt Boyer has a game recap; the postgame quotes feature the words “demoralizing,” “transition,” and “when it rains, it pours.” Sounds like the language of a team that’s downright punch-drunk at the moment.
The Cavs’ haplessness apparently isn’t just the product of a lack of talent. Byron Scott said after last night’s Pistons game that he wants “someone in that locker room to get [peeved] besides me” and for the team “to compete for 48 minutes.” The implication from these quotes is that the Cavs are accepting these losses rather than using them as motivation. They can’t compete for 48 minutes? They’re not mad? We might be looking at the worst team in the league if this continues.
The focal point of a lot of game recaps seems to be the play in the fourth quarter when the Pistons were allowed to run down the shot clock, get an offensive rebound, run down the shot clock again, grab a second offensive rebound, and hit a three to ice the game. How this sort of thing happens to an NBA team playing the Pistons, I haven’t the slightest.
It seems Byron Scott will look to overhaul the Cavs’ starting lineup and rotation in the coming week. He’s characteristically cautious, but it’s probably time to see if Manny Harris and Samardo Samuels can do something off the bench. Some ink has been spilled about whether or not playing rookies would be a white flag, but what does one call a 129-95 loss in Minnesota?
The Morning Journal’s Zachary Dzurick ponders if this apathy and losing will lead to the death of Cleveland’s basketball franchise. Things can’t possibly be this grim, but I sympathize with his sentiment.
On The Twitters
“Video to start your week — Top 10 Dunks of November http://dlvr.it/9qfMd #PBT #NBA” [Kurt Helin]
“Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. #Cavs” [realcavsfans]
Either Eyenga’s English is still a work in progress or he’s tapped into some divine profundity: “smart then u think they are but no smart they think the are. who can be???” [Christian Eyenga]
They do not have the least amount of talent in the NBA. The problem is that all their talent is concentrated at two positions: PG and PF. They have two starting players and a decent bench guy at both positions. They have to get some roster balance. Teams are trapping their point guard cause no one else has any ball skills to make a play.
Couldn’t have said it better Todd.
I think early in the year the Cavs played a little over their heads. They were motivated with something to prove, but it seems like they have sort of begun to accept what they are, which is worrisome.
I knew the Cavs lacked talent going in to the season. I didn’t pick them to make the playoffs and had them 11-13 in the East. However, I did think that they had better talent than at least three teams: Toronto, Detroit, and Minnesota. I was wrong on that front too. They have the least amount of talent in the NBA.
this team really has no mental toughness whatsoever…thats the biggest killer…lack of talent hurts in tough part of games or anything coming down to the wire then talent takes over…look at teams with a superstar…hell look at Cavs when they had Lebron…now the Cavs dont have much talent but they also have no heart or mental fortitude…thats why they get killed by teams they should beat or at least be competitive with…theres no reason to ever get blown out at the professional level unless one opposing team is shooting lights out and has a hot night or one team has… Read more »
saying that this last week could be the death of the franchise is a little unrealistic i think, but it definitely caused many lukewarm fans to start searching for a new team, that’s for sure. i’m not sure if it’s the coach, the players, or a combination of both (probably this), but the complete lack of heart and hustle this cavaliers team is showing is a disgrace to cleveland. i have been backing byron scott all along and really hope he can turn this around. i’m not sold that we need to blow up the team and enter full rebuilding… Read more »
I don’t understand why the Cavs have quit. I don’t understand why someone on the Cavs didn’t at least get in Lebron’s face. I don’t understand.