Live Thread: Cavs Vs Bulls, Game One
2015-05-04
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The Cavs face the Bulls tonight. This marks the rare occasion that the Bulls are healthier than an opponent, as the Cavs are missing Kevin Love and Derrick Rose actually appears to be healthy. The Cavs are also missing JR Smith tonight because he decided to hit someone in the head with a closed fist. He’ll be back in time for game three.
Kevin Love provided 9.7 rebounds and 16.4 points per game this season playing 34 minutes an evening. JR Smith provided 12 points a night during the regular season and almost ten points a night during the postseason. These two guys’ scoring will be missed, but the Cavs should be able to overcome it with extra scoring from Kyrie Irving/ LeBron James and extra Tristan Thompson garbage production.
To date in the playoffs Tristan has scored 7.3 points a game to go with 6.8 rebounds (3.8 offensive boards) in 25 minutes a night. Extra playing time and time on the floor without Kevin Love will allow TT to grab some extra rebounds and score more second chance points. However, he will not stretch the floor like Love. The Cavs will have to figure that out without Big T (although, his offensive rebounding abilities may help drag opposing defenders to him because they’re afraid a free Thompson will grab too many rebounds). James Jones and Mike Miller may both see extra floor time as well as Shawn Marion in an attempt to stretch the floor.
LeBron may also see time at the power forward spot tonight to keep Timofey Mozgov and TT off the floor at the same time. This would ensure the lane stays free for Kyrie to drive and cause chaos.
I’m predicting the Cavs win this game, 112-90. The Bulls are going to let their guard down and try to rely on Derrick Rose for offense when they struggle to score. That’s a game plan David Blatt can combat. Let’s just hope the Bulls don’t realize Jimmy Butler should be their offensive go to.
And, for Cavs fans who are skeptical that the Cavs can win this series, I refer you to Tom Thibodeau.
“The way they’re built, they still can do the same things,” Thibodeau said from Bulls practice. “They have a very versatile roster. The thing that makes them so versatile is LeBron (James), and Kyrie (Irving) because Kyrie can play off the ball as well as on the ball. LeBron handles the ball so much and he can go to (power forward).”
The best part about having a big three is that when one of them gets injured you still have two superstars.
It’s amazing that we are saying that lebron played badly and he almost got a triple double with 15 boards. Me included.
How the Cavs miss Love? When Love is in the game Lebron doesn’t need to rebound that much and Lebron can get ready scores off transitions baskets. But when LeBron rebounds the ball and he tries to push the posting team defense is set already to defend him.
Under the circumstances, LeBron turned the ball over too many times, and, he didn’t rise to the occasion at the end when the game was still winnable.
The Bulls had a good game plan too.LBJ, Krie, and Delly were 2-12 from 3pt range.
Lebron needs to step it up and come out with passion, energy and heart. He’s too busy whining to the refs and yelling at teammates. Takeover and score 30+. I mean come on, let’s go….next game is a must win. It’s so rough being a Cavs fan!
We are in serious trouble…Lebron needs to quit whining to the refs and infuse some passion and heart into the game…Takeover with a 30-35 point performance, my god. He has had 8 days off! No excuses, he better be ready next game.
Blatt gets some blame too. Starting Miller?
Not a lot of good options. TT off the bench has been so good
I would have started JJ. Gotta be better than MM
MM has no confidence right now…. He looks lost. The Cavs should try JJ.
But the most important thing is to find a way to defend that Rose/Gasol Pick n roll better. They got to many easy scores off of it.
TNT consensus is that Miller must sit and Perkins must play. Thoughts here.
I meant, thoughts from this blog?
They can play him but Lebron prefers to play with shooters so that he can have free driving lanes.
No they should not see the court if the Cavs want to win.
On a negative note… I think The Matrix might well and truly be done…
Bury him next to Miller!
Which leaves the Cavs with basically a 6-man rotation until JR comes back. Unless Miller or JFJ make themselves useful by making some shots, there’s Irving, Shump and Delly in the backcourt, and James, Mozgov and TT up front.
Interesting to see not one player labeled a power forward in the Cavs’ half of the box score.
On a positive note… Shump was awesome!
Loved his game! And kyrie’s.
I think that is the best Bulls have. That was crazy shooting from 3. They all looked to tired to celebrate.
Normally I’d tip my hat to the other team playing fantastic, but we gave up numerous bunnies and left Gasol open for uncontested jumpers all game. Yeah, they shot 50%, but it wasn’t like they were all prayers. Rose was 11-26. We just left everyone else wide open.
Kyrie needs to stop letting LeBron take over the ball whenever he wants. Kyrie was absolutely feeling it tonight and had us within 4 with 5:00 left in the game. Then suddenly LeBron dominates the ball for four straight possessions, resulting in zero points and 2-3 turnovers. That was all she wrote.
The day may not be too far off when this will be Kyrie’s team. Unless LeBron discovers the fountain of youth one of these offseasons.
Maybe he should have taken a trip to Miami during the week off…
It was the five minute run at the end of impatience, sloppy sets, and not being able to turn the screws that sunk the wine and gold.
Considering there was no JR, this was a missed opportunity.
19 points from LeBron is not even good enough to win a second round game. I know LeBron wants to show patience most of the time but someone needs to tell him to turn into a scorer if the Cavs want to have a chance at all.
He will next game I know he shouldn’t wait but we see him do that now and then
He did turn into a scorer in the second half, chucking bricks in the third and failing to connect on lay ups in the fourth. He needed to defer to Kyrie.
Cavs have work to do. But circumstances were more favorable for the Bulls tonight than they will be again in this series: Rose playing on three days’ rest, and the Cavs playing their first game without Love and JR.
I don’t think the Bulls will hit that high of a percentage the next game.
That is what I was thinking. I think that is the best the Bulls have and Butler looked exhausted. Tough loss but didn’t see anything to be doubtful about us winning this series
Well, mission accomplished for Chicago. The Bulls came in and stole game one. Cavs played sloppy at times and shot red hot.
How bad did Rose injure his shoulder?
Did he injure his shoulder? I thought it was his lower extremities?!?!?
Good news: JR is only suspended for ONE MORE GAME!!!!
Bron needs to watch his Nike promo video again before the next game…
Yikes. Will win game 2 but losing game 1 is not a good sign.
Don’t start Miller. And stop turning the ball over, Bron. Also, guard Pau.
I’m going to the next game. Hopefully my 8-1 record will bring positive vibes.
The Cavs got 22 from Shumpert and still lost… Definitely not a good sign.
Man, I really hate Olynyk right now!!!!
Me too the Cavs have really miss him tonight.
Cavs will be ready for game two. No way they come out that flat again!
The start of the game and that 15-0 run were too hard to overcome.
Cavs just got to split. Next game is a must must must win.
Yes, he’s been very anti Cleveland thus far in the playoffs
Biggest lesson from this game… Don’t start Miller… Or play him at all.
That was a prayer from Butler. Cavs just need to get the ball to Kyrie and let’s see what happens.
Anyone else think Chris Webber is an idiot?
That was probably the ballgame.
How is TT the best ball handler defender right now ?
LeBron misses a layup. He totally choked in this game. What a brutal, pathetic performance.