Live Thread: Jazz @ Cavs
2015-11-10
The Utah Jazz visit LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavs tonight in C-Town. The game is set for 7:00 PM and can be seen on Fox Sports Ohio or NBA League pass.
Utah has won their last two games and is 4-2 for the season. They have a strong defensive identity holding opponents to a lead leaguing average of 39% from the field for just 85 points a game. Rudy Gobert is their center piece averaging four blocks a game.
The Jazz will be starting Raul Neto (PG), Rodney Hood (SG), Gordan Hayward (SF), Derrick Favors (PF), and Gobert (C). The Cavs are starting Mo Williams, J.R. Smith (probable), LeBron James, Kevin Love, and Timofey Mozgov.
If the Cavs want to silence the Jazz tonight, there are a few things they need to think about.
1. David Blatt cannot let Rudy Gobert stop guys from driving. If the Cavs settle for jumpers and get cold early, the game could get out of control.
2. The Wine and Gold should consider playing small ball. If Gobert is going to protect the rim, let Kevin Love shoot threes and elbow jumpers.
3. The Jazz are last in the league for assists with just 16.5 a night. The Cavs should make sure it stays that way. If the Cavs can play honest defense, Gordan Hayward and Derrick Favors will have to beat them. I like that scenario.
I’m predicting the Cavs actually run away with this game. The Cavs have started three games in a row slowly. I don’t expect that trend to continue. The Cavs should also try to ratchet up their D and muffle any attempts by the Jazz to go on mini-runs. The Jazz defense may be one of the best, but you still have to outscore an opponent to beat them. I’m not sure the Jazz can do that against a top five offensive team that defends.
Man… the only thing better than a Cavs victory… is driving home for an hour listening to Laker fans bemoan their horrible team and gnash their teeth as they call for Grumpy’s job… The Thibodeau pipe dream is alive in Lakerland!!
And LeBron bought a house in LA! Has that set off any wild speculation there?
No, they know that ship has sailed… plus they’re done with high-priced stars in their 30s…
Awwww….I’m sure a blockbuster trade for Melo would turn their frowns upside down!
EG…must be great to be a Cavs fan in LA these days. And the season has just started!
It’s so good! Plus, I get the last laugh on all of my Laker loving friends who gave me grief and pity when LBJ left in 2010…
They really need Rambis. Or Magic. Or maybe Derek Fisher can turn it around.
It’s been mostly downhill since Jim Buss took over, although Mitch has been a pretty good GM. They’ve just made horrible choices the last few years and dined out for far too long on their hubris…
I mean… when you hire the coaches the Cavs fired… twice, that’s pretty weak…
Even if they somehow get a star FA to come in, they are a good way from being very good. They should just draft high for a while, and use the slogan “Gettin’ back to fun again”
Phew. That LeBron guy is good. And Gordon Heywood cannot guard him.
A lot of knuckle headed passes all game, but otherwise well played.
Great win! The streak continues…
I agree…great win against a tough team. Lebron turned it on in the fourth. Just took over the game. He seems in great shape too!
DWIGHT POWELL ( WHO I LIKED ) IS TURNING INTO A NICE PLAYER FOR THE MAVS —SOMEONE “RESTORE ‘ MY MEMORY ON HOW WE OBTAINED HIM AND WHO DID WE TRADE HIM FOR —THANKS “OL” NOMAD
Powell arrived with Brendan Haywood last year and played with the Cavs’ 2014 summer league team. He was traded to Boston before the season in a deal involving a bunch of minor players. The key for the Cavs was getting Keith Bogans and a hefty but trade-friendly nonguaranteed contract. They flipped Bogans to the Sixers for a trade exception, which enabled them to trade for Mozgov a few months later.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/12136574/nba-how-did-cleveland-cavaliers-get-timofey-mozgov
You have to be an incredibly cerebral player to get high minutes on this team. RJ and Delly are rising on the depth chart, JR is falling.
RJ is not gonna play over JR, his D is too weak. Delly may eat up a few of the minutes JR got last year, but he should still play 22-25 per game.
J.R. had a meltdown after another BS foul call. He ran up the court, threw up a wild shot, and just had to be removed from the game.
Point proven, cerebral players will get more minutes on this team.
I swear I heard one of the Cavs players tell him to stop it & calm down.
Towns is going to be really good. I never want to hear TWolves fans complain about losing Love ever again.
He and Wiggins have been awesome to watch the last couple games.
THE MOZ STILL ROUNDING INTO SHAPE ( HOPING IT HEALS SOON )—BELIEVE R.J. DOES BETTER JOB WITH 2ND UNIT /”SPACE STARS ” AND THEY REPOND WITH HIM IN THERE ——YES AS AN EARLIER BLOG MENTIONED —WOULD LIKE TO SEE MO AND KY HEAT IT TOGETHER SOME NIGHT WOULD BE SOMETHING SPECIAL TO SEE !!
Knicks beat the Raptors. Raptors got a bit screwed on a Melo foot out of bounds play that was missed.
Is this my imagination or has Cavs the Blog really taken off on their game threads this season?? It’s been fun!
Mosgov only 19 mins. That is what was different. TT had the intensity
WHAT A GAME. LeBron looked like 2009 LeBron. Just completely, overwhelmingly unstoppable.
Mo had an incredible game. The Cavs are finding ways to win despite not playing great.
That’s exactly what I was saying in the 4th. Vintage Lebron!
Big three without Kyrie!
Westbrook is five times the player that Wall and Beal are combined. Oh, and by the way, he leads the league in assists. KD would be stupid to leave.
ALLIE LOOKING PRETTY GOOD IN THAT TIGHT BLACK SWEATER !! (OUCH –MY WIFE DIDN’T AGREE WITH ME )
I would put money on this being the high fourth quarter points against mark for both teams this season (38-34)…
When the Cavs turned it on, Utah’s defense stood no chance.
Both teams shot the lights out (Cavs 50% and Jazz 49%) and nobody had double digit boards… and 45 points scored off of turnovers by both teams (29 for Utah)… weird, weird game…
RJ played alot with the starters. He wasn’t proficient with them. I wonder if he got the mins because JR still recovering from injury?. Bench seem not to click as well w/o him in mix.
I think mainly Blatt liked his defense on Hayward.
I guess I didn’t see that. Good observation
Yeah… young Adolf haircut scored just 4 points in the second half…
WOW I didn’t realize that. He did get into foul trouble too. Cavs played Jazz smart to draw those fouls!
I missed everything before Utah made its run late third/early fourth. But the Cavs’ intensity for most of the fourth quarter was off the charts, with LeBron in the lead.
Man… that was exhausting!
WHEW !!!!!——WHAT A GAME ——MO GOTTI /WELCOME BACK !!!—–LIFE IS GOOD ” IN THE LAND “
Extremely offensive second half for two of the league’s better defensive teams…
Yeah, great offensive game, despite all the TOs. I think they could have run away if not for all the mistakes.
yeah the turnovers kept Utah in it. Cavs executed their offensive very well against the “league’s top defense”. <—Not anymore.
THAT was VERY entertaining. My heart still hasn’t slowed it’s pace and all I was doing was watching. The last 2 minutes seemed to take as long as the rest of the 4th quarter. It would have been amazing to have been at the Q for that one.
Mo Gotti: 29 pts. 9 shots.
Just an incredible stat…
Utah: No blocks.
This was just a weird game.
I’m so glad he’s back. I shudder to think where the Cavs would be without him.
Seriously Kudos to him!!
7 in a row!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We had 15 assists in the first half, only 9 in da second half for 24 in da game. Jazz came back and had 30 damn assists.
Delly couldn’t do the lobs to TT. Gobert ready for that
Go away Utah, go away.
Nothing like arguing about time with the refs.
I thought this game was going to be tough, and a potential loss, so in my mind it’s a great win.
O.K. Time to get NBA League Pass.
If you were going to get it… this would be the season to do so…
How are they letting Burks get these shots off?
Damn They can shoot the 3!!
This game cant finish yet with a Cavs win
FSO needs to add timeouts remaining to its score graphic.
Burks can hardly miss tonight…
Glad they won but still no reason for Lebron to play 39 minutes in November.
Generally agree, but in this case they have two off days to recover. And they were off yesterday.
Sure but he’s banged up too
He didn’t look banged up tonight…
LeBron hasn’t looked “banged up” since the first two games.
Jazz are the zombie team they just refuse to die
Hahahaha sooo true
Meanwhile Ingles almost took Delly’s head off there…
Jazz aren’t the best defensive team after this one.
That foul was against Delly? HIs butt?
Definitely one of the longer fourth quarters I’ve seen in a while.
Ingles popped Delly in the back of the head there.
Jazz only allowed 100 points one other time this season (108 to the Blazers)…
God, I love this team.
Intersting line-up to close. Blatt left RJ in. Rotated Mo/Delly in and out for offense and defense plays
BALLGAME!!!