Live Thread: Cavs @ Warriors
2015-12-25
(Photo by Rocky Widner/NBAE via Getty Images)
It’s Christmas, and Adam Silver has been a very giving man this year. NBA fans are finally getting the rematch they all wished for: Cavs Vs. Warriors. Although, neither team looks exactly the same since they last met on June 16th.
The Warriors are missing their small ball power forward, Harrison Barnes, and the Cavs are fully loaded for the first time in nearly six months.
The game today could be a preview of the Finals, as both teams sit atop their respective conferences. The Warriors have been insanely hot so far this season losing just one game, and winning by an average of 13.5 points (second in the league). The Cavs are are beating opponents by an average of 6.2 points (fourth in the league).
Here’s what I’m looking for today:
1. How will the Cavs cover Stephen Curry? Curry is averaging 31.2 points a night, hitting 4.8 threes a night! In game one of the Finals, Irving covered Curry and held him to 26 points on 10-20 shooting. Curry has scored less than 26 points just eight times this season. Is Irving up for the challenge today?
Once Irving went out with his knee injury in the Finals, the Cavs began trapping Curry pick and rolls, forcing a pass, and then rushing to whoever caught the ball to force one final pass. Whoever received that second pass was free to shoot it. Typically, Andre Iguodala was that guy. He started hitting his shots in games four, five, and six, which propelled the Warriors to a title.
2. What lineup will finish this game? Kyrie Irving is on a minutes restriction, but even if he wasn’t, it’s still questionable as to if he would finish the game out. The Cavs’ Warrior stomping lineup in the Finals was Dellavedova, Shumpert, James, Mozgov, and Thomspon. LeBron ran the offense and the other guys focused on defending and getting every single rebound possible. It flustered the Warriors small ball super group.
3. With Kevin Love back, the Warriors will actually have to defend the entire floor. When the Cavs played them in the Finals, TT and Mozgov were often on the floor together for long stretches of time. Shumpert and Delly couldn’t hit any of their 3s. This resulted in the King seeing at least three defenders in the paint at all times. He had to work his butt off. What’s gonna happen when he gets to face just two defenders in the paint?
4. Both of these teams can defend and play offense. What is each one going to focus on? Is this game going to be a grind it out defensive affair or will both groups just try to out score each other? For the sake of the Cavs, I really hope they turn this game into a rough defensive event. Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are too dangerous from beyond the arc to try and out score.
5. TT or Mozgov are going to get guarded by Draymond Green at some point during this game. Can those two assert themselves as Bigs who can punish a smaller guy on the glass?
I’m predicting this game is won by less than three point by the Cavs. The Cavs (the King) have been waiting for this game all year. They’re going to play hard, and I’m sure it’s on their minds that they can deliver the Warriors their second L of the season.
Merry Christmas, let’s hope for a big Cavs win.
Please email Nate Smith, see the sidebar for his email address, if you would like a Cavs:The Blog shirt. He has two medium and two large shirts left for the first four people who contact him.
I leave you with the best holiday special of all time:
@ChrisBHaynes tweeting that Green is “no-nonsense” player….
Relax. The game plan was there, we created a lot of wide open shots that just didn’t make….against one of the best defense in the league. We held them to 89 pts, way below their average. Kyrie still not himself, the whole team have been playing together for only a few weeks. I’m not worried about GSW. The Spurs is the team that should be worried about.
I dunno, both teams were significantly off their games and it seemed mostly self-inflicted, I don’t think are many takeaways from this game except that future games are unlikely to look exactly like this. Both sides can say “if we play better and the other team plays just as badly as tonight we’ll win easily!” But clearly a good, competitive matchup and Jan. 17 should be fun.
Evil, is there any way you can get a GIF together of the Donkey running the length of the floor after his block/strip on Lebron late in the 4th? PML each time I see it.
I don’t think I can stand looking at Donkey long enough to create it… ;)
Yeah, and a fair chance of computer damage through uncontrollable reflex punching of screen. My bad.
These Cavs Christmas games have been duds the last two years.
I had to abandon the computer for a while, but after watching that game, I have to say, I’m very optimistic. Very. We ground their high flying upstoppable offense to a halt. Moz, Shump, Irving are all still in varying states of not-having-my-shot-back. We play defense with that type of intensity, and then they have to deal with covering Irving on D AND LBJ and the gang? Our poor shooting night involved a lot of open misses and free throws. Part of that is from putting so much energy on the defensive end. But a larger part of it was… Read more »
All in all, not a bad game in the big picture. The Cavs controlled the pace and generally defended well. The Warriors don’t want to have to play every game in this style in a best-of-seven series. Some ugly offense from the Cavs, but 1) they’re adjusting to having all their pieces for the first time since April; 2) the still-recovering Kyrie is playing like the sandbagging Uncle Drew; 3) Moz and maybe Shump aren’t quite right physically; 4) LeBron had to get some hero ball out of his system; and 5) I had the general impression that Blatt wasn’t… Read more »
Yeah, the more I think of it, the better I feel about our chances. We had the Warriors beat last year until they went small and we couldn’t counter with Love and Kyrie. We had them beat tonight if Kyrie and Love do better than 0 for 11 from 3. I can’t think of a game ever that Kyrie has gone 0 for 6 from three.
We crush the Warriors in seven. Curry can’t handle our D. Green can’t stop Love. And they have no one who can stop Kyrie.
I’m officially more concerned about the Spurs now.
Mind if I just outsource my comments to you from now on? ;)
No problem! Great minds think alike. Other minds think like Cols. :)
AGREE WITH YOU EVIL ABOUT T.T. STARTING OVER THE MOZ BUT STILL THINK WE NEED TO SEE WHAT OPTIONS / VIABLE POST PLAYER(S) MIGHT BE OUT THERE —–IF MOZ CONTINUES HIS SEASON LONG FUNK —I THINK WE NEED SOMEONE ELSE TOO ( BESIDES T.T. ) TO HELP SHORE UP THAT POSITION—-
Doubtful they can get much without moving a piece…
Smokin’ Joe is nothing if not a piece ;)
I know he’s got truckloads of baggage, but Markieff Morris wore out his welcome a year ago. Could be had for cheap. He’s a big that can score and plays pretty mean when he’s motivated…
JR could help him get his head straight.
Nah. He’s no center. No defense. Head case. Thinks he’s better than he actually is. So Nope.
TT is better than Moz, but it makes more sense to start Moz and play TT in crunch time. You also want to see how much you can develop Moz. The only time to start TT is in the playoffs. However, I would start Delly instead of Kyrie, at least until KI gets his game back in high gear. Even then, I might prefer bring KI off the bench, where he should be able to zip a game into another zone when he enters. Although KI and KL are improving on D, they will never be great, and it is… Read more »
Not a bad idea on Delly. Looks like Kyrie will need at least a few weeks to round into form. Delly should be paired with JR and Kyrie with Shump as much as possible, to balance offense and defense in the backcourt.
Moz ain’t perfect, but having a seven footer to defend and bang who can score a little? Cavs may win the title with Moz in 2009. You don’t want to be without that guy. All it takes is one team with a good big and you’re suddenly getting killed.
I don’t mind Irving starting. Its often helpful for guys coming back from injury to start, actually, because they can be in the best possible warmed up place before moving. Sometimes coming off the bench can let them cool down and re-injure.
Cavs are now 6-6 on Christmas Day… just not their holiday it seems…
That’s so Delly…
Yeah, I’d like to see a replay of that. On the fly, it looked like a couple of slaps or noogies from Iggy (nothing egregious, but probably shoulda been a foul) with a WTF? reaction from Delly.
Watching the Spurs game, and wow Kawhi Leonard is probably the best perimeter defender since Pippen. Maybe better than Pippen.
He’s having an MVP type season. Too bad Curry is giving him no chance at that. He’s fun to watch.
Due to travel/ work / sleep, only caught the last 7 minutes or so (will watch the rest later), but looked about what I expected. I’d be surprisd if they lose a home game this season. I know the belief by some is that the Warriors ‘suck’, the Cavs will destroy them, etc, but I live in the real world. If they would happen to meet in the finals, the Cavs can win, but it’s going to be an uphill battle. I would expect tooth and nail games like that, with the Warriors just generally getting easier baskets more consistently,… Read more »
Real world- Spurs and Warriors are undoubtedly the best teams in the league.
No argument here. At least at this time.
Look at our shooting percentages, adjust them to even sub-normal, we win the game. They didn’t play near good enough defense for you to assert what you are asserting, especially having watched 7 minutes. They couldn’t hang with us on defense, and we just couldn’t drop open shots.
ESPN POSTED A STAT— LEBRON HAS MISSED 12 CLUTCH FREE THROWS THIS YEAR —2ND TO DRUMMOND —–AM SURE LEBRON WILL CORRECT THIS ———EVEN THOUGH IT WAS AN ” OVERHYPED ” CHRISTMAS DAY GAME / AND IT IS STILL EARLY IN THE SEASON THERE ARE GROWING CONCERNS WITH THE PLAY OF MOZ ( I KNOW I BLOGGED THIS EARLIER AND I TOTALLY LOVE THE MOZ ) BUT GRIFF / BLATT AND COMPANY NEED TO BE HONEST —IF MOZ DOESN’T COME AROUND WE NEED TO GO FIND A VIABLE POST PLAYER —– THAT IS OUR BIGGEST NEED RIGHT NOW OR WINNING (… Read more »
They have that guy… he’s on the roster… they paid him $82M this summer to stay… TT needs to play more than 27 minutes, especially in a game like this…
Will there ever be a time when LeBron realizes the fact that his jump shot is broken and his athletism isn’t what it used to be, therefore he needs to play a closer-to-the-basket type of game and not from the 3pt line.
I thought that I was then only one who thought exactly this too. It seems that if the Cavs want to win multiple championships Kyrie will nerd to become our alfa dog.
I may be on the minority here but I honestly don’t see Lebron as a Top 5 guy in the league anymore this season…
Or a different perspective is this, I have would happily pick 4-5 guys over Lebron at this moment, if i was a GM or head coach to lead my team.
I have him on Paul George level but with better passing. Kyrie absolutely need to be a co-leader if we are to win a championship because leiso doesn’t work anymore.
Would love to hear your list of five guys that are better…
At this moment, with the way Lebron has been playing and how his shot has been super shaky, I would take any of these guys over him to start/lead a team:
Durant
Westbrook
Curry
K. Leonard
A. Davis
I wouldn’t hesitate to pick them over Lebron.
The biggest problem with Lebron is that he seems to mentally think he’s the player he once was and hasnt adapted to his physical decline. I’m not saying he is at the Kobe level, but he’s 85% of what he used to be in his prime and hasnt changed his game.
Disagree that he hasn’t changed his game… the stats show just how much he’s embraced playing in the paint this season alone…
I’d still take him over everyone on your list with the possible exception of Davis and mostly because of his potential and freakish ability at his size. What was so great about Curry today? Cavs made him look human. Westbrook and Durant are offensive players who take it easier than Bron on defense. I like Kahwi a lot, but not more than LBJ when the game is on the line.
Also, none of the other guys on your list have led their team to the finals for five straight years (and in all likelihood a sixth this year)… On a bad night, he still had 25 points and nine boards. Only thing missing were the assists, which would have been higher if anyone was hitting their shots… If LeBron is guilty of anything, it’s allowing his ego to get him out of his gameplan… Curry baited him into at least two long shots today… And, just to put a fine point on this… you’re making these observations after a game… Read more »
My bigger pet peeve with LBJ is that he doesn’t usually get back on defense after he turns the ball over… the one exception this game was that near shot clock violation when he raced back to block Ian Clark’s shot…
The Spurs will beat them in the WCF. The Spurs are better than the Warriors. Spurs have the best defense in the league and they will move the ball to break down their defense.
The Cavs are better suited to match up against the Spurs because the Spurs don’t play as much annoying small ball.
I fell your frustration bud. But no need to make silly statement like that and believe it’s true..
*feel stupid autocorrect
How so? Spurs are better than Warriors.
Uhm..same question. How so? Because you said so?
And how could you say we match up better against San Antonio?
We need to move the ball on offense. Lebron’s teams can at times get too stagnant with the ball.
Missed the whole thread. Can we all agree it’s time that TT starts and Moz is now off the bench?
Sucks that we lost but not a showing by the Cavs considering Kyrie’s performance and the whole team from the FT line. The fact that it was such a closed game when we were missing open shots lets me sleep okay tonight.
Now everyone needs to continue to get healthy and get the rhythm going.
Merry Christmas everyone!!!
*bad
Stupid cell phone keyboard…
My biggest concern is Moz. Missing shots is gonna happen. Our defense kept us in it, but Mosgov is near unplayable right now. We won’t be able to win it all if we don’t have a rim protector like him that can contribute on both ends. Also, F-ing free throws at the end of the game (looking at you Lebron). Those misses are inexcusable. Regardless, not much lost in a Overhyped Christmas game.
F**k this. Hate losing. What could be interpreted in this guys.. We didn’t make shots. But we’re +16 in attempts. GS only attempted 18 3ps. Only 3 attempts in the fourth. Same free throws made/attempted We’re out-assisted by 9. GS has more blocks + 6 GS has more turnovers + 5 Lebron is on switch mode thinking he could easily turn it on the last quarter. He played crap. Don’t care if anyone says “if no LBJ we lose by 20” b.s. If Lebron played from start to finish we won by 5. This is a marquee game. Even if… Read more »
The Warriors could afford to double and even triple team LeBron since no other Cav (saving maybe JR) was hitting outside shots…
Thing is Lebron could’ve set the tone early. Delly and JR fought hard start to finish and they also played somehow below what we expect. First night of a back to back. On a marquee match up on the highlight game of the year. You always want to win that one. I’m not totally disappointed because there are a LOT of things that didn’t go our way that could’ve and we win this game. But definitely the effort (or the decisions he made the first half) of main guy on the first half has a lot more to offer than… Read more »
Kevin and Kyrie a combined 0-11 from 3pt line.
2-11 we win:) oh well that doesn’t happen much. Defense looked good
I thought Kev played decent D and boarded like a man.
Definitely, just needed to hit some shots.
JR 4-8 from 3 pt line. The rest of the team, 1-22 from 3pt line.
I’m just glad they didn’t get torched by the Splash Bros… that would have been tougher to swallow…
Love, Thompson and Mo the only Cavs in the positives…
But they all could’ve played better.
Well, Mo only played 5 minutes and TT only 27… in games against teams like GS that go small and can score, both probably should have played more…
Also, I stand corrected… Kyrie was also +6…
Need to account for Livingston next time around. Wish that guy was still a Cav.
With a Kyrie that’s in rhythm and has his shot going, this game is ours.
He knew it too! He felt bad about missing those open 3s
Still held Warriors under 90… so the defense showed up…
Yeah and I don’t feel like their defense kept us from scoring we just missed
Delly is putting his kangaroo-wrangling experience to good use with these intentional fouls.
Look at that smile, somebody kick him in the face
I’d happily do some time in jail for a chance to take a swing at Donkey…
Id be right there with you. I cannot STAND him. Least favorite player in the NBA.
Great post. He is the ugliest human in NBA. Talks way to much. I’m still mad about curry saying last year he wants to win a championship for Akron. He left after a year if that and never came back. That comment was disrespectful on so many levels.
Overall I’m pleased with the overall effort by the Cavs but LeBron and the Cavs bench have to be better.
LeBron missing FT’s and he needs to find his jumpshot if the Cavs want to win it all.
Also the Cavs supporting Cavs have to be better and I mean Mozgov and Shumpert.
Kyrie gets a pass from me on this one.
Just not concerned one bit. Our defense is better than theirs. We just needed to hit a few more shots. Love this team. Merry Christmas cav fans
For all the bad outside shooting… this game was lost at the free throw line…
Smart play by JR…
And he promptly misses the front end…
TT is getting ridden out of bounds. He isn’t over the back.
Love got fouled ,but its like he’s invisible on offense to the refs cause he’s not getting any calls
Love got fouled there but oh well!
Btw, these are the nicest Cavs jerseys that they will wear all year.
Agree, wouldn’t mind picking one up.
Nah… I love the mashups…
Love got fouled…
Green feels he never fouls ,matter a fact ,the whole warriors
Green’s forearm is in his neck. Good call Jackson.
Donkey should really be assessed a Tech every time he runs down the court screaming about a foul…
Nah man , 1 possession game and you can’t find it in you to defend the damn rim go force them into tougher shots than two layups by curry come on man..this got me pissed on my bday
Glad you could join us, Jesus.
LOL… good one…
Hahaha glad to be with the CTB Fam on my bday
Game over…
Cavs just not enough outside shooting today…
That’s the bad part of playing KLove he is not a great help defender.
Crappy D by Love and Shump there.
God damn man. Curry is not this good. I don’t flying crap what anyone says. He is not this good. Freaking hit him at the rim.
Yeah. At least make him earn it.
Anyone can make open layups… not that hard…
Last two GSW possessions, Curry just driving at will down an empty lane…
JR SWISH!!!!!!
LeBron choke job. Sorry but it’s true.
Go away I don’t agree w ripping on Lebron. He missed some free throws, but he got us there where it mattered
But I didn’t mean that to be rude.
No ripping Lebron. Didn’t choke. But he could and should played better from the start. The start of the game matters
No defense on that Curry drive…
Now the Warriors whining.
And LBJ can’t convert at the line…
That’s right, that’s right, lets open our eyes!!!!!
I love this team! We got this! That block by love was njce