Live Thread: Cavs @ Spurs (#CollisionCourse)
2016-01-14
Aside from maybe Christmas Day (and the upcoming MLK Day matchup with the Warriors)… tonight’s game features one of the more anticipated clashes of the season, as the Cavs make their second stop in Texas to tangle with the San Antonio Spurs. As if this showdown needed more hype, both teams enter with lengthy winning streaks (eight games in a row for the Cavs and nine straight for the Spurs). The Spurs also just happen to be 22-0 at home to start this season (as they chase the all-time Western Conference record of 26-0 set by the Portland Trailblazers in 1977-78), and actually haven’t lost a game at the AT&T Center since the epic overtime thriller won by this Cavalier team last March 12th. In that 128-125 classic collision, the Cavs emerged victorious thanks to a career high 57 points from Kyrie Irving.
Since the last visit by the Cavs, most of the Spurs’ home games haven’t even been close contests. This year, they’re sporting a plus-16.1 points per game differential, just off the all time pace set by the 1995-96 Bulls (17.1). According to ESPN stats, San Antonio’s 93.5 points per 100 possessions allowed are on pace to be the fewest in the league in more than a decade, behind only their own mark of 91.6 set during the 2003-04 season.
Offensively, what makes the Spurs tough to defend is their ability to feature different scoring threats through their established system of sharing the ball. Tim Duncan, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Tony Parker have all taken turns as the high scorer in each of the last four games, and all four can prove to be difficult covers, as the Spurs’ offense flows wherever the team requires it.
The Cavs, meanwhile, have been able to diversify their own scoring lately with the return of a healthy Kyrie Irving. Even though he struggled a bit in his last two games (eight points on 3-of-15 shooting against the Sixers, and a rough shooting start against the Mavs), he came alive in the fourth quarter and overtime in Dallas to end up with 22 points and nine assists, and hit a deep dagger three to help cement the win. With Kyrie, LeBron, Kevin Love and a hot-shooting J.R. Smith, the Cavs have their own scoring threats to counter the Spurs.
With the Dallas victory, the Cavs have won eight consecutive games twice now this season, but they will need their best defensive effort to extend that streak to nine.
The probable starting lineup for the Cavs is: Kyrie Irving, J.R. Smith, LeBron James, Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson. And for the Spurs: Tony Parker, Danny Green, Kawhi Leonard, LaMarcus Aldridge and Tim Duncan.
The game will be nationally televised at 8pm EST on TNT, and can be heard on WTAM 1100.
This is a hard one to predict, as I think the Spurs, more than any other team, match up really well with the Cavs. I don’t think there will be nearly as much scoring as 10 months ago, but it should still be a very close game. I forecast that the wine & gold will pull this one out in the end 102-100.
ALL ABOARD! And GO CAVS!
Love was getting quite a bit of criticism in the last stretch. Our local reporters don’t seem to talk about this. Some (ESPN)lazily blame Delly for the loss. Here is SI’s link . http://www.si.com/nba/2016/01/15/spurs-cavaliers-finals-matchup-lebron-james-kevin-love-defense I think this writer has a point. Love did get exposed.
I get that Kawhi is a beast, but his job is so much easier than most other “stars.” He has had such increidble teammates his whole career, so he can focus lots of energy on D, spot up shooting, and on the occasional ISO. He doesn’t have to create offense for his team. He doesn’t get doubled a lot, etc. It’s crazy to me that media people think of him like Steph or LBJ or Durant, etc. His role has never been as important or critical as those players. Its hard to figure out what he would do if he… Read more »
While he doesn’t have to carry the offense he DOES carry the defense. While Lebron and Steph are half-assing it on D the whole regular season, KL is killing it. You saw tonights game how he affected the Cavs offense. It sure wasn’t tony parker or Manu making it tough on the Cavs.
I disagree with this. He has Duncan behind him his whole career, as well as Pop’s insane rotations and schemes to help him. I mean, Kawhi is HANDS DOWN the best defender in the league. I can’t take anything away from him. But he doesn’t carry their team defense. He mostly focuses on his one and one matchup because the Spurs team D is so good. Look, he is very very good. I just think he has lots of help and has almost become overrated because people don’t fully take into account all of the specific pieces of the Spurs… Read more »
I was just talking this year, and Duncan has slipped some though he is still solid. Parker is bonafide terrible though, and while the schemes are good, some of it is KL making it that way. He is a great help defender as well, though he mostly glued to LBJ tonight.
Right now I’d rather have Lebron and even steph, but ask again in a year and a half and my answer might change.
It’s more about how incredibly efficient he is from the field. And how much of an impact his defense makes. It’s really incredible, best wing defender since Pippen. Possibly better than Pippen. And when you are the face of the best team in the league, you have to be an MVP candidate.
But his incredible efficiency has everything to do with how deep their team is, which prevents defenses from focusing on him. He mostly just shoots wide open spot ups, and ISOs against smaller players with no double teams
Again. He is a great player. I am just curious how he would look on a less talented team where the offense runs through him and other teams constantly double him. Hard to lump him in with LBJ/Steph/Durant/Westbrook IMO.
The not getting doubled is a major deal. It’s the thing that helps draymond get a good rep. Stick draymond on a team where defenders can double him and his “passing skills” become severely lessened. Kawhi gets the same benefit…though less so. And he will begin to get double teamed more often…unlike green. We may never see how terrible green would be when a defense could focus on him
For sure KL’s offensive game is lesser than any other MVP candidate. But he’s progressing, and while he will prolly never be great, and obviously never in the same league as Lebron offensively, like believeland says he’s highly effecient.
He’s a spur. How many have been inefficient in the last fifteen years? Pop has filled the whole league.
Fooled* the whole league.
KL is an MVP candidate. He’s averaging 20 ppg, while being over 50% from the field, and nearly 50% from 3. He has a great shot at a 50/50/90 season. He is by far the best defensive player in the entire league. He is the best player on the best team in the league. Hence he is an MVP candidate. And that’s what he is: an MVP candidate. I don’t think people have necessarily put him in the same historical category as Curry, Lebron and Durant yet, who are all among the greatest ever at their position. But he is… Read more »
Believe what you want…he’s overrated offensively by a LOT, and a great defender. He’s at beat a DPOY candidate, probably the DPOY right now. He is good at stopping Lebron James, yes. Cavs fans overrate him because of this. He’s the only defender in the league on lebron’s level athletically. Keep in mind, lebrono is over 30…kawhi is NOT Scottie puppet. He’d have gotten shredded by Lebron were they the same age. Westbrook shreds him consistently
Point guard play was the story tonight. Parker carved up the KI and the Cavs interior as usual and KI couldn’t return the favor like he did last year. Parker last year plus tonights game is averaging 21 a game on 60% shooting.
And yea, Love wasn’t great but LMA was worse. Love had 10pts/12rb LMA 6/8.
Cavs played with them all night, on the road, with subpar games from Love and KI, and yes, some questionable reffing. Good effort though and what the hell, it was just a meaningless regular season game when it’s all said and done.
Agree. KI will win Parker duel more often than not. Just was not his night tonight.
I agree with all of this. With both this game and the warriors I have seen nothing to be scared of. Just the opposite. I do wish we would fine tune our offensive plan more and not just let Irving dribble, but I do know that his a big part of his game and often it gets him going.
I like the idea of starting Iman Stripert and have JR to boost our bench points. Anyway nothing to be too upset about.
This reminds me of my biggest bone to pick of the night. Inexcusable for Shump to only play 19 minutes tonight. He’s the Cavs best defender, and he’s been hitting his shots on offense. He should’ve played RJ’s useless 11 minutes for sure.
Does anyone think this game was unfairly called against the Cavs, or is it just me?
Yea it was, but some of it is just being on the road, and some of it was the leagues vendetta against JR. We get those calls a lot of games, it just sucks to be on the short end of the stick in a marquee national tv game.
Thanks! Yeah, it’s absolutely ridiculous the treatment JR gets.
I honestly expect home teams to get preferential treatment from refs. It’s fair to say away teams know that going in. But DAMN this was so egregious & blatantly over the top that in my opinion it border lined on cheating. You have to make calls both ways, No one can convince me the Spurs is the perfect NBA team incapable of fouling. THEY DID. So many times we seen Parker pulling and practically taking a ride on Kyrie’s jersey, Delly is still be treated like the red headed step child. Duncan held his arm back numerous times preventing him… Read more »
That’s the biggest thing. Be consistent with foul calls. Lots of disparity tonight.
LeBron James says his plan is to play tomorrow night against Rockets, but says he’ll discuss it with David Blatt in the morning. — Chris Haynes
He played hard tonight but only 37 minutes. Plus they have 2 off days before GS. I don’t mind either way really. I though I do want to pay them back for that game last year in Houston. So yea lebron, go ahead and play.
In retrospect, Cavs should’ve sat their starters like Pop had a few years back.
Lakers actually hanging with Warriors after one…
Is Draymond back?
Yes… Donkey’s ugly mug is on the court…
Sixers nearly beat the Bulls. Should have won, were up by twenty something…..
Amazing how a few coaching additions and some vets are helping them.
Yea. They really need a positive environment to develop their young players.
WHy can’t the football commissioner do this to the Browns? LoL
Glad to see that GS mails it in sometimes too when they play poor teams. Only up by 3 at the half.
I gotta agree with the Chuckster’s hilarious line though, the Lakers got no shot, like the black girl on ‘The Bachelor’….
That was some vintage Chuck!
Cavs get the Revenge Game in Cleveland!
You can trade KLove in the Trade Machine after tomorrow. Just saying.
don’t need to look at that. Great read from last year on klove here on the blog, just saying
That’s super helpful. Good job on providing a link to whatever article to which you allude.
Archives March 24th 2015. He is way more valuable than it appears. Trade?…sure hope not.
The thing about complaining about Kevin’s efficiency is, I just feel like he’s not in rhythm with the offense. When he does get a shot off late in a game, it’s usually the first time he’s getting a shot since the first half. He gets looks early in the game, and then very late in the game. By then, he has no feel, no rhythm. He’s cooled down. I wish they would run sets for him in the post in the third quarter. I really can’t remember them running a set in the post for him this entire game. But… Read more »
Cavs just didn’t seem to be running sets for anyone in the second half fwiw…
Not even any Loaded Wombat.
That is why he was much more efficient in Minn he had the ball a lot more. Anyway I want to trust we will improve here.