Live Thread: Grizzlies @ Cavs
2016-03-07
The Cavaliers conclude their four game homestand tonight when the Memphis Grizzlies come to town. While the Grizz sport a very respectable record of 37-25, good for fifth in the Western Conference, they aren’t quite the Grit & Grind squad of the past few seasons. Despite their winning record, the Grizzlies have negative point differential on the season, meaning they are likely not as good as their record indicates. They have lost Marc Gasol for the season, traded away Jeff Green and Courtney Lee, and are without Mike Conley and Chris Andersen tonight. Although they are 7-3 over their last ten games, they’ve lost twice to the dreadful Phoenix Suns during that stretch, including yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers have won the first three games of their homestand, including an impressive come-from-behind-turned-blowout win over the Boston Celtics Saturday night. For the most part the team is healthy, and seemingly (hopefully?) focused on earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference and preparing for the playoffs. They’ve also played extremely well against the Grizzlies since LeBron James returned to Cleveland, winning all three of the previous matchups by an average of 22 points.
All in all, it looks like a matchup that favors the Cavaliers, but if yesterday’s Lakers-Warriors game taught us anything, it’s that there’s a reason you play the game. Be sure to tune in tonight to watch your Cleveland Cavaliers play the game and share your thoughts here at Cavs: The Blog!
Cavs players can send out more ‘cryptic’ (more like ‘craptic’) twerts after this one, but it’s not going to diminish this stinkbomb.
Disappointing to see the same bad habits and Kyrie’s lack of focus. That many turnovers warrants him to the bench. If Not Now then When? It’ll be too late come the Finals! Lue has failed to hold him accountable and the team falls apart when he just will not zone in. Even Mike Brown would bench him on that many turnovers. You know what? He didn’t do it again. In fact, he improved in least amt of turnovers. Brown would call him out once in awhile. Blatt nor Lue will. That harms the team, You see a concerted effort on… Read more »
If anyone thinks that a team can just flip the switch come playoff time, you don’t anything about NBA basketball. There have been too many games like this since Kyrie came back.
Last year, under Blatt, the Cavs were the best team in the league in February, March, and April. Getting to the finals was not a matter of “flipping some switch”.
I guess LBJ’s last Tweet was prophetic…
Look at LBJ’s beautiful mind at work!!! It’s beautiful!!!
HAHAHAHAHAHA… man I wish I could post the Tom Cruise laughing hysterically on Oprah meme!!
HOLY CRAP EG! This one is too much!!! There are so many layers of Tom Cruise here.
Haha this meme got out fast
LBJ is a beautiful mind!!! Leave him alone!!! /s
My last post only makes sense to the educated mind!!!! /s
Looking at the box score, the stat that sticks out to me is that the Cavs had more turnovers (25) than they had percentage of threes made (24)… Pretty telling…
EG the Cavs were SO lazy with their passes it was hard to watch. I would guess 15-16 of the turnovers were bad passes. And KI killed the comeback momentum earlier in the 4th quarter dribbling into 4 defenders.
I guess even KI can’t handle his own handles…
Also more turnovers (25) than assists (23).
I will say that in the first half, like in the Boston game, there were some tremendous offensive sets that were very encouraging. LBJ was playing great off ball and in the p and r with Irving. Several plays were designed such as that backdoor that mozzy made a great pass to Love? for an easy dunk. In the first quarter they repeatedly found cutters or kicked out for what should have been easy layups or wide open threes. Missed, bobbled, or got stripped on several layups, and missed a number of wide open threes. Overall a terrible display defensively… Read more »
I guess Tony Allen ate his Wheaties on National Cereal Day…
They are both the great team we saw before this and the bad team we saw tonight. Frustrating.
Sorry for missing it guys… figured Cavs would have had no problems with a decimated Grizz team on the second night of a back to back on the end of a road trip on the Cavs’ home floor… I guess I was as overconfident as they were…
Lue looks completely overmatched. May I reiterate again that he called a late timeout with the lead and momentum which allowed the energy depleted Grizzlies to regroup.
I suppose Pop was overmatched tonight too.
Granted, I have watched the Spurs a fraction of the time as the Cavs, but I don’t recall such an utter lack of team effort for 3 1/2 quarters. Or he would have benched a few players.
Didn’t have the TOs but 14% from 3 is awful. Cavs-tonight awful
What’s the relationship of the team’s shooting with their lack of effort for 3 & 1/2 quarters??
Exactly. Spurs lost trying “hard”. No one saw the game but we assume. The Cavs on the other hand were lazy garbage but shot 24%. Imagine if they somehow shot 30%! Way below the usual avg. They would have won!
That’s exactly the point too. What we’re “whining” about is this team’s lack of effort. You’re hoping for one thing less sure than expecting them to be on full effort?
There are a bunch of ways this team can do to win this game even when they get cold from the perimeter. And most of it has a lot to do on how they put in the consistent effort and the mindset. I’d rather have the mindset of a killer than a hot shooting hand going into the playoffs.
Pop doesn’t have an on/off switch. Overmatched or not he will give you the best he can night in night out. Same with Spurs as a whole. 5 RING kid.
Give me a bet that Pop wouldn’t be as furious as anyone on these boards with the team’s showing tonight
I would have to check, but I’m pretty sure Pop missed this game to deal with a family medical issue…
Pop didn’t coach tonight!
Even my wife asked if that was a bad timeout when we watched the game. Lue has definitely not moved the performance/attitude/galvanized meter any more than Blatt. You have to wonder what Griffin is thinking after a game like this?
In his defense he did it after the previous play was LeBron chucking a 3 with 18 on the shot clock
Some of the new offensive sets look fantastic, lots of backdoors and give and gos when properly and precisely executed. The Irving and James p and r is devastating. Irving despite the turnovers actually did make some great passes in the first half including some kickouts for wide open threes that were missed. He also consistently gave the ball up in the p and r in the first half leading to some nice looks at the basket.
But yeah his game management is not fantastic yet.
Yeah, I’ve liked some of the new action they are running.
The next one is a first game of a back2back. In which the following is the last Lebron vs Kobe matchup. I expect Lebron to either sit or go half effort to be able to condition himself for that game.
But then Cousins vs any of our bigs is a disaster waiting to happen. So danger of losing that game is real. Then of course Toronto is just behind our shoulders for that # 1 seed.
Who’s the idiot that will say that this game has no value?
This game was awesome. This team is awesome. Awesome. Aw——–some… Awwwww…. They freaking stink!!!!!
Who knows how long this parallel lasts but Blatt started the year 14-7. Lue started his HC career 14-7. Let’s hope he goes 16-4 to close.
Yeah and Lue is about 5,000 games behind in head coaching education.
Right, that 19-20 start last year. He immediately adjusted to the NBA.
Yeah and obviously those are the same circumstances. I thought Dion was traded?
That was before the roster makeover and the LeBron rejuvenation.
New head coach. Trying to implement a new system.
I see no ‘new system’. At all. Which is logical, since Lue said when he took over that they would be running the same stuff that they ran under Blatt. (‘But better’)
To match last season’s 32-7 run, they’ll have to win 18 in a row.
You’re right. Lue didn’t get the chance to go 19-20 and still make the playoffs. He had to merely match Blatt’s 14-7 start this year.
Well regardless if you like or dislike Blatt and/or Lue, this team has some alarming flaws. They certainly could win a championship, but I don’t see it. At least not this year.
I’m totally with you there. This year will be a tough uphill climb but I think they’ll get there (Finals). Who knows if they win but they have a couple year window of opportunity.
Shame on you, Arch. The Euro Genius sucked, and Lue is awesome!!!!
This game perfectly summarize the season so far.
Tony Allen is the real deal.
Tony Allen is one player…..
One player who shut down Lebron on a possession that could have won the game.
On a possession that would certainly not happen if they played the way you believe they’ll do in the playoffs.
Huh? Here are my beliefs. There will be in the playoffs. They will be a #1 or #2 seed. Here are my risky beliefs. They will win the East.
Of course they will win the east.
You always happy to lose in the finals tho Cols
All that matters to Cols is getting there. That is awesome enough.
Hey everyone. Haven’t been commenting much lately, been dealing with some really bad carpal tunnel and trying to avoid typing as much as possible. But this game is the exact reason why I said a few games back that this team would need to do a LOT more than win a couple games in a row to convince me they were anywhere near championship level. Restart the crap counter back to zero. I also just got a new puppy and his first day without an accident was today. The two situations are getting closer together. Let’s see which one ****… Read more »
Also, 25 turnovers is unacceptable. End of story.
Get well soon bud…
AC just said, “The Cavs just showed the league how weak they are.” That is beyond brutal, but it is sadly true.
Hey, but LeBron smiled after the game, so it’s all good. /s
A.C. STATING WHAT WE ARE ALL THINKING —” NOT LIKE WE HAVE 50 GAMES LEFT TO FIGURE IT OUT AND START PLAYING BETTER —-NEEDS TO HAPPEN NOW “——-LET ALL THE MEDIA HYBER–” BULL SH-T ” START
Lebron Kyrie and Love weren’t perfect by any stretch but Delly and JR ruined this one. Let’s be fair in the blame. If AC hates the club, resign. I swear GSW and SA’s insane season has ruined everyone’s expectations.
The Big 3 had 15 turnovers, LeBron some baffling decisions on offense down the stretch, Irving the ‘Right this way, Mr. Chalmers’ defense on the go-ahead score. Plenty of blame to go around. A team defeat.
Everyone zeroes in on the big 3. I seem to remember a stupid Delly foul. A stupid TT violation. Some horrid shooting from Delly and JR. I agree, it’s a team effort.
Interestingly enough. Blatt started this season 14-7 and Lue just got there.
Everyone played like poo. Even LeBron who had a very good game, had some bafflingly bad decisions.
It’s all relative. Mozzy by the +/- had an awful game. So bad in his 11 minutes he was a -13, that sucks. Kyrie by the numbers was great.
We may need a ruling from the judges: Is Evil’s streak still alive at 3-0 since he had to miss this game?
I say yes. Streak still alive.
Grizz without their too 3 players, but we were without EG.
Sorry guys… I didn’t mean to let you down… figured Cavs would be okay with half the Grizz team out…
Tony Allen with the hero interview on NBA TV.
This is the anti-Miracle team. No wonder AC is so blunt with his criticism. The Miracle Cavs were all about effort and teamwork. This team is awesome at its best. But they’re so inconsistent in their effort and how well or poorly they play together.
AC Really, I mean unequivocally hates this team. And it’s been growing inside him.
AC was rightfully brutal in his analysis. He speaks for the fans when talking about the exasperation with their lack of effort. As several have said, this makes this team hard to fully embrace. AC now ripping them in the post game.
Show him a clip of Bryon Scott days. It’ll snap him out of it!!
Introduce AC to Cols….watch the universe implode…
I just hope just because they’re able to comeback and almost win that I didn’t give them a false belief..
“*it didn’t”. …………………….