Live Thread: Cavs @ Pacers (#AreWeThereYet?)
2016-04-06
No, this is not a shameless plug for a movie I worked on once upon a time (although see it if you haven’t… it’s a good time — okay maybe it is a shameless plug… and speaking of plugs, make sure you read Robert’s excellent Point Four-ward from earlier today), but more of how I’m feeling as a Cavs’ fan around this time of year. I’m sure the players feel the same way as the season winds down to its inevitable conclusion. Despite being on the doorstep of clinching the number one overall seed in the Eastern Conference (and maybe because of that fact), Ty Lue has decided to rest LeBron James on the second night of this final back-to-back of the season.
The bad news… the Cavs are 1-3 this season and 4-13 the past two seasons in games James sits out. The good news… it never hurts to give LBJ a night off to stay fresh for the playoffs, and it gives Lue another opportunity to see how Kyrie, Kevin and the rest of the squad can function during the few minutes of rest he’ll be giving King James in the post-season.
Iman Shumpert will get the start in place of LeBron, and will be joined by Kyrie, Kevin, J.R. and Timo. The Pacers most likely will counter with George Hill, Monta Ellis, Paul George, Lavoy Allen and Ian Mahinmi.
You can tune in to see the action on ESPN, Fox Sports Ohio, or listen in on 100.7 WMMS.
Prediction: The Cavs get rolling for a bit, but ultimately blow a tire against a Pacers team trying to hang onto its playoff position, and go down 99-95. Not to worry though… the Cavs are nearly to their post-season destination.
Read the Hinkie resignation letter. To paraphrase the immortal Denny Green “he is who we thought he was.”
13 pages of really smart sounding stuff about how his vision was not being properly appreciated and then listing without irony that his third greatest talent acquisition during three years at the helm was Jerami Grant. The hit rate in the draft and free agency is not high, to be sure. But you gotta do better than Jerami Grant as your third best player, even if your process is throwing darts at a dartboard.
Yeah, that letter was kind of a joke to my mind. The reactions of the Hinkie cult to this resignation are hilarious. Most of them are just Hinkie fans rather than Sixer fans. So much emo…over a freaking GM…seriously…
Cavs would be one of the worst teams in the league if not for Lebron.
I’m pretty sure they would be constructed and coached different.
Hinkie’s 13 page letter to the Sixers:
http://espn.go.com/pdf/2016/0406/nba_hinkie_redact.pdf
I don’t think he’s doing himself any favors with this. Especially this part:
“Lastly, this letter will only speak to the part of the business that I’m today’s steward of: the
basketball team and its attendant operations. With Scott O’Neil running our business operations, you are in
good hands. I can assure you that when your team is eventually able to compete deep into May, Scott will
ably and efficiently separate the good people of the Delaware Valley from their wallets on your behalf.
Worry not.”
https://twitter.com/MrCavalier34/status/717887558873649157
Winning streak over. I’m glad there are no back to backs in the playoffs.
Robert, NOW we are finally out of excuses.
Why am I still watching this?
Flip over to the Tribe… good game!
Kyrie. Love. And Smith came to play. Everyone else has been sort of garbage.
Doesn’t matter though.
Zero Cavs came to play on defense… ZERO
Defense isn’t a box score stat…
Not you too, EG!
Sorry, this was an absolutely pitiful defensive display… Lue should have just played the backups…
Came in late so I didn’t see it. Too bad though. At least it rested Lebron.
Shump on two dribbles is spectacular. On three or more he is a train wreck
Cmon champ 2 more threes!
Ty Lue looks happy for some reason… maybe they got him a vibrating highchair…
Last back to back. I’d be happy too.
We should play Champ instead of RJ. Jefferson makes me long for Shawn Merion lately
Champ trying to get us to 10 threes
Just start launching them RJ, no need to do anything smart or helpful
I would legit fire Lue over this.
Even Doug Collins thinks it’s a bad idea to bring KLove back…
Ty Lue might have officially lost his mind… why would you put KLove back in with back spasms? And now, here comes JR…
Lue just let the guys who brought us back play it out man…Kyrie and kevin don’t need the minutes and don’t deserve them either
https://twitter.com/TeedUpKirk/status/717882854537998336
C’mon Ty… just concede and get these guys some rest…
https://twitter.com/CavsJoeG/status/717882351498321921
Seriously Ty Lue will bring back KLove and Kyrie into the game?
Channing Frye triple…
https://twitter.com/cavs/status/717882773177032704
Everyone switched over to the Tribe game now?
Good to know RJ can make threes when the pressure’s off.
http://www.pleasestopdribblingShump.com
Act now and you get a set of steak knives…
Shump is holding out for a better parting gift like a vegomatic.
Expected to lose tonight, but not be embarrassed.
http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7390/693/1600/monty_spanish.jpg
This made me LOL
https://twitter.com/ZachLowe_NBA/status/717880609679478785
Hahahahahaha
Hahahahahaha
Hahahahahaha
Ha
Delly’s decision making is pitiful this game.
10 assists!
Even Eddie Munster knows how to sit his players…
https://twitter.com/kpelton/status/717875406330658817
Yesterday the Bucks couldn’t hit open 3’s but it seems Indy prepare themselves to shoot a lot of them.
Wonder how many scrubs have had their season highs against the Cavs this year.
https://twitter.com/mcten/status/717877674077777920
The ball had energy the last two games, but it’s constipated tonight. Hope we get to 10 assists.
I would love to see the Cavs face the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. They would challenge the Cavs and the Cavs need that IMO.
I just assumed part of the plan tonight was to make sure the Pacers won so they wouldn’t have to face them in round one…
We’d sweep them.
I really want to get a copy of this…
https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/717878319459528705
It’s 13 pages of “Gotcha!”
Or 12 blank pages with “GOTCHA!” on the 13th page…
Was just gonna post that. I think I’d enjoy this more than the fictional Lawrence Frank scouting reports for Jason kidd.
2 pages complaining about a-holes who don’t make a new pot of coffee when they drink the last cup.
I can’t believe Hinkie’s hedge fund managing owners sold Hinkie and the Sixers a BS feel good story, stripped them dry of ideas and assets and then basically hit the reset button. It just doesn’t seem like the way people like them do business.
Probably safe to say the Cavs aren’t going to get the record for number of games with 10 threes made… just 4-20…
Don’t let Champ here you say that before he gets his shot at 6 in the fourth
So true!
We are 4-20 and they are 11-22 for three.
Even when Lowry sits, Raps still play defense. I don’t get this team nor its Head Coach
+1000000
Exactly, and living of the 3 point line won’t cut it all the time.
Yeah, both Lowty and Derozan sat a few games ago, but the Raps played tough and made it a game.
At least the offense has looked good. Good movement and Irving and Love look sweet.
Nine assists isn’t good movement… they moved the ball well in the first quarter and that was about it…
Cavs been stuck on 9 assists for a while…