Live Thread: Cavs @ Bulls
2016-04-09
LeBron James is to the Chicago Bulls, what Michael Jordan was to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Those Price-era Cavs teams played cohesive team basketball, but the song remained the same every year as they had no match for a generational talent like Jordan. Believe me, there’s plenty of aspects to LeBron’s career, and his Magic 8-Ball personality that you can criticize, but he has absolutely owned the Bulls. A LeBron led team has booted the Bulls from the playoffs in four of the past six seasons.
On the surface, this is a meaningless game. The Raptors aren’t going to catch the Cavs for the top seed in the conference, and the Bulls aren’t going to catch the Pacers for the last. A Cavs win, will lock both of those scenarios though, and could end the Rose-era Bulls run years before we would have expected.
Tonight’s showdown airs at 8:30 on ABC. Let’s dish.
So…anyone else see the end of the thunder vs kings game? Foul that was LESS blatant than the smack of jr’s arm was called with 1 second left to decide the game. I’m still bitter…
https://twitter.com/mcten/status/719006813765689344
Good. Positive sign. I’ll remember this and see how will Kyrie play from here on.
Hey Pacquiao wins. I guess the sporting night isn’t all bad for me..
Meant to say losing 4 out of 7 to an East team
Wonder if the cavs would play with more focus if they were in the west. As it is I don’t see any chance they lose 4 out of 7 as long as LBJ is heathy. There are 5 teams that could win and 4 in the west. Cavs are very lucky that they will only have to play one of them whereas the west winner will have to go through two of them. On another note with all my he other issues Delly can’t hit his shots any more.
They probably would have gotten a better final shot tonight with Blatt. But I have to credit Lue: The starters have had much better chemistry on offense the past couple weeks.
Tonight the bad bench play killed them. Other than that there were a lot of positives. Oh, and Kyrie’s brain cramps hurt at critical times. But other than that… Also, too, the erratic defense. But other than that…
There are always positive signs, since they are one of the three most talented teams in the league. It’s the consistent symptoms of ingrained bad habits that are concerning. But other than that…
And one consistent habit is week bench production. Like 44-11 tonight and making Jose Filiciano look like a star. But other than that…..
Mac, you mentioned last season downthread. That’s gotten overlooked in the Blatt/Lue comparisons focused on this season. Last season, from the bowling trip to the final week (when they rested people and gave away two games to Boston), they were 32-7 with an elite +10.5 diff (just shy of the Warriors’ +10.7 diff this season.) What happened to THAT team? This season they’ve only resembled that team for an occasional game or two here and there. Maybe it’s as simple as Kyrie needing another off-season to get his game back. But I think there’s more to it. Blatt recognized that… Read more »
I think it’s mainly that KI is much, much worse than he was last year, and Mozgov has been worse than last year. Shumpert has been worse, but not incredibly so. Also, I think Lue is a downgrade…I think the players mostly tune Lue out as much as they did Blatt, but Blatt handled rotations and minutes better than Lue has. I don’t think that’s even a debate.
What I unlike the most from the Cavs is that they can’t get stops when they need them and every team with championship aspirations need to have that.
I hope the Cavs don’t make it to the finals if they are going to continue to play like this. KLove and Kyrie mostly disappeared in the second half.
They won’t make the finals if they continue to play like this.
I agree.
They won’t make the EC Finals if they continue to play like this…
Mora voice “finals??”
Bulls were a desperate team tonight. Against a hated rival. On their home floor. Not surprised by this outcome. Slow start to the 4th did us in. Delly was really bad. Air ball at end was un- Delly like. KI shot still off, but I liked the 8 assists.
And also this guy…
http://i.cdn.turner.com/drp/nba/bulls/sites/default/files/styles/story_main_photo/public/cristiano1_garydineenweb.jpg?itok=2l_Rbj5T
Greatest Bull of all time?
Oh well on to the next one
Season you mean? Sorry, couldn’t resist.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bvF7lla0Blc/VGAO_1b75nI/AAAAAAAABRo/ad9dYqXbkWk/s1600/belichick.png
I want Blatt back. At least that team could play defense…
I hope we get Thibs in the off season.
Yeah, but you’ll probably have to live with Mark “Mama There Goes That Man” Jackson…
If it helps Klutch, I’m for it…
I have a feeling we will know what feels like sooner rather than later…
Not me, I am happy with Mike Longbrobdingagianbardi or whatever his name is … /s
Maybe we can just call him Mike Brobdingnagian since his D is a giant failure…
http://41.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0ughtxbFC1rqnixco1_1280.jpg
And a satirical take on real defense…
I am not feeling good about getting to the Finals. Irving and the bench have been killing us. I am taking my Irving jersey to Goodwill. I guess with LeBron, however we can beat anyone in 7, but his supporting cast needs therapy.
I’m not getting rid of my KI jersey, but I’m certainly now wearing it in public right now.
Maybe you can tape a “3” after the “2”…
I an getting the black stencil out right now. Thx for the idea, EG !
Yeah, maybe I should abandon my Irving jersey in phases. Stop wearing it first, then bury it in the closet, put it in the garage, and lastly the trip to Goodwill.
Even the fans are going to need the off-season this year…
Ugh, this is so true to me.
It’s not going to be any easier against the Hawks or Pistons next week… Looks like nobody gets rested…
My Colsian prediction: They thrash the Hawks Monday. So against the Pistons, they can start Kaun, McRae, JFJ, Mozgov and RJ. Or just forfeit.
I would love that!! Might be Grilled Kaun…what final score would be likely do we think?
Thinking about a possible score…the forfeit option would probably be less embarrassing.
I think the biggest issue with the Cavs is getting stops when they need them. Every time the opposing team hits them with a huge run and they can’t score the ball they totally forgot how to play defense and that can’t happen.
And start chucking.
Just way, way too dependent on making threes. Not enough creators. KI *can* be one, but gets tunnel vision too much, and he has been pretty lousy in general since the All Star break.
I hate that refs swallow their whistles at the end of games…gives you free reign to smack ark
Prayer is the last refuge of the scoundrel and complaining about refs is the last refuge of losing games you should have won.
If I wasn’t a Cavs fan, I might put money down on Toronto winning the EC… probably get pretty good odds…
I agree. The Cavs are not where they need to be mentally. Specially Kyrie.
KI has been a complete liability the last few weeks. Team is much better with him on the bench.
I still feel pretty confident that the Cavs will beat the Raptors but only because I think the Raptors are chokers. Kind of an endorsing Cruz over Trump thing.
If they get that far…
Did JR just get slammed with no call?!