Live Thread: Cavs @ Pistons (#BoxingDay)
2016-12-26
After taking the Warriors’ best punch on Christmas Day and fighting back to prevail in a holiday showdown classic, the Cavs are back at it again on Boxing Day as they trade blows with the Pistons tonight in Detroit. So much for getting a break to enjoy the festivities. The team not only had to play on Christmas, they also had to travel yesterday, so they might be a little punchy having not had much time to spend with family and friends. One Cav who will keep the gloves off tonight is LeBron James, getting a night off due to it being the fifth game in seven nights for the team. Everyone else is expected to play (even Kyrie Irving who put in a game high 44 minutes against the Dubs). No official word yet on who will start in LBJ’s place, but I would imagine there’s at least a puncher’s chance that it’s the 36 year old ageless wonder, Richard Jefferson.
Catch all of the blow-by-blow starting at 7:30 EST on Fox Sports Ohio.
Prediction: Much as I’d like to be wrong, I think the Cavs will be tired and fairly disinterested in this one. Cavs slug it out with the Pistons for a while before throwing in the towel and getting their starters some rest in the second half… Detroit in a TKO 100-87.
It’s very disturbing the Cavs can’t win without LBJ. Even with Love and KI, they can’t even beat the Pistons! WTF
They can. It was the second night of back to back, away, after an emotional game. They are also missing J.R. The Pistons were coming off 3 days rest. When your legs don’t have enough recovery, your shot is usually off, and you’re slower on close outs. Detroit nearly set a record for made threes, and Kyrie’s shot was off from distance. Finally, Lue admits that when Lebron sits he experiments with lineups. Its not just one guy taking LBJ’s place. Its a lot of guys who don’t normally play. The team is constructed with Lebron as the focal point… Read more »
That’s the reason, because the team is so much oriented on LBJ that they can’t function without him. It would be better to have a system similar to the Spurs where they can plug anyone into the line up and still perform. The stars only enhanced the performance.
Agreed they aren’t anywhere near a title without LBJ but you got to believe that they are better than this.
It would be better to have a system in place where they can plug anyone in if they didn’t have Lebron James. But they do, and its stupid not to create a system to maximize his talents. That’s why they won a Championship. A system where the small forward is just a piece that can plug and play takes away too much of what he can do. We’d be consistent, but we wouldn’t be champions. They are doing it exactly right. I don’t care if we’re 0-10 without LBJ this year, if he needs the rest. They can figure out… Read more »
My advice is to rewatch Warriors/Cavs game and flush this game away from our memory banks!
Ugly loss for the Hawks tonight. Really don’t want them to deal Millsap to Toronto.
Raps would have to give up a lot to get Millsap… they couldn’t afford him, DeRozan and Lowry all at the Max anyway…
Probably not past this season, but they could swing it.
They’d probably have to give up Ross and either Patterson or Sully and a pick to get Millsap…
IMO the Cavs need for another decent playmaker PG is one of the reasons why they can’t get a win without LBJ.
There’s really nobody gettable though…
Even in the WNBA? Gotta be somebody
I always remember the Heat pulling Whiteside out of nowhere.
Lol… if only
Also the issue of playing a certain way with LBJ and having to play a completely different way without him.
Liggins is a terrific defender, but teams simply do not have to guard him. Ideal role is probably ninth or tenth man.
He should look at Roberson’s game from OKC…
You described Delly’s role when he was a Cav
Not too far off on my prediction… shoulda said “give or take 5 points”
McRae should get a ride home with Felder… but take a detour to Canton…
Pistons have gone 16-28 from deep… 57%
Shump -29 for this game…
That has to be a season worst or close to it for anyone on the Cavs
He wound up -24 thanks to some late points from McRae… but still
Pistons just raining threes on the Cavs all game…
http://www.wewillpayyoutostopdribblingShump.com
I’m not sure what looked worse… Drummond’s SkyHeave or Shump’s adventured in dribble driving right there…
KShrimp finally hit one!
Young teams like the Pistons play great at home and more so when they get an early lead like they did tonight.
And more so when they catch a team on the second night of a back to back… without their star…
Exactly, but maybe the Cavs coaching staff can ask the team to bring the defensive effort up for these LeBron less games so that they don’t get to bad starts like they always do.
Not enough wings to play the perimeter against a decent shooting three point team like the Pistons tho without both LBJ and JR…
Oh good… the Orange Julius experience…
Did I just fall into a black hole with the Pistons scoring like ten points in a row? Sheesh.
C’mon Ty…
http://www.beforethecross.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/wavewhiteflag.jpg
And, if not… that Reggie Jackson one was…
I thought Felder had a chance but he isn’t showing signs of improvement by any means.
Maybe the Cavs can find a PG from one of those europeans teams.
Time to bring back Andre Miller…
Barely played enough to show any signs. I will give him this season at least. Their isn’t really anyone out there who we can get on a minimum contract that will help us. Felder is also a rookie. Nearly all rookies, even the great ones are net negatives. No one expected him to come in and be the solution at backup the first year.
Cavs don’t have time to wait for that. They’re going to the playoffs. Felder could be another 2 years away just to get at a decent NBA level. I feel sorry for him too but not to the point it hurts the Cavs now.
To be fair though, Cavs won’t need that guy in the playoffs… Ty’s only going to go 8-9 deep anyway… And Shump is supposedly the backup PG anyway…
Shouldn’t is the KEY word. Injuries always makes a difference and it would be wise to have those assurances. Are we 100% certain that we won’t have injuries ? Especially Kyrie and his history? Why gamble?
There’s nobody gettable at the moment tho…
Precisely. If we could get someone, ok. That doesn’t seem likely though. We don’t have any expendable assets outside Osman’s rights.
I think that KCP corner shot was most likely the dagger…
I would like to see the Cavs sans Lebron win this one.
I don’t think that’s likely with a 19 point deficit now…
Kyrie is too tired to make these moves…
Exactly, the shots he is shooting are a sign of that.
Channing Frye backdowns are not a good source of points…
Prolly a good timeout by the hedgehog there… Pistons were starting to get complacent…
If Channing can stay hot, it could get competitive again…
there was absolutely no reason for Drummond to fall on Kyrie like that
Ky just jacked that one… then looked like he hurt himself on the other end…
Skillful and one by Uncle Drew…
Need a few more of those Deep Fryes…
I’m sure this will get the Pistons season turned around… /s
Just sit Kyrie and let the bench finish this one.
This game ain’t worth him getting injured.
Bad Kyrie possession leads to KCP run out three… white flag time Ty…
The Cavs need for a quality backup PG is extremely evident.
Only on nights that LBJ doesn’t play…
I’d settle for a decent one, and a grade lower.
NBA really needs to think about games like this. What kind of product is this?
Why would any team need to play more than three games a week? M-W-F and then T-Th-Sa. Alternate each week.
Start in Mid-October instead of late October and end still in Mid-April. 6 months (24 weeks), 3 games a week- 72 game season. Only a ten game reduction, possibly a much better product.
And here he comes…
If this lead gets much wider, not sure it’s smart to bring Ky back in…
Should’ve been a push off there…
Gonna need some MFQ to pull this one off…
Keep in mind, these same Pistons were tied with the Warriors on Friday night with less than a minute to play…
And that was with all their 4 horses running. Right?
Yes… Green was back from his paternity leave…
Well this was a decent game until about three minutes ago…
Nice pass from Kay, but Champ couldn’t draw the foul…
Mike got bailed out on that dash….
Does anyone miss MDN? Would he get playing time with this year’s squad?
He’d prolly get Ligs minutes…
He’s better than this guy,
Zebras are mad at Channing or something tonight…
They always are,
A lot of passing to Casper the Friendly Ghost tonight
Felder stinks
Nah, he’s just short… and probably trying to do too much playing in front of his home crowd…
Idk . I’m sure he’s got a great personality and all but….. he’s not helping Cavs much. I have held back until It’s not like Griff didn’t know of his height issue.
That’s like a SkyHeave…
Shump is such a perplexing player.
I bet Pistons The Blog has a http://www.pleasestartpracticingfreethrowsDrummond.com website…
Wow! Shump almost makes up for it with that crazy drive!
Shump with a bullet pass to… Tony Brothers…
Shump keeps doing that; Argh
I know he shouldn’t, but Leuer bugs me…
What the hell was that Drummond?
What happened to Cols? Did the Xmas game do him in? Did he splurge on the ganj?
A couple of Reggie Jackson gifts and a Leuer backcut aside… Cavs have played some much better D this quarter…
http://www.pleasestopdribblingShump.com
Yeah… Leuer prolly shouldn’t try dunking like that…
After Love scores, they answer.
KLOVE in rhythm three!
Reggie Jackson looks perpetually disappointed… even when he hits a three…