Playoff Podcap: Cavs 117, Celtics 104 (or, Attack The Block)
2017-05-18https://soundcloud.com/ctb-5/episode-136-attack-the-block
Stainless steel doesn’t rust… and neither does LeBron James. In fact, the Cavs were generally spry and sharp after their nine day respite between series, as they took it to the Celtics in the paint, on the block and the glass. Led by LBJ’s 38 points, the Cavs’ starting front court dominated Boston’s 90-32, and out-rebounded them 30-17. Kevin Love and Tristan Thompson joined James to attack the rack early and often, as the Cavs took only nine threes in the first half (making just two). In fact, aside from Kevin’s 6-9 performance from deep, the Cavs were just 5-22 from beyond the arc… and still managed to get their first wire-to-wire win in this post season, lead by as much as 28 at one point, and win by double digits. And, they didn’t just do it with offense, as they hounded the undersized Isaiah Thomas and swarmed the rest of the Celtic shooters.
Nate, Mallory and EG jumped into the booth to recap the Cavs’ 12th straight playoff victory (dating back to last year’s Finals), break down the awesomeness of LeBron and Love, examine just how underwhelming the Celtics were, and take a brief peek ahead to a potentially looming rematch. We also journeyed down an entire mess of rabbit holes covering everything from MVP candidates, top coaches and GMs, Mallory’s busy concert schedule, and whether teams need great point guards to win championships.
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Have we swept them yet? I’m ready to watch the Finals already.
A quote from IT:
“We’re not scared of Cleveland,” Thomas told reporters Thursday afternoon. “They’re not the Monstars. They’re not (in) Space Jam. They lace up their shoes just like us. They just happened to play better than us in Game 1. We just have to protect home court in Game 2 and get a win.”
Let’s hope they compete this time but compete the right way. The Cavs need to be tested IMO.
Lebron is def camping out in IT’s head!
Just throwing it out there, but does anyone have a video of LeBron’s incredible cross-court pass to Korver in Game 1? Korver missed the shot, but it was an incredible pass.
Is this the one you mean?
http://stats.nba.com/events/#!/?flag=1&GameID=0041600301&GameEventID=385&Season=2016-17&title=MISS%20Korver%20%203PT%20Jump%20Shot&sct=plot
James made a longer and even more incredible pass in one of the earlier series, from Kyrie’s happy spot on the right wing to the far corner.
Yep, thank you!
Here’s the other one. Guys really have to make their shots after passes like these.
http://stats.nba.com/events/#!/?flag=1&GameID=0041600212&GameEventID=471&Season=2016-17&title=MISS%20Shumpert%20%203PT%20Jump%20Shot&sct=plot
Incredible! Thanks for sharing.
Lebron has entered the WWLD phase of his career, as in What Would Lebron Do. This is what every other player should ask themselves in any situation on a basketball court, because Lebron is constantly making the optimal decision. As this blog knows very well, this wasn’t the case as recently as last year, when he would take some inexplicable jumpers against slow-footed players, try to forcefeed his teammates just to get them going and, most often, going to the prevent offense far too early in the game, often killing the flow of the team. This season, and especially in… Read more »
Brad Stevens decided to prevent the Cavs’ three-point game by playing straight up D. He even played to switch without helping, which is rather bold. Stevens told his guys to stay home on shooters, leaving his primary defenders on an island. The Cavs did miss some threes, but the fact that they only took nine first half attempts is a result of Stevens’ gameplan, and not because the Cavs were particularly determined to attack the paint. The Cavs were Belichickian in that they, and most specifically LeBron, took what the defense gave them. Basically, Stevens stayed in Dime coverage all… Read more »
Yup… totally agree. Excellent analysis.
Very insightful!! Thanks for your input! It’s really cool to hear another take in the words you put together. Thanks!!
You are right and this strategy applies to all the Cavs opponents. What I’ve noticed from Lebron this year is that he is not overthinking on offense and as you posted he is taking what the defense is giving him quick. If the double doesn’t come he is attacking quicker than he used to do before. You are right.
So true.
Off-topic Joe Vardon needs to settle down and write about matchups, tactics, actual events — dude asked questions both at press conference w/ Love/LeBron last night and again today at practice to LeBron about I.T. “trying to grab Kevin’s ankle” which was some damn momentary Twitter meme. Neither one of them saw it and had nothing to say — which means it doesn’t matter. Possibly more embarassing than Chris Haynes (no genius) being invited into David Blatt’s office whenever that happened.
Slightly hilarious clickbait on Cleveland.com where “Joe Vardon picks the winner” of Cavs-Celtics.
IF you haven’t picked up on it already…. (which you probably have) he is not their favorite reporter. He has had too many Gotcha style questions this year. This is sports and it’s suppose to be fun. I understand once in a while they will do that but he really has had too Many of them . I was very impressed with the respectful nature and poise Celtics reporters had asked. They were not like Ben Simmons or Frank Islo at all. LoL
Yep, the players pretty much roll their eyes whenever JV starts his long-winded premise for asking a question. Don’t imagine he’s going to be around long.
Correction Bill Simmons. Geez!
Yeah the Plain Dealer is awful all around for sports. Haynes was terrible. I have avoided almost every single Vardon article ever based on click bait headlines. Pluto, unreal he has had such a long career with absolutely no talent. He is a professional comments section writer. Who’s the wannabe stand up? Bud Shaw? The only local paper Cavs reporter I have any interest in was Jason Lloyd who left for the Athletic which I’m not wild about overall, but still enjoy his work. I like Windhorst too, who I think is pretty unfairly hated around here.
And no, bw.. Is not Brian Windorst. :)
Hmmmm Some of us were wondering…. lol Yeah I really like Jason Lloyd too. He really puts in the work on his articles. How do you like the Anti-Lloyd look of his beard and new swearing.? It was the rogue rebel in him all along. I thought it was funny. Good for him though. Not a fan of Windhorst and I’ll just leave it there.
BUt NO ONE beats CAVS THE BLOG and they do it for Love of the Cavs !!
“BUt NO ONE beats CAVS THE BLOG and they do it for Love of the Cavs !!” +1
I still think Jason Lloyd is writing and reporting effectively for the Athletic. I do agree that Pluto has deteriorated badly from his days at The Akron Beacon Journal. Too often he writes the obvious, and his column style drives me nuts. The “Talking To Myself” column which involves self addressed questions/answers is a hackneyed style at best. Pluto needs to sign up for the Hubie/Tony Brothers/Marv Albert retirement cruise special.
LOL I like this idea of retirement cruise!!
This made my day :)
Which idiot thought lbj was nba second team? Are the votes here public like the a mvp ballot?
Good question, I’m not sure if the press are the only one’s who select this teams.
Maybe someone in the blog knows.
Awesome pod, and it was great to hear the return of Mallory…Carslile is the second best coach for sure…Uber jealous that EG went to the Pixies…Cavs in the Finals in 7.
OK, we need to find out who voted Lebron (& Russ) to 2nd team All-NBA!
They both made 1st team
oh I see, they received 99 1st place votes…..yeah looks like Harden was the only unanimous pick
Maybe that means Harden will get the MVP. Who knows.
Someone who writes in the bay area.
Favorite play of the game last night in the second quarter: Lebron with the ball at the top of the key. TT setting pick underneath the hoop for looping Kyrie, who gets open on the side. Celtics scrambling to keep up when Lebron zips a pass to TT for an easy layup.
Malloryyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!
YES! What’s up?!
Great pod. Thanks for the work guys.
Thanks. The last two weeks were recorded then scrapped for two different technical reasons. Glad we finally got back on track!
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO WESTBROOK / HARDEN / LEONARD —( NOT SURE IF THEY HAVE ALREADY CAST THEIR VOTES FOR MVP ) BUT LEBRON ( WHO DID NOT VERBALLY MENTION ABOUT HIMSELF BEING MVP RACE ) IS LETTING HIS PLAY SHOW WHO THE REAL MVP / BEST PLAYER REALLY IS —-NOT EVEN CLOSE !!!…….ALSO M.J . IF LEBRON CAN GET THE CAVS PAST THE CELTS AND THE DUBS I THINK HE PASSES YOU —-JUST MY HUMBLE OPINION ……GO CAVS !!!
It’s kind of unfair for Kwahi though, because he was putting up phenomenal stats and Kwahi’s play was making his team better. Westbrook not quite and Harden is a chump.
Had Kwahi not gotten hurt, I’m sure the Spurs would had won the first game.l against GS. If that had been the case, maybe we would be praising him along the lines of LeBron. I think he’s the next big player after LeBron, even more so than Gianni’s and the Brow.
Great pod. Cavs the Blog rules! Anyway, I know the Harden/Westbrook conversation was only a small part of this, but I’ve got to dispute the whole ‘Harden isn’t a winner because he had one awful game.’ Think about how many times people said that about LeBron over the past 7 or 8 years. Harden won’t ever be LeBron, but he still has quite a long career left to change this narrative. Kind of blows my mind how someone can be an amazing basketball player for thousands of minutes, but then he has a bad 48 and he gets condemned as… Read more »
Well, totally checked out half the year in 15-16. Massive brain farts in the playoffs versus the trailblazers in 13-14 the year before that. Total disappearing act in 2011 finals… Basically, 14-15 is really his only year that could be called a success in the playoffs.
Good points. Didn’t do my research. Still, I think the reaction to his terrible last game has been overblown.
The thing is that it was horrible performance from the get go. He mentally quit before touching the ball. That’s not an MVP level candidate performance.