Recap: Nets (Without D-Russ) 112, Cavs 107 (or, Whose Draft Pick is it Anyways?)
2017-10-26
The Cavs have had a history of playing down to their competition since LeBron James has come back to the Cleveland Cavaliers. Coincidence? I think not. In the last three games against sub-excellent teams, the Cavs have given up a barrage of three pointers (17 made 3p FG’s for the Magic, Bulls, and now Nets). While some are just good shots, most are a product of bad defensive habits and rotations. It’s going to be a long season if the Cavs continue to not care against the bottom half of the standings…..
The scheduling gods of the NBA blessed the Cavs with a relatively easy schedule to start the year, with many games against non-playoff teams to get the chemistry going. However, instead of being a blessing, it’s been a curse as the team has refused to play with any sense of urgency or game-plan. Let’s face it, this Cavs team is an old team. Currently constructed, if this Cavs team would win the title, they would be the oldest team since 2011 (another LeBron team) to win a championship. Of course, this game was the second of thirteen back-to-backs for the Cavs, the fewest in the NBA for the season, but there’s few excuses for continuous poor defensive effort and letting teams simply shoot threes to death.
Ty Lue, last night: "I mean 17 3s again. You’re not going to win many games like that." Cavs, tonight: Allow BKN to make 17 3s. And CLE lost
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) October 26, 2017
The Cavs started the game with an early 9-pt lead only to give it up quickly with a barrage of three pointers to the likes of Allen Crabbe, Spencer Dinwiddie, and even DeMarre Carroll. After a better second quarter with essentially much more offense, the Cavs kept it relatively close with a 55-52 deficit at the half.
The third quarter has been a really rough quarter for the Cavs as long as LeBron James has come back. The defensive adjustments clearly didn’t work and the Nets were content with taking three pointers at an amazing clip. Even though the Nets didn’t make over 50% of their looks like the Magic did a few nights ago, every time the Cavs made a run, the Nets responded with a three to pull themselves ahead.
The irony of the game was that the Nets weren’t outrebounding (47 to 38 Cavs) the Cavs or even necessarily shooting a great percentage (43% from the field) but when the moments mattered most, the Nets were able to get the key rebounds (Booker with an offensive rebound on a free throw) or clutch shots (Spencer Dinwiddie from deep).
The go ahead triple from @SDinwiddie_25 that secured the @BrooklynNets win! #WeGoHard pic.twitter.com/HRZrgPMoki
— NBA (@NBA) October 26, 2017
The Cavs were plagued with poor effort and lazy execution on the defensive front. There are tons of excuses such as it being the second night of a traveling back-to-back (same for the Nets who traveled back home), no D’Angelo Russell so the scouting was all off, New York City nightlife (J.R. Smith did play pretty bad…..), etc. but at the end of the day, the Cavs continue to show us who they are. Maybe this is the best explanation out there anyways.
The Cavs lost to the Nets because Lebron is moving that BKN pick pic.twitter.com/f2JGEHkAjx
— Dan Greenberg (@StoolGreenie) October 26, 2017
“Whose Draft Pick is it Anyways?”
Name something crazy about the Nets pick that you wouldn’t have said right after Jeremy Lin got hurt or in the offseason.
https://twitter.com/joevardon/status/923530344422404096
Ty Lue: "We're running around here worrying about getting the Brooklyn pick, they may want our pick."
— Jason Lloyd (@ByJasonLloyd) October 26, 2017
If you have watched Brooklyn during the 1st week, last night should not have come as a surprise. Well coached and resilient young group.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) October 26, 2017
Sure. The Nets have been better than expected. They share the same record as the Cavs in the early season. Is it a real improvement or is this just early season positive vibes? The Nets started 4-5 last season en route to giving up the number one overall pick to the Boston Celtics but this season just feels different so far. While the Nets had a lot of close games last season, another year of Kenny Atkinson’s coaching and implementation of everything he learned from Mike Budenholzer/Greg Poppovich may give this young Nets team hope. Let’s not forget that players like Caris Levert or Rondae Hollis-Jefferson are hungry and wanting to prove they are legitimate NBA players.
What is something you couldn’t say in 2010, wouldn’t believe in 2011, and most certainly didn’t expect in 2012-2014?
Nothing is given, everything is earned.#CavsHistory | #StriveForGreatness🚀 pic.twitter.com/tNgwky5nzt
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) October 25, 2017
Count me in for never imagining LeBron James to be the all-time leader in games played for the Cavaliers. There’s been many successes that the fans of Cleveland can be thankful for and many times, I think the fanbase takes it for granted. Sure, can he be the ultimate narrative creator, manipulator, and passive-aggressive superstar of all-time? Of course, but everyone talks about James because he is greatness. This may be the last year of LeBron in a Cavs uniform but regardless, he has easily made his mark as the most iconic sports figure in Cleveland sports history.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rtxx_Uyh1Wg&t=1s
In the end, the Cavs are still the favorites to make it out of the East. Of course, fans can gripe about how poorly the team is playing but it is a long season and there are games like this with any Cavaliers season. With the aforementioned lax schedule, look for the Cavs to get back on track with games against the Atlanta Hawks x2, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Indiana Pacers, and Brooklyn Nets again in the next 30 days.
This is pretty amusing.
https://twitter.com/hasanali2512/status/923504748669652992
Ahhh wow.
you know what would be amazing? if we traded shump and a good pick for bledsoe (maybe lose a bench player in the deal too)…and then Lue just coached. Like really made strides with the current group of players. So much so that they started playing at least top 10 defense…and ran an offense that wasnt predicated on lebron being on the court, but could extend to when he’s sitting. There is nothing really wrong with the current roster. Does anyone really think we’d be the same group of disparate players if popovich or carlisle were our coach, we’d have… Read more »
It is always noted as how Lebron didn’t have good supporting cast. But, as a fan of Lebron, I think he had to overcome lot of bad coaching in his career. May 2-3 years under a good coach in Miami but that is it. Of course, it doesn’t help that Lebron himself wanted Lue as a coach.
Jameer Nelson looks like he could start for the Cavs….man oh man…
Sums it up pretty well:
https://twitter.com/getnickwright/status/923653690984198145
Greak freak is so much like Lebron plus more wiling to play PF at young age. And Celtics are well coached team, Brad Stevens is one of those rare coaches who will make any team given to him play D.
The GF will soon (couple years) be the best player in the NBA, and much of his game resemble LeBron, but there are two problems with this comment.
1. The GF is unlikely to remotely reach LeBron’s understanding of the game and passing skills, and
2. The NBA has evolved so that a PF today is similar to a SF when LeBron started. There are few giant centers guarding the rim today like there were 15 years ago.
Well, Karl Malone was a PF, believe similar size as Lebron. I don’t remember many SFs that were large like Lebron.
Karl Malone was bulkier and stronger than Lebron. Dude was huge and ripped like a body builder in his prime. Lebron was big in his Miami days, but his arms and chest never looked like Malone in his prime. I also don’t but that Lebron ever weighed more than 260 at his absolute peak weight. I highly doubt he ever even weighed that much, even in Miami. You compare Malone and Lebron pictures from when he was in Miami and no way did LBJ outweigh Malone. That nonsense about 260-270 was all hyperbole created by the espn hype train. I… Read more »
um…no. Karl Malone was probably about 10lbs less than lebron was between 2008-2012, and not near as athletic, and not near as strong. watch malone on the break getting fouled over his 95-99 seasons…he gets knocked off course. Lebron? he knocks the defenders off course and doesn’t get the call a lot of the time. I agree there is a difference in the position’s play style…but lebron definitely had a strength advantage over karl.
95-99 maybe, but Malone was already well past his physical prime. Really though I think you are just wrong. LeBron was certainly more athletic but I doubt much if any stronger. Way different league in the 90s than the last 8-10 years. Way more physical and the amount of contact defenders could get away with was way different. They didn’t call contact like they did from around 2005 onward. Guys in the last 10 years almost never wrap guys up or put guys on the deck like they did in the 90s on breaks. And when guys do try to… Read more »
Watching Irving is depressing
You need to be more woke…
Kyrie whining about Brogdon’s defense, because Kyrie slipped.
Liggins played some good perimeter D, when he was on the court. Better than what we have seen from the wine and gold
He would have been the difference last night, except that Lue would not have put him in the game.
Did you see his technical foul in the first quarter? Haha, funny stuff.
BLEEP KYRIE!
DELLY TREY!
That Bucks court is trippy.
CMON KYRIE AT LEAST THE FLOOR IS FLAT —–YOU AS A FLATLINER SHOULD FEEL PERFECTLY SAFE—–YEAH THE MORE HE TALKS THE BETTER I FEEL THAT HE IS NOT WEARING A CAVS UNIFORM
Have I got a three way deal for you…
https://twitter.com/DanFeldmanNBA/status/923646965212176384
I think I just puked.
lol, why settle for Malcolm Brogdon when they can do a three way with Cavs for Shump
I wonder if Lebron would want Delly back…he has to know at this point he would be better for the team than Shump…I would love it if we could somehow get Delly in a 3 way…
Eh. Nets still suck
Cavs wallpaper is here. You know who I got my eye on it sounds like Shower and Dump put together.
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/fans/wallpapers
My 2 year old pooped in the shower once. We got a video of it. Unfortunately I expect to see 82 shower dumps before this season is over
I’m so glad Kyrie is gone: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21170509/celtics-guard-kyrie-irving-reservations-milwaukee-bucks-replica-floor
CROWDER!!!!!!
He’s getting dumber by the minute.
I’m so glad Kyrie is gone: http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/21170509/celtics-guard-kyrie-irving-reservations-milwaukee-bucks-replica-floor
CROWDER!!!!!!!!!
Does he actually believe the stuff coming out of his mouth of is he a super troll? I really can’t tell even after he walked back the flat Earth claim.
that court is beautiful! love it
One of the most iconic nba courts of all time. Great 30 for 30 on it.
http://grantland.com/features/30-for-30-shorts-mecca-the-floor-that-made-milwaukee-famous/
I stopped watching a few minutes into the third quarter when it was obvious that Lue wasn’t going to play the young guys while the vets were struggling.
I see that Frye only played 5 minutes and somehow Lue couldn’t find more time for him. Annnnd Shump should NOT be on the freaking floor while you have Cedi on the bench.
I can’t even…
Then you missed a heck of a 4th quarter comeback. It died when Dinwiddie made a 28 footer and J.R. missed the answer. But that quarter was fun.
cavs should trade Love, shump, IT, Zizic for Bledsoe, Chandler, Dudley.
This would not make us better.
That’s way too much. I’d want Booker and Jackson also, and I’m still not sure I would want to trade Love.
Woah, no way.
Not giving up love for anything less than porzingis or better.
That’d be a big no….
Way too much. Love is valuable. I’d be down to give the Suns the Nets pick if they gave us Josh Jackson back.
What if you get a C for Love who is better than Love at C where he is starting now.
And who do you figure that would be?
If Memphis season was not going well by trade deadline, you may be able to get Marc Gasol. Milsap may be available now that they have C of their future, Noel is not happy in Dallas, one of Lopez brothers etc.., May be Bledsoe+Len+ for Love, basically some two way players that Cavs need. The way I see it post Lebron, Love is not as valuable anyway, so you need players that will last only till Lebron this year or beyond.
lol, on Cousins, I think only one poster here wants him.
I’m all for going for Marc Gasol. Bledsoe and Len is a joke right?
Bledsoe and some package is what I meant. Len is a good back up C.
I don’t like Millsap. Never been wild about him. I guess I may be able to consider gasol. I don’t know how he plays against GS
And you better not say Cousins…
Why on earth would we give up the 2 best players in the deal? Dumb.
This is Kyrie talk!
I like LeBron playing PG at certain points within the game. But he does turn the ball over a lot playing PG. So ideally we would want someone else to play point, that isn’t older Abraham Lincoln.
Mozgov still sucks.
I’m concerned about JR. Last season was a throwaway season because of his daughter’s birth issues, etc. But he hasn’t been good so far this year. If he can’t hit his shot, he’s just not a guy you want playing.
I get that it’s early, but can anyone other than LeBron and Jeff freakin’ Green get off to a great start to the season?
I am there with you. JR has seemingly lost his mojo and stroke. Last night’s game was as bad as Shump at his worst both offensively and defensively. Lue says he must make changes if things don’t improve and perhaps that is JR. Smith sure has responded with a resounding thud upon returning to the starting lineup. JR has always been a favorite of mine too, so it’s tough to watch him be so bad.
He was horrific defensively, but the nets had such tunnel vision they didn’t even notice he lost his man or left someone completely unguarded like 6 times.
Agree.
“if this Cavs team would win the title, they would be the oldest team since 2011 (another LeBron team) to win a championship.” ——— Didn’t the Mavericks win in 2011?
Yep. The three oldest teams in the NBA are the Cavs, Spurs, and Warriors.
The Cavs are the oldest of those three, and they look a generation older on the court…
Good catch. I think it’s the 2011-12 Heat team.
Its clear so far, the opposing teams are giving it their all when facing the Cavs. They know we have the best team in the conference and their guys are going nuts with insane games and incredible effort. Not saying its an excuse for losing, but really think the Cavs play at about 70% effort while opposing teams play at 100% or higher. Think the best effort the Cavs played all year was against Milwaukee since they knew it would be a big game. As mentioned above, Cavs will play to their opponent, whether thats up or down. Defense is… Read more »
If that was even 70% effort against the Bulls and the Nets, this team is terrible…
MEMO TO CAVS PLAYERS ( COACHES ) 1) QUIT CRYING / COMPLAINING ABOUT EVERY CALL THAT YOU THINK DIDN’T GO YOUR WAY / WHICH IS ABOUT EVERY POSSESION —-HUSTLE YOUR BUTT BACK ON “D” AND DEFEND—LET THE COACHES ARGUE ABOUT THE OFFICIATING AND YES TY SHOW SOME EMOTION —GET A “T” — BREAK A CLIPBOARD 2) DON’T WAIT UNTIL YOU BURY YOURSEL F A 20 PT DEFICIT AND HAVE THAT ” SENSE OF URGENCY DEFENSE ” TO CLIMB BACK—-THAT SHOULD BE THERE THE ENTIRE 48 MINUTES —PUT THE OTHER TEAM INTO THAT 20 PT HOLE 3) SHOW SOME HEART /… Read more »
the team isn’t going to play like that, unless Lue plays entire rotation. Its only October. If team plays with lack of effort 4-5 months from now, then its time to be concerned. Cavs just can’t hit 3s outside of Korver and that is hurting team now, on top of horrific defense. I stated above that opp. teams are playing with insane effort against us, its clear as day, especially last night. I would be stunned if any Nets players like Dinwiddie or Jefferson drop similar games like that again.
Yep. There’s no reason to be melting down over this Cavs performance right now. They’ve looked bad verse the Magic and Nets, but they looked great verse the only other playoff team they played in the Bucks. It sucks to lose games you should win for sure. But all the fire lue and burn it all down takes are so overwrought.
Bring back Mike Brown.
Hey! Mike Brown is my halloween costume! I am going to scare Cavs fans.
Unless you think that JR, TT, and Crowder are going to continue to suck there is no reason to worry about this team. Actually, considering that Rose and Green have looked so good, I think we should be pretty happy so far.
Rose has looked good?
Unreal to lose this game. Makes me want to tune out for the next couple months.
Do we use the Brooklyn pick to trade for Marc Gasol? I just don’t see us being able to win a title with such atrocious defense.
The defense is indeed atrocious, but the starting unit’s offense is a close second. Ten points last night collectively from Crowder, TT and JR. You can’t win with 21 turnovers along with allowing 17 three pointers, but you sure can’t win with three starters scoring 10 lousy points.
The defense has been a predictable shambles, but, yes, the offense has struggled big time. It’s been Lebron and hope Korver is hot. JR sucking isn’t just this year, either…he wasn’t good last year. The Cavs have a lot of ‘depth’, but too much of it is old and/ or mediocre.
The Cavs have played one good game, against the Bucks (where Korver hit almost all his shots)…outside of that, they have looked mediocre at best against mostly lousy teams.
I would wager that since LeBron returned, the Cavs haven’t had one game where 3 starters collectively scored 10 or less points in a game
I’d take that wager. He’s started with Delly, TT, and Mozgov.
Like him or hate him, Cavs lost 24 ppg of pretty efficient regular season scoring this off-season.
Agreed… look at it a different way: They started and finished with LBJ, Love, TT, and JR…who is missing, and how much was he missed? That’s where the “wait until IT comes back” thought makes these early games somewhat tough to gauge. LeBron was really the ONLY ball handler the Cavs sent out last night (unless you count Calderon, who looked like he gets less practice time than the other guards). No Wade, DRose, or IT. Seriously, nearly every set began in the second half had LeBron bring the ball up court and facilitate the offense… right now, he cannot… Read more »
Yep. My real problems last night was that Cavs had something like 10-12 unforced turnovers, 4-5 horrible offensive fouls called on them which resulted in tovs, and got utterly lost on d multiple times.
Those are execution, not effort. They still would have been horrible defensively because they barely tried to close out on multiple threes, but they wouldn’t have been as bad as they were. I expect them to be gassed on back to backs but I want to see better execution and lineups that don’t run guys into the ground which comes down to practice and coaching.