Live Thread: Cavs vs. Warriors (or 25th on the 25th)
2017-12-25
We’re here, folks. The day the NBA season really starts is always December 25th. It’s the one day of the year that the NBA owns the national sports landscape, and it’s usually filled with playoff previews. Today proves no different, with New York and Philly having tipped off at noon and Philly edging ahead by eight with two minutes left as I write this. Of course, the Cavs are taking on the Warriors at 3:00 in what will be the 25th game between the two teams since LeBron’s return to Cleveland.
SB Nation’s Tim Cato had a great breakdown of the 24 games of the rivalry over. Of course, we know which game ranks number one, and surprisingly, last year’s Christmas day game ranks number two all time.
I’ll the Steph Curry mouthpiece toss for my number two, but that’s neither here nor there. Important things to note: today’s game is usually the only meaningful one between the two in the regular season, because the MLK day game is usually a blowout. But with Steph missing today’s contest with an ankle injury and Isaiah likely back in the fold for Cleveland, MLK 2018 might end up being the best regular season game yet between these two.
The Cavs are rolling heading into this one having won 19 of their last 21 after starting the season 3-5. At 26-7, the Dubs are no regular season slouch either, though to be fair, both teams’ December schedules are pretty soft. Cleveland will have their (mostly) full compliment of players, excepting Derrick Rose and Isaiah Thomas. Iman Shumpert is also listed as out. For Golden State, Shawn Livingston returns to wreak havoc from midrange, while Kevon Looney and Zaza are listed as probable.
Other news of note: no special Christmas day uniforms from Nike (SB Nation’s Tim Cato again), as Cleveland opts to wear its black. I predict an all-time performance for the King to give him something to celebrate before his Napa Valley “mini vacation”, and the Cavs winning 122-112 somewhat comfortably as the Warriors are too slow awaking from their Christmas slumbers.
NBA needs to fix their officiating problem. It’s out of hand. The new guys they are bringing in are worse than their successors.
IT will get calls that Bron & Love do not.
The Warriors I’ll eat IT, if he gets any run against them, especially in the finals.
Good news is that Love had his best game ever, as a Cav, vs GSW. Crowder was pretty good. Those are good signs. Wade was OK. Korver didn’t get any looks.
Everyone else was poor. James. Green. Calderon. JR. TT. Lue. The refs.
And we still almost won.
Warriors won with 2 backups starting.
I think the Cavs are missing Kyrie when it comes to the Dubs. They don’t have another dynamic scorer that can take over a game.
Bad calls are part of the game. We were just outhustled plain and simple. I hope Lue will do his job a lot better next time.
All of the JR Smith fans, listen closely, the Cavs will not win a championship with JR Smith in the starting lineup. Send him back to the Knicks, with all his tattoos. A whopping 2 points, that’s what we need. He probably has the lowest starting shooting guards in the NBA. TRADE HIM AND GET A SHOOTER FROM LITHUANIA!
helped get us one in 2016…great guy…in a slump?….he lays pipe…keep hating
This is why people say Cleveland is not a championship city. We want the best for our city and teams, but can’t seperate trading or getting rid of those favorite players, for championship caliber players. Hopefully Lebron stays after this year, the whole entire state hopes he does. Hating it was said, on a 7.8 ppg starting NBA shooting guard, RIIIGHT, who was pouting on the bench, when he didn’t start over the not 1, not 2, but 3 time NBA champion D. Wade? What did Smith think, he was going to start, yea only after D. Wade said he… Read more »
You seem to have some sort of personal grudge against JR. He’s a role player. Of course the Warriors are a step above the Cavs, but I don’t think JR is the problem or the answer. What exactly do you want them to do with JR? Trade him where and for who?
Also I don’t get your point about Cleveland not being a championship city?! So if the fans can allow their favorite players to be traded for championship caliber players, they then send the request into the front office and they make the move. Okay, I’ll tell them to trade Rose for Leonard tomorrow and then we will finally be a championship city. 2016 was just fake news apparently.
You make no sense Coop. Sure, let’s just send JR to the Knicks for Porz. I’ll take that. Needs two to tango.
He was a needed piece on the 2016 championship team. Wade can’t play starter minutes anymore. We lost yesterday because of LeBron’s turnovers, Lue not playing Frye and the refs sucking.
How many shots did JR take? It’s not like he was 1-17.
Cavs played solid defense overall, but couldnt hit anything. Only real concern is JR continuing a really awful season
LeBron cant buy a call this season. Mayne those nom-calls in a spotlight game brings that narrative to the forefront and pays off moving forward
Im kinda thinking Deandre would be a good move. He and Love can pound these guys in the paint and on the glass
I normally abhor complaining about officiating as it is usually homerism and usually bad calls balance each other out. However, today two plays in the last 2 minutes where Lebron got heavily hacked 5 separate times, pushed once, and tripped by Durant basically sealed the game for the warriors. None of it was incidental or light contact. If Durant is allowed to do that, not sure how the warriors can be beaten. Those non-calls were blatant to the point where Mark Jackson straight up called them out as wrong. Oof.
James Harden is such a gimmick.
cavs are right where they need to be. curry was out and the dubs shot poorly from 3, but we left the right guys open for threes and guarded the tough ones. it’ll be another dogfight if the warriors make it to the finals and we meet them there, but I like our chances if IT meshes well.
A general problem: The Warriors’ size and athleticism discombobulates the Cavs and takes a while for them to get used to. If there’s another Finals rematch, the Cavs need to figure out a way to prep — scrimmage with a 12-second shot clock, or against Giannis & friends? — so they aren’t overwhelmed again in game one.
I’ll save my opinions on the recap. Is there any or are you guys busy for the holiday?
Merry Christmas Ctb fam!
Also on TT/Frye. There’s a different between Frye looking great against crappy teams and the second unit struggling with TT against the dubs.
Sure. Allow me to retort:
1) Show me the crappy team TT has looked good against this year.
2) TT was mostly awful in the Finals last year.
3) All I am saying is that Frye deserves a shot. I thin he has earned it. Plus, if we can play Love at C but not Frye? That makes no sense.
Can’t believe Warriors got Bell. Just Crazy
We have the Jedi! :)
Cavs need more youth, athletic, defensive players.
TT had become so useless at this point. Overall decent game from the Cavs but LeBron comitted too many turnovers and defensive mistakes late that costs the Cavs.
This TT/Frye thing is tough. Feel like the Cavs have to get TT in a position where he can play well so the can showcase him for a trade.
Per usual the Dubs get away with a lot of uncalled fouling and pull out the victory. Just know whoever wins on Xmas loses in the finals. Also Jeff Green looked like the Jeff Green who disappears in big games. Was impressed by Crowder. Why no Frye?!?! I’m tired of the media drooling over KD and his blocked shots. HE’S 7 FEET TALL!!!!!
This was typical game in Oakland…cavs play below average…then somehow come back…then officials take over to gift warriors game….cavs will take high road but if it continues in teams next game then lue and Gilbert have to make some noise
Cavs really need more shooting. If Frye isn’t going to play and Love is held out in key stretches, JR and Crowder have to be threats or that’s a bad closing lineup.
I can’t believe that the NBA’s marquee match up, played close the entire game and tied up with 2 minutes left is clearly decided by horrible calls. Even Warriors fans should (but they won’t be because they’re D-bags) be disappointed with the referee’s sh@# show. Sucked all the energy out of a close game by the leagues two best teams. Merry F’ing Christmas.
Yup. The Dubs’ fans will continue to be dbags.
The Cavs played well below their level and the refs took any chance away from them. Can’t wait for IT to come in and for Lue to play Frye and bench TT.
Lue is so extreme with his rotations. I don’t understand how Frye goes from not playing at all to playing a significant role with the second unit (the second best bench in the NBA) to not playing at all again. TT is such an offensive liability he’s hurting Wade and Green and Korver find space.
TT comes back and Lue completely forgets about Frye. Horrid coaching.
DWade the only bench player to really have an impact tonight
Cavs will have to be physical with warriors and dare officials to call stuff…still think cavs beat themselves more than anything tonight
Wow,, again so many Fowls by GS and no calls ???? Really ???
The second unit was dominant with Fry, with TT they are barely treading water. Fry opens up the court and takes attention away from Korver, who has been struggling since TT returned. I also believe I read on CtB that Fry’s defensive numbers were outstanding. Come on Coach, grow a pair and bring TT when we need some muscle, but he’s not a major minute guy.
Wow, I barley watch these games,,, what’s up with all the GS goals in Cavs at end and replays prove it, ????? Nothing ?????? Realy ????
the league has chosen
jr, tt, shumpert soak up $37m of salary – bad contracts by griff may indeed ultimately sink the boat.
Lack of rebounding and energy appalling by cavs….think IT changes all that
Durant committed like 3 fouls on one possession
this was all fine. warriors look very beatable without steph.
tt needs to go
bad game by lbj, but you cant complain
also the zebras ffs ridiculous
Lue has to go off on the refs after this game, Kerr would be apoplectic
https://twitter.com/oldseaminer/status/945422938181955585
How? Offensively Green wasn’t that great but I thought his D on Durant was solid. That’s what stuck out to me.
Missed all his shots at the basket and his iso pull-up brick at the end of the fourth was a back breaker.
Right. But those are the shots he should be taking (and making), except for that pull-up jumper. That was dumb. Again I thought he D’d up Durant pretty good.
Well, I’m not sure if Durant was officiated this way in OKc, but he gets Draymond level respect on defense now.
Merry Christmas everyone. Great watching with you
8 TOs for James?
Lue is terrible.
Refs decided this game down the stretch. Just awful officiating
Refs screwed this game up.
Really made it annoying to watch…that and the constant replay delays…
Ha! What a joke. This game wasn’t just influenced by the refs. It was decided by them. The calls have been so bad it’s insane.
Durant had three fouls in that possession alone.
Off James.
This is horrible. Call a foul.