Live Thread: Heat @ Cavs
2018-01-31To say things aren’t going well right now for the Cleveland Cavaliers may be the understatement of 2018 so far. The team is just 3-7 in their last ten games, the defense is the worst in the NBA, the team chemistry is just as bad, and they just lost Kevin Love, their second-best player, for two months to a broken hand. Now, the Miami Heat, just a half game behind the Cavs for the third seed in the Eastern Conference, are in town looking to make a statement.
Since the Cavaliers are a very good 18-6 this season, one would assume that they would have the edge tonight. Technically that is true, as Vegas has them as two point favorites over the Heat. However, anyone that’s watched the Wine & Gold over the last month knows how absurd this line is. The Cavaliers struggle terribly on the second night of back-to-backs, struggle terribly against good teams, and struggle terribly to defend any team that gets out and runs in transition. The Heat, who are always in excellent physical condition, and have an elite coach in Erik Spoelstra, will undoubtedly try to take advantage of these facts.
The only reasons the Cavaliers are favored tonight is because the game is in Cleveland and they have LeBron James. With Love out, Miami arguably has the better player at four of five positions and is the more rested team, as the Cavaliers lost to the Pistons last night, while the Heat did not play.
If the Cavaliers have anything going for them tonight its that James and fellow former Heatle Dwyane Wade could very well be motivated to deliver big performances against their former team. But if the last month has taught us anything, it’s that normal motivators don’t always apply to this team.
Also Lebron redifining how we think of ‘phoning it in’…
I can see the Cavs losing this by 20…
This needs a game like the Delly-coming-out game. Cedi to go beserk. I’ll stick around for that.
Bet Cedi doesn’t even see the floor…
Not true, he’s out there right now! :)
He may be wearing a blindfold, though…
This current team won’t make it past the first round.
This team looks like a tanking squad that is just phoning in the end of the season. I’ve never seen a more soul crushingly depressed basketball team. I don’t know that any of them are enjoying basketball anymore. The Browns enjoyed 0-16 more than this team enjoys basketball.
LBJ with one of his most inefficient halves in a while… 4-11, zero assists, six turnovers…
FRYE BLOCK!
Ugliest game I’ve seen in a while.
This ref squad is a clown show…
LBJ has really fallen off with the FTs…
I wonder if it has anything to do with playing 38 minutes a night at age 33.
I don’t see your point? FTs are standstill shots…
Legs. Recovery. All around weariness. You use your muscles to shoot basketball, even free throws.
I don’t… but I shoot em granny style…
Lol. Maybe it’s just because I’m a horror show of an athlete, but I work up quite a sweat just standing around shooting free throws at the gym.
14 point deficit… erased
Stupid, sloppy, lazy passes…
Real question: Does LBJ look more or less defeated than that fateful game in Boston 2010?
He looks completely defeated – going through the motions.
The worst part is…I don’t think he wants to leave. I think he really wants to finish his career here. And Gilbert is doing everything possible to push him out. This is Modell-Jim Brown level garbage. It’s so depressing to see, and it’s so crystal clear to everyone except Gilbert. Dude has one of the worst Napoleon complexes of all time.
Yeah…exactly how I see it…he would stay in Cleveland if it was remotely viable…not sure it will be…
He has the same body language he had in 2015 before the Cavs trade for Shump and Jr.
Just awful.
Again… all ball by Wade…
Cavs shooting just 37%
Don’t you all think IT would make a great rap artist? #shumpit
MC Limp Shrimp (thanks to EG)
Shaqtin’ pass from Wade…
Payback foul on Whiteside…
Bron with five turnovers already…
And just down 4 points. We already know what will happen in the 2nd half.
What a wasted possession…
I don’t get why LeBron is out here with IT.
Neither does anyone else…
I guess Dan nixed the separation plan…
Gilbert’s orders. He is trying to make him leave so he doesn’t have to give both LBJ and IT max contracts.
Probably true…the Max is reserved for your BFF…
Are the Cavs moving the basket? Second airballed FT…
Only one Cavs starter has a negative +/-. One guess who IT is.
Lol…
Bam dominating TT…
Bad Defense… worse offense has let the Heat right back into the game…
Nobody can seem to block out Adebayo…
LeBron actually rolled hard and IT just goes up and gets blocked.
Yeah, looked like IT didn’t even notice him…
That was a sad former Celtic two man game…
Looked like a good block by Green to me…
IT is the friendly shrimp, not killer…
Limp shrimp…
Good one!
This was almost as satisfying as that block that hit Steph Curry in the face…
RIP Rasual Butler
Looked like a travel… and on top of that it didn’t look like he was touched… therefore, he airballed the free throw…
That was a horrible FT….wasn’t just an airball, it was worse than that…
http://www.kennypowersfanclub.com/episodes/season2/chapter13/images/gallery/enlarge/image08.jpg
The Andersons are not using my tickets well…
CAREFUL DERRICK!!
CHANNING!!!
Wade blocks the roadie for stryper!
How about start with a two ball and then graduate to three DRose?
Lots of unforced errors for the Heat…
Heat are really stinking, Cavs need to build a lead…
Vintage Wade…
BLOCKED!
Kelly is such a doofus…
Cut-to-the-rim-zus!
Pretty good defensive rotations…
Yes. But Miami is kinda crappy tonight
Olynyk looks like a roadie for stryper
Or a clown without makeup…
I had almost forgotten the great Olynyk was on this team…and Green had a gimme at the buzzer, but looked like he was expecting a foul…
DRose is back…
To clarify… not back like 2011… but like back on the court after missing last night…
Step back is not Channing’s shot…
Banana in the tailpipe…
Vintage Wade!
Put Dragic on this team in place of IT or Rose or whoever…much more viable team…
The refs have fallen out of love with IT…
LeBron one upping IT by not running out for intros… LOL
The Andeson’s got my tickets to this game on Flash Seats. The game is never sold out
Once more into the breach…but I may jump ship early if Cavs look terrible…I can get my Ganley fix on youtube…
Let’s go Cavs?
I gave the Andersons my tickets to the game…
May I have some tickets, plz?
Only if your dad’s a genius…
If Dan fires Lue, I believe ‘Bron will stay.
Remember when Kevin Love had 32 points in the first half of the last game against the Heat?
Tyreke Evans is apparently sitting in hotel instead of playing, waiting for a trade to complete. Memphis apparently looking for a 1st rd pick.
Same for Mirotic and the Bulls…
ya, interesting to see if Cavs will be in play for either with their own pick.
I’d love Evans and if they got him I’d disrespectfully put IT on the bench…
Sigh, how would we lose this one today? This has been a very tiring season.
Anyone think with the Love injury Cavs will entertain Mirotic?
I would hope so. Dude can play.
Won’t address our primary needs.
Yes
Bulls want a first for him… so nope
Will be interesting to see how quickly Cavs can regroup without Kev. Apparently Jeff Green was sick while playing yesterday – tipping a big game for him if he’s ok tonight.