Recap: Houston 120, Cleveland 88 (or, Denmark Rotten)
2018-02-04
In a season of embarrassing performances, this one stood out as among the most joyless, dysfunctional, depressing home losses of any in LeBron James’ 11 years in Cleveland. It was obvious from the tip – as an anonymous commenter paraphrased the Bard – “that something really is rotten in Denmark.” On national TV against one of the top three teams in the league, the Cavs failed to put forth an effort that would please even the most myopic Cleveland Fans. LeBron James was passive from the start, deferring to cold shooting teammates, and failing to mount even minimal defensive effort on a majority of plays. After the game, James posted one of the most disengaged and intentionally passive and obtuse interviews ever. As John B responded to Shakespeare on the live thread, “the whole team, including the King, has been poisoned.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaXADYNL1ZQ
The Cleveland starting backcourt currently makes winning an impossibility. Isaiah and J.R. went 2-10 in the first quarter, with J.R. Smith missing four triples and Isaiah Thomas missing two for a whopping four points (and added zero assists). Their counterparts, Chris Paul and James Harden banged out sixteen and five assists. That disparity tells half the story of this game. The whole team’s complete and total lack of cohesion and effort told the other half.
Once again this game, despite barely having the legs to get the ball to the rim on an NBA three pointer, Isaiah Thomas continues to fire away, going 0-4 this game including two mind-numbingly pull-ups on the break that we all knew had no chance of going in. Thomas was as bad as always in this contest. The difference is so was everyone else.
After a 32-20 first, the game bled away. Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson both rightly called out the Cavalier leadership for the team’s lack of effort on defense, as the Cavs were content to watch the Rockets destroy while the Cavs exerted minimal effort in transition or in the half-court. It isn’t a scheme issue at this point. It’s a lack of effort. The team was booed throughout the game, again, rightfully so.
The Cavs aren't trying tonight. Sorry. They're not.
— Jason Lloyd (@ByJasonLloyd) February 4, 2018
Despite their ineffectiveness, Tyronn Lue kept rolling out the same folks, including Derrick Rose who Lue hinted might get some more run in his pregame comments. Rose went 3-11, including 1-4 from three. He can’t shoot either.
As the game wore on, the commentary from Jeff Van Gundy and Jackson became more interesting than the game. Van Gundy noted that he might bring up several G-Leaguers to play with the Cavs just to give effort. They both also repeatedly called out the Cavs’ leaders for the team’s laziness.
It was completely obvious that LeBron James was mailing this in third class. And we all wondered why he was still playing into the third until he exploded towards the rim to get a foul and get just enough points to keep his double digit scoring streak alive. He didn’t deserve to.
The game descended into an oblivion of Rocket fast breaks, threes, and terrible Cavalier shots. It was almost fitting that the Cavs’ got destroyed despite a bad shooting night from Harden who went 1-11 from downtown. The rest of the rockets went 18-40 beyond the arc including 6-9 from Chris Paul who dropped a game high +47 (you read that right), along with 22 points and nine assists. Ryan Anderson played the role of rifleman, going 5-9 from three himself, including a couple from around 30 feet away, and was +39 with 21 points.
The lone bright spot and two of the few second half cheers came from a pair of garbage time buckets from Cedi Osman who came in and ran the floor harder than Cavalier who’d been in the game before him, prompting a stadium’s full of fans, and an entire fanbase to wonder, “Why hasn’t Lue been playing this guy all night?” before the boos rained down after the final score.
—
There’s no point in rehashing the finer points of this game other than to say the Rockets are really good right now, and the Cavs are among the worst teams in the league. As someone in the live thread noted, The Kings compete harder than this. The Cavs start the worst player in the league at point guard. They have consistently refused to play their best lineups, leaving guys like Calderon and Osman glued to the bench, while Thomas and Rose get unlimited run. But as the rumors swirl, Tyron Lue’s is reportedly safe, which is a a laughable phenomenon on the part of the Cavalier front office (Dan Gilbert). I’m pretty sure Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are the sources for this quote.
Story filed to ESPN: Despite losing 12 of 18 games – including a 120-88 loss to Houston – Cleveland coach Ty Lue’s job is safe. “We are not firing our head coach,” one Cavaliers official told ESPN. Cavs will keep working to improve team prior to Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) February 4, 2018
The Cavaliers slog on towards the all-star break with no respite in sight, save the vague hope of some talent improvement at the NBA trade deadline. The Cavs play four of the next five on the road including matchups with the T-Wolves, Celtics, and Thunder. We’ll know if this team has any chance come Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
More than one commenter noted that the Cavs should explore trading LeBron James as this season seems a lost cause. I don’t think the cause is lost yet, but saving this season would require a commitment from Dan Gilbert and an ability to admit he made a major mistake trading for Isaiah Thomas. That seems like a tall order. Alas, Horatio, I knew this team well.
The root of what's happening with Cavs is the adversarial relationship between LeBron James and Dan Gilbert. And they're running out of time to trust each other: https://t.co/WDVwvakxLI
— Brian Windhorst (@WindhorstESPN) February 4, 2018
To describe the Cavs as a team with “chemistry problems” understates the problem. I wouldn’t be surprised if LeBron spends time in private talking to a skull while wearing Elizabethan robes pretending Dan Gilbert is Claudius and Isaiah Thomas is Laertes. What a piece of work is man.
I don’t think I want to support this team until Gilbert sells or makes it apparent a real gm is in charge. We’re throwing money on a dumpster fire.
Hope Bill Simmons enjoyed the game. I’ve also heard whispers for several months from a couple of credible people that Belichick may move on after this year. The Pats could bring Charlie Weis home if that happens.
Good for the Eagles – refreshing to watch a team that actually plays together and a creative…
Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.
FWIW, Nets lose. Hawks & Lakers win. Suns blow 21 pt lead & lose to Charlotte.
Wins:
15 = Magic
16 = Hawks, Kings
17 = Mavs
18 = Suns, Bulls, Grizz
19 = Nets
21 = Lakers
Uttering a very small “yay”.
What would you give up for Marc Gasol and Tyreke Evans?
Not the Nets pick. Anything else save Bron or Love.
If we would get Evans’ Bird rights, I might go higher. Grizz do not have them.
Remember Calderon? Pull that fork out again!
In other news, LBJ doesn’t want to play national TV games anymore. Can’t blame him.
I will raise my hand on that. Thought it was the deepest.
Bron has stopped playing. Lue divides minutes by reputation (see Deron v DWill) rather than performance. TT & Shump are unplayable. JR is close. And Crowder has disappointed. IT has been awful outside of 3 games. Now Love is hurt.
Frye, Calderon, Korver (with Bron/Frye), Wade, & Cedi have been good. Bron was awesome for 2 months and awful for the last one.
‘Lue divides minutes by reputation’ – This is really true. Lue is managing ego’s rather than coaching. There are too many fragile egos to be managed including Rose, IT, TT, JR and even Jae Crowder. (not to mention Dan Gilbert who wants to see his trades work out). There is a critical mass of dysfunction it seems.
Where are all the people, on this blog and nation commentators, that said this was the best and deepest squad Bron had ever had? Stand up and be counted!
It is the deepest, and will be OK when the IT experiment is over. No one said anything about best.
At the beginning of the season, I thought this would be the deepest team he ever had with three all stars, 8 starting caliber players (Bron, Love, TT, JR, Crowder, IT, Green, Rose, Wade), solid veterans (Korver and Frye) and some youngsters (Cedi, ZZ). Didn’t have many expectations for Calderon. I was hopeful that IT would be what he was last year offensively but shared concerns that we had no chance against the Warriors with IT’s defensive deficiencies. I was also hopeful we had shored up perimeter D (Green, Jae) and some more offensive firepower when Lebron sat (Wade, Rose)… Read more »
Perfectly captured. Ditto.
From my recollection, this is the worst stretch of play this team has gone through since LBJ has come back. Given that IT is apparently here to stay as a player and starter, the personnel currently available for the next few months, the rigid direction the coaching is following, and the remaining regular season schedule, I can’t see how they can turn it around. Unless, the FO cuts or trades IT, a coaching change is made to someone that will bench IT, fix the d, and manage rotations better, or Lue finally decides to take a stand and bench IT… Read more »
He has only lost the team because IT is playing.
I hope you are right for his sake, and maybe the cavs as a whole. Either way he has to make a change, or a change needs to be made for him.
The IT, Wade,DRose,Korver and JG lineup in the 2nd quarter to me was one of the dumbest coaching decisions of all time.
They were already down 20 + points and he plays that lineup? What the heck he was trying to do there? It’s just unnaceptable if you ask me.
There is no rational explanation for that particular lineup. Given the discord it has caused amongst the rest of the team and his brutally awful play, there is also no rational explanation for him playing IT, save for the decision is coming from above. If that is the case, then the cavs and Lue are screwed. He cannot possibly think playing IT is a good idea even if benching him turns him even more toxic. I used to think maybe Lue was doing the same thing he did with Wade. Basically, play him to prove how bad IT is to… Read more »
Exactly, I also believe that the KLove at the 5 was a huge mistake also. The move was ok for offensive purposes but the opposing teams quickly adjusted to that move and just took advantage of the lack of rim protection from the Cavs and the layup drills against the Cavs began.
And now that he made the decision to start TT at the 5 spot well Tristan hasn’t been playing like he was back in 2015.
Too many things at the same time going wrong.
They played decent d with Love at the five when they won 17/18 games earlier this season (10th in drating during for those games) However, it would certainly work better with Lebron guarding 4s as no one else had the physical presence or length to do so in that lineup. I get his reticence to do so at this age since he already takes a beating on offense.
I think part of the reason they went that route was precisely because TT hadn’t really been the same player since the 2016 finals.
To me the Cavs would fix most of their issues with a solid shot blocking center that can also rebound the balll well. Like Capela.
But as long as coach keeps playing those small line ups with LBJ or JG at center the Cavs will continue to struggle on defense.
Well, certainly, now that Love is gone, TT needs to play center and Frye needs to take the rest of the center minutes. Unfortunately we don’t have a shot blocking center that also rebounds and to get DJ they likely will need to give up the Brooklyn pick. Even then, I think he is basically unplayable against GS. A lot of the issues would go away if IT doesn’t play. Beyond his d, it is clear the team quits while he is in. Get him out and they probably get back to trying, especially LBJ.
Good point.
To be honest at this point I would trade for players like Clarkson and any other young player that I could if I was Altman. And If LeBron agrees I would trade him too.
When things go bad for this team they just quit on defense and go on one on offense.
I know it’s not recommended to fire a coach during the season but to me coach Lue just lost this team. I just don’t understand why they haven’t done it yet.
I think the only way to solve the Cavs issues is to trade like half of the roster and find a coach who will demand and get the most out of the players. But I’m afraid nobody likes what the Cavs are offering now.
At this point I would prefer to see a roster full of players that really want to compete than the players the Cavs have right now.
Oh and please don’t trade the pick.
Celtics come all the way back to win by 1 over Portland without Kyrie. A team with heart and a coach.
Nets lose. Hawks win one in the Garden.
Well, at least Ty will go down with the ship…
Thanks for taking this one Nate. I did not watch it. I did not care to. I do not think I missed much. The Cavs really have one fundamental question to ask themselves…
“To be… or not to be?”
For me the Shakespearean quote for IT is…..parting is such sweet sorrow.
http://cdn.doublequotes.net/sympathy-quotes/about-sorrows/when-sorrows-come-they-come-not-single-spies-but-in-battalions-403×403-nk1u7t.jpg
In the “desperately looking for a silver lining department,” no team in the east is better than 6-4 in their last 10 & the Celtics are down 16 at half in Boston to Portland without Kyrie.
Nets -21 at half.
I am sure in the “desperately looking for a silver lining department” with you. Under ordinary circumstances, one would think that the Cavs have no chance of getting to the playoffs and winning any series. But, if they just go back to the “before IT” era, they have a decent shot. You can’t expect LeBron to try to win all the regular season games, but you can in the playoffs.
May be another silver lining for Cavs fans, warriors lost to Denver and looked really fatigued over last two games.
Four days until the deadline.
Nets update: wins:
15 = Hawks, Magic
16 = Kings
17 = Mavs
18 = Suns, Bulls, Grizz
19 = Nets
20 = Lakers
Today:
Bucks at Nets
Hawks at Knicks
Grizz at Raptors
Lakers at Thunder
Hornets at Suns
Grizz continue to sit Evans. Bucks up 17 on Nyets mid 2nd. Hawks even early 2nd in NY. Suns with a shot to catch Nets in the W column.
team showed very little effort and they stink anyways….its not even fun to watch. have no idea why this is happening and how there is no accountability whatsoever. if the teams show effort and attempt to care and have some accountability, they just don’t have the players. The Cavs I believe have the players, but are playing the wrong guys and need to adjust lineups accordingly. I think IT can fit with second unit but in small doses where the lineup runs the whole time and runs an offense. Need to rid of Rose, Shumpert, TT…bring in young bloods who… Read more »
I know why the lack of effort: they know there is no chance of winning with IT on the floor. That is the down side of letting him try to “play into shape”. It is a long shot that he will be able to play into any kind of shape that would make him a worthwhile starter.
He shouldn’t be playing into shape as a starter. I can understand wanting to keep the second unit intact when it was playing well, but that is out the window with Love out.
We are small, slow, lazy, old, lack shooting, and do not move the ball real well.
To say IT is the “worst player” in the league is hyperbolic to say the least! The dude was all NBA last year and averaged over 30 points! C’mon man. Is he playing well now!? Hell no. Is he coming back from an extremely difficult injury? Yes! We were patient with Kyrie when he struggled, which he did, coming back from injuries. I think unfortunately IT is simply miscast on this team even when he would be thriving offensively. Boston had the schemes and personnel to hide his deficiencies, we obviously don’t. We should have traded for a defense first… Read more »
Agree that playing IT is “rolling the dice”, and it is probably the best bet. If I was running things, I would quit rolling them when the playoffs get near.
What? No. You’d be better playing Kay Felder. Dude has wrecked this team and has posted one of the worst defensive ratings in NBA history and his net rating is garbage too. If Isaiah is not the worst player he is far and away the worst starter. I don’t know what game you’re watching but this reputational myopia is what has killed the Cavs coaching staff and front office.
Kyrie looked like Iverson in his prime coming back from injury compared to IT. Irving never demoralized an entire team and perhaps most of its fan base when he played his way into shape
Whatever he used to be or will be in the future, right now he is a tiny slow chucker who is unpopular in the locker room and has an inflated opinion of himself. I don’t know if he is actually the worst player in the NBA but that would seem to be the dictionary definition of least useful and desirable player to have on an NBA roster.
I find it comical that almost all the articles mention an early playoff exit as the worst fate this team can suffer.
They were bad before Love got hurt. They are awful now.
50/50 if they make the POs at all. 2 games up on 7th (Miami) and 5 on 9th (Detroit).
No one wants our trash. LeBron’s lack of commitment makes trading the Nets pick silly, plus there is no one player available to change the ewuation enough to justify trading it.
Agree with Jason, other than I think the Cavs will make the playoffs, and be a threat to win the ECF.
Totally replacing IT minutes with Cedi, plus a 100% Love, plus 100% effort by everyone, would make the Cavs the team to beat in the East. Can that happen?
Good cap. And while IT has been awful, he is at best #4 on the list for the team’s downfall.
1. Gilbert
2. Lue
3. James
4. IT
5. Collapse of TT, JR, Crowder, Shump
I do not put Altman on the list because Gilbert was the GM.
As far as the players going onto to floor, IT is clearly #1 problem. They would be winning a lot more games without him. The rest of the team have trouble trying very hard when they know IT will lose it for them.
The only possible sane thing Lue might be doing is playing IT full time in hopes that he will be worth something by the time playoffs start.
Nice, Nate. Not sure about IT as Laertes (Laertes was the voice of conscience in the play), but let’s not forget Ty Lue as Polonius, the court advisor who sucked up to ownership, blathered useless advice while everyone around him rolled their eyes, and was ultimately stabbed to death by Hamlet, who mistook him for a rat. Kevin Love as Ophelia? (Hamlet pretended he loved her, then abandoned her; eventually she was found floating in a nearby river, face down.) Also Koby Altman as “third anonymous courtier” (doesn’t have any lines–just stands in the background in a few random scenes).… Read more »
Comment of the year so far.
Lol, “Altman as third anonymous courtier.” Ooof. Seems to be more and more plausible.
Very clever and thoughtful reply to Nate’s impressive recap. Last night was the first game in the LeBron 2.0 era I didn’t watch at all. Totally have lost my Cavs mojo after attending 100 or so games the last 4 years. Quite sad and depressing now