Live Thread: Cavs @ Kings (#TheString)
2019-04-04With the Cavs playing out the string on an odd, late season road trip out West… it almost seems like the season has already ended. There’s just not a whole lot else we can learn about this current iteration of the wine & gold. Kevin Love is out once again with injury, and might be better served by sitting out the remaining few games. Collin Sexton has demonstrably improved from struggling rookie to a legitimate scoring threat. In fact, Young Bull is just nine points away from becoming only the 10th rookie this decade to reach the 1300 point mark in his first season.
The Cavs can’t even really alter their Lottery position at this point. It would take an unlikely win or two by the Suns to jump into the second slot, or an even less likely four game winning streak for the Cavs to flip spots with the Bulls. One thing that definitely won’t change is just how awful the Cavs have been defensively this season. Cleveland ranks dead last in defensive efficiency, giving up 114.8 points per 100 possessions, more than three points worse than the next closest team, the Phoenix Suns. If that’s not a ringing indictment of Mike Longabardi… I don’t know what would be.
Prediction: The Kings still have something to play for… no, not the playoffs, but a chance to finish the season at .500 for the first time since 2005-06, so they should handle the Love-less Cavs fairly easily… 127-110.
Anyway, if you feel like staying up late on a Thursday night, you can see a bit of string theory in action against the Kings starting at 10pm EST on FSO. And, as always… string some thoughts together below if you’re awake…
I hope Sexton watches 2018-19 Fox tape all summer long
Sexton not quite out to 28 foot range yet.
Sexton misses three then Fox step back kills come back
Damn Zizic. Nice attempt.
And oof on the FTs.
Nice pass Sexton…. Looking forward to seeing how progresses next year
Blahhh. Bagley makes that he will be a perennial all star.
He’s a talented offensive player… needs to add some bulk to play inside tho…
In this era, he might be fine if he makes his threes.
Was just going to say I like how he’s bouncy now lol…. Definitely needs to work in help defense…. He should make a lot more plays defensively for how fast and long he is
Nate called Bagley. I was a lukewarm believer. So raw coming out. But had the athletic talent and height, showed some touch but no skills.
You didn’t watch him at duke lol he was awesome.
Actually I did, mostly because of Nate. Just wasn’t that impressed compared to the hype. Way easier looks than Zion this year and absolutely zero post game. Had zero ability to go more than a few dribbles. He seemed all athlete with no capability of making his own shot. He is that now to some extent. Potential but crazy raw. Exponentially more raw than Zion. A not terrible j form, but not translating into consistency.
To be the hypocrite and do what I critiqued earlier, seemed like an Amar’e Stoudamire. He still might be. Still lacks d instincts.
Then you didn’t watch him carefully enough lol… definitely was a monster in the post, albeit in a different way, and definitely had as good, if not better, handles as Zion.
Not true. He looked like a more athletic version of J Randle to use a version of the earlier thread. Created his own shot 7 feet from the bucket. Athletic as heck but had zero post game, zero dribble drive, and a totally inconsistent outside shot. Got spoon fed a ton. That is inarguable. So did Zion. But one guy could create off the wing. The other couldn’t. Didn’t have a jump hook that could be counted on for any consistency. Didn’t have much of a drop step. Went into guys and finished over or was completely left alone and… Read more »
Also comes down to last year’s Duke team having way more deadly outside shooters.
Sorry man… it’s just not true…. he scored by dominating in the post and off the dribble on the wing and was great from 3 point range. I watched every game he played. And Zion actually played with better playmakers in Jones and Barrett… Duval and Allen weren’t good playmakers, which forced Bagley to get his own shot.
Playmakers, but not shooters. Teams actually had to face check duke from the perimeter last year. BTW Duke shot 38% from three last year as opposed to 30 this year. They were ooodles better on d this year, but had zero spacing. Bagley got a ton of cleanup buckets (credit), buckets as a roll man (which they hardly used Zion as), but he was spaced way way way more. I watched them a ton last year as I did this year, and what I saw was raw, raw, raw. So much potential, but so incredibly raw as far as go… Read more »
And he definitely could create his own shot… just don’t know how you could think he didn’t do those things if you watched him last year. He was a beast.
He average 21 ppg, 11rpg on 61% FG and 39.7% 3pt FG.
Doug Christie, part of one of my favorite non-cavs teams of all time.
Wow… That’s an impressive rookie class
Captain Band Aid trey!
Larry Drew straight up going 1970s with that suit or 80s.
Great post d by Nwaba. Bagley not moving a 4″ shorter guy at all.
Oh no… don’t let CavsDan watch Yogi Ferrell…
Tank squad + Nwaba again…
Ugly defense there Clarkson…. Damn that hurt
Great drive Clarkson!
Nice find Sexton, nice flip shot Chris…. Anne someone needs to let Sexton know about the double team sheesh
Nice quiche hook shot tho…
Every dog……day, y’all know the saying about mediocrity shining in brief flashes.
True that…
Clarkson with some actual defense!
Great play!
Chris’s is a non-starter. I don’t mean that in a b-ball sense. Guy isn’t an NBA player.
He is so bad…
Oh my god Alex Caruso dunking on fools!!!
Hair challenged maniac…
Sexton having a great game scoring.
Koufous needs to shave his head. Also, Sexton floater has become a decent in between shot.
It’s all about rhythm and decision making for him…. He can make every shot imo
How are they in this games still?
I really don’t know…. They have no business being in it lol
Sexton floater! One point game!
Great finish cedi!
Sexton with some convenient steal and look ahead.
Great two man game knight and Zizic!
How did Barnes get to Sac Town again? Doncic Trade third team?
No midseason don’t remember details
Weird trade. OCD compelled me to look this up:
Barnes was traded to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Zach Randolph and Justin Jackson.
Great pass knight!
Hey guys… Nate and I might be less frequent with the comments this half as we are podcapping now…
Word… Do it to it!
Wow… Nance blew that one.
BTW. That is the most empty NBA arena I have ever seen, literally. Like this is sad. There must be fewer than 2000 people there.
It is Sacto… they’ve been bad for a while…
I guess people were still coming back from halftime 2 minutes into the 3rd, but damn…..2 minutes and there is still no one……
I live nearby and was tempted to go to this game, but good tickets still seemed pretty pricey. So, nope.
If Drew is destined to keep Longo do you still give him the full HC job? I think he likely would keep him. So with that aspect, I say you clean house. You have to ditch Longo no matter what.
Front office better get it right
Lakers getting clowned… Apt ending for their season
Probably a foul but like Sexton taking the defensive challenge there on Fox
I don’t think that was really a Euro step. It was more of the Kyrie gather move.
Cedi got his drive at least lol
Good pass Sexton. Bad miss cedi and then bulls way on the next break. Boy we are so disorganized defensively.
Great pass by Sexton… Cedi not close with the wide open three… this is partially why Sexton doesn’t have bigger assist numbers…
Fast break/transition assists aren’t exactly consistently there most games.
Sexton really good at continuing the play and moving without the ball after he drives and kicks.
Nice Steph move by Sexton… but misses the FT…