Live Thread: Cavs vs Rockets
2019-12-11The Rockets come into the Rocket Mortgage center tonight sporting a league best 120 points per game, with James Harden and Russell Westbrook killing teams for 60 points, 12 boards, and 15 assists per game. No word yet on whether the Cavs will have a new starting lineup, but the Rockets will be missing Gerald Green, Eric Gordon, Austin Rivers, and Wilson Chandler while the Cavs are only missing Windler.
I’d like to give the Cavs some hope in this one, because if there’s any opponent teams are looking past in the Association right now, it’s the Cavs. Unfortunately, the Rockets haven’t lost to a bad team all year, with only the Wizards absurd 158-159 loss coming close.
The Cavs’ bench may have an advantage, because Houston’s last in the league in bench scoring at 25, and the Rockets give up 115 a game. The Rockets do play their starters heavy minutes.
It would be nice for all involved parties for Kevin Love and Co. to have a get right game at least in the scoring department. We’ll see what the evening holds. Go Cavs!
I am curious what a Garland, KPJ, Cedi, Love, TT lineup could do. That is if love actually still was willing to give it another shot (quite possibly not).But Delly, Sexton, and Clarkson would probably not be acceptable together. I dunno. Only way that might work is if Delly were to initiate everytime.
Probably nothing much would change… but best scenario would be that the ball would move much better, Cedi’s touches (probably everybody’s) would likely increase… maybe defense improves due to having KPJ’s size and athleticism.
But as you pointed out that bench would be scary, the reason why Clarkson works right now is because Porter’s being a good team player… he’s making more passes than he’s receiving, off of a lot fewer touches than Sexton.. who’s the exact opposite right now… more touches, fewer passes made than received.
I suspect you are correct about the bench. I think the starters would be improved. But only if love bought in again. No guarantee of that. If he truly wants out the starters probably aren’t going to improve much.
It would have more size, and would include the Cavs current best rookie…it’s just insanity to be playing two 6’1″ guards together. If they were both as skilled as Curry, yeah, but that’s not the real world…
Yeah I would like to see it. Why not experiment? Except for the Sexton Clarkson issue.
The problem there, of course, is Sexton being pissed getting ‘benched’. If it would take making Garland 2nd team to avoid drama, I’m fine with that, too. They shouldn’t be on the court together too much is the main thing.
I agree I’d like to see them split, but I don’t know how much that helps the love situation. I have a feeling he has more issues with Sexton. Of course it won’t matter if he gets traded/wants out. And you’re right in that they should probably be split regardless.
So did Beilien neuter Cedi in training camp? What’s the deal? Havent been able to watch but his box scores have consistently been almost no shots. Is he playing good d again and just tired?
He actually has the highest RPM on the team, likely due to being mostly competent defensively and his willingness to move the ball. In the starters he doesn’t really get to touch the ball much. But he passes which is about the only thing that prevents the ball from sticking in that group. He also didn’t play down the stretch bc of KPJ.
??? Cedi’s been great… infinitely better than last year. Could use more touches, but (ranked in order) Love, Sexton, Garland, and TT have the bulk of the touches among the starters. Sexton’s allergic to passing, Love and Garland turn it over too much, TT’s not a passer.
Pretty much what CLF said.
After re-checking the stat sheet, I should amend my statement… TT is a passer, averages more passes than Sexton per game and 3rd most passes per game behind Love and Garland.
So it’s a matter of not getting set up rather than him not being aggressive? His shots are way down
Sort of. He takes shots when he has them. Honestly there are only so many shots to go around. What should likely happen is him handling more since he seems to be more able to see the floor than Sexton and Garland. Ideally Sexton would only play off ball and just get set-up and cut. Make quick decisions and not hold onto the ball. Garland tries to pass sometimes but is very prone to getting himself into trouble. Not surprising as a rookie with 5 games of college. Cedi probably should be splitting initiating actions with Garland, with most of… Read more »
KpJ made some mistakes on harden. But he had active hands that were up with the unit that brought them back. Unit actually defends and moves consistently without the ball and moves the ball. Ball sticks bad with the starters. I am not sure why either. Maybe having Delly and Nance in who actively look for other guys, even Henson who passed a little has a stabilizing effect on Clarkson and KPJ. Or at least it has seemed to the last two games. Certainly they have proved much more capable defensively. Which I guess isn’t surprising since you have two… Read more »
KPJ looked pretty good defending the Turd, really…the problem is it’s impossible to defend the Turd the way the NBA calls fouls on perimeter defenders…
Only 2 Free Throws taken in the 2nd half…those were from intentionally fouling Harden at the end.
In seasons like this, you look for signs of improvement, development. Games like this one. This should give all fans some hope.
Yup… KPJ and Garland shooting a lot of threes and making them. Henson is coming around. Sexton was efficient shooting. Osman with 7 assists… plenty of positives tonight.
Another positive: 29 assists on 46 buckets.
Cavs without Porter: 7/23 from 3. About 30%
Cavs with Porter’ 66.6% on 6/9 from 3: 13/32. A little over 40%
Well they were competitive. Mistakes down the stretch coupled with Harden going off. KPJ played very well. I think Love just doesn’t want to be here. If he did, we would have seen better effort at times in a winnable game. Unfortunate.
The Clarkson, Delly, KpJ/Cedi, Nance, and Henson/TT lineups have been the only reason they have been in the last two games in the fourth quarter. Way way way out performed the mostly starter lineups in both games in the second half. And they did it tonight with both Harden and Westbrook in the fourth.
Agree, that Cedi should’ve been inbounding and playing over Sexton down the stretch. No FGs but 7 dimes.
LNJ could have been another choice for inbounder
agreed.
Kev -23 tonight. Needs to get his head right.
I think he has already packed his bags. I think tonight pretty much means he wants out. Dunno if we’re getting him back mentally. Maybe a lineup change. Maybe not. Definitely lockerroom issues with the starters.
Who does he think will want him when hes playing like this though? His contract is big.
Good question. If he gets traded for cheap enough with a couple second rounders and maybe a young player that doesn’t have much potential and bad money coming back, some team might do it. I suspect that is where this is headed. We aren’t getting a first in all likelihood. Nor a raw prospect with much potential. So if he wants out the Cavs probably will be forced to trade him cheap enough to entice a team.
Love with a team worst -23.
That’s says a lot…and I really wish it didn’t.
Great night for KPJ. 24 points on 9-15 shooting with 6 threes!
Should’ve put Cedi in at PG down the stretch instead of Sexton.
If nothing else, they get better inbound passes from Cedi.
Still WAY more fun of a game than I expected.
Yezus that stretch run was a disaster. But yeah. Fun game. This starting lineup hates each other still.
That was a frustrating end. Beilein’s coaching down the stretch seems… suspect. As did Love’s effort.
KPJ has to work on his inbound passes lol
True, but I’m not sure whose fault the first turnover was. Also, why would you have him passing that in. Don’t put a rookie in that position.
Well, this was a fun game regardless