Well I don’t know about you guys, but I have the Knicks’ feed tonight. It feels like that’s par for the course on a snowy NEO Evening. The Cavs are looking thin with Sexton, KPJ, Nance, Delly, Cedi, and Love.
Should be an interesting one with lots of run for the g-leaguers.
Glad to hear windler is not seriously hurt / doubt if he plays tomorrow/ might c the 1st unit — season rotation get more run with tomorrow being last preseason game/ Am still on the Thon Train — had a rough game the other night but a lot of his minutes were with G league players — still think even with McGee— he can give some nice min s @ the 4 spot —- think Cavs need to take long look/ kee him as a Charge / “ Love Lite “ think in a couple yrs he could be a… Read more »
KPJ’s legal situation looks to be improving.
only the traffic incident is my understanding, i believe he’s not out of the woods for the alleged assault.
LOL on the Harden & Embiid tandem. What is the opposite of working your @$$ off?
Still, basketball wise, it is a better fit. Harden quits when he does not have the ball, so is hard to mesh with another ball handler. Seth Curry as a spot up guy with Harden around Embiid works.
Philly will need to add another player, I think, to make the trade work. Harden at $41 mil, Ben at $30. Wall & Simmons makes no sense at all for Houston.
I would rather be in the Cavs shoes than Houston right now, all things considered. What a dumpster fire inside a sh$tshow.
Houston is literally re-arranging deck chairs on the Titanic. That ship be sinking. Philly will give on including Simmons, but may take more of a hard line on the # of picks. Which is why Hou has now “opened negotiations” to other teams.
Simmons is 24 with 5 years left on his deal. Doubt they get a better player for Harden. Even if he is Robin, not Batman.
agree with houston – always thought harden was vastly overrated and rockets need to develop a better team that plays defense
Best case Cavs scenario:
1) Okoro’s J, D, & finishing hold up/improve.
2) Sexton: playmaking & D improve. O stays.
3) Garland: shooting shows; D & dish bumps
4) Windler: floor game & shooting legit
5) Love, ‘Dre & McGee: decide to give a sh!t
6) Cedi: improved aggression & D. Shot stays
7) KPJ: comes back from the brink OK
8) Exum: stays healthy. J improves.
9) Bickerstaff turns out to be a great hire.
10) LNJ: Becomes the leader. O improves.
#5 is the biggest key and what led to team being really bad last year – Love checked out and TT was barley hanging on – Drummond wasnt around long enough before pandemic ended season. If those guys buy in along with Delly who is obviously going to, this team has potential – it’ll take another year for young guys to really gel but they got decent vets to balance.
On if Okoro should start or not, I tend to be against it unless the rookie is just way better than the other options. Not sure he is there yet. If I see the D, jumper, and efficient finishing continue.
If they do, then yes. If we are going to start Garland, Sexton, and Love, then great D from the other 2 guys is almost mandatory. If Okoro’s J is good enough he doesn’t get the Dortz treatment, him & a focused Dre can make it work.
Tough to gauge much of anything with limited preseason and most of starters not really playing but here are my thoughts Cavs should be much better this year than last and there is a lot of untapped potential that could go either way but believe it will go more positive than negative Think the back end bench guys will be Maker, Wade and Dotson Starters for now will be Garland, Sexton, Cedi, Love, Drummond Next bench guys: Okoro; Exum; Windler; Nance; KPJ or Javale McGhee!!!! KPJ may be mystery this year and be interesting if he plays or not –… Read more »
Not convinced Maker makes the team. I think he probably should, just to try to see if you can improve his shot, but he had a fair number of minutes last night, and didn’t do much.
I think your starters are on the money.
Fedor’s piece on the suddenly crowded wing spots is a good read. Though he does not mention the possibility of Windler/Okoro as small ball 4s. I have heard that in several pieces from Cavs coaches.
Figured he was dinged up.
oh man, just read Chris Fedor’s report on Windler… same leg he injured, they’re saying they’re being extra cautious, but what Windler described is absolutely scary as hell.
Windler apparently was on the post game zoom, and he said his leg was fine, they were just sitting him due to abundance of caution.
I know he said that, but when he described what happened, sounded exactly how guys tear their knee up or a bone bruise, which i think was the previous injury.
Gotta say after three games Okoro has been about 10x as impressive as I thought he would be. Thought he was going to be hyper raw and force it way too much. Color me pleasantly surprised
So happy the Cavs took him. He might become ROY. In any case, he’s what they needed.
yup, his basketball IQ is tremendous… all the NBA twitter guys i talk to all love him. Question to me is whether you start him or not… and I’m still of the opinion that they should and move DG to a 6th man Lou Will type of role.
I think he’ll be starting quite soon, if not day one.
yeah, I might be jumping the gun a bit, but he obviously will be at some point I’d imagine.
When Lowe had Givony on after the draft, Givony said he had Okoro in the top three players, and thought it was a great pick for the Cavs. Combined with the Cavs extreme need at the position, it was a no brainer.
nice, it was definitely crazy seeing other people’s opinions… pretty much universally lauded pick.
He may never be a 25+ ppg guy. But with his ability to get to the rim & finish at a high level, defend, do a bit of creating for others, and understanding how he best helps the team, he can be a very valuable guy. Iggy would be the ceiling.
And the shot isn’t broken. He seems like a gym rat. If we get a Cedi/Sexton bump on the jump shot, we really have something. A Kawhi/Mailman/Ewing jump, and lookout.
I can hardly believe how good he looks already. He has Kawhi’s defensive instincts, it seems to me, but will probably never have Kawhi’s freakish athleticism. (hardly anyone ever has)
So pleased with this pick.
Almost no one has that reach or hand size at that height. If you get 75% of what Kawhi is at his peak you’ve killed it.
I’m of the opinion unless a rookie is a crazy high pick or blows the doors off before the season, having them as a bench player to start their rookie season is the best policy. Keeps pressure and expectations low. Then depending on play you can move them to starting as the season progresses.
I agree, and I also think Okoro has probably outplayed DG in 2 out of 3 games and is a top 5 lottery pick, so it makes me wonder!!!
I don’t disagree with him outplaying Garland. Low bar though.
Exum, Sexton, Cedi, Love, Drummond.
Garland, KPJ (maybe if things don’t deteriorate) or Windler, Okoro, Nance, Maker.
McGee over Maker IMO, but yes… that’s a nice 10 IMO, and I like the fits.
Forgot about McGee. Yeah, thats the better option.
The problem with this is Sexton is not a PG.
But I do not think Sexland will ever be a contender level backcourt. It would need a Bird-McHale-Parish level frontcourt to be one. Might be OK in short spurts if they both inprove on D, and in playmaking, or you draft a SF size playmaker.
I agree re: Sexton, but I think Cedi and Okoro could initiate offense getting the ball to Sexton and Love in their spots… safest route probably is Exum though and I did say yesterday that I’d start Exum over DG if we’re basing it off of total preseason performance.
Cavs feel loaded with talent in comparison with that Knicks team…
I mean they are. We have two former all stars and a bunch of actual nba players.
best bench performers tonight were clearly Wade and Windler. Okoro another solid game too.
Wade has been solid. Windler had a nice game. I worry about his durability. Those legs are so damn skinny.
Drummond 18points/14 rebounds, +17 plus/minus.
DG didn’t shoot well, but 5 assists, one turnover, +20 plus/minus…. made winning plays all night.
Well Bickerstaff used the end of this to look at the end of bench guys and see if any stood out. I’m fine with that. Good time to do it with so many people out.
Honestly, I like it too. I didn’t want the Cavs to feel themselves too much anyway
The Knicks with some home cooking here.
Obi some hops!
Dang
They call that a flagrant? Come on.
nice take Wade
except for the elbow.
Obi Toppin oldest knick on the floor.
LMFAOOOOO
I’m not even kidding. They mentioned it on Knicks cast
oh i know!!! that’s why i’m laughing!
This lineup is a bit outclassed
yeah we’re playing 3rd/4th stringers.. they have starters/2nd unit out there.
Yeah, none of these guys will play, or play much, for the Cavs.
Yep.
Knicks running their best young player lineup right now.
Out of bounds plays are a priority in practice
their OOB passing is terrible so far this preseason.
Knox found his shot.
He could get hot from deep last year
Mooney nice deflection, then nice pass….. Cavs not getting back on defense.
That travel call was THIN
Quickly looking good.
agreed… might be their best perimeter player LMFAOOOO
Quickly walked.
Damn. Okoro has been money from the corner all preaseason
Ice.
OKORO 3 IS PURE!!! GREAT PASS DOTSTON!
Interesting one big. Four wings
they ran a lineup like this a game or two ago…. except no big, 5 perimeters.
nice finish stephens.
Cavs getting sloppy. Being dragged down into the muck
Good simple drive and kick by Okoro. Missed wide open trey though
DAMMIT…. Okoro great pass but Randolph just missed.
Hate to keep saying this but Mooney is like a D2 or 3 player
RANDOLPH 3!!! his shot looks good, should take more 3s.