Podcast Episode 228: Merry Little Point Guards
2020-12-21Frohe Weihnachten, Cavs fans!. It’s a Christmas Miracle! Ben Werth joined Nate Smith in the podcast booth after a three year absence! Ben, a resident of Germany joined us from Berlin, and we talked all things Cavaliers. The biggest discussion: what will the starting lineup look like. We both concluded that if the Cavs want to win, they’ll start Cedi and Okoro over Sexton or Garland (we were split on which one to bench). But since they likely don’t want to win, the Cavs will end up starting the pair of tiny Elves at the guard spots.
We snuck down and rattled the presents under the tree as we went through the Cavs roster and gave our thoughts on the coming NBA season: who starts, who sits, who makes the rotation. We also weighed in on all the Cavs youngsters: Sexton, Garland, Okoro, KPJ, Dylan Windler, and our not-so-tiny Tims at the end of the bench, Dean Wade and Thon Maker. There was a lot of Cavs to talk through before we even got to the NBA as a whole and walked through a season preview for the East and West.
We broke down who finishes at the top, who finishes at the bottom, and how they get there. We tried to to track some of the many movements in the NBA offseason. It will be good to open some of these presents when the NBA tips off on Tuesday, when we get to watch some real NBA action in empty gyms around the league. It’s a fun listen, for Elven and Human ears.
Listen below, download the full mp3 audio file, or check us out on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and Spotify.
As for tonight: I saw JB say that Love & Drummond will play. Though Kev could have a minutes restriction. 76ers are on a b2b as well. Coming from NY and a 20 pt win. If the starters hold, I would assume Dre takes Embiid, Okoro takes Simmons, Love Harris, one of Sexland hides on Green while the other takes Curry. Could try to hide Love on Green, but then one of Sexland must take Simmons or Harris. Could see a lot of LNJ tonight, perhaps some jumbo at the 3. Wonder if we use Kev at the 5 at… Read more »
Rockets-Thunder game postponed due to Rocket covid concerns. Expect to see a lot of this.
So, are we assuming Cedi is a starter?
Sexton, Okoro, Cedi, LNJ, Drummond.
Garland, Dotson, Windler, Wade, McGee.
Out: Exum, Delly, KPJ, Love.
Desperation only: Maker.
I think it’ll be DG instead of Sexton, agree with the rest.
Agree with CLF. It’ll be DG, although it should be Cedi.
Okoro starting.
Okoro *and* Cedi? That should be the case, based on merit and common sense. Have Sexton or Garland come off the bench.
just created the ESPN account for fantasy basketball, just let me know when the draft is and i’ll try and be available.
Hi all! Does anyone who lives In NE Ohio know how to get the Cavs game if all you have is YouTube TV?
Hesitant to buy the ticket given local will likely black it out. Any help is appreciated!
I just killed my YouTubeTV account for at&t streaming. Came with a free year of HBO max and 3 months of stars for roughly same price. Probably switch again in a year.
And yes fso is on there.
Smells like Sexton will get a lot of run as backup PG.
Also Windler and Wade should get run as backup 3 and 4… that’s good for them and they earned it.
Delly concussed again? Not good…
Well, looks like a loss. Watching Sexton try to throw a post entry pass to Drummond will be interesting.
Should be more high post stuff for LNJ to initiate. And more Cedi playmaking.
good to hear some takes from Ben…. 100% agree with him on DG/Sexton… and I have to admit he’s been right about Sexton from the beginning. disagree that KPJ should be starting or even playing at this point… and as John B(?) correctly pointed out, the cops came to break up a domestic dispute and the police report said the women KPJ were fighting with incurred visible injuries. So far the women have not filed charges, so hopefully it stays that way. I’m in half agreement with you guys about Windler… i think he should be the backup 3 now,… Read more »
and i think we need to see DG as behind the development curve because of his lost college year… so really last year was college year, this year is his “rookie” year, and next year we can make an assessment as to where his career is going.
The impact stats on his first 3 pre-season games were intriguing… he was on par with Okoro in plus/minus, and both of them were light years better than Sexland’s plus/minus stats from last year.
make the phone call korby!!!
I think the Nets think they are the best team as is. They might be right. We’ll see if Kyrie & KD can stay healthy.
We’ll see if Kyrie can stay sane.
And healthy. I’m betting not.
yup, they’re probably right especially if they’re healthy going into the playoffs. Sixers only other squad I think compares in talent.
Until he gets injured.
Whelp. The Warriors dynasty looks over.
Klay Thompson.
That team doesn’t ‘work’ at all without Klay and Bray. And Bray may be more or less done.
Good. I’m tired of hating on them.
Klay & Dray did not play. And without Kawhi getting ZsaZsa’d and CP3 pulling a hammy (not to mention Love & Kyrie), not sure there is a dynasty. But, yeah, it is over.
But Wiggins is not a plus player. And the Nets are loaded. #2 in the East. Or better.
Caruso is not a PG. Lakers need another PG, & a shot blocking C. Think they only have room for 1 more guy.
Man. Wiseman is a huge dude.
“pair of tiny Elves at the guard spots” –hah!
Maybe they can get a sponsorship deal from Keebler. “And now for the Keebler starting lineup…”
Pretty good article, also, we always hear such and such player is ‘untouchable’ in trade talk…right now, Okoro might be the only guy I consider untouchable on this team.
he’s definitely the only valuable player the Cavs have.
Nance is a valuable player. So are Love and Drummond. But Love & Dre are overpaid.
the key word here is “valuable”… Love, Drummond don’t qualify or are even close to “valuable” given their contracts.
Nance is just a contract to other teams and not even close to as valuable as Okoro.
I know the season starts tonight, but going to try to send out invites to the fantasy basketball league today. Better late than never. Emailed Nate to help connect us all via email.
Currently have 2 others from DawgsbyNature. We’ll need 10 total
If you need another player I would love to! Haven’t played in years but would like to get back in.
My issue with Sexton versus is you know what Sexton is and see what he can be. He is a scorer. He can be/is a decent volume scorer with little vision and poor defensive instincts. There are places for instant offense guys. With Garland I have no idea what he is. He doesn’t have great vision. Better vision than Sexton, but who cares, since that is a low bar. Garland has so little quicks or ability to beat guys with dribble moves he can’t get to the bucket. His floater is decent but even the most elite top 5 guys… Read more »
“Tunnel Vision “ —- LMAO —- but sadly so true ——am a big K Love supporter but what did he play ——- about 20 mins of the entire pre season after being off 9 months to rehab —— now he is questionable about playing Wednesday/ WTF ——— time to “ incorporate “ Mike O ‘ s / “ LOVE LITE “
He kind of has Tunnel Vision, perhaps that counts?
Only about halfway through, but great to hear Ben. I so, so agree with Ben about both DG and Sexton. One can debate what Sexton’s eventual ceiling is, but he’s basically a scorer who doesn’t do much else, and a lousy defender. Garland has decent playmaking ability, although he hasn’t shown that he’s elite at it, and he’s clearly, as Ben noted, still pretty much a kid. What frustrates me is he’s too loose with the ball, makes too many casual passes that end up as turnovers, and he has yet to only flash elite scoring. Ben said that he… Read more »
Small guards who don’t facilitate well and defend terribly are the least effective players in the league, IMHO. We have 2. Even if they score fairly efficiently (Sexton), they give back a ton via poor defense and lost efficiency on O of the other players. Plus, since they don’t facilitate well, they need another playmaker on the court. Usually another small guard. Which creates more defensive issues. Even uber efficient scorers and conductors struggle come PO time (Lou Williams). Building a team on the Blazers model because they backed into the WCF model was boneheaded. The two small guy backcourt… Read more »
Anyway, unless their playmaking or defense improves, which could still happen, they are both bench guys. Which then creates the same problems on the second unit as the first.
They are guys who you have to construct a roster around to make work, rather than guys who can help any team they are on.
There’s no way it’s been three years since Ben has been on, right?
Anyway, look forward to listening, and look forward to fewer minutes of two elvish guards on the floor at the same time.