Live Thread: Cavs @ Raptors
2022-03-24Good evening CtB!
Tonight is a doozy, with the Cavs venturing across the border to the shores of Lake Ontario to face off against the Toronto Raptors. Fans of both teams know this is the biggest game so far this season with both squads jockeying for playoff/play-in position with only 10 games left. Neither team was expected to be in this position at the beginning of the season, but both teams are reaping the rewards of the stacked 2021 NBA Draft class in the forms of Rookie of the Year candidates Scottie Barnes and Evan Mobley. Should Evan Mobley help carry the Cavs to victory tonight, that would have to help seal his case.
Stats and notes
The Cavs have won the three prior meetings, and will be looking to complete the season sweep tonight. The Cavs won the first three contests with stifling defense, holding them 96, 99, and 101 points in each game respectively. But the Raptors’ offense seems to have improved as the season has gone along.
Toronto presents an interesting challenge for the Cavs strategically. They’re an isolation-heavy offense that’s not all that efficient at it, but make up for their poor shooting with crashing the glass for easy points. The Cavs’ one on one defense and rebounding will have to be on point to pull off the upset. Weirdly, Toronto is not a good defensive rebounding team so there will be opportunities to punish them with easy points crashing the glass.
Tip off is scheduled for 7:30PM ET and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes, Go Cavs!
cap up
AGREE WITH YOU MIKEO–( AS ALWAYS )—-MIGHT STILL BE TOO EARLY TO EVALUATE CARIS—-WAITING FOR HIS “BREAKOUT ” GAME OF 25+ PTS OR IS IT JB’S SYSTEM THAT IS HINDERING HIM ?? AND YES WE DIDN’T GIVE UP TOO MUCH—-THIS DRAFT DOESN’T HAVE THAT “STAR ” APPEAL —WHAT IT DOES HAVE – I BELIEVE _ IS IT IS VERY DEEP WITH AVG // MARGINAL TALENT THAT CAN FORTIFY// HELP END OF THE BENCH ROTATIONS—THAT PLAYER COULD BE AVAILABLE WITH THE SPURS PICK —THOUGHTS ?
JUST WATCHED REPLAY——–OTHER THAN DG WE HAVE NO OTHER PLAYER THAT CAN ‘BEAT ” YOU OFF THE DRIBBLE// ATTACK AND CREATE —WHERE WE REALLY MISS RUBIO——ALSO RAPTORS ARE A TEAM THAT LIKES TO ISOLATE AND GO 1ON 1 WHICH IS ANOTHER PROBLEM CAVS HAVE // DEFENDING PLAYERS WHO CAN DRIBBLE-ATTACK ———REALIZE KOBY HAD TO MAKE A TRADE -( OTHERWISE WE ALL WOULD HAVE BEEN SCREAMING )– BUT ARE WE NOW ALL FEELING WE GAVE UP TOO MUCH FOR LEVERT // STILL TOO EARLY TO TELL // UNDECIDED —WE STILL MIGHT POSSIBLY RETAIN THAT 1ST ROUND PICK –GOOD THING OR NOT… Read more »
he hasn’t played that great (in very limited minutes/ games), but the Cavs didn’t give up that much. In hindsight, I would have tried to get Gordon while unloading Cedi, but not sure how much it would have taken to make that trade.
I’m pretty out on Cedi right now.
Yeah we gave up virtually nothing for Caris… the question is whether giving up an extra pick and Cedi for White was a better move.
Even though White hasn’t put up numbers in Boston, they’re crushing everybody.
I figured it would take too much to get White, but turns out it probably wouldn’t have. Would have been a good get.
Yup, I think the cost was higher but with a much better fit and payoff. But playoff-playin TBD
I’m not totally out on LeVert yet – only has played 10 games. Guys like him (that aren’t stars) take some time to figure out their role, maybe 20-30 games. Right now, when he gets the ball on offense, the other guys are literally just letting him iso and sitting back and watching. That being said, I think it’s pretty clear he won’t make much of a difference for this year’s run, which I think we all were hoping for. Let’s see how he does early part of next season and if it’s not much different, Koby can unload him… Read more »
I didn’t catch this game but based on what I’ve read on social media..appears the Cavs werent up for the moment and Raptors wanted it more. Team needs to understand crunch time moments and these last few games will be crucial for their growth and getting a good playoff seed.
One huge positive trend is Okoro’s 3 point shot. Holy cow…last 5 games (even going 0 for 3 against Denver) he is 10-17. Maybe we adjust a bit to bump up his volume from three until teams overcorrect and he can find cutters for dunks and layups. that’s an exploit i would go ham on if I were coaching or heck even if I were DG and Goodwin. Find Isaac and push that button until teams react.
He’s been working on his shot, and it looks different. He is at around 34-35% for the season now, after starting out terribly. Super hot in recent games. A big reason I continue to believe in him…he’s still super young. Hard to say what his ceiling is.
i think his ceiling is something akin to Mikal Bridges? Maybe slightly higher offensive ceiling, lower defensive ceiling.
He’s so young, so there’s still a x-factor there. Also, I think Ice is a guy who won’t really blossom until his 4th or 5th year in the league, when he’s 23-24.
100% agree and I think this is where the young jimmy butler comps come from. He has all the basics to improve upon…a decent shot, a decent handle, a nose for finishing at the rim through contact, and is already a very good one on one defender. He needs to improve his rebounding substantially (has the girth just focus on body box outs and angles), and definitely needs a mental shift in terms of owning his mins. He could be just as impactful in 20 mins as 36 at the moment if he went hard for those 20. That’s not… Read more »
Imagine if Gary Trent Jr had played. I knew the Cavs were in trouble with FVV and OG playing, but it could have been worse.
might have been worse…although his replacements were longer and better rebounders. It might have helped them not to have him available this particular game.
thank god the Bulls are doing even worse
JB got MORE conservative than even his usual self this game. He played 7 guys once he figured out Cedi didn’t have it tonight. 7. that’s egregious. How can you have a team riddled with injuries with two full days off to prepare for the biggest game of the year and you haven’t spent that time planning to integrate Windler and Goodwin and Moses for ANY stretch? He’s getting worse instead of better. It’s killing DG and Mobley. Not sure why we expect him to perform in a play in game scenario? The only thing that might get us a… Read more »
JB has been good for this team, but he ain’t it going forward. In my opinion.
He is this group’s Mark Jackson. I will keep saying this. We will need a Kerr to make the leap.
i hate to say it, but i was thinking the exact same thing.
Super-dispiriting loss, BUT we win this game with JA on the court.
Man no I’m totally bummed on LeVert. He just ain’t it. I liked the trade at the time but in hindsight, no gracias
We can flip his contract this offseason so possible we still get something solid for it. I think his struggles go right up to the head coach though.
yup, rough go, didn’t like that he put up half the shots Stevens did, just not aggressive enough.
but did like he was our best catch and shoot guy besides Ice.
Play-in would be appropriate. Even with everyone getting back, Cavs still won’t have everything sorted. If they are good enough, they’ll progress.
Would be kinda nice to send Kyrie packing (at least packing to the 2nd play in game…)
2nd huge game in a row we looked completely unprepared.
Yeah,I have to agree,They looked like a freight train hit them out there.They tried, but I had that feeling that even though they pulled closer a few times they just didn’t have the gas.I have to question the 7 man rotation.That’s brutal.
right. 7.5 man rotation is insane
Woulda loved to see the big man earlier how man off rebounds did they get
13 offensive rebounds LMFAOOO Cavs DOA
Mobley not ready to play the 5, among other problems of the Cavs
He wasnt the problem… Okoro 1 rebound in 27 minutes.
Markkanen 5 rebounds in 36 minutes.
True but he is just not really a dominant rebounder but yes Mark and Okoro are sub par for their position
That’s true, just checked his rate and it was 18.4% so less than ideal.
But Okoro (3.8%) and Lauri (10.8%) is just straight up trash.
We need our full team to stand a chance
Absolutely…
Cavs really need to find a knock down shooter this off-season
You mean like a lefty who plays tough d and rebounds and hits nearly 40% from three? Maybe a younger guys without too many miles on him so far?
Siakam has games where he stinks on ice…hitting freaking everything he throws up tonight…
Sit DG. Let it go.
Cavs got fried on the boards and fried from 3.
pull the plug JB
That Barnes bucket probably does it…
Cavs 4 to Raptor’s 18 fast break points. Smdh.
Allen will help, but these teams are coming to play now.
God, tired of Siakam tonight…