Live Thread: Cavs @ Pacers
2023-02-05Good evening CtB!
The Cavs have ventured to the Crossroads of America to take on the Indiana Pacers in a tough Central Division tilt. The Cavs are looking to win back to back games for the first time in a month, as well as finally show some improvement on the road. The Pacers are looking to bounce back after a brutal stretch without their star guard Tyrese Haliburton. If the Cavs have any designs on winning this game, they better be ready to bring it on defense or else they could easily get embarrassed as they did in late December giving up 135 in that loss. But the Cavs are clearly the superior team, they need to show that they can take care of business when it’s necessary against an inferior opponent (Pacers 25th in the NBA in net rating).
What do the Pacers want to do? On offense, they love to run (fourth fastest pace team in the NBA) and move the ball extremely well. The Cavs will need to get in passing lanes and force turnovers, as the Pacers are a very turnover prone team. On defense, the Pacers are terrible defensive rebounding team, Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley will need to impact the game by crashing the glass to get cheap buckets on offense.
Caris LeVert is out with injury and Kevin Love is out of the rotation currently. Slop starved fans should keep their head on a swivel as the first big drop has happened with the Kyrie Irving trade to the Mavs. Will the Cavs get involved? Stay tuned…
Tip off is scheduled for 5:00PM Eastern time and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes, Go Cavs!
LT up
I fear a jinx (knock on wood), but feel compelled to mention Okoro is up to 34.8% on triples for the year. After the horrible start (I think it took him 10+ games to make ONE), he is dangerously close to topping last year’s 35%. Last 15 games? 21/42 = 50%. Still low volume, less than 3 per game, but trending in the right direction. 2pt fgs? Last 15 is 52/84 = 61.9%. That’s BELOW his season percentage of 62.4%. Year 1: 50.1%, Year 2: 55.5%. To be fair, this increased efficiency is on lower volume. 3PTA/G: 3.2>2.3>2.1. 2PTA/G: 5.1>4.1>2.4.… Read more »
Fedor says LeVert is gonna play.
https://new.cbssports.com/fantasy/basketball/news/cavaliers-caris-levert-will-play-monday/
Starters: DG, DM, IO, EM, JA
JB/Thibs bench: LeVert, Osman, Wade
Normal coach bench on b2b with star player gimpy with a groin: + Neto, Stevens, Love
Ugh I forgot Rubio doesn’t do b2b. Mitchell should also sit, but JB will likely play him 40 minutes in a blow out.
Hopefully LeVert is a go, he and Neto shoukd take Rubio’s minutes.
If not, then Wade plays more 3, Cedi/Okoro can play more 2, and DG/DM can split the PG duties. That all starts with Llama/Love getting some run as the backup 4.
The Nets are looking for a third team to fold into the Kyrie Irving trade, which is why it hasn’t been made official yet, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).
Sixers wing Furkan Korkmaz has requested a trade and hopes to be moved before Thursday’s deadline, sources tell Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia
Who will win the Korkmaz sweepstakes??
Maybe the Lakers?