Live Thread: Hornets @ Cavs
2023-04-09Good afternoon CtB and Happy Easter to those who celebrate!
Today the Cavs wrap up their 2022-23 regular season against the G-League Charlotte Hornets and tune up for the upcoming playoff series against the New York Knicks. To that end, it looks like Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley will start today because they want to stay in rhythm for the playoffs. Today’s starting lineup should be extremely helpful for Ricky Rubio, Cedi Osman, and Dean Wade to get some reps with Tower City:
#Cavs will start Ricky Rubio, Cedi Osman, Dean Wade, Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen today.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) April 9, 2023
#Cavs J.B. Bickerstaff had a conversation with every player going into the regular season finale. He asked them if they would prefer to play & stay in some kind of rhythm or rest ahead of the playoffs. Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen preferred to play and keep rhythm.
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) April 9, 2023
Given the lineup the Hornets are running out, one could easily see how the Cavs will try to take care of business early, and let the 3rd string guys get some extended run so that they can get in rhythm for the playoffs as well. Some key guys to watch are Sam Merrill, Danny Green, Mamadi Diakite, and Isaiah Mobley.
Tip off is scheduled for 1:00PM Eastern time, and will be broadcasted live on Bally Sports Ohio/Great Lakes, Go Cavs!
pod up!
https://cavaliersnation.com/2023/04/10/report-julius-randle-targeting-return-for-game-1-of-cavs-knicks-playoff-series/
I may eat these words, but I’m wondering whether a Randle Game 1 return actually plays into the Cavs’ hands. Guy will be out of synch, out of shape and likely trying mightily to redeem himself for his flameouts in past playoffs. Sounds like a recipe for trying too hard and messing with team chemistry, if you ask me.
Particularly after seeing Brunson take over against us without Randle last time, I’m not at all sure this is good news for the Dolan Boyz…
Due to the play-in tourney, a lot of these guys will get 1-2 weeks off. I think it’ll impact those that need to stay in rhythm.
That Minnesota trade for Gobert looks like a colossal flop. Not only that, but he gets suspended for the play-in game, for punching his own teammate.
Dude has always been a first-class doofus.
Tristan joins LeBron again:
https://www.cleveland.com/nation/2023/04/former-cavaliers-champion-signs-with-lakers-before-nba-playoffs.html
Mostly because he wants to spend more quality time in LA with his children, I’m thinking.
no clue if he can actually play anymore. anyone recall how he did last time he came out?
I’m gonna watch Kevin love and LeBron this week while waiting for the Cavs.
I wonder what Lebron’s opinion of the play-in scenario is these days. Does he still want the author of the concept fired?
Seems like being 7th is the worst spot in the new system, since you have to play an extra game or two just to keep the 7th seed. Maybe if they were 9th he’d have a different opinion.
7th is not chopped liver: you get two trys to win one, both at home.
there is a nontrivial drop at each step going from 7 to 8 to 9 to 10.
Feel so too.. especially since our experience last year with a pre “play in” sure spot at 7th ended up us being in the lottery…
at some point, you got to win games
This game screened at 1AM here, otherwise I would have enjoyed taking this one in and threading with the few who were here. Let’s face it, extended minutes for these players is not going to happen often, and for some of them it’s probably the only game (or couple of games) that we’ll see them in the Cavs kit in any meaningful way. What am I going to do in the break? I’ll be towing a caravan up the west coast of Australia to see the whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef again…put it on yr bucket list, for real. There… Read more »
Dayum. Meet you there, someday. That sounds amazing.
wow! is that your job?
BTW, do you follow Aussie basketball much? Do you know of a coach there named Curtis Wooten? I was in tons of pickup games with him when he was in high school and college.
No, this is my holiday! Kids are pumped, been waiting a while for this.
I do follow the Aussie league. Curtis has been a stalwart of the New Zealand basketball scene for many years, which I’m not really familiar with.
Sucks that Diakite didn’t get minutes this year, definitely should’ve eaten all of RoLo’s minutes and a chunk of Lamar Stevens’ minutes. missed opportunity for some development.
I will never understand how locking down Embiid in that game a few months ago failed to earn him an extended look.
yup, and especially after Love was bought out… legit backup 4/small ball 5 potential
I had also hoped Diakite would evolve into a rotation player, and he still probable will.
On the other hand, winning regular season games is important, and the coaches best guess on how to do it counts. Imagine how the JB haters would be screaming right now if he had played a bigger bench and we ended up behind the Knicks.
On the season, Diakite has a higher net rating than RoLo who was the only negative net rating among rostered guys iirc. So assuming we would’ve lost more isn’t necessarily the correct assumption, in fact I’d say the opposite was more likely to happen if I were to bet.
I would have liked to see Diakite get more minutes, too. But don’t discount RoLo’s immeasurables. Veteran leadership. Team Mascot come to life. Vast video game knowledge. Makes JA look like he’s not the goofy one.
I’m sorta serious.
Lmfaooo I noticed that he can do all those things from the bench! Well played!
Superb point, CLF. Though goofiness factor is definitely augmented by on-court time.
haha!
If I was coach, I would have played Diakite before RoLo. But maybe there is a reason why no NBA teams have offered me a job coaching.
LMFAO I mean it’s clear the reason JB played RoLo was out of respect for a veteran which is understandable to an extent, but when he started costing the team in the minutes he played, JB’s gotta give him the Kevin Love treatment.
OK, Miami can use RoLo for a starter!
That’s a wrap. Good season. What am I going to do with myself this week?
I know right.. I so want us to reach far this playoffs… watching other teams.. I just don’t care that much and don’t get excited.. all in on the Cavs !
Play in games will be fun to watch.
Guardians
NICE PASS DIAKITE!
WHAT A FINISH SAM!
DIAKITE PURE JUMPER
DEAN WADE EN FUEGO!
DEAN WADE FOUR STOCKS IN 19 MINUTES, HES BACK
3/4 from deep as well! First good shooting night for him since he returned. Missed this game but have enjoyed watching the first 50-win & first top-4 playoff seed regular season without LeBron on the roster in 30 years! Let’s keep it rolling in the playoffs.
I AGREE GO CAVS
SAM MERRILL EN FUEGO
Stevens does not move the ball
WADE STEAL
WHAT A PASS RUBIO
DIAKITE WHAT A DRIVE AND FINISH!
nice play Cedi,
REBOUND THE DAMN BALL CEDI
Diakite making an instant impact.
DIAKITE BLOCK!
DIAKITE FOR THREE! GOOD PASS SAM!
DIAKITE IMMEDIATE IMPACT!
Thank you JB, finally Diakite in for RoLo, our long national nightmare is over.
SAM MERRILL DEADLY JUMPER
DANNY GREEN EN FUEGO
Need to give Green minutes in the playoffs
THANK YOU DANNY GREEN
SUB OUT ROLO JB CMON
DEFENSE TO LAMAR SLAM
oh boy, more RoLo minutes, here comes the Charlotte run.
EASY MONEY MOBLEY
CEDI STRONG FINISH!
MOBLEY HUSTLE
GREAT PASS RUBIO GREEN FOR THREE!
Cedi terrible decision, just make the pocket pass to Allen.
WHAT A PASS RUBIO! GREAT FINISH GREEN!
WADE ANOTHER 3!!!!! WADE AGENDA UNDEFEATED!
WADE BLOCK!!! LOOKS GREAT TO START!
JA HUSTLE MOBLEY FINISH!
DEAN WADE SWIPE!
DEAN WADE 3 BALL
sweet pass Rubio!
Okoro should play to get some sort of rhythm.