Podcast 294: Baby Dame & David Wood
2023-09-28David Wood makes his return the CtB podcast studios, as he joins Nate Smith to give insta-reactions to the Damian Lillard/Bucks trade. The good news? Both guys come out on the side of “this helps the Cavs.” The guys break down the impacts for Portland, Phoenix, Milwaukee, and Cleveland and then rank the East in oh so casual fashion. After, they muse about which city Harden end up playing for, give some random NBA predictions, and wonder how they’ll watch Cavs games and Ganley Kia commercials this year.
The guys end up with some lawnmower talk, regale each other with tales of summer, and discuss cocktail recipes. It’s a casual slide into Cavs season and a preview of things to come in the next few weeks as we ramp up for the NBA.
As always, listen below, download the full audio file, or listen on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, or Spotify.
Powered by RedCircle
LT is up!
DO YOU THINK EMONI WILL GET ANY PLAYING TIME
he better since it’s preseason! LMFAO
KNOW IT IS ONLY PRE SEASON BUT AM EXCITED TO WATCH THE CAVS AGAIN AND JOIN IN WITH MY “ CTB BROTHERS “ 👍👍👍😀😀😀——“ MORE BEER PLEASE 🍺🍺🍺🍺
I’m jonsing for it so bad, the preseason might as well be the playoffs.
you bet!
Excited to see Cavs play as well ! Let’s go Cavs!
Is tonight’s Cavs game on Ballys?
yeah i think so,
REGGIE BULLOCK OR RHONDAE HOLLIS -JEFFERSON——SHOULD CAVS PURSUE EITHER ONE
Bullock signed with Rockets a week ago
I’m down for RHJ
The big question this year is if there is another coach inside JB’s body that will emerge and focus on winning over player development. It’s time for Mobley, Garland, and JB to be all-stars. The window is open!
Go Cavs!!! Starting to really get psyched to see the boys play again.
agree. agree.
Man is saying the right things about early offense and motion.
What goes unsaid is that Mobley and DG have to initiate more offense and Mitchell needs to initiate a little less
Celtics pick up of Jrue is pretty stunning. Only real issue with them is the iffy coaching.
Bucks may have a great regular season record, though, with Dame. Love the comment in the pod about it being a Haslam move to go get him.
“Haslam move” might join the vernacular.
SUCKS ABOUT JA BUT BETTER NOW THAN IN SEASON
Cavaliers’ Jarrett Allen out at least 2 weeks with ankle injury Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen sustained a left ankle bone bruise in practice and will be re-evaluated in two weeks, the team announced Saturday. Per the Cavaliers, Allen will begin a period of treatment and rehabilitation after an MRI at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health confirmed the injury on Friday. Cleveland opens its season on the road against Allen’s former team, the Brooklyn Nets, on Oct. 25 — approximately 2 1/2 weeks away. Allen, 25, averaged 14.3 points and 9.8 rebounds in 68 games (all starts) last season. An All-Star in 2021-22, Allen has… Read more »
No Jarrett! Usually, “evaluated in two weeks” is a bad sign. Could be a month or more before he’s back. :-(
Yep. That was a topic of discussion on Windhort’s podcast today (they don’t have inside information but pointed out the same wording you did). Bontemps and MacMahon thought there could be a bit of silver lining, forcing the Cavs to play Evan at center and pair him with a shooting 4 like Nieng or Dean. Sucks though, no matter which way you slice it though. Get well JA.
Good info, thanks bw
there is nothing good about playing Evan at center for more than brief stretches.
Why would you want to do that? He is not built for it and is likely to get injuried.
They bring that up too, that he’s not really physically ready to be playing center full time. They just think he can do a lot of things well offensively but he can’t shoot. No one’s guarding Mobley camped out in the corner. They weren’t making the case to move on from JA now, just questioning the long term feasibility of playing them together. It was more along the lines of, October is a nice time to start testing some of these line-ups out than waiting and trying to figure something out in the playoffs.
https://www.espn.com/nba/insider/story/_/id/38503924/nba-preview-2023-24-win-projections-all-30-teams
2. Cleveland Cavaliers
Average wins: 48.6
The surprising leaguewide No. 2 in point differential in 2022-23, the Cavaliers finished just fourth in the East standings before a disappointing opening-round upset against the New York Knicks. With the addition of Max Strus to a core of four key starters age 27 or younger, Cleveland could take another step forward this regular season.
I don’t know about Strus, but if Mobley and Garland continue their ascent and become legit stars the Cavs will be formidable.
I think us finishing second is delusional. I do not think Niang & Strus move the needle THAT much. Now, Mobley, DG, or Okoro leveling up might. Or JB.
4th-6th is more realistic. Unless injuries strike, the Bucks and Celtics are gonna be 1-2. Though neither is as deep as they have been.
a lot could go wrong for the Bucks.
The flat-earther is now saying that he wished he was drafted by Dallas.
total suck up BS’er
Mitchell #6
interesting stat
Reaves at #9 is a stunner.
Roster:
https://www.nba.com/team/1610612739
I THINK YO CANT SLEEP ON THE PACERS THEY COULD BE A “ SLEEPER “ IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE
Final EC standings prediction: Celtics Bucks Cavs NY Philly Atlanta Miami Toronto Chicago Orlando Why Cavs at 3? Based on everything said at media day yesterday, our guys are are motivated to win in the regular season. NY didn’t get better and Randle is due for another regression year (tho I could see them 3 and us 4). Philly is gonna be a trainwreck. Miami doesn’t care about seeding, is gonna rest players/coast in the regular season. With a feel-out year behind them, Trae and Murray will make Atlanta better than last year. Orlando gonna be fun, would love to… Read more »
Good analysis.
And good work in putting your thoughts in writing. Hope it inspires others to do the same. Then we can have fun at the end of the season seeing how things work out.
Thanks, Raoul. Yeah, let’s see some other CtBers make their predictions!
Windhorst on the background to the trade:
https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2023/10/02/celtics-trade-jrue-holiday-nba-basketball-heat-clippers-basketball/
https://x.com/oldseaminer/status/1709000337967677669?s=20
DM and DG standing on their toes
NBA Eastern Conference reset: What matters most after the Lillard and Holiday trades4. Where do the Cavaliers stand entering a pivotal season?After a five-year playoff absence, it was a rough return for Cleveland, which lost in five games to the New York Knicks as the higher-seeded team — including twice on its home court. Throughout that first-round series, the Cavaliers looked severely hampered by their lack of postseason experience, as well as really bothered by their lack of perimeter shooting, as New York sagged far off poor-shooting options like forward Isaac Okoro throughout the series. The Cavaliers made it a priority to… Read more »
good to read!
Portland will be fun to watch this year.
1. Bucks
2. Celtics
————
3. Miami
4. Philly
5. NY
6. Cavs
————-
everyone else
Bucks & Celtics lost a bit of depth, but have more top end talent. Jimmy Buckets & Embiid still keep Miami & Philly next for me, though their supporting casts look a tad weaker this year, especially if the Beard sits.
The Cavs need to become less iso heavy on offense and get more out of their bigs on O and see if they can grow past their monumental choke job last year in the POs.
Miami!? They got worse and they were an 8 seed that made a miracle run. Jimmy is 34 years old.
Agreed. While I wouldn’t want to face Miami in the playoffs, they don’t really take the regular season that serious.
Who does?
I don’t see them getting to the finals this year. I’ll put Boston and Milwaukee ahead of them.
Yep, Miami. Strus and Vincent are not big losses. They got to the Finals with Herro out.
Butler + Bam + Herro + Spo puts them easily above us. They may rest Butler some in the 82, but come PO time, I’d bet my house on Miami to beat the Cavs. In the last 4 years, they have made the Finals twice and were an in-and-out jumper from making it 3.
Yeah, with this it doesn’t really matter how we are seeded so long as we avoid the play in. Would like 3 but 4 seems likeliest
https://www.nba.com/news/qa-cavaliers-jb-bickerstaff-2023
How does everyone rate Williams and Brogdon?
Did the Celts get a deal, or overpay?
Williams’ knee might be cooked, he didn’t look the same as 2 years ago.
Brogdon looks like a locker room cancer.
Celtics overpaid in terms of draft picks, but that’s what you have to do when you’re a championship contender.
Jrue will look at lot better as the #3-#4 scorer on offense rather than #2-#3. He still is not a natural PG, but better than Smart and Tatum will have the ball a lot.
I AM ” ALL IN ” FOR CAVS NOT HITTING THE PANIC BUTTON WITH SPIDA—LET’S BE PATIENT BUT ” KEEP YOU ANTENNAE’S UP” FOR SOME TEAM COME KNOCKING –ESPECIALLY AROUND TRADE DEADLINE WITH AN OFFER ” WE CAN’T RESIST ” BY THEN WE SHOULD HAVE AN AMPLE EVAUTION // SAMPLE OF –CAN WE COMPETE WITH THE CELTS// BUCKS NOT ONLT THIS YEAR BUT FOR NEXT COUPLE YEARS —-IF WE THINK WE CAN’T POSSIBLY WE DO SIMILAR TO THE ‘BLAZERS’ DON’T PANIC BUT ” HOLD THE LEVERAGE CARDS” —–IF WECAN’T COMPETE AGAINST THE BUCKS// CELTS FOR NEXT COUPLE YEARS WE MIGHT… Read more »
Yup, no need to panic on Mitchell at all… a lot of outside noise but that’s all that is.
agree
Playing for 3 in the East again. That can work
Nice TB haul for Lillard.
Terry Pluto was totally on the “draft DL” bandwagon, but the Cavs GM at the time (who was it?) drafted St. Weirdo because he thought DL wouldn’t fit well with Flat Earther KI.
Chris Grant?
WOW CELTICS GOING ALL IN TO COMPETE WITH THE BUCKS WIL BE INTERESTING SEASON ESPECIALLY AT TRADE DEADLINE
I ❤️ how Portland is not working with Miami who also wanted Holiday.
Is time lord good? I feel like he’s redundant with Ayton
He is a much better defender than Ayton. But he is a P&R, dunker only on O. He plays harder, though.
Thanks Nate & David. Like Nate I am very much unplugged from the scene, looking to get back into it from here on. In doing so, I need to air my unease at this point. I enjoyed last season, was disappointed at the flameout and I do hope for maturation / progression this season. But: I feel like the Cavs fan base is not a crew that is comfortable with the idea of a star player flirting with the idea of leaving. There are ways in which such rumours can be dealt with and quashed if the desire is there.… Read more »
I dunno. After a decade of it with Lebron, I think a lot us are pretty numb to it. It’s going to be brought up on media day, so we’ll see how he deals with it there, though I doubt it will really give us any real insight. I’m skeptical he resigns with the Cavs at any point but I don’t have an issue with them playing it out. I think things would have to go pretty sideways for them to do anything this season. My bet is that they ride it out this season with him. They’ll lose trade… Read more »
I guess they are losing some theoretical trade value if you are trying to replenish draft capital.
On the other hand if you want a good player back it’s a little trickier and you have to be opportunistic (in other words if the idea is Spida for a 1:1ish trade, doesn’t matter when you do it bc it depends on a dude you want and who fits with DG and Mobley being available)
Yeah fair, I guess opportunity loss is the greater threat the longer they wait, more so than actual trade value.
At least one “expert” maintains the trade makes the Bucks worse. Unfortunately it was Skip Bayless, but still ….
Adrian Griffin is the coach of the Bucks.
We needed u on the pod.
Nick Nurse is the coach of Philly.
Yep, which should be fun because Embiid has a history of talking shit about him.
Thanks. This was our rustiest podcast in a while. Sorry.
No worries.
I think Giannis is likely sticking around now, which makes this a win for the Bucks. He clearly did not want them to stand pat. I think the threat of him leaving was going to be hanging over them all season, combine that with a new coach, this season could have been pretty miserable for them (from a mood perspective).