Podcap: Orlando 112, Cleveland 89 (Or, Do the Collapse)
2024-04-28Forgive me as I channel one of Ohio’s greatest bands: the venerable Guided By Voices, to name this podcast. 1999’s Do the Collapse was likely the band’s most commercially appealing album, which for many of their critics and fans, made it not their best, as Rick Ocasek’s “glossy” production was a departure from the band’s lo fi roots. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers, some of whom weren’t even alive when GBV frontman Bob Pollard released those songs, are facing their own identity crisis.
After taking a commanding 2-0 series, lead, the Cavs have collapsed the past two games in Orlando during the third quarter. Notable issues have been an absence of players understanding their roles, understanding what made them successful, an utter lack of confidence by the team in their leadership, an an inability to deal with success or adversity productively.
To break down whether the Cavs need to lo-fi it up, or glam it up by launching threes, Nate Smith, Elijah Kim, and Chris Fancis hopped into the CtB independent label studios.
After a good bit of cathartic bitching, our Indie Rock trio tried to focus on the now, which is what the Cavs should be doing: no talk of this season, or the summer, or even the series. What do the Cavs have to do to win game 5? Everyone agreed that Darius Garland needs to be shooting more, especially from deep, and that Evan Mobley needs to be shooting a lot less from anywhere other than dunks and threes. So really it’s a mix of the glitz and the grind that needs to happen for Cleveland.
What other adjustments in terms of personnel? Well, we all want to fire Georges Niang into the sun, play a whole lot more Sam Merrill, and install Max Strus at the backup four. Do the Cavs have what it takes to hold serve and win this series? Decisions are split, so you’ll have to tune in to find out who thinks they can Hold on Hope, and who thinks the album’s opening lyrics are emblematic of the Cavs feelings about the playoffs and their, ahem, relative lack of toughness and maturity.
Someone tell me why I do the things
That I don’t wanna do
When you’re around me
I’m somebody elseSomeone tell me why I act like a fool
When things don’t go my way
When you’re around me
I’m somebody else[Chorus]
There is good reason, I guess
Having it once gone too far
When you clean out the hive
Does it make you wanna cry?
Are you still being followed
By the teenage FBI?
Someone tell me why
Someone tell me why
As always, listen below, download the full audio file, or listen on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, or Spotify.
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No JA. Jfc what a blow. Has been the best player by far. Isaac starting, yikes. We are about to get out rebounded by about fifty
AGREE WITH NATE ON ALLEN —— GIVE IT THE “WILLIS REED “ EFFORT——- DOESNT PLAY— MY “MODELO MADNESS “ OFFER IS SAFE—— IT ALSO PUTS ON FULL DISPLAY THE TYPE/ ATTITUDE OF THIS TEAM 😡
I expect JA out there in a flack jacket. If he’s not, it’ll tell you where this team is at.
TALK TO EM WINDY!!!
spoken like an expert who has never been on a basketball court.
Big “i would simply have Sam Merrill, the best shooter, take all the shots” cavsual energy
(especially since the Game 4 run to 60 points was all downhill rim attacks and like two made threes)
Or spoken like an expert who covers the NBA.
who thinks he knows more than the players and coaches
Allen game time decision with bruised ribs
Awesome
Very enjoyable game. Predictably, Laker fanboys are already positing trades of DLo+ trash for every supposedly available star out there. Hilarious, but completely predictable.
Gutsy performance by the Lakers, despite losing a close one. There’s no dishonor in that.
That will about do it.
Things Nate was right about: Derek White.
He’d be the best player on the Cavs right now.
Can’t argue.
Boston playing with their food again…
That flagrant call was ridiculous
Proving yet again that having access to replays does not overcome a stupid ref.
CAVS 1st ROUND ADVANCEMENT——— “ MODELO MADNESS “ —- SPONSORED BY “ NOMAD “ ———-CMON CAVS DONT LET US DOWN—— YOU GUYs CAN COME TOO ……….. “ RAIN-DRAIN THE 3’s —-AND MORE PLEASE “👍🍺🏀👍🍺🏀
IF THE CAVS WIN ROUND 1 -/—- MODELO IS ON NOMAD——-/ HAVE TO COME MY WAY —— CEDAR POINT AREA 👍🍺🏀👍🍺🏀
Maybe the Cavs can “let me know” in the next game?
MAN THIS ICE COLD MODELO TASTE GOOD ON THIS HOT APRIL DAY——— “ HAVE A BEER 🍺—— HAVE NO FEARS “ ——-ENJOY THE DAY !! 👍🍺👍🍺👍🍺
Love Modelo!
It’s the best commercial beer by about a mile
It will be great, but a bit of a surprise, if the Cavs win round 1. It will be astounding if they win round 2. The current rebuild is not looking so good. Then again, most rebuilds don’t go as planned, because only one team wins the title each year. The Cavs rebuild got off to a weak start, drafting YB, DG, and IO, who range from blah to solid, but no one will mistake any of them for a superstar. Then they made two good trades, getting JA and LM for basically free, and got lucky in the lottery,… Read more »
good to great is hard without hitting a star in the lottery
right. and even if you get a star, you often do not have a decent supporting cast
Well said.
Good athletic article on DG: https://theathletic.com/5456910/2024/04/29/darius-garland-cavaliers-nba-playoffs/
“That’s just how I grew up playing basketball — I try to play the right way,” Garland said. “My dad always (said), just play the right way and it will come back to you. I mean, I’ll turn down a good shot to get a great one. With the talent we have, I’m cool with that.”
But with all of Garland’s sharing and deferring, he’s developed a hitch. The ball, as his father, former NBA player Winston Garland, predicted, does find its way to Garland, especially on the perimeter. He’s open, but instead of going up with the 3, he pump fakes, puts it on the floor and then works from there. The hesitation can, theoretically, fulfill Garland’s goal of creating a great shot — for him or a teammate. Or it could junk up the offense, leading to a forced shot off the dribble or perhaps a turnover (his 3.0 turnovers per game in this… Read more »
ETA: DG is just wrong here. Great players believe all their “good” shots are great shots bc they are the ones shooting them!
JB is also right about the team overthinking and seeking perfection. When Minnesota stopped doing that they started clicking
disagree. most of the best players are always looking for better shots.
Look at some of the wild shit Ant threw up yesterday or the LeBron fuck you forty footers. Technically awful shots but the right shots at the right moments
Although I rewatched 3Q again: it was a lot of individuals trying to do it themselves…maybe you right
right, we could use a couple more LeBrons, but they are hard to find and keep.
Well, unless the shot is a dunk attempt, the Cavs for this postseason are better off with Darius not Evan taking it. And yet somehow Evan has more shot attempts through 4 games. Whatever Darius’ thought process is, he can’t let it lead him to that end.
Re: Garland – my mind wanders back to an early season game. Think the Cavs won but DG’s turnovers were becoming a problem. Strus and DG sat next to each other at the postgame, Strus was answering questions. Unprompted, he said “DG is getting there, we aren’t worried about the turnovers, he’ll clean that up” or words to that effect.
It’s been an issue all season, it’s clearly been discussed internally. And yet it hasn’t really improved (like a lot of the team’s issues). Maddening.
There’s no offensive identity, hierarchy or trust: a lot of that is health and changing lineups, a lot of it is poor planning and coaching. They can still do enough on talent to get by in this series provided Mitchell doesn’t check out for quarters at a time and the role players do well at home, but I don’t think the result of this series changes much. probably a coach and GM change right off the bat (I think Koby is fine, the Allen and Lauri gets were good, the Mitchell trade is defensible depending on what comes back but… Read more »
what would be an “overpay” for one of the best players in the NBA?
the only way it makes sense to trade JA is if the Cavs are doing a total rebuild — and they can’t do that because Utah has all the Cav’s picks.
There’s a contingent that thinks Mobley should play full time 5 and you can’t play he and JA. I don’t really subscribe to that but if you go that route there’s interesting talent.
I’ve stated my preference is to run it back and rely on internal development and Allen is wonderful. I’m basically pre coping for management making decisions I’ll probably disagree with lol
the clueless contingent
It’s an utterly silly discussion. Allen is playing at a borderline all star level and as we discussed in the pod, the elevation of Mobley when he hasn’t deserved it yet has been a big issue. Mobley has no effective move over his left shoulder while Allen is among the most fundamentally sound and efficient finishers in the association. The Cavs can’t afford to Max extend another player who’s not worth a max contract (Mobley). Mobley needs to be 3DD (threes, Defense, and Dunks) until a coaching staff who knows what they’re doing can help him develop. But moving him… Read more »
pretty much agree.
but I doubt there is any short term fix, so the Cavs would be smart to play the long game.
there is a pretty good chance that EM will develop into a really solid player with a long career.
on the other hand, DG appears to be going backwards.
No short term fix at all. But I think you keep EM and JA above all because they are the toughest to replace and Mobley will at least be a shutdown defender for the future. The Mobley contract hopefully works its way out. There’s probably a happy middle ground between what Jaden McDaniels got (he wasn’t amazing but got close to 30m per I believe) and a max. I’m not sure what the extra savings allows us to do but maybe that helps with other moves. DG is going backwards this year but he can figure it out. Issue is… Read more »
Some friends opened for GBV last week
My prediction is the Cavs lose the next two games.
How embarrassing would it be to tank to face a team ,then lose to them ,maybe 4 straight or 4 of 5?
That’s so bad it’s humorous :)
And in the meantime, the Knicks step up to take on the 76ers and get rewarded by getting the Pacers in the next round.
I had that thought as I watched them win yesterday.Brunson 45 points and meeting the moment.A tale of teams taking different paths.
i imagine the tanking will get unpacked a bit but it won’t really matter whose call it was. if it’s a coach call, the coach is gone anyways, if it’s a FO call, Dan has his fingerprints on it and isn’t going anywhere.
no need to speculate on alternate timelines because this version of the Cavs is no better than 2-2 against anyone.
They should’ve fired JB two years ago, despite signing him to an extension a few months prior. It’s Groundhog Day all over again. I really hope Dan gives Korby the boot too.