Live Thread: Winning Ways, Turkey Days, and Hawk Daze
2024-11-27What can I say. The headline rhymes and the picture is of the venerable turkey hawk. Just sitting here on Thanksgiving Eve at the North Canton Winking Lizard waiting for the Cavs to tip off. I’m thinking of all the things for which I’m grateful. It starts with my family, gainful employment, friends, and health. Pretty high up on the list are all of you, and the ability to root for what seems like a decent set of dudes on the Guardians and Cavaliers. The Cavs being 15-1 and looking like the best regular season team I’ve seen since 2016 is something to give thanks for too.
When it comes to the Cavs, the depth has been something to behold. When then the season started, Ty Jerome was no higher than ninth on the depth chart and his health was firmly in the “nice to have” category. Of late, Ty Has been the Cavs’ Manu Ginobili: a super sixth man who can play three positions, pilfer the ball at will, and is just as good as any starter.
Ty is putting up 32/10/5 per hundred possessions with 3.2 steals and a net rating of +14.7. He’s helped the Cavs weather the injuries to Caris LeVert (who’s also been fantastic) and Dean Wade. In the last four in games, Ty has started two and is averaging 22/5/2 in 28 minutes, and frankly playing like an all star. He was key to dismantling the Pelicans and Raptors as no bench in the NBA is prepared to have a mix of Luka and John Stockton coming at them off the bench.
Meanwhile Donovan Mitchell does not have to carry the load every night, but he’s there if you need him. In fact of the Cavs rotation players, the only blemish has been Three Gorges Niang, who was a 1-13 disaster against the raptors. Fortunately, he’s been the lone thing to complain about, with a juvenated Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley filling in the gaps.
Speaking of which, Dean Wade, Caris, Max, and Emoni are all out tonight with only Cody Zeller on the out list for the Hawks. We shall see what Trae Young, the NBA’s biggest fraud, has in store for Cleveland, and if the lack of whistles the Cavs have contended with remains a factor. Happy Thanksgiving, and go Cavs.
Happy Thanksgiving, CtB!
same!
Tony Pesta of FTS on keeping Jerome:
https://www.fearthesword.com/2024/11/28/24307803/cleveland-cavaliers-pathways-for-re-signing-ty-jerome
If you give up 135 points, you are not gonna win too many games
a lot of days the other team isn’t making half court threes
One thing that was REALLY encouraging was Merrill getting the ball outside the arc, faking, and getting to layups off of dives instead of passing off or getting swatted.
If he can do that once or twice a game it’s hugely hugely helpful.
NBA news flash: Ben Simmons had a decent game!
Niang’s shot selection has slowly drifted back to last season. He thinks he has the skills to hit quick release threes consistently over decent defense. Merrill is doing the same thing. The results are predictable: they both look like they need upgraded for the last two weeks.
They need to watch tape from early in the year when their shot selection was elite, and choose to pass up their shots with quick decisive passes and move their butts.
taking those shots is probably the plan to make the defense keep moving and not concentrate on the better shooters.
They are the better shooters. Merrill certainly.
Eh. They’re just not hitting.
got outplayed tonight.
Friday’s game is much more important.
yeah, this was a pretty typical trap game and the Hawks have won a ton of these types of games.
Hunter and Risacher better than expected (and it was smart of Quin to sit ZR in the fourth): Hunter especially made some TOUGH shots.
Fine process but DG and Mitchell and Niang all at 28% is just not going to get you a win. They got to good shots too.
never been much of a believer in the “trap game” theorey. I think all teams have better and worser days, and it is not unlikely that a lower ranked team wins.
I feel like there’s been some other poorly officiated games but it didn’t matter then because we were steamrolling teams.
Well maybe they’ll win the NBA cup game on Friday?!
Fuck the secrets. Horrible
That was a fucking walk by Trae.
Hawks Reddit insists the pickup and then first step was a gather.
Maaaaan
What about the next two steps?
The bench sucked tonight except rookie. Jerome has been alright. We missed shots and defensively we need wade and Cari’s.
Humongous play, Ty
TYyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!
Dumh foul. Jit nearly physical enough with Trae
I can’t stand Trae Young.
Holy shit these refs are in the tank for the Hawks.
Damn. Nice play Johnson. Gotta get stops.
Close these bitches down.
Might not be the Cavs’ night.
Garland not making shots tonight
This Hawks team is garbage.
This might be the worst game of the season.
Hell of a play by mobley
Trae is so laughably bad on d.
Keep up the aggression, Mobes.
Kenny needs to get himself tossed!
Refs are screwing cavs tonight for some reason
Investigate the refs!
Again these refs are trash!