Podcast 315: Awards Season
2025-04-25The Cavs and their fans find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Up 2-0 on the Heat, the Wine and Gold appear to be on the best side of the talent gap between themselves and the Miami Heat. Not to jinx anyone, but Cleveland has dominated at times against Miami and has pulled out just enough to win at other times. The’ve looked in complete control at all times. The other unfamiliar territory: being in the thick of the NBA awards season.
To tip off our coverage of the NBA playoffs, we called on our best 3-on-3 squad: Nate Smith, Chris Francis, and Eli Kim (affectionately .known as “The Korean Channing Frye” around these parts). Our trio broke down the series so far and all the latest Cavalier news: Evan Mobley’s Defensive Player of the Year award, Kenny Atkinson’s Coach of the Year from the NBA Coach’s Association, and Payton Pritchard’s theft of Ty Jerome’s 6th man trophy.
The guys got into contract talk a bit: discussing who might be a threat to sign Jerome, and the odds of the guys outside of the “core four” being on the team next season. Mostly, though, it was a celebration of the Cavs playoff run so far, with expectations that the best is yet to come.
Finally, our guys went around the rest of the playoffs and put our spin on each series with some prognostication all the way to the finals. Affter the first sign-off brought, we brought it back for a little bonus as Eli spun the tale of his and Chris’ experience at Cavs vs. Clippers in the player family section and how much fun they had. I know I was pretty touched by how well they repped CtB. I’d give them an award if I could!
As always, catch us below, download the full audio file, or listen on Apple Podcasts, TuneIn, or Spotify.
Powered by RedCircle
LT up
No Garland. Merrill is starting.
Ooh boy. Good luck all, gotta sleep and look fwd to good news in the morning.
Bucks, Magic, and Minnesota brought it. Minnesota survived a killer LeBron game. Next game is must win for the Lakers. Good wakeup call for the Cavs that they can’t just coast up 2-0.
Tony Brothers calling Lakers Minny? ugh
Looks like the Bucks have this game.
Bucks up 11 on Indy. Keep extending these other series.
Yes Go Magic!
DUMB challenge Mazzula.
Also… go Bucks.
Magic shooting themselves in the foot.
Physical Magic giving BOS all they can handle.
I am very happy the Cavs are avoiding this team unless they meet in the ECF. Just such a physical grind playing them.
Let’s go Magic!
Banchero rolling. Eat it, Boston.
One of the smoothest pod signoffs ever 🤣🤣. You guys kill me. Great to hear about the Korean connection at the game. And let’s start the Bring Kev Home campaign.
Haha. Glad we could entertain.
PATRICK—- BASED ON ARCHs POST— WHAT DAN HAD TO SAY ABOUT TY —— HAVE CONFIDENCE DAN IS PAYING HIM / KEEPING HIM “ IN THE LAND “
I’ll just be somewhat paranoid about anyone looking for a ball handler/scorer. Even w the nice elder DG message.
Magic go through these long stretches where they can’t score. If the GM doesn’t upgrade the offense in the offseason he should be shown the door.
Overpay for Ty Jerome???
They don’t have the cap space.
DG MIGHT BE OUT TOMORROW WTF
…after calling out Herro’s poor D….
Left toe sprain
SPORSTRA GOING TO HAVE HEAT “ FIRED “ UP —- 1:00 AT SOUTH BEACH—— ANY COCERNS HEAT TIES THE SERIES UP —-CAVS HAVE TO BE READY TO MATCH THEIR INTENSITY FOR THE ENTIRE 48
I think the Heat grab on of these two games in South Beach but not both.
Don’t be scared. The way we lose is if we don’t get enough good looks to fall BUT the Heat don’t have the personnel or the scheme discipline to make us cold from 3 and inside for two games.
Not sure they have the shooters to keep pace either. Davion Mitchell and Haywood Highsmith shooting way over their heads.
Confused. Thought Kenny won coach of the year last week. That was just a peer vote thing, not the actual award?
yes, i believe that’s correct
Yeah I see now. Saw the article on ESPN last week “Cavs’ Kenny Atkinson named Coach of the Year by peers”. Got fooled. Seems kind of pointless to make that a headline then but whatever.
ARCH POSTED DANs POST ON JEROME —- DAN REALLY LIKES JEROME— OBVIOUS WHAT HE SAID IN HIS POST—— BELIEVE DAN WILL “ OPEN THE VAULT “ FOR HIM 👍👍—— KEEP HIM A CAV —- PLUS THE CONNECTION WITH SPIDA / DRE / TEAM AND CAVS WERE LOYAL TO HIM LAST YEAR/ SUPPORTED / STUCK WITH HIM
Finals pick Clippers and Boston… Clippers win it alll.
Clippers in 6
Knicks in 6
Pacers in 5
Cavs in 5
Boston in 5
OKC in 4
Clippers in 6
Minny in 7
Dubs in 7 (if Butler comes back)
Round 2:
Cavs in 6 over Pacers
Boston in 5 over Knicks
Clippers in 7 over OKC
Minny in 7 over Dubs
Round 3:
Celtics in 7 over Cavs
Clippers in 5 over Minny
doubt it
Dan Gilbert’s net worth is $23B. These contracts are peanuts.
I agree go Cavs
but it is the cap that matters, not the owners net worth
Yeah they’re over the cap regardless (if Mobley does or doesn’t win DPOY). It’s still a soft cap. You just have to pay the extra in taxes.