Live Thread: Cavs @ Wizards
2025-12-12Happy Partridge in a Pear Tree Day, Cavs fans. The 12 days of Christmas start today and the Wine and Gold are coming off a week of much needed rest. Still, Jarrett Allen’s finger, Sam Merrill’s wrist, Max Strus’ foot, and Larry Nance Jr.’s calf all remain on the naughty list. Meanwhile the Wizards are without their best players too. Cavs should roll, but the tell tale sign will be whether they play with Christmas Spirit (energy and focus) or if they mail this one in like a letter to the North Pole. Let’s hope for an appearance on the nice list. Go Cavs.
LT up
LETS GO CAVS
JUST FOR CURIOSITY—— THERE ARE SOME TOP WING PROSPECTS IN THE TOP 15 / 2026 DRAFT—— HAWKS ARE GOING TO BE LOADED AFTER THIS DRAFT——- EVEN THUNDER HAVE A TOP 15 PICK 🤬
EVEN WITH THEIR CUP LOSS —-IF THUNDER STAY HEALTHY WE ARE LOOKING AT A REPEAT- POSSIBLY 3PEAT — SO IT MIGHT BE A GOOD TIME FOR CAVS TO PURSUE A GOOD/ SOLID/ INTELLIGENT TRADE- SOMEWHAT OF A RELOAD
WAS KA SO ANXIOUS LAST YEAR TO “ PULL THE TRIGGER “ ON THE HUNTER TRADE THAT HE REALLY DIDNT GO “ FULL SCALE “ SCOUTING REPORT ON HIM ——STILL SAY MOVE HIM BACK TO 6th MAN/ OFF THE BENCH—- HIS COMFORT ZONE
The whole fan base was screaming for a big wing who could shoot and create for like 4 years: we scouted a billion such guys before getting Strus (after missing out on Washington , Barnes and Kuzma) and apparently had scouted Hunter for years. Hunter was the best available guy with what we had and we didn’t think Vert would resign. He looked good over the summer but regressed and isn’t ready for the bigger role. Sucks. Sometimes the player lets you down. I think we could have added a 2030 or 31 FRP to a Cam Johnson trade package… Read more »
AM SURE THE WAY THIS SEASON IS GOING MOBES WILL BE OUT THE FULL 4 WEEKS PROBABLY MORE————-SUCKS !!!
Hoping for some trade news to lift the gloom.
that is a long shot. maybe they can trick someone into taking Hunter.
Guys you can trade DG for right now (I think): Harden, MPJ.
Guys you can trade DG for in the offseason (assume current teams ride out the year): Ja, LaMelo, Trae maybe.
You can trade Hunter or Strus or Allen I guess. Hunter for Bobby Portis would work for me, but I don’t think most $20-25m players do much for us.
Best move is to ride it out vs selling low. If we can’t get healthy they’ll probably move a wing and run it back. The only way we are seeing a major trade imo is if Mitchell asks out.
WTF — MOBES OUT—-BB 🏀” GOD’s “ DEFINITELY NOT CAVS FANS—— WHAT s GOING ON WITH PROCTOR
Mobley out 2-4 weeks with a calf strain.
Maybe we’ll get a few power of friendship wins in late Dec / Jan but missing a different five rotation guys every week is tough tough luck.
Did not watch this one. Checked the box score w some disgust (esp Garland) during the game and caught the last minute live. Some (obvious) truths: winning better than losing, team misses Max, team misses Jarrett, team misses Sam. Is Darius (at least slightly?) more tentative in the paint post-surgery? He still needs to get his full game going. Maybe more floor time with backups.
He was great in the paint in the second half.
With Mobley out we will need more
I probably would have done a minutes restriction but we just don’t have the guys. Wonder if we bring in a ten day or two
LMAO you guys. How did you not know the game was gonna go this way. This is 2017 Cavs in Dec. Vibes . Mail it in till the fourth.
Yeah but the question is, if Donovan has to keep doing this just to secure wins against the Wizards’ B team (!!!), is he going to end up physically worn down in the playoffs again like the last couple years? Don’t want to waste this career-best season he’s having.
He’s done the most but been the least injured guy (even Hunter started the year out with a bone bruise).
That feels theoretical bc he’s gonna have to carry for this next week at least.
He’s definitely altered his game on offense to minimize contact and injury potential – he talked about it in an interview a month or so ago – and it’s translated into even greater efficiency.
the only reason I can see for starting Hunter is trying to get his trade value above 0.0. I don’t think there is much chance he will become an NBA player. the Cavs need to accept that that was a bad trade and minimize the damage by putting him on the end of the bench.
I’ve been wondering that, if they’re trying to build some trade value for him and move him at the deadline.
Let’s also give props to CPJ. That was one hell of a fourth quarter.
Ball CPJ and Wade’s defense turned the tide of the game
They had Garland, Mitchell, CPJ and Lonzo together for part of CPJ’s Q4 run, and even that worked better defensively than the starting combo; turned the game around. You just can’t start your two worst defenders!
The starting unit is just unserious, though. What is Kenny doing?
I mean, it has 3 of the big 4 + Hunter. How is that unserious? Our 4 highest paid healthy guys + Tyson.
Wade, Ball, and Porter are your other options, with Wade the only real frintcourt option with trying to limit Ball’s minutes.
Hunter’s never been a regular starter his whole career. It made sense to consider starting him last year for this particular team, bc Strus was hurt; but we didn’t start him. Now, we have a better option in Tyson; his 3pt shooting, even if unsustainable at the current clip, has been far better than Hunter’s, and he’s a better rebounder and defender. Hunter has the lowest rebounding percentage of any “front court” player on the team. But Hunter’s scoring could be an asset coming off the bench with Lonzo.
I would start Tomlin at PF until Allen comes back and live with his mistakes. Much better rebounder than Hunter, much better defensive impact, and can and will shoot the 3 if left open so he doesn’t “hurt” spacing (not saying teams respect his shot yet). With Garland, Mitchell, Mobley, and solid 4th scoring option in Tyson (so far a team-leading .467 from 3 on 6 attempts per 36, and second to Merrill in TS% at .651), Hunter’s scoring talent is not leveraged well in this group.
P.S. – Tomlin’s shooting under 20% from 3, so I’ll concede he’s effectively a non-shooter for the timebeing. But still if Mobley’s your center and Spida, DG and Tyson are the others in the floor, you can live with it. What you can’t live with is two defensive turnstiles in the same lineup for extended minutes (Garland and Hunter).
I think the other big factor was Garland finally stopped jacking 3s, after missing 11 by the early third quarter; he was perfect from inside the arc (6-6) with all but one of those taken in the latter part of the game, plus drawing a good amount of FTs as noted.
We were down super bad: takes as long to get out of a slump as into one.
DG looks great physically but woooooof that 0-11 was the difference. Did a really nice job drawing FTs and finishing though
Mobes 2 for 2 at the line there.
Mitchell having to get 50 to squeak us by a shorthanded Wiz team is a sad commentary on our state.
But I’d rather win than lose.
It’s a familiar scenario…..what does that say about the rest of the crew?
THANK GOD FOR DONOVAN MITCHELL #MVP
“ MORE FRIGGIN BEER 🍺 PLEASE— ALOT MORE “————- TIME TO “ KISS THE DOG AND PET
THE WIFE “ —HAVE GAMES TO COACH TOMORROW- STARTING AT NOON —FROSH / JV / VARSITY—— WE ARE A COMBINED 9 – 0. 👍🏀💪
WHO DO WE TRADE—-WHO DO WE WANT—-WOULD THINK DG’s TRADE VALUE AT AN ALL TIME LOW
Of guys I’d think about offloading, Hunter and Garland are at the top of the list.
I don’r really believe in anyone offensively except Mitchell.
Rough day at the office ……..Really,a special brand of suckage.They might never score if Donovan doesn’t create something.The rest of these bozo’s look lost.
AGREED SIMMO —— A “ TRAIN WRECK “ PERFORMANCE LIKE THIS——NORMALLY SOME “ UNDERLYING REASON s BEHIND IT —— WOULD NOT SHOCK ME A TRADE (s) ARE COMING—— PLAYERS KNOW/ SENSE THIS
TONGUES WAGGING AND FINGERS POINTING———MOSTLY THE MIDDLE FINGER FROM CAVS FANS 🤬🤮🤬🤮
THIS GAME/ SEASON IS A JOKE/ DISASTER———-SORRY FOR BEING NEGATIVE——BUT A WEEK OFF TO REGROUP/ RENERGIZE / PLAYING THE WORST TEAM WITHOUT ALOT OF THEIR KEY PLAYERS /— AND THIS IS THE PERFORMANCE WE GET —— PATHETIC—— CAVS / BOTH KA ‘s HAVE SERIOUS PROBLEMS/ CHANGES TO ADDRESS
I’m hoping players know something about trades coming up. This can often affect teams. Might be an explanation for this lack of focus. Fingers crossed.
Oh dear. Feel like a loss here is going to start tongues wagging.
DECEMBER 15th IS COMING SOON!!!!
Can’t wait!!
Bring. It. On.
And Garland is now 0-11 from 3 and not one of them even looked like they were going in.
Insanity he starts, this team has gone to shit the second he came back in the starting lineup
Yeah this shouldn’t have been even at halftime, let alone -8 right now (3 minutes into Q3). It’s one of those games where they are launching too many early clock 3s, not working enough for better offense, and then the usual issues on defense.
TOTALLY SUCKS——CHEW SOME ASS AT HALFTIME KA ———-THIS COULD BE A SEASON CHANGING LOSS 🤬
CPJ with a couple nice drives leading to an assist for a dunk and then foul shots; grabbed some O-boards; and strong close-outs on D.
WTF ARE YOU DOING ON DEFENSE DG????????
He used to live in the lane like Nash, that part of his pre-injury game is still not there. (Speaking of offense, not D).
Which is why he they should bring him off the bench, good enough for steph curry good enough for our bum pg
Garland does not have his 3-pt legs yet.
Would not have guessed Cavs are near the top of the league in total stocks, along with the Pistons (more specifically they’re the only teams above a couple specific thresholds for steals and for blocks, which seemed a bit arbitrary; still good though).
WHY ARE WE PLAYING 3 GUARD LINEUPS MOBLEY PLAY SOME FUCKING DEFENSE
SPIDA STEP BACK JACK THANK GOD HIS ANKLE IS OK
8-0 RUN SOON AS DG COMES OFF THE COURT THANK GOD
11-0 RUN
GET GARLAND’S BUM ASS OFF THE COURT
I don’t even see the theoretical argument for it. Hunter’s been a sixth man his whole career, so it’s not like coming off then bench is an adjustment for him. And you’ve got a legit, young starting wing in Tyson whom you need to keep growing, even when Strus and Merrill are back. So why force this poor fit with Hunter starting?
CLF BEING MY VOICE——WEEK OFF AND WE CANT GO FRIGGIN HARD — WTF —-BENCH THEM / SEND A FRIGGIN MESSAGE 🤬🤬
TWO WAY DEAN WHAT A STEAL AND PASS
I truly don’t get starting Hunter at PF when Garland is starting. If Garland was still out, then with all the other injuries you’d want Hunter’s scoring in the starting group. But using them together for significant minutes is just not optimal.
GREAT COACHING KENNY STARTING DG ALONG WITH HUNTER AT THE 4 HASNT BEEN DOGSHIT ENOUGH
Nice patient possession after the initial 2 on 3 break, leading to Mobley’s 3
DARIUS GARLAND HAS GIVEN UP TWO EASY BASKETS ON LAZY ASS SWITCHES GET HIM OFF MY FUCKING SCREEN
Thank you Nate!! I see we’re going against their G-league team tonight sheesh
GO CAVS——- DONT MAKE ME GO “‘FULL BLOWN GRINCH “ ON YOU——- A LOSS TONIGHT OR EVEN A “ NAIL BITER “ WIN WILL NOT BODE WELL FOR A CAVS SUCCESSFUL SEASON
Go Cavs!