MLK Day 2026 LT: Cavs vs Thunder
2026-01-19Happy Martin Luther King day, Cavs fans. Today is the day we remember the struggle for civil rights, the sacrifices so many made for justice, and the progress that still remains. I encourage you to support your local civil rights groups, mutual aid organizations, food banks, and the people who need help of every race, creed, and religion.
As for basketball, the Cavs are missing Merrill, Garland, Wade, and Strus, while the Thunder are without Harty and Jalen Williams. Let’s hope the Cavs inspired play of late continues and the the refs don’t fall for too much of SGA’ grifter bullshit. Go Cavs.
Kalkenbrenner makes me think an older rookie third big would be a good use of our FRP (he was #34 last year I think we’ll pick in the late 20s)
https://bsky.app/profile/susieb.bsky.social/post/3mcvf5vqqws2y
OMIER GREAT START/ 10pts – 1st qtr———-KHAYES – START —-4/1/1 —- HOPEFULLY GETS UNTRACKED
It’s a tough matchup because the combo of Dort, plus Chet at the rim on the rare occasions Donovan can drive past Dort, takes our best scorer away. But we can’t take away theirs (he’s too good plus the refs are on his side). It may be better to stay home on their shooters, use the two best guard/wing defenders (whoever those are in this post-Okoro time), to crowd him end to end all game and make all 12 of their fouls count, and make him score a grueling 40+. Meanwhile has to be inside out at the other end… Read more »
right. Cavs can get thru the East, and hope to get lucky against OKC
Dort owns Mitchell, and none of the others are legit #2 options offensively, plus the injuries.
Still a ways to go. One step forward, one step back.
We went 7-6 thru that 13 games stretch. Throttled by OKC, Minny (once), and Houston. Tough losses to NY & Detroit, we could have won both. And a terrible loss to Utah.
Poor win vs Indy. Good wins vs SA, PHX, Den, Minny, and Philly twice.
I’d kinda break the season down into 3 more segments.
1) The next 11 into the ASB: at Cha, Sac, Orl A/H, Lakers, at Phx, at Port, at LAC, at Sac, at Den, Wash.
A 5 game roadie in there. But 5 vs under .500 teams (including to hot Clips) and no real contenders with Jokic out. A real good team could make some hay. 1 B2B.
2) The next 11.
EAsy first 2, but one on a b2b, then things get tougher.
3) The last 16 games. Easy schedule here.
Miami x2, LAL, Orl, and GSW are the only teams with winning records. If we are a legit good team, in decent health, we should win a buch of these.
No lessons here.
Flush it. Did enjoy Allen stepping up! We are improving in terms of physicality.
Let’s go Mavs!
CAVS ARENT ALLOWED TO PLAY ON MLK DAY
Yeah, sizing up with Wade over CPJ wasn’t a bad strategy, but in hindsight, putting too much of the offense in Donovan’s hands against this particular team – which has Dort, basically the Venom to Spida – won’t work.
Cavs starters got absolutely wholloped. Bench wasn’t great outside of Porter (Tomlin was ok). It was lack of guard depth, not starting Porter, and OKC being better.
Not a great game by the Cavs, but not much of a measuring stick with all the players out (on both teams). I was hoping for a repeat of the game in Cleveland last year. That was fun.
NOT PUTTING ALOT OF “ BAROMETER “ GAME TODAY—— SAM/ DG / STRUS OUT——— SPIDA / TERRIBLE GAME ——UNDERSTAND OKC HAD PLAYERS OUT—-AND THEY ARE DAMN GOOD——— HAVE SEEN ENOUGH OF “ LONZO EXPERIMENT “. —— SIGN KHAYES / HE WILL PROVIDE MORE THAN LONZO
Hunter sucks.
MOBES NEEDS TO WORK ON QUICK/ DECISIVE/ FOOTWORK/ MOVES ——A VERY CONSISTENT ( BOTH HANDS ) “ BABY HOOK “ WOULD BE A GOOD START FOR HIM—— OFF SEASON GET WITH AN “ OL POST “ – WORK ON POST MOVES
He struggles in the post bc he just doesn’t have a strong base. He can’t just go up strong, hence all of the pump fakes.
Looks like a goony bird in the paint.
This. He looks great on alleyoop opportunities. Once he puts the ball on the floor, time slows down. His moves and hands on the defensive end are lightning. He needs to figure out how to make this happen at the other end.
Exactly.
When Holmgren has as many 3s made as Spida, Tyson and Hunter combined (3 of 3 vs. 3 of 16), in a game you’re also missing Garland and Merrill’s shooting – not a recipe for success.
That CPJ block on Holmgren was something!
Have to shout out two fast break defensive plays today: first half, Tyson faces a 2-1 OKC break and stops it, OKC comes away with nothing; Q3, CPJ on an island against Holmgren, stuffs his dunk attempt and it’s out of bounds off Holmgren.
Single digits!
Nate you were commenting that the Cavs need use fakes to take advantage of the OKC aggressive D. CPJ a minute ago was an example. Posted up against someone he could have shot over; tried to wait to hit baseline cutter and the pass was intercepted; better to fake the pass and then go up for the layup. OKC’s always anticipating.
100%
Mobley is still just a little, for lack of a better word, awkward around the rim with those two footers. I know Holmgren is tall, if I were the coach, I’d want Mobley to really work on that quick turnaround jumper/layup.
And in general, I think that he’s not playing up to his potential, which is high but not sky high. And this is on the coaches.
Yes, he still doesn’t have a real go-to move in the paint that he can rely on game to game like Allen (who I get has years more experience). And still needs to be quicker on the attack (ie, takes an extra dribble when there’s no time for that).
Good hustle by the Cavs to get a bucket before the half. They’re going to have to be stronger about execution and get some pump fakes to attack airborne thunder players.
Yeah, missing “all” of DG, Sam, and Strus is leaving the Cavs short of shooters against a defense this good, unless Hunter can get going or a couple other guys can be more decisive when open.
Yeah we’re sped up. A team like this? Need shooters to punish the gambling
Hunter with the ball passed up an open pull-up 3, dribbled into space and rose up for a wide open mid-ranger, but “then” at the top of his jump tries to feed Allen in the dunker spot. Mental mistakes.
Offense predictable. Not ineffective just a little indecisive and sped up on the attacks. OKC does this to everybody but man do we miss having outlets like Sam
Nice, they left Hunter open after watching him clank his Q1 attempts, and he drills the 3
Lonzo with an awful stretch.
Also that Ball turnover, “he” should never throw a pass that wild, no reason for that mistake.
The positional size is working OK, just hit shots.
Yeah I think the defense is mostly good, just need to keep track of Dort spotted up. Good work on the boards. Just the outside shots are coming from the wrong people, and some in cautious passes
This is where KA needs to step in.
Lonzo makes one and then turns into a moron.
The ratio of Ball to Proctor shot attempts is exactly the reverse of what it should be: 4 to 1. Pissing me off.
Crowd: “noooo… Yeah!” When Ball drained that three.
Yikes. Crowd audibly cringing when Ball shoots.
Need to give Proctor some Q2 run, hope he’ll improve the shooting
No PG, a billion turnovers, that’s the difference: that said the huge lineup has great defensive energy just can’t give them easy stuff. Tomlin minutes have been fun. Allen had a really fun shift
CPJ having a bit of “”bright lights” maybe; needs to slow down a bit. He wouldn’t have been seeing minutes against the Thunder last year.
Oof Hunter.
Oof. CPJ has been bad with the turnovers. Finally gets a triple thank God.
Okay, CPJ, shook off Dort and a strong drive through traffic.
Cavs FINALLY get a call
Can’t take away Spida’s and-1 this time!
Hell of a game, Allen.
Okay we really need the Deandre that can shoot, today. And “secure” the rebounds
And not make careless turnovers.
ANOTHER MLK MASSACRE 🤬—— HOPE NOT
BIG FOUL DIFFERENCE RIGHT NOW
YES OBVIOUS TRAVEL BY SGA — BUT HE IS SGA – SO NO CALL
NEED TO GET A STOP 🛑———- AND BETTER OFFICIATING 🤬
Cavs can’t get a call in their own building.
Didn’t SGA move his pivot foot on the move where he faked and then scored on Allen?
Yup.
Pleasant surprise to see Wade starting.
Yes, good move against the Thunder. I’m okay with this start so far, the questionable offensive foul call against Spida cost the Cavs 2 or 3 points. SGA 100 percent would’ve gotten the and-1 on that. Who decided he get’s Jordan’s whistle?
👍👍👍👍NATE YOU “ NAILED IT “ ———- GOOD START BY THE GOOD GUYS GET THE “ SMELLING SALTS “ READY 👍👍—- GO CAVS
Solid start, consistently trying to get to the ball to Allen on rhe move into the paint, where he can then hit a cutter or stop and pop.
Let’s go Cavs!