Live Thread: Cavs @ Thunder
2026-02-22Good afternoon CtB!
The Cavs have traversed to the Red Bed Plains of Oklahoma City to take on the defending champion Thunder for a nationally televised NBA showcase and potential 2026 NBA Finals preview. The Cavs are looking for a solid road win against a quality opponent in the midst of a brutal stretch of the schedule. For the Thunder, they’re load management a variety of injuries and just looking to get healthy going into the post-season. As such, the Cavs have more to lose and less to gain with a win. But this is the kind of pressure that the good guys need to test out their new acquisitions in a hostile, pressurized environment. Let’s see how they fare…
Tip off is scheduled for 1:00PM Eastern time and will be broadcasted live on ABC, Go Cavs!
That was bad vs OKC.
Hopefully we improve.
Memo to Spida & Harden: wanna win? Play better D and move without the ball.
THE ANALYST YOU WANT TO LISTEN TO IS TIM LEGLER ( or NOMAD 🤪) —KHAYES 1st game WITH THE KINGS 11minutes / 0/4 from 3 / 4 assists/ 5 fouls —
Windy: “I don’t think Kenny Atkinson has a good feel of how to deploy the team at all.”
Raoul: “Windy has never demonstrated any knowledge of basketball.”.
Maybe I should spend more time on FTS where there appears to be better discourse.
where is that quote coming from? I would like to see the context, don’t see it anywhere.
Last Hoops Collective podcast, 15 minutes in. Cavs v Thunder post mortem.
MARQUES JOHNSON DUNKS ON HIS 70th BIRTHDAY——- I NOW HAVE A GOAL AFTER MY KNEE SURGERY 👍🏀💪
Biggest takeaway from me is that we need a very specific defensive assignment for both Harden and Mitchell and not a zone.
Harden can be productive as a post defender and defensive rebounder. Mitchell can be a productive generator of steals, gang rebounder or iso defender at times.
But these dudes STINK off ball. Perimeter defense will ultimately be what gets us beat if we don’t lock in. The rebounding seems to have been largely figured out except against knuckleball teams like Boston.
There are so many times when OKC/whomever comes down & makes one pass and gets a wide open triple it is just unbelievable.
MR STEAL/ RAOUL – I AGREE WITH BOTH OF YOU 👍👍
RAOUL 👍-READ SAME ARTICLE—- THINK THIS COMES WITH ALL THE SUPER STARS/ AGENTS—— AND AGREE WITH MR STEAL- RICH PAUL WAS GOING TO HOLD THE CAVS “ HOSTAGE “ WITH DG s NEXT CONTRACT————- MAN TIMES HAVE CHANGED— IT USED TO BE LIKE TRADING SPORTS CARDS —- PLAYERS TALENTS / NEEDS——— NOW IT IS MORE ABOUT CONTRACT s / SALARY CAP / ETC
Rich Paul or no Rich Paul the next contracts for Garland, Ja Morant and Trae Young are going to be hard negotiations
that is three guys who MIGHT be worth a max contract, but I would avoid
I posted a long “maybe, maybe not” reply to Corey Walsh’s “The clock is already ticking …” on FTS:
https://www.fearthesword.com/cavs-analysis/45353/james-harden-cavs-cleveland-cavaliers-donovan-mitchell-koby-altman-darius-garland
I mean, it’s going to end badly but so would a Garland third contract negotiation.
All the long term focus can be is to be decent until we get our draft back from Utah.
Now if the Knicks game starts off this way, “then” I’ll be worried.
KHAYES —-I SAID THAT WOULD HAPPEN 2 WEEKS AGO — GOOD LUCK KHAYES
Yeah. Cavs just didn’t have the roster room. I hope he catches on.
This feels like a schedule loss/make miss league loss. Can’t overcome the poor start unfortunately. Starting your third game in four days before noon on the road is brutal. Cavs bigs definitely could’ve been better, and two of Wade, Mobley, Allen should always be on floor against a team with this size. Move Tyson back into the starting lineup where he provides spacing and rebounding, and bring wade off bench. Starting Merrill in second half looked smart, but Mitchell pissed me off when he went away from Sam to force shots (of which he hit many).
I agree Tyson starting appears a better option; maybe his ankle is still gimpy right now but in the longer run I hope they make that switch. Wade didn’t seem to create any gravity as a 3-pt threat (based on his percentage this year, fair choice by OKC). Tyson’s a better fit without sacrificing much size at the 3.
He’s wasted starting. In every other matchup there will be a scorer / offensive engine on top of the scouting report that we need to stop.
Just wasn’t that today for OKC because SGA and JDub were out, but that’s Wades role. Chasing motion shooters like Isiah Joe isn’t.
yeah, Tyson played the 9-th most minutes — presumably he is gimping. we need a healthy Tyson on the floor
THE BAD — 1st QTR “ NO SHOW “ — THE GOOD “ WE BATTLED BACK “———- JA ( PROVED IN PREVIOUS GAMES) NEEDS MORE THAN 6 TOUCHES/ GIVE HIM MOBES TOUCHES UNTIL MOBES “ GETS HIS LEGS BACK “—— BELIEVE ELLIS CAN DEFEND/ BE DISRUPTIVE FROM 1-4 —- WILL SEE HOW THEY RESPOND ON TUESDAY——-I WANT TO SEE ELLIS / SCHROEDER “ DAWG “ BRUNSON
In case u missed it.
We just sucked for a quarter and it was a make or miss game. I think Harden probably just needs to be more aggressive as a scorer against OKC. Lobs aren’t there and too much grabby grabby on the bigs and perimeter guys.
Having Strus would have helped here. Tyson is still adjusting a bit.
But hard to come away disappointed in a game where they fought so well. Bad bounces and calls.
I think Mobley overall showed up today, had 20 points, and not many bad shots. We needed that last 3, but he’d hit a couple others. I think OKC disrupted the Harden-Allen P&R, which no one else had managed to do the first 5 games. But I didn’t see this as our bigs getting dominated. Rebounding was close to even. And Chet was much less of a factor than the first head to head game. To me, the biggest thing is that the last two times playing OKC on the road we’ve spotted them a massive lead in the first… Read more »
Oh wait, Nomad, I retract some of that. I thought Mobley had 20 but it was only 15 . . . with 2 rebounds. Okay, that’s a problem.
I get the scrutiny, but Mobley’s on a minutes-restriction. He actually limped down the floor early. He was okay, obviously, but coming back from injury, integrating with Harden/new teammates, and a suddenly offensive Allen all will need some time. I would like to see both he and Allen put their bodies into Holmgren–their body types are so similar, they give him advantage by fading or defering.
It was fascinating to watch how Keon played him. He really took advantage of having a lower base. And he’s not exactly “thick” himself, just wiry strong. Mobley and Allen are of course a lot taller than Keon but still could perhaps find base leverage in a similar way against the even taller Chet.
When you get Chet off his line it takes a loooong time for him to wheel around into the next move. It can be scouted and defended.
WILL SEE IF THE CAVS “ HAVE SOME STONES “ TO RESPOND AGAINST THE KNICKS ON TUESDAY—- GO CAVS !!!
JA NEEDS TO HAVE MORE TOUCHES THAN MOBES ——- MOBES SHOULD DEFEND/ REBOUND/ RUN THE FLOOR—- KEEP IT SIMPLE FOR HIM RIGHT NOW
PROBLEM IS WE WERE AT FULL STRENGTH—- THEY WERE DOWN THE NBA MVP / OTHER KEY PLAYER s AND WE LOSE —— CANT ALIBI ABOUT ROAD TRIP EITHER——- KA FILL THAT LAST SPOT WITH A LEGIT BACK UP POST
Does anyone know why didn’t we get free throws on the call reversal? Cavs were in the bonus.
And it was dead ball, right?
Yes. Thanks.
Solid look Mitchell.
That’s a terrible shot.
Almost made it, though.
Good challenge!
Stupid Schróder foul. Game over.
Well, that was pretty unimpressive, other than Merrill & Ellis.
I think NY beats us.
I may owe Schröder an apology.
Refs been dogging us all game.
If NY shoots 51% from 3 and their big men steal like three lobs a quarter they probably will win, yes.
Gotta challenge here but I don’t think they’re winning this.
Oof. Mobley. You gotta make that. Great setup by Sam and Allen.
A Mobely 3 is not what we needed there.
No. It was exactly what we needed. Unfortunately we got a Mobley miss.
More offensive rebounds.
3 in a row.
Cannot clean the boards.
Allen missing 3 straight from the line.
This is a loss.
Lol. Triple post offense.
Until our bigs show up in big games, we won’t get to where we want.
We have some weaknesses.
1) Defensive rebounding
2) 3 PT defense
3) Turnovers
4) Bright lights factor
All 4 on display today.
It’s definitely been a home court whistle today.
They get good shots almost evey time.
We do not.
I am not optimistic we pull this out. Down 8..
Closing time.
Missed em both.
Monster three, Merrill. Huge o board Tomlin.
Thank goodness Merrill’s back in for the O.
And Harden.
That zone ain’t working for us.
Especially when they run a perfect zone buster to back screen Ellis.
Harden brings some calm back to the offense
And a quick 5 points.
Boneheaded stuff from Schröder & then Ellis.
Schröder left in one possession too long. I thought harden gave Ellis the ball too early on that break.
Ellis really strong for his size.
Thunder are having so much trouble even getting the ball to Chet when Ellis is on him.
Good foul Ellis. Can’t let em bonus Earl ruo
Big triple Mobes.
They be been all for too long.
Okay, Wade and Keon on back to back possessions out handcuffs on people. Wade took Chet on the post, could not be backed up, then blocked Chet’s turnaround. Keon on the next possession made Wiggins look like the fifth man on a Y team.
We did not score in the last two minutes.
Poor finish and stupid foul from Tyson.
Mitchell foul not called. 8 point swing refballed.
KA should be challenging these.
Can’t challenge a no call
I thought they could look at goaltending after?
Thanks, Nate.
That had to be a pure frustration foul by Tyson, but he knows better. Donovan can see he’s not getting calls tonight, so trying to do the rip through move from 3 is just a wasted possession.
Woof Tyson
You can’t take that foul 80 feet from the basket with 11 left.
Great D from Wade & Ellis.
For Nomad.
Let’s ein the last 2 minutes and take a lead to the 4th.
Ty3on back in the game!!
Tyson three pack of tendies!
Great steal and dish Spida.
Going small with Wade st C.
As soon as Schroder saw it was Joe back on D against that break, he put his head down and was determined to get the foul call.
4 on Joe.
WTF with these ticky tack calls in the bonus.
Stupid Schröder foul.
Tyson is my dawg, but he’s been kind of ass today.
Yep. Just hit a 3, though. Maybe he gets rolling now.
That 3 lhad a ton of arc on it, which to my eyes is what his shot normally looks like.
Tyson butterfingers.
Bad gamble by allen
Schroder keeps faking the 3 and then driving, and they fall for it even though he’s not hitting them. It’s worked well. Then when they finally sag off of him, he drills one. Smart player.