Live Thread: Cavs vs Knicks
2026-02-24Oh how the turns have tabled. After a 5-0 start, a disastrous first quarter in the AM versus OKC has the Cavalier faithful already questioning the Kenny Atkinson and the James Harden experience. It doesn’t get any easier tonight as the New York Knicks roll into town winners of four of their last seven, but ridding 12-3 in their last 15. Of those losses, two are to the Pistons and one is to the Pacers.
While Cleveland doesn’t need to win this one, they do have to compete throughout, and can’t afford a crappy start. They also have to rebound, which was a bugaboo against OKC and is always a worry against Mitchell Robinson and the Knicks. I hope the good guys get the ball to JA early which they were doing in the five game road trip. I also hope they don’t make the mistake of starting Wade at the three. OKC rightly played Wade to see if he was hitting and slacked off when he wasn’t. Merrill or Tyson would be a better choice.
As for injuries, the Cavs are without Max Strus and the Knicks are without Miles McBride so this will be a battle. Go Cavs.
Not gonna win this. Probably should’ve called a timeout.
Jarrett Allen!
No Harden for us.
Schröder, Merrill, Tyson, Wade, Allen
CPJ, Proctor, Ellis, LNJ, Bryant
I would not expect help from OKC tonoght in Detroit. Chet and Hard Rock out along with SGA, JDub, & Caruso.
Apparently, it is just the tip, and he is gonna try and play through it. Hopefully it can heal like Allen’s did. He did not miss much time.
And maybe he can rest some games where Mitchell & Mobley are available & we have tanking opponents.
And I an always leery of anything including “it’s just the tip” as reassurance.
Apparently he’s gonna play through it.
Well, they have better information then we do, and Harden knows his body. I still wish he was sitting out tonight, personally.
same
DIDNT SEE THAT ABOUT SPIDA —- THIS SHOULD HAVE BEEN A SURE WIN —- NOW ??
WELL THAT SUCKS ABOUT HARDEN ( guess that is life in the NBA) —-HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SHROEDER STEPPING IN / IS A PROVEN VET 👍🏀💪— WILL PROVIDE A DIFFERENT LOOK—— I TOO CAN LIVE WITH 4th SEED / PLACE ——- LAST YEAR PROVED HOME CT CAN BE OVER RATED
And also it’s on his right hand, not his left. Still, damn!
Well, I would assume Schroeder steps right into the starting lineup in the short-term. And CPJ’s the backup again. Hate to lose Harden for a few games during given the opponents coming up, but I really would rather they give him some time to heal up. Jarrett seems to show no ill effects now from his finger injuries early in the year, but imagine if he’d just played through it the whole way without taking any games off for recovery.
Yeah if the playoffs started with us at 4 it’d be fine. We have to win road playoff games and we have to beat 2 of NY/DET/Boston pretty much no matter what
Fortunately we have a billion guards and it is a non-displaced fracture like the JA fractures but damn.
Harden broken thumb, Mitchell out for a groin injury, Mobley resting due to injury management
This is a loss. Harden is questionable. At least it is right not left.
Schröder, Merrill, Tyson, Wade, Allen
CPJ, Ellis, LNJ, Bryant
LNJ or Enaruna/Minix alert tonight.
Gonna need 39 from Tyson again.
EDIT: 2 ways all listed as OUT.
Assuming you meant Tomlin in tonight’s second unit? Proctor probably sees minutes as well if both Donovan and Harden sit out.
bummer
ON/OFF Check in:
ON:
Big 4: Mitchell +8.3, Allen +6.8, Harden +6.7, Mobley +6.3.
Rotation: Schröder +17.1, Ellis +13.6, Merrill +8.7, Wade +6.9, Tyson +5.3
Deep Bench: Tomlin +4.3, CPJ +3.6, Bryant +1.9, LNJ -1.8, Proctor -4.0.
ON/OFF Diff:
Big 4: Mitchell +10.9, Allen +4.3, Mobley +3.7, Harden +2.4.
Rotation: Schröder +13.4, Ellis +9.7, Merrill +6.2, Wade +3.9, Tyson +1.7
Deep Bench: Tomlin -0.2, CPJ -1.2, Bryant -3.0, LNJ -7.1, Proctor -9.0.
The L column:
14: OKC, Detroit
———
16: San Antonio
———
19: Boston
——–
21: Houston
22: NY, CAVS, Denver
23: Minny, Lakers
24: Toronto
———
26: Phoenix, Philly, Orlando
Tonight:
Cavs (b2b, 5th in 7) at Mil (b2b)
OKC (b2b) at Detroit
Boston (b2b) at Denver
Spurs at Raptors (b2b)
Kings at Rockets
Wasn’t wild about Dean in the starting line-up. I know he had a good game but he and Mobley take turns killing all flow to the offense. Maybe their defense makes up for it, I don’t know.
I don’t love it either. Dean made it okay last night bc in the first half he took his open looks without hesitation and made several of them. Mobley’s outside shot has been hitting the last couple games also (even against OKC). One of these guys “has” to consistently be willing to shoot and must convert enough of them, for this to function reasonably well.
FWIW: Giannis is likely forcing a trade in the off season, and it will be to a team that he likes.
Milwaukee is hoping for lotto lightning.
KA says Strus is trending positive. Contact (with coaches).
https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/onsi/news/kenny-atkinson-gives-positive-update-on-max-strus-s-potential-return-01kj9nnkf5t2
Big 4 + Wade, Strus, Merrill, Tyson, Schröder, & Ellis is a 10 man rotation. Spot minutes (or none) for Tomlin, CPJ, & Bryant. LNJ & Proctor last men on the bench.
a luxury!
Tonight:
Cavs at Bucks. B2b for both. 5th in 7 for us.
Thunder (b2b) at Detroit.
Celtics (b2b) at Denver.
SIMMO/ RAOUL——KJG HAS THE WINDHORST INTERVIEW ( collective hoops ) IF INTERESTED———I SWEAR KJG READS OUR POSTS AND GET 90% OF THEIR IDEAS FOR COLUMN s FROM US
KJG: “Windy is not always the best tactical mind among NBA analysts, but it still stood out just as questionable to him as it did to everyone else.”
agree that having one of JA/EM always in other than at garbage time. JH/JA have instantly become one of the best two player combos ever, so you want them in together. ideally DM/EM can develop better chemestry.
We did play some good minutes with Wade as a small ball 5 last night.
I think Mobley being on a minutes restriction and a b2b coming had something to do with it.
But Wade at the 5 makes us VERY mobile on the perimter if we eant to defend the 3 pt line
CAVS CANT “ SLEEP WALK “ AGAINST THE BUCK s TONIGHT ( they r 7-3 last 10 games). PORTIS / KPJ / CAM THOMAS ALWAYS GIVE CAVS FITS —— GO CAVS
SIMMO -ACTUALLY I THINK BOTH TEAMS DIDNT BRING THEIR “ A “ GAME LAST NIGHT—- SAM/ MOBES —-HARDEN / SPIDA WERE GOOD BUT NOT THEIR BEST——BOARDS / UNTIMELY TO s NEED TO BE CORRECTED/AND ALSO CAVS NEED THAT “ KILLER INSTINCT” WHEN YOU HAVE A TEAM DOWN—-KEEP THEM THERE!!! ——— STILL WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A BIG “ POST BACK UP GOON “ WHO CAN GO IN AND “ LAY SOME LUMBER “ !!
“DITTO “ WHAT BUCKAROO POSTED—-MOBES STILL GETTING HIS LEGS — CAVS STILL LEARNING ON “ INTEGRATING “ PLAYERS——FTS – ARTICLE ON HARDEN ( DUE TO CAVS / SMALL MARKET) NOT GETTING CALLS HE NORMALLY WOULD GET -OPINION——-👍👍👍 ON THE CREAMSICKLE UNI s ——-M ROBINSON STILL A PROBLEM FOR CAVS ON THE BOARD s
Boards are Cavs major outstanding issue for a while now. Robinson was always going to get his, but he DIDN’T get a bunch of dunks and short-range buckets which he normally does against the Cavs. I’m still trying to figure out if that was mainly due to Cavs pressure, or did the Knicks lay an egg. I’m like 30:70 on that at the moment.
I think we have 4/5 bugsboos: defensive boards, 3 PT defense, turnovers, and a tendancy to go cold/chucky on offense under the bright lights (or good D).
Last night we: 1. tied on the glass overall (44-44) and had MORE offensive boards (13-11, JA 4, Wade 3, Mobes 3); 2. “held” NY to 27% from deep; 3. won TOs 11-16. Really tight in the 2nd half; and 4. outshot NY from the field and from 3 (43/37 to 41/27), shot more FTs (30 to 21), and more shots (87-86). Tied on assists.
Robinson has the ugliest foul shot in history. somehow he got 1 of 4 to go in last night. might have to resort to Haq a Shaq
He is Wilt/Shaq/Dudley level bad.
uncle buck enjoying the “new-look” cavs.. heck of a turn-around.. very sweet win vs NY.. looking and playing like a team of destiny.. lovin’ the new kids on the block.. harden, schoder and ellis.. all good..
Allen > Duren
Well, we will certainly have a chance to see soon..2 of next 4 vs Detroit. 2-1 start to the “Tough Ten.”
Vs East Elite: 1-0. W v NY. at Det, Det, Bos.
B2bs: 1-0. W at Cha. At Mil, Philly.
Road Favorites: 0-1. L at OKC. At Brk, at Orl.
Tonight is our 5th game in 7 days. The toighest of the b2bs. I was thinking 2-2, 2-1, 3-0 for 7-3 at the start. Cannot go 3-0 on the roadies now, but can do better on b2bS. A win tonight and 7-3 is back on the table.
Great win. Big game by Wade — making shots and playing great D.