Playoff Live Thread: Game 1, Cavs @ Pistons
2026-05-05Good evening CtB!
Tonight the Cavs are in the Motor City to take on the top seed of the Eastern Conference Detroit Pistons A.K.A. the “Lake Erie Series.” The good guys will face another defensive juggernaut with very little weaknesses in Detroit, but if there are any weaknesses to be exploited they will be the Pistons’ lack of jump shooting and proneness for turnovers. Forcing jump shots and turnovers for easy baskets will be key for Cleveland. For the Cavs, it’s simply about taking care of the ball offensively and rebounding the ball on defense and just raising their level on defense generally… the offense is good enough to win.
Sadly the betting sharps have it in the Pistons’ favor, but hopefully that’s just more fuel to the fire… Tip off is scheduled for 7:00PM Eastern Time and will be broadcasted nationally on NBC Sports Network and Peacock (#Silverforprison).
Interesting comment from Kenny presser, claimed Detroit’s defensive scheme fundamentally different than Toronto’s… he claimed that they changed the offensive scheme against Toronto to counter it and needed practice to go back to base offense principles against Detroit.
We’ll see if it’s just BS or something to it I suppose.
Was intrigued to look back and see that Game 2 was the Cavs’ best in both the 2023 Knicks and 2024 Celtics’ series; each time winning that one, and doing so on the road against the C’s. Hopefully they’ll bring the same urgency to this Game 2. Big test tomorrow.
EVEN PJ ZIEGLER ( channel 8 / Fox ) TRASHED THE CAVS FOR THEIR LETHARGIC/ NO SENSE OF URGENCY PLAY AND KA s DECISION s
On the one hand, same old playoff (especially away game) Cavs.
On the other hand, it was quite close and winnable.
Game 2 will be interesting.
Before the season started I thought this roster would likely be “re-thought” post-season. There’s just something not right with it. Pretty sure it’s not the coach (no matter who holds that title). It’s something about this mix of guys that doesn’t add up to consistent playoff basketball. I’m VERY curious to see what happens in the off season with this team.
Probably the fact that they’ve played two dozen games together.
It’s unlikely they restart the clock with a big change – whole is less than the sum of its parts rn
The galling part is seeing the game slip away when it was so winnable and when the errors were largely self-inflicted. But there’s plenty of room to play better. Detroit’s defense really didn’t seem as suffocating as Toronto’s. Losing Merrill hurts but giving Tyson Strus-level minutes could help offset that. JA should be playing 30+ minutes every game.
Mitchell talked and talked all year as if he had everything figured out. Time to show up and play like a star.
Yeah, you can’t fail in the Knicks series and then get all this support and still whiff
THE ROI IS UNDERWHELMING— IN THE PRIVATE BUSINESS SECTOR “ THE CLOSE —FOR SALE SIGN “ WOULD BE OUT ——- WE NEED CONSISTENT CONTRIBUTIONS FROM EVERYONE—- IF WE DO THERE IS NO DOUBT WE ARE THE BETTER TEAM/ WILL WIN THE SERIES—— BUT THE “ ROLLER COASTER “ PERFORMANCES WONT CUT IT !!
Top 8 teams on $: Cavs, Knicks, Lakers, Rockets, Wolves, Warriors, Sixers, Kings. Two lottery teams, a first round out, and at least one conference finalist.
ROI talk is dumb. A 6 game loss in the second round isn’t a great outcome but it’s…weirdly probably about the median outcome for high salary teams.
SO IS SAM OUT—IF SO – THAT SUCKS!!! —-
They aren’t sure but I’d guess so.
He hasn’t been super productive yet but he has had a nice impact.
Cavs had a deeper roster coming into this thing, so I felt Detroit could be worn down over the series. I think Sam being out hurts the Cavs badly. Roster shortened, less rest all round. Also one of the team that doesn’t turn the ball over much, dawg on D, 3pt threat. Not crazy to say this might be the difference.
KA has to play Tyson more.
Yup, Sam was top 3 in net rating so far these playoffs, huge loss.
For as loud as the Duren ending was, he was AWFUL despite Allen being out for most of the game.
This is good.
KA IS ON “ THE HOT SEAT “ THAT JB WAS USED TO——- GOING TO GET EVEN HOTTER—— CAN KA HANDLE THE HEAT “ OR IS IT TIME TO GET OUT OF THE KITCHEN “. —— STAY TUNED
JB was on the hot seat like a week and a half ago.
This was a real goofy game for Kenny but the only way the seat is hot is if they drop in 5
COMING IN LATE ( AS USUAL). ARE SPIDA / HARDEN “ IN A FUNK “ OR THEIR PLAYOFF DISSAPPEARANCE IS JUSTIFIED—- HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THE NEXT GAME TO EVEN THE SERIES. 0-2 IS DIFFICULT TO DIG OUT — IS SAM GOING TO BE ABLE TO PLAY—— HIS INJURIES- ALONG WITH WADE s (reference to there injuries during the season). A CONCERN BOTH NOW AND IN THE FUTURE—— GO CAVS!!!
Spida was fine but did not get enough usage. Harden’s continual stupid turnovers and giving Tyson’s minutes to Bryant and Schröder doomed them.
Spida is playing the worst relative to expectations and bc you need point production from him above all. He had three bad quarters. But he’s also getting jobbed by the whistle a bit. I think maybe it has to do with how many Harden draws?? Don’t know but -19 on free throws is nuts.
Harden had three bad quarters as well.
This is the worst loss we’ve had to Detroit in years, and it took +19 on FTs, an atrociously coached game, Max Strus as the best player on the floor, a Sam injury…
And it was still tied with 5m left.
See you Thursday.
The only defensible reason for the Allen usage would be that his knee was bothering him a lot more – which would be reason to keep him out there with 2 fouls early (rather than sit him and let it stiffen up), and a reason not to go back to him when it seemed obvious. But I’m hoping that it was just a dumb oversight.
Coach definitely mishandled Allen. Why risk foul number 3 six minutes into the game. And then, why “not” have him on the floor most of Q4 given he hasn’t played a lot of minutes and has managed to limit his fouls to 4?
Yup, KBozo strikes again! Schroeder getting almost as many minutes as Allen and tyson is a recipe for an L
If you get one good run per game with Schroeder, great; but he keeps going back to that well.
Yup, sick of it.. clearly the worst/2nd worst rotation player and he’s getting almost as many minutes as Tyson and Merril are/were LOL
BTW, point guards actually play an important role.
if you lose, someone will criticize which ever choice you make. Ihave seen games that were list because star players with fouls were benched way too long.
I mean, unless Allen’s knees “forced” Kenny to limit him to 18 minutes, that is exactly what happened tonight – star player benched too long after being left in to pick up a 3rd foul.
No lessons here. Get the next one
Most turnovers in a playoff? Jayson Tatum, with 100 (in 24 games). If the Cavs make the Finals, that record will fall. Harden has 43 in 8 games.
That’s impressive
KA…
Two Cavs in the plus tonight: Tyson (+9) and Allen (+4). Both played 18 minutes.
Yup, this is the game in a nutshell.
Wasn’t able to watch, box score, Sam 7 minutes, get hurt?
Yes–hamstring or quad.
Kenny not putting Mitchell and Mobley in to take the lead when he was at the five minute mark with four timeouts was… something. A minute later they were down four, and he never brought Allen back in to counter Duren.
Yeah…just not managing lineups well at all. Stop the main thing (CC/Duren pick and roll) – if Cade goes crazy shotmaking or Tobi kills you, fine. But stop the main thing and build lineups to do that.
Well the series is there for the taking if they can get their heads out of their asses.
Agreed–the Pistons did not impress. We have the team to do it. I just wonder where the changes take place.
Harden had Wade in the right corner and chose the much tougher inside pass to Mobley that led to a TO. Moments like this is where Wade’s chronic fear of shooting probably has an impact; there’s a bunch of other guys Harden would (I assume) have kicked out to there.
Like Tyson
You are being too harsh on Wade. If I have to read one more quote about Harden’s “offensive genius,” I’m going to cut this game into pieces and send it to the author. There is nothing genius about trying to one-on-one bully ball Cunningham… or drive into a triple-team and poop the ball out… or dribble the ball off your foot when trying to beat Duncan Robinson off the dribble. Offense was supposed to be his strength. I kind of talked myself into Harden, but if this 37-year-old version of him is the one we have for this series, and… Read more »
Well I should have made clear I did not like Harden’s decision there, going to Mobley in that much traffic was asking for a TO.
Why no JA on the floor at the end? Come on, Kenny.
JFc harden
Abused on one end, throws it away on the other
Cleveland can’t stop Detroit getting easy mid range jumpers. That’s the difference.
If Wade is in, why is Mitchell on Cade?
If Mitchell is on Cade, why is Wade in?
Did they switch that? Confused me too.
The Cavs were letting the Pistons walk them into those switches. I have no idea why they didn’t learn how to kill that action after the Raptors killed them in such a manner.
Where is the foul?
“It’s go time” – Mandelbaum
why is Allen off the floor
Mobley cannot handle Duren.
Nope,getting moved around again.
Terrible shot from Mobley.
Got it back to even…chance to take the lead
Duren rejects Harden, Cade spoons Duren twice around a Tyson miss.
Good TO. Get Mitchell back in. Mobley, too.
What happened to the Harden-Allen pnr?
Is that a regular season show piece only? Maybe
Dumb. Needed to get Mitchell in a possession sooner.
Harden should’ve lobbed that.
Detroit are young. They will make mistakes.
Olden turd rides again.
Five point game.
Let’s go Cavs. Demonstrate that resiliency
Ball falls to Allen under the hoop, and he passes back out to Mitchell? Just go up big man.
Get Harden out.
Harden looks terrrrrible.
Awful pass attempt
But I do love that careless shovel shot of his.
And after we say that, he gets 2 FTs and a bucket.
Only down 5.
But I’d close with Spida, Strus, Tyson, Mobes, & Allen. Maybe Wade.
This run started with Mitchell’s chucky 3.
You’re a fucking hack, Robinson.
Seriously with this review?
Really, just call a double T or don’t.