Playoff Live Thread: Cavs @ Pistons, Game 2
2026-05-07Good evening CtB!
The Cavs try to regroup tonight and get even against Eastern Conference top dawg Detroit Pistons and stave off the growing cacophony of negative noise surrounding the hometown team. The Cavs couldn’t have played worse, yet they were still in it in the 4th quarter, but only to get the door slammed shut in their face by Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren. Will the narrative completely flip tonight with a win? Or will the pressure ramp up and force Cavs’ fans to endure the humiliation of watching their team go out sad in the 2nd round again… this is what makes sports great!
Tip off is scheduled for 7:00PM Eastern time and can be stream on Amazon Prime (#SilverforPrison), Go Cavs!
Everyone overthinking this. It’s simple: Harden is killing us. Literally every time he’s on the floor bad shit happens on both offense and defense.
Trading Darius was the right move. Trading him for Harden was suicide. If you benched him and gave his minutes to CPJ , we’d be at least 1-1, if not 2-0. Total shitshow.
“ DITTO “ WHAT NATE POSTED…………. THE “ FAT LADY “ IS WARMING UP HER VOCAL CORDS ——-WE STILL HAVE LIFE—- BUT WE HAVE TO WIN GAME 3 ———- HARDEN HAS TO FIGURE IT OUT!!!!
Either Harden figures it out, they stop playing him so much, or they’re done. Just more bizarre minutes distributions again. Not enough minutes for wade and Tyson. Gotta win the next one. The window is barely open
ALL I CAN SAY IS ……….” MORE BEER 🍺 PLEASE “—— GOING TO BE TOUGH COMING BACK DOWN 0-2
I really liked Mobley and Wade defensively.
Cade just made shots, we didn’t.
I…would limit Harden’s minutes. Schroder has been great.
I have to agree. Spida also was better on ball in the second half than he’d been over the past 6 games, although it wasn’t enough due to the missed FTs and clanked 3s. So that’s two guys right now that are better on ball options.
Maybe it’s point Mitchell and start Max or Jaylon? Or just have Harden commit to off ball stuff. He’s been good catch and shoot
I was thinking that Harden started his career as a sixth man, maybe it’s time to go back to that. Strus or Tyson, yes. And have a scheme ready for the inevitable ball pressure.
After another terrible start, we played pretty well.
0-9 on 3s in the 4th. A touch too 3 happy.
But we can beat this team.
Cunningham is the best player.
Gotta have Game 3.
Had they played with tonight’s 2d half pace and energy in “both” halves of the first game, it could easily be 1-1 going back to Cleveland. I hope they plan to be ready to play at the opening tip the rest of this series.
Right–but why do THEY look like they’ve never been to the playoffs? The Pistons look much more comfortable and convinced in their plan than the Cavs do.
Bickerstaff is the better coach. Or at least, Detroit has a clearer identity, more cohesion, and the best player. And their roster is more balanced. All those things make the coach look better.
Whereas, we have less cohesion with all the trades. An unbalanced roster with 2 bigs, a bunch of smalls, and Wade.
Any team with 1 (or, gasp, 2!) wings who can create just kill us as there is always a size mismatch. We cannot guard 2 at a time, and even if Wade is on Cade, all they have to do is set a pick with someone else’s guy.
It makes it easy. I will say, I don’t like Mobley on Thompson at crunch time. It lets Cade/Harris feast in the midrange. Our best defender on their worst offensive player.
I mean, I get wanting to have Mobes as a roamer. But Thompson is a good cutter and gets buckets when Ev leaves.
I’d rather hide Spida or Harden on Thompson to save their energy. Just stay between him and the basket. If he sets the screen, just ignore him. Blitz Cade.
Let Mobley shut off Harris’ water.
Exactly.
Rough one guys. Sorry I couldn’t be here with you. But hey. I won my bar trivia.
I mean, there’s the common thought about it not being a series until an away team wins a game 🤷♂️
But… This team shows that they’ve internalized nothing from the previous series so far 😔
Disappointing not to get a shot off there.
Schröder better than Harden tonight.
0-9 on 4th quarter threes.
Spida & JA were good. Not a ton of help. We missed Merrill.
0 for 10. And 7 for 31 on 3s for the game.
A fitting finish to a frustrating game once again. Real men win playoff games.
How’s that Harden trade looking?
Garland would be almost as unplayable right now in this series. Who does he guard?
Jenkins/ robinson.
I know that.It just didn’t help,,,,and he’s older.
The thing about Garland that would have helped is that he’s good off the ball and as a motion shooter. I don’t know if he’d have been healthy enough or great against Toronto but he’s been good against the Pistons forever
Garland doesn’t help much either. This roster is flawed. Harden was a hail mary.
Every roster that shoots like ass looks flawed
True. Pistons fit that bill too 🤷♂️
Mobely shut off Cade’s water but we could not get the board.
Cade is the best player in this series and it isn’t particularly close.
Lights out.
I mean cmon ,,,foul shots….
Mobley should be on Harris, not Thompson.
That is poor coaching.
Tyson for Wade now?
Last 2 corner 3s from Tyson were ugly. 1 airball & 1 just grazed the rim.
I hate those b2b 3s from Mobes and Spida.
Cade coming alive.
Down 5. Spida time.
Nope. No offense late. I feel all the differences between these teams are highlighted in the final minutes of both games. We have weaknesses we cannot hide now. We also play iso ball at an alarmingly ineffective rate, but keep doing it anyway.
Ev and Don return now?
Another O board on a FT. Leads to a 3.
We need JA in so Mobes can check Harris.
KA better get Jarrett back in now on this foul (7:36 left)
…good idea
Schroeder looking really good after his early turnover; in the last minute, Nashing inside to set up a wide open kickout 3 that Spida missed; then after the O rebound sets up Tyson with a driving lane that that leads to a basket; then next possession, drive and inside feed to Mobley for his first aggressive dunk of the series.
How long can JH stay on the 4th qtr bench? Just asking
Maybe he should backup Schroeder the rest of the game. Lol!
No 3rd Q TOs.
One more time: the “offensive genius” of James Harden shoots with 17 seconds left, which allows the Pistons to dagger the buzzer again. Insult to injury: Harden’s late on the rotation.
Overall good Q3 until ANOTHER buzzer-beater 3.
Jenkins is a killer
Terrible decisions by our bigs all game long. Wake up, Mobley!
Wtf is Kenny doing? Lineup gets it to 2 pts margin and he substitutes? Shouldn’t our key guys be able to play 40 min in one of the most important games of the season???
Yes he seems to really have a hard time varying from pre-planned subs.
Cannot wrap my mind around the dropoff from last year Kenny to this one.
This game is pretty physical. Don’t mind some rotations.
Still very much in it. Despite to horrid start.
Just like Game 1.
Harris, Robinson, & Jenkins have all ben good for Det. Even Caris.
Boo Mobley! Box out!
DM, no standing in the corners for now!
Bank open for Spida! A little luck!
Very briefly down to 4.
To think… One of these teams will be in the Eastern conference finals 🤯
Cade beats Harden and then gets all the way to the rack for a dunk.
What is JA doing there? I mean, I expect Harden could do better, too, but you have to be expecting tonhelp him.
Gotta convert layups, Wade and Allen!
Cavs finally playing with pace start the 3rd quarter.
Cavs will not survive shooting 20% from 3 and not being able to hit FGs in the paint either. Man.
Cade is only 2/4 (w 6 assists). Bench getting outscored 19 (Jenkins and LeVert) to 8.
Merrill may have helped that….maybe.
Wow,rough day at the office so far,,,,
This team peaked long ago. We’re watching their collapse at the worst time. No promising future with this roster.
And yet another harden TO. Can we please just sit him.
2-10 from the floor, three turnovers, one assist = -12 +/-…literally, he’s at -12. Not only is he mostly unplayable, he continues to drive the offense.
And a sloppy TO from Harden.
Harden has sucked all playoffs long.
3 on Thompson!
Keon 3! Nice D Ev!
Tyson is the only Cav playing well.
And Mitchell travels trying to attack Duncan Robinson on the break. He is a mental mess.
That should have been a layup.
The fact that Duncan Robinson is staying in front of both Spida and Harden effectively in ISO, in both Games 1 and 2, might be the canary in the coal mine . . .
Attaway Jaylon.
Practice your free throws though.
So lackadaisical.
Why are these first qtrs so lousy?
Welp. That was concerning
Strus & not Spida/Dennis? What are we doing?
Why do they do this? I can’t think of any other team at this level (or allegedly) that throws so many balls away under minimal pressure.
Is Mitchell gonna attack the rack at some point?
I just started the “watch from beginning” so I’ll keep outdated comments to a minimum – but Allen and Mobley each had a pass that was flatout lackadaisical in the first few minutes. What are they doing?!
I am in full burn it down mode.
Even when we don’t turn it over, we almost do.
We can barely get it over half court and staet the offense.
Pretty pathetic.
Well… boo.
Tyson at least giving something to cheer for.
How did we lose that jump?
On pace for 20+ TOs, again.
Spida Crossover just broke Tobias Harris
OMG. Just the dumbest turnovers
Too slow, too sloppy. Need a point guard with energy.
Lovely start…