Live Thread: Cavs/Spurs 2014-11-19 Off By Nate Smith Tough assignment tonight as the Spurs come to town. 5-4 Cleveland tries to right the ship against a Spurs team that has been struggling in their own right at 6-4. Hulk Hogan is courtside, so eat your vitamins before you post, Hulkamaniacs… A Grumpy Man and No Untouchables Recap: Cavs 90, Spurs 92 (Or, of fractals and fumbles)
Despite the loss, I think the team grew tonight. The game definitely had a playoff atmosphere tonight. I think the young guys will slowly start getting used to facing every team’s best effort each time on the floor. Would have liked to see Marion on that defensive possession where Ginobili beat Harris off the screen – but Harris definitely will learn from these early-season crunch time minutes. Thought we really should have been pushing the ball more and driving with more aggression. We love to go iso-ball in half court sets. Some of those quick 3s by Kyrie were really… Read more »
So we lost by two to the defending champs in a game where Leb and Love kind of sucked? I think this is totally OK. But I’m sure there will be a CtB Panic! post up tomorrow.
Reality: Cavs are flawed. We’ve been saying it all season. It is not a panic to point out problems.
Nah. I don’t think they are flawed at all. I wouldn’t change the roster. They just need time and Blatt needs to figure stuff out. No big deal. It’d be different if they were in the West, but since they aren’t they can take their time learning what to do.
Agreed. The sky is not falling, though. They hung with the Spurs tonight–and not the “DNP Old” Spurs, Popovich had all hands on deck. On the plus side: Waiter tends to revert to hero ball, but he does seem to try to integrate himself, at least at first. He’s not going to break all his bad habits in one month. He also tries hard on defense. He committed some silly fouls tonight, but he was aggressive. I can forgive that. Love played a lot of bad defense, of course. He had a few good possessions against Duncan, though. Diaw was… Read more »
In the last two minutes of quarters tonight. Yikes.
Quarter 1: Cavs outscored 6-2
Quarter 2: Cavs outscored 8-2
Quarter 3: Cavs outscored 7-4
Quarter 4: Cavs outscored 7-5
Meh, doesn’t matter. Ray Allen will get here and shoot 3’s in the last 2 minutes so we got that covered. Even if he doesn’t get here, they won’t need to play better in the last 2 minutes until the finals. Told you the Spurs were the only team we need to worry about. No need to panic. We win this game going away if Ray was here tonight so no problem.
LOL. Well played, sir.
Lebron will be uber eager for a win Friday night. Look for him to put up 25 shots. If he is on…40+ points.
Who wants to bet Gortat goes off for like 25 and 12 against Cavs on Friday night
I thought that was a pretty well played game. Andy was great. Cavs defense was improved but they need to maintain it game after game. They need more chemistry on offense. Rotations are still very much a work in progress. They need to get Love more involved on offense – he just seems like an afterthought most of the time. Is Dion in the doghouse? Kyrie probably could handle the ball more than he does, at least for now till LeBron gets his act together. Hes still turning it over way too much and also not playing like we know… Read more »
Agree that the perimeter D was improved, but the interior D was still lacking. Still a lot of dribbling and ISO on offense. Cavs lost because they were outrebounded and out assisted by the Spurs.
But agree it was an improvement over the Denver disaster.
Nah. Cavs lost because they failed in critical situations: ends of quarters, out of timeouts, and down the stretch. You can’t beat good teams in the NBA if you don’t execute in those situations.
Agree about the ends of quarters and out of timeouts, but they played with some grit down the stretch (at least Andy did anyway).
The team has a tendency to stand around when LeBron has the ball (Andy and TT are exceptions). It’s like they’re taking a quick break while they wait for LeBron to do something amazing. They really need to incorporate some off-ball action when LeBron has the ball to give him more options. LeBron is terrific at squeezing passes to Andy when Andy slips the screen and dives toward the paint like a maniac. It’s not always there, though, and LeBron has to really try to knife it in there.
Just feels gross to lose because they couldn’t freaking stop Boris FREAKING Diaw
Heat couldn’t stop him last year in Finals either….frustrating but dude is weirdly skilled player..im sure spurs feel same way about no stopping Varajao all game
Heat had same problem that Cavs now have… No interior D. I posted on an earlier thread how badly abused they’ve been so far this season by even the most mediocre of big men. Look it up. It’s a disturbing trend.
way people are flipping out now can’t imagine april/may games when things don’t go right and team loses
Unfortunately, expectations are too high based on the promise of this team on paper. Not going to get any less frenzied.
Well, at least LBJ only played 34 minutes, so I guess that’s a nice silver lining…
i don’t think George likes the Cavs…team played sloppy and nearly won this game where they were out rebounded and out shot and had less second chance points…also a game where no star players really dominated…it was Diaw v. Varajao as best players….exciting game to watch and crazy ending….its funny how people complain about defense held Spurs to 92 points which is really low for NBA elite teams….gave themselves a chance…they’ll learn…its still Nov guys don’t go jumping off a bridge
Plays off. not plays old.
Plays off. not plays d.
LeBron. No more introspective interviews about you teammates. You’re the one taking plays old and making stupid passes. Just shut up and play hard.
Too bad Blatt didn’t have a FREAKING TIME OUT to try and draw up a play to tie or win! What a waste of time… literally
I can say this a million times…TOO MUCH DRIBBLING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AND THAT’S WHY YOU PASS THE BALL UP THE FLOOR LEBRON!!!!!
I totally agree
To who, though? I watched the replay five times. He didn’t have many options. There were two guys racing ahead, with Andy behind him and Love somewhere in the midcourt C. He had about six seconds to do something and no timeout. If he passes it to Love, what happens? If he tosses it back to Andy, then what? When Manu made the decision to trap, it was a smart play. The Cavs didn’t have a plan drawn up for “We get the rebound with 8 seconds left, and LeBron is 85 feet from the hoop.” Maybe they should have,… Read more »
Right. I saw the replay too and the 3 guys had already raced to our side of the court and they were all covered. Lebrons play, just like every other play you see in that kind of situation is to dribble it as far up as you can, try to collapse the defense and either kick it out to an open guy or drive it in and draw a foul if you can. These last second moments are made for going the length of the court. Hell, they have a whole highlight clip after the last game of the NCAA… Read more »
Just my opinion
As much as I love Joe Harris’s effort he had no business on the floor…David Blatt is an idiot
This scares me. Pop is killing the Cavs out of timeouts.
Popovich kills pretty much everybody out of timeouts.
David Blatt has got to go…this guy is a complete idiot
Just an AWFUL play out of the time out
I know the play you are talking about here but I thought it was a great call. Lebron had a clear path to the basket for a dunk that would have brought the entire crowd on their feet. Varajao just underthrew it and even motioned as much right after. And Kawai made a great defensive play when if you watch the replay, he really was heady to be in position like that.
Against most teams I might agree, but this is the Spurs and they have heady players like Kawai. They’re typically not going to fall for a play like that. Pop has them too well coached.
Hard to play defense when three guys stand around after every offensive possession looking at the refs for a call. It’s like four years ago, all over again.
Too true, Kevin
Going to be tough to win this one the way the Cavs are playing. Hope they can grit it out
ANDY!!! Just awesome this game!
Andy is owning this game.
Love forcing shots.
Great point by Van Gundy about not letting Diaw get to his right hand.
Handy Andy is this game’s king.
My issue is LeBron jacking shots and Marion having no idea what to do with the ball it is swung to him. Both kill the offense. That makes other guys not want to play defense. You can see it in the body language. They’re defeated before they finish the game.
I don’t have access to the game, but how are the cavs close considering the cavs are being out rebounded and Spurs shooting over 50%?
Tooooooooo much dribbling
Defense is really not that hard to coach and teach…Lebron said it from the onset of the season…most of these players have picked up a lot of bad habits(from being in a losing environment).They must commit themselves to working harder on both ends of the floor
Yeah. LeBron is talking a lot about it but not doing it for four quarters
If Andy doesn’t play in crunch time, I may be done with Blatt.
no effing perimeter defense
Dion Waiters is falling in love with his jump shot…I’m not!!!!!
Ball movement is so very vital in producing better offense
Worst defense and worst bench in the NBA….it’s going to be a very long season if certain changes are not implemented
Spurs just killing Cavs in the last three minutes of quarters. That’s on Blatt and the Cavs leaders.
Get this bum Cherry out of the game
Diaw making Klove his… um, never mind.
French sleeping bag?
Boris Diaw having a career night against the Cavs bigs
There is a difference in playing to win and playing not to lose…the Cavs look as if they are playing not to lose
Cavs offense is just aimless. Passes without a point and then isolations late.
I really wished that Austin Carr would shut up sometimes…who is teaching theses players how to not play defense???
Very poor defensive stand…eight straight points to close the half…very poor coaching as well…Blatt needs to learn when to call a time out to settle his team down…totally unacceptable
Wow, that was the fastest timeout I’ve ever seen. 19 seconds into second half. Pop seems hot.
That’s how you close quarters, Cleveland… if you want to lose. Ugh.
one thing these younger players must learn is to pass more and dribble less…THEY DRIBBLE THE BALL WAY TOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!
Just swing the freaking ball. Kyrie and Dion got into one-on-three stupidness there.
Ugly end to the first half. Should have been up by 10 instead of 3. Spurs just executing when it counts.
I like it when they are in the lead
Kyrie!!! Hard to argue when he’s sticking shots like that
Set a backscreen, Kevin. I like the way you’re d-ing Duncan though.
Like the aggressiveness by everyone. LeBron needs to stop reaching.
Have to be more aggressive going after the 50/50 balls
worst perimeter defense in the entire NBA
Has anyone else noticed the site is slow to post comments the last two days? Could be just me. Maybe a sign.
Andy came to play! Don’t ignore him in the 4th, coach.
When Kyrie and Dion play off of each other like this it can be devastating! I’m liking this group on the floor right now
Love the D and steal from Dion to start the break with TT. More of that please!
Wow! What a great acrobatic move by Andy! Hope his ankle is okay
Looks like Duncan continuing the trend of Centers eating Cavs interior D alive
Nice to see the Hulkster sitting courtside. LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING BROTHER!
Nice three from Mighty Joe! Great pass from TT
Duncan and Kawhi go to the bench and Spurs go on a 6-0 run.
Missed most of first quarter with computer/sling box issues. How do Cavs look?
I hate it when Marion catches the ball anywhere other than the three point line or at the basket. Missed a wide open Andy at the elbow. He can’t drive, can’t shoot, and his decisions are soooo slow.
Maybe I am biased, but Duncan fouls a lot and doesn’t get called much
Amen.