Recap: Hawks 127, Cavs 98 (Or, revenge is a dish best served engulfed in flames)
2014-12-18https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuPHF7_eWYk#t=22s
If you can believe it, this game was knotted at zero for more than two minutes. Slowly, both teams started to see their shots trickle in. The Cavs then went on a 19-6 run prompting tweets like “that escalated quickly.” As the 1st quarter clock wound down, LeBron elicited wild reactions after he “broke” Thabo Sefalosha’s ankles and hit Matthew Dellavedova on the right wing for three. Brendan Haywood, AJ Price, and Kyrie Irving were shown in a goofy delirium and both teams went back to their respective benches. Longtime Spurs assistant Mike Budenholzer handed each one of his boys a P-Wing, Star, and Tanooki Suit and they each swallowed them all at once and chased them with ten 5-Hour Energys (giving them 50 continuous hours of super power energy). The Cavs waddled back and forth like koopa troopas before getting their shells flipped the heck upside down and kicked into oncoming Bullet Bills. Here are the highlights:
This game doesn’t deserve a typical recap since there was no drama after the half. I’ll just point out a few things.
1.) In the second quarter the Hawks essentially ran the same play every time. They penetrated from the left side of the half-court to the middle of the paint using either dribble penetration or a drop step from post position on the left block (Millsap and Horford). The Cavs countered this action by collapsing into the paint using the defender responsible for the right block/baseline area. Back in November a similar thing happened and the Hawks (missing DeMarre Carroll) generated a fair number of open looks for Thabo Sefolosha. Here’s what happened then:
Here’s what happened tonight:
That’s not the half that’s the second quarter alone.
The Cavs were 13-17 from three point land at the half of the previous meeting. The Hawks were 12-18 tonight. The difference between those two games is that the Cavs were still very much in the game at the half tonight. But Atlanta was just getting started.
2.) The Hawks shot chart is 3s and layups. And honest to God more than 2/3 of their made threes were so wide open they could have taken a selfie before they shot each one. The Cavs took a lot of mid-range shots off one leg.
3.) Between watching the Tyreke Evans reverse-layup-line show and now this game it is clear that the Cavs as constructed are not a championship caliber team. There are funks and off nights, hot shooting teams and transcendent stars – all sorts of singular events that can embarrass an otherwise solid team. But the Cavs are slow, small, and soft and I don’t see any antidote to completely change these weaknesses. They can certainly play a heck of a lot smarter on defense than they did the last few games but tonight it felt like each Cav had decidedly slower foot speed that the Hawk he was attempting to stay in front of (to no avail). Without any rim protection (the small) the natural way to prevent layup lines is to shrink the floor: collapse and recover and all that. It’s easy to collapse, much harder to recover. The Cavs have been getting killed by dribble penetration since LeBron left in 2010. Name the player on this team that when called upon can deny or degrade dribble penetration? Kyrie did an admirable job in the 1st quarter – but the wheels just fell off after that. It’s way too easy to generate easy looks against this team right now. And outside of that valiant 4th quarter against the Raptors and a few quarters here and there during the 8-game winning streak, the Cavs can’t impose their will on teams defensively. They are soft. LeBron and/or KLove in the post is being used like an extraneous facet, not a leverage point. There are no hard fouls, no overwhelming transition attacks. Tonight the Hawks were bigger, faster, stronger from the end of the 1st quarter until the final buzzer sounded.
4.) It’s not even worth mentioning the offensive issues (and I see many) when you give up 127 points in 46 minutes.
5.) The Hawks disrupted entry passes on three different occasions tonight (passes that would have put the Cavs in an advantageous situation) by kicking the ball.
6.) Shelvin Mack was what I would call a “solid player” at Butler. He was like a poor-man’s Mike Conley – steady, heady, and a physical defender. It wasn’t like he was Steph Curry tonight. He was 6-6 on threes (after having made nine all season) because he got some burn and he was WIDE OPEN ALL NIGHT.
7.) Varejao amassed three fouls, no other Cavalier starter had more than two. The Hawks made as many threes as they attempted free throws. Put another way, the Hawks scored 114 free-throw-less points in 46 minutes. The Cavs aren’t making anyone feel them.
8.) The Cavs continue to lead the NBA in 1st quarter scoring. They are averaging more than 4 points better than their opponents in 1st quarters on the season (+17/48) and giving teams life with lethargic 2nd quarter play (-10/48). Saw it again tonight. Many people (including me) have complained about David Blatt’s insistence on funky lineups that don’t feature any of K/L/L. Tonight the more damning indictment was that the Cavs literally got beat by the same action five times in half a quarter. Blatt called timeout after back to back triples from the right wing, the Cavs subbed in LeBron and Varejao, (his two most veteran players and arguably his best defenders) and the Cavs continued to get decimated by the same action. It’s like they were shell-shocked and powerless to stop it – just simple dribble penetration or entry passes on the left side and a lone ranger spotted up on the right wing with the option to shoot or swing it to the top of the key.
9.) What’s the antidote? I don’t know. They really aren’t making teams work hard on defense since they gladly fire away from the perimeter off two-man pick and pop action without moving half the defenders. Defensively they are getting blown by and seem to allow a scrub-fuego to go off every night. They lack rim protection and a true wing stopper. Collectively they seem to get overwhelmed with athleticism – playing on their heels during these huge runs they give up. I am reminded of the talented Lakers of 2008 that were completely destroyed by the disruption of Rajon Rondo as well as last year’s Heat that suddenly looked old and slow in the face of the Spurs onslaught. It doesn’t seem like growing pains anymore.
10.) The Cavs should be embarrassed. No more growing pains, no more happy talk. They should be embarrassed and terrified of the Hawks. They should start approaching these games like they are the young and hungry team looking to knock off these perennial contenders – not the other way around. They are the hunted right now.
11.) Lots of people saying things tonight like “whoa the Hawks did that WITHOUT Jeff Teague.” As if the margin of victory could have been 60 if only Teague had played the minutes of the hapless Shelvin Mack and Dennis Schroder, who were, ya know, completely engulfed in flames. If Jeff Teague plays 48 minutes tonight and goes 11-14 from the field for 34 points and ratchets 13 assists to just 2 turnovers then the Hawks would have looked exactly like they looked tonight.
Very nice article…….
LeBron obviously disagrees with you, Cols. Chemistry is more important than talent. http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/12/lebron_james_said_the_cavalier.html
There’s a certain pattern that’s developed for this team: 1) They start strong on both offense and D in the first quarter and are usually up 2) Second quarter starts slowly (unless Dion is hitting shots) and other team catches up because D has slacked 3) LBJ checks back in (between 9 and 7:30 left in quarter) and Cavs go on a run to extend lead or catch up 4) D rotations don’t hold up and other team catches or passes Cavs going into half time 5) Cavs don’t come out with a sense of purpose in third quarter and… Read more »
You just explained the 09-10 season, except they more often than not could clamp down in the fourth quarter. Feels like déjà freaking vu.
Yup. Thinking the same thing. Remember how infuriating those 3rd quarters were? This team CAN beat almost anybody in the 4th but not if the game gets out of hand like last night.
LeBron said the issue is chemistry. This is interesting. It’s not that they don’t get along.
Chemistry as in playing on the same string on defense. And learning who will be where on fast breaks, who shoots well from where (eg Kevin love has hot spots and finding him at those spots should trigger an immediate kick out, but maybe not so much at his cooler spots). Those are chemistry issues as much as anything, and you have to learn a lot of them on purpose, btw games, in the film room. Kyrie’s should be watching film more than he ever has in his life. Like a Drew Brees level of commitment to the film room.… Read more »
I finally watched the first half of the game. I don’t think I’ll watch the second one. I noticed the comment trend of the Cavs having just one player who is overly athletic in LeBron. Guess what, LeBron isn’t playing athletic anymore. He’s not the same consistent disruptive force defensively. In the first quarter, there was a three play sequence where LeBron sprinted down court for a Love outlet, then started a mini break, and also had a steal for a fastbreak. These types of things only happen once a game for him now, they used to happen every quarter.… Read more »
very well put cwzagger—touched the heart/ emotions of all of us ctb”s
Thank you, sir. As they say, all for one!
People. We don’t have to do this after every loss. Sometime they lose.
Let it go. Let it go.
Don’t think about it anymore.
Let it go. Let it go.
We could probably agree that most of us commentators are rooting for the Cavs to win the title. Winning the title will take a lot of things going right. Each game throughout the season is viewed as a measuring stick to judge their progress. Therefore, we like to play pretend coach/GM and examine the things we feel might prevent our favorite team from winning said title. Show me someone who says LeBron Era II is a disaster and I’ll show you a liar. We’re just trying to put on our critical thinking hats and break down what we see. The… Read more »
I get that. I just hate when it’s projected. As in there’s no way this cavs team can win it because of what we saw last night. I’m trying to get you to realize that what we saw last night will probably be a distant memory come playoff time and won’t matter at all.
Yeah I see where you would get frustrated. The real season begins when the playoffs start, everything else is just separating the best from the rest. Until then we’re just following the trajectory of what we observe vs. what we expect.
Sure. The Hawks had a good gameplan and abosultely shot the crap out of the ball. That happens. I don’t think we need to take away from this that the Cavs are deeply flawed.
I think we are witnessing a team with lots of new parts getting it together. It’s taken longer than I thought, but clearly I was wrong about how long an NBA team takes to gel.
Give it time. A loss like this means nothing in the greater scheme of things.
If you’re wrong about how long it would take, get over it if people think you’re wrong for assuming everything will work itself out because talent blah blah blah.
What is this… FROZEN?
COLS I NORMALLY AGREE WITH YOU ( IMAGINE THAT—-THERE ARE A FEW OF US OUT THERE )—BUT YOU HAVE TO SHOW UP READY TO GIVE THE EFFORT ( NOT JUST MAKING SHOTS ) TO COMPETE AGAINST THE GOOD TEAMS—YOU MIGHT GET BY THE ORLANDO’S / TIMBERWOLVES WITHOUT THE TOTAL EFFORT BUT AGAINST THE BETTER TEAMS–WELL YOU SAW THE OUTCOME LAST NIGHT— not trying to dampen your eternal optimism but we are 25 games into the season and there are glowing concerns with our defense and bench and unless we make some INTELLIGENT MOVES ( don’t need to make a ”… Read more »
I don’t think the effort the Cavs gave last night is the same effort they will be giving in the playoffs. So I don’t think we can read anything into this game. They got blown away. It happens. It doesn’t mean the Hawks can win 4 games vs us in the playoffs.
The NBA season is long. These things happen. And they happen more with teams that made major changes in the offseason. New players, new coaches, etc.
One would hope that the effort they give in the playoffs is not similar to what transpired last night. But keep in mind that going on for four years now, this Cavs team has had issues with effort and intensity. Remember last year’s Atlanta game late in the season, when we still had a playoff spot to fight for? And we came out and laid down that game and got embarrassed? Obviously, this is a very different team now. No one could possibly fathom a LeBron-led team coming out flat in the playoffs — up until the day it happens.… Read more »
I don’t know. I think the biggest problem the last four years was an extreme lack of talent. But that’s just me. A team without talent can play their asses off. They will still lose most of the time.
This team is way way way way way way way more talented than the Cavs of any year since the Mark Price years. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Last year’s Cavs definitely had the talent to make the playoffs in the pathetic East with Kyrie, Varejao, Deng, Dion, etc. Effort was a major concern constantly. Talented teams will almost always lose to other talented teams who try harder.
They also had the worst coach in the NBA.
One might say he struggled getting effort out of them!
You’re funny. You don’t realize that “motor” is a talent. Playing hard all the time is a talent. Intelligence on the court and being able to make contributions that lead to winning, but do not necessarily show up in the box score is a talent. Defensive ability is based on talent. Reflexes, intelligence, lateral quickness, leaping ability, and pattern recognition skills: all based on talent. “Talent” doesn’t just mean being able to score the ball. The abilities to play complementary roles are talents. Miami doesn’t win those championships without Shane Battier’s ability to guard multiple positions and hit open threes.… Read more »
Motor only matters if you have enough talent. A guy can be the most intense dude in the world who gives it his all all the time but if he sucks he will still suck.
Talent beats out everything in the NBA.
Technically those are skills that are developed. You don’t genetically understand basketball patterns.
Motors only matter in cars, or if you have a team of robots. That settles it. Cavs should just field a team of awesome shooting cyborgs. Cyborgs > LBJ, Kyrie, KLove, etc.
After all, cyborgs DO genetically understand basketball programs. It’s in their microchips.
Scotch: Not necessarily. Just like the ability to leap high run fast, and have great hand-eye coordination, one’s mental abilities are shaped by genetics, in vitro development and hormonal development. Early and later stage child physical and mental development play big roles too. Wayne Gretzky was innately better able to recognize patterns in Hockey. His development in these areas was faster and more advanced than his counterparts. No amount of “learning” or training could help anyone catch up to Wayne Gretzky, Magic Johnson, John Stockton, LeBron, etc. KG and Bill Russell are/were like this on the defensive end (and not… Read more »
Nate. My team of Camrelo, Francis, Coleman, Marbury, and Bonzi Wells would destroy your team of Delly, CJ Miles, Omri Casspi and whatever other scrub who tries really hard but does not have the talent you want to put out there.
My all time motor team: Darrell Armstrong, Bruce Bowen, Shane Battier, KG, and Ben Wallace would wipe the floor with your team. Your guys would rage quit in the mid third quarter.
Is there some kind of simulator for this epic matchup of “motor” guys versus “talented” guys? I would be fascinated to know the percentage results of who would win more often.
I was at the game last night. I went up expecting a close game and of course hoping for a nice win. I ended up getting way more enjoyment out of simply watching the Hawks’ offense over anything the Cavs did. The Hawks were playing excellent team ball – fun to watch. Running Korver off of several screens to get the defense moving, and then from there it was just passing the ball and finding the open man. The Cavs were not doing anything fun on offense, and simply getting lost on defense. That happens every now and then, but… Read more »
They are all sick and Atlanta caught fire. They shouldn’t need to feel embarrassed or ashamed.
Yep. They got blown away, it happens. Move on.
These are two separate trades, but if you could give up Dion and the Memphis pick for Koufos and Brewer would you do it?
^^^^ plus the Bogans trade exception.
No. I think Koufos is a stiff. Dion is younger, and better, than Brewer offensively and as bad as the defense has been at times, scoring is desperately needed off the bench.
So would you give th Memphis pick for either Brewer or Koufos?
Brewer yes. Kuofos, No. Kuofos is a UFA. And I don’t know why everyone’s touting this. Memphis isn’t moving him. They’re as good as anyone right now. Why would they risk their backup center when they have a shot at a title?
They wouldn’t. Give me Brewer for the Memphis pick and Bitch-Smack Biyombo for the Bogans Memorial Trade Exception and a second rounder. Keep Dion, cut AJ Price and Sweet Lou.
That doesn’t quite work salary-wise. Gotta move Dion if you want both. Thus sayeth HoopsDogg (me).
Okay, I’d still part with Dion to net those two players back in return.
I think everyone is looking at this team wrong. Things like this will happen. Especially this early in the season when they still are unsure of what they are doing. However, I don’t think that you can look at a game like this and project anything down the road. I think this team will find it’s stride and be fine. Come playoff time I still don’t think any team in the East is capable of winning 3 games in a series, let alone 4. Keep calm. It really makes it hard to read the comments when people post that last… Read more »
“Things like this will happen.”
Again, Cols, you choose to ignore reality.
Go find me a single instance in the last three years of a healthy Spurs, Heat, or Thunder team getting blown out by 30 points at home. Things like this DONT happen to championship caliber teams.
And this matters why? The Spurs have won one title the last three years. One. OKC has won zero.
Who cares? This team is still ridiculously talented. Talent wins out in the NBA.
Heat, Spurs, OKC have been the best 3 teams in bball last few years, and therefore most likely to win a title.
Considering the Cavs have title aspirations, it is appropriate to compare facts between these teams.
Cols is starting to show signs of a true paranoid delusional. “Everyone is wrong” “Things like this will happen” “everything is fine” “Ray Allen, Ray Allen, Ray Allen…”
We can’t look at a game like this and project anything down the road? Really??? How about 5 games like this, or 10. Because by now, its pretty much a trend and can be projected. For everyone except the clown that is you. Well, one thing we all know and can project very easily is you always having been an idiot and always being an idiot due to your manlove towards Lebron. This team has problems, that are easily seen every single game, even when they win and while everyone else comments rationally and properly….you don’t live in a land… Read more »
I’m imagining this scenario
Boss: Cols, I’m concerned about the numbers your sales team has turned in for the year
Cols: What are you talking about, we’re fine. No one in the tri-state area can even come close to matching our numbers
Boss: Umm, sales are down 371% so far. What’s your strategy here?
Cols: Stop worrying so much, we have so much talent on my sales team. Bob once sold 5 used cars in one month back in 1998, and Jim holds the record for most magazine sales by his local Boy Scout Troop. We are fine.
Awesome analogy Spence!
last night’s defense lapse should be of no surprise ( it is just that Atlanta SUPER EXPOSED OUR WEAKNESSES ) they have been there all year and unless we make some smart moves it is not going to take us to a championship– let alone win the eastern conference—-not trying to be pessimistic but let’s face it —that is the reality of what this cavs team is—-when miller is healthy / cleared to go I would start him over marion—I forget who mentioned about our total lack of athleticism but you are totally correct—quickness/ strength /etc.—BASKETBALL SKILLS ALONE DO NOT… Read more »
I’d rather have my players making shots than have them playing with grit and heart. Make the shots and I don’t care how much heart you have.
Open shots do not always lead to made baskets — there is always a random element when it comes to shooting in bball. Some nights you’re hot and blow the other team out the arena, other nights you’re cold and can’t buy points.
One thing you CAN guarantee, night in and night out, possession by possession, is playing defense with grit/heart/intensity. Great offense can occasionally trump great defense, but that’s not in your control.
This is, at least, my own personal philosophy; I’ve always favored defense in all sports.
Cols trotted out the Pete Chilcutt and Loy Vaught repeatedly in Tecmo NBA. He knows.
So you want a team of robots. Where’s the fun in that?
Are they wearing Cavs jerseys? I’d root for that team.
With Cols on this one. These games happen. At 14-10 in December I don’t think we should call the Lebron 2 era a fail.
They’ll get to the playoffs easily and that’s all that matters. The only team in the East that could ninja-sneak into the playoffs would be Indy when they get Hill back. Everyone else below the cut-line looks horrid.
I agree with you about Indiana, but Boston’s getting in too. They actually the sixth best team by point differential. Miami is fading fast and Brooklyn is a mess. When they fire sale all their players, it’s going to get real depressing in the five boroughs.
It would only get depressing if anyone cared about the Nets. Although their superfan did just kill himself:
http://espn.go.com/new-york/nba/story/_/id/12030579/brooklyn-nets-superfan-jeffrey-gamblero-dies-jump-window
Aw man that’s a sad story. I never heard of that guy before just now but my condolences to all his folks
Rumors are (I know this trade gets brought up every year) that Rondo is in the works for the Mavs. That would cut the outlook for Boston.
Actually, they may get better if they can time the Rondo departure with the Marcus Smart return. That dude will be ROY if they move Rondo.
I think you give Marcus Smart too much credit. By the way, the Mavs will be SICK with Rondo. They’d be a really tough out in the playoffs.
We’ll see. He has to get healthy first.
I kinda feel Orlando sneaking in ahead of Boston because Rondo is going to find a new home this year. But Brad Stephens is earning some real respect around the league. If we can somehow find a couple new bench players who aren’t either 12 years old or 56 years old and can actually play d, we will not be far from an elite team. We are just a few small changes away from making major strides.
The flu is ravaging this team and Northeast Ohio. That certainly didn’t help. One facet: a complete overreaction to Kyle Korver, who seemed to be the only player the Cavs cared to stop. Everything was hedging his way all night. The Cavs dared Shelvin Mack to beat them. He did. As you said, Tom, getting beat by the same action over and over is unacceptable, and is on the coach even moreso than the players. At some point you just have to start playing individual defense and not doubling EVERY SINGLE PLAYER IN THE POST. There were inexplicable double teams… Read more »
I think everyone but Cols agrees they should trade for some bench help in a wing defender and rim protector. Though I hear rumors that Ray Allen has grown a few inches.
Ray Allen solves nothing for this team.
Actually, scratch that. Ray Allen would at least allow the Cavs to start Thompson and Allen, a much more well spaced offense.
Ray Allen is the messiah and when he comes back, all will be right with the world. A message from Cols’ Jesus Shuttlesworth Latter Day Saints.
This is almost true. A healthy Allen does wonders for this team.
Ray Allen would help, but I’m not sure he gets them out of the second round of the playoffs. They still don’t have enough defense for that.
Klove lack of defense ability killed us in the 3rd when we still had a chance. I don’t know if blatt was trying to challenge love or what but horford abused him on both sides. Still tired of seeing lebron stand still on some off possessions. And lbj varejo PnR still awful as well. Use to hate cherry picking when I played but bron has a knack of knowing when to cheat on d and leak out. Tt still playing above the rim. Kyrie looked like perfect pg early on getting others good looks and picking his spots. Some of… Read more »
Eh. Whatever. They got blown out. It happens. Is will have no bearing come playoff time.
Yes, you are right, but again you fail to look beyond these games as isolated events. It is the trends that most posters on here notice and are concerned about. You simply tell us the earth is flat and there is no reason to believe otherwise without ever offering any sort of proof. This is a good team but not a great team. They are severely limited by their lack of defense and slim bench. No one on here is calling for a blowup and rebuild, and you constantly misinterpret analysis and concern for growing issues as doom and gloom.… Read more »
Nope. This team has a big 3. Big 3 win championships. Check the facts. If you don’t have a big 3, you lose. You guys panic too much. They’re fine until they face OKC in the finals.
I did not submit this, BTW.
What gave it away, the cheeseburger?
Ha. I didn’t even see that. I suck.
The North Koreans have hacked Cols714!
You’re right, it won’t. When they look bad then it will be for the same reason, they’re a shallow team with absolutely terrible defense. This is what they are. Short of a serious roster change, that’s what they’ll be in May. In June they’ll be on vacation.
If the Cavs play defense in the playoffs like they did last night, this most certainly will have a bearing on the outcome of the playoffs. The biggest shock for me is how unathletic the Cavs look. They have quite possibly one of the most unathletic benches in the entire league. I see issues with the offense as well. I have seen none of this “genius” offense David Blatt is known for. What I see is three supremely talented offensive players getting by on that talent alone. Again, this is going to be an issue come playoffs when teams defend… Read more »
Why would the Cavs play defense like last night in the playoffs? They have 5 more months to play together and learn each others tendecies. This game has no bearing on what will happen in May.
Why even play any games. Just give them the Larry O’Brien?!?!
Yeah, I think it is becoming pretty clear this is not an truly elite team. Top 10? Probably. Sometimes capable of looking like a top 5 team? Sure. But a legit championship contender? I don’t really see any evidence of that. Elite teams don’t lose this game by 29 at home at this point of the season when they are healthy and trying. They just don’t. If talent+effort+coaching+chemistry = good team, there are many teams that trump the Cavs in these categories, although fortunately they are mostly in the West. Hawks have better coaching and chemistry but less talent and… Read more »
Don’t feel as if the Hawks have less talent. They just have less offensive talent. But they play defense, execute fantastically in the half court, and everyone plays a role. Their starting five is as good as anyone’s, and when their bench steps up like tonight, they’re just as lethal as anyone.
The Hawks have less talent. You cannont be a serious basketball fan and think they are as talented as the Cavs.
you said this more cogent than i could try on limited sleep. they are without a superstar and a bit reminiscent of the mid 2000’s pistons
The 2000s Pistons were an anomaly. There are very few teams that win the title without true superstars. The Hawks don’t have enough to get through the East.
Would you have said the same Nate after the Cavs blew the Hawks out by 33 a couple of weeks ago?
I was actually there (although afraid to admit it). My poor sons – I dragged them out on a school night and subjected them to that… At the end of the 1st quarter, I wondered how we each scored so many points and didn’t score any in the first 2 minutes. Then, in the 3rd quarter I saw that the Hawks were shooting over 70% from the field and something like 67% from 3. And I also knew that they attempted what felt like every other shot, as a 3. I still say LeBron has gotten extremely lazy on the… Read more »
lequit will give you your money back
Nice troll “fred”
Its also possible that half these guys are dealing with whatever stomach bug got Dion and Delly. That would help explain the sluggish play after the initial burst
talk about making excuses–come on man
Nice troll “fred”
Tom, props for finding an image of a Hawk on fire on short notice! My brain very much wants to chalk this game up to a combination of Atlanta wanting revenge for the earlier blowout by the Cavs (this seems to be the season for the revenge blowout game…), or Atlanta just going off and being just a better shooting team tonight (64.5% is ridiculous, wide open looks or not). But my guts say that this is the kind of game that can no longer just happen. The Cavs were at home (which has not been the advantage it should… Read more »
The Grinch showed up tonight instead of Cavs Defense and stole the game. “You’re a mean one Mr.Grinch you leave spaces open wide.., lanes were left in a gunk, 3 words describe the defense , stink,stank,stunk, A rotter indeed”
It might be a mistake to try to project the full year and the next few after a lousy game, but there have been a lot of awful games. It is a real possibility that the second LeBron era will not be as good as the first LeBron era. LeBron, in his most athletic years, managed to win twice in four years by playing for less than the max rate so he could have a better team. Early on, he announced that from here on out, he will be playing for the max. This is certainly fair (he is the… Read more »
I need to call up Cols for an enthusiasm boost!
Giving up Zeller, Jack, and Karasev? This is madness. If we don’t give up thsoe guys we don’t have max money and we don’t land Lebron. Please stop. When you post stuff like this you lose all credibility.
LeBron was coming regardless, don’t be silly; there are more ways than one to dole out a max contract.
It’s silly to think players like Jack, Zeller, and KArasev plus some 2nd rounders would make a difference between winning or losing a title.
This team may not win it all (although I still firmly believe they make the Finals), but it won’t be because they are missing any of those guys.
Maybe, maybe not, we won’t know till June. Role players can make the difference between a title and none — they can be the straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back. Not saying that the role players we have now can’t be that straw, though. We’ll see.
Role players make the difference once you get to the Finals maybe. But the teams with the stars are the ones in the Final Four every year.
The NBA is a league of stars. If you have stars history shows you go pretty far. Teams that are just teams with no stars rarely win it all. The Pistons in the 2000s were one such team and you could maybe call the MAvericks a team without stars, but even they had an out of his mind Dirk.
I don’t disagree with you there, Cols. When it comes down to the best teams, they are all loaded with stud players. Oftentimes the only difference between these elite teams are roster spots 6-12 and the coaching.
“This team may not win it all…”
Mark your calendars. December 17th is the day that Cols slowly starts to come to earth and acknowledge reality. Welcome to the group, Cols!
Nah. I’ve always said that they might get beat in the Finals. My only guarantee is that they will get to the Finals. Nothing I’ve seen from anyone in the East or this Cavs team changes that.
Too bad you missed the game last night.
I’m with Cols on this one. This is madness. Madness because we actually have Cavs fans saying we made poor moves this offseason. We brought in the best player in the world and we’re worried about late first round picks and bench players? This is absolutely ridiculous.
Kind of sad, too be honest.
don’t you worry Obama will give god some government money if needed
Nice troll “fred”