Live Thread: Cavs @ Pacers
2015-02-27Don’t be alarmed… there is no need to adjust your screen. This is not a jailbreak or a hijack situation. The C:tB crew have just graciously allowed me to help them cover the occasional live thread and recap as the Cavs enter the stretch run of the season… so let’s have some fun!
The Cavs pull into the Bankers Life Fieldhouse after putting the brakes on the high-octane Warriors in convincing fashion last night, but in need of a pit stop with both Kyrie and LeBron out for injury and rest respectively. Unfortunately, the Pacers have been hard charging of late, powered by the surprising Rodney Stuckey and having also run over the Warriors before getting lapped by the Thunder in OKC on Tuesday. They’ve been off since then and have been tuning up for their showdown with the (now depleted) Cavs.
Even though the wine and gold machine owe this Pacers crew one for spinning them out of their earlier win streak, this will be a tall order without two of their big three tonight. But never fear… Rudy is here! Delly gets his chance to run David Blatt’s motion offense for an extended period of time (let’s hope it’s not 48 minutes) and the opportunity to answer even his harshest critics… or not. Cavs will also need big games from KLove, Moz, JR, TT and Shump, as well as probably some extended time from the Champ and Perk.
This tilt had “let down game” written all over it being the second night of a back-to-back, following an emotional victory over the best team in the NBA on national television… and that was before it was official that both Kyrie and LBJ would be on the shelf. But maybe the Pacers will be a victim of overconfidence… What the heck… I’ll say Cavs edge the Pacers at the finish line… 93-92.
Gentlemen… start your engines!
Big big three by JJ!
James Jones: 12 minutes, 0 pts, 0 assists, 0 rebounds (oops, he just made a 3)
Mike Miller: 7 minutes, 0 pts, 0 assists, 0 rebounds
Perkins: 0 pts, 0 assists, 0 rebounds, 1 PF
Perkins, 9 minutes (oops)
I like James Jones. He looks very focused.
Champ hits a big 3 to end the Pacers’ run. Pacers by 3.
JAMES FREAKING JONES!!! THE CHAMP WHEN WE NEEDED IT!!!
Too much Delly!
He’s taken 14 shots.
Pacers are guarding everyone else and daring him to shoot… smart game plan by them…
He’s the only one who can handle the ball…
JR and Shump can handle the ball. But my point was too much offense from Delly, just to clarify.
Doesn’t look like it tonight… Shump’s got some bad turns…
Too many missed shots at the rim this quarter…
If you don’t have to listen to Quinn Buckner, consider yourself fortunate.
Stuckey is just too hot right now for Delly to handle…
I think Delly’s tired.
Good block from the Champ… nice acting job by CJ…
Pacer fans seem kind of annoying.
Yeah… can’t tell what they’re chanting, but it’s probably derogatory…
“Flag-rant, flag-rant…”
Dellys going for a triple double.
Good grief. Delly is leading the team in rebounds right now with 7!!
After the rapid fire threes in the first quarter the Pacers have taken them away completely. I think we only have attempted just one the whole sceond quarter.
Gonna have to rely on inside passing since Cavs are thin on guy who can drive to the rack tonight…
They’ve had a few but haven’t hit. Love has also had some good 18-footers that he missed.
Wow, that was a fearsome block by Mozgov. Hibbert had the ball at the rim, literally, but not yet in the cylinder, and Moz poundd it away.
1) pounded. 2) this was a replay of the block a moment ago.
This is like a bad sports movie where the refs are in the bag for the home team. You T him up for looking at you for a 1/4 second before running up court?
Well, at least in those movies… the underdog good guys usually win in the end…
Jesus, Hibbert is doing whatever he wants to Timo. Just because they’re the same height doesn’t mean you don’t call a foul. Sheesh!
You’re not wrong. Can’t believe how often he gets away with fouls
Hibbert always gets away with this kind of play at home…
Moz looked like he got held on that one by Hibbert…
Welp… Donahy on the loose again!
Moz huge block! But Scola perambulates to a hoop.
Scola is maybe my least favorite player in the league… Can’t stand that guy…
IRON CURTAIN SAYS NYET!!!
MOZ-BLOCK!!!!!!!!
MOZ the Russian ballerina!!!
Nice push by Delly!!! Nice clean up by Love!
Delly gets the lead back!
Delly with a strong lay up… keep attacking!!!
Keep fighting Delly!
The Champ is back in…. that may help.
Hope Delly can find him for a couple of threes
Nice inside play by Delly and Moz…
Nice dump by Delly! MOZGOD CLEANS IT UP!
Can’t wait to read the comments on cleveland.com after this one. “They need a back up point guard, and another rim protector, and an all-star forward!”
Cavs have missed a couple of easy layups against these guys…
George Hill has some serious shoulder juice.
Delly nice feed to Love in the paint, but Love can’t convert. Pacers now within 1.
Agreed… gotta keep at it, they’re getting looks off the offensive sets.
We need Harris in there…. he can create off the dribble, shoot.
Pacers fans: Hibbert only fouled him with one hand!
Lol. They are so off base it’s silly. This is not the 90s guys
Nice take by JR…. like to see him be aggressive!
Cavs have gone cold this quarter so far.
Good to see JR take the ball inside and draw the foul…
Need more length on Stuckey… like Shump or JR…
Moz took a 3???
Just inside the line…
Flagrant 1… justice…
Certainly a defensible call. Scola: “I clear out your face.”
Time for Perk to earn his $.
Absolutely this is why he is here
At least they called that one on Scola… Want to see Perk deck that Russell Brand looking fool…
This is why we have Perkins.
Forgot about mike miller…could use a few treys from him tonight
Scola is dirty. I think Love kicked Scola in the face when he was a TWolve.
He definitely meant that one…maybe not as strongly as it turned out but he wanted to catch him
These refs stink!
That was a cheap shot by jerk!
Perk looks out of place.
Cavs got robbed on that tipped ball…
When can we get Lauren back????
Perkins looks like some fat guy you see in the gym workin’ up a good lather and doing generally nothing at all.
Just turned the game on, seems like a great effort so far!
They’re working hard on both ends…
Delly has 7 points, 5 boards and 3 assists so far…
He needs to stay aggressive offensively… They know he’s looking to pass, he’s getting consistent open looks.
Indy’s been playin great ball. Pretty awesome this game is so competitive, showin great heart
Love bangs with Scola and scores on the hook. Nicely done.
There’s the KLove we all want to see!
Nice look to Love in the post.. sweet hook shot!
Perk looks rough out there…
They’ve got to try and stop Stuckey…
TT is the MAN!!
Pacers are definitely going to try and make a run this quarter…
Excellent D the whole quarter I suspect Blatt will use quite a lot of that zone defense he is famous for.
Great defense, and running efficient offense…. I knew these guys were capable… only wish is that Harris gets in there instead of Miller haha!
The uniforms the Pacers are wearing tonight were designed by Flo-Jo.
http://www.nba.com/pacers/news/story-behind-flo-jos
Not a bad first quarter considering the circumstances.
Cavs hold Pacers under 40% shooting! Even without LBJ and Kyrie!
Nice quarter by the Cavs. These guys are really D-ing up. Thought zebras let the Pacers get away with a lot of holds. And that hack on KLove. Hopefully it evens out
The Replacements hold a 9-point lead at the end of the first quarter.
How about that! What a terrific quarter from this team!
Let’s hope they keep it going.
Shump just doesn’t have much of a handle beyond a dribble or two…
I think his handling is fine, just needs to refine decision making when making the play.
Cut Shump some slack. Perk doesn’t know anything about this offense.
Nice defense there by Perkins…. Just needs to expect the ball on the PnR from #Samson.