Live Thread: Cavs @ Hornets
2015-11-27
Two days after a frustrating road loss to the Toronto Raptors that dropped their road record this season to 3-4, the Cleveland Cavaliers will look to get back to their winning ways tonight as they visit the Charlotte Hornets. Largely written off after they lost Michael Kidd-Gilchrist to injury, the Hornets are off to a surprising start at 9-6, and are currently the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
Several players have been factors in the Hornets’ impressive start. Kemba Walker is currently averaging 18.2 points per game while shooting 46.5% from the floor and 38.3% from beyond the arc, both of which are well above his previous career marks. Nicolas Batum has bounced back from a poor 2014-15 season by averaging 16.9 points per game while shooting 42.7% from three. Marvin Williams has been terrific in averaging 10.3 points and 7.3 rebounds per game while shooting 41.4% from three. The play of Jeremy Lamb has been the most pleasant surprise for the Hornets though. The former first-round pick has gone from being an end of the bench player to averaging 12.9 ppg. on a whopping 53.3% shooting. It’s unlikely that so many Hornets keep playing above their career averages, but it’s worked for them so far, and has earned Hornets coach Steve Clifford a multi-year contract extension.
The Cavaliers will need to step up their defensive effort to beat the Hornets and may be getting some players back tonight that could help them. Timofey Mozgov has been upgraded to questionable after missing the last week with a strained shoulder, and David Blatt has said that he is hopeful that Matthew Dellavedova will be able to play tonight after missing the Raptors game with a strained calf. Both players would be extremely helpful as Walker and Al Jefferson are good scorers as the point guard and center position, and would can be a handful for any team.
After a players-only meeting following the loss to the Raptors, it would be no surprise to see the Cavaliers come out strong against the Hornets tonight. The questions is whether they will be able to sustain that effort, particularly on the defensive side, for the full 48 minutes. If they do, then LeBron James and company have an excellent chance of improving to 12-4.
Kind of hard to drop 19 points and have 6 assists in a quarter. Unless your team scores 44 in the quarter and your name is Steph Curry.
In more fun news, a new low for the annoying rockets, as it appears they will gift philly their first win.
Then philly, not to be out given, handed it back.
I hope that coach Blatt can find a way to get this team to play the way they should soon. More specifically when KI and Shumpert come back from their injuries I would like to see the Cavs play like the Warriors and Spurs are playing right now with a faster pace on offense and with the right effort on defense.
Right now they are just going thru the motions and it seems that they are just doing enough to win the game on a particular night instead of trying to get better.
We aren’t a fast paced team. Not last year, not this year, and not when Lebron was in Miami.
Coach is doing a great job so far this season in my eye, minus the timeout management and the last play against Chicago. I don’t think we necessarily need to play fast all the time. (I’m borrowing this from Tom, I can’t remember) but the team is always a threat to run/play uptempo. That’s what I’m saying that with the personnel we have, versatility to play any style is the identity of this. Offensively were pretty fine minus this game and a couple of losses. Defense is where I agree that we need to tighten up more. But in this… Read more »
^^^ Oops not the whole 4th. Majority I mean.
Looks like Delly sucked.
Not really, but Mo pretty much did.
Rockets aren’t quite as bad as I thought. Looks like they are going to take care of the Sixers.
I hope Phoenix makes the upset..
You were saying about the Rockets? All of sudden they’re down 5 to Sixers w/6 minutes left.
They probably still pull it out, but they are a disgrace. They need to bring in Byron Scott to right that ship. I think he may be available this summer.
Byron Scott. Please tell me your kidding..
Yes, I’m kidding, but I hope they do it.
Haha. Man, Scott is sooooo bad.
But more than a coaching issue, this team lacks a leader. Harden and Howard ain’t.
This game is a HUGE credit to coach Blatt. HUGE.
Gross game…good win against a tough defensive team.
We beat the Hornets and the Refs.
And covered the spread to boot.
Can’t say I enjoyed this one. Messy, poor refs, grumpy LBJ.
Cavs got 3 guys with at least 12 RB too. Love, LBJ and TT
38 Point 2nd half for Hornets. after 52 in 1st.
can lebron not short arm the first one?
Always gonna be an ugly free throw shooter; I’ll take his 77% tonight every night though.
Big free throws made by JR, he’c come up with big shots in the 4th
JR swishes the big pair of FTs, raising his season percentage near 50%.
That’s the kind of stuff Love does to. Warfare in the paint, and anything that doesn’t get caught goes.
Cavs getting hosed by the refs.
TT just had the neck of his jersey held by Al and of course no call.
thompson being held all over the place inside.
It sucks that the Cavs can’t play KLove cause of his bad defense.
Is that why he’s not in right now?
Looks like his back is bothering him.
This is ridiculous officiating. Just insane. So many blown foul calls on Lebron but also calls are being made by referees too far away from the plays to be so sure of their view
Now that is a foul on Kemba on da drive by James…
How was that not a foul call against the Hornets?
This is a really poorly officiated game.
Another poor call.
When you have to study a replay for several minutes, how is there clear evidence to overturn?
I think its gonna go to Hornets, it grazes Dellys fingers
Give me KLOVE in this 4th quarter for his offense
timeout*… wow
Too much damn ISO and it turns to a damn turnover.. Thats what the Cavs do after a turnover ?