Live Thread: Cavs @ Pistons
2016-04-24Take the advice of a Detroiter. Steady as she goes for Cleveland this primetime. One more night of what we saw the last three games, and the Cavs should be able to take a few days off. I’m not even changing up the intro format, a collection of things Cleveland needs to focus on. Here’s your bullet points
- Avoid getting sucked into dirty the play. Adam Silver has apparently ordered a “boys will be boys” edict this playoffs. There have been a conspicuous lack of flagrant fouls called on some really rough play so far, and an unwillingness to fine, let alone suspend players for cheap shots. So far we’ve seen Isaiah Thomas (the Younger) slap a guy without a suspension, Kevin Durant elbow Salah Mejri, Andrew Bogut try the Kelly Olynyk arm bar on Dwight Howard, and Detroit level a bevy of cheapies, including this one.
Things really reached ridiculous last night when all-NBA nice guy, Kevin Durant picked up a garbage time flagrant two against Justin Anderson. Funny enough, it looked far worse than Drummond’s. Of course, the Flagrant two came in-game for Durant, so he won’t get suspended. This won’t end until someone gets knocked out of the playoffs. Be on your guard, Cavs.
- Keep containing Andre Drummond. Everything for the Pistons begins and ends with him offensively and defensively. He’s either going to shut down under SVG’s withering criticism, or he’s going to bring it. If the Cavs play it right, Andre will try the first and then revert to the second.
- Make Reggie Jackson a jump-shooter. He was 1-8 last game, and despite shooting 35% this season, he’s 31% on his career. Don’t give Reg wide open looks, but don’t run him off the line, either. Controlled closeouts will be key.
- Don’t be afraid to go to the bench. Cleveland has been playing its starters heavy minutes, and guys like Reggie Bullock and Stanley Johnson have YOLO shooting. So, if’s Stan’s smart, he’ll release the young guns and tell them to run. Cleveland will have to avoid the turnovers, and go to the bench if the guys on the floor start start sucking wind.
- Avoid the “Disease of more.” Kyrie, Delly, LeBron, Love, TT, and J.R. are all playing great right now. Don’t eff it up. Keep doin’ what you’re doing, Cavs. We’ve spent a lot of time this year discussing who “fits” on this team and whether a guy like Delly might make the Cavs their most effective when he plays with LeBron. But the way the Cavs are playing right now, who cares? Just keep defendin’, passin’, shootin’, runnin’, and, you know, ballin’. The discussions of who starts doen’t matter when everyone’s playing well. In the words of Crash Davis, respect the streak. In the words of Jack White, Steady as She Goes.
one thing i notice, Delly is not afraid to shoot the 3 comparing to last year
Holy crap this is shades of 2015 playoffs defense!
Delly stymies Stanley Johnson in the paint.
Damn. Cavs are bulldogs on D right now. Trying to put the pistons away.
Don’t like that this happened in the 1st half either.
Now we better win this game
Not ok Lebron!
knock on wood but it helps when your ankles are as thick as steph’s thighs
6 players have atleast 1 field goal, 4 with atleast 2
Be still my heart!
Shump’s missed dribbles sometimes turn into awesome lol
I want to play NBA jam with Shumpert and Jefferson.
EG what is that hashtag on Shump?
http://www.pleasestopdribblingShump.com
http://www.PleaseStopDribblingShumpHeyThatDoesn‘tMeanBehindYourBackOyVeyOkCool.com
you all have me here cracking up abot shump, love my CTB crew
Cavs survive Shumpert’s shoddy dribbling for a RJ three!
i just does have to shake my damn head with shumpert dribbling, like just defend. I am seriously afraid when shump brings da ball up after a rebound, on a fastbreak or just in general, like he’s horrible, its like i know nothing good is going to come from it. I glad da rest of you all understand my pain
https://vine.co/v/iUHEVHVlOOE
LOL Shumpet going behind the back this time before he loses his own dribble.
https://vine.co/v/iUH0d5I3e6g
Just switched to the Fox broadcast. Why the hell did Jefferson try to reverse there. Had a wide open layup on the right side.
Jefferson with the froggy jump and conversion.
https://vine.co/v/iUHEe61lH2M
nice double by delly for da breakaway dunk by LBJ
Getting Delly and Lebron out there on the floor at the same time has at least been an improvement (leaving aside the more radical idea of starting Delly over Kyrie).
I can’t get that image of Frye lower his head like a ram out of my brain
Sheesh. Just caught up. Missed the 10-2 run. Cavs did a really nice job of icing P/R and pushing Jackson left. He hit some tough shots, but I’ll live with it.
This is one of my favorite lineups
Gotta clean up the poor contests and dribble penetration. Kyrie making shots but had about three possessions in a row with complete blinders on. He has to pass to open teammates or at least try to create kickouts instead of using 3 screens to go nowhere. Have to be crisper than this in the ecf.
On the Cavs local broadcast this graphic: JR and KI are 1/2 in made threes in the playoffs. 14 and 12 respectively.
Ugh…that was annoying. Can kevin love not die again in game 4 plz?
we good. he’s got the mid game chocolate milk break
Forgot about that. Need to add that to my regimen too
haahaha line on point
Really wish we could start Delly and bring Kyrie off the bunch with 4 minutes to go and let him go until LeBron comes back in 2nd quarter
HERETIC! BURN HIM AT THE STAKE
“Kyrie, which are you more likely to win 6th man of year of MVP? You decide”
Same 1st quarter of every game
some one needs to check Tobias
Flattest shot ever. That won’t fall with a decent contest
That had to have been the first three Steve Blake has made since Portland…
LMAOOOOOOO
So Kyrie did the thing we usually complain about there, but it was actually the right call as the D was trying to trap him to that side. And the nice one handed floater!
TT with the feathery touch at the rim.
TT’s D!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COME ON. After getting a shoulder to the chin!
Total man play!!
how was that not a charge?
Little late for klove, but valiant effort. Don’t know what happened to his elbow
dont know but sometimes I wish Klove would look to defend da drive or look for da block instead of looking for da charge
KLove done got 7 rebounds, wow
drummond and Morris with 3 should help us allot, lets get a lead these last few minutes
JR has been money most of the year. Still hard to believe he was considered a throw in with Shump.
Why are they booing Lebron?
Because they live in Detroit…
Because he’s beat them in 11 straight games. It’s getting old
Wow, that is quite a streak.
It’s the second longest playoff win streak against the same opponent.
What’s the longest? Or is that a tease for the podcast?
bc the fans are in his head
They must get tired with all the minutes LBJ plays tho…
If Jim Brown was a basketball player, that’s what you’d get.
RIGHT DOWN EUCLID
https://vine.co/v/iUHFilzTHMv
Actually I think he was coming down Chester and cut over at the last minute :)
How does JR do it?
Tobias Harris rocks the Josh Smith look. I’d choose a different fashion icon if I were him
no comments as yet, this is strange
JR SWISH!!
great ball swing and good down screen by TT.
I love kevin love
I love scotch
Off the dribble Kevin Love is my favorite Kevin Love…
Love LeBron being aggressive and creating contact
Great finish by Kev on that one.
Second foul on Drummond. That should change things…
Cavs have started off pretty slowly in every one of these games.
Why do we always have these slow starts? It goes back to Mike Brown days
Pistons are playing really aggressive D. Should take a couple timeouts worth of adjustments to counteract. I trust Lue.
Does SVG wear the same suit for every game?
We seem to get Brian Anderson and Steve Smith a lot these days…
Sooo was that play call from the Spurs family tree as well?
LOL love mocking these dumbarse announcers
FYI, I set the refresh rate to 30 seconds on comments, so, hopefully that’s a good setup for us.
That basket cam of the Dre elbow is more damming than JR’s closed fist backhand last year. Neither are basketball plays, but at least JR’s was justifiable retaliation for Olynyk taking out our guy.
Bill Simmons is about to openly weep…
Another one!
Teague with a big time three…
Definitely should have been foul on Horford. LeBron got called for that early this series
We need more technicals and injuries in this Celtics/Hawks series…
I’m just rooting for it to go seven and for the winner to be exhausted.
Where’s the fun in that? ;)
We can sweep either team.
C’s and Hawks tied at 82 with 5:30 to go…
And my wife is making me watch last night’s Outlander…
You mean something on DVR? Hmmm…
Is Steph out for season? Anyone hear anything about the knee? Feel bad saying this, but someone please tell me it’s keeping him out of the remaining playoffs…
He was still walking on it… I bet he’s done in the Rockets series, but will be back for the second round…
MRI is tomorrow. Won’t know anything until then but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s out for second round. It looked bad when it happened
Never mind… just a sprain… mookie sticks..
EG can you edit that for me?
Good?
What the heck is a “mookie stick?”
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=mookie+sticks
Genius!
http://splitsider.awlnetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2011/11/mrhankey.jpg
Hahahahaha not sure what that even means but good.
I’m not sure which of these potential second round matchups I despise more… can’t find a Hawk or a Celtic I even slightly like…
I can’t fault Teague or Korver for anything. Or Zeller. Ha
That basket-cam view of the Drummond elbow… Wow… For the league to call that nothing?
My wish list for tonight (echoing a couple of Nate’s points):
–More minutes for the bench in quarters 1-3 to keep the offense from grinding to a halt in the 4th quarter.
–Get out of Dodge with no injuries or suspensions.
It is incredibly hard to believe that they said NOTHING. It was so blatant and not a word anywhere but here… ridiculous.
I’ve been wrong before, but I think Elephant is the best album of the past twenty years.
You could be right. The first eight songs are like the 1927 Yankees. My tops for 21st century: Avett Brothers : I & Love & You Avett brothers: emotionalism Nero case: fox confessor brings the flood Gorillaz: Demon days White Stripes: Elephant, White Blood Cells, Icky Thump Arcade fire: the suburbs Neil young: Greendale Johnny Cash: American iii&iv Beachwood sparks: desert skies Belle and sebastian: dear catastrophe waitress Mgmt: oracular spectacular Adelle: 21 Postal service Radiohead:hail to the thief, kid A, Amnesiac Suffjan stevens: illinois Interpol : turn on the bright lights Spoon: gimme fiction The Killers: Hot Fuss Fleet… Read more »
Wow you’re my “Match” on any online matchmaking site lol. Great list!!!
Yeah, this is a pretty over 35 hipster’s list, but but whatevs. It’s been a rough year or three since Chill Wave killed Indie music though.
Fortunately for me I get to enjoy Spanish indie – check out Balún and Campo Formio on YouTube ;)
Will do! Julieta Venegas was heavy in my rotation last year.
Respeto!!!
Lamento que no pudiera hablar español mejor
A lot at stake in tonight’s game. I’m keeping an eye out for a breakout performance from a Cleveland player. That guy will have front row tickets to the Justin Bieber concert on Tuesday. I’m thinking JR (contrarian) or Kevin Love (was in that Hooper’s commercial) :)
“It’s basketball time at the Palace” –Mr. Tait