Recap: Thunder 95, Cavs 75 (Or, when the Baron’s away, nothing good will happen at all.)
2011-03-13Overview: Russell Westbrook scored 12 consecutive points in the third quarter of a 95-75 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers.
On the bright side, this kind of thing doesn’t seem as normal as it did a few months ago bullets:
– Yeesh. Nothing good to take away from this game. No execution, no effort.
– Razor Ramon has officially imploded, and he’s not defending his position either. We’ll see how much longer he keeps that starting spot.
– Samardo Samuels has turned back into a pumpkin, and Hickson isn’t doing much other than rebounding. And Harangody enjoyed an 0 for 8 night.
– Honestly, this will have to be another open thread night, because I’ve been trying to think of profound things to say about this game all day and drawing blank after blank. The Cavs absolutely sleepwalked, and they are starting two players who were summer-league pickups. That is not a good combination.
One question to think about. Harden has finally started to come into his own for the Thunder — in a bizarro world where Varejao had been healthy at the deadline and the Thunder had been willing to trade Harden for him (they wouldn’t have been, and given that they got Perkins, that was probably the correct course of action), how happy would you have been with Harden instead of Varejao?
I’d love to see Andy starting at PF next to Dwight Howard. That front court would be a FORCE defensively.
As much as I like Andy, I’d like to see him moved to a real contender where he can get the ring he deserves. Ideally, we trade him to a team that can beat Miami.
Andy and Baron Davis should allow us to get some decent young talent/draft picks in return. Which is what we need right now more than anthing. Rebuild!
edit to my second paragraph third sentence:
Offensively, I dont have a clue as to how much potential he has…
The only thing that really comes to mind is that the Cavs are a bad team and they don’t have much talent… yet. Besides maybe Baron, we don’t have one player who would/could start for a .500 team. And you could argue that besides Baron we don’t have any player that would start for any other team. That said, I still have hope for Samardo. In a Harden sort of way, I think he will come into his own. I also have hope for Eyenga, defensively his lower level potential is Shane Battier/Tayshun Prince but can be so much better… Read more »
samardo samuels was also the #2 scorer in the game behind boobie. Thank God he was hurt near the deadline or he woul dhave been gone too…..and think about how bad this team would have been….
“Samardo Samuels has turned back into a pumpkin…”
Why do I read Cavs: The Blog? This is why I read Cavs: The Blog.
The Cavs are sensitive…they are just devastated by the death of Baron’s grandmother. Give them a week to recover and they’ll be fine.
Well, of course we should be happy if we were to have Harden for Andy. But as you said, that was not going to happen. There was no way in the world that the Thunder were going to trade Harden for less than a big time star. I love Andy, and have never wanted to trade him mostly because there is no way he brings back a great young developing player like Harden. More than anything, I have just been incredibly surprised how down people have been on Harden before really giving him a chance. The Thunder are so much… Read more »
@cooley ford that is assuming that those players enter the draft. A lot of people are saying this is the worst draft on years. I agree if players don’t enter because of a looming lockout… The current crop though is not half bad. There is no stand out incredible player, but there are a few decent options still
Give the crowd something to cheer for, and they’ll rise up.. I was at the Clippers game when we broke the streak, and it was deafening towards the end of the game. Maybe people got less sleep than usual due to the time change.
What are all yall’s thoughts on what to do with our two picks? If we win the lottery, I’d like to go with Irving & a wing, possibly Derrick Williams or Harrison Barnes. If we lose, IDK, Williams/Sullinger and Kemba Walker.
The sad thing is that the Thunder didn’t play particularly well early. They are a good team, no doubt, but it looked like they were playing down to the competition early. Only no one really noticed because the Cavaliers took it down a notch from their usual matinee stink bombs. It was one of those days that made me think of how much better the Timberwolves, Louisville, North Carolina State, and Notre Dame are without Sessions, Samuels, Hickson, and Harangoady. And how bad could Leon Powe have been if Ryan Hollins is still on this roster? I understand that being… Read more »
Well I can confidently say I was in the camp that wanted to move Varejao if a deal for Harden popped up. Never waivered.
Was at the game, and I was thoroughly disappointed. A few bullet points: -The Thunder are officially a veteran team. In years past, they would go on the road against a bad team and be in danger of losing simply because they were young. Not anymore. They showed up today, took care of business, and left. There was no, “we don’t have to play that hard because they’re bad” attitude from them. They played hard, got a lead, and refused to let the Cavs get back in the game. With Perkins, this team will be scary. -The entire Cavs roster… Read more »