Live Thread: Cavs vs Bulls/ The Cavs picked up Deron Williams
2017-02-25
The Bulls are in town to play the Cavs on a Saturday night nationally televised game. This game will be a fun one. LeBron James is sitting it out due to illness, and the Bulls have beat the Cavs in their previous two meetings. This year the Cavs are 0-3 without LeBron. They’re on the hunt for the first nlbw (Non-Lebron-Based-Win).
The Bulls made a little bit of noise at the trade deadline, but they didn’t get better. They sent Taj Gibson and Doug McDermott to the Thunder for Cameron Payne, Anthony Morrow, and Joffrey Lauvergne. They also shopped super star Jimmy Butler. It’s going to be worth watching how he reacts to having been shopped. Is he going to play with even more fire, or is this the beginning of the end for his relationship with the Bulls? The Cavs need to hope he’s slumming it tonight, because no one on the team can contain him. Butler will also have unlimited energy for the offensive end, since he doesn’t have to worry about stopping the King.
Richard Jefferson will start for LeBron this evening.
In other news, the Cavs will add Deron Williams to the roster. Williams was released by the Mavericks and just cleared waivers after averaging 13.1 points and 6.9 assists this year in 29.3 minutes a night. Williams is no longer the athlete he once was in Utah, a time in his career where you could argue he was as good as Chris Paul, but he knows how to pass the ball (8.2 career assist average), and he’s big enough to be a decent defender most nights.
He also knows how to run a pick a roll to perfection. If he get the opportunity to unleash James as a roll man, he won’t disappoint. Even if he’s just stuck running the second unit, the Cavs have some athletic guys like Derrick Williams and old man Richard Jefferson that he could work with. He’s not the biggest signing in the world, but he’s about the most above average point guard the Cavs could have wished for. He’s not going to back down from dribbling the ball in the final minutes of a game and he won’t blow a game either.
I’m picking the Cavs tonight, 121-111. They have to win without LeBron at some point, and I can’t see the Bulls getting a third straight win against them this year.
This team is built for Lebron, but that’s because Lebron plays the game right… For the most part. He gets spacing, finding the open guy, passing to the open shooter and punishing single coverage defense. There is no reason why the same tools that look awesome with Lebron on the floor, can’t do many of the same things without him. Like move the ball and spread the floor.
Actually because of lebrons size, there are a lot of reasons it doesn’t work without him. There is a giant chasm of difference between a 6’8″ 250+lb guy driving and setting people up and a 6’2″ 170lb guy driving and setting people up. Less physical defenders are needed, shorter defenders are needed, and less rim protection is needed
I’m not discounting that, or the fact he’s an all time great. I’m saying just because he isn’t there doesn’t give the guys a free pass to go ISO mode. Shump trying to create is enough to make me turn off the TV. Kyrie scoring over 2 or 3 guys is beautiful, but doesn’t space the floor or make the game easier without others cutting to the basket and him finding open shooters. Ultimately I get the gaping hole left when the best player of his generation sits, what I don’t get is why the rest of the team abandons… Read more »
Oh well… hopefully Korver and DWill are fine, and Cavs have DWill2 in the fold Monday, and maybe LBJ back from illness… Maybe the Nets can upset the KD-less Dubs tonight…
doubtful.
They’re only down three with 1:20 left before the half…
Rockets have taken 55 threes and there’s still two mins left in their game with TWolves…
So…heat win again. Playing them round one should be fun!
He’s a damned fine excuse maker.
Someone should remind him that the Bulls were without Taj, Douggie McBuckets and on the second night of a b2b…
Yeah. Deron Williams will definitely help.
So will another big body like Bogut or T Jones… not sure about Sanders…
No sanders…dear heavens he reminds me of our Andrew Bynum trial
I kind of can’t wait for him to play. He has way more in the tank than most of the vets we’ve picked up the last few seasons
Has anyone else heard that Larry Sanders didn’t disclose he was arrested last year in California and note the Cavs are moving on?
I’ve heard about the arrest, but not about the Cavs moving on…
He’s the fallback for bogut.
I think Terrence Jones should be the fallback for Bogut…
Eric Moreland should be the fall back.
Cavs wasted a perfectly good JFJ performance…
Priorities:
WTF? How is Pierce in the studio?
Filling in for Magic…
Williamsshowed why he’s been cut so many times in the second half.
Eh… he missed a couple of close ones and had a three rattle out… he still brought energy
EG I don’t think this one solidifies any argument for Lebron as MVP. We also are without love and we haven’t beaten Chicago yet this season even fully stocked
They haven’t been fully stocked in any of the three games against the Bulls I don’t believe…
Cavs are 0-5 now without LBJ this year…
Yeah but it’s about fit more than just losing Lebron. There’s no other playmaker to fill his role. Is he better than anyone else at basketball? Yes. Is he this season’s most valuable player? Statistically…no
He’s the MVP… every year. Seriously.
Bulls outscored the Cavs 62-43 in the second half…
I can’t get too irritated at Kyrie. That Pull up from the right wing late would’ve been big. Maybe he shouldn’t have taken the 30 footer earlier. HE did jack some dumb shots, but he put some bad ones up too. Cavs were awful with him off the floor though. That and otherworldly shooting by the Bulls won the game. Bulls looked solid, too. At least I started Wade in fantasy tonight.
Except, since he wasn’t setting his guys up (like LBJ does) there was nobody playmaking… ironically, could have really used DWill2 tonight…
It’s odd that the Cavs have a losing record in their own division…
The Cavs have to understand that if they are they missing three key starters then they need to play their a**es off on defense to try to get the W. But again allowing over 110 points just won’t give them a chance.
Frye is not a good defender. Williams is not good against SGs. Jefferson is old. Kyrie is Kyrie. Everyone else played with good effort on that end, even JFJ.
It’s more about the schemes and effort too.
If Williams and Korver are ok, consider it a victory and move on.
Yep… Cavs fortunate to get out with them still walking…
No permanant damage to Williams or korver feels like a win.
LOL no kidding. We’ll forget this game tomorrow but not injuries
Right there with ya…
I was pretty close on my prediction… Kyrie with 34 points and only 7 assists… Cavs lose….
Wade must hate Felicio right now for preventing his triple double…
Damn Wade salty about that rebound
There is no question LBJ is the MVP after watching this sad garbage…
Dwade with only a base9 triple double.
Ok – we’re not great missing 3/5th of our starters. News at 11?
DWill back out there running with no issues…
Kay turns it over in 3 seconds flat.
D-Will was a -17 tonight. Yikes
Yeah. He wasn’t good. Springy, but couldn’t rebound, finish, or catch.
Every team seems to have their best three point shooting game of the season against the Cavs…
Our inability to rotate and close out is an effort thing. Nothing more
Exactly, Scotch is right.
For the Bulls, their game of the season period.
Right corner threes.
Shump Counter 2-8… 0-4 from three…
SHUMPERT, JUST MAKE THE DAMNED LAYUP.