Podcap: Spurs 103, Cavs 74 (or, Low Flying Panic Attack)

Podcap: Spurs 103, Cavs 74 (or, Low Flying Panic Attack)

2017-03-28 Off By EvilGenius

https://soundcloud.com/ctb-5/episode-130-pushed-kicked-loved

Stay in the shadows/Cheer at the gallows/This is a round up/This is a low flying panic attack

Forgive the dark allegory, but I just happened to be listening to the first track (Burn the Witch) off the most recent Radiohead album while typing up this brief description of the devastation that occurred in San Antonio tonight. If you had any doubts that the Cavs’ defense could fall further than it had already since the All Star Break (or even the previous hemorrhage on Saturday against the Washington Wizards in Cleveland)… this performance likely disabused you of that notion. Just like in the above image (from the video of that same song)… we’re all waiting for Ty Lue to unveil this secret, switch-flipping incarnation of defense for the post-season. The question will be whether or not it will ultimately make a difference.

The defense was only half the problem in this one though. The dogged Spurs defense was locked in and ready. They grounded the high flying Cavalier offense, holding them to just 37% from the field (and a miserable 4-26 from deep). Nobody in blue, wine & gold had a particularly memorable evening. Kyrie had one of his worst shooting games of the year with just eight points on 4-13 from the field (he even missed his only free throw… a technical toss). LeBron managed 17 points, with eight rebounds and eight assists, but was an inefficient 7-17 shooting (0-3 from three). The King was also grounded after taking a David Lee elbow to the spine late in the third. LeBron spent longer than usual on the floor, and didn’t return (he did say after the game that he’d be fine to play on Thursday however).

Nate and I got in the podcast booth to cover the rest of it. We discuss the best player on the floor tonight (Kawhi Leonard), why the Cavs don’t seem to run plays, if it’s too late for the Cavs to improve their interior defense,  and speculate on whether or not the Cavs can still capture the top seed in the East (they lost that distinction tonight for the first time since November… of 2015!). In all, it was a pretty cathartic ventilation of the current state of basketball in the Land. Only time will tell if this trend is an indication of the limitations of this once Championship level team… or just a low flying panic attack…

Listen above, on SoundCloud, on iTunes, and on Google Play.

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