Live Thread: Cavs @ Pacers, Game 4
2018-04-22
The Cavs are back in Indiana again tonight. After giving up an 17 point lead in the 2nd Half of game 3, the Cavs are down 2-1 to the Pacers. This game isn’t a must win, but having to play a must win game in Indiana would be a poor position to be in for game five.
One has to hope the Cavs can right their play. They are making just 9.7 3s a night (12-16) at a 30.9% rate, which is second worse in the playoffs. During the regular season, the Cavs made 12 3s per game (3-30) at a 37.2% rate, which was sixth in the league. The shooting will hopefully return to normal. No one on the team is getting buckets outside of the King.
LeBron James has scored 98 points this series, he’s averaging 32.7 per game. The Cavs have scored just 270 points in three games. James has essentially score 37% of all those points. There’s not much more to say. Cleveland simply needs more guys to make shots.
Defensively, the Cavs haven’t allowed the Pacers to score over 100 and are second in defensive rating for the post season. The struggles haven’t gone away and the their trapping scheme hasn’t been the most effective, but the defense isn’t to blame for the losses.
Tyronn Lue has mentioned Tristan Thompson will probably see minutes this game because of “toughness.” George Hill will miss the game because of his back. This means the Cavs will have to figure out some way to slow Victor Oladipo. Jose Calderon is probably not the answer to that. He’s starting anyways though.
Right now, I’m not confident the team can figure the offense out. At least with Jose starting, LeBron will be have some help creating shots, but it may not be enough.
Fortunate time out? 3.9 on shot clock seconds left. Hopefully Lue’s one strength comes thru.
WHEW! LeBron saves a possession there. Let’sget one of those patented OOT plays by Ty.
Then gotta get back! No threes!
lol LeBron could not be more non-plussed right now. Not saying this is a bad thing.
Bogdan on LBJ is disrespectful. AND REFS MISS ANOTHER CALL!!! THAT WAS A KICK BY TURNER!!!
Korver saving day and Lebron getting bailed out big time…that was kick ball hahaha
Lebron deciding to try
After Korver hit some triples.
Mr. Fourth. Korver.
LBJ WITH THE SPIN MOVE AGAIN@!!!!!!
Korver showing up.
LBJ taking over
LeBron for two!
And the Korver makes are opening up the middle for LeBron
GREAT TEAM DEFENSE!!!!!!!!!!
Think we got away with one on that Turner Trey. Phew
http://78.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ln5ulqYQwX1qgl169o1_500.gif
KORVER IS BACK BABY!
KORVER AGAIN!!!!!! EN FUEGO!!!!!!!
Huge korver trey
Somehow still in control…
korver stepping up
LBJ forcing inside against Turner. Going to have to have more of that.
Love D!
LBJ!
KLOVE’S BIGGEST PLAY OF THE GAME….. GREAT DEFENSE!
I agree. That was throwback to 2016
YES!!!
LeBron drives and scores — thank you Jeff Green for not taking the 3 that time
Nice iso d kev
http://images1.minutemediacdn.com/production/912×516/58082901b427be842b000001.jpeg
A play for Green to take a 3. Really?
KORVER CLUTCH 3!!!!
Korver is the saviour
Skip pass Jeff green Trey. That isn’t likely going to get it. Done
Oh man Korver with a huge bomb
Yikes…. calling 3s for Green now???
Stay hot Kyle !!
Lebron has given up
JEFF GREEN WHY!??
Silly foul.
No answers.
apparently Lue doesn’t trust anyone who hasn’t played at least 2 months for him
Yeah this team is garbage under Lue. Give him 10 seasons with them and they wouldn’t win. How is nance not on the floor?
Nance + Bron + Korver + JR + somebody.
I might go Green or Hood.
I’d go Clarkson
Haha
Or Cedi except he hasn’t played all night
Yeah this is the end of our run. Even if we pull this game out, probably 50/50 that we win the series. And this is a borderline .500 team that we can barely beat. Even if we get past Indiana, we don’t make it out of the East. We have no way of immediately improving the roster (sans winning the draft lottery with the Brooklyn pick), so LeBron is likely gone (and I don’t blame him). Hopefully the Brooklyn pick ends with a real franchise player. A few years of tanking and hopefully we’re back to being a contender. Oh,… Read more »
Not ready for prime time
OK. One point game. It’s there for the taking. Indy too caught up in their antics. Cavs have to get themselves going.
I miss kyrie. Need some clutch right now, LBJ is struggling, I don’t know who on this team steps up with a big pair.
Just having his scoring capabilities, we would be up 3-0 easily.
lets just lose and get this season over with. hate watching these guys play
KLove’s performance is baffling
as is Lue’s insistence on leaving him in.
Lue gonna ride or die with Kevin I guess. I think it’s a mistake.
a puzzling lue decision? no way!
Lebron’s time to take over now.
He’s too tired
Easier said than done. Indy is walling him off a lot.
this Cavs team is partially quitting…not even going after that long rebound? when losing? this is unreal to see…they all look exhausted and Pacers are just being physical nothing special….just stunned at lack of energy/focus/commitment
How does Lance never get a T for taunting?
Back down back down, “hmm wonder what the Cavs are going to do or where exactly their shooters are?” says indy.
OLADIPO JUST LEVELED JR. No call.
Bank is still open on sundays!!
GET AN EFFIN REBOUND!!!!!!!!!! SMH!
I think LBJ’s tech will get him going.
Cavs have 31 points in the second half tonight, so… progress?
LOL. Nice shot, King.
The Cavs body language is bad. The Pacers are over playing the Cavs again like they have done all series. The Cavs look like traffic cones compare to the Pacers.
Wasted year.
That last Clarkson play was classic retirement year Kobe. Great job.
OK. Deep breath. Game still easily winnable. Gotta get Kyle back in and run an actual offense.
This offense just cannot generate the same amount of easy buckets as the pacers. In don’t think this game is winnable unless guys start hitting crazy shots or making crazy one on one plays or unless LeBron goes supernova.
Pacers are just out hustling the Cavs. That’s how they get the easy buckets. Nothing easy about it…
Breaking down the perimeter d is out hustling? At least guys find rollers and sometimes their shooters move
Exactly and that’s why you need playmakers to create plays and the Cavs only have LeBron.
Lue’s legacy will be getting out coached by Nate McMillan….let that sink in…and McMillan isn’t doing anything special…Lue just has no idea whats going on and refuses to play guys that could do something
who would have guessed 1 week that JR would be the only player playing remotely up to his potential or even regular season average? (non Lebron)
You have to sit Love for Nance. Kevin playing timid. And JC with his usual tunnel vision…and scoreless this half too. Can someone step up to help James for god sakes
Clarkson should not play again in this game.
This team is just mentally weak
Yup….. a little adversity and they fold like a cheap suit. Where’s Delly when you need him?
This team sucks. Hood, Clarkson, Love, basically everyone is useless. I feel bad for LeBron.
yeap
I never expected much from Clarkson but Love and Hood have been puzzlingly ineffective.
Clarkson needs to sit.
Clarkson can’t take Joseph 1v1. Green doesn’t box out That Young.