Overview: In an ugly, frustrating game, the Cavs failed to establish any sort of offensive rhythm, and lost on the road to the Mavericks, who were playing without Dirk Nowitzki.
Cavs-Related Bullets:
-Bleeech. When a team gets into the habit of playing sloppy and counting on their superstar or some well-timed bombs to bail them out, a game like this is going to happen eventually. And eventually turned out to be Sunday night for the Cavs.
-The Cavs needed LeBron James to have a big-time game if they were going to win tonight. Unfortunately for them, LeBron wasn’t up to his usual standard, going only 9-23 from the field and 4-14 on shots outside of the paint. LeBron’s even been a little sloppy over this stretch, forcing drives from weird angles, not playing off the ball enough, struggling to set up his teammates as cleanly as he usually does, and settling for a few too many off-balance jumpers.
He’s gotten away with it and turned in some great performances by hitting tough jumpers or getting to the free-throw line, but neither happened on Sunday night, and without LeBron making 20-foot leaners into lemonade, LeBron falling into his bad habit of pounding the ball and the lack of offensive flow caught up with the team.
-Outside of LeBron, the news gets even worse. Mo Williams and Jason Terry are very similar players; they’re shoot-first guys, and they improve an offense tremendously when they’re on but don’t bring much of anything to the table when they’re off. On Sunday night, Terry had 19 points on 12 shots and Mo had 8 points on 9 shots, even missing two free throws. With Mo unable to take pressure off LeBron, the Mavs were able to pack the lane, and that killed the Cavs’ momentum.
-Shaq went 1-7 from the floor, and turned the ball over twice. Games when LeBron struggles like this were supposed to be when Shaq would shine the brightest, but thus far he’s looked like a guy who needs other players to get the pressure off of him to play well.
-The bright spots of the game for the Cavs were the shooting guards. Anthony Parker looked smooth from everywhere on the floor, did a great job of finding his spots for catch-and-shoot threes and raining them in, and didn’t try to do too much with the ball. And as is often the case in ugly losses, Delonte West looked like the best player on the floor for extended periods of time, never allowing his energy level to wane one iota, driving hard to the basket, scoring when the offense stagnated, and always trying to make a play. He had 18 points on Sunday night, with 10 of those 18 coming in the fourth and six coming in what could be called garbage time.
Normally, that would be an indictment, but on a night where the Cavs’ effort was so inconsistent, Delonte’s relentlessness deserves some praise. (When he tried to put in that alley-oop layup off a full-court pass from Mo with .4 seconds to go, I found myself wondering if Delonte doesn’t look at the scoreboard at all when he plays, like how some pitchers ask for the radar gun to be turned off when they’re in the game.)
-The only Cavalier with a positive +/- on Sunday was Anderson Varejao, who finished with a +1 in 34 minutes, which means the Cavs gave up 8 points in the 14 minutes Andy sat.
Bullets of Randomness:
-Tim Thomas getting a team-high 22 points really, really, really should not happen. Definitely a micro example of how the Cavs didn’t take their opponent as seriously as they should have on Sunday night.
-Drew Gooden stuffing LeBron James on a drive: where did that come from? That is not the Drew Gooden I know. Gooden ignoring a wide-open Josh Howard in the corner, dribbling towards the basket, getting stopped, and then seeing Howard, by which time the help had come, that I recognize.
-A list you may feel free to add onto: Shooters who are not pure shooters by any stretch of the imagination, but will drain threes all day on a catch-and-shoot if their feet are set. The first names that pop into my head are Jason Kidd and Troy Murphy. What about you guys?
-Marion definitely bothered LeBron with his defense tonight. He’s still got it as a man defender, even if he’s not as explosive of a help-side defender as he was with Phoenix.
-And speaking of Phoenix, there’s no time to mope, because it’s the Suns on the road tomorrow. See you then.
The first time every game that Shaq puts up a jump-hook without actually jumping, Mike Brown needs to pull him off the floor immediately. When Shaq can’t get any lift with his legs (which seems to happen every third game or so), he needs to sit. He is useless in this situation. Without his legs he can’t score, rebound or defend. At all. He can’t even extend to take a high entry pass, so those often become easy turnovers. There’s no need to even foul Shaq when he can’t jump- just let the shot go and wait for the rebound. I am just a know-nothing watching on my couch and I can see this. Any halfway competent assistant coach with a DVR sure as hell can see it.
Brown must realize this. Maybe. He has disturbing blinders for the faults of veteran big men (see Wallace, Ben- circa the 2009 Eastern Conference Finals), and tends to ride them way too long. But this Shaq thing is going to be a deepening problem. He’s old. He’s out of shape (and not playing his way into better shape, distressingly). He’s played a thousand games too many. I was one of those who thought this Shaq-thing the Cavs are trying would work. Perhaps not to any great extent, but I figured the big man would at least effect the Cavs positively when he was out there. Right now he’s an anchor.
For some reason most people assume it will be Z’s expiring deal that will be the Cavs’ big trade bait. Maybe we’re looking at the wrong deal. I am starting to get the feeling that the great Shaq Experiment may be coming to an end sooner than we thought.
To be honest, this wasn’t really a surprise. It was only a matter of time before the lack of effort caught up with the Cavs. One can only hope they can figure out quickly, because Phoenix will literally run them off the floor if they dont come to play.
I don’t understand this team, I really don’t. I don’t know if it’s lack of effort/caring, lack of coaching…I don’t think it’s lack of talent.
Right now the trade deadline is looking like Christmas to me. There’s a new player all wrapped up, waiting to be opened/traded for, and I’m just hoping that when the Cavs do start to play with this new toy, er, player, they play with that sense of renewed fun and intensity that a kids are known to do on Christmas day, and that we were known for playing with last season. There is only 1 player currently on this team that is untradeable, un-upgradeable. Beyond him, if the right deal comes around, it needs to be done. We need to learn from our mistakes of seasons past (I’m looking at you, Wally) and pull the trigger if we can.
I can’t decide what to think about this team. The effort just never seems to be there consistently. They play hard for a stretch of 10 minutes or so then they coast for the next 20. It’s just maddening.
Delonte and Andy are the only players who always seems to play hard every minute when they’re on the court.
Mo Williams can’t guard anyone and when his shot isn’t falling is completely worthless on the court.
Lebron stagnates the offense to a point of ridiculousness then launches some stupid shot that goes in 40% of the time. Just drive and kick, why did we get these spot up shooters if Lebron is going to dominate the ball at the top of the key and then launch an off balance 3. I love Lebron, but someone has to tell him this is a terrible strategy and to pass the ball.
And honestly the person who drives me the most insane on a nightly basis is Shaq. He’s obviously not the same player that he even was last year. The offense just throws him the ball and then stands around and watches him. Someone either needs to cut to the basket or Shaq needs to move a bit more and not just stand 12 feet from the basket and try to take his man off the dribble to the basket, either get lower position or move within an offense.
I think this team truly missed Jamario Moon last night, when he’s on the court with Andy, Lebron, Delonte, and Boobie I truly believe that’s the Cavs best lineup against most teams.
I hope Leon Powe comes back healthy soon and we either trade Z’s expiring contract or Shaq’s and bring some offensive help for Lebron. Powe gives them that toughness inside that Andy gives them and he would make Howard or the other bigs in the league work for eveything they get. What this team really needs is someone else who can create their own shot other than Lebron. Right now Delonte can but doesn’t always do it, give me Jamison and I think this team moves to another level.
I know that was long for a first post on here, but I’ve been reading this blog for a long time and think it’s excellent. Last night was just the tipping point for me in the frustration of this season. I hope the Cavs do something and soon.
You totally right Shawn about Lebron. And I am not sure Mike Brown is going to be the guy to be able to tell him what needs to happen. Many coaches have been fired after losing a conf. finals in which his team is up by 20 points in at least two of the games only to lose them. Lebron needs to be the leader in effort and he is just not right now. Delonte and Varejao are. Look at KG for Boston. He sets the tone for them with his intensity. I also love Lebrons game but at he needs to be coached. I think he has tuned Mike Brown out.
Having watched probably 400 games by Jason Kidd as a Net – I take issue with saying he makes the feet-set jumper all the time. His shooting percentage was always bad, and it’s not like he was forcing his jumper all that often, unless it was very late in the clock. And he was one of the team’s weaker shooters during warmups. Let’s not confuse a hot night with Jason Kidd as a noteworthy shooter – Troy Murphy eats his lunch on the wide-open three.
J-Kidd has been a knockdown three point shooter, when his feet are set, in DALLAS. I think that’s the point Krolik was trying to make. Historically, Kidd is not a great shooter. But since moving to Dallas, he has become a legit threat from the arc.