Recap: Cavs 103 (and it pains me to write this) Knicks 120
2012-02-29
As most of you have probably come to learn over the last few months, I tend towards hyperbole when writing. I have a flair for the dramatic, so sue me. But what I am about to say comes from deep down. It’s not hyperbole, it’s my honest to god belief. This loss was catastrophic for the Cavs.
That score tells only a small portion of the story. The Cavs lead by as much as 17 in the first half, and went into the third quarter leading by 12. They weren’t playing their best, but the guys were staying tough, and, behind a great first half from Jamison and a fantastic second quarter by Gibson, looking well on their way to a big win. Then it all fell apart. Casspi’s D on Melo was horrific, Scott waited too long to sub Gee in. Then, of course, Novak caught fire and it was over from there.
But the catastrophe extends beyond a heart-wrenching loss to a rising team. Considering how the first two post-All Star break games have played out, I’m starting to worry. Irving has looked far more lost than I’ve ever seen him, and suddenly we’re depending on the bench a little too much. Our D looks confused and the heart just doesn’t seem to be there anymore. To be up by so much and then fall so badly is a giant red flag, especially after last night’s loss. I have a horrible fear that what we’re witnessing is the rapid deterioration of a once promising season.
Two more points of note are how horrible our interior offense was, and how many fouls we committed over the course of the game. Yes, Chandler is a top tier center, but Thompson, Erden, and Jamison showed zero muscle in this game. Every time they’d go up for a shot inside they were immediately rejected. And, since our outside shooting wasn’t really falling (beyond Boobie) this spelled disaster for the Cavs. As for the fouls, I believe that was the catalyst to the downfall. Even in the first half, the Cavs came out a little chippier than they should have. Erden spent most of the game on the bench because of it, and Thompson had 5 at the end of the game. In total, the Cavs had 31. That’s bad.
I could go on and on, but I suppose it’s time to move on. One quick happy note – Harangody had easily his best game as a Cav. He played for 10 minutes, and his +/- was 0(!!!) on the game. He had some nice disruptive D and hit a nice shot. I think my opinion on him could be swayed with a few more performances like this.
An aside – this was the first game I’ve attended at the Garden in nearly 8 years. I had a fun little idea planned for the game, but with this loss I decided to keep it simple. Still, it’s worth noting that even though Lin had a pretty unmemorable game, the crowd was living on every moment he was in there. It was also pretty funny to hear them chant for Novak when he wasn’t in the game. The crowd was dead for most of the first half, too. Too bad it didn’t last.
Until next time…
No way the Grizzlies would take that now…it would be addition by subtraction at the very least for the Cavs. Boobie offers almost nothing, he can’t drive, can’t handle the ball, is an undersized defender, and is a streak shooter. Casspi is probably the worst starter in the entire league. What kind of starter gets benched EVERY single game for the last 8 minutes+ because his replacement is so clearly superior? He is trash, and I hope they can somehow dump him.
And the cavs already have enough perimeter defenders who can’t don’t score very well in Boobie and Gee, I would much rather have a better offensive wing or true center as our FA target, if we are going to make a movie in free agency.
O.J. Mayo just seems like a 2″ taller Boobie Gibson who can’t shoot the 3 as well but drives slightly better and takes more shots, but when you shoot under 44% without a lot of FTs or 3s, its probably better to shoot less. They are both good defenders and… thats about it. Mayo’s got name recognition, and I’d trade him for boobie straight up, but honestly this missed trade doesn’t haunt me at all, it would be the smallest of upgrades.
You guys want to hear something depressing? On January 24, 2012 Chris Broussard wrote that the following trade made sense for both teams:
Cavs – O.J. Mayo
Grizzlies – Daniel Gibson and Omri Casspi
If Chris Grant called Chris Wallace and proposed that trade today, he’d get laughed off the phone.
By the way, I’d love to get O.J. Mayo. Unlike some others on this site, I think he’d be a great value at $5 to $7 mil/season as a starter. He should be the Cavs’ primary target in the offseason.
Jeff P, I agree trading sessions for value is a must, as it doesn’t make sense for us to give him real money to play 10 minutes a game behind Irving, and he’s going to demand real money or a starting shot at least. I would flip him to the lakers for their first if we could, as Kevin Hetricks article points out, a late 1st round pick has about the same chance to help you as the 12th pick. Lets go cavs! I’m really excited for our future either way, but now we have the perfect combination of :… Read more »
Jeff P, I agree trading sessions for value is a must, as it doesn’t make sense for us to give him real money to play 10 minutes a game behind Irving, and he’s going to demand real money or a starting shot at least. I would flip him to the lakers for their first if we could, as Kevin Hetricks article points out, a late 1st round pick has about the same chance to help you as the 12th pick. Lets go cavs! I’m really excited for our future either way, but now we have the perfect combination of :… Read more »
I actually am kind of a fan of Scotts lineup decisions. Not during the games by any means while I’m rooting for my team, but when I step back and look at bigger picture stuff. What is the one thing he can do to simultaneously increase the trade value of our unneeded veteran assets and boost our draft position, while not letting the team think he isn’t trying his hardest to win this season and in result brooding a losing mentality? PAY HOMAGE TO THE VETS! Yes, gee, you could learn a lot from Parker, just watch him! Jameson, take… Read more »
If Irving ever looks “lost” it is because: Casspi Sucks Erden Sucks Samuels Sucks Boobie Sucks Hollins Sucks Harangody Sucks Parker is old Jamison is only contributing when he is shooting well, otherwise he’s a liability in every aspect Andy is hurt Gee is inconsistent Let Kyrie have the Knicks supporting cast, they are title contenders. Put Lin on the Cavs, they are the worst team in the league and it’s not close. They need to trade Jamison and Parker for whatever they can get, get value for Sessions, and drop Casspi/Hollins/Erden/Samuels in the scrap heap. Do not trade the… Read more »
Sorry, I meant the last Half of the last game, not the last 3 minutes.
The Nupe, yes, its much better to assume the absolute worst because we are a young team. So of course we’ll play the entire second half of the season exactly like the last 3 minutes of the most recent one particularly bad night (the second night of a back to back against a well rested, more talented team), just throw those first 33 games out of the window. Seriously, I love the cavs, but I hate being a cleveland fan as everyone in this area has such a freaking panicky disposition and think the sky is falling at the smallest… Read more »
James A,
I was intrigued by the Marvin Williams rumor.
I haven’t seen much specific on Kaman rumors. Trading the Cavs 2012 1st rounder is obviously a bad idea, and that’s coming from a big “no tanking” proponent.
NUPE –
You nailed my sentiments. Had this been a regular blow out, it would’ve been easier to digest. But to flip the switch from GREAT to TERRIBLE so quickly is really out of character and makes me wonder if we’re seeing a new wrinkle to this team – one know I’d hate. I guess time will tell.
Given the last two losses, I’m curious to hear everyone’s take on the various trade rumors floating around. Personally, I’d prefer M. Williams to a late first rounder from the Lakers for Sessions. I would be extremely upset if we acquired Kaman in exchange for, what now looks to be, our lottery pick.
Keith,
Manny Harris riding the pine while 36 year old AP plays 20 minutes or the Cavs go super small plays perfectly into HoopsDogg’s comment.
The was a painful loss to me, to see such a first half perfromance and then fall apart in the second half was horrible. I’m not sure what or how it happened. A tough game against the aging Celtics and now this – I can’t explain it. Where was all the second hal confidence and execution, what happened to the game plan? We aren’t a very talented team and I don’t expect to win many games against clearly superior teams, however, I don’t expect to lose them like this. If this was one of the first games of the season,… Read more »
Keith, I agree re: Manny Harris. As I posted after the Celtics game, it is completely astounding to me that BScott refuses to give him playing time despite the atrocious play from Parker and, to a lesser extent Gibson. Parker has been completely ineffective on both sides of the ball and is clearly not going to be a part of this organization going forward. If not for his salary and his veteran status, he’d be sitting right next to Harangody.
In other words, farewell Manny. We hardly knew thee.
HoopsDogg, I am really intrigued by your idea of bottom of the NBA / top of the D-League being interchangeable. A couple weeks ago, there was discussion in the comments about the next “value” frontier. That’s not how it was described then, but the basic sentiment was that in the late 90’s / early 2000’s, high schoolers and internationals were sources of value that some teams were able to use greatly to their benefit. You suggested the D League could be that new frontier. Players that didn’t quite make the cut at 21 or 22, but keep working hard and… Read more »
We all need to look on the bright side, this loss should finally put a rest to that ridiculous rumor of Kaman to the Cavs for a first rounder that has been floating around on ESPN the last couple of days.
Keith, I completely agree re: Manny Harris. As I posted after the Celtics game, it is completely astounding to me that BScott would keep him on the bench when the other players at his spot (Parker and Gibson) have been less than spectacular. Also, I would like someone to acknowledge the fact that if Parker’s salary was commensurate with his skill (thus far less than the $3 million he is actually getting paid) he’d be in the D-League right now. He has been awful since coming back from injury and he is not going to be a part of this… Read more »
Kevin –
I will say it provided me with some much needed entertainment last night. Oh wait, that wasn’t entertainment, that was frustration. And it wasn’t needed.
Thanks B-Scott!
We all need to look on the bright side, this loss should finally put a rest to that ridiculous rumor of Kaman to the Cavs for a first rounder that has been floating around on ESPN the last couple of days. Keith, I completely agree re: Manny Harris. As I posted after the Celtics game, it is completely astounding to me that BScott would keep him on the bench when the other players at his spot (Parker and Gibson) have been less than spectacular. Also, I would like someone to acknowledge the fact that if Parker’s salary was commensurate with… Read more »
Pete, HoopsDogg, Mallory,
The “smallest lineup ever” was confusing.
Also, Novak and Lin are case in point of how GMs get WAY too locked into their rosters, and don’t pick up guys who can help them off the street. It goes in keeping with my point yesterday about how the bottom half of the NBA and the top 20% of the D-League are interchangeable. There are good players out there who aren’t playing with any teams, but teams are so locked into their rosters, that they won’t try to bring in new players. Only when the injuries piled up for the Knicks did they go to the well. Novak… Read more »
Mallory,
I had the same thought last night about Novak…his shot is so fast and accurate, it’s surprising that someone hasn’t found more use for him over the years. Sure he doesn’t rebound or play defense well, but 300-ish players are getting rotation minutes in the NBA at any given time; it’s suprising that he’s only been able to get 500 minutes a season with a skill like that.
Yeah, that was a pretty horrific game to watch. I have to take issue with some of the coaching though. The Boobie, Kyrie, Sessions, Gee, and Jamison lineup that was going on about 4 minutes into the 4th quarter? What was that? If you’re playing a 6’2″ small forward, your odds on a comeback aren’t good. Why the team looked so lost with that lineup? They’d never played it before and no one knew where the hell they were supposed to be. Yes, Semi played awfully, and couldn’t stay on the floor (can’t play the glacial Kevin Garnett every night).… Read more »
With the amount of vitriol being slung right now, I think I should set the record straight on a few things: First off, I am a Cavs fan, so put that to rest. Second, I do not see this loss as the end of the Cavs franchise, the destruction of Kyrie Irving, or anything else along those lines. I simply see this as a major turning point IN THIS SEASON. I realize almost everyone here has already given up on this year, but I think being a fan means living within the moment (while still contextualizing that moment to the… Read more »
Can someone explain to me why Parker is even getting minutes? I can’t stand it…My expectations are extremely low for our 2-guard spot…but goodness, give Harris some burn.
Cavs lose a game to a far more talented, far deeper team on the road, on the 2nd night of a back-to-back. Yup, definitely a catastrophic loss worth worrying about. Any team that trots out a starting 5 that includes Semih Erden, Anthony Parker, Omri Casspi and Antawn Jamison shouldn’t expect to win any games against non-bottom feeder teams. That’s just the reality of it. Despite their surprisingly mediocre record thus far, this Cavs team is at a serious talent deficit against 90% of NBA teams. They only have 4 players that play passable defense – one of them is… Read more »
Mark me down as one of those “unconcerned” by a loss like this, in the big picutre. If it happened 7 or 8 times in a row, that would bother me, but this season the vast majority of games have been competitive in the 4th quarter even after losing Varejao. No one was expecting that prior to the season. I also strongly suspect Kyrie has hit the legendary “rookie wall.” Remember that he only played 11 games at Duke, and this season has been far more accelerated and compressed than normal – and lacked a proper training campe — due… Read more »
Standard freak out to get people commenting. Did Chris Chase from Yahoo write this article?
Cavs play at Wizards and home vs. Jazz between Chciago and Denver…nights like this should be expected from a team that starts two 35+ year olds, a Turk named Semih and an Israeli named Omri.
Expectations should be more realistic than overreacting to what happens on the court in the moment.
Sidenote: Can we get someone who seems to genuinely like the Cavs to start writing for this blog?
I still think the Cavs are better off in the long run by missing the playoffs this season. We have minimal talent surrounding Kyrie and still can hold our own against many teams that were thought to be on a different level. This one hurt, no doubt, but it also showed what we are capable of. Kyrie continually put the ball in the lap of our big man, particularly Erden, and rarely could they finish the play. Please Chris Grant find a big man with good hands who can finish STRONG and this team is going to in great shape… Read more »
Pete – You bring up something I completely forgot about over the course of the game. That lineup was horrendous. I can’t remember what the context of it was, but I know everyone in my section – Cavs fans and otherwise – were commenting on how ridiculously small the lineup was. I guess Byron thought he’d try something new. Kevin – Novak has been pretty amazing the last few games. I’m not sure how no other team realized how effective he could be against second units (as long as he has a decent PG to dish it to him) but… Read more »
The Cavs are an awful interior defensive team without Varejao…their only viable option at center that is not a “project”… …this also causes them to crowd the paint and give up uncontested 3-pointers when the defender is too slow to close out… If the other team is on fire the Cavs lose…I am not surprised… I think more needs to be said about the ridiculous rotation that for one (fairly extended) stretch included: PG: Sessions SG: Boobie SF: Irving PF: Gee C: Jamison I understand that for most of that time they didn’t have Chandler or Amar’e in, but that’s… Read more »
Mallory, I think your comment that “this game could potentially spell disaster for this season” is appropriate. As far as it spelling distaster in a larger sense…not so much. The attitude to take this season is “wins are great, losses (barring injury) at least have the silver lining of higher draft position”. I’ve seen enough to know that Kyrie is going to be good and TT has a place on a winning NBA team. The Cavs just don’t have enough talent to compete every night. That will get better over the next few years. Sorry that a game you attended… Read more »
Quick end note – when I say commentators on here aren’t torn up about losing, I mean the debate about whether or not tanking for a lottery pick is the smart move. We’ve debated that enough, so I don’t think we need to go on about it. But for those who fall into that camp, these two games must be a welcome sign.
Ben – I agree that being there in person totally changes the reality of the game because of 1. the home fan bias and 2. the bad tends to stand out much more. That being said, I think this game could potentially spell disaster for this season (which many people on here don’t seem to torn up about, but that’s another debate). To lose two games in completely different but equally rough manners is terrible for a team’s psyche – especially a young vulnerable one like the Cavs. Without much of a veteran presence it can be very difficult for… Read more »
Mallory, I think you have fallen victim to live event syndrome. As in, it’s much harder to get a grasp of the play of individual players when one is actually at the arena because the viewing experience it so drastically different. I agree that Lin had a boring night, but it may have been his best game as far as playing all around ball. Novak was the huge difference. BUT, Kyrie didn’t play nearly as badly as you seem to think. He got screwed by his teammates on many occasions by not finishing his passes and on defense, he did… Read more »
More posts like these and I’m going to stop reading this blog. It’s your job as the blogger to frame the discussion in a manner that considers your audience first, not your “flair for the dramatic,” which in this case was more like hyperventilation and anxiety.
ThreeGee – Thanks for that. Updated.
As for Chris and Blitz – did you watch the game? Did you ever feel like Lin took over and won this for the Knicks? He was on the bench for the majority of the come back, and got the bulk of his points while the Cavs were up by 10+. I’m sorry, but in my book that’s unmemorable. Novak and Chandler had FAR more impact on this game than Lin did.
“Erden” and “Harangody”
Lin had 19 pts, 13 assists, 5 rebounds and a steal, how is that unmemorable.
yo lin had 10 points and 13 assists how you gonna call that forgettable? outplayed ya boy irving!!
Let’s calm down. It’s just a bad team being bad. It’s ok.