Raptors vs. Cavs

[hugerobot]

let's try and avoid a daveman thread this time

7est nbatv and fso

[tired]

Deep at the Q !!!

[papacass]

No problems with Daveman. He's all right.

[CharacterIV]

Need to follow the Boston and Orlando losses with a W.

[davemanddd]

let's try and avoid a daveman thread this time

7est nbatv and fso

hey now, i resemble that remark!!! hee-hee!!! no but seriously though, nothing would make me happier than to see 10-12-15 or more different guys all posting in here during tonite's game. thankfully it's not a 10:30 start out on the west coast which should keep more people online & available for posting. we can only hope. go cavs!!!

[CharacterIV]

Through the first they're playing a little less D than I'd care to see.

Edit: except for LeBron's crazy swat of DeMar at the end there. It was evidently weak stuff, and LeBron politely asked him to relocate it to a different area.

[papacass]

Through the first they're playing a little less D than I'd care to see.

Edit: except for LeBron's crazy swat of DeMar at the end there. It was evidently weak stuff, and LeBron politely asked him to relocate it to a different area.

Oh, that ball will never be the same. Get that weak stuff out of here.

Never had McLeod and AC both drop consecutive catch phrases on one play before.

[RC]

I know it has a snowball's chance in hell but boy would Chris Bosh look awesome in a Cavalier jersey.

[davemanddd]

Through the first they're playing a little less D than I'd care to see.

Edit: except for LeBron's crazy swat of DeMar at the end there. It was evidently weak stuff, and LeBron politely asked him to relocate it to a different area.

Oh, that ball will never be the same. Get that weak stuff out of here.

Never had McLeod and AC both drop consecutive catch phrases on one play before.

yeah, can't wait for fred to say "hot wad with a rubber rim job". hee-hee!!!

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Damn! Too many good sports on tonight and only one Picture in Picture. Blue Jackets v Philly, Ohio State vs Northwestern, and Cavs vs Raptors.

[davemanddd]

62-60??? geez, is anyone gonna play any defense???

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Lazy D allowing these chumps to hang around, they should be beating them by 8-10 points.

[peeker643]

Lazy D allowing these chumps to hang around, they should be beating them by 8-10 points.

Was that Buckeyes score I saw scrolling correct? 40-17 OSU?

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Lazy D allowing these chumps to hang around, they should be beating them by 8-10 points.

Was that Buckeyes score I saw scrolling correct? 40-17 OSU?

Yep. NW shooting 18% in the 1st half.

[papacass]

Redz dumps the ball off to Hix, who is wide open to do something with it 20 feet from the hoop. Shoot it, put it on the floor, find someone closer to the hoop. Instead, Hix just stands there like a deer waiting for the Chevy bumper, and dumps it back out to Redz, who hoists a contested 27-foot three-ball that misses. Jose Calderon promptly drains a transition jumper at the other end.

Not all Hix's fault, because (surprise!) no one closer to the hoop was moving around or trying to get open. But why do I get the feeling that when J.J. is open and Redz or Mo or LBJ is eyeing him, his internal monologue is "don't throw it to me don't throw it to me DON'T THROW IT TO ME...."

[Orenthal]

Watching this offense flow makes me wanna reach for a hammer and start smashing myself in the face. PLEASE GOD GET SHAQ IN THE GAME! Inside out game is needed now. Jawad getting bailed out by Bosh 3 second call, he was open for about 20 seconds right under the hoop.

[papacass]

Mo has a left shoulder injury, BTW. Windy says it "looked scarily like Dwyane Wade's injury two years ago but not as severe." He's back on the bench now. Windy says he looks OK.

[Orenthal]

Mo has a left shoulder injury, BTW. Windy says it "looked scarily like Dwyane Wade's injury two years ago but not as severe." He's back on the bench now. Windy says he looks OK.

Mo in the game. In other news Shaq comes in, we work the ball inside, and wow, an almost NBA offense...

[Cerebral_DownTime]

LBJ could be the missing DB for the Browns.

[papacass]

Shots aren't falling for Cavs. Luckily, they're getting enough defensive stops to survive.

[Gradysmanldy]

Austin Carr was especially crappy on the stretch run today. I remember 3 separate exciting moments where he got flummoxed and just started mumbling and tripping over the bullshit coming out of his mouth.

[davemanddd]

Austin Carr was especially crappy on the stretch run today. I remember 3 separate exciting moments where he got flummoxed and just started mumbling and tripping over the bullshit coming out of his mouth.

yeah i had to laugh when he said something about bosh being left handed and you had to make him go left and then he goes right and loses the ball out of bounds. i know what he meant, but he said it all completely bass-ackwards. anyway, good win by the cavs. you know it's a good day when the main thing we complain about is the announcers.

[peeker643]

Austin Carr was especially crappy on the stretch run today. I remember 3 separate exciting moments where he got flummoxed and just started mumbling and tripping over the bullshit coming out of his mouth.

I'm telling ya, if I see the guy somewhere I'm going straight for his throat with a cordless drill.

I may look stupid carrying a cordless drill around around with me wherever I go, but if I get my chance....

[hermanfontenot]

Any time the Cavaliers want to stop committing stupid turnovers and giving up wide-open three-point looks, it's cool. They played like garbage tonight.

[papacass]

Austin Carr was especially crappy on the stretch run today. I remember 3 separate exciting moments where he got flummoxed and just started mumbling and tripping over the bullshit coming out of his mouth.

Scoff. Not even a Top 10 AC moment. You want real AC, look up last year's Cavs-Bucks game when LBJ went off for 16 points in two minutes.

"LeBron!! Gbflzbhr!! Deep!! Center!! Bradley!! Bfgarsbzlz!!"

THAT'S vintage AC.

[peeker643]

Any time the Cavaliers want to stop committing stupid turnovers and giving up wide-open three-point looks, it's cool. They played like garbage tonight.

They seem content to play 10 minutes per night unless someone pushes them beyond it. Like to 11 or 12 minutes.

On most nights it's good enough. But they've also risen to the challenge against the better teams when called upon so it's hard to complain.

It's frustrating to watch because it could be and should be easier. But I personally see a couple wrinkles each week that will benefit them down the stretch.

I do like the fact they're flexible enough with their roster to play multiple styles of ball. I don't like that Schizo-Mo is the 2nd option. Scares me a bit.

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Any time the Cavaliers want to stop committing stupid turnovers and giving up wide-open three-point looks, it's cool. They played like garbage tonight.

They seem content to play 10 minutes per night unless someone pushes them beyond it. Like to 11 or 12 minutes.

On most nights it's good enough. But they've also risen to the challenge against the better teams when called upon so it's hard to complain.

It's frustrating to watch because it could be and should be easier. But I personally see a couple wrinkles each week that will benefit them down the stretch.

I do like the fact they're flexible enough with their roster to play multiple styles of ball. I don't like that Schizo-Mo is the 2nd option. Scares me a bit.

Why do they always play down to lesser opponents?

Please explain this to me, as i'm no NBA expert.

[hermanfontenot]

Toronto is kind of a tricky match-up for the Cavaliers, FWIW. Almost like last year's Orlando team except with Bosh instead of Dewey. Lots of pick-and-rolls, lots of rangy shooters. But the Raptors are a horrible defensive team- there's no excuse for committing 15+ turnovers against them.

[peeker643]

Any time the Cavaliers want to stop committing stupid turnovers and giving up wide-open three-point looks, it's cool. They played like garbage tonight.

They seem content to play 10 minutes per night unless someone pushes them beyond it. Like to 11 or 12 minutes.

On most nights it's good enough. But they've also risen to the challenge against the better teams when called upon so it's hard to complain.

It's frustrating to watch because it could be and should be easier. But I personally see a couple wrinkles each week that will benefit them down the stretch.

I do like the fact they're flexible enough with their roster to play multiple styles of ball. I don't like that Schizo-Mo is the 2nd option. Scares me a bit.

Why do they always play down to lesser opponents?

Please explain this to me, as i'm no NBA expert.

This isn't intended to be flippant or me being a smartass CDT. But I truly believe a big part of why they tend to play down is simply because they can. I think they're comfortable that on most nights that's good enough and there's no need to push the pedal to the floor, especially with memories of last year still fresh when it meant nothing in the end.

They're comfortable with any style of play and they believe they can do what it takes to stay close and win. I see a really confident basketball that's getting more comfortable with each other. I agree with Herm that it leads to sloppiness at times but they haven't been bitten too often. And when they have been bitten they seem to re-focus for a couple weeks until they get bitten again.

They still have issues, don't get me wrong. But I like where they're going and it's hard not to IMO.

[Ziner]

This isn't intended to be flippant or me being a smartass CDT. But I truly believe a big part of why they tend to play down is simply because they can. I think they're comfortable that on most nights that's good enough and there's no need to push the pedal to the floor, especially with memories of last year still fresh when it meant nothing in the end.

They're comfortable with any style of play and they believe they can do what it takes to stay close and win. I see a really confident basketball that's getting more comfortable with each other. I agree with Herm that it leads to sloppiness at times but they haven't been bitten too often. And when they have been bitten they seem to re-focus for a couple weeks until they get bitten again.

They still have issues, don't get me wrong. But I like where they're going and it's hard not to IMO.

I think this is dead on, they seem to just want to get to the playoffs and just get it started. The regular season has to be similarly long for a top team like the Cavs as it is for the Nets to the point where they want to get to the post season. (Obviously it is harder to lose every night opposed to winning 75% of the time, but hopefully you get my point). The NBA season is just so long and drawn out and they just dont seem to care that much about putting forth full effort until they have to. That said I expect full effort Thursday night.

[e0y2e3]

Toronto is kind of a tricky match-up for the Cavaliers, FWIW. Almost like last year's Orlando team except with Bosh instead of Dewey. Lots of pick-and-rolls, lots of rangy shooters. But the Raptors are a horrible defensive team- there's no excuse for committing 15+ turnovers against them.

At least tonight Brown didn't trot out the twin towers for 15 minutes and let Bosh/Andres Big Man P&R us to death. That was, hands down, the low coaching point of this season.

That said I haven't watched the second half yet, going to now.

My boy from LA that is about as diehard a Kobe fan and knows hoops well called tonight, hadn't talked to him yet this season and he admitted to being terrified of us for the first time ever. Said when he saw us on the floor and realized, for the first time since the Boston title series, that a team was bigger than them and could physically beat them up he knew the Christmas game was going to be rough. He thinks it's our year, we'll see.

[hermanfontenot]

My boy from LA that is about as diehard a Kobe fan and knows hoops well called tonight, hadn't talked to him yet this season and he admitted to being terrified of us for the first time ever. Said when he saw us on the floor and realized, for the first time since the Boston title series, that a team was bigger than them and could physically beat them up he knew the Christmas game was going to be rough. He thinks it's our year, we'll see.

All I can go by are the Lake Show fans on Spurs Talk, and none of them are sweating us whatsoever. I haven't heard a basketball reason from them yet though, it's all been "You're Cleveland/you never win anything/it's December/LeBron is leaving next year" etc.

I think L.A. will eventually try and make a move to strengthen their bench and/or bring in a guard who can play ahead of Derek Fisher's corpse. What they have to offer, I'm not sure. Whether they make a move or not doesn't matter in terms of them coming out of the West. Only team with a chance to beat them in a series out there is Denver.

Orlando still worries me more than anyone. They're going to get their shit together at some point, right?

[Cerebral_DownTime]

Orlando still worries me more than anyone. They're going to get their shit together at some point, right?

But are they as big of a match up problem as last year?

[hermanfontenot]

Orlando still worries me more than anyone. They're going to get their shit together at some point, right?

But are they as big of a match up problem as last year?

I don't think so, but... I don't really want to find out, you know? I still don't know how we can contain 'Shard if he gets hot.

[e0y2e3]

Shaq, LBJ, Moon, D-West, Mo on the floor.

Maybe.

Problem is, of course, Vince if he decides to play. Don't know if Moon has the lateral movement to stay in front of him and we may have to man up Rashard w/ him.

Other problem is that we haven't actually tried this lineup much at all this year to see how it can work.

[hermanfontenot]

It doesn't really matter as long as Mo remains the #2 option in this offense. Mo is bitch-made in the Playoffs and everyone knows it.

[papacass]

I don't think so, but... I don't really want to find out, you know? I still don't know how we can contain 'Shard if he gets hot.

They could start by having someone stay in his shirt when he tries to free himself for the catch and shoot, instead of bum-rushing Andy at him a day late and dollar short, when Lewis has the ball and is already into his shooting motion.

Lewis is a phenomenal 3PT shooter at his best, but the Cavs did not defend him well at all in the ECF. Because Hedo and Dewey were getting doubled, they couldn't spare the resources. Now, the idea at least is that they can play man-up on Lewis, always having someone following him around.

The key to having any shot of neutralizing catch and shoot gunners like Lewis is to not give them any space to quick-trigger. It's not foolproof. Teams used to try to clamp off Reggie Miller and it often didn't work, because Miller was so good that he just need a pinhole of light to catch the ball and another pinhole to squeeze off the shot. But Lewis, as great of a shooter as he is, isn't quite the hair trigger that Reggie was. And Reggie was probably a little more physical than Lewis, able to push off guys and clear space.

So the lesson is, stay close to Lewis and make sure there is a hand in his face whenever he goes up. And hope that VC keeps siphoning off the lion's share of shot volume for the whole Magic team. That's a surefire way to make sure that the Magic's season is over by late May.

[papacass]

It doesn't really matter as long as Mo remains the #2 option in this offense. Mo is bitch-made in the Playoffs and everyone knows it.

Mo isn't a bitch. He does run hot and cold, though. So in that sense, he's not always reliable.

I still think MB and LBJ conspired to take Mo out of his rhythm in the ECF by taking the ball out of his hands. Maybe he still doesn't have a great series, but it didn't help matters to try and turn Mo into a gunner parked on the wing waiting for a kickout.

Mo is integral to the team. Even if he's the 3 or 4 option, if his shots aren't falling, the Cavs will be hurting on some level.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

It doesn't really matter as long as Mo remains the #2 option in this offense. Mo is bitch-made in the Playoffs and everyone knows it.

Mo isn't a bitch. He does run hot and cold, though. So in that sense, he's not always reliable.

I still think MB and LBJ conspired to take Mo out of his rhythm in the ECF by taking the ball out of his hands. Maybe he still doesn't have a great series, but it didn't help matters to try and turn Mo into a gunner parked on the wing waiting for a kickout.

Mo is integral to the team. Even if he's the 3 or 4 option, if his shots aren't falling, the Cavs will be hurting on some level.

It was also the first time he had a real role for a playoff team. He was a bit player for a terrible Bucks team in 2006 but that's not gonna teach you much. I'm not ready to write off Mo's playoff acumen because of last year.