Cavs v Boston (Jan 9th)

[British_Pharaoh]

I feel this game needs a decent amount of build up time. I can't wait for this showdown.
It's a must win if we want to conquer the Conference (and possibly avoid a tricky Orlando in the second round) if would be even sweeter if Boston waited until this date to have their current winning streak snapped like a twig.

[rebelwithoutaclue]

I will be at this game and will be able to see the disappoint on the Celtics' faces when they walk off the court a beaten team.

[Chris]

I'm excited but not as optimistic as you guys. For as good as the Cavs have looked, the Celtics have matched us step for step and looked even better. This will be an epic showdown...funny how Lakers v Boston gets all the hype, when we all know the Celtics will stomp all over the Lakeshow.

[Ziner]

I am pumped for this game like I get for a Browns game (except this season). Good idea starting the thread early BP...

that said...

[jamesownsdet]

Cavs are going to

[furls]

We will find out alot about the Cavs in this game.

[papacass]

If they don't win, does that mean we roll up the sidewalks leading to The Q and start counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report?

[Madre Hill, Superstar]

If they don't win, does that mean we roll up the sidewalks leading to The Q and start counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report?

I could make a mint selling shower rods outside the front door...

That said, you know both teams will be treating this one like a playoff game.

[Gradysmanldy]

Look, Cleveland beat this team last year without half the firepower they have this year. Cleveland is better across the board this year, with improvement at every single position. It took a complete meltdown for Boston to beat us in the first game this year.

I'm confident the Cavs can run with these guys on any given night. We will defend home court.

[jb]

This is like an exhibition game to me.

Wake me in June.

For once, it feels so good to say that, and believe it.

[noles1]

Agree.

Still I want Game 7 in Cleveland this year and this is one game that allows us an opportunity to make that hope become reality.

[jb]

Agree.

Still I want Game 7 in Cleveland this year and this is one game that allows us an opportunity to make that hope become reality.

Well just close it in 6 .

[FUDU]

I feel this game needs a decent amount of build up time. I can't wait for this showdown.
It's a must win if we want to conquer the Conference (and possibly avoid a tricky Orlando in the second round) if would be even sweeter if Boston waited until this date to have their current winning streak snapped like a twig.

The ironic beauty of that photo is that last season those where the best 5 players between the two separate rosters, and yet it went to game 7.

Damn they had to have the Green Kryptonite.

[Chris]

Look, Cleveland beat this team last year without half the firepower they have this year. Cleveland is better across the board this year, with improvement at every single position. It took a complete meltdown for Boston to beat us in the first game this year.

I'm confident the Cavs can run with these guys on any given night. We will defend home court.

I agree, we can defend home court...my queston is can we play Road Warrior for ONE game.

[jb]

Look, Cleveland beat this team last year without half the firepower they have this year. Cleveland is better across the board this year, with improvement at every single position. It took a complete meltdown for Boston to beat us in the first game this year.

I'm confident the Cavs can run with these guys on any given night. We will defend home court.

I agree, we can defend home court...my queston is can we play Road Warrior for ONE game.

All I know is this.

We were a much worse team last year.

Bron shot like crap from the floor ( Hnat and Doug melting down in 3...2...1.... )

And we STILL should have had them.

[osucrazy18]

the super bowl of the nba regular season lol

[e0y2e3]

the super bowl of the nba regular season lol

Uhm, we play them in Boston in March as well.

[CharacterIV]

Cavs need to maximize their focus, bring the most unyielding of clamps on D, record the win.

Mojo train leaving the station early!

Disclaimer: I know it's just another regular season game, and on the schedule it counts just as much as one against any other team, but damn would a win taste good.

[Chris]

Look, Cleveland beat this team last year without half the firepower they have this year. Cleveland is better across the board this year, with improvement at every single position. It took a complete meltdown for Boston to beat us in the first game this year.

I'm confident the Cavs can run with these guys on any given night. We will defend home court.

I agree, we can defend home court...my queston is can we play Road Warrior for ONE game.

All I know is this.

We were a much worse team last year.

Bron shot like crap from the floor ( Hnat and Doug melting down in 3...2...1.... )

And we STILL should have had them.

They sure look much better than they were too, though.

[osucrazy18]

the super bowl of the nba regular season lol

Uhm, we play them in Boston in March as well.

o i know. this game is just becoming so huge for an nba regular season game.....i cant wait!

[diminishingskills]

All I know is this.

We were a much worse team last year.

Bron shot like crap from the floor ( Hnat and Doug melting down in 3...2...1.... )

And we STILL should have had them.

You're right, I should melt down, as this is basically copy-and-pasting a take I've made several times. Maybe I should put it in street-poseur English-as-a-second-language and submit it as a front page article under a pseudonym (say, something cobbled together from the names of a couple of Ohio cities)?

Really, enough with the shots at me, and enough with putting words in my mouth that you know I never said.

[4thQtrGlory]

This is going to be a playoff-type game. I know its early, and record wise this game means little, but the Browns suck and this is all we have right now.

[FUDU]

Look, Cleveland beat this team last year without half the firepower they have this year. Cleveland is better across the board this year, with improvement at every single position. It took a complete meltdown for Boston to beat us in the first game this year.

I'm confident the Cavs can run with these guys on any given night. We will defend home court.

I agree, we can defend home court...my queston is can we play Road Warrior for ONE game.

All I know is this.

We were a much worse team last year.

Bron shot like crap from the floor ( Hnat and Doug melting down in 3...2...1.... )

And we STILL should have had them.

They sure look much better than they were too, though.

Not too much really, I mean they were 26-4 last year at this same point?

They are who we thought they were I guess.

[e0y2e3]

Uhm FUDU. I don't know if you watched the Boston series last year, but the key to our defense was centered around blatantly not guarding Rhondo.

That don't fly anymore.... homey has skillz and is maturing very quickly in his third season (people are even starting to make a case that he may be the best two way PG in the East these days).

We are also markedly better, no doubt, but ignoring the emergence of Rhondo when judging the C's is foolish.

[FUDU]

Um I didn't say they were not better, just that end result wise the difference is a bit negligible.

Sheesh you gonna hold a grudge all year b/c I'm right about Phil and you're not.

[hermanfontenot]

The game we have to beat the C's won't be played on Jan. 9, and it will be played in Boston. IMO.

[TIMMAH]

Everywhere I look the headlines have been talking about Boston Boston Boston. Has the media not noticed that the cavs are right behind them and are off to an historic start of their own? This has been so fun to watch. I cant wait til this game. I hope we crush them!!

[peeker643]

Jesus. This is a regular season game in January right?

No wonder so many here are ready to tie a rock around their leg and throw it over a bridge whenever this team loses a game.

Check yourselves.

[British_Pharaoh]

Jesus. This is a regular season game in January right?

No wonder so many here are ready to tie a rock around their leg and throw it over a bridge whenever this team loses a game.

Check yourselves.

someone hates the festive period

[peeker643]

Jesus. This is a regular season game in January right?

No wonder so many here are ready to tie a rock around their leg and throw it over a bridge whenever this team loses a game.

Check yourselves.

someone hates the festive period

Bahh...not true.

They call me Cap'n Christmas around these parts.

But you'll have to admit moderating emotions is not a strength on the boards. Hedge your bets BP. Jan 9th is neither a harbinger of doom or a precursor to a parade regardless of the result. Just hopefully a good basketball game that the guys in Wine & Gold take down.

[British_Pharaoh]

Jesus. This is a regular season game in January right?

No wonder so many here are ready to tie a rock around their leg and throw it over a bridge whenever this team loses a game.

Check yourselves.

someone hates the festive period

Bahh...not true.

They call me Cap'n Christmas around these parts.

But you'll have to admit moderating emotions is not a strength on the boards. Hedge your bets BP. Jan 9th is neither a harbinger of doom or a precursor to a parade regardless of the result. Just hopefully a good basketball game that the guys in Wine & Gold take down.

But it's an important game in the decision of who finishes atop the Eastern Conference
I feel your downplay of this game is ill-advised

[rebelwithoutaclue]

Jesus. This is a regular season game in January right?

No wonder so many here are ready to tie a rock around their leg and throw it over a bridge whenever this team loses a game.

Check yourselves.

someone hates the festive period

Bahh...not true.

They call me Cap'n Christmas around these parts.

But you'll have to admit moderating emotions is not a strength on the boards. Hedge your bets BP. Jan 9th is neither a harbinger of doom or a precursor to a parade regardless of the result. Just hopefully a good basketball game that the guys in Wine & Gold take down.

So this game will be equally intense and exciting as the recent games against the Thunder and the T'Wolves? Or not, since they were in December? This game, by no means, will decide our June fate but considering home-field for the playoffs may be on the line (14-0 at home), this game is pretty damn important. Not saying we can't win on the road but... 14-0.

[peeker643]

Jesus. This is a regular season game in January right?

No wonder so many here are ready to tie a rock around their leg and throw it over a bridge whenever this team loses a game.

Check yourselves.

someone hates the festive period

Bahh...not true.

They call me Cap'n Christmas around these parts.

But you'll have to admit moderating emotions is not a strength on the boards. Hedge your bets BP. Jan 9th is neither a harbinger of doom or a precursor to a parade regardless of the result. Just hopefully a good basketball game that the guys in Wine & Gold take down.

But it's an important game in the decision of who finishes atop the Eastern Conference
I feel your downplay of this game is ill-advised

It might be. If KG and Pierce collide and suffer fractured skulls in the locker room after beating the Cavs that night I'd advise the loss the Cavs had just sustained was not all that important.

Is that over-exaggerating? Yes. But you get the point. They'll probably make either team finish out the regular season schedule afterward and they'll still have two games remaining with each other down the road.

But okay, for the sake of the holiday season, the thread and the Cavs season, this game is critical. It will give us an ndication of just where the Cavs rank on the ladder of the NBA elite and will define their season one way or another. One must pray the Cavs aren't trapped into looking ahead to the Memphis game on Jan 13th.

I'll play your twisted game BP.

Also, Merry Christmas to you.

[peeker643]

Jesus. This is a regular season game in January right?

No wonder so many here are ready to tie a rock around their leg and throw it over a bridge whenever this team loses a game.

Check yourselves.

someone hates the festive period

Bahh...not true.

They call me Cap'n Christmas around these parts.

But you'll have to admit moderating emotions is not a strength on the boards. Hedge your bets BP. Jan 9th is neither a harbinger of doom or a precursor to a parade regardless of the result. Just hopefully a good basketball game that the guys in Wine & Gold take down.

So this game will be equally intense and exciting as the recent games against the Thunder and the T'Wolves? Or not, since they were in December? This game, by no means, will decide our June fate but considering home-field for the playoffs may be on the line (14-0 at home), this game is pretty damn important. Not saying we can't win on the road but... 14-0.

I'm not sure anyone can speak to how intense or exciting it will be Rebel. I'm saying it will count the same in the standings as the Thunder and T'Wolves did the day after it's played. Especially with two more coming. And I'm saying almost exactly what you did in that it won't alone decide the June fate.

[davemanddd]

there's still a lot of basketball to be played between now and january 9th, so to talk about it now is grossly premature. to be honest, i wouldn't be surprised to see the lakers beat boston on christmas day. i know it's cliche' and hackneyed, but i really like the "take it one game at a time" approach for the cavs. it's what has led to 24 wins in 28 games so far, so why start muddying up the water now talking about a game that is still a few weeks away???

[British_Pharaoh]

there's still a lot of basketball to be played between now and january 9th, so to talk about it now is grossly premature. to be honest, i wouldn't be surprised to see the lakers beat boston on christmas day. i know it's cliche' and hackneyed, but i really like the "take it one game at a time" approach for the cavs. it's what has led to 24 wins in 28 games so far, so why start muddying up the water now talking about a game that is still a few weeks away???

cos the next 6 games are a foregone conclusion

[peeker643]

there's still a lot of basketball to be played between now and january 9th, so to talk about it now is grossly premature. to be honest, i wouldn't be surprised to see the lakers beat boston on christmas day. i know it's cliche' and hackneyed, but i really like the "take it one game at a time" approach for the cavs. it's what has led to 24 wins in 28 games so far, so why start muddying up the water now talking about a game that is still a few weeks away???

cos the next 6 games are a foregone conclusion

Sounds like 6 huge trap games to me.

All critical. All meaningful. Especially if the Cavs lose all 6 and beat the C's. Then what'll we do.

[hermanfontenot]

there's still a lot of basketball to be played between now and january 9th, so to talk about it now is grossly premature. to be honest, i wouldn't be surprised to see the lakers beat boston on christmas day. i know it's cliche' and hackneyed, but i really like the "take it one game at a time" approach for the cavs. it's what has led to 24 wins in 28 games so far, so why start muddying up the water now talking about a game that is still a few weeks away???

We're not the ones playing. We can take it as many games at a time as we want. It doesn't matter.

[reppination7]

here is a fact you all will like

boston has never beaten cleveland at home while they have had the big three

since the big three was acquired, in cleveland vs boston match ups only one team has lost at home, and it was the celtics, but it was when the cavs had, ugh larry hughes

[jamesownsdet]

We're not the ones playing. We can take it as many games at a time as we want. It doesn't matter.

You don't want to fall into a fan trap...

[British_Pharaoh]

We're not the ones playing. We can take it as many games at a time as we want. It doesn't matter.

You don't want to fall into a fan trap...

[jamesownsdet]

Boston has played 4 more home games than the Cavaliers. It isn't inconceivable to think Cleveland could be 27-2 also with a few more home games than road games.

I still want to see the Celtics take this show on the road a little. I know they will beat teams on the road too but not at the pace their on now. They're a great team but this is getting a little silly. Someone punch them in the mouth already please.

God the NBA is weak this year. It's like there is Cleveland, Boston, LA and Orlando. Then a couple teams right under them and the rest of the league sucks.

[British_Pharaoh]

Boston has played 4 more home games than the Cavaliers. It isn't inconceivable to think Cleveland could be 27-2 also with a few more home games than road games.

I still want to see the Celtics take this show on the road a little. I know they will beat teams on the road too but not at the pace their on now. They're a great team but this is getting a little silly. Someone punch them in the mouth already please.

God the NBA is weak this year. It's like there is Cleveland, Boston, LA and Orlando. Then a couple teams right under them and the rest of the league sucks.

western conference is a disgrace

all playoff teams are practically accounted for

[davemanddd]

Boston has played 4 more home games than the Cavaliers. It isn't inconceivable to think Cleveland could be 27-2 also with a few more home games than road games.

I still want to see the Celtics take this show on the road a little. I know they will beat teams on the road too but not at the pace their on now. They're a great team but this is getting a little silly. Someone punch them in the mouth already please.

God the NBA is weak this year. It's like there is Cleveland, Boston, LA and Orlando. Then a couple teams right under them and the rest of the league sucks.

western conference is a disgrace

all playoff teams are practically accounted for

yes the west is very bad this year. the only cavs loss to a western team is against new orleans on the road in the 3rd game of the year when chris paul, david west & james posey went crazy in the 4th quarter. the cavs have since gone 23-2 with both losses coming on the road as the 2nd game of a dreaded back-to-back in detroit & in atlanta, 2 playoff teams. the cavs have already swept denver who is supposed to be the top team in the northwest division and they just beat houston who is supposed to be the best team in the southwest. they also beat dallas in dallas, another playoff team, so why the cavs aren't getting any love from the national pundits is beyond me??? once again, they are being overshadowed by a team in the northeast. actually, i would much prefer that they just continue to stay under the radar and then when they waltz to the nba title, i can't wait to hear all the talking heads on espn and tnt go "wha-wha-what happened"??? no boston. no los angeles. is this the nba???

[e0y2e3]

The West sucks????

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Wait, hang on... left me get back up on my chair.

Please, one of you, do me a quick favor and scope out the teams currently qualified in the playoffs in the East behind Orlando and then look at the West.

The East is VERY top heavy, the West is absolutely a deeper conference.... I'd almost venture to say head to head the 4-8 seeds in the west sweep the East.

Christ some of you guys really enjoy the homer glasses.

And crying about ESPN.... but what is new about that?

[Jon Cohodas]

It's not just the destination, but the journey. Otherwise, why bother watching until the playoffs? Yes, this game will not define the Cavaliers' season, but if you are not seriously excited to see how the Cavaliers match up against an elite team then I don't know what to tell you.

[FUDU]

The West sucks????

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Wait, hang on... left me get back up on my chair.

Please, one of you, do me a quick favor and scope out the teams currently qualified in the playoffs in the East behind Orlando and then look at the West.

The East is VERY top heavy, the West is absolutely a deeper conference.... I'd almost venture to say head to head the 4-8 seeds in the west sweep the East.

Christ some of you guys really enjoy the homer glasses.

And crying about ESPN.... but what is new about that?

eye, you maybe right that the west is deeper record wise or even with middle of the road teams? But the East has already proven to be the better conference when comparing the two conferences. The Eastern style of play dominates the West when each respective conference sends their best teams to the dance. I believe this conversation has taken place in here before, SA was/is the ONLY WC team that puts up or shuts up v the EC when it truly counts.

LA has a shot at possible doing so this year but they will be considered underdogs to Boston or us no doubt, and I'll go so far as to say after those 3 Orlando is the next most likely team to win the NBA's EC v WC Finals match up.

[e0y2e3]

FUDU, I didn't object to your argument.

I took objection to the West being called a disgrace.

[hermanfontenot]

FUDU, I didn't object to your argument.

I took objection to the West being called a disgrace.

No, it isn't a disgrace. But there are a bunch of awful teams in that conference, which inflates the W/L records of the elite, and as DU said, the only Western team to actually win anything in the last five years is San Antonio.

That having been said, to get WAY ahead of ourselves, the only team out West that truly concerns me is the Spurs, or the Rockets if they can somehow get through the draw. Those are the only two Western teams I see that can actually stop us from getting what we want offensively.

[British_Pharaoh]

FUDU, I didn't object to your argument.

I took objection to the West being called a disgrace.

the West is a disgrace in regards to competition

there are really only 9 teams fighting for the 8 playoff spots

grow up