Jr gonna be good there as long as lbj is good. He feeds off the leaders energy. If the leader ain't doin good, he ain't.
@@@Official Cavs thread 2014-2015@@@
- Thread starter gene cisco
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Jr gonna be good there as long as lbj is good. He feeds off the leaders energy. If the leader ain't doin good, he ain't.
I think jr will do good there, lebron seem like he keep dudes in line and jr need that. If he could do that he good
They were better teams, because the Cavs totally destroyed the Bulls, in ways I've never seen the bulls beat..
Let me back track a bit first... I am not saying this Cavs team is good because they won 5 in a row, I am saying it because how they are winning and what they are doing.... Do you realize in the last three games (when they really found the sweet spot to their rotation) they dominated every quarter in this run except the 4th quarters in the Bulls and Jazz game during garbage time.. They are dominating in every faze of the game, its not like the G.S. game last night where Thompson had a monster game, the Cavs 76 points at half time vs one of the leagues 10th best defensive team, with out anyone having a monster game.
Teams can have winning records, winning streaks but to dominate you have to do the following, be able to replicate a monster game vs different styles and systems, be able to shine in the spot light, and not have any glaring weaknesses..
I can tell you gs weakness, get them in a half court game, have guards with size and speed to disrupt the splash brother shot (similar to what OKC did to them) turn them into a jump shooting team, while not allowing them 2nd chance rebound opportunity..
The Cavs have two big athletic guards who can play the perimiter and they are one of the best rebounding teams now.. Plus they have their share of three point shooters plus LeBron would carve them up..
Memphis, run them out the gym and have big men to battle Zack and Gasol they have no closer and if you don't double up the big men their offense can get very stagnant..
A very poor match up vs this Cavs team and several teams in the west, don't see them moving on..
Dallas and Houston are not that good, if you actually think they have glaring flaws you don't know shit about basketball..
The just beat the clippers, at their home after the tail end to a back to back, and that was before they sorted out their rotation, did you notice how Irving locked down Paul though? But their weakness is Jordan foul shooting and Griffin tends to get caught up on not knowing what he is, settling for jump shots while not making his teammates better..
Now the Hawks are an interesting team, one with out any big weaknesses, sure you may be able to attack them in the middle with big men who can move, but the biggest weakness I see in them is that they don't have a finisher and that they have a lot of good players and no great players..
So if they are playing against a team with a great player who can make his teammates good, plus they are able to attack the rim and have size and speed in the perimeter to contest those open three's , well I think that is the blue print to beating them..
Also you have to realize a lot of these teams look good playing game after game vs different teams, in the playoffs you have no such luxury, its more about the match ups and adjustments usually the teams with the most weaknesses would be exploited and exposed... And right now this Cavs team has very little weaknesses I can see...
He's fine when he gets his way, but when he gets complacent he does dumb shit.
for fcks sake will people get off this wiggings train
He spend most of the season so far shooting terribly and then caught a hot streak recently.....what about Wiggins would have alleviated the Cavs issues
The new look Cavs look legit thus far. If they continue to improve with few injuries its ECF easily.
JR is a player who is lights out if you give him the proper space, whats different now is that you can't defend him, keep a eye on LeBron and Irving while guarding the baseline..
What the Cavs are doing is simple but effective, if they play tight up top, give it to Irving or LeBron and attack the paint, if the next wave step up to help have a man attack the rim and look for the easy lob, if the defense stays at home to protect the back cut, the LeBron and Irving has an easy lay up..
This is how they scored about 80% of their points during this run..
Now JR has the luxary of shooting when he is wide open or when he is feeling it.. On the Knicks he was often forced to be their 2nd option and was often forced to shoot due to no one other than Melo being a true scorer.
So basically JR is playing the Robert Horry game..
And people really still believe in Chicago.....That team is going nowhere...
You can argue Washington or Atlanta to me......NOT CHICAGO....
You can argue Washington or Atlanta to me......NOT CHICAGO....
Here is another big stat, the Cavs had all starters go for 15 or more being the first team to do it since I believe 2003 then they followed up and did it back to back, and would have done it again last night if it weren't for the total blow away..
So clearly this isn't a team that is forcing its two stars down your throat, what they are doing is simply taking what the defense is giving them and attacking resulting in some of the easiest shots Ive seen a team take, in a long time..
So clearly this isn't a team that is forcing its two stars down your throat, what they are doing is simply taking what the defense is giving them and attacking resulting in some of the easiest shots Ive seen a team take, in a long time..
The Bulls do have size and are much better suited in the playoffs than Washington as far as the Hawks goes, they sure look good while they are winning, I wanna see how they look after a few loses and see how they adjust.. But in a 7 game match up where you are playing the same team every day, I would place my money on the bulls, were I a gambling man..
the hawks would mop chicago unless derek rose suddenly became his old self
stop making pronouncements based on small samples
you could at least wait another 30 games before making definitive judgements
Wiggins is exactly where he needs to be, in college for his final season.. The way I called the trade was Bennett wasn't going to cut it, Wiggins is the type of player who can be easily replaced for a cheap price (the Cavs wound up getting two for practically nothing JR and Shumpert plus they are vet who don't need to be potty trained).. As for the pick they gave up, to me the Cavs had too many draft picks good teams don't need more than one first round pick (most good teams are deep and their picks would wind up rotting on the bench or in the d-league often about time they get good, they wind up signing for another club).. In return they got Love, a very unique player but a hard player to replace I always saw him as a system player, and now they are playing in a system that seems to fit him better..for fcks sake will people get off this wiggings train
He spend most of the season so far shooting terribly and then caught a hot streak recently.....what about Wiggins would have alleviated the Cavs issues
I am saying this because the Bulls play that bully ball, they can actually shoot 7% lower than your team and still win by 10.. If your team isn't built a certain way, that line would not change, the only thing you can do, most of the time is try increasing your shooting % or try reducing theirs, in the playoffs however it becomes a more of a black jack game where the bulls are the house and the longer you play the greater the chances the odds start kicking in..stop making pronouncements based on small samples
you could at least wait another 30 games before making definitive judgements
Not saying the Hawks can't beat the Bulls, (I would never say its impossible for any team to lose) what I am suggesting is that right now the odds should be in the Bulls favor especially if the series go deep... If its a short series then I believe the Hawks would have the edge..
Here's a scary stat, the Cavs had more points during halftime 75, than the Hornets been averaging the last four games other than last night game..
During that time they been giving up a stingy 74.5 ppg..
So last night wasn't a Kobe vs the Raptors, the Hornets are a very good defensive team that happens to be playing some of the best defense currently in the NBA..
During that time they been giving up a stingy 74.5 ppg..
So last night wasn't a Kobe vs the Raptors, the Hornets are a very good defensive team that happens to be playing some of the best defense currently in the NBA..
5 game winning streak; cool looks good, but they played lakers(awful), clippers(solid), bulls(without their best defensive player, some say their best player), utah(awful), charlotte(awful)...so in this win streak the cavs have played 1 solid team, and 1 elite team without its best player...So they have been dominating scrubs...When they beat good teams consistently then get back at me
Who are the guards that can guard the perimeter??JR SMITH and Shump
..dude JR Smith isnt that great of a defender and always will show his true colors and shump isnt guarding any elite perimeter players effectively...Irving and Love still play no defense...Mozgoz is solid but hes not stopping any talented big man...and the CAVS bench is ok at best...
GS has the CAVS beat at every position except small forward; and they have better bench and better coach...And remember GS is going to get better the longer the season goes...
Memphis has u beat on inside and probably even on the perimeter but they play better defense and offense; and they play better together...
SA well we dont need to talk about them; They are just better...
ATLANTA is just better than the CAVS in every way right now...Can things change yep, will they probably not...CAVS aint winning it this year bro, not this year...
Shumpert and JR can defend the perimeter because they have the things jump shooters hate, they have good foot speed and they are tall, athletic with hops.. Plus with the inside defense the way it is, they no longer get caught up having to switch up on every pick and roll.. So in short all they have to do is stand in front of their man, not worry about them driving past them too much (now they have help in the paint) so no need for deep cushions and other than that they can use their length to their advantage. Something they couldn't do with Waiters and Irving.5 game winning streak; cool looks good, but they played lakers(awful), clippers(solid), bulls(without their best defensive player, some say their best player), utah(awful), charlotte(awful)...so in this win streak the cavs have played 1 solid team, and 1 elite team without its best player...So they have been dominating scrubs...When they beat good teams consistently then get back at me
Who are the guards that can guard the perimeter??JR SMITH and Shump
Irving and Love still play no defense...Mozgoz is solid but hes not stopping any talented big man...and the CAVS bench is ok at best...
GS has the CAVS beat at every position except small forward; and they have better bench and better coach...And remember GS is going to get better the longer the season goes...
Memphis has u beat on inside and probably even on the perimeter but they play better defense and offense; and they play better together...
SA well we dont need to talk about them; They are just better...
ATLANTA is just better than the CAVS in every way right now...Can things change yep, will they probably not...CAVS aint winning it this year bro, not this year...
What Timo Mozgov means to Cleveland Cavaliers and David Blatt
Terry Pluto
Timofey Mozgov and LeBron James have struck up a quick friendship.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio --
General Manager David Griffin was trying to trade for Timofey Mozgov long before he hired David Blatt as coach. His quest for the 7-foot-1 Russian began within weeks of Griffin replacing Chris Grant as general manager on Feb. 6, 2014.
But Denver was not interested. That changed three weeks ago when Griffin turned Dion Waiters and a future Memphis first-round pick into J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Mozgov -- it took two trades in three days.
Mozgov is exactly what the Cavs need -- a legitimate, athletic center who likes to block shots, defend the rim and has a nice shooting touch. He also is a relentless worker.
Late in the summer, Griffin mentioned his interest in Mozgov to LeBron James. The Cavs star said, "Get him if you can." So James was ready to throw a welcome party, and that has made Mozgov's adjustment to the Cavs very easy.
But it did something else -- the trade has helped Blatt. Mozgov is a huge fan because he played for the Blatt-coached Russian national team. Mozgov has been telling his teammates that Blatt is a good guy, a good coach.
Mozgov seems to have struck up a quick friendship with James. Notice their immediate chemistry on the court. James loves to throw lob passes to the team's new center. They also have gone out to dinner on the road.
James tends to bond with big men. Remember his close relationship with Zydrunas Ilgauskas. He is very close to Anderson Varejao, and was heartbroken when Varejao went down for the season with an Achilles injury.
James has been a big brother to Tristan Thompson. They both share the same agent, Cleveland-based Rich Paul.
Blatt naturally is thrilled with the acquisition of a familiar player. Blatt has created a bigger role in the offense for Mozgov than he had in Denver.
Consider that no Cavalier assistant had coached with Blatt in Europe. Nor did any of the players have a previous experience with him. So it's natural that there was a rocky period of adjustment -- especially with James dealing with a bad back.
WHY GRIFFIN SPOKE OUT
The general manager thought much of the Blatt criticism was unfair. James was hurting. Varejao was out for the season. Kyrie Irving and Shawn Marionhad missed a few games with injuries.
So James was ready to throw a welcome party for Mozgov, and that has made his adjustment to the Cavs very easy.
Griffin knew the roster needed work, and the flaws were soon exposed. The Cavs lacked a big man, even when Varejao was healthy. They weren't athletic enough at guard.
Yes, Blatt was making some rookie mistakes, but Griffin believed part of the problem was the roster that he had provided. Very little of the criticism was aimed at Griffin, yet he knew he also was part of the problem.
On Jan. 4, Griffin went public to back Blatt -- and then watched the Cavs lose the next six games. James was on the sidelines, dealing with his back and knee problems. Waiters was not buying the bench or much of anything being preached by Blatt.
Furthermore, the Cavs had the fifth-hardest schedule in the NBA -- and the second-toughest in the Eastern Conference.
Griffin was working the phones -- wanting to add talent that would give Blatt a chance. As the losses mounted, Griffin didn't waver in his support. He knew that he needed to bring in reinforcements.
Welcome Mozgov, Smith and Shumpert. Then James came back feeling healthy.
Suddenly, coaching is not an issue as the Cavs have a five-game winning streak.
ABOUT THE NEW GUYS
Mozgov didn't have a problem playing in Denver, but he was overjoyed at the idea of joining Blatt.
Smith and Shumpert were with the Knicks, who have the worst record in the East and no hope of quick improvement. They viewed the trade as a season-saving deal for them.
And Waiters was traded to Oklahoma City. So the one player who wanted out was traded -- and three guys who wanted to come were imported.
Blatt has praised all three new players for making it easy for the coaches. They want to fit in.
Smith has made a huge impact. He has surprised the coaches with his dedication to defense and his understanding of when to double-team -- and when it's best to stay with his man.
Smith also is a fearless long-range shooter. He entered the weekend averaging 14.6 points and shooting 42 percent. Unlike Waiters who likes to dribble the ball, Smith either quickly shoots it or passes it. He will take some awful shots, but he also can change a game by being sizzling hot from the outside.
Smith has had some legal problems off the court. Before the deal was made, the front office talked to Irving and James, two players who know him. Both urged the team to make the trade.
The feeling was that Smith tends to play very well when he's on a good team. In 2012-13, he was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year averaging 18 points for the 54-28 Knicks. He also had some very strong seasons with Denver when George Karl had the Nuggets in the playoffs.
Smith has already made an impact.
Shooting guard Shumpert returned Friday after missing five weeks with a shoulder injury. The Cavs may give him a chance to play some backup point guard.
Suddenly, the Cavs have been transformed from one the NBA's biggest disappointments to a team that is now developing into one of the best in the Eastern Conference -- and with room to become even better.
Terry Pluto
Timofey Mozgov and LeBron James have struck up a quick friendship.Chuck Crow, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio --
General Manager David Griffin was trying to trade for Timofey Mozgov long before he hired David Blatt as coach. His quest for the 7-foot-1 Russian began within weeks of Griffin replacing Chris Grant as general manager on Feb. 6, 2014.
But Denver was not interested. That changed three weeks ago when Griffin turned Dion Waiters and a future Memphis first-round pick into J.R. Smith, Iman Shumpert and Mozgov -- it took two trades in three days.
Mozgov is exactly what the Cavs need -- a legitimate, athletic center who likes to block shots, defend the rim and has a nice shooting touch. He also is a relentless worker.
Late in the summer, Griffin mentioned his interest in Mozgov to LeBron James. The Cavs star said, "Get him if you can." So James was ready to throw a welcome party, and that has made Mozgov's adjustment to the Cavs very easy.
But it did something else -- the trade has helped Blatt. Mozgov is a huge fan because he played for the Blatt-coached Russian national team. Mozgov has been telling his teammates that Blatt is a good guy, a good coach.
Mozgov seems to have struck up a quick friendship with James. Notice their immediate chemistry on the court. James loves to throw lob passes to the team's new center. They also have gone out to dinner on the road.
James tends to bond with big men. Remember his close relationship with Zydrunas Ilgauskas. He is very close to Anderson Varejao, and was heartbroken when Varejao went down for the season with an Achilles injury.
James has been a big brother to Tristan Thompson. They both share the same agent, Cleveland-based Rich Paul.
Blatt naturally is thrilled with the acquisition of a familiar player. Blatt has created a bigger role in the offense for Mozgov than he had in Denver.
Consider that no Cavalier assistant had coached with Blatt in Europe. Nor did any of the players have a previous experience with him. So it's natural that there was a rocky period of adjustment -- especially with James dealing with a bad back.
WHY GRIFFIN SPOKE OUT
The general manager thought much of the Blatt criticism was unfair. James was hurting. Varejao was out for the season. Kyrie Irving and Shawn Marionhad missed a few games with injuries.
So James was ready to throw a welcome party for Mozgov, and that has made his adjustment to the Cavs very easy.
Griffin knew the roster needed work, and the flaws were soon exposed. The Cavs lacked a big man, even when Varejao was healthy. They weren't athletic enough at guard.
Yes, Blatt was making some rookie mistakes, but Griffin believed part of the problem was the roster that he had provided. Very little of the criticism was aimed at Griffin, yet he knew he also was part of the problem.
On Jan. 4, Griffin went public to back Blatt -- and then watched the Cavs lose the next six games. James was on the sidelines, dealing with his back and knee problems. Waiters was not buying the bench or much of anything being preached by Blatt.
Furthermore, the Cavs had the fifth-hardest schedule in the NBA -- and the second-toughest in the Eastern Conference.
Griffin was working the phones -- wanting to add talent that would give Blatt a chance. As the losses mounted, Griffin didn't waver in his support. He knew that he needed to bring in reinforcements.
Welcome Mozgov, Smith and Shumpert. Then James came back feeling healthy.
Suddenly, coaching is not an issue as the Cavs have a five-game winning streak.
ABOUT THE NEW GUYS
Mozgov didn't have a problem playing in Denver, but he was overjoyed at the idea of joining Blatt.
Smith and Shumpert were with the Knicks, who have the worst record in the East and no hope of quick improvement. They viewed the trade as a season-saving deal for them.
And Waiters was traded to Oklahoma City. So the one player who wanted out was traded -- and three guys who wanted to come were imported.
Blatt has praised all three new players for making it easy for the coaches. They want to fit in.
Smith has made a huge impact. He has surprised the coaches with his dedication to defense and his understanding of when to double-team -- and when it's best to stay with his man.
Smith also is a fearless long-range shooter. He entered the weekend averaging 14.6 points and shooting 42 percent. Unlike Waiters who likes to dribble the ball, Smith either quickly shoots it or passes it. He will take some awful shots, but he also can change a game by being sizzling hot from the outside.
Smith has had some legal problems off the court. Before the deal was made, the front office talked to Irving and James, two players who know him. Both urged the team to make the trade.
The feeling was that Smith tends to play very well when he's on a good team. In 2012-13, he was the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year averaging 18 points for the 54-28 Knicks. He also had some very strong seasons with Denver when George Karl had the Nuggets in the playoffs.
Smith has already made an impact.
Shooting guard Shumpert returned Friday after missing five weeks with a shoulder injury. The Cavs may give him a chance to play some backup point guard.
Suddenly, the Cavs have been transformed from one the NBA's biggest disappointments to a team that is now developing into one of the best in the Eastern Conference -- and with room to become even better.
5 game winning streak; cool looks good, but they played lakers(awful), clippers(solid), bulls(without their best defensive player, some say their best player), utah(awful), charlotte(awful)...so in this win streak the cavs have played 1 solid team, and 1 elite team without its best player...So they have been dominating scrubs...When they beat good teams consistently then get back at me
Who are the guards that can guard the perimeter??JR SMITH and Shump
Irving and Love still play no defense...Mozgoz is solid but hes not stopping any talented big man...and the CAVS bench is ok at best...
GS has the CAVS beat at every position except small forward; and they have better bench and better coach...And remember GS is going to get better the longer the season goes...
Memphis has u beat on inside and probably even on the perimeter but they play better defense and offense; and they play better together...
SA well we dont need to talk about them; They are just better...
ATLANTA is just better than the CAVS in every way right now...Can things change yep, will they probably not...CAVS aint winning it this year bro, not this year...
Ah so GSW and the Hawks are the absoulte favorites now
I have watched the nba too long now to put major faith in either of those squads
People always fail to take into account.....NBA playoffs are a different beast..a 7 game series when you are the primary target and can be scouted from top to bottom is another dimension...
I would bet to say that Atlanta will find the playoffs a lot more stressful than their hypemen think...
And if GSW meets OKC....I aint betting on Klay and Curry outplaying Russ and KD....nope NO SIR
G.S. would most likely lose to OKC based on the match ups.. Just like Atlanta would most likely lose to the Bulls and the Cavs.. I have a simple formula that usually can predict who wins and who loses, the team who takes the most easiest shots usually beats the team who have to take spectacular shots, both G.S. and Atlanta live and die by the spectacular long range shots and I don't know if you seen the Cavs play lately but they got their shit down pact where they are getting a slam, layup or a open three every time down the court.. Its not like they are having a good game, they are playing regular and doing this shit, plus they are killing it with both defense and rebounding.. Can't see G.S or Atlanta out rebounding this team nor do they have the players to defend against the Cavs, now that that ganging up on LeBron in the paint doesn't work anymore.. Now teams are stuck with playing him one on one, and so far all that has yielded was James slamming time and time again at will.Ah so GSW and the Hawks are the absoulte favorites now
I have watched the nba too long now to put major faith in either of those squads
People always fail to take into account.....NBA playoffs are a different beast..a 7 game series when you are the primary target and can be scouted from top to bottom is another dimension...
I would bet to say that Atlanta will find the playoffs a lot more stressful than their hypemen think...
And if GSW meets OKC....I aint betting on Klay and Curry outplaying Russ and KD....nope NO SIR
So let the Warriors and Hawks be favorites and let the so called experts think the Cavs are the same team they were a month ago, but also watch what happens when a jump shooting team meets a team that can do it all....
I dont know if I agree with your assesment. My only point was to state that gaudy regular season offenses have been shown time and time again to have spanners thrown in the spokes when playoffs start....
When teams only have to play one opposing squad 4 times over a week as opposed to 4 different squads tendencies get sussed out...
A guard will know that when he sees a certain action that he can expect someone to run off a brush screen...or someone is more prone to roll to the basket.....
Teams begin to fight harder for that rebound.....you will go 9-23 from 3pt land versus 14-23......these things happen
Atlanta is still going to beat Chicago...they are just more versatile and Rose isnt himself...Butler's production is trending downward as of late(might pick back up tho)
As for GSW....Russ is going to make life hard for Stephen Curry....like I always say.....when you make someone have to work both sides of the ball...shit becomes harder.....you think Curry is gonna drain 7 threes and thats the end of it....no Russ is gonna come at him every possesion..bad shot dont matter Steph still will have to work and expend energy....good shot....rebound...steal.. and dont tell me that you are relying on David Lee and Draymond Green to be release valves when things get tight..
All I can say is the Bulls can beat the Hawks by 10 by shooting 7% worse, same thing can be said if the Cavs were to play the Hawks and G.S. in my opinion the best matches vs the Cavs would be a healthy younger Spurs team, the Bulls and perhaps Memphis and OKC.. If you cant out rebound the Cavs and you have to double up on LeBron they are going to carve you alive... Look at the Hornets and how well they their defense been playing as of late, and you know they were up for that game vs the Cavs too...I dont know if I agree with your assesment. My only point was to state that gaudy regular season offenses have been shown time and time again to have spanners thrown in the spokes when playoffs start....
When teams only have to play one opposing squad 4 times over a week as opposed to 4 different squads tendencies get sussed out...
A guard will know that when he sees a certain action that he can expect someone to run off a brush screen...or someone is more prone to roll to the basket.....
Teams begin to fight harder for that rebound.....you will go 9-23 from 3pt land versus 14-23......these things happen
Atlanta is still going to beat Chicago...they are just more versatile and Rose isnt himself...Butler's production is trending downward as of late(might pick back up tho)
As for GSW....Russ is going to make life hard for Stephen Curry....like I always say.....when you make someone have to work both sides of the ball...shit becomes harder.....you think Curry is gonna drain 7 threes and thats the end of it....no Russ is gonna come at him every possesion..bad shot dont matter Steph still will have to work and expend energy....good shot....rebound...steal.. and dont tell me that you are relying on David Lee and Draymond Green to be release valves when things get tight..
In reality the Cavs could have been up by 50 by halftime with out playing hard and the reason why is because they didn't match up well against them.
Only way Chicago beats the Hawks is if there is a large disparity in rebounds because once both teams have a reasonable number of offensive possesions then the Hawks have more ways to actually generate points
Man stop it. I understand being biased for the team you cheer for but this is ridiculous. You blindly ignore the accomplishments of the Hawks.
Within the last 29 games the Hawks are 27-2 and are currently on a 15game win streak. Not only are they winning but they are smashing the top teams in the NBA by double digits.
The Cavs have not done anything all seasons and you are making insane predictions off the Cavs recent wins against some of the worst teams in the NBA. You also need to start watching the Hawks play because they are not a 3 point jump shooting team. Where in the world did you get that from? Hawks score a lot of points in or near the paint area and average between 30 to 40 assists a game.
The big white boy Mok and Thompson is what you count on defending Al and milsap? They will space the floor and drive by them all game. They can't guard out on the perimeter.
Now that the Cavs won a few games against some of the worst teams in the NBA you flat out disrespect the Warriors and Hawks as if Cleveland are proven champs
Don't you have a horrible Miami team to worry about? Cavs will be fine. Will you guys hit .500?Man stop it. I understand being biased for the team you cheer for but this is ridiculous. You blindly ignore the accomplishments of the Hawks.
Within the last 29 games the Hawks are 27-2 and are currently on a 15game win streak. Not only are they winning but they are smashing the top teams in the NBA by double digits.
The Cavs have not done anything all seasons and you are making insane predictions off the Cavs recent wins against some of the worst teams in the NBA. You also need to start watching the Hawks play because they are not a 3 point jump shooting team. Where in the world did you get that from? Hawks score a lot of points in or near the paint area and average between 30 to 40 assists a game.
The big white boy Mok and Thompson is what you count on defending Al and milsap? They will space the floor and drive by them all game. They can't guard out on the perimeter.
Now that the Cavs won a few games against some of the worst teams in the NBA you flat out disrespect the Warriors and Hawks as if Cleveland are proven champs
Man stop it. I understand being biased for the team you cheer for but this is ridiculous. You blindly ignore the accomplishments of the Hawks.
Within the last 29 games the Hawks are 27-2 and are currently on a 15game win streak. Not only are they winning but they are smashing the top teams in the NBA by double digits.
The Cavs have not done anything all seasons and you are making insane predictions off the Cavs recent wins against some of the worst teams in the NBA. You also need to start watching the Hawks play because they are not a 3 point jump shooting team. Where in the world did you get that from? Hawks score a lot of points in or near the paint area and average between 30 to 40 assists a game.
The big white boy Mok and Thompson is what you count on defending Al and milsap? They will space the floor and drive by them all game. They can't guard out on the perimeter.
Now that the Cavs won a few games against some of the worst teams in the NBA you flat out disrespect the Warriors and Hawks as if Cleveland are proven champs
I think the Hawks are a very good team but to me they are one of those teams built for the regular season where they can fly under the radar as opposed to playing every game with a target on their backs, where the opposition has weeks to scout you and adjust to what you are doing..
Its like the regular season record is for the better team but the playoffs are for the teams that has the ability to adjust best. Right now I know the Hawks can flat out gun in, during the regular season yet it remains to be seen how the would fare vs a team that is familiar to their style of play. I look at their schedule and they have a weird ass one with a lot of back to back home and away with the same team. Plus in the playoffs you need that guy to step up and win big game for you, we all know players like LeBron and Durant has the ability to turn it up a gear during the playoffs, I want to see if the Hawks has the ability to turn it up a notch or if this is as good as they can play.. If so there is no way they are going to beat the Cavs the same way they beat them 109 to 101, that last game, with Irving scoring 35, LeBron not playing and the team playing like shit. Also that game the Cavs started Love, Irving, Dellavedova, Miller and Thompson only two of their starters and the bench of Amundson, Jones, Price, Harris and Waiter out of all of those players only Love, Irving and Thompson would get over 15 mins of action on this club, and the most of the rest are not even on the squad now. Yet they lost by only 8.
Funny how he calls the Clippers, Bulls and Hornets (yes the same Hornets that beat the Heat 78 to 76 then give up 75 vs the Cavs in the first half) poor teams at his convenience..
With the Cavs its not who they beat but how they beat them, they are beating these teams in every aspect of the game, rebounding, shooting % , defense, and in every quarter..
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The Cleveland Cavaliers have emerged from a tumultuous stretch into a win streak that has them looking like the team many thought they'd be all along.
Coming off yet another lopsided victory, Cleveland wraps up its four-game homestand Sunday against former Cavalier Dion Waiters and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After falling in Phoenix in LeBron James' first game back from injury, the Cavaliers (24-20) have rattled off five straight wins, capped by a dominant 129-90 victory over Charlotte on Friday.
James scored 25 in 27 minutes, J.R. Smith hit seven 3-pointers and Cleveland posted its highest scoring output of the season.
"Right now, I feel like this is the team that I envisioned," James said of the Cavaliers, who have averaged 115.6 points during the win streak. "This is the style of basketball I envisioned. Obviously the points we put up I don't envision that every night, but how we share the ball, how we defend, that should be our staple."
As impressive as the Cavaliers' offensive output has been, perhaps the more encouraging sign for James and his teammates is their defense. Cleveland has held its last three opponents to 92.0 points per game and 39.9 percent shooting.
Since James has returned, though, Kevin Love's already-pedestrian numbers have taken another hit. He's averaged 14.0 points and shot just 34.5 percent in the past six games, missing 17 of 21 attempts from beyond the arc.
His three rebounds in Friday's win were the fewest of his career when notching at least 29 minutes of playing time.
"Just trying to get all the guys on the same page, it's somewhat of a fresh start," Love said. "When things are good, we have to just try and keep it rolling. If a slight setback happens, we need to grow from it, learn from it and move it forward it a right direction.
"Right now, things are good. But we're playing a very tough team on Sunday."
Oklahoma City (22-21) has regained its elite status since the return of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, as the Thunder have won 14 of 20 games when both superstars are active. They combined for 43 points Friday against Atlanta, but Oklahoma City's four-game win streak came to an end in a 103-93 loss.
"We have to play better," coach Scott Brooks told the Thunder's official website. "It's going to take 48 minutes of good basketball. You can't have a two- or three-minute lull where it's not good."
Dion Waiters slots in as a key component for Oklahoma City after he was dealt from the Cavaliers on Jan. 6. In his eight games with the Thunder, Waiters has averaged 11.4 points in 28 minutes of action off the bench.
Cleveland selected Waiters fourth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, and he averaged 14.3 points in 164 career games with the Cavaliers.
"To be truthful, it's a regular game," Waiters said. "That's how I look at it. Come out there, be ready, play basketball, don't think too much and have fun ... I'm more excited that jitters. I always have something to prove."
James has averaged 33.8 points and shot 59.4 percent as his teams have won four of the last five regular-season matchups with the Thunder, but did not play in Cleveland's first matchup with Oklahoma City this season -- a 103-94 Thunder victory.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," coach David Blatt said. "We've got a long way to go. I hope we can bring it again Sunday (against Oklahoma City), looking no further than that.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us."
STATS LLC
The Cleveland Cavaliers have emerged from a tumultuous stretch into a win streak that has them looking like the team many thought they'd be all along.
Coming off yet another lopsided victory, Cleveland wraps up its four-game homestand Sunday against former Cavalier Dion Waiters and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
After falling in Phoenix in LeBron James' first game back from injury, the Cavaliers (24-20) have rattled off five straight wins, capped by a dominant 129-90 victory over Charlotte on Friday.
James scored 25 in 27 minutes, J.R. Smith hit seven 3-pointers and Cleveland posted its highest scoring output of the season.
"Right now, I feel like this is the team that I envisioned," James said of the Cavaliers, who have averaged 115.6 points during the win streak. "This is the style of basketball I envisioned. Obviously the points we put up I don't envision that every night, but how we share the ball, how we defend, that should be our staple."
As impressive as the Cavaliers' offensive output has been, perhaps the more encouraging sign for James and his teammates is their defense. Cleveland has held its last three opponents to 92.0 points per game and 39.9 percent shooting.
Since James has returned, though, Kevin Love's already-pedestrian numbers have taken another hit. He's averaged 14.0 points and shot just 34.5 percent in the past six games, missing 17 of 21 attempts from beyond the arc.
His three rebounds in Friday's win were the fewest of his career when notching at least 29 minutes of playing time.
"Just trying to get all the guys on the same page, it's somewhat of a fresh start," Love said. "When things are good, we have to just try and keep it rolling. If a slight setback happens, we need to grow from it, learn from it and move it forward it a right direction.
"Right now, things are good. But we're playing a very tough team on Sunday."
Oklahoma City (22-21) has regained its elite status since the return of Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook, as the Thunder have won 14 of 20 games when both superstars are active. They combined for 43 points Friday against Atlanta, but Oklahoma City's four-game win streak came to an end in a 103-93 loss.
"We have to play better," coach Scott Brooks told the Thunder's official website. "It's going to take 48 minutes of good basketball. You can't have a two- or three-minute lull where it's not good."
Dion Waiters slots in as a key component for Oklahoma City after he was dealt from the Cavaliers on Jan. 6. In his eight games with the Thunder, Waiters has averaged 11.4 points in 28 minutes of action off the bench.
Cleveland selected Waiters fourth overall in the 2012 NBA Draft, and he averaged 14.3 points in 164 career games with the Cavaliers.
"To be truthful, it's a regular game," Waiters said. "That's how I look at it. Come out there, be ready, play basketball, don't think too much and have fun ... I'm more excited that jitters. I always have something to prove."
James has averaged 33.8 points and shot 59.4 percent as his teams have won four of the last five regular-season matchups with the Thunder, but did not play in Cleveland's first matchup with Oklahoma City this season -- a 103-94 Thunder victory.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," coach David Blatt said. "We've got a long way to go. I hope we can bring it again Sunday (against Oklahoma City), looking no further than that.
"We've got a lot of work ahead of us."
Man stop it. I understand being biased for the team you cheer for but this is ridiculous. You blindly ignore the accomplishments of the Hawks.
Within the last 29 games the Hawks are 27-2 and are currently on a 15game win streak. Not only are they winning but they are smashing the top teams in the NBA by double digits.
The Cavs have not done anything all seasons and you are making insane predictions off the Cavs recent wins against some of the worst teams in the NBA. You also need to start watching the Hawks play because they are not a 3 point jump shooting team. Where in the world did you get that from? Hawks score a lot of points in or near the paint area and average between 30 to 40 assists a game.
The big white boy Mok and Thompson is what you count on defending Al and milsap? They will space the floor and drive by them all game. They can't guard out on the perimeter.
Now that the Cavs won a few games against some of the worst teams in the NBA you flat out disrespect the Warriors and Hawks as if Cleveland are proven champs
I kind of agree with you but lets look at the history of the nba.....tell me when have gaudy offensive regular teams ever put up repeats of that performance in the playoffs
Dont for a second think that playing a team in a 7 game series is ever the same as when you catch them in back to back or when they have played 4 games in 5 nights
Sometimes beating teams is a function of when in the schedule you might have met them
Road Rage says absurd things sometimes no doubt. He will be ready to throw everything he said out the window in a heartbeat
Why would I have to throw anything out in a heartbeat when I never say this team is garenteed to win or lose, and when I always say the games are won and lossed on the courts..
The only thing I do is try to point out tendencies in teams, analyze match ups, and give my opinion who should win based on logic... You should take what I say as odds and the likely hood of things occurring not a sure thing or a guess..
Like everybody, I've been right and I've been wrong, but check my track record, I've been right a heck more times than wrong, a much more than most people you can think of..
How many people you know they make threads on when they are wrong? Shit if we were to start making thread when some of you guys get it wrong we would have to rename BGOL to BMsGsW (black males stay getting shit wrong)..
I picked the Hornets to make it to the playoffs, but then Stephenson just messed up the team chemistry (yeah, that's overstating the obvious)but they are playing well now by going back to their identity defense first, feeding the big man down in the paint, and have Lance come off the bench...
Right now it looks like them and the Heat are going to battling for the 7th spot and if the Heat don't make any moves their legs might fail them in the 2nd half.. The only team I see making a run for that last playoff spot is Detroit, but the injury to Jennings may put a damper on that..
Man the Bulls have a major floor, if you can match up with their size and prevent them from rebounding, they are in trouble mainly because they really so much on mismatches with size that they cant do shit if you can look at them eye to eye.. Big up to the Heat for playing man to man defense instead of doing that rotation defense that so many teams do that usually results in mismatches, blunders do to it often getting too confusing..
I love that kid Whiteside (where was he last year when they needed him) and why isn't he playing more mins.. Lets see how their legs hold out today..
I love that kid Whiteside (where was he last year when they needed him) and why isn't he playing more mins.. Lets see how their legs hold out today..
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