Series Thread: 1) Toronto Raptors vs 4) Cleveland Cavs

[LAD]

WTF happened to Toronto last night??? They had that game. SMH

 

[LAD]

This is what Cleveland is about. They have one mega star in LeBron. I know he has been in a slump for awhile, but Love is capable of being an All-Star capable player. But then everyone else is role players, and damn dangerous role players who know their roles on the floor, and if one is not having a good game that is OK because the other role player just takes his spot. LeBron is good enough when he wants to be to carry this team and that allows the role players to work within their roles so nicely.

I'd say grading the Cavs roster it's like:
LeBron A+
Love A-
Everyone else C+

Again it's just LeBron with his monster stats, one of those role players has a good game the rest mingle around the 5-10 points a game range in the playoffs. You stop Korver, great, but than JR Smith hits that open shot because your entire defense is focused on LeBron.

This only works in Cle's favor when they are playing subpar teams. A team like GS and probably even Hou will expose the Cavs badly & they probably get swept by either WC team. We saw how badly they were exposed when they played GS in the Finals last year - and they had Kyrie then. This current Cavs roster doesn't stand a chance.

 

[LAD]

It's almost like he's been medicated.

Love looked special last night - as in special. What was with him going mad & throwing bows when he secured that rebound late in regulation?? Goodness.

 

[DJ Fieri]

should we send out a search part for @DJ ?

It's called work, dumbass.

I was here during the game.

 

[Black Adam]

It's called work, dumbass.

I was here during the game.

whoa, wait. that came outta Wiggy...????!!!!!!!!!

 

[OutlawImmortal]

Why is Drake speaking to the players like he's a coach or something. He should be in the studio making preteen anthems instead of picking fights with ex-convicts like Perkins.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

what i am telling you is that Tristan Thompson is not "ignoring" the position. Anderson is ignoring the position. Joel Anthony is ignoring the position. an ancient Haslem is ignoring hte position.

Unlike Arison- Gilbert was willing to spend a LOT more money and get at least a solid player and pay him at the position- rather than filling in the pupu platter year after year with guys like Anderson and Joel Anthony etc....

a guy going for 13 and 10 or 11 and 10 in two straight NBA Finals is not "ignoring the position"--- and thats in addition to being a great pick setter- a great roller on the pick and roll--- and , he at least used to be-- one of the games top offensive rebounders and one of the games top big men at covering the perimeter. Tristan brings WAY more to the game than any of those 3 Heat players ever did.

What I am telling you is that Gilbert, bidding against himself to overpay Tristan was only to pacify LeBron.

The Heat players, who you keep knocking, never missed making the Finals and won 2.

Let us know when the Tristan lead Cavs tie or surpass us.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Why is Drake speaking to the players like he's a coach or something. He should be in the studio making preteen anthems instead of picking fights with ex-convicts like Perkins.

The Drake factor almost makes the Raptors losing tolerable.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

The Drake factor almost makes the Raptors losing tolerable.

Drake didn't want smoke with Perkins.

One of the Barney's need to let him know...

You a fan, Bitch.

Stop trying to insert yourself into the storyline.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Drake didn't want smoke with Perkins.

One of the Barney's need to let him know...

You a fan, Bitch.

Stop trying to insert yourself into the storyline.

As @Heatles84 said--- sure seems like Tristan is trying to do WHATEVER he can to make sure the season does not end prematurely and he has to deal with Khloe. lol.....

If the Cavs can pull off the win tomorrow ill start feeling pretty damn good.

 

[Heatles84]

As @Heatles84 said--- sure seems like Tristan is trying to do WHATEVER he can to make sure the season does not end prematurely and he has to deal with Khloe. lol.....

If the Cavs can pull off the win tomorrow ill start feeling pretty damn good.

You should've felt good as soon as you shared the same half of the EC bracket as Toronto and Washington. Neither of those teams ever do shit in the playoffs. I said Cleveland got a bye this round because of it. Now the ECF.....that'll be a little more difficult.

 

[Mecca of the “B” Team]

As @Heatles84 said--- sure seems like Tristan is trying to do WHATEVER he can to make sure the season does not end prematurely and he has to deal with Khloe. lol.....

If the Cavs can pull off the win tomorrow ill start feeling pretty damn good.

Yeah, he's not escaping that nightmare for at least the next 18 years.

Worst part?

The revolution will be televised....lol

 

[Heatles84]

Yeah, he's not escaping that nightmare for at least the next 18 years.

Worst part?

The revolution will be televised....lol

You're telling me. Fiance started talking about watching the show again for this specific reason. FML

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Cavs -140 favorite for the series now.
Vegas still gives Raptors a more than decent shot.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Cleveland Cavaliers remembering what matters -- Terry Pluto (photos)

One of the best sportswriters in the business--- one of the best you will find anywhere- Terry Pluto of the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

I was talking to some of the top people with the Cavs. They offered this theory: Their team needed a rugged first-round series against Indiana.

The defensive-minded, grab-and-hold-and-push Pacers "toughened up" the Cavs for what was to come next.

It's doubtful the Cavs would have won a playoff game a few weeks ago where LeBron James and Kevin Love shot 15-for-43, scoring 33 ugly points.

But that 7-game series with Indiana forced the Cavs to play determined defense. They had to deal with shaky calls from officials and border-line cheap shots from the opposition.

At Wednesday's media gathering, I asked coach Tyronn Lue about his team's new defensive mindset.

"You can lock into preparing for one team," said the Cavs coach. "You prepare for it every single day."

Lue mentioned how J.R. Smith's defense improves in the post-season because he receives a single assignment. He usually defends the top scorer on the other team.

In the Indiana series, it was Victor Oladipo.

Against Toronto, it's DeMar DeRozan. The Toronto star shot only 3-of-10 for seven points in the second half.

"J.R. locks into what he has to do," said Lue. "We make it easier for him."

But it's more.

In the regular season, Smith's attention wanders. His defense is sporadic.

But as Lue said, "These guys know what time of year this is."

THE VETERANS REMEMBER

James was having a miserable shooting night (12-of-30). He was obviously still weary from scoring 45 points in Sunday's Game 7 victory over Indiana.

But James put himself in front of 265-pound Valanciunas to draw a charge. In another sequence, the Cavs superstar threw himself head-first into the seats trying to save a loose ball.

Tristan Thompson had a second spectacular game when it comes to hustle, rebounding and defending. And he's been a bonus scorer. Thompson had 14 points and 12 rebounds against Toronto.

This came after 15 points and 10 rebounds in Game 7 vs. Indiana.

Thompson had a lot of personal drama this season and was distracted at times.

Not now.

Love was a disaster shooting the ball, but led the Cavs with 13 rebounds. Lue plans to keep Love in the starting lineup, bringing Thompson off the bench for defensive energy.

Personal agendas are put on hold. Scoring totals don't matter.

"It's about doing your part to win," said Smith.

It's what the Cavs did in 2016 when they won the NBA title, coming back from a 3-1 deficit against Golden State.

Never forget the score of Game 7 in Oakland: Cavs 93, Warriors 89.

The Cavs won that game ... and that title ... with defense.

 

[WiggyRuss]

for those that think the Cavs regular season defense is a fair indicator of what kind of defense they will play in the playoffs--- just read the above article.

chills.

 

[larryjohn]

for those that think the Cavs regular season defense is a fair indicator of what kind of defense they will play in the playoffs--- just read the above article.

Lebron is the most obvious one who is playing harder. His defense is really good when he needs it to be. (did great when he switched onto Lowry last night ... like he did vs. Oladipo)

 

[Shanemansj13]

This only works in Cle's favor when they are playing subpar teams. A team like GS and probably even Hou will expose the Cavs badly & they probably get swept by either WC team. We saw how badly they were exposed when they played GS in the Finals last year - and they had Kyrie then. This current Cavs roster doesn't stand a chance.

Well no shit. GS is a super super team. Houston is too, some think. The Cavs only have the best player on the planet but I think they had a 1% to win it all before the playoffs. Lebron can only do so much

 

[WiggyRuss]

Lebron is the most obvious one who is playing harder. His defense is really good when he needs it to be. (did great when he switched onto Lowry last night ... like he did vs. Oladipo)

You are def right....when LeBron wants to he still has that ALL NBa defensive team talent.....he just does not go there very often outside of the playoffs

JR gets better though too....I think even Love has played decently defensively...Korver took some big time charges against Indiana and is rarely out of position....and Thompson is another obvious guy.

I totally agree that this Cavs defense looked like crap at times during the regular season, but it still surprises me that people expect to see that regular season defense when the playoffs start even though we hear the same old refrain year after year.