Game Thread: Cavs vs Knicks

[hockey878]

All facts there, and I'll give em time, but if I had to bet, I'd say that the offense can get as good or better than Miami's was...but its gonna be tough to match the way Miami swarmed on defense. As for heat fans, I can't speak for em, but I'm fairly sure that Cavs fans will say ALOT of things that Heat fans said in that first year

True. Bigger learning curve. Guys on Cavs have never won. Wade was a champ perennial MVP candidate. Irving and Love have proven nothing. Wade was always a great defender. This was always going to be more of a process than Miami, but I think over time the pieces fit together better.

And thats why its funny to see so many miami fans bashing lebron/cavs for all the same things they used to defend. lakers fans too for that matter.

 

[bksballer89]

What did any Heat fan say that was so bad? I didn't see anyone overreacting to it.

It is funny to see them lose after Lebron called it one of the biggest sporting events ever but other than that I did not see anyone commenting about the cavs season being done

 

[bksballer89]

Who's bashing Lebron? Are you reading another thread?

Yes I will enjoy every single one of the Cavs losses this year. You didn't expect Heat fans to root for the Cavs right?

Mostly everyone just enjoyed to see the Cavs lose their home opener with the exception of Cavs/Lebron fans. I didn't anything so terrible sad on here like was said about Miami. After Miami was 9-8, certain Lakers fans said no way they make it out the 2nd round and now ay they make the finals....None of us are saying that about the Cavs

 

[bksballer89]

Blatt really gotta get his rotations in order. He absolutely killed his starters minutes wise and hardly used his bench. The only started who did not play a ridiculous amount of minutes was Andy and the only bench player who got significant minutes was Tristan.

Kyrie & Lebron both played 43 minutes while Waiters & Love played 38 minutes each. Andy finished with 27 minutes

Mike Miller & Marion combined for 13 total minutes. Tristan got 20 minutes & Dellavedova got 18 minutes.

 

[wildturkey]

So in summary, Miami wins without Lebron. Cleveland loses to a Knicks team that got smoked by Chicago therefore Cleveland.

Shut it down, let's go home. Season is over.

 

[Heatles84]

yea.... i mean that was true starting in year two.

but lets not forget. miami started 9-8 with a much more veteran team. Wade and Bosh were much more refined than Irving and Love.

Miami scored 9 points in their first quarter together.

we all mocked LeBron for his "its gonna take time" rhetoric. Maybe it was actually true? It took time for Miami to gel and that was a team of guys who were vets. Love hasn't played with anyone. Waiters and Irving are young.


I understand the joy it will bring some to see tonight happen. But lets not overreact. Its particularly odd for the Miami fans to react this way. The same ones who were on the other side of the fence 4 years ago begging for time and patience.

Also, that was the lakers with the dwight experiment two years ago.

Lets try to keep level heads here

Although Wade and Bosh were more refined than Irving and Love (despite what we hear from some homer Cavs fans). The Cavs have a deeper bench with more veteran talent than Miami did in their first year.

 

[Inimical]

Lebron made a big deal out of a regular season game, he plays shitty, and says it was great. Lebron why you make it so easy ?

 

[gordontrue]

I said it in another thread... but I don't ever remember LeBron playing this bad. He's had quiet games and games in which he was passive and didn't do much... but this game he was actively bad.

Hopefully going on the road tonight where everyone hates him will help him snap back to reality and be regular LeBron again... the most consistent elite player in the league.

A few other things:
1) The bad defensive plays were rotation/chemistry/communication issues... not effort or ability issues. So I definitely see that as something that will improve over time.
2) What's being missed in all this talk is how hot and unstoppable the Knicks got in the last few minutes. The Cavs had finally ramped up good defense, but JR Smith and Melo kept hitting tough contested shots at the end of the shot clock.
3) Kyrie and Kevin both played very well. LeBron was a brick & turnover machine and the bench did nothing (not a lot of minutes though, I think Blatt strayed from the plan in the 2nd half to try to win the game).

 

[bksballer89]

Blatt gotta give his bench more minutes. 3 minutes for miller is awful

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

Anyone rooting against the Cavs knows our biggest hope for failure ( other then injuries, which I don't wish on anyone), will be team defense.

A group of average defenders dont all of the sudden become good defenders just because James is added to the roster.

Then, the defense will get even worse when the 3 pt shooters are brought in off the bench.

The one thing the Heat had going for them for at least years 1-3 was the ability to really crank up the D when needed which was often the difference maker in close games.

Gonna be a fun season to watch the EC, that's for sure.