Heat own Cleveland once again in Miami

[gordontrue]

@gordontrue I agree with LeBron on the seed thing also. As long as I'm a top 4 seed I wouldn't care where I finish because you should be good enough to win one road game per series as the heat did with LeBron in every series they played together in their 4 years. Pretty amazing when you think about it. They played 16 series together & won at least one road game in every single series.

That is impressive. You got me curious if that was a record... and according to wikipedia it is:

When they defeated Indiana on the road in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, the Miami Heat set an NBA record by recording their 15th straight playoff series where they earned at least one road win. The Heat then extended the record to 16 straight road wins in playoff series by winning Game 2 of the NBA Finals in San Antonio.

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

After the CAVS-SPURS game, I actually felt pretty good. Kyire Irving got a historic (likely never repeated night in his career insanity) and the Cavs still needed two miracle FT gacks to win in OT.

Cavs fans countered that Irving does that all the time, and the Spurs shooting 58% was equally as unlikely an event. They believe that without the flukish impossible shooting (58%???) the Spurs would have been blown out.

Okay......

What happened in the very next game for both arguments:
1) Irving shoots 33% and looks mediocre
2) Spurs shoot 58%.

 

[FantasyBelowZero]

The Heat are hot and cold, and the Cavs didn't have Love last night, too...
I would take the Cavaliers over the Heat in the playoffs any day.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

Curb Stomp.

We can only hope the Heat finish in 7th place.

This would be a EPIC 1st round series.

What's up, Mecca?

Do you know if that guy, Long Time Cavs Fan is on SH? You remember, the guy who would rave about Cleveland's symphony and ice cream?

 

[gordontrue]

After the CAVS-SPURS game, I actually felt pretty good. Kyire Irving got a historic (likely never repeated night in his career insanity) and the Cavs still needed two miracle FT gacks to win in OT.

Cavs fans countered that Irving does that all the time, and the Spurs shooting 58% was equally as unlikely an event. They believe that without the flukish impossible shooting (58%???) the Spurs would have been blown out.

Okay......

What happened in the very next game for both arguments:
1) Irving shoots 33% and looks mediocre
2) Spurs shoot 58%.

Your point is well taken (and I generally agree) ... BUT ....

For the sake of accuracy:
- Kyrie actually shot 80% (12-15) with 33 points in his very next game (vs the Magic on Sunday).

For the sake of argument:
- Minnesota is the worst team in the NBA at defensive fg%
- People keep using Kyrie's 57 points as un-repeatable... but he was at 37 with a couple minutes to go and 46 going into OT.... much more likely scenarios to be repeated going forward.


All that said... I agree with your overall premise and posted basically the same thing after the game:

Other than the result... the Spurs had a lot more to feel good about that game than the Cavs did.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

The Heat are hot and cold, and the Cavs didn't have Love last night, too...
I would take the Cavaliers over the Heat in the playoffs any day.

1. Love, being used as is, isn't a difference maker the majority of nights.

2. I don't know any Heat fans who would exptect to win a 7 game series vs the Cavs ( or several other teams).
Speaking for myself, I would love to see it though. It would be highly entertaining and we are really in a no lose situation.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

After the CAVS-SPURS game, I actually felt pretty good. Kyire Irving got a historic (likely never repeated night in his career insanity) and the Cavs still needed two miracle FT gacks to win in OT.

Cavs fans countered that Irving does that all the time, and the Spurs shooting 58% was equally as unlikely an event. They believe that without the flukish impossible shooting (58%???) the Spurs would have been blown out.

Okay......

What happened in the very next game for both arguments:
1) Irving shoots 33% and looks mediocre
2) Spurs shoot 58%.

The Spurs were the better team that entire game.

Kyrie did put on a freakish show, but it still took two rare missed FT's plus a rare Pops coaching blunder for the miracle to even matter.

Spurs win that series in prob 6 games.

 

[trojanfan12]

I hate that Blatt said the Cavs need the 2 seed.

I prefer LeBron's mindset:


The problem with putting emphasis on a particular seed:
1) You burn yourself out mentally and physically playing for something not that important
2) The pyschology if you fail to get that seed can hurt your team

We've seen this with teams over the years (Indiana Pacers come to mind). I admit, my annoyance of Blatt is growing.

Actually, Blatt is right for pretty much everyone on his team except Lebron. Seeding can be very important for inexperienced teams. The Cavs, for the most part, have very little playoff experience. 2 of their big 3 have never played one playoff game in their career and even some of their important role players like Smith and Shump don't have a lot of playoff experience.

So, for Lebron, it can be "just get me to the playoffs" because he's been so many times. But, for the rest of the Cavs? Not so much.

 

[trojanfan12]

The Heat are hot and cold, and the Cavs didn't have Love last night, too...
I would take the Cavaliers over the Heat in the playoffs any day.

Seriously?!? I'd say that the Heat not having Bosh is the much bigger loss. He has been far more important to the Heat than Love has been to the Cavs.

I'd take the Cavs in the playoffs too, but let's not make lame excuses. The Cavs got their ass kicked plain and simple.

 

[trojanfan12]

To me the turning point of the game was a few minutes left in the 1st quarter. It was tied at 22. The Cavs were in the middle of a run after the Heat had gone up 9 or 11. Kyrie drove inside and got blocked by Whiteside which turned into a wide open 3 at the other end for Chalmers.... who missed. But Dragic chased down the board and got it back to a still-wide-open Chalmers who nailed it. That sparked a long run by the Heat during which the Cavs missed 9 or 10 straight shots.

This would worry me a little if I were a Cavs fan. 2 things happened on that play and resulting run by Miami: Heat fans really got loud and turned it into more of a playoff atmosphere and the Cavs folded up their tent.

 

[bksballer89]

The Heat are hot and cold, and the Cavs didn't have Love last night, too...
I would take the Cavaliers over the Heat in the playoffs any day.

The love excuse is lame considering the heat don't have 2 starters. Also I don't think you'll find anyone that think Miami would win best of 7 vs Cleveland when you consider the state of our roster. Now if we were completely healthy with Bosh & Josh you may get a few heat fans including myself who think otherwise

 

[Hornsstampede2.0]

Seeding means a lot more in the East. You are likely to only have one tricky round.

Strangely enough seeding might not mean much of anything in the West..... this year is not normal

Nobody would be surprised if seeds #5, #6, #7, and #8 all won their first round series.

Unlikely, but not shocking like years past.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Cavs got their ass kicked last night. Way too many jump shots- they didnt get aggresive till 5 minutes left in the 4th.

lets call a spade a spade though- Cleveland on the last game of a road trip, playing on back to back nights- Miami waiting for them with time off at home. Miami fighting like hell for the last playoff spot- Cleveland on a 25-5 run and feeling pretty good about the 2nd seed being 2 gamesup even after that game. No Kevin Love.

This game meant WAY WAY WAY WAY WAY more to Miami than it did to the Cavs

I HOPE this matchup happens in the playoffs so bad- but I dont think Miami will make it to the 7 seed, and ESPN only has them at a 35% chance of even making the playoffs at all....

Have to give Miami credit though. Dragic has helped them immensely and turned their offense from just plain stagnant into an actual offense. Whiteside behaved himself and played well. Wade played awesome- which seems like a theme in the Cavs/Heat games this season.

 

[WiggyRuss]

You speak the truth.

The Cavs didn't look like themselves... but I give all the credit to the Heat for that. They were by far the more engaged & physical team all night.

I think last night was a good moment for the Cavs to have right about now... if I'm looking on the positive side of things.

The Heat came out with a ton of energy and just plain beat the Cavs everywhere. The Cavs did not even try to go inside at all which worked so well with Thompson/Mozgov last time they played. They looked like they just wanted to get on the plane and go home.

 

[WiggyRuss]

4 teams for the last 2 spots....Indiana, Charlotte, Boston and Miami

It looks like Indiana should definitely get one of those with how they have been playing.

I just read in the Cavs recap that the Heat schedule is 16 games left, 8 home, 8 away, with 8 games against teams with +.500 records- which makes their schedule slightly more difficult when compared to Bostons and Charlottes- however I think the Heat are more talented then both those teams.

Should be an interesting race for that last spot. Unfortunately I think the Cavs are going to play Indiana- who have been surprisingly very tough against the Cavs this year. Def. not the matchup I would pick for them.

 

[WiggyRuss]

Seeding means a lot more in the East. You are likely to only have one tricky round.

Strangely enough seeding might not mean much of anything in the West..... this year is not normal

Nobody would be surprised if seeds #5, #6, #7, and #8 all won their first round series.

Unlikely, but not shocking like years past.

If the seeding stays the same I love it for the Cavs. Chicago and Atlanta would have to play eachother 2nd round- while the Cavs would get the winners of Tor/Mil....So-the Cavs would most likely have a road of Indiana, Toronto, Atlanta/Chicago, which seems fairly ideal to me.

being the in the 1/8 4/5 half seems a lot harder than being in the 2/7 3/6 half.

 

[BobGnarly]

Definitely gonna be an interesting race for 8th. Boston is hot right now winning 5 straight and Thomas hasn't even been playing(21 ppg in Boston)

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

The Heat came out with a ton of energy and just plain beat the Cavs everywhere. The Cavs did not even try to go inside at all which worked so well with Thompson/Mozgov last time they played. They looked like they just wanted to get on the plane and go home.

James wanted no part of Whiteside.
I don't think he even had a rebound until the 4th qtr.
14 of his 26 points were garbage time when he should have been on the bench sitting next to Kyrie.
Then, he's basically given a dunk, and he hangs on the rim like he fucking did something of relevance.

Mozgov is big, but he couildn't rebound, and his baskets were the result mostly of the Heat worrying about others vs him having offensive skills.

If the Cavs are playing ANY other team, I'll buy into the not caring, not important stuff, but James was pissed basically the entire game about how he/they were being manhandled.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

4 teams for the last 2 spots....Indiana, Charlotte, Boston and Miami

It looks like Indiana should definitely get one of those with how they have been playing.

I just read in the Cavs recap that the Heat schedule is 16 games left, 8 home, 8 away, with 8 games against teams with +.500 records- which makes their schedule slightly more difficult when compared to Bostons and Charlottes- however I think the Heat are more talented then both those teams.

Should be an interesting race for that last spot. Unfortunately I think the Cavs are going to play Indiana- who have been surprisingly very tough against the Cavs this year. Def. not the matchup I would pick for them.

Pacers just benefited from the schedule.
They caught the Cavs the day after they played the Heat in Cleveland and then the night after they played the Warriors.

 

[bksballer89]

Lmao the excuses are soo lame & signs of a sore loser just like Blatt