Kevin Love out for 2nd rd series

[gordontrue]

Funny to see Cavs fans play off the Kevin Love injury like its nothing.

What a blow. Especially since it might push Love closer to out the door. Who knows, I don't even care about the off season at this point, though.

Definitely. You summed the problem up pretty well. He brought so much spacing to the offense while still being a productive rebounder and play maker.

Its hard to imagine the Cavs matching up with the Western Conf winner without Love, but no need to get ahead of ourselves. They need to be focused 100% on the winner of the Bulls/Bucks.

Its rough for the Cavs because Love is the perfect weapon against Chicago- but they can beat Chicago without him. Love is a loss offensively without a doubt- but the Cavs are lucky they have a guy like Tristan Thompson to step up.

Lets not mistake optimism for thinking that this injury isn't a big loss. Of course it is. Maybe you'd rather the Cavs fans go into full doom and gloom mode, but I've never been that type of fan. I'll keep believing until the moment they're officially eliminated.

 

[Shanemansj13]

I'm hoping the Bucks come back and beat the Bulls. The Bulls are dangerous, especially if they have motivation. Looks like they are taking the Bucks for granted. Either way the Bucks are playing some good basketball.

 

[poewelch84]

If you look at how much better the Cavs shoot when Love is on the floor and when he isn't it's huge swing so him being out for the entire playoffs is a huge deal.

 

[gordontrue]

James Jones, Mike Miller, Shawn Marion, Kendrick Perkins

4 NBA champions who have been providing experienced leadership from the bench. Time to do it from the floor.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

James Jones, Mike Miller, Shawn Marion, Kendrick Perkins

4 NBA champions who have been providing experienced leadership from the bench. Time to do it from the floor.

Jones will hit some shots.
Its really a stretch to expect much of anything from the others.

 

[gordontrue]

Jones will hit some shots.
Its really a stretch to expect much of anything from the others.

Can't say I disagree. Especially in terms of offensive output.

 

[LAD]

James Jones, Mike Miller, Shawn Marion, Kendrick Perkins

4 NBA champions who have been providing experienced leadership from the bench. Time to do it from the floor.

You're not being serious, are you?

 

[Shanemansj13]

So Love is pretty much out for the whole playoffs, right?

Maybe he could be back if they got to the Finals, but nowhere near full strength.

 

[gordontrue]

You're not being serious, are you?

Unfortunately, yes. This is the state of things for the Cavs.

No one's expecting any of them to return to their glory-days form... but 2 or 3 of them will likely see more time as a result of Love's injury and Smith's suspension. Need quality minutes from these guys.

 

[LAD]

Unfortunately, yes. This is the state of things for the Cavs.

No one's expecting any of them to return to their glory-days form... but 2 or 3 of them will likely see more time as a result of Love's injury and Smith's suspension. Need quality minutes from these guys.

This probably best describes the chances of them winning without Love. LBJ needs more help than just Kyrie and the misfits you named earlier.


:help: And this probably best describes LBJ's response to losing Love.

 

[WiggyRuss]

The Cavs still have the best 2 players in the series- they just dont have as much depth as Chicago....all the rest LeBron and the rest of the guys got- plus this week off before they play again- it better be enough so the big time starters and rotation players are good to go big minutes.

LeBron should play at least 38 a night- if not 40 or 42...Kyrie can easily play 40 minutes a night....Tristan Thompson and Mozgov should each be prepared for big minutes- though I dont know how much they will play together.


This is the interesting matchup- The Cavs want to play a 4 that can shoot and stretch- while hte Bulls will want to play Noah and Gasol....how does that matchup go.....I can see LeBron switching to guard the 4 on defense and playing whatever position he wants to play offensively.

can Noah make them pay if they guard him with James jones- or if LeBron switches to Rose- will whoever jones is guarding take advantage?--- I HOPE HTEY PLAY mirotic a lot...he is not hard to cover


This is definitely the Cavs first adversity since January. Losing a player like Kevin Love is a huge huge blow but htey have to overcome- I like that they are now chasing someone instead of being chased and the pressure valve has been released quite a bit.

 

[bksballer89]

Love had surgery today.

May not be ready for training camp

 

[msgkings322]

JR Smith will be out the first 2 games too....Bulls have a legit shot.

 

[WiggyRuss]

If you look at how much better the Cavs shoot when Love is on the floor and when he isn't it's huge swing so him being out for the entire playoffs is a huge deal.

his spacing is what took the Cavs from having a great offense (when you have 2 of the top 8 scorers in the entire league- and a bunch of good shooters around them your gonna have a great offense) to a potentially historic offense.

Love's spacing is so important to them- My post just a day before it happened said how Love is a huge weapon against the Bulls because he will force either Noah or Gasol to play out on the perimeter- and we all know Gasol is way to old and slow to play out there- and that taking Noah out of the middle leaves their offense hugely vulnerable- especially when you have guys like LeBRon and Kyrie who get to the rim in unbelievable ways.

Thats what people didnt get- Love's shooting ability and passing ability made the team pretty much unguardable when guys were making shots. THAT AND he could still get you 10 rebounds a night and post up when you need it. I hope the Cavs offer him the max even if he is a health risk. They can weather it with him as their 3rd best player. I would not want to be in the position of giving Love a max deal and expecting him to be my #1. I think we have all seen he cant break through- and the injury concerns are not small.

The Cavs are lucky they have such a capable bench player in Tristan Thompson. The Cavs are lucky Thompson really stepped up in that first series, proved he is not afraid of playing in the playoffs, and repeatedly stole the Celtics lunch money on the boards. Nothing is disheartening as playing great D for 24 seconds and forcing up a bad shot and having the other team steal the offensive rebound and get it to a shooter on the 3 pt line who is now wide open because of the confusion.

That breaks teams backs. It breaks their will.

 

[WiggyRuss]

I'll bet one of the Heat fans that have dogged Mike Miller all year- that one game in the Chicago series- Mike Miller will hit at least 4 three's and the Cavs will win the game. It is just gonna happen. Miller will earn his entire paycheck by swinging the tide of one game in this series with some great bench play.

 

[TurnUpTheHeat]

I'll bet one of the Heat fans that have dogged Mike Miller all year- that one game in the Chicago series- Mike Miller will hit at least 4 three's and the Cavs will win the game. It is just gonna happen. Miller will earn his entire paycheck by swinging the tide of one game in this series with some great bench play.

What's the bet?

The Cavs will role with Jones. Mike prob only gets minutes if Jones is struggling.
The Bucks are showing the formula to make the Bulls struggle.
Cavs are better off playing Marion, focusing on D and just trusting in James/Kyrie to do the scoring.

Last thing the Cavs can afford to do is launch and miss a bunch of 3's and give the Bulls any easy points on fast breaks.

If you force the Bulls to make outside shots, they often can't.

 

[logic]

JR Smith will be out the first 2 games too....Bulls have a legit shot.

Provided they can get by the Bucks first.

 

[LALakersboy24.7]

People are overrating the bulls defense. They're good but not elite like they used to be

This may be true, but If they face Cleveland expect for the Bulls to be all over them.

 

[Black Adam]

This may be true, but If they face Cleveland expect for the Bulls to be all over them.

no if's, and's, or maybe's...

 

[Shanemansj13]

Once Smith comes back from his suspension, they could do: 5 Mozgov 4 James 3 Shump 2 Smith 1 Kyrie.

It will be interesting to see how Blatt changes up the lineups in the first 2 games and the rest of the series.