While We’re Waiting… Cavs Woes, College Football and Someone Wants Valbuena!
December 8, 2010Jon & Paul Plus Baseball: What to do about Matt LaPorta
December 8, 2010
This three-game road trip was supposed to make things better.
After a kick-in-the-junk loss to the Miami Heat last Thursday, leaving Cleveland for a few days and getting to play a trio of teams that were a combined 14-40 was just what the doctor ordered. Little did the Cavaliers know, that doctor may have been Jack Kevorkian as the Wine and Gold dropped all three games – losing their fifth in a row and having point differentials of 19, 28, 34, 20 and 20, respectively – prompting fans to have their very own hand-on-the-cord moment.
“I’m very disappointed with this whole road trip,” said head coach Byron Scott following Tuesday’s defeat. “I don’t know where the sense of urgency is right now, especially on the defensive end. We have to be much, much better. Guys have to take more pride and ownership in the fact that they have to guard their man.”
The defensive end has been absolutely brutal for the Cavaliers allowing opposing teams to shoot an average eFG% of 59.1 percent from the floor. Even worse may be that the lapses are occurring nearly everywhere: Boston Celtics crushed the Cavs in the paint, the Timberwolves converted on 18 three-pointers, Philadelphia amassed 24 points via the fastbreak. Naturally, it is tough to lose a first-team all-defensive small forward, but Byron Scott is not about to make excuses for what isn’t here.
“We’re still doing a bad job with communicating with each other,” said Scott. “For whatever reason, guys don’t talk to each other. We have to fix that problem. But that’s been a problem from day one, and we’ve been harping on that as far as it has to get better. Instead of going into a shell, guys have to do a better job of talking to each other. So like I said before, [I’m] learning some stuff about our guys as far as adversity, and I’m sure I’m going to learn more.”
It’s worth pointing out that the new Cavalier mascot Sir CC was unveiled on November 27th, the night of the buzzer-beating shot by Mo Williams JJ Hickson “Cheetoes” that resulted in a win over the Memphis Grizzlies (who were on the second night of a back-to-back). Since Sir CC’s arrival, the team has played some of the worst basketball this region has seen over the last 10 years, and that includes nights where Ricky Davis shot at the wrong hoop in order to get a 10th rebound.
You know, just in case we’re in the need of someone to blame – why not the guy with the feather plumage shooting out of his 10-gallon hat?
As we will get into later, things are not about to get any easier for the Wine and Gold. If any head coach can right the ship, it is Byron Scott. The issue at hand is if he has the pieces needed to get things in line.
“[My] question is, can they do it?” asked Scott. “It’s not so much do they want to do it, it’s can they do it. My answer to that is, ‘I think so,’ because I’ve seen us do it, so I know we can. But we have to get that mental edge back somehow.”
16 Comments
One Thing- 121
I will explain that in 10 minutes.. My clock says 9:11, BRB.
We have lost by a combined 121 points in the past 5 games. Only two of those games were against legit playoff contenders… I guess that answers the question of “To blow it up, or to not blow it up” This team chose to blow it up on their own without input from the general manager.
So, we’re looking at a top three draft choice.. Who are the best college prospects?
SF Harrison Barnes, PF Perry Jones and PG Kyrie Irving (if he bolts from Duke).
I think Coach Scott is wrong. It seems very much to me that the question is “do they want to?” the answer seems like a resounding “no”.
@Scott, I think Harrison Barnes would be the best option… We have a dire need of a good SF.
IT SEEMS LIKE OUR SF PLAY HAS DROPPED OFF THIS YEAR. IT USED TO BE TREMENDOUS OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF SEASONS. WHAT HAPPENED?
Not to nitpick here, but Mo hit the buzzer beater against Milwaukee on the 25th.
Anyhow as you said, they are barely showing up right now. I have tickets for tonight’s game, and I really just hope they bother to show up at this point.
Scott, has anyone been getting anything of substance out of players during the post-game pressers? For some reason, I still don’t think they are quite as bad as they have been over this 5 game stretch.
“I think Harrison Barnes would be the best option”
He just looks like a “guy” thus far this season. Tons of upside as he is only a freshman, but he’s only averaging 11, 6 and 2, shooting 34 percent from the floor.
Wouldn’t drafting a good PG be key in the Princeton offense?
Scott- You found my weakness. I don’t care much about college ball until the tourney comes. So I know absolutely nothing about any of the three kids you mentioned. I was just thinking about the glaring holes on our roster.
PG- Weak
PF- Weaker
C- Weakest
SG- Weakerest
SF- Weakerester
@3 I don’t we can talk about any player leaving college early until the new labor agreement is reached. Who’s going to come out facing the prospect of not playing next year unless they have to?
“Not to nitpick here, but Mo hit the buzzer beater against Milwaukee on the 25th.”
Ah – good call. Been so long since a W that it’s easy to get confused.
“Scott, has anyone been getting anything of substance out of players during the post-game pressers?”
Not since Boston. Media is clammoring for rotational changes, he’s playing them off for the most part.
“Wouldn’t drafting a good PG be key in the Princeton offense?”
Yes, but a slashing wing is just as key. As is a big man that can pass (a la Brad Miller, Blake Griffin). Sessions honestly could be a solid Princeton PG, but his lack of 3P range hurts. On the flip side, the Princeton only works if solid defense is played as it slows the game down a ton.
I’m not sold on Harrison Barnes yet, he’s gonna be a good player but I think he needs another year of college to develop because he just isn’t there yet.
@8
at least to Byron’s Princeton offense it is; look at his previous PG’s Kidd and CP3.
the “new expression” cavs are in dire need of a true PG to run Scott’s offense…..wait a minute, the cavs need a true PG.
This.sounds.familiar.
@Matty
can we officially dub him Joey “weakerester” Graham at this point then?
@Christopher
I was saving that nickname for Jamario Moon….
I personally want to thank the Cavs for 2 things.
1. Falling apart early enough in the year so that we can go full-in once the trading season opens on Dec. 15th.
2. Falling apart early enough that I didn’t actually ask my wife for the NBA Online package for XMAS like I was going to just 10 days ago.