Ohio State extends Urban Meyer until 2020
April 13, 2015Staring out the (playoff) window and logo madness: While We’re Waiting…
April 14, 2015Detroit Pistons (31-50) 97
Cleveland Cavaliers (52-29) 109
With the Cleveland Cavaliers returning to Quicken Loans Arena after a pair of losses to the Boston Celtics, it was fair to question how much effort would be evident in Monday’s contest in Cleveland against the Detroit Pistons. The Cavs fought back to a lead over the Celtics in Friday’s home game versus that Team in Green before calling off the dogs, then sent Timofey Mozgov out as the lone starter to play in Sunday’s bore-fest, losing 78-117. The losses came at a cost: Friday’s defeat snapped the Cavs’ 18-game home win streak, and Sunday’s 39-point beat down was their worst loss of the season, and the latter half of only the team’s second losing streak since the time Before Bowling. What’s more, they lent confidence to a Celtics team that’s now feeling better about itself than it has all season.
But the Cavs answered all the questions before anyone had a chance to finish asking them on Monday. LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Kevin Love, and JR Smith (who sat out of Sunday’s game) all played. The Cavs pounced on the Pistons early on Monday night, and treated the rest of the game like a well-attended practice with the regular season finale awaiting on Wednesday. But let’s take a peek behind the box score.
36-14 – Again, the Cavs wasted no time taking the Pistons to task on Monday, jumping out to a grisly 36-14 lead after the first quarter. Impressively, it was the Cavs’ 29th 30-point first quarter this season, but only the third time that they held an opponent to 15 points or less in the opening frame. The ball moved freely on offense, resulting in 25 field goals on 56.0 percent shooting. The defense was stifling, forcing five turnovers that led to 10 points, a welcome reversal from the meek and generous stance toward ball-control in Sunday’s game.
21, 10 & 11 – LeBron James notched only his second triple-double of the season Monday night, but also his second in two weeks after the 20-10-12 against Chicago on Easter Sunday. It doesn’t particularly matter that James reached the mostly meaningless double-digit distinction in points, rebounds, and assists in one game, but whenever James stuffs the stat sheet like that, it’s normally because good things are happening for the Cavs offense. Monday’s triple-double seemed effortless, and James seemed in total command of the offense. No. 225 on the list of “underrated reasons why watching LeBron James play basketball is a joy” is that sometimes he sees the entire floor so clearly, that he can thoroughly control the game without scoring more than 25 points. It’s a gift few players in the league have, but in the body of a player who has a suite of talents that allows him to implement his design.
3-of-9 – On Monday night’s episode of As the Cavs Turn: Kevin Love remained a peripheral part of the Cavs offense for mystifying reasons … despite ample opportunities to score, Kevin shot only 3-of-9 from the field, making him the only starter not to score in double figures. Has Kevin been betrayed by a major design flaw that keeps him from the post that he once loved so dearly, or is Kevin keeping secret a weak back that causes him to flock to his perimeter mistress, the three-point shot? Tune in to find out on the next episode of: As the Cavs Turn! [Cheesy saxophone-laden soap opera music.]
17-of-32 – The Cavs continue to blaze from three-point range, hitting 17 of 32 long-range field goals on Monday night. After probably his worst game in a Cavalier uniform last Friday night, JR Smith had a triumphant return to the Q on Monday, scoring 28 points and sinking 8-of-13 threes. More than that, he looked like a guy who had lost a night of sleep or two thinking about his last game. It’s not unusual for JR to look like he missed a night of sleep, but normally it’s not for basketball reasons. He let it fly on Monday, most of his shots barely grazing the net. This is the most locked-in I can remember JR Smith ever looking in his career, and he has seen several playoff tours in his time.
The only things to complain about on Monday were too much dribble penetration from Reggie Jackson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and some loose perimeter defense that allowed Caron Butler to unleash some open three-pointers; but those problems weren’t even evident until the second half after the game was in hand. Kyrie Irving didn’t play in the second half, but his absence was purely precautionary. The Cavs have one more chance to work out some kinks on Wednesday, in the regular season finale against the Washington Wizards. Then … it’s playoff time. [Slowly pumps fist to self.]
22 Comments
Remember before the season many in the media stating how smart SVG is as a coach and that his Pistons would be the surprise team in the East. Or that Josh Smith was the only thing holding them back and his trade signaled their rise.
Yeah, they are still a team with ill-fitting parts. I still want to know their long-term plan because I don’t get it.
With the Pistons out of the playoffs and Cavs idling their engine, liked some of the personal agenda stuff going on. Like Caron Butler, after getting clowned by LeBron on the blind behind the back baseline feed on your vine, trying to shut up JR by matching him 3 for 3. That’s the fun playground aspect of the NBA that no other sport shares.
[On the dark side of that: Shumpert, can you please stop missing breakaway dunks? Making me playoff nervous, young fella. Time to get serious]
And, it would be strange to keep Love out of the post during the regular season if he were feeling up to the abuse, but I still take great joy in the mere idea that we are saving him for the playoffs only to utilize his post game when needed like the Kraken.
Unleash the K-Love!
agree, mismatched parts. But if Stan can harness the force of nature that is Drummond, and if Drummond can even slightly re-think his relationship with the basket when taking free throws, man, that guy could hide a whole lot of roster ills.
my prob with this theory is that when Love does get into the paint these days he looks like he’s lost some confidence in those moves he had for like 6 years. Of all the guys on our roster he’s my candidate to suffer from Mo Williams Sphincter Tightness Syndrome, especially if (when! I meant when!) they advance to a second round. Hope I’m wrong.
I agree he is an extremely talented center, but centers are more reliant on the rest of the team than perhaps any other position. It’d be nice if they at least gave him shooters but they instead have a team full of drive and kick guys when they want to keep the paint clear?
Andre Drummond seems like more of a problem than a solution. Immense talent and physical ability, but he makes so many mental mistakes and his free throw shooting is a killer.
It also does not help that neither he nor Monroe are good passers.
interesting non-Cav aside for Wed: Spurs basically control the 1st round opponent for GS. They play the Pelicans and Thunder play the Twolves. If the Thunder beat the Twolves (expected), then the Pelicans winning puts them at the 8-seed, otherwise it goes to OKC.
If Pops plays the cards to his wish, then who would he rather face GS in round1? I think he’d like to put the Peli’s there. They are a strange team to face and GS would at least have some issues. So, does Pops rest his guys?
That first quarter was beautiful. It was a superior team systematically dismantling a lesser team. I just hope that J.R. Smith saves a couple of games like that one for the playoffs. That was quintessential feast-or-famine J.R., and man did he feast on the Pistons. Just gotta get through one more game before the playoffs start!
Well, but then there’s the crazy fact that if the Spurs win, they finish 2nd in the West. If they lose, they can finish as low as 6th! I think they can’t take any chances tonight… they should try to win and lock up home court.
Drummond is a lesser talented (offensive) Mozgov. I’d like to see Timofey work on his hands but he actually has a pretty nice mid-range jumper. Perhaps we will see this develop. Or at least I hope so anyways.
Monroe is out of there supposedly to Knicks as free agent.
Those three attempts will be there as long as LBJ is on the court I personally wouldn’t mind seeing Smith do other things but I find it hard to complain about a shooting guard who actually shoots. I watched old friend #23 play for the Thunder last night and yea, I don’t miss him at all.
I still can’t believe the Cavs were able to unload Waiters for 2 better players and half of Mozgov. Unreal.
Griffin batting a 1.000 in trades that’s for sure. He’ll have his work cut out for him this summer however.
Yep, a lot of balls in the air right now. If Kevin Love looks the same in the playoffs as he has looked the last month of the regular season, then I could see there being a mutual agreement to part ways this summer. It’s nice to have a stretch 4 to play pace-and-space like LBJ and Blatt want to do, but I don’t think Love will be content with being used like Boris Diaw. He wants to be used like LMA and Blake Griffin. With that said, Love may give the Cavs one more season and sign a one-year agreement with a player option for year two so he can go after that big contract when the salary cap increases in 2016. I also don’t think Griffin needs to pay someone a max contract to be used the way they are using Love. They could downgrade to a guy like Channing Frye and not miss much.
I’m going to worry about that later like say an hour after the Cavaliers either celebrate a title or are eliminated until then I gotta just go with the flow. I think the signing a one year deal is very possible heck even LBJ might just do it but you hit upon something I said months ago. If Love leaves use the $$ he would have received to resign TT (if desirable) and add another player or two depending on costs who can stretch the floor or do what that kind of player desired can do. Personally I want Love back I just think there was to much going on to fit the puzzle together perfectly. I mean it took Miami a year and then look what happened.
Yea, the long-term plant doesn’t seem to make much sense.
especially considering that SVG is not know to have green thumbs.
Gotta be hurt, right? That doesn’t just happen without a reason.
David Blatt is undeniably smart. I wouldn’t put it past him if he has an entire game plan with Love down low for 10+ touches a game come playoff-time.
Pull the ol’ switcharoo on the teams who are game-planning.