Ohio State Climbs to No. 6 in Newest CFP Poll, Still Alive for Playoff
December 1, 2015Reviewing Creed, as seen in a Philly theater: While We’re Waiting…
December 2, 2015Washington Wizards (7-8) 97
Cleveland Cavaliers (13-5) 85
Box Score
Since 2012, the Tuesday after Thanksgiving has been known as Giving Tuesday. It’s meant to be a reaction to the commercially focused Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and to encourage giving to those less fortunate before splurging on Christmas shopping. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg used the occasion this year to announce that he and his wife would give away 99 percent of their Facebook shares during their lives. Charitable donation amounts have increased on Giving Tuesday each of the past three years, and hopes are that a record amount will be given in 2015.
The Cavs did their part by giving the ball away 19 times as they dropped their first home game of the season to the Washington Wizards. As listless as their performance against the Brooklyn Nets was on Saturday, this one may have been even more so.
They came out of the gate as though they were still mourning the Browns instant-classic loss. They spotted the Wiz a 10-0 lead early and led for exactly zero seconds of game time. LeBron James was hyper-engaged early, but as the Cavs missed more shots and grew more stagnant he started forcing things, resulting in a turnover-heavy evening. He looked exasperated at times, and rightly so.
Aside from a hot start from Mo Williams and a late surge from Matthew Dellavedova, the Cavs couldn’t hit a shot. Kevin Love had his worst game in weeks, finishing with eight points on 2-of-10 shooting. He missed all three of his tries from beyond the arc, though it felt like he missed at least five. J.R. Smith was 3-of-13. From top to bottom, they stank on offense, and the Cavs had their most inaccurate shooting night of the season.
Timofey Mozgov looked terrible in his abbreviated action. Whether it’s injury-related or what, he doesn’t have explosiveness on either end. He had two shots blocked at the rim in the early going and blocked none himself. He was in the starting lineup as usual, but played just nine minutes. His East European foil, Marcin Gortat, was superb. Score one for Poland.
Washington came into this season looking to play faster — they entered the Cavs game with the league’s fourth-fastest pace — and they looked the part Tuesday. They ran at every opportunity, even off of made baskets. They forced the Cavs to sprint back and actually, you know, play defense. The Wiz played a bunch of small lineups, often to great effect. The Cavs’ dependence on LeBron and struggles to contain a small, quick team was enough to evoke faint memories of last year’s NBA Finals. (It wasn’t quite that bad, but you get the idea.)
There was one sublime moment in the first quarter, courtesy of LeBron. He caught a pass in transition going up the left wing, and in one motion fired a genius two-handed bounce pass between two defenders to hit Richard Jefferson for an open dunk. So that’s nice.
There’s little sense in overanalyzing this one. Perhaps it was symptomatic of a teamwide delayed onset turkey coma. Whatever the reason, the Cavs played like crap, and the Wizards made them pay. Let us wade into the mucus that was the game’s statistics.
35, 10, 5 — John Wall destroyed the Cavs. He finished with 35 points (on 14-of-24 shooting), 10 assists, and 5 steals. He came into the game shooting worse than 40 percent from the field and below 30 percent on threes, but you wouldn’t know it based on this one. Time and again he carved up the Cavs pick-and-roll defense, either finishing at the rim or kicking out to wide open — and I mean wiiiiide open — shooters. He hit three of his five triples, and was locked in all night. Come back soon, Kyrie.
33.7 — That was the Cavs’ shooting percentage Tuesday evening. Not on three-pointers. Overall. They shot 28-of-83 from the floor, and it felt exactly that bad. LeBron was 8-of-20. As mentioned earlier, Love was 2-of-10 and J.R. was 3-of-14. Mozgov and James Jones were both 0-of-3. Tristan Thompson and Richard Jefferson went 4-of-12 combined. Only Mo Williams (5-of-10), Matthew Dellavedova (5-of-9), and Anderson Varejao (1-of-2) made at least half of their shots.
-24 — This:
Individual +/- never tells the whole story, but Kevin Love's -24 in 33 minutes certainly tells you it wasn't his best night
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) December 2, 2015
15, 11, 4 vs. 0, 2, 0 — The battle of East European big men could not have gone worse for the Cavs. Marcin Gortat, a.k.a. the Polish Hammer, had 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 blocks in 33 minutes. He shot a healthy 7-of-10 from the floor, with many of those looks set up by Wall passes. He made a bunch of little floaters and long layups, making the most of every opportunity. Timofey Mozgov played like a bad bowl of okróshka.
44 to 22 — The Wizards doubled up the Cavs in points in the paint. That dovetails painfully well with Wall’s brilliant game, as well as with Love and Mozgov’s poor ones. I would estimate that LeBron had about 20 of the Cavs’ such points. (Don’t fact-check that one too closely.)
87 to 75 — Hey, the Cavs made 20 of their 23 free throws, a splendid 87 percent! The Wizards only made 12 of their 16! It was a bad, bad game, but at least the Cavs beat ’em at something.
18 Comments
I blame Michael Garfunkel Bode https://waitingfornextyear.com/2015/12/confession-of-a-former-cavs-fanatic/ for this loss!
Easily the worst, ugliest game of the season. Washington took it to the Cavaliers on their home court. Lets see if the Cavs got the message for the next game on the road.
Glad i cancelled having dudes over for this one on account of a sick kid. Caught the 3rd quarter and man love looked like something was bothering him. I’m betting he has a minor injury of some sort.
I think it’s time to start getting Kaun some minutes…now, when the games aren’t so important.
Didn’t get to see this one (thankfully) but hopefully Lebron doesn’t tear to the team to shreds for it. I know this was our worst game of the season, but just chalk it up to that – a bad game – and get ready for the next one. We don’t need to over-analyze EVERY loss
I LOVE Gortat. Knows his role and does it well. A rich man’s ZaZa Pachulia.
Cavs look tired. Despite the fact that the offense was just bad, the defense was the real problem. I am not sure why Cunningham didn’t get a bigger run, as his athleticism may have slowed down Wall’s constant transition.
This team is thin right now. I don’t care who you have on your team, when you’re missing 2 starters and when 2-3 guys in the rotation have been in and out all season, it’s going to take a toll.
That LeBron bounce pass was amazing. perfectly spun, weighted, and timed. not many guys can make that play in the history of basketball.
gotta say that i didn’t even care for the game before it started.
It’s funny because i am usually really hyped about Cavs games. My wife is out of town, i put the kids to bed, and grabbed a beer but instead of watching the game i did some online Christmukkah shopping. I had the game on no volume in the background. I think the Cavs players did, too.
It may cost him some regular season wins, but Blatt needs to spread some more minutes to Kaun and Cunningham.
They need some experience and his starters need some rest.
Love couldn’t throw it in Lake Erie last night that’s what was bothering him.
Wizards are talented more importantly their starting backcourt is better then the Cavs starting second string backcourt. The concern for me more is the horrible defense in the paint. Teams are abusing the Cavs in the paint. Mozgov isn’t 100% because he’s playing just horrible. Thompson is showing us all why his contract demands were insane. But at least he battles. Love is unfortunately a terrible one on one defender which so many said when the Cavs traded for him. Fortunately he does everything else well especially on offense.
But hopefully the Cavs take this beat down on the road and respond like they typically do. I’d like to see them come out more aggressive.
It’s still early. Varejao is getting more time now so it’s not like Mozgov and Thompson are playing the full 48. Cavs need one of their two starting backcourt guys back. Hopefully next couple weeks Shumpert will be back.
Cavs had a two week stretch without any practices which delayed Kyrie back in action. Fortunately they were able to go Monday and then again today (or tomorrow, I forget the next one).
I expect Kyrie in the lineup by next week and Shumpert soon there after.
Irving back before Shumpert? I haven’t heard anything reported by anyone about this scenario. I think Shump returns before Irving. I don’t want to rush KI at all. When he comes back he’ll play all out I don’t think it’s worth the risk right now.
Tristan v. Demarre Carroll.
The defense rests.
I’ve not heard anything either other than the nature of the two injuries the guys are returning from.
As long as each is back with a week under their belt before Christmas day, I’m good.
Yes both overpaid but at least Carroll got overpaid by a new team. Not interested in this debate. I’m glad TT is back Gilbert could afford it but for what TT does he’s overpaid. God bless America.
Irving’s injury was far more serious then Shumpert’s no? I’ll be fine with Shump back next week or two and Irving back either around New Year or just after. But Cavs need one back that’s for sure.
If you’re not interested in it; don’t bring it up cause you’re gonna lose it every time.
Also, better start whispering something/anything into your boy Timo’s ear; cause at this rate the Cavs ARE going to be able to resign his services.
LoL talk to the invisible hand fella!
Timo’s play right now should make him more affordable that is unless his agent is Rich Paul emphasis on the Rich part.