Game 7 | Cleveland Cavaliers (3-3) @ Boston Celtics (3-4) | November 14th, 2014 | 7:30 PM ET

Regardless of stupid transitive properties, the defense is a HUMONGOUS issue. It is very possible we do not even have the capability of being solid defensively.

JSS2306 said:

Hopefully.

All I see is another win that includes LeBron having to do everything in order to beat a bad team.

Sorry. We have to improve infinitely to have a shot at even sniffing the finals.

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Again, LeBron didn't do everything. Kyrie single-handedly cut the Boston lead to single digits in the early 4th, that's indisputable.

We have plenty of time to improve before the playoffs start, we're not even ten games into the season. It's encouraging to see Kyrie & LeBron already having dominant offensive games together, Love would be right there with them if he was knocking down open shots. It's not the O'Brien trophy, but a 19-point comeback on the road is something to be positive about.

JohnnyEightball said:

Nah just know basketball is all and not a blind homer.

I graduated from St V.

Been here since the beginning, I just know basketball and right now there are serious issues besides scheme and learning to play with each other.

But time will tell and I hope it gets better.

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I'm on to you, Windy.

Chris said:

Regardless of stupid transitive properties, the defense is a HUMONGOUS issue. It is very possible we do not even have the capability of being solid defensively.

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In fairness, Boston ppg is second best in the NBA and we played them on the road.The NO team we "held" to 111 just scored 139. I guess we need to see if the defensive is lacking at home , that is where I see no excuse for. You can call me an eternal optimist,but i need a bigger sample size before saying it's humongous in November.

Ive already seen enuff through 7 games to know we wont even crack the top half of the league defensively. Not with the players we have on the floor. Do you guys really think with better chemistry will make the jump? I just can't see it. Id even be willing to take Mcgee at this point its been so bad

When is love going go get going offensively been a tough start

Good contending teams find ways to win and while this game should have never played out like it did, a win is a win and it builds upon the team's mentality.

Blatt is still trying to iron out his rotations, but a meangingless game in November means a lot to a rookie like Harris. The coach gave him signficant playing time and he contributed to the outcome, this will only help further him along in his young career.

Being a basketball fan I know its takes a variety of ways to win, one being if your shot isn't going, defend. Cleveland didn't have much going on either end but started it with defense in the 4th. While the style of play to get up to that point was lackluster, with the likes of James and Irving offensively dominating and an off night for Love turning into 15 boards, they'll take the win.

Win or lose, there are habits you need to correct and habits you need to build upon. Kind of fitting the game ends on Marion's defense.

CavsFan005 said:

Ive already seen enuff through 7 games to know we wont even crack the top half of the league defensively. Not with the players we have on the floor. Do you guys really think with better chemistry will make the jump? I just can't see it. Id even be willing to take Mcgee at this point its been so bad

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Wow that's the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Congratulations, you have convinced yourself that adding JeVale McGee might actually make a difference to a team winning a championship or not winning. JeVale McGee is the most boneheaded player in the history of the sport.

He is Ryan Hollins on steroids. Should we call Hollins back too?

Frank Reynolds said:

Wow that's the dumbest thing I have ever heard. Congratulations, you have convinced yourself that adding JeVale McGee might actually make a difference to a team winning a championship or not winning. JeVale McGee is the most boneheaded player in the history of the sport.

He is Ryan Hollins on steroids. Should we call Hollins back too?

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I didn't say he would win a championship I said he is better then nothing. Anyone with half a brain can see we don't have the rim protection or even perimeter d to win a championship. Its not a chemistry issue either.

I can't even imagine how bad we are going to look if Love or AV go down with a injury and we are playing Alex Kirk extended minutes

I will mute the tv before i ever listen to those Boston hacks on league pass again.

Homerism level is absurd

KilgoreTrout said:

The Bulls LOST AT HOME to Boston. They also lost at home to US, for what it's worth? How bad are THEY?

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This doesn't address any part of my post. What do the bulls have to do with us playing poorly against Boston? How does it have any relevance to us being encouraged with a result that misrepresents how we played, which was against a subpar team, that we beat by a single point?

Just now finished watching the game on tape delay.

We have some MAJOR issues still on defense (101 pts after 3 quarters? WTF).

BUT on the road you just have to scrape them out any way you can some times, especially at this point where guys are still getting up to speed.

I think the core of the defensive problems are really the P&R defense, particularly Love - it seems teams are going at him big time in P&R action. Will have to watch the tape again but we need to adjust the schemes for that somehow.

Would add that on the bright side, the D in spurts showed some signs.

The main issues was the 3rd quarter where we somehow managed to give up 42pts! Teams feel like they can get what they want, we have to start taking something away defensively.

Not sure how many times I have to say it. Relax everybody.

Celebrate the win, but you can't get too high or too low after every fucking game! There are 82 of these. You guys were worried about Andy and Kyrie making it through the season, but I'm afraid all of you guys are gonna pull something with all the worrying that's being done right now.

LeBron had 41 points, shot 59% and led the team in assists with 7 and people are still complaining about him. I watched LeBron religiously in Miami his last 3 years there. Here's the thing about his defense. If he's matched up with someone who cuts well or doesn't need the ball to score, he'll get roasted. He gets caught ball-watching all the time because he's trying to lurk in passing lanes. That was the case in Miami and it's the case now. If he's matched up with somebody who likes to dribble a lot or post up a lot(like Rondo tonight or Melo), you'll see LeBron's full repertoire on D. He's much better when he's guarding somebody he respects as a playmaker than Joe Schmo. That's not changing.

Not sure where Kyrie's hot streak came from. Those were not easy 3's. Well done Kyrie, well done.

For those of you worried about Mike Miller, it's not him, it's the scheme that doesn't know how to use him. Miller could barely walk in Miami because of his back yet he was still effective. Why? Spoelstra catered his offense around driving and kicking. Miller always had good wide open corner looks. Those looks are not a part of Blatt's offense, so Miller isn't getting his shots. Not sure the Cavs need him as much because their offense is already so good. Miami needed him because offense was hard to come by.

Things that do concern me and won't be easy fixes:

1. Dion in Blatt's doghouse. First Delly plays over him in the 4th and now a rookie. If that doesn't change before Delly gets back, Dion is going to say something to the media about it. You can guarantee that.
2. Wide open shots allowed. It looks to me like the Cavs are playing the same style of pick and roll D Miami played, but without the same athletes. That defense is predicated on forcing turnovers by making the offense panic. Not sure that type of D works with this set of players.
3. Joe Harris is getting too many minutes. I love Harris as a player, but this team needs Dion to play more. You can't rely on a rookie 2nd round pick come playoff time, especially when you are relegating a player much better than him to a bench role. Harris fits better than Miller in Blatt's scheme because he plays D, but there is no reason for him to be closing out games ahead of Dion. None. It's bad for team chemistry.

bobcat22 said:

1. Dion in Blatt's doghouse. First Delly plays over him in the 4th and now a rookie. If that doesn't change before Delly gets back, Dion is going to say something to the media about it. You can guarantee that.

3. Joe Harris is getting too many minutes. I love Harris as a player, but this team needs Dion to play more. You can't rely on a rookie 2nd round pick come playoff time, especially when you are relegating a player much better than him to a bench role. Harris fits better than Miller in Blatt's scheme because he plays D, but there is no reason for him to be closing out games ahead of Dion. None. It's bad for team chemistry.

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1) Dion needs to learn a thing or two from Delly and Joe. With Love, Lebron and Kyrie on this team....NO ONE wants to watch you prove you belong in the "Big 3. Play some defense and do the little things. It aint about Dion its about the team and W's.

3) Is it bad for the team chemistry or is it bad for Dion's ego? Whether or not you can rely on Joe come playoff time matters little right now. For all anyone knows those could be Ray Allen's minutes come playoff time. What matters now is people willing to buy in to the team mindset and if Blatt feels Joe fits that role better than Dion...AND wins are the results....tough titty says the kitty!!!