Hey Windy --- 4.10.15
http://stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=70&c=18273&f=4243843
01. (Cleveland Indians opening day talk)
02. (NCAA Championship basketball game talk)
03. (Why Windy hates Duke)
04. (Why Windy respects Coach K of Duke)
05. (Talking about NCAA basketball prospects for the NBA draft)
06. Don't worry about the next 4 games or about the talk of whether guys should rest or not. Don't worry if guys take time off. Games are meaningless. "Rest vs rust" is just media guys filling time [but Blatt has talked about keeping guys in rhythm; this sounds like Windy's version of what is and is not important].
07. The Celtics games coming up are important for Boston. But not for the Cavs. Cavs have to do what is best to them, if that means to rest guys so be it.
08. Don't ever overreact to 1 playoff game. Like if the Cavs go down 0-1 in a series.
09. The first day of the Finals is 8 weeks away. It's a long process.
10. The toughest grind of the playoffs is the mental part, more so than the physical part.
11. The Cavs have the ability to score points in dramatic fashion, very quickly.
12. If the Cavs get down in a playoff game, they can get back into it because they can score quickly.
13. If the Cavs lose 1-2 games in the first round, it's not a big deal.
14. If the Cavs go down 2-1 in a series, people will panic. Including ESPN. We will stoke that panic (use it for headlines and stories).
15. LeBron has been behind in a number of playoff series, and come back to win them.
16. Bill Simmons made the case in his podcast that the Bucks could upset the Raptors in the first round.
17. Celtics play a different style of switching defense.
18. Cavs should use the two games against Boston to scout them.
19. Cavs want the Raptors in the #3 seed.
20. I would pick Cavs over the Bulls in 6 games. But it would be a tough series.
21. Raptors are not super talented, and Lowry is hurting.
22. Cavs could have dream first two rounds. Sub 500 team and then winner of Bucks/Raptors.
23. Cavs should be rooting for the Raptors to win out.
24. Caller: Has LeBron/Blatt relationship got better? Do you have different take on LeBron calling plays now after the reaction in the media last week? What role will Perkins play in playoffs?
25.
Windy: LeBron and Blatt are fine; they have working relationship. LeBron trusts him more now than earlier in the season.
26.
Windy: When I said LeBron was calling plays, not a big deal. Would be different if he played for Popovich, LeBron would call fewer plays then. Media ran with what I said, made it a big deal. Bigger than how I felt about it.
27.
Windy: I don't want to talk anymore about the controversy over my comments or my getting "called out." Most of what was said about it was said by people (I think he said) who don't understand how the league works (I think this was the ESPN Elhassan argument that was mentioned in the Blatt thread). [Good thing here is that Windy is determined to move on from this whole 'dirty laundry' discussion. Great.]
28.
Windy: I don't think Perkins will play much in the playoffs. He's an insurance policy.
29. [So, Windy still took a bit of a 'comparative' shot at Blatt by comparing him to Popovich and by mentioning that LeBron may have scrapped Blatt's offense earlier in the season, but Windy wants to move on from early in the season 'dirty laundry' and not focus on negative stuff with Blatt, it seems. Awesome.]
30. Tweeter: How is the playoff atmosphere at the Q?
31. Windy: Fans are intense, it should be an advantage for the Cavs.
32. LeBron told me (at the Bucks road game, which Windy was at) that he likes playing on the road in the playoffs.
33. Tweeter: What will Mike Miller's role be down the stretch and into the playoffs?
34. Windy: Miller is a zombie. Will be revived and hit threes. Can do it at any time.
35. With trades, Miller has less of a role now. Ideally Cavs won't see him (in playoffs).
36. Cavs could use Miller as a "curveball" move in a series, though, to change momentum in a series.
37. If Mike Miller makes just one play in the playoffs to help Cavs win, then his salary is worth it. [Too bad the Heat didn't realize this; LeBron might still be there. Which could be Windy's point]
38. I think James Jones will get more run than Mike Miller (and Marion) in the playoffs.
39. The big NBA news of the last week is what happened in Atlanta.
40. Hawks have leveled off in last 6 weeks. Clinched early.
41. Millsap hurt his shoulder. Sefalosha out for the year with the lower leg injury.
42. Sefalosha would have guarded LeBron or Kyrie. With Carroll, that was who Atlanta was going to use to guard LeBron and Kyrie.
43. Sefalosha injury is significant for the Hawks.
44. Host: I give credit to Brad Stevens of the Celtics.
45. Windy: Yes credit to Celtics. They can be hard to guard. They switch a lot on defense.
46. I'm not sure if any of Boston's top 7 players would play in Cleveland's top 7 rotation.
47. Cavs would have big edge over Boston in terms of talent in a series.
48. SALARY CAP 101. Nuggets acquired a player who will likely be waived, and it will cost everyone on the roster $100,000. They were below the salary cap floor. So the difference the team is below the salary cap floor is split up between the entire roster. But Denver picked up Shavlik Randolph on waivers and that put them above the salary cap floor (or less below it), so roster not get the bonus now from team being below the salary cap floor (or as far below it). Saved the team $1.2 million.
49. NON BOLD PREDICTION. Cavs will play Nets in the playoffs in the first round. Cavs were 3-1 against the Nets this year.
50. Cavs may want to beat the Wizards next week to help make sure Toronto gets the #3 seed.
51. I think Thunder make the playoffs rather than the Pelicans. But it won't matter. Warriors will wipe them out.
52. Watch who the Spurs play in the playoffs. It is in flux.
53. I will be watching The Masters later today. But I will say I'm going to be watching the Indians' opener, because my wife cares about the Indians' opener.
