Re: Game 26: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Chicago Bulls | December 21st, 2013 | 8:00 PM [EST
Torn... there is a disconnect between your optimism and the reality of the NBA landscape we are playing in this season and how it pertains to where we should be as a team that is actively TRYING to win games and establish an identity. Show me the stat for percentage of teams we are playing against who are actively tanking and sub .500 VS the teams who are contending? Or the stat for front offices who cringe seeing us on the schedule knowing their coach by sheer ability to make in game adjustments, will have a punches chance against Mike Brown no matter how many guys he puts on the injury list for that night (Chicago had about 7 of them, 5 rotational, if you were wondering).
I dont need stats when the game is playing out in front of my eyes. There is NBA League Pass Broadband with archiveable games for this.
Defensive efficiency net average for a season means shit when an offense figures out how to exploit a defense DURING THE COURSE OF ONE GAME. Half the teams we have played have NO incentive to even try to win most nights. Chicago, honestly, is one of them. Stacey King sounded disappointed that we did not adjust our defense and shut down the great DJ Augustine and Tony Snell last night, you know why? Cause he wants Jabari Parker playing at home next to a healthy D. Rose and Joakim Noah next season. Mike Brown said screw that, take this win and enjoy it Chicago.
But by all means, tell me where our backcourt and bench efficiency ranks amongst 30 teams when 22 of them are actively trying to lose games every night and even then, we are losing games to them and their patchwork rotations.
When I psoted those efficiencies differences. I hadnt really looked at them before but they certainly do illustrate the differences between the teams home performances and road perfomances.
You expect a dropoff froma team playig at home to the road but the drop off of the starting unit is phenonomal and really pops out when compared to what the Cavs opponents are perfoming at.
you want to bring in other teams motivations or records. those things arent really a factor. it doesnt matter who the cavs are playing on the road they are playing horrible and the biggest offender is the starting unit.
I really didnt see anything optimistic in the picture painted by those stats at all so im left wondering if you read what im actually saying or presume that you already know.
I dont care who you have coaching the Cavs this starting lineup isnt doing what they need to do on the road and all the schemes and adjustment wont make a difference if the players dont put in the work to execute such a simplified game plan.
The Cavs are literally playing three times worse on the road than they are at home.
short handed teams win all the time in the NBA looking at the roster report isnt actually watching the game either.
CJ miles just isnt an NBA starter.
Alonzoo Gee isnt an NBa starter
Bynum needs to play on both sides of the court on the road.
Kyrie needs to play defense on the road. especially when he is nearly invisible or doesnt have his shot.
Thompson cant guard opposing teams front courts by himself on the road.
its a matter of scale.
Cavs have 2 starters coming off the bench and 2 starters who shouldnt be there at all.. by your own count its three starters since you think Thompson should be coming off the bench.. exactly what is Brown supposed to do to mask all that when combined with a complete total lack of effort.
What clear tyhough is Dion wasnt the problem and his removal from the starting linep did not help them. this is made clear when the players level of effort in home games is removed from the equation.
Its also clear that Gee's move into the starting lineup hasnt brought any progress or advancement.
Your solution is to fire the coach and bench Tristan. this really sets up bennett for failure because even if he is on the court with bynum. he still is sharing the court with GEE and Miles.
I want to see solutions that actually address the issues on court. such as setting the tone, aggresive defense and consistency on the road that isnt just consistently bad.
This team either plays defense and gets stops then cant score or scores and cant get stops. I havent seen you provide one explanation why the Cavs perform well at home and not on the road. or why browns strats play well at home and not on the road.