Game 26: Raptors @ Cavs | Dec. 18th | 7:00 PM EST

[Tornicade]

I actuallly dnt mind miles when he plays the 2 but quit putting him in the three.

 

[Mdog1]

So it doesn't bother you in the least half our roster, and our star pg, play defense like they forgot to take their tampon out?

Or is it alright not to give a fuck because they will flip the switch and really start to care in about 3 years when we are done tanking?

Now now, there are a lot of WNBA teams, and womens college teams that play better defense than this Cavs team did tonight.

I can't knock this shitty team for losing, and I couldn't care less if Omri, Miles, etc don't give any effort on defense, but when Kyrie doesn't give 10% of the effort on defense that he does on offense I care. Those other guys aren't going to be here long, but Kyrie is a cornerstone, and he is the leader of the team. If he doesn't care, than nobody else will either. Someone needs to light a fire under his ass. Pull him for a few minutes when he doesn't go hard on defense, or something.

That said Kyrie looked like he was giving a half assed effort tonight on defense, which sadly is an improvement... Boobie also had one possession in particular where he played great D and he forced a turnover.

 

[adanchristian]

Worst game of the season so far. Losing to the Raptors is ridicoulous.
Alan Anderson, Amyr Johnson, Jose Calderon, these are scrubs beating us. We should play better than that, specially at home.

 

[Rich]

Now now, there are a lot of WNBA teams, and womens college teams that play better defense than this Cavs team did tonight.

I can't knock this shitty team for losing, and I couldn't care less if Omri, Miles, etc don't give any effort on defense, but when Kyrie doesn't give 10% of the effort on defense that he does on offense I care. Those other guys aren't going to be here long, but Kyrie is a cornerstone, and he is the leader of the team. If he doesn't care, than nobody else will either. Someone needs to light a fire under his ass. Pull him for a few minutes when he doesn't go hard on defense, or something.

That said Kyrie looked like he was giving a half assed effort tonight on defense, which sadly is an improvement... Boobie also had one possession in particular where he played great D and he forced a turnover.

To be fair to Kyrie his worst defensive trips generally came with Zeller on the floor, particularly when Zeller's man would set the screen. AC pointed out one possession where he could tell Zeller failed to communicate with Kyrie. And then on top that of, it's a rare sight when Zeller actually HELPS on the screen. Normally he stands about 5 feet back (or he's to slow staying with his man and therefore is late to the party when the screen is set). He has to get better on that end. He's killing the guards when his guy sets a screen.

 

[rabman_gold]

Rules about basketball:

1) If your star has no help, it's likely he has to save the energy for where he's needed (like making shots)
2) If said star is playing and giving effort on defense, it may be a different reason for the bad possessions (case in point: Calderon is a pick and roll guy who shoots like Nash, similar to our own; how do you defend yourself?)
3) "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", maybe if you facing off against a center and 4 perimeter player team, you need to be able to stay with them (they had Kleiza as their PF, can Thompson stick to that guy?)
4) You have a good perimeter defender, but everyone realizes he's only 6 foot 1; what can you do if he's always being played at the big-guard position (and he's no point guard either...)
5) A lot of the emotional people get crabby and whine and groan after losses, so there's no point to responding to them because they're chicken littles... I just ignore it because most of it isn't even true anyways...
6) This team isn't at their best, they have over $20 million in space they didn't use, if they realize they aren't up for going further, they'll at least put in effort... hopefully it doesn't backfire on them with the core pieces

 

[Futuredome]

Even the Raptors bow to the Cavs tank. It is rolling very strong right now

 

[kidduck]

One word for Cavs loss: Yuck.

Sam The Bullshit Whisperer

December 18, 2012

CLEVELAND -- That, folks, was downright troubling.

Honestly, there’s no other way to explain the Cavaliers’ 113-99 home loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday. I mean, we’re not talking about the Oklahoma City Thunder here.

We’re talking about the Raptors -- who galloped their way to an 11-game road losing streak on their way to The Q. That’s bad. Like, real bad.

So the Cavs probably figured all they had to do was show up, and who knows? Maybe they were right. But they couldn’t even be bothered to do that much.

Young team or not, that's inexcusable.

You don’t allow a team like Toronto to shoot 52 percent from the floor and 50 percent on three-pointers. You don't let the Raptors’ bench outscore yours by a 59-21 count. You don’t concede an entire second half just because, apparently, you don’t really want to make an effort on defense.

Oh, by the way, the Raptors were without two starters, who also happen to be their second- and third-leading scorers -- as Andre Bargnani (16.0 ppg) and Kyle Lowery (15.8) were both injured.

That’s like getting beat up by the weakest kid in your class with one arm tied behind his back.

But for the Cavs (5-21), it’s about more than just one game. This season is really about the big picture, the long-term. And that’s OK.

At least, it’s OK until you get embarrassed in games like these. The Cavs didn’t need to win. They just needed to be engaged. They weren’t, and when it comes to battling second-rate outfits, they haven't been nearly enough.

That is an awful habit to develop at such a tender age. After all, it can last entire NBA lifetimes.

You get pumped up for the Kobe Bryants of the world and fall asleep on the Jose Calderons, and both can end up making you feel miserable.

Calderon is the Raptors’ point guard (well, backup point guard) and he looked about as good as Lakers star Bryant when Bryant was in town last week.

Tuesday, Calderon finished with 23 points on 10-for-15 shooting, and he did all of it in the first three quarters.

Or how about that Raptors’ bench? Alan Anderson came off it to score 18 points on 6-for-12 shooting. Amir Johnson came off it for 17 on 6-for-7.

Never heard of Anderson or Johnson? Don’t feel bad. They entered the night averaging slightly better than 15 points. Combined.

As for the Cavs, well, it’d be unfair to call out any one individual. This was a total team flop in the truest sense. As you can tell by the numbers, the majority of the frustrations took place on D.

The Cavs lacked effort in that area, didn’t play smart in that area, didn’t consider the perimeter or protect the basket in that area.

No less than Cavs coach Byron Scott said, “From a defensive standpoint, we took a step back.”

He later added, “If you want to be successful, it’s on that end of the floor first. It has to be for 48 minutes.”

As usual, Kyrie Irving (23 points, seven assists) can be pardoned. He was one of the few guys who seemed just as concerned with shutting down his man as he did with getting to shoot. Same, as usual, goes for Anderson Varejao (22 points, 10 rebounds).

And say what you will about Tristan Thompson’s incommunicable struggles on offense, at least he hustled and tried to make some winning plays.

This isn’t intended to trash the other guys, because even Scott will tell you that everyone must play with more energy, more confidence, more intelligence, and with a sense of more purpose.

Until then, all the draft picks and assets and promising young talent won’t mean a thing. It’ll just leave you with more losses and more empty feelings.

“When we play the lower-echelon teams, we don’t come out like we want to,” Irving said. “We’ve got to come out with more focus and a killer mentality.”

At least the Cavs know that. Or at least they say they do.

Now they need to put it into action.

Otherwise, the end result will be the same type of humiliation suffered Tuesday. Or worse, allowing humiliations such as Tuesday's to become a habit.

Link: http://www.foxsportsohio.com/12/18/...ing_cavaliers.html?blockID=837195&feedID=3561

 

[Rich]

Rules about basketball:

1) If your star has no help, it's likely he has to save the energy for where he's needed (like making shots)
2) If said star is playing and giving effort on defense, it may be a different reason for the bad possessions (case in point: Calderon is a pick and roll guy who shoots like Nash, similar to our own; how do you defend yourself?)
3) "When in Rome, do as the Romans do", maybe if you facing off against a center and 4 perimeter player team, you need to be able to stay with them (they had Kleiza as their PF, can Thompson stick to that guy?)
4) You have a good perimeter defender, but everyone realizes he's only 6 foot 1; what can you do if he's always being played at the big-guard position (and he's no point guard either...)
5) A lot of the emotional people get crabby and whine and groan after losses, so there's no point to responding to them because they're chicken littles... I just ignore it because most of it isn't even true anyways...
6) This team isn't at their best, they have over $20 million in space they didn't use, if they realize they aren't up for going further, they'll at least put in effort... hopefully it doesn't backfire on them with the core pieces

And there is the problem Boobie always has had. He's good, but he's small. So he's not particularly effective guarding 2s. However, because he simply sucks at running the offense, he doesn't get much time at point, meaning on the defensive end he HAS to guard 2s. His limitations on offense cause him to be mis-matched on defense, and his defensive skills are negated.

 

[th1]

i don't understand, why you, guys, have so little respect for Raps. They are not any worse than Cavs. I would say, even better

 

[Kevalier]

What should have been...