Game 68 | Cavs (42-25) @ Magic (21-45) | March 15th, 2015 | 6:00pm EST

[malus]

2 games isn't going to take away the stretch of 20+ games they have played championship caliber defense before them.

I thought they were playing around league average defense since the start of the hot streak.

 

[Jscc]

Interesting fact: Cleveland is 11th overall in points allowed @ 98.8 PPG. Golden State is 14th overall in points allowed @ 99.5 PPG.

 

[col63onel]

Interesting fact: Cleveland is 11th overall in points allowed @ 98.8 PPG. Golden State is 14th overall in points allowed @ 99.5 PPG.

GS also plays at a much faster pace. Per BBRef, GS averages 6 more possessions a game, yet gives up less than 1 point more.

In Defensive efficiency, GS still leads the league, and the Cavs are 19th.

 

[Benedict_Boozer]

Only had a few thoughts on this game.

Lebron's court vision is amazing. He instinctually sees a defensive rotation ahead. Can't teach that.

Shump looks better and better, especially on D.

ORL is scrappy, they wouldn't take their loss - kept fighting back and Blatt doesn't pull starters until he is 100% certain with zero doubt the game is a wrap. Gonna make the MIA game tough.

 

[tocov]

I liked it.
We played really loosely and didn't give a lot of fucks on D. It was like a practice game and the guys had fun.
It's nice when your team can kick it in first or second gear and still win the game with absolute certainty.

 

[Jscc]

In Defensive efficiency, GS still leads the league, and the Cavs are 19th.

I'm shocked Milwaukee has the highest defensive efficiency in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta is only 4th after Milwaukee, Washington, and Indiana.

With the exception of Brooklyn, Toronto, Orlando, and New York... Cavs have the worst defensive efficiency in the East. That's embarrassing.

 

[col63onel]

I'm shocked Milwaukee has the highest defensive efficiency in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta is only 4th after Milwaukee, Washington, and Indiana.

With the exception of Brooklyn, Toronto, Orlando, and New York... Cavs have the worst defensive efficiency in the East. That's embarrassing.

On the bright side, I think we might have pulled ahead of the Clips for best Offensive efficiency in the NBA. If not, we are very close and a good game tomorrow would put us in front.

 

[tocov]

I'm shocked Milwaukee has the highest defensive efficiency in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta is only 4th after Milwaukee, Washington, and Indiana.

With the exception of Brooklyn, Toronto, Orlando, and New York... Cavs have the worst defensive efficiency in the East. That's embarrassing.

Those stats lie a little, when we blow out teams by 30+ and then our bench warmers somehow get it down to 10 points.

 

[thunder_down_under]

GS also plays at a much faster pace. Per BBRef, GS averages 6 more possessions a game, yet gives up less than 1 point more.

In Defensive efficiency, GS still leads the league, and the Cavs are 19th.

All these stats are giving me a headache...there is one stat that matters...we have won 43 games and we are going to make the playoffs. All these stats don't amount to a hill of beans until the playoffs...until then it is tinkering and conjecture

 

[Andrew]

I love this team beating the teams they are supposed to at the right time to broaden the gap for the second seed in the conference.

I enjoyed this game, despite it being against the Orlando Magic. The pace this team wants to play with is beautiful basketball and I dare any other team to try and stop them on the fast break. 18 out of 35 three's made and the 2 leading scorers were not James. Irving is on a great offensive tear right now, netting 33 and Smith with 25.

Orlando had 11 offensive boards in the first 8 minutes and had second chance after second chance from the tip so I was glad Cleveland got it there and battled for the boards afterwards.

That was scary with LBJ's knee but this guy is indestructible, if he doesn't go against Miami that is okay but it will probably just be sore.

Anyways....on a personal side note....I wanna have that female ref's babies.

 

[Cavsfan161]

Kyrie 90 points in two games

 

[kimdimasan]

Did Mozgov suck again? Didn't watch the game. 23 minutes?

 

[MaccabiCavs]

The Cavs looked super asleep tonight... like just playing to put another W but not really with any enthusiasem.. I guess that's what lack of competition does

 

[The Oi]

Did Mozgov suck again? Didn't watch the game. 23 minutes?

He was ok. Vucevic was making him look a fool, but he does that to everyone.

Moz did a good job protectint against everyone else, but wasn't a huge factor on offense because the focus on Kyrie and LeBron's drives were to either score or kick out to the perimeter, rather than a lot of oops and pocket passes. Weren't many opportunities for him.

In other news, Vuc is the real deal. He can do everything on offense.

 

[czvo]

Moz really isn't a good one-on-one post defender (the numbers back this up). Where he butters his bread is as a rim protector. However, put him on the block and ask him to defend a guy in the post, and things usually won't end well.