Game Thread | Game #64 | Raptors @ Cavs | Feb. 26, 2023 | 6 p.m.

[Peacedog]

The 3 Cavs bench players combined for a +30 last night, likely helping the Cavs to put more distance between them and the 2nd best bench unit in the league (according to the +/- stat). So we want to focus instead on their scoring numbers? Ok.

 

[2 For The Brew]

Basketball-reference.com shows everyone active last night except Diakite and Brobley. Cedi and Dylan are shown as DNP - CD (the only two players out of thirty active who didn’t play).

 

[charly]

In my opinion, Rubio sat in the corner, opening the court for other players is a mistake. I've seen this before in other teams and always happens the same. Rubio needs to be part of the creation, he is not a phinisher. Ricky is looking for confidance and that is not going to be found lost in the corner.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I think what's super key is that we played at a much faster pace. Especially after that flagrant review... went in trying to score quickly and they came back on defense just as fast.

Yeah, the Raptors are 6th in the league in shot attempts per game and 2nd in fast break points while the Cavs are the slowest paced team in the league. But last night it looked like the other way around as the Cavs outscored them on fast breaks by a whopping 23-6.

Not having VanVleet probably played into that, but still...I don't have the numbers to prove it but it seems the Cavs are trying to push the pace more lately. Allen is looking for opportunities to beat the opposing center down the floor for an easy bucket.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

The Cavs were up by 30 in the 4th quarter and Windler didn't get in? I don't expect him to play the rest of the season. He's a free agent and my guess is they have no intention of bringing him back. He's a Bielein pick.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

The Cavs were up by 30 in the 4th quarter and Windler didn't get in? I don't expect him to play the rest of the season. He's a free agent and my guess is they have no intention of bringing him back. He's a Bielein pick.

JBB must hate him more than sin.

 

[Dr. Claw]

JBB must hate him more than sin.

That would be a similar position as I, who is still mad the Cavs passed on Keldon Johnson for this theoretical shooting wing

 

[Dr. Claw]

That is simply the most satisfying win for the Cavs in a long, long time.
down 0-3 to these bums, and the Cavs let 'em know that they weren't getting that season sweep.
Annoying ass Poetl getting in the way Paul Reed style, OG and Pascal doing damage. Booty Fingers Trent got a taste of his own medicine.
Barney was basically a non-factor as was their annoying defensive "tactics" (i.e. fouling and not getting called on it).
And the Core 4 SHAT ON EM. Especially Donovan. Loved the JA to LeVert lob too.

They called that bullshit flagrant foul after review, and then the Cavs responded by going on something like a 45-20 run afterward. THAT is what you do after a bullshit call.

A lot of people are complaining about JB DNP-ing Cedi, but can you look at this game where he would have been necessary? Cedi is a matchup dependent sub, Lamar only comes in when the rest of the bench is playing like ass. (Ditto for Neto). No complaints about his subs and definitely not timeouts. The second Raptors came in and started getting easy buckets, JB called them in and they fixed it.
Nice to see coming after 2 straight games of bullshit.

 

[Dr. Claw]

Knowing your opponent, understanding how physical the game was going to be and exceeding that... - JBB

There have been games this year that the Cavs lost where JBB said they weren't prepared for the level of intensity or physicality. Not last night - they were ready. After getting beat three times by Toronto they knew what was coming and were ready and able to respond.

The way everyone was passing around the Raptors' defensive trickery to get to the hoop was smile-inducing basketball.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

That is simply the most satisfying win for the Cavs in a long, long time.
down 0-3 to these bums, and the Cavs let 'em know that they weren't getting that season sweep.
Annoying ass Poetl getting in the way Paul Reed style, OG and Pascal doing damage. Booty Fingers Trent got a taste of his own medicine.
Barney was basically a non-factor as was their annoying defensive "tactics" (i.e. fouling and not getting called on it).
And the Core 4 SHAT ON EM. Especially Donovan. Loved the JA to LeVert lob too.

They called that bullshit flagrant foul after review, and then the Cavs responded by going on something like a 45-20 run afterward. THAT is what you do after a bullshit call.

A lot of people are complaining about JB DNP-ing Cedi, but can you look at this game where he would have been necessary? Cedi is a matchup dependent sub, Lamar only comes in when the rest of the bench is playing like ass. (Ditto for Neto). No complaints about his subs and definitely not timeouts. The second Raptors came in and started getting easy buckets, JB called them in and they fixed it.
Nice to see coming after 2 straight games of bullshit.

Cedi was on the injury report and was not available.

 

[Dr. Claw]

Cedi was on the injury report and was not available.

Well, that explains it. I don't understand why the complaints so much if that is the case.

 

[Comeback kid]

Some “fans” only see points. They don’t really understand about who or what makes the team better.

 

[AllforOne]

Cedi was on the injury report and was not available.

Was he? He didn’t show up on the official NBA injury report. https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2023-02-26_05PM.pdf

 

[Comeback kid]

He was on it the game before but I’d guess that’s why he didn’t play. No need to.

 

[Jscc]

I want to be excited about them getting back on track, but it's difficult. Any game where they shoot 50% from 3 is going to likely be a blowout. Let's see what happens against Boston.