2023-24 Playoff Series #1 | Game #3 | Cavs @ Magic | April 25, 2024

[Smooth]

This is why I hated trying to pick your opponents. It just showed how weak minded this team was. Win every ducking game. It’s how you build a culture and a mindset, like the Knicks. They showed they were soft and looking to make the game easier, that’s not how this works.

So if Cavs were picking their opponents, why did they pick to potentially face Boston in the second round and make the game harder?

 

[Green Lantern]

I missed the game but I know it was tied at 21...then it was blowout at the half...looks like they folded..which is what we saw in the second half of the season..Unless someone here can tell me differently looked like they imploded..

 

[amil99]

Wait what happened the first two games that I missed?

At home and couldn’t even crack 100 points against probably the most inexperienced team in the playoffs. Impressive.

 

[bushwick_bill]

If you look beyond the stats Oubre is a better fit because it would've allowed us to build a stronger bench and it would've gave our starting lineup more length.

I don't disagree with your ideal role for Strus by if that's ultimately what he is which I believe to be the case, trading for him and starting him was a mistake.

Isn't the knock on Oubre is that he doesn't make the best decisions in the world...

 

[Smooth]

At home and couldn’t even crack 100 points against probably the most inexperienced team in the playoffs. Impressive.

We're complaining about back to back double digit wins?

 

[bushwick_bill]

Okay, why you bringing the bullshit whisperer here sir

He is my go to guy him and Bob!

(it is a valid point in his tweet)

 

[amil99]

We're complaining about back to back double digit wins?

Yes

 

[Smooth]

Yes

 

[bushwick_bill]

 

[Los216]

Isn't the knock on Oubre is that he doesn't make the best decisions in the world...

The whole point is that we chose to go the SF by committee route but all of our options are undersized SF's.

Look at what we paid and gave up for Okoro, LeVert, and Strus. That's a #5 overall pick, another 1st, and a S&T contract extension.

Like, if were were going SF by committee then we could've had a combination of Kelly Oubre, Torrey Craig, KJ Martin, and had enough assets to trade for guys like Royce O'Neal, DFS, or RUI.

If we were going the SF by committee route then I would've much rather preferred us to get more athletic and more length. The shooting that Strus was supposed to bring isn't elite enough to cancel out going the route that I would'vd preferred.

 

[-Akronite-]

Before this came to mind, I thought about how we traded 30 point blowouts against the Wiz back in the day.

Win game 4 and wrap it up at home. They can do it.

 

[cavsfever]

If you look beyond the stats Oubre is a better fit because it would've allowed us to build a stronger bench and it would've gave our starting lineup more length.

I don't disagree with your ideal role for Strus by if that's ultimately what he is which I believe to be the case, trading for him and starting him was a mistake.

Strus has just never been that good a player. His *lifetime* three point percentage in the playoffs is 32%. In the regular season he gets you 10 ppg on decent but not great three point shooting and decent but not great defense. The Heat make hard working players with average talent look REALLY good but once they leave the Heat those players tend to revert to who they are.

 

[Smooth]

The whole point is that we chose to go the SF by committee route but all of our options are undersized SF's.

Look at what we paid and gave up for Okoro, LeVert, and Strus. That's a #5 overall pick, another 1st, and a S&T contract extension.

Like, if were were going SF by committee then we could've had a combination of Kelly Oubre, Torrey Craig, KJ Martin, and had enough assets to trade for guys like Royce O'Neal, DFS, or RUI.

If we were going the SF by committee route then I would've much rather preferred us to get more athletic and more length. The shooting that Strus was supposed to bring isn't elite enough to cancel out going the route that I would'vd preferred.

You draw me right back in..

LeVert for DFS this offseason is one of my favorite moves..

 

[Otsego Mar]

I missed the game but I know it was tied at 21...then it was blowout at the half...looks like they folded..which is what we saw in the second half of the season..Unless someone here can tell me differently looked like they imploded..

Banchero went off. Suggs played well and Orlando shot much better, especially in the 2nd half.

Our guys were sloppy. I was watching the Orlando feed and they mentioned the Cavs, at one point, ONLY had 9 turnovers....and I couldn't believe it because I would have thought it was closer to 19.

Poor performance all around offensively, maybe outside of JA and a few nifty plays by Mobley. Nobody could hit a 3.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

Not much to say. The Cavs signaled right away that they weren't serious about this game by allowing eight offensive rebounds in the first quarter. If you let the opponent just keep taking shots eventually they'll start making them.

The Magic missed their first six 3's, as usual, but the Cavs could not make them pay because of the offensive rebounds.

The Cavs have been trying to shed the label of being soft, but after tonight's bitch slapping whatever progress they've made in that area is gone. Orlando overwelmed them physically and pushed the lead to 35 points after three quarters. The Magic simply bullied them all over the floor.

Seven games between these teams including the regular season and the team with the best 3-point shooting percentage has won every one.

Banchero did what I expected and stopped bricking 3's and started taking more mid-range shots, which he excels at. He's like a DeMar DeRozan in the mid-range, only four inches taller and a lot more physical. If he's got Mobley all over him he just throws his shoulder into Mobley's (or whoever's) chest and then hits the step-back shot.

The way the refs are calling it, anytime a shooter needs space to get his shot off he just launches himself at the defender, knocking him backward, and then takes the shot. This plays to Orlando's advantage.

The Okoro draft pick is really hurting us because we wasted a #5 pick on a backup. Isaac was -20 in 16 minutes and failed to score while picking up four fouls. I'm not blaming him because if he scores 20 we still lose, but not getting a good starter with that pick hurt.

Niang has gone from bad to embarassing. This game was lost by the starters, but anyone who had never seen either team play and watched the game would be asking why that painfully slow, fat guy is in the league.