Game 4: Rockets @ Cavs, Nov. 1st 2016, 6 pm EST

[KilgoreTrout]

Harden and Westbrook are putting up absurd #s this year.

Harden's a chump. That guy's entire game consists of initiating contact, when the refs aren't looking, and then falling down, and getting rewarded for it with free throws. That guy will never lead a contender. He doesn't play the right way.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Exactly. I don't get the bitching about LBJ being passive and facilitating. If you ask me, this team is MUCH more deadly with LBJ having 10/10/15pts stat line. As opposed to LBJ having a 7/7/25pts stat line.

Believe me now and hear me later: Bron will average 22 pts/10 asts/ 8 rebs this year, and will be unstoppable. Kyrie will average 25 and 5. Love will average 20 and 12. The Cavs are going to get it together this year, in a way they haven't done previously, and it's going to be beautiful.

 

[cavsfever]

So what did I miss? Looks like a nice win but a no-defense game that was a little closer than one would like for a home game against the Rockets.

One thing I saw in the box score: 36 minutes for LBJ and 35 minutes for Kyrie, and zero for any of Felder/Liggins/McRae, not to mention no PT for Anderson or James Jones.

Counting Mo we apparently have SIX roster slots used on people that we don't seem willing to play with any consistency in regular season games. This is bad, it will hurt us eventually, one way or another.

 

[Zog]

James is in chill-mode.. He's done this two years straight...

It's actually better for the team, because it allows Love and Kyrie to get into a rhythm.

Chill mode is ok, this is different to me. Last year in the first 10 games, LeBron averaged 20.8 shot attempts per game and attempted under 19 shots just once (in a game where he was awful, .308 from the field). Last year he averagex 19.2 shots per game over the first 10.

This year he's averaging 14.5 shots per game and hasn't attempted more than 16 shots in a game.

To me, chill mode means taking plays off, not giving 100% on defense, making some lazy passes. But that doesn't mean suddenly attempting 5-6 less shots per game. That's a totally different style of play.

Dude was 2 assists short of a T-D, it is game 4. Relax.

I realize that, and it's why I said I probably shouldn't worry until spring. But it will be a trend I keep my eye on. I really think LeBron is most effective when he's taking about 18 shots per game and is more aggressively looking for his shot.

My main concern is that the team starts to get used to playing this way, with LeBron shooting less than he should, and then the playoffs or Finals come around, and suddenly we are forced to play a different way (with LeBron attempting more shots) than all season prior.

Maybe I'm completely wrong and LeBron has decided he wants to play like the Spurs for the rest of his career.

 

[gourimoko]

Chill mode is ok, this is different to me. Last year in the first 10 games, LeBron averaged 20.8 shot attempts per game and attempted under 19 shots just once (in a game where he was awful, .308 from the field). Last year he averagex 19.2 shots per game over the first 10.

This year he's averaging 14.5 shots per game and hasn't attempted more than 16 shots in a game.



I realize that, and it's why I said I probably shouldn't worry until spring. But it will be a trend I keep my eye on. I really think LeBron is most effective when he's taking about 18 shots per game and is more aggressively looking for his shot.

My main concern is that the team starts to get used to playing this way, with LeBron shooting less than he should, and then the playoffs or Finals come around, and suddenly we are forced to play a different way (with LeBron attempting more shots) than all season prior.

I think what he's doing is giving Love and Kyrie room to grow.

LeBron can turn it on whenever he wants, but I also think he wants these guys to take on more of the scoring load, particularly Irving given his ability to do so.

I would love it if we could run a faster pace to create more shot opportunities to help even this out.

 

[Zog]

I think what he's doing is giving Love and Kyrie room to grow.

LeBron can turn it on whenever he wants, but I also think he wants these guys to take on more of the scoring load, particularly Irving given his ability to do so.

I would love it if we could run a faster pace to create more shot opportunities to help even this out.

I agree, he's letting them take on more of the load. As long as we can adjust on the fly when LeBron wants to takeover/decides to start taking more shots, or simply has to do so given the situation/opponent, I'm ok with it. I'm just not sure it won't mess with other players' rhythm if he suddenly starts taking 19 shots a game again, and that's my concern.

 

[TitleTown]

Believe me now and hear me later: Bron will average 22 pts/10 asts/ 8 rebs this year, and will be unstoppable. Kyrie will average 25 and 5. Love will average 20 and 12. The Cavs are going to get it together this year, in a way they haven't done previously, and it's going to be beautiful.

I think we are doing great already. We have to find our flow defensively, but I prefer laid back LBJ in the regular season. The dude is getting old. He doesn't need to go for 22/10/8 when he can effortlessly get 15/10/10--and our team is even better when he gets the tripple double.

I don't give two shits about regular season paper championships. We have 1 goal. Stay healthy. Period. 2nd goal: start to find our flow by the all-star break. 3rd goal: figure backup PG by trade deadline.

All else is just noise.

 

[Jordan]

It says when the possession starts 20 feet away. The nba three point line is 24.7 Couldn't this perhaps skew the data?

But that isn't what it said. Read it again:

"Any touch that starts at least 20 feet of the hoop and is dribbled within 10 feet of the hoop and excludes fast breaks."

The data isn't skewed, dude. Refs called Kyrie and Steph fairly equally in the finals. I didn't have a problem at all in regards to Kyrie. They were bullshit-level bad when it came to LeBron though.

 

[Gus Zing]

Believe me now and hear me later: Bron will average 22 pts/10 asts/ 8 rebs this year, and will be unstoppable. Kyrie will average 25 and 5. Love will average 20 and 12. The Cavs are going to get it together this year, in a way they haven't done previously, and it's going to be beautiful.

I'm ok with it in the regular season.

However, in the playoffs/finals we need savage 30/10/9 Bron..

 

[KilgoreTrout]

I think we are doing great already. We have to find our flow defensively, but I prefer laid back LBJ in the regular season. The dude is getting old. He doesn't need to go for 22/10/8 when he can effortlessly get 15/10/10--and our team is even better when he gets the tripple double.

I don't give two shits about regular season paper championships. We have 1 goal. Stay healthy. Period. 2nd goal: start to find our flow by the all-star break. 3rd goal: figure backup PG by trade deadline.

All else is just noise.

I thought tonight was fine. They were distracted, playing against a team that can shoot the lights out, but plays no defense. They got the win, when everyone's energy and focus was across the street.

The Rockets shoot and make a lot of threes, and they get a lot of long rebounds. They will probably break the record for threes attempted. They still aren't any good. We didn't expend a ton of energy, but still beat them. I just feel bad that the Tribe game was over, by the time our players got there.

But we're 4-0, playing sloppy basketball. And Love and Irving are getting it going. JR and RJ are contributing. Dunleavy looks ok. TT's a slow starter, but hit the offense glass tonight. Just have to see what we have in the rest of the bench.

Let's go champs!

 

[KilgoreTrout]

I'm ok with it in the regular season.

However, in the playoffs/finals we need savage 30/10/9 Bron..

I think Bron might be transitioning to 1971-72 Wilt, who put up 15/4/19. Wilt was the facilitator for West and Goodrich, on a team that won 69 game - 33 in a row. I'm ok with that.

 

[Andrew]

I am completely fine with Irving being this team's leading scorer. We all know who the best player in the world is and to have that guy defer more often then not and to take over a game without scoring a point is a beautiful thing.

Loved the production seen from Irving and Love. I expect to see this Irving so I am more intrigued with the production of Love this season so far. Very efficient. Notable mention to the likes of JR hitting big 3s and Frye coming back in from a horrible situation with 11.

 

[Freak]

Cleveland is playing beautiful basketball right now, better than last year.
To me they seem experienced and ready to take on anyone after being able to beat the warriors last season.
They are still playing with a lot of humility
Mentally and physically they look like they know what they are doing.

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Wouldn't be surprised if LeBron's back is bothering him. Lloyd tweeted last night that Mancias and Dr. Richard Parker were in the locker room before halftime while LeBron was in there. Might be something worth monitoring the next couple weeks.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

Cleveland is playing beautiful basketball right now, better than last year.
To me they seem experienced and ready to take on anyone after being able to beat the warriors last season.
They are still playing with a lot of humility
Mentally and physically they look like they know what they are doing.

You think they are playing beautiful basketball? I see a lot of talent that wins us games rather than good well coached basketball but maybe it's just me.
Defense is part of basketball too aswell you know.