Game #61 | Cavaliers (36-24) vs. Sixers (32-27) | March 1st, 2018 @ 8:00 PM EST

[Stark]

WELCOME TO MARCH BASKETBALL!

2017-18 NBA Season | Game #61
Cleveland Cavaliers (36-24) vs. Philadelphia 76ers (32-27)
March 1st, 2018 @ 8:00 PM EST
Live from Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH

Head Coaches

Ty Lue
Played Larry Nance Jr. and Rodney Hood the last 16.5 minutes vs Brooklyn

Brett Brown
Is trusting the process in Philadelphia

Projected Starters

George Hill
Had his Cavalier-best game against Brooklyn, with 26 points on 9-17 FG

Rodney Hood
Hood in starts this season: 17.4 PPG, 2.3 RPG, 54.9 TS%

Cedi Osman
Shooting 40% from three on the season

LeBron James
Averaged a triple-double in a month for the first time in his career in February

Tristan Thompson
Has accumulated a season-high 13 rebounds in back to back games

Ben Simmons
One of three players to be averaging at least 16 PPG, 7 RPG, 7 APG (James, Westbrook)

J.J. Redick
Having his worst three point shooting season (.396) since 2013-14

Robert Covington
Currently tied for the best DRTG of his career (104)

Dario Saric
Top-4 on the Sixers in PPG, RPG, 3PT%, FT%, PER, and WS

Joel Embiid
One of three players to be averaging at least 23 PPG and 11 RPG (Davis, Cousins)

​

 

[Stark]

While I've got your attention: there are plenty of available spots left for game previews this season. This is my sixth year here, and this is the first time we've ever been scrambling so much for previews.

We've got a championship contending team here, even if it doesn't always look like it. Sign up and help fill out the rest of this season's game previews here: http://realcavsfans.com/community/index.php?threads/game-thread-sign-ups-2017-2018.48365/

You get cool access to things if you do.

 

[Ohio]

Was going to predict Sixers by double digits, but JR being out and Hood starting might actually give us a chance to win.

Then again, we're starting Tristan Thompson.

Yeah. Sixers by double digits.

 

[Real Deal]

Our old friend Pyro is still alive (bottom comments)

https://www.fearthesword.com/platfo...&utm_source=twitter&__twitter_impression=true

 

[stick]

I've touched on this in the Starting Lineup thread, but here's a little TT+JR "love"...

Last 6 Games:
1st Q (Cavs Worst Q, 26 points per Q, 27.2 OPP points per Q):
TT, 8.7 minutes played (most minutes in a Q), -2.0 (-0.8 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)
JR, 8.7 minutes played (most minutes in a Q), -1.5 (-0.3 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)

2nd Q (Cavs Best Q, 31.8 points per Q, 27.1 OPP points per Q):
TT, 5.7 minutes played (2nd least minutes in a Q), +0.8 (-3.9 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)
JR, 6 minutes played (2nd least minutes in a Q), +2.2 (-2.5 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)

3rd Q (Cavs 2nd Best Q, 28.5 points per Q, 25.8 OPP points per Q):
TT, 8.2 minutes played, -1.2 (-3.9 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)
JR, 8.5 minutes played, -0.5 (-3.2 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)

4th Q (Cavs 2nd Worst Q *3 blowouts can skew, 26.8 points per Q, 27 OPP points per Q)
TT, 2.7 minutes played, -3 (-2.8 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)
JR, 5.7 minutes played, -0.5 (-0.3 diff worse than the team's Quarter Diff)

+/- and point differential isn't the most illuminating stat in the world and there are other factors contributing to some of this spread, but... come ON!! TT & JR's role needs to be reduced or changed.

Interested to see Rodney with the starter's today. Will be a good look at a Rodney/Clarkson/Korver/Cedi? 2-guard rotation.

 

[KilgoreTrout]

Was going to predict Sixers by double digits, but JR being out and Hood starting might actually give us a chance to win.

Then again, we're starting Tristan Thompson.

Yeah. Sixers by double digits.

We’ll always be at a disadvantage, because Lue could get outcoached by an iguana with dysentery.

 

[Benedict_Boozer]

Jump on this Hood - play a show out game and force Lues hand

 

[CHIMOCHIS]

So 130+points for sixers tonight

 

[Ozcavs89]

Looking forward to this one...hopefully embiid destroys TT

 

[Pjlea28]

TT vs Embiid - FUN!!!!!

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

Without Love to spread the floor, Embiid is going to be huge pain in the ass inside. Frye was such a blessing against teams like Detroit and Philly cause he just pulled their rim protectors out of the paint.

I expect a lot of jumpers from Lebron tonight.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

I'd put Cedi on Simmons, Hood on Covington, Lebron on Saric and Hill on Redick.

 

[Futuredome]

What foul stench will this defense cook up tonight?

 

[Ozcavs89]

Cedi on simmons would be a great matchup

 

[ice cream man]

I don’t see how JR’s “conduct” can be viewed as a positive, especially if he’s going to continue to start. We need JR and we need him to play well in order to seriously contend. It’s unfortunate but even though the trade deadline brought us some talent, that’s still the position we’re in.