Game 78 Cleveland Cavaliers (55-22) @ Milwaukee Bucks (32-45) Tuesday APR 5th 2016 8pm ET

[Adam]

BELIVELAND VS 'The Good Land'

(55-22) VS (32-45)

At the Bradley Centre

Tip off at 8pm ET
Watch on FSOHIO
Listen on WTAM 100/ 100.7 WMMS/ 87.7FM

CAVS Starters

#2 Kyrie Irving PG
Vs Bucks this season: 16ppg 8rpg 8apg (1 game)

#5 JR Smith III SG
Vs Bucks this season: 13.7ppg 4.7rpg 1.7apg

#23 Lebron James Point Forward
Vs Bucks this season: 30ppg 9rpg 6.3apg .438 from deep

#0 Kevin Love PF/RCF whipping boy
Vs Bucks this season: 23.3ppg 13rpg 3.3apg

#20 Timofey Mozgov
Vs Bucks this season: 6.7ppg 2.3rpg 5 glares from LBJ

Bench

Bucks Starters

Rashad Vaughn PG
Who??

Khris Middleton SG
Vs Cavs: 11.7ppg .337FG%
Damien Inglis

6'11 Jason Kidd Giannis
Antetokounmpo Point guard/forward/centre
Vs Cavs: 24.7ppg 7rpg

Jabari Parker PF
Vs Cavs: 12.7ppg 2.8rpg

Greg Monroe C (owner of this seasons Ewing award for player who makes their team worse but has to play)
Vs Cavs: 15ppg 9rpg

Bench

"I miss you guys"

Injuries

(day to day)

(questionable)

Keys to the game:
The Bucks are an emerging team who have battled injuries all year. Their roster seems a testimony to a Pat Riley idea of having all your players between 6'6 and 6'11 and able to play multiple positions. Their main issue is in perimeter shooting. In a league of high volume 3 point shooting they only score 99 points a game and allow 102. Defensively they have a ton of length and block shots and get deflections at a good rate.
The cavs need to keep the turnovers down and consistently attack the paint when Monroe is in the middle. They need to attack Jabari Parker on the block and use motion to get Lebron the ball moving again Giannis. The cavs have started to put together some great defensive spurts. Our best hope is for a complete game defensively and the team starting to take steps to get ready for the playoffs
Last match

LBJ moment:

Spoiler: bucks cheerleaders

Slim pickings

​

 

[Adam]

ESPN game preview

Through all the uncertainty surrounding the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron Jamesand Kyrie Irving continue to insist they're ready for the postseason.

It may be tough for some to believe, especially given Irving's recent injury, though the Cavaliers can inch closer to securing the Eastern Conference's top seed with their third straight win over the host Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night.

A couple days after Irving said the Cavaliers (55-22) were the "team to beat" -- not really clarifying if he meant in the East or the entire league -- James issued his own concise postseason statement following Sunday's 112-103 win over Charlotte.

"If it started tomorrow, we'd be ready to go," James said after Cleveland's third straight victory.

The Cavaliers lead Toronto in the East by 3 1/2 games with five left, though the Raptors have a game in hand and hold the tiebreaker, keeping Cleveland from a clinching scenario Tuesday.

James' assuredness comes without knowing if Irving will be available against the last-place Bucks (32-45). The three-time All-Star sprained his right ankle late in the first half of Friday's 110-108 overtime win at Atlanta, and soreness and swelling kept him out against the Hornets.

Irving played in the second half and extra period against the Hawks, though it seemed the Cavaliers were playing it safe two days later. Coach Tyronn Lue said he doesn't know if Irving will require more rest.

Lue has rested his star players down the stretch, including James twice in the last three weeks. The four-time MVP has responded well, averaging 28.6 points, 9.6 assists and 8.9 rebounds while playing in seven games during a 6-2 stretch. He has two triple-doubles in that span and just missed two more over the weekend.

After going for 29 points, a season-high 16 rebounds and nine assists in Atlanta, James logged 31 points, 12 assists and eight boards against Charlotte.

"I think he's been leading by example knowing that the playoffs are coming up and we have to get ready for this stretch," Lue told the team's official website. "I think he's done a great job of setting the tone for us."

The Cavaliers, who are 23-15 on the road, have games remaining against three possible first-round opponents -- Indiana, Chicago and Detroit -- with another against an Atlanta team that could line up in the second round.

First, they'll try to win the four-game season series against Milwaukee.

James has averaged 30 points, 9 rebounds and 6.3 assists and Kevin Love 23.3 points and 13 rebounds in this series, helping Cleveland to back-to-back wins. The Cavs, who were without Irving in the first two, have won four of the last five meetings.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has averaged 24.3 points against Cleveland this season, and he logged his second straight big game in Sunday's 102-98 loss to Chicago. He had a career-high 34 points, nine assists and five rebounds two days after posting his fifth triple-double in a 113-110 win over Orlando.

Jabari Parker chipped in 24 points against the Bulls, but Milwaukee's two-game winning streak was snapped as leading scorer Khris Middleton sat with a strained left thigh while the Bucks fell to 23-16 at BMO Harris Bradley Center.

"We missed Khris," Antetokounmpo said. "I told (Parker) before the game we have to be aggressive, we have to push the team. We have to make the other guys play hard and just try to compete."

Milwaukee made only 2 of 7 from 3-point range, the third-lowest total attempted in a game by any team this season. It is unclear if Middleton will be available Tuesday.

Also moved Middleton to 'questionable on the IR list

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

So LeBron's playing? Was hoping we'd rest him until Saturday.

 

[Adam]

So LeBron's playing? Was hoping we'd rest him until Saturday.

As far as i know yes. He has said recently how great he feels better than recent memory for this time of year so maybe they have scaled back his rest?

 

[Ohio]

View: https://twitter.com/ChrisBHaynes/status/717365286891036674

 

[vam1993]

Going to be at the game today, so I selfishly hope they all play.

Sent from my SPH-L720 using Tapatalk

 

[All4One1ForAll]

I think we'll win, but I expect Greek Freak to wreck us like he always does.

 

[Cavsfan1985]

As far as i know yes. He has said recently how great he feels better than recent memory for this time of year so maybe they have scaled back his rest?

I think you rest Irving again tonight, then rest LJ tomorrow. This would give LJ 3 days off before Saturday. You then could rest Love on Sat, and it would give him 4 days off before Monday. Then you play everyone the last 2 games for the first half (if we clinch 1st seed) to get them gelling.

 

[amurderofcrows]

Dammit Adam! Now I have to clean my Fcking monitor....."5 glares from LBJ"

 

[Adam]

Dammit Adam! Now I have to clean my Fcking monitor....."5 glares from LBJ"

that's a good thing right?

 

[flop]

Just checked the schedule. All 5 remaining games (MIL/IND/CHI/ATL/DET) should be quality tests. 3 of the 5 are in the playoff mix. Then you have MIL wanting to get back to the level they were last season, and the Bulls realizing this is the closest they'll get to a playoff environment with the Cavs for a while.

 

[David.]

We've been iffy against our division all year.

Let's see if we've actually turned it up

 

[Omar The Horse]

View: https://twitter.com/chrisbhaynes/status/717480104503480324

 

[amurderofcrows]

that's a good thing right?

Yes. This Old Man actually picked it up. Bad eyes and all. LMFAOROTF

 

[All4One1ForAll]

View: https://twitter.com/chrisbhaynes/status/717480104503480324

He better look to pass the ball tonight. If I have to see another 6-22 FG night, I'm going to throw up and then punch my TV.

Could we try to get Love 15+ shots, please?