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Game Thread 2019-20 Season Game #57 | Cleveland Cavaliers vs Miami Heat | Feb 24th, 2020

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Best win of the year. Beilein had to be watching the game and smacking himself in the head asking why he didn't think of playing Love, Nance, and Thompson at the same time. Brilliant move by Bickerstaff to put three bigs on the floor together along with Porter and Garland. That was the unit that played the entire 4th quarter and OT. The Cavs didn't win this game - those five guys won it, coming from 19 down in one quarter to tie and then got the win in OT. Unreal.

Drummond, Cedi and Sexton weren't doing squat so JBB benched all three of them to start the fourth. Sexton was a -24, Dre -15, and Cedi -18. Nance was +23, Thompson +20, and KPJ +22. I think we'll see that unit again. It has excellent size and athleticism. They have the ability to switch on defense and put some length on the perimeter to bother 3-point shots. Duncan Robinson was 5-for-5 on 3's in the first half and 0-for-6 in the second.

The Cavaliers only had 12 turnovers in 53 minutes which is a huge improvement. Getting Drummond out of there helped. I almost like him better from the 3-point line than clogging up the lane and getting his shot blocked.

Bickerstaff definitely sent a message - if you're not playing well you're coming out and might not be back.

That big lineup in 4th quarter started off with a 22-3 run. They played excellent switching defense and forced the ball into the paint to Nance, TT, and Love. That was a really impressive unit tonight. There's a lot of versatility, length, and rebounding. It wasn't perfect. Love missed two open 3-pointers late and Porter choked a free throw that would have won it in regulation. But the teenager had 30 points, 8 boards, 3 assists, and 3 steals so I can't complain too much.

The Cavs are 2-1 under B.J. and finally broke the 18-game losing streak to Miami. It was especially sweet after the embarrassing blowout two nights ago.

I'm thinking the Cavs should try and extend Thompson and go with a starting front line of TT, Love, and Nance with Drummond coming off the bench like Dwight Howard does for the Lakers.

Garland has definitely improved on defense.

The next part of the schedule is very tough with six of seven games against playoff teams and the non-playoff team is New Orleans, who probably would be if Zion hadn't been hurt most of the year. This was an awesome win and congrats to JB for finding a unit that can win, at least tonight.
 
Best win of the year. Beilein had to be watching the game and smacking himself in the head asking why he didn't think of playing Love, Nance, and Thompson at the same time. Brilliant move by Bickerstaff to put three bigs on the floor together along with Porter and Garland. That was the unit that played the entire 4th quarter and OT. The Cavs didn't win this game - those five guys won it, coming from 19 down in one quarter to tie and then got the win in OT. Unreal.

Drummond, Cedi and Sexton weren't doing squat so JBB benched all three of them to start the fourth. Sexton was a -24, Dre -15, and Cedi -18. Nance was +23, Thompson +20, and KPJ +22. I think we'll see that unit again. It has excellent size and athleticism. They have the ability to switch on defense and put some length on the perimeter to bother 3-point shots. Duncan Robinson was 5-for-5 on 3's in the first half and 0-for-6 in the second.

The Cavaliers only had 12 turnovers in 53 minutes which is a huge improvement. Getting Drummond out of there helped. I almost like him better from the 3-point line than clogging up the lane and getting his shot blocked.

Bickerstaff definitely sent a message - if you're not playing well you're coming out and might not be back.

That big lineup in 4th quarter started off with a 22-3 run. They played excellent switching defense and forced the ball into the paint to Nance, TT, and Love. That was a really impressive unit tonight. There's a lot of versatility, length, and rebounding. It wasn't perfect. Love missed two open 3-pointers late and Porter choked a free throw that would have won it in regulation. But the teenager had 30 points, 8 boards, 3 assists, and 3 steals so I can't complain too much.

The Cavs are 2-1 under B.J. and finally broke the 18-game losing streak to Miami. It was especially sweet after the embarrassing blowout two nights ago.

I'm thinking the Cavs should try and extend Thompson and go with a starting front line of TT, Love, and Nance with Drummond coming off the bench like Dwight Howard does for the Lakers.

Garland has definitely improved on defense.

The next part of the schedule is very tough with six of seven games against playoff teams and the non-playoff team is New Orleans, who probably would be if Zion hadn't been hurt most of the year. This was an awesome win and congrats to JB for finding a unit that can win, at least tonight.


Call me crazy, but I think the Cavs can go 4-2,maybe 3-3 the next 6 games.
 
Really fun game. I thought the Cavs played pretty well after the 1st quarter, but Miami was scorching.

Broke Miami's 8-0 overtime record. If they got this one they would have been tied for the NBA record.

KPJ was amazing. Shades of that Houston game. He was in the zone.

Amazing defense tonight. Switched everything at the end and cut off passing lanes. Great defensive unit. I was pleased to see Garland defend well enough in that unit. Pretty cool.

The Cavs demolished their zone in the 4th with that lineup. All high low passing with Nance in the middle. That sequence where they scored 2 pts on I dunno how man possessions was unbelievable.

Really fun game. Best defense all year
 
I've always seen the Cavs struggle against the Heat, as Saturday nite showed and many other times..in the third I actually turned away from it..but then in the 4th I started watching again.
Was not disappointed.
I do like how Bicker-with -the -staff rides certain units/players and sticks with it instead of subbing and taking momentum away.
The team is one super SF away from going to the next level.
I think Porter's best position is going to be the 2.
 
I do like how Bicker-with -the -staff rides certain units/players and sticks with it instead of subbing and taking momentum away.

"We’re going to call on different people. And on any different night it can be your night, but our expectations are that you play that way. And you get after it, you compete, you play with a toughness and a physicality -- both physically and mentally where you’re getting after it and you’re competing and you’re pulling for your teammates." - JBB, after the Miami win

I love it. The message is clear - if you play tough, smart, and unselfishly you get more minutes. If you make dumb plays, like the one where Sexton fouled Crowder on a corner 3 because he was lazy and drifted into him on a shot he had no chance of blocking, you're sitting down and if the guy who replaces you is playing well he might just finish out the game.

On any given night you might get 41 minutes off the bench like Porter last night or you might get jerked early and watch the rest of the game. It's up to you.

The Cavs let Miami get off to a 10-0 lead to start the game. The writing was on the wall early for some of the starters. Accountability. I love it.

Bicker-with-the-staff? I don't know if that's going to catch on. Takes too long to type.

I prefer JBB, as in "just ball better (or I'll sit your ass down)".
 
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Best post-LeBron win to date. Loved the defense in the 4th and the comeback. KPJ was almost a superhero but ended a hero. Nance was GREAT. KEVIN LOVE was playing DEFENSE.

I like what Bickerstaff is doing.
Finally one against the Heat, I have HATED losing to these guys for so long. And the current version of the Heat is the toughest one since the age of the Heatles.

Good that they got through that damn zone defense. Every team that does this to the Cavs has been able to just bully them.
 
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Everyone is praising bickerstaff but if that unit lost the game how many of you would have been "needed to sub the starters back in. Cant ride three bigs for an entire quarter+ OT?"

Coaches only get credit for that if the team wins. One of my complaints with NBA fans.
 

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