• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Game Thread 2020-21 Season | Game #34 | Cavs @ Sixers | February 27, 2021

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Garland ranged from great to horrendous. Those first 7 minutes of the 3rd were as bad as it can get. And then he got better looks in 4th and OT and finished playing within himself. The 3 he hit at the end of shot clock was a confidence booster for him.
 
People immediately forget about nance being injured and playing top teams in a tough schedule that had 5 games in 7 days on the road. Sheesh...

I’ll accept “tough schedule” for a string of losses. But when you go on a 10 game skid and lose by an AVERAGE of 20 points per game, that speaks to issues beyond unfavorable scheduling and lack of practice.
 
I’ll accept “tough schedule” for a string of losses. But when you go on a 10 game skid and lose by an AVERAGE of 20 points per game, that speaks to issues beyond unfavorable scheduling and lack of practice.
Well, yeah, like missing key players, a very young and inexperienced group of players available, recently adding a key starter,
 
I have no idea what's going to happen. The Cavs have the 4th worst record in the league. And they're 4 games out of the 4 seed in the East. If Altman can use Drummond and/or Osman to get them some help, they still have a shot to make the playoffs.
Please no. We need another high pick to get a superstar.
 
I love the win but please don’t start looking at this team with rose colored glasses! We beat a good team tonight that really took us light (that happens all season long) but this Cavs team is still a stud lottery pick and top tier player FA/TRADE away from being a REAL contender!
 
I’ll accept “tough schedule” for a string of losses. But when you go on a 10 game skid and lose by an AVERAGE of 20 points per game, that speaks to issues beyond unfavorable scheduling and lack of practice.
I don't know... there is your regular "tough schedule" stuff and then there's this:

LAC
MIL
MIL
@PHX
@DEN
@POR
@LAC
@GSW
DEN
OKC

All teams have difficult stretches in their schedules, but I will put this 10-game run against any stretch any team has this season.

Throw in injuries that took out an entire position group and yeah -- can't say I'm all that concerned with the losing streak as difficult as it was to watch.

My biggest thing was the non-competitive nature of the games. It is one thing to lose. To get beaten by 20+ every night for 10 straight games is not healthy for a young basketball team trying to find its way. But with what we've seen since and what preceded it, I'm still confident in the direction of the Cavs.

Keep in mind this wasn't even the only incredibly difficult stretch the Cavs have had this young season. They had this 9-game stretch earlier in the slate:

@MEM
@MIL
MEM
UTH
NYK
BRK
BRK
@BOS
LAL

The Cavs were healthier at the time and went 4-5 against another meatgrinder of a run, so they've shown they can win even when facing tough odds schedule-wise.

We should've gotten the cupcake of all cupcake schedules in the 2nd half of the season... and we didn't really. *shrug*
 
I don't know... there is your regular "tough schedule" stuff and then there's this:

LAC
MIL
MIL
@PHX
@DEN
@POR
@LAC
@GSW
DEN
OKC

All teams have difficult stretches in their schedules, but I will put this 10-game run against any stretch any team has this season.

Throw in injuries that took out an entire position group and yeah -- can't say I'm all that concerned with the losing streak as difficult as it was to watch.

My biggest thing was the non-competitive nature of the games. It is one thing to lose. To get beaten by 20+ every night for 10 straight games is not healthy for a young basketball team trying to find its way. But with what we've seen since and what preceded it, I'm still confident in the direction of the Cavs.

Keep in mind this wasn't even the only incredibly difficult stretch the Cavs have had this young season. They had this 9-game stretch earlier in the slate:

@MEM
@MIL
MEM
UTH
NYK
BRK
BRK
@BOS
LAL

The Cavs were healthier at the time and went 4-5 against another meatgrinder of a run, so they've shown they can win even when facing tough odds schedule-wise.

We should've gotten the cupcake of all cupcake schedules in the 2nd half of the season... and we didn't really. *shrug*
You realize every team faces the same schedule in the East? Home and Away against every West team and 3 games against every East team. Reverse for West teams.
 
Okoro was the player of the game for me. Took charges, grabbed rebounds, played D on everyone, made key shots - just an awesome performance.

Everyone contributed positively tonight. I’ll take a team win over one great individual performance every night when coaching. That way it’s got a better chance of staying consistent game to game.
 
This might be the most impressive win of the season considering the Sixers were 14-2 at home and the Cavs were missing Love, Nance, Prince, and Osman. If you told me Embiid was going to explode for 42 points I'd say the Cavs would lose by 30.

Great job by Garland after missing 10 straight shots with a couple of turnovers to turn it around and make some clutch baskets down the stretch. He chipped in with 9 assists and played some solid defense, IMO.

Okoro stepped up with a career high 15 points but I was really impressed by his 8 rebounds. That's been his weakest area this year. Dean Wade had 12 boards and knocked down two key free throws in OT.

Dotson had his best game of the season IMO with 10 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 19 minutes along with a team high +9. No turnovers and he was 2-for-2 on 3's.

The Cavs benefitted from Seth Curry going 1-for-13 from the field. That might never happen again. They also were helped by 12 missed free throws.

Sexton played 45 of the 53 minutes with a line of 28/5/3 with 3 steals. He missed 16 shots and Garland missed 15, but the Sixers have the 5th best scoring defense in the NBA so buckets were hard to come by. The Cavs won this one with defense, holding the Sixers to 92 points in regulation and then playing with more energy in the OT, although Embiid was magnificent. When he was too tired to bulldoze Allen to the rim anymore he hit a couple of 3's. He also went 14-for-16 from the line. Unbelievable talent.

However, the Cavs forced a huge turnover late when Wade doubled Embiid at just the right time after he started his move on Allen. Wade made him pick up the ball and kick it out, where his pass went astray and over the time line giving the ball to the Cavs.

The Sixers only shot 45.2% as the Cavs' defense was excellent all night. If it weren't for a few phantom foul calls against the Cavs they would have won in regulation. Just breathe on Embiid and they call a foul. Curry launched himself sideways into Garland and was given three free throws even though Garland was moving away from him with his back turned. Ridiculous call.

A game like this is going to give the Cavs a ton of confidence going forward. It's great to see guys like Okoro, Wade, Stevens, Dotson, and Windler make positive contributions.
 
Last edited:
Everyone contributed positively tonight. I’ll take a team win over one great individual performance every night when coaching. That way it’s got a better chance of staying consistent game to game.
Agree. The reason I highlighted Okoro is he takes on the toughest jobs that don’t get reflected in stats. I always value players who take charges, and taking one against Embiid is especially brave.
 
I don't know... there is your regular "tough schedule" stuff and then there's this:

LAC
MIL
MIL
@PHX
@DEN
@POR
@LAC
@GSW
DEN
OKC

All teams have difficult stretches in their schedules, but I will put this 10-game run against any stretch any team has this season.

Throw in injuries that took out an entire position group and yeah -- can't say I'm all that concerned with the losing streak as difficult as it was to watch.

My biggest thing was the non-competitive nature of the games. It is one thing to lose. To get beaten by 20+ every night for 10 straight games is not healthy for a young basketball team trying to find its way. But with what we've seen since and what preceded it, I'm still confident in the direction of the Cavs.

Keep in mind this wasn't even the only incredibly difficult stretch the Cavs have had this young season. They had this 9-game stretch earlier in the slate:

@MEM
@MIL
MEM
UTH
NYK
BRK
BRK
@BOS
LAL

The Cavs were healthier at the time and went 4-5 against another meatgrinder of a run, so they've shown they can win even when facing tough odds schedule-wise.

We should've gotten the cupcake of all cupcake schedules in the 2nd half of the season... and we didn't really. *shrug*

I mean some of these games though man...

LAC didn't have Leonard OR George for one of those games and they got blown out.
 
Garland refused to quit after having a horrible stretch in the 3rd that.... would have been mitigated by having a backup PG.
Allen did a lot of good things on the floor, esp. defensively.
Sexton gonna Sexton.
And Okoro is showing qualities that will pay off down the line.

The reserves did what they needed to do when they needed to do it. Hopefully more shots will fall for Windler; he was looking good for what he was playing tonight.

The officiating was BULLSHIT. Okoro fouling out late? Just nonsense.
Pisses me off because I don't think anyone on the Cavs will ever get THOSE kind of fouls.

Still, they won. Good win for the team.

LOL @ Ben with that 3 pointer at the end, so you know that's all that will be talked about.
 
I will actually say that I observed something in JB tonight that about made me pass out with shocking delight. A couple times in the game he actually did some situational subbing. And he didn’t didn’t kick prosperity in the face with unneeded subbing when things were going fine.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top