Game Thread | 2021-2022 Season | Game #81 | Cavs @ Nets | April 8, 2022 | 7:30 p.m.

[Heat Check]

I don't usually bitch about refs because I think that's just wasted energy, both on the court and off... but I'll make an exception this time.

IMO the refs absolutely ruined – for everyone involved – what could have been a great, physical, playoff style game. When the whistle blows every 10 seconds and nobody in the building has any idea why except the zebras... that's not basketball. Read the fucking room and let them play. I don't miss 90's style wrestling under the hoop and hacking at the perimeter, but jesus... actual physical contact does have a place in this sport.

When two 7 footers go at it hard, someone's gonna get bumped and it's not necessarily a foul every time. This shit is absolutely ruining the NBA game. When you foul someone hard under the bucket to make them earn it at the FT line, these days it's investigated like attempted murder. GTFO.

 

[Rich]

Highly doubt they're playing the Bucks backups.

 

[ice cream man]

I'm hoping Milwaukee gets the tiebreaker over Boston so they will have 2nd place clinched and can rest their starters on Sunday but I don't know at this point. If Boston wins and Milwaukee loses to the Cavs they would have the same record, they both would be Division winners, and they both would have the same record against the East. It would go to whatever the fourth tiebreaker is.

If Milwaukee doesn't have second place clinched they will beat the Cavs and we'll probably end up 10th.

In this case, the next tiebreaker is whoever had the best winning percentage against the top 10 teams in the East, and that tiebreaker would go to Boston. So Milwaukee does not have the 2nd seed locked up. However, would they prefer the 3rd seed? The 2nd seed is very likely to get Brooklyn in the first round. Unfortunately the Bucks don’t seem like the kind of team to throw the last game to try to get a preferred first round matchup. But who knows. I’ll expect a motivated Bucks team on Monday. And without JA, we won’t be beating that team.

 

[Mr. Orange]

It took Milwaukee 8 years to win a title with Giannis. We had year 1 of Mobley. Just reset your expectations. Did you really think we would beat the Nets? If so that’s on you not the Cavs.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

LeVert had a nice game - 16 points on 50% shooting, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists. And he earned all of his points - there were no uncontested buckets. He'll be a valuable piece next year.

Take last night's team that had the lead three minutes into the 4th quarter and add Sexton and Allen. That should be a pretty good team, especially if they dump Rondo and get a decent backup point guard.

They bascially lost the game because they were unable to control the defensive glass and limit the Nets to one shot attempt. The Nets missed 49 shots but the Cavs only got 28 defensive rebounds, including team defensive rebounds. By comparison the Cavs missed 42 shots and the Nets got 32 defensive rebounds. The Cavs really miss Allen a whole, whole lot.

By my count the Cavs were outscored 26-6 on second chance points. That was the game right there, although poor 3-point shooting also factored in.

 

[backstreet hooper]

I don't usually bitch about refs because I think that's just wasted energy, both on the court and off... but I'll make an exception this time.

IMO the refs absolutely ruined – for everyone involved – what could have been a great, physical, playoff style game. When the whistle blows every 10 seconds and nobody in the building has an idea why except the zebras... that's not basketball. Read the fucking room and let them play. I don't miss 90's style wrestling under the hoop and hacking at the perimeter, but jesus... actual physical contact does have a place in this sport.

When two 7 footers go at it hard, someone's gonna get bumped and it's not necessarily a foul every time. This shit is absolutely ruining the NBA game. When you foul someone hard under the bucket to make them earn it at the FT line, these days it's investigated like attempted murder. GTFO.

I'm with you. Too many fouls called in the current NBA. The rules favor the offense too much. Strong defending has become more and more difficult and often almost impossible. You stay or jump in front of an offensive player, not touching him, and the offensive player then bumps into your body or arm while bringing the ball up and gets himself to a free throw line. Plus free throws are high percentage shots, easy points.

 

[dms]

Lol at people thinking we can’t beat the the Bucks backups at home with Mobley……We would have beat the Magic’s with Mobley and probably the Sixers he’s 10x better then Moses…..

No one has said we can't beat the Bucks backups, but many have questioned if we would. Mobley or no Mobley, this has been an average team at best since the start of the new year. They've lost to some pretty bad teams. Backups getting a chance to play big minutes in that type of situation tend to play pretty well so no result would surprise me.

 

[2 For The Brew]

Looked at the stats this morning and we outshot them, turned the ball over less and got to the FT line more - in all three case by narrow margins but we were better.

Kyrie was not good - he’s been a Chucker lately but D deserves some credit.

We lost the game because we got hammered on the boards, particularly our own. Outside of Love and Mobley (who played 53 minutes combined) nobody had more than two rebounds. Between his offensive RB and high FG conversion rate the guy who really hurt us was - Drummond. He’s a very useful player IF he stays in his lane, which he didn’t for us.

 

[DingleDong]

Looked at the stats this morning and we outshot them, turned the ball over less and got to the FT line more - in all three case by narrow margins but we were better.

Kyrie was not good - he’s been a Chucker lately but D deserves some credit.

We lost the game because we got hammered on the boards, particularly our own. Outside of Love and Mobley (who played 53 minutes combined) nobody had more than two rebounds. Between his offensive RB and high FG conversion rate the guy who really hurt us was - Drummond. He’s a very useful player IF he stays in his lane, which he didn’t for us.

Not sure which rebounds you are talking about. Love and Mobley were good at offensive boards but defensive boards Mobley had 3, Markkanen 4, Levert 4 and Love 5. But you are right that they figured out Drummond could just walk to basket and lay it in in the 4th. He had 8 points.

 

[cliffdawg]

If anything was learn from this game is the rotation, Never have Love, LM, and Mobley and Okoro in the lineup at the same time, Nets went on a big run against that group,

Rondo and Okoro shouldn’t never be on court together, the other thing Stevens need to be in the game as much if not more then Okoro, if nothing else make it rough on KD, I believe he was in KD head in the second halve

Last thing even know Okoro was also in Irving grill I believe his offense neglect everything he does great on defense against him, Bruce Brown is probably what we eventually need from Okoro, he’s not much an offense player but does just enough to be a small factor on that end of the court, while playing good defense…..

Funny part I whether play the Nets again then the Hawks, for some reason Trae just go crazy against us, we just don’t match up well against them,

 

[Ohioplayer00]

I'm with you. Too many fouls called in the current NBA. The rules favor the offense too much. Strong defending has become more and more difficult and often almost impossible. You stay or jump in front of an offensive player, not touching him, and the offensive player then bumps into your body or arm while bringing the ball up and gets himself to a free throw line. Plus free throws are high percentage shots, easy points.

The league is soft and the NBA front office wants it that way. They think (and maybe rightfully so) todays NBA fans want to see the Hardens, Embids, Treys, etc parade to the FT line and scores pinball game scores of 145-135! Me?? That just tells me nobody is playing defense. I would rather see a game of 96-91 and actually watch players “attempting” to play defense. There’s enough offense in today’s game with all of the three point shooting to humiliate the game more with “ghost fouls”.

 

[foucault87]

The league is soft and the NBA front office wants it that way. They think (and maybe rightfully so) todays NBA fans want to see the Hardens, Embids, Treys, etc parade to the FT line and scores pinball game scores of 145-135! Me?? That just tells me nobody is playing defense. I would rather see a game of 96-91 and actually watch players “attempting” to play defense. There’s enough offense in today’s game with all of the three point shooting to humiliate the game more with “ghost fouls”.

I disagree. This is the most exciting kind of basketball. Nothing matches the utter suspense of a free throw. Will it go in? Will it not? Who knows. Defense is boring because it means we get to see fewer free throws. Much like dribbling and passing. Just a waste of time.

 

[backstreet hooper]

That's how I thought it usually worked too. Apparently there's more to it according to some.

So simple, huh? lol. A team that can score more wins.

 

[cavsfever]

I'm with you. Too many fouls called in the current NBA. The rules favor the offense too much. Strong defending has become more and more difficult and often almost impossible. You stay or jump in front of an offensive player, not touching him, and the offensive player then bumps into your body or arm while bringing the ball up and gets himself to a free throw line. Plus free throws are high percentage shots, easy points.

A real problem for us because with Mobley and Allen defense could be a strength. But you cannot count on defensive skills any more, whether refs will let you use them changes from season to season, month to month, and even game to game

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Highly doubt they're playing the Bucks backups.

Giannis, Middleton, Lopez all doubtful.

Looks like it’ll be Jrue and the backups, not sure how much Jrue will play either.