KD changed the game defensively as well. Man, it’s just tough when they have a 7 footer that you can’t leave alone from 3, he can rack up double digit assists (because we blitzed him terribly), he can shoot over anyone, anywhere. He can handle the ball, get to the rim…and the on the other end he can guard literally 1-5, he can protect the rim, etc
Durant is under appreciated for his greatness because of his bitch move to go to Golden State and partially because he’s played in the LeBron era where LeBron was clearly the better player for most of Durants prime. But Durant is a great, great player. I’m happy we competed against him especially when his side kick Kyrie basically was hitting insane contested shots all night and slicing us apart.
I think the Cavs desperately overreacted to greet shotmaking.
We also got our schemed. The post timeout play on both ends is deadly in a playoff environment.
The Cavs had multiple chances to cut into the lead and get it to 4,5 points. The Nets would call timeout, and Nash would go to the clipboard and they would score on us every time. Or JBB would call a timeout and we’d come out with a sloppy play they had no chance that turned into a turnover or a terrible shot and a fast break on the other end. We are just not prepared well out of timeouts/game stoppages/ quarters/halves. If the Nets called a timeout and we came out with a stop and a score then the pressure really would have been on them. We heard JBB in the huddle once and to be honest he sounded like he didn’t know what the fuck to say or do and was just winging it and saying really boilerplate, obvious shit and not strategizing properly. His point was “get to your spots faster on defense” one time. Like, first of all you have Markannen out there with Love. They aren’t going to their spots at all, much less faster, and if they do they’re getting scored on anyways.
He should have matched Moses Brown with Drummond as much as possible. Moses got a DNP
Cedi got 21 mins. 0-4. 2 points…Okoro 13 painstaking minutes….
Lamar Stevens scored 7pts in 7 mins on 3 shots and we know he at least has bothered Durant in the past. I don’t even know if we tried that matchup.
Love and Rondos playoff experience obviously helped. Cedi doesn’t really even have actual playoff experience. He has towel waving experience off of the bench, I guess. I dunno how he got 21 minutes with the way he was defending and how ineffective he was on offense while Stevens was clearly bringing the energy and physicality we desperately needed and he just…didn’t play. That’s coaching malpractice right there.
We ultimately got beat by superstars doing what they do. Even if we got that game tied or a small lead late, no guarantees we win…we probably get out closed by Irving and KD.
We also got really lucky, we left Kessler Edwards and Seth Curry open from the corners at least like 6-8 times and they clanked every single one and Brooklyn was sloppy as fuck after they had a big lead. I’m not sure the game was ever as close as it seemed. We probably should have lost by 20.
But im just very proud of Mobley(should have had 10 more shots..would have had 30…needed to rebound stronger though…he needs that muscle to more easily control the ball and keep stronger dudes off and away from the glass.
I’m ecstatic about Garland. He’s a monster. Have GOT to start the game off better though. No if ands or buts about it.
Love is clearly a playoff tested vet. I would start him at power forward and bring Lauri off the bench if Allen isn’t back, though I do think Allen is coming back.
Rondo is clearly also a playoff tested vet. When he’s locked in he can still contribute as a backup. That much is clear. I wish he still had that first step and that explosion to finish at the rim, lol. We’d be set. But he also wouldn’t be on a minimum deal and acquired for free in a trade so it is what it is.
LeVert defended well all night, even when on kD he made KD take tough shots…even though he made a lot of them lol. That’s just KD being KD.
I don’t think LeVert is 100% physically. He’s just not playing the way he normally plays around the rim. He is getting to the basket a lot because of his role as a secondary guy and he has space but he is missing a gear. But he still was the only guard active on the glass, he passed the ball well…he’s still far from acclimated. He doesn’t know anything outside of the base offense if anything outside of the base even exists. I just think he’s uncomfortable and thinking too much instead of just playing, but I still think he’s clearly got the talent to be a trusted player in a playoff situation.
Steven’s is a guy who needs to play.
I think Markannen will be better at home. Role players always are. He just needs to get in a rhythm. He got some good looks. Needs to finish stronger too.
Okoro isn’t ready. Was unplayable. Cedi is unplayable.
So you have DG, Caris, Mark, Mobley, Rondo, Love, Stevens. That’s a 7 man rotation. If Allen comes back that’s 8. Or Moses Brown could be the 8th only if needed for a small period of time I actually think he’d be playable.
But we should not go beyond that rotation. Cedi and Okoro ahould be break glass in case of emergency guys. Bickerstaff will start Okoro
Though. But within the first 8 minutes I’m sure he will get an open three and an opportunity to exploit a mismatch, we will know if he’s playable that game within those first 8 minutes.
Cedi will probably come in. With Cedi it’s usually based off of if he makes his first three or not whether it’s gonna be a Cavalanche or Out Of Control Cedi #1 thru infinity
