Game Thread | 2021-22 Season | Game #2 | Hornets @ Cavs | Oct. 22, 2021

[daytripper]

Before this season Allen was always a solid rebounder. He's never been known as a poor rebounder. Through 2 games this year he's been terrible though.

That's true..probably a little bit of recency bias there.

 

[rabman_gold]

It's kinda hard to make any real judgments after the two games we played, but there's things that stands out to me.

Warning: Long List

• Even though we've lost double digit games twice, sometimes all we really need at the beginning of a long 82-game season is one win to get the monkey off our backs. The fact we were still in both games during the 4th quarters means with just a few mistakes corrected, we could've won them instead.
• @Wham with the Right Hand - He knows what he's talking about (post #403). Those two stretches of offensive malaise we had were the difference in the games, having multiple turnovers, missed shots, and lack of focus on defending easy buckets.
• Rubio probably had a hand on causing those types of breakdowns, but I found the rest of his game quite refreshing (good steady PG play, proper defensive possessions, and leadership). I think @Randolphkeys said he's a slow starter. It may take a couple weeks to get going full throttle (I hope not too long, but whatever).
• We are clearly lacking in quality wings. Osman can hit threes, but what good will that do if he doesn't focus on his defensive assignments/proper care of the ball? Can't really speak for those that aren't playing, but time's running out for Windler. Okoro is actually the best we got, but I think his game is incomplete (and that he could show more improvement since there were a handful of good plays he had in both games). Marky shouldn't be forced to play out of position for too long, but he's literally the only option for starting at SF (hopefully, if this isn't corrected within the first weeks, we'll be able to force a move... just try not to make a panic move).
• I like what I'm seeing for Sexton. He's a good scorer and is trying to show other qualities on the floor (ball movement and defense). But he resorts back to bad habits when the going is REALLY rough. He has to control those urges to score better, I don't know if having Iverson-lite is what I want... Also, I can see him shoved a bit, so he has to stay on the floor (not too much flopping for calls), because his man immediately got to the other end and got a quick score response.
• I think the injuries are a f#ckin' pain in the @$$. It's bad enough with Windler, but I'm not interested in losing TOO many guys to injuries (like missing Garland tonight...).
• But I do love seeing Allen and Mobley out there. But we haven't seen as much repertoire from them yet (like Allen's ability to rebound). Plus, Mobley is the real deal, but I'm starting to see that he still may lack enough physical mass to play inside consistently (getting pushed around by Plumlee maybe?). It's a bright future up there.

TL;DR really liked some of the stuff I saw. But know we have to get better. Cheers!

 

[kookoo]

It's kinda hard to make any real judgments after the two games we played, but there's things that stands out to me.

Warning: Long List

• Even though we've lost double digit games twice, sometimes all we really need at the beginning of a long 82-game season is one win to get the monkey off our backs. The fact we were still in both games during the 4th quarters means with just a few mistakes corrected, we could've won them instead.
• @Wham with the Right Hand - He knows what he's talking about (post #403). Those two stretches of offensive malaise we had were the difference in the games, having multiple turnovers, missed shots, and lack of focus on defending easy buckets.
• Rubio probably had a hand on causing those types of breakdowns, but I found the rest of his game quite refreshing (good steady PG play, proper defensive possessions, and leadership). I think @Randolphkeys said he's a slow starter. It may take a couple weeks to get going full throttle (I hope not too long, but whatever).
• We are clearly lacking in quality wings. Osman can hit threes, but what good will that do if he doesn't focus on his defensive assignments/proper care of the ball? Can't really speak for those that aren't playing, but time's running out for Windler. Okoro is actually the best we got, but I think his game is incomplete (and that he could show more improvement since there were a handful of good plays he had in both games). Marky shouldn't be forced to play out of position for too long, but he's literally the only option for starting at SF (hopefully, if this isn't corrected within the first weeks, we'll be able to force a move... just try not to make a panic move).
• I like what I'm seeing for Sexton. He's a good scorer and is trying to show other qualities on the floor (ball movement and defense). But he resorts back to bad habits when the going is REALLY rough. He has to control those urges to score better, I don't know if having Iverson-lite is what I want... Also, I can see him shoved a bit, so he has to stay on the floor (not too much flopping for calls), because his man immediately got to the other end and got a quick score response.
• I think the injuries are a f#ckin' pain in the @$$. It's bad enough with Windler, but I'm not interested in losing TOO many guys to injuries (like missing Garland tonight...).
• But I do love seeing Allen and Mobley out there. But we haven't seen as much repertoire from them yet (like Allen's ability to rebound). Plus, Mobley is the real deal, but I'm starting to see that he still may lack enough physical mass to play inside consistently (getting pushed around by Plumlee maybe?). It's a bright future up there.

TL;DR really liked some of the stuff I saw. But know we have to get better. Cheers!

Do you think better coaching could build on what JBB is doing but improve the qualities we find players resorting back to, such as Sexton? And then adding consistent shooters...

 

[ansatsusha80]

Can someone tell me what changed from the first and second half. I missed all of the first half,while I was at work and half of the third quarter,while settling down at home but I know we were up at halftime...

I dont understand,why this organization always have an issue of blowing leads. This been a problem since we won the title.

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

He had 1 until literally his last minute of action. So for 26 minutes Allen had 1 rebound. In two games, he has exactly 1 offensive rebound.

Stay mad, Dom.

He had 4.

 

[Photon]

While Mobley needs to add mass, he is getting literally pushed. Allen also. Both hands in the back style shit…
They care (league) about the super promoted Trae, Harden and Luka fooling people into contact stuff, they don’t care about basic stuff. Off arm hooks, pushing, holding… I wonder if most of them even know how to play defense without that. On offense: calling double dribble (a lot of “omg crossovers” are blatant carry), players putting shoulders in standing defense (omg what a nice kick out pass (while knocking over 3 defenders) moves), off arm pushing..

We don’t get any respect, but it’s a league wide shit anyway, it annoys me a bit (large bit) more each passing season..

 

[KevinLoveFan]

Allen is historically a good rebounder, so I won't be surprised if he gets some more boards tonight against ATL. I should be able to catch the game today since I'm free of obligations this time and don't have to torture myself with watching OKC either since they're off.

 

[Cavatt]

Game was lost on the boards as much as that Rubio stretch. Gotta secure some rebounds.

They were ready for Lauri at the 3 in the 2nd half and exploited it

 

[Sir'Dom Pointer]

Game was lost on the boards as much as that Rubio stretch. Gotta secure some rebounds.

They were ready for Lauri at the 3 in the 2nd half and exploited it

Gotta say that lineups with Nance at the 3 with Mobley at the 4/5 would have been much more interesting and versatile to me than any lineup with Markannen.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

1. The final tally was 58 points in the paint for Charlotte, in addition to the 70 by Memphis. The worst team in the league last year gave up 54 points per game in the paint.

2. The Cavs have been outrebounded by 27 after two games.

3. Last night the Cavs gave up 34 points off 18 turnovers.

So that's what needs to be emphasized in practice; defending the paint, defensive rebounding, and reducing turnovers.

A couple more things from last night...

Sexton was brilliant with 33 points in 21 shots. Many of those points came when the offensive play failed, the shot clock was expiring, and the Cavs were standing around looking confused. Sexton just took the ball and scored by himself, making something from nothing. He is the ONLY player on the team that can get a bucket in that situation. I call it a bailout bucket.

He needs to do better on 3-point shooting than 4-for-13 through the first two games, however.

There was a moment late in the 4th with the Cavs down by 18 when Mobley decided he was going to take the shot. He got the ball on the perimeter, dribbled to his left, and knocked down a 15' jumper off the dribble with a hand in his face. Nothing but net.

In the first half with the clock expiring Love passed up a shot in the paint and kicked it to Mobley in the corner. Mobley knocked down the three, but the clock had expired. Add in the corner three he made in the opener and Mobley has shot three long jumpers so far and made them all.

So far he's shooting 55% from the field, 78% from the line, and averging 15/7/4. Once he starts taking more outside shots his scoring should increase. He's taking 10 shots a game.

Markkanen is shooting 36.0% from the field and 33.3% from deep. New team, new position part of the time - he looks slow and uncomfortable. I expect him to start shooting better once he settles in. I'd like to see him get more rebounds, however. Mobley and Allen are slim and can be muscled on the glass. They also contest a lot of shots, taking them out of position for defensive boards. I'd like to see Markkanen, at 6'11", 240, really start to assert himself on the defensive glass.

 

[edgy1]

Scottie Barnes would have looked nice on this team instead of Mobley. Versatile SF continues to be the largest area of need.

 

[CavsKermit]

While Mobley needs to add mass, he is getting literally pushed. Allen also. Both hands in the back style shit…
They care (league) about the super promoted Trae, Harden and Luka fooling people into contact stuff, they don’t care about basic stuff. Off arm hooks, pushing, holding… I wonder if most of them even know how to play defense without that. On offense: calling double dribble (a lot of “omg crossovers” are blatant carry), players putting shoulders in standing defense (omg what a nice kick out pass (while knocking over 3 defenders) moves), off arm pushing..

We don’t get any respect, but it’s a league wide shit anyway, it annoys me a bit (large bit) more each passing season..

The Cavs can solve that issue by going out and getting a guy like Chriss who will force the officials to call that stuff. The first time Allen or Mobley is shoved with both hands in the back and there's no call, sub him in. Have him shot put one of their guys in the stand, or just turn around and shove the guy back. That will refocus the officials attention.

The Hornets did the exact same thing last season. They were getting out played in the post and starting junking the game up. The Cavs traded the Bucks 1st and cap space to get Allen, and then gave him $100M. They used the No. 3 overall pick on Mobley. You cannot allow other teams or bad officiating to negate their size advantage by routinely fouling them.

 

[macbdog]

Say hello to the new boss. Same as the old boss. Rinse, repeat, same ole Cavaliers. The sooner this team divorces themselves from the Lollipop Guild the better.

 

[RchfldCavRaised]

Out of town so just getting to watch the game this morning:

PG play:
Weird stretch for Rubio to start the 4th/end the 3rd for two straight games. Tonight specifically, he had 4 turnovers and got lost on rotation/out of sorts on D resulting in 2 wide open 3's for Charlotte to compound the 4 turnovers.

He didn't have a backup this game (Pangos is NOT a NBA player) and Garland was hampered last game so in both games I'll say Rubio was overused and that caused him to blow gaskets by the 4th.

Ideally, he should be the backup with a dedicated 20-25 mins max. Even though he's only 30, he's a 15 year pro vet so that 30 is actually closer to 35 yr old knees.

The irony to that is he frustrated and was in the head of Ball all night leading up to the gasket being blown. So what he was doing for 20-25 mins worked. The minute we crept above the 25 mins, he melted.

Wing play:
Watching Oubre and Bridges win this game for Charlotte was frustrating when you consider that both of them are average wings. Makes our lack of at least average wings even more glaring.

Big play:
Also, a night after watching Taylor Jenkins outcoach JBB rotationally and getting him to bring a small lineup out there playing into Memphis hands, Boreaga did the same thing taking Plumblee off the floor and playing PJ at the 5 with interchangeable wings.

Nate McMillan, like JBB, is historically known for being stubborn and old school in his approach to the game (he's forcing Dieng into lineups he shouldn't be in right now) though he showed growth both in his last season in Indy and last year once he took over for Pierce, in his willingness to adapt in-game with rotations.

To sum all this up:
Rotations lost both of these two winnable games. It's unfortunate that Garland tweaked his ankle on one of the first plays of the season, but we've got enough tools in the shed where a good in-game coach could use his rotations to win these first two games.

 

[daytripper]

FWIW Rubio also played a TON of minutes over the summer and in the Olympics. I can imagine he might be a little more tired coming into the season.