Game Thread | Game #44 | Cavs @ Timberwolves | Jan. 14, 2023

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I would have said the Cavs lost as a result of 1) being tired at the end of a west coast road trip, 2) Mitchell being sick, and 3) playing a hot team (the Wolves had won 5 of 6 coming in). But Bickerstaff had a different take. In his opinion the Cavs got "bored of success" after getting out to a 14-point lead and started making bad decisions.

“We built a lead and stopped doing the things that were right and the things that helped us build a lead,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said following the loss. “We allowed them to get back in the game by turning the ball over and taking tough forced shots instead of taking what was there. I think it’s part of our growth and understanding that you can’t get bored of success. Tonight, I thought that was evident.”

More "arrogant basketball"?

 

[dice1717]

I would have said the Cavs lost as a result of 1) being tired at the end of a west coast road trip, 2) Mitchell being sick, and 3) playing a hot team (the Wolves had won 5 of 6 coming in). But Bickerstaff had a different take. In his opinion the Cavs got "bored of success" after getting out to a 14-point lead and started making bad decisions.

“We built a lead and stopped doing the things that were right and the things that helped us build a lead,” Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff said following the loss. “We allowed them to get back in the game by turning the ball over and taking tough forced shots instead of taking what was there. I think it’s part of our growth and understanding that you can’t get bored of success. Tonight, I thought that was evident.”

More "arrogant basketball"?

Surprising comment in regards to a young team on the rise. My opinion is that they are not and have never been good enough to “play down” to an opponent. Statements like that are generally reserved for teams that have had a high rate of success and actually have accomplished something

 

[Ohioplayer00]

The hate MObley gets on this board for essentially transforming the team defense from worst in the league over a 3 year span to one of the best in the league the moment he stepped foot on the court on this board is just incredible and I'm to the point I'm starting to hope he gets traded/leaves in the future so then the fans can bitch at someone else.

He's 20 fucking years old and a top 5 defensive player in the NBA.

Zero patience to let a player grow and develop. It's one thing when you're getting zero production out of a guy like we were with Okoro. This is entirely another.

Silly fanbase.

I know I’m the main “Mobley hater” here and it’s not because of his defense…..the kid is a defensive stud. I love his defense! But I can’t stand his lack of aggressiveness and passiveness on offense! He catches the ball deep in the key and either fumbles the ball away, brings it down to his knees (cardinal sin) or gets flustered with the bodies around him, never looks at the rim and throws the ball back outside with less than 10 seconds on the clock. He HAS to get more aggressive inside. And he also needs to spend the summer on putting the ball to the floor outside and attacking the paint/rim without allowing a player to redirect him with a simple arm push. But this would entail the Cavs FO getting him involved with a weight and strength coach to work with him on getting stronger and putting on some mass.
For God’s sake he weighs the same as DM!!!!!!

 

[buzzdog]

The hate MObley gets on this board for essentially transforming the team defense from worst in the league over a 3 year span to one of the best in the league the moment he stepped foot on the court on this board is just incredible and I'm to the point I'm starting to hope he gets traded/leaves in the future so then the fans can bitch at someone else.

He's 20 fucking years old and a top 5 defensive player in the NBA.

Zero patience to let a player grow and develop. It's one thing when you're getting zero production out of a guy like we were with Okoro. This is entirely another.

Silly fanbase.

Ohioplayer and a small number of other posters don't reflect the group's opinion on Mobley, IMO these posters are outliers.

 

[Ohioplayer00]

Ohioplayer and a small number of other posters don't reflect the group's opinion on Mobley, IMO these posters are outliers.

Opinions vary!!!! You have yours….I have mine! I prefaced my whole post by saying I was one of the main Mobley haters on this board! I also gave him major props on his abilities as a defensive presence!
But if you don’t see my concerns about him on offense then you need to take off the rose colored glasses you’re wearing!

 

[buzzdog]

Opinions vary!!!! You have yours….I have mine! I prefaced my whole post by saying I was one of the main Mobley haters on this board! I also gave him major props on his abilities as a defensive presence!
But if you don’t see my concerns about him on offense then you need to take off the rose colored glasses you’re wearing!

I stand firmly by my opinion that your evaluation of Mobley does not align with the majority of people here.

 

[Ohioplayer00]

I stand firmly by my opinion that your evaluation of Mobley does not align with the majority of people here.

I’m sure it doesn’t. But that’s what opinions are….a difference in thoughts! Opinions don’t make one person right and one person wrong.

 

[Benway]

Do we have an RCF "Outlier" badge?

Maybe we need one?

 

[The Oi]

Do we have an RCF "Outlier" badge?

Maybe we need one?

It should be a cartoonish version of Malcolm Gladwell’s face, which is already kind of cartoonish.

(I like Malcolm)

 

[Benway]

It should be a cartoonish version of Malcolm Gladwell’s face, which is already kind of cartoonish.

oh thats gross

 

[Benway]

It should be a cartoonish version of Malcolm Gladwell’s face, which is already kind of cartoonish.

(I like Malcolm)

 

[Dr. Claw]

I know I’m the main “Mobley hater” here and it’s not because of his defense…..the kid is a defensive stud. I love his defense! But I can’t stand his lack of aggressiveness and passiveness on offense! He catches the ball deep in the key and either fumbles the ball away, brings it down to his knees (cardinal sin) or gets flustered with the bodies around him, never looks at the rim and throws the ball back outside with less than 10 seconds on the clock. He HAS to get more aggressive inside. And he also needs to spend the summer on putting the ball to the floor outside and attacking the paint/rim without allowing a player to redirect him with a simple arm push. But this would entail the Cavs FO getting him involved with a weight and strength coach to work with him on getting stronger and putting on some mass.
For God’s sake he weighs the same as DM!!!!!!

the funny thing about this though, before his knee got banged, he was going RIGHT at Booty Gobert like he was ready for the challenge

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I would not categorize Ohio Player as a "Mobley hater" even though he claims he is. I don't hate Mobley but I recognize that he needs to develop more skills on offense. He loses the ball on his spin move consistently and he misses his jump hook a lot. He has no 3-point shot and his 15-footer is inconsistent. He does get stripped when he brings the ball down to waist level in a crowd.

It's not so much "hating" him but recognizing he sometimes hurts the team offensively, especially when he tries to do things he hasn't mastered yet.

He's at his best when he either doesn't dribble or takes just one dribble and a long step to the rim. He's an excellent pump faker who consistently gets defenders in the air, setting him up for easy buckets. I like his turnaround fallaway jumper a lot more than his jump hook and I think he should go to it more. It's unblockable, it allows him to shoot with two hands and square his body up to the basket.

Mostly it's his dribble that gets him in trouble. I think he should bend his knees more and stick his butt into the defender, which results in a lower dribble that is harder to poke away or lose control of. Then explode up hard for a jump shot, generally after a strong pump fake. Kevin Love could teach him a lot about scoring from the paint with your back to the basket.