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Game Thread | Game #45 | Pelicans @ Cavs | Jan. 16, 2023

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Out for the year unfortunately, he has to have crotch replacement surgery. Supposedly the injury was caused from excess testicular weight; his 70 point game caused his balls to grow too large. He should be back to normal by next september.
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Was at the game. My observations FWIW:
  • Rubio makes a difference, whether he's scoring or not.
  • Excellent games from Mobley and Allen.
  • 3 shooting was brutal.
  • Too many stupid turnovers.
  • If somebody wants Love in a trade - do it.
  • The Cavs have a strange ability to play like crap most of the game - then pull it together and win.
People keep pointing to that last point you make and saying that will bite them in the playoffs. I don't think they are purposefully playing bad at the beginning of the game and good at the end. I think they are working out how to beat the team and I think it is one of their biggest strengths and is actually a GOOD sign for the playoffs. I think it is really likely they drop the first game of any series, but get stronger and stronger as they learn to understand the opponent.

I have seen this method before and it made me so mad. Madder than I have ever been and it was the Paul Pierce Celtics big 3 era. Cavs woudl routinely outplay them in first halves and then seemingly melt down. I was so pissed. "Why not do the things that got you the lead in the first half?" There is a great answer, they would not let you. They would play you straight up the first half and just play their game and observe yours. Then in the 2nd half they implement their adjustments, lock down what you were doing well and just coast to a win based on their defense. I didn't understand that defense is what makes a good team look average. It's not that they forgot how to play during halftime.

I think this team has several high IQ guys that are good at adjusting the way they play on the fly. Garland had a terrible first half and was not getting anything and then he came out and got what he wanted because he adjusted his attack. The defensive versatility of this team allows them to play this way and this why we often don't see the same guys in the first half we see in the 2nd, and it has mostly worked as evidenced by all the comebacks.
 
I once declared that Rubio and Garland would be unplayable together. I still don't understand why that combination works but it always seems to (nba.com says they were +16.1 in 512 min last year)
It works because Garland works well off the ball and so does Rubio. They know where they need to be when the other has the ball.
 
Well, I'll have to go back and watch this one. The way people were bitching in this thread in the first half, I thought we were getting buried. I still have the recording, luckily.
 
Well, I'll have to go back and watch this one. The way people were bitching in this thread in the first half, I thought we were getting buried. I still have the recording, luckily.
I think the most we fell behind was 14 and that was briefly. Most of the time it was single digits, from 1 to 9.

Then the 4th quarter happened.
 
What worries me is that there were stupid and careless turnovers. When NO pressed, it was even worse.
Shooting comes and goes. But ball handling and simple passing should be almost automatic.
 
the frustrating thing about this team is it plays like how LBJ played when he was here - coasting for 3 and a half quarters, and then turning it on at the last 6 minutes to get the win

but now, it's not one player who's doing it, it's the whole team.
 
the frustrating thing about this team is it plays like how LBJ played when he was here - coasting for 3 and a half quarters, and then turning it on at the last 6 minutes to get the win

but now, it's not one player who's doing it, it's the whole team.
CHILL MODE as LBJ used to call it! :(
 
Mobley played an awesome game going against Valanciunas. I found it encouraging that he picked his spots and played strong with Jonas in the same zip code, being decisive offensively. And when Evan and JA get the big-to-big stuff going it's impressive.
 

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