There was a lot of breakdowns defensively, a lot of scouting report miscues, stuff that we don’t normally do. - Caris LeVert
They’re good basketball players, and if you’re gonna disrespect them, they’re gonna make you pay. We came out of the gate soft and disrespectful, and they were out there shooting warmup shots with no contest, no challenges, nobody in their space and they gave us what we deserved. - JBB
The question is how many more times is this going to happen? How long will the Cavs continue to play down to the level of the opponent, no matter how low it is?
I'm not sure if it was a perfect storm of EVERYBODY on their team getting hot from outside on the same night or if, as JB said, "they're good basketball players". We're assuming these guys suck. One poster refered to them as "G league" players. Well, maybe they're good players but nobody knows it because the Warriors have Curry, Thompson, Green, and Wiggins.
It's easier to play well if you're in for 30-40 minutes as opposed to short stretches to rest a starter. You can settle in and get into the flow of the game. How many times have we seen a reserve get a chance to start and score 25-30 points? Happens all the time.
But 23 made 3's, which is just four off the franchise record of 27, is ridiculous. The Cavs' players bear a lot of the responsibility. As LeVert said, there were some scouting report miscues and defensive breakdowns. The W's should not have been able to throw a pass from one sideline to the opposite corner and get an uncontested 3.
These guys are legitimate NBA players. Looney is a seven-year vet, JaMychal Green has eight years, DiVincenzo is in his 5th year, Poole his 4th, Jerome his 4th, and Lamb his 3rd. All these guys can play.
Ty Jerome is a 41% shooter from deep. Lamb is hitting 42% of his 3's. These guys can flat out shoot and IMO they'd be solid starters if not for a couple of guys named Curry and Thompson.
What was crazy was that EVERY guy on their team lit it up from deep. Baldwin, the only rookie, was 2-for-3. Green, who is shooting 29% from deep, was 3-for-3. Kuminga, a 28% outside shooter, was 2-for-2. Even their guys that normally don't hit 3's were hitting them. Jerome had to force up a couple with an expiring clock where he was contested and had to rush the shot but they still went in.
I think it was a combination of a great offensive scheme that spreads the floor and moves the ball with multiple passes, creating open shots, and the Cavs' failure to find a way to counter it, plus an unusually hot night from good shooters who were playing "loose and free" with no pressure.
The Cavs were not ready for this. The W's scored 15 points in the first 4:11, draining 3 after 3. They made 9 of their first 10 from deep. They were also killing the Cavs on the glass despite being the smaller team.
Despite all that the Cavs trailed by only 5 points at halftime. They needed to come out strong to start the 3rd quarter and get the game under control. They failed miserably. The Warriors made their first SEVEN shots and scored as astounding 23 points in the first 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter. The Cavs not only came out soft to start the game they came out soft to start the 3rd quarter.
I agree with Fedor. Embarassing. Pathetic. Disrespectful. They got what they deserved. The Warriors bench consists of NBA veterans. There was only one rookie (Baldwin, who played 9 minutes) and no two-way players. These guys have been in the league for years. They know how to play the Warriors' system and they can flat out shoot the rock. They were also thrilled to get a lot of playing time and determined to take advantage of it. In games like this it's the bench team that has all the intensity and motivation while for the other team it's just an easy win. The Cavs fell into the trap again.