• Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.

Game Thread | Game #53 | Heat @ Cavs | Jan. 31, 2023

Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Yeah, I have an issue with Mitchell going 3 for 13 from range when so many of those shots are coming so early in the shot clock and early on in the game.

That Mobley corner three play needs to be shelved for eternity. Not only is it a wasted possession, it's almost always a bucket going the other way.
The Cavs shots so well on 3's against the Clippers two nights earlier than I can understand why they came out firing 3's and put up 13 of them in the first quarter, which equates to 52 for a whole game. The Heat rank 26th in opponents' 3-point percentage so it made sense to shoot 3's against them at home.

But once it was obvious that NOBODY on the Cavs was shooting well they should have changed their approach and attacked the rim against an undersized team. I get the Miami played a lot of zone which kind of forces you to shoot from outside, so give them credit. They saw the Cavs were bricking open 3's so they went to a zone and it paid off.

We can't beat quality teams when both Garland and Mitchell are missing 3's but keep shooting them anyway. And Cedi, Wade, and LeVert gave them no help.
 
The Cavs shots so well on 3's against the Clippers two nights earlier than I can understand why they came out firing 3's and put up 13 of them in the first quarter, which equates to 52 for a whole game. The Heat rank 26th in opponents' 3-point percentage so it made sense to shoot 3's against them at home.

But once it was obvious that NOBODY on the Cavs was shooting well they should have changed their approach and attacked the rim against an undersized team. I get the Miami played a lot of zone which kind of forces you to shoot from outside, so give them credit. They saw the Cavs were bricking open 3's so they went to a zone and it paid off.

We can't beat quality teams when both Garland and Mitchell are missing 3's but keep shooting them anyway. And Cedi, Wade, and LeVert gave them no help.
Mitchell didn't even play against the Clippers and he was hijacking the offense when the Heat had 3 or 4 defenders out at the perimeter to start the game. Allen and/or Mobley inside the arc was there all game long. I want the team I root for to do the smart thing and take what the defense is giving them because the Heat had no answer to our bigs last night.

Compare the FG% for Garland, Mitchell, and LeVert with Allen and Mobley. Now ask yourself whether those attempts should've been distributed differently.

If you're game planning against one of the best perimeter defensive teams in the NBA based on a game against a hobbled team starting G League guys, you're doing it wrong. We should've pounded the Heat inside all night until they changed how they defended us.
 
Last edited:
I was at the game last night. Cavs somehow need to find more consistent effort & energy. They came out of the gates last night with a purpose and completely dominated the first 6 minutes of the game. Energy was explosive on offense and defense. Crowd is fired up. Then we have the 3rd quarter lull with 4 turnovers in a row and nobody on the floor seems to care and is just walking around. I truly believe this is one of the league's best teams, just have to find a way unleash that effort and dominance for a full game, X's and O's aside. Here's to hoping that's something we see in the playoffs.

Love Darius but he's really taken to JB's scapegoating of refs.

At least there was a puppy that could do cool tricks.
 
I think it was inexperience versus a more experienced and composed team that sunk us versus the Heat. It started with Okoro's boneheaded pass backwards across the half court line. Then turnover after turnover, with the Heat converting while we had repeated empty possessions.

I almost think teams are baiting Garland into dribbling into pressure. Mitchell's shot selection was not ideal.

I love me some passing and ball movement. But there were possessions where we passed and passed and passed, with nobody taking viable shots when they were in range. We passed up viable shot looks trying for wide open looks that never came, then we had to force up shit looks with the clock running out.

In playoff basketball wide open shots are few and far between. If our players are going to pass up anything but wide open looks we won't score much. These guys are going to have to learn to pull the trigger sometimes when there is a sliver of an open look. Winning playoff teams have multiple players who can knock down contested shots, and when defensive intensity gets ramped up then we have to take the best contested shot after trying ball and player movement to even get those.

We also quit attacking the paint while the Heat kept attacking the paint. We have to play inside out, dribble or pass into the paint, then kick it out for some perimeter passes.

The Heat do this almost instinctively, our guys just don't have that kind of flow or instincts as a group. It is something that can be learned and coached, but it takes experiencing that kind of defensive pressure to learn how to attack it as a group.
 

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Video

Episode 3-13: "Backup Bash Brothers"

Rubber Rim Job Podcast Spotify

Episode 3:11: "Clipping Bucks."
Top