Guarded by a dude we all agree has defensive shortcomings, Suggs was truly awful for all but two games against us in the playoffs, and Game 1 and 7 were atrocities
The 2025 Off-season Thread: What happens next?
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Suggs averages 3 assists a game - he’s legitimately not someone a defense has to attend to as a threat in the halfcourt at all.
Bob_The_Cat
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In vacuum, Suggs might technically be a better fit next to Mitchell, but I’m not sure he’s that much of a better fit overall in the starting lineup. He’s a really inefficient offensive player and not a good shooter.
Garland takes 24.5 shots Per 100. Suggs takes 24. Suggs (12.1) actually shoots more threes Per 100 than Garland (11.1) despite shooting 9% worse from three. Garland is a much better passer and playmaker.
Suggs is a better defender and rebounded, but that’s it. Even with the size advantage, Garland is much better at finishing.
Suggs would only make sense if he comes with other pieces and there’s a plan to move Allen for a more offensively skilled big. Otherwise, I think he might bring the offense to a halt.
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The funny thing is you had the opportunity to take both and your dog was dog in the dog doghouse…
Suggs had 40.2% FG/29.2% 3P/76.6% FT splits against the Cavs with 14.7 pts, 3.3 asts (2.9 tovs) and 1.3 stls..
Garland put up 44.9 FG%/40% 3P%/71.4 FT% splits with 14.9 pts, 5.4 asts (2.7 tov), 3.9 rebs, and 1 stl..
Diving deeper, Suggs was matched up with Garland for just under 19 minutes total in the series.. In that time, Garland had 17 points, 5 assists (6 turnovers) on 50% FG and 25% 3P (just 4 3PA).. Suggs’ pressure no doubt got to Garland but that didn’t bother Garland’s overall scoring efficiency — more like an ankle biter than a dog with a bite..
On the other end, Suggs was inefficient with Garland guarding him.. 21 points in over 22 minutes but on 36.8% FG and 27.3% 3P… Suggs did fare better handling the ball with 7 assists to 4 turnovers..
This guise that Suggs is this superior playoff performer is just isn’t based in any type of fact..
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Or they just start Hunter and put more length around the backcourt like has worked well in the past..
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Take a gander at the FP when you have a moment:
Postseason percentiles for backcourt-
2022-2023: 22nd offensively, 55th defensively
2023-2024: 15th offensively, 78th defensively
2024-2025: 50th offensively, 3rd defensively
Postseason percentiles for core four-
2022-2023: 28th offensively, 79th defensively
2023-2024: 7th offensively, 88th defensively
2024-2025: 9th offensively, 15th defensively
2022-2023 defensive backcourt percentile: 55th
With Okoro: 100th percentile
With LeVert: 32nd percentile
2023-2024 defensive backcourt percentile: 78th
With Okoro: 71st percentile
With Wade: 100th percentile
With LeVert: 84th percentile
Does that look like a team that can’t win defensively with the backcourt?
The problem has been the offense hasn’t been good enough to have just good enough defense.. If this is going to work, it’s because the offense is to the point where the defense isn’t noticeable — the defense is only noticeable when the offense isn’t working..
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Garland led the Cavs in AST% last year — Suggs would have been third (and just a hair above LeVert)…
Garland was 15th in AST% — Suggs would have been good for 54th (if he qualified)..
Suggs assist to usage ratio was 4th percentile last year which is atrocious — meaning for as much as he uses possessions the rate at which he creates assists is miserable..
Why can’t Mobley be fleshed out more with Garland here?
Futuredome
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Because Garland won't let him
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Garland’s touches per game and time per touch has decreased year over year in the core four era..
Touches per game
22-23: 76.7
23-24: 75.3
24-25: 63.9
Average second per touch:
22-23: 5.72
23-24: 5.26
24-25: 4.81
So we’re saying this why?
troopalive
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It's about having a potential two way player if you want to get past the second round of the playoffs. You can put up all Garlands offensive metrics and discount his defense if you want but to win a championship you have to be able to stop people. Defense always gives you a chance even when shots are not falling see Okc.
troopalive
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We're rattling off all these stats and cant make it past 4-1 in the second round. Intangibles have to be taken in account also.
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We’re rattling off all these stats because you clearly called Suggs the better player when Garland is clearly the more productive player both outside of Suggs and in matchups with Suggs…
Pinning a 2nd round defeat all on Garland is trying to find a scapegoat..
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It’s not discounting defense is clearly outlining how the defense has been productive with Garland and how the defense can be more productive with Garland — things you said weren’t possible but clearly are and were..
Defense doesn’t win championships, being balanced on both sides of the ball does..
The Cavs have shown to have a productive enough defense to win but have not shown a productive enough offense to win.. That’s the bottom line.. The offense needs to be better if the pairing wants to last, and overall if they want to advance..
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I used the ESPN NBA trade machine to try and find a Garland for Suggs trade that works and failed every time. Garland will make almost $37 million next year and Suggs $9 million. That is the problem. There are rules that get violated with every combination. I tried adding da Silva, Anthony, Bitadze, and just about every other Magic player to the trade and nothing worked. I don't know if the Cavs could do a Garland for Suggs deal even if both teams wanted to. Maybe if a third team was involved but it would be complicated.
I'm convinced that if Garland was healthy we beat the Pacers in games 1 and 2 which gives us a 3-0 lead. I also think Kenny learned a lot from this series which he will put to good use next season in prepping the Cavs for the playoffs, which will be a higher priority than winning regular season games for playoff seeding. Being the #1 seed didn't help us at all.
I'm convinced that if Garland was healthy we beat the Pacers in games 1 and 2 which gives us a 3-0 lead. I also think Kenny learned a lot from this series which he will put to good use next season in prepping the Cavs for the playoffs, which will be a higher priority than winning regular season games for playoff seeding. Being the #1 seed didn't help us at all.