The Cleveland Cavaliers are a F’n problem!

[stevenash]

Houston at OKC tonight.
Houston has some young guns; Dillon Brooks grew up finally and is playing very good ball, plus Van Fleet.
Very interesting game.

[stevenash]

I forgot how to embed twitter.

https://x.com/kirkgoldsberry/status/1854893830358602008?s=46&t=6W1qjtKZvX0Af0tixWjrEA

Locate the three little dots in 'X' (my wife refuses to call is 'X' by the way)
Anyway, before I digress (which I am the king of don't you know)
Locate the three little dots in 'X' in the upper right-hand corner, click that, and you'll get a dropdown menu with embedding options.

[Mac4Lyfe]

If they keep it up, Lebron is leaving Lakers mid season and rejoining the Cavs

LeBron would have been a great fit with this group but he wanted LaLa land more than another ring.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Dubs are a shell of what they once were, although that was an impressive win vs. Boston.

Buddy Hield is playing very well for them. He’s an upgrade over Klay. Both the Warriors and Cavs are playing similar styles. Use 11 - 12 guys deep in your bench, keep everyone fresh and run up and down the court. It’s an excellent strategy by both teams. Our 5 may not be better but our 10 certainly is better. This is a huge barometer test tonight. GSW maybe shorthanded.

[marcoloco]

If they keep it up, Lebron is leaving Lakers mid season and rejoining the Cavs

[stevenash]

The line I think opened at Cavs -1 and is up to Cavs -3.5. I think Draymond is most likely out tonight which is huge for them. Do they have the size inside?

Dubs are a shell of what they once were, although that was an impressive win vs. Boston.

[Mac4Lyfe]

I was thinking same

The line I think opened at Cavs -1 and is up to Cavs -3.5. I think Draymond is most likely out tonight which is huge for them. Do they have the size inside?

[Mac4Lyfe]

Yep.I love to watch that team, they're usually the second game (10 pm start EST) of a TNT or ESPN double header. (If the networks don't show a dopey Laker or Dub game)OKC is not a one trick SGA pony.Holmgren is a top five NBA center, and as most thought, Jalen Williams is developing into an all-star wingman, the kid is totally legit.The bench is guard heavy; they could use a couple of Bigs, but all NBA teams have some holes.I love to watch OKC.

OKCs defense is off the charts. It’s insane. And their offense is so awesome too. I forgot how to embed twitter but this is ridiculous.

https://x.com/kirkgoldsberry/status/1854893830358602008?s=46&t=6W1qjtKZvX0Af0tixWjrEA

My only knock on OKC is experience. I just don’t know if a team of players that have never been to the Finals can win a Finals. Usually teams/players have to go through gut wrenching, rip your heart out playoffs before they win it all. Can you think of many teams that won a title without being totally devastated?

[johnnyvegas13]

Warriors are gonna murder Cleveland

I was thinking same

[stevenash]

OKC is the real deal.

Yep.

I love to watch that team, they're usually the second game (10 pm start EST) of a TNT or ESPN double header. (If the networks don't show a dopey Laker or Dub game)

OKC is not a one trick SGA pony.
Holmgren is a top five NBA center, and as most thought, Jalen Williams is developing into an all-star wingman, the kid is totally legit.

The bench is guard heavy; they could use a couple of Bigs, but all NBA teams have some holes.

I love to watch OKC.

[HoleWrecker]

Warriors are gonna murder Cleveland

[Mac4Lyfe]

Cavs had to beat the Pelicans and the refs tonight. 9-0 baby! This team can beat you in so many ways.

Huge game Friday versus the Warriors who beat the Celtics tonight. That game will really show where the Cavs really are.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Crazy right?
They have 12 days off though in Dec between 8-20.

The NBA seriously need to look into extending the season or reducing games. Players safety is a real concern. Championships are now based on who can stay healthy. I mentioned it before but guys in today’s NBA fall to the floor much, much more than 30 years ago. Patrick Ewing might have fell a couple times a night. These players are falling dozens of times per game. Imagine a huge man like Embiid crashing to the floor every other night, sometimes on back to backs. The in air collision’s are faster with more power. I’m surprised guys get up after some of these collisions. Even if you don’t collide with another player, just falling over and over again takes so much force on joints and tendons. Players bodies need recovery time.

Even when guys like Embiid flops, they are still putting pressure on their bodies. Haha. Most average people would hurt themselves just trying to fall. It ain’t easy.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Doug - you’re spot on. If LeBron was coachable, he and the Cavs would have won a few more titles under Blatt. He was a great Xu’s and Os guy but LeBron never respected him because he actually challenged LeBron and didn’t back down. LeBron wanted a yes man in Ty Lue.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Beyond ridiculous that they're the 4th choice to make the Finals. PHI overhyped as usual when they never get past 2R & the NYY won't be as good as they were last yr thinking KAT is actually a + in the playoffs. BOS rightfully favored but CLE really should be the 2nd choice.
* never really took this thread seriously until this yr, but you're right about Atkinson being a huge upgrade. I even think if LeBron didn't force Blatt out at 30-11 after making the Finals the yr before, they would've won more than 1 chip, even
though they won it that yr with Lue. Lue is no different than Doc Rivers.. right place, right time for their 1 & only ring.

The Cavs were +1700 to start the season. The number will keep going down.

[Mac4Lyfe]

The Warriors will be a bigger problem
It may be another Dubs/Cavs finals for old times sake

GSW look fantastic so far. I haven’t watched them much this season. I’m trying to figure out what has changed? What is Kerr doing differently? I’m really looking forward to that game on Friday.

[HoleWrecker]

The Warriors will be a bigger problem

It may be another Dubs/Cavs finals for old times sake

[Doug tushyterror]

I could see Boston or OKC winning 20+ in a row but probably not to start a season. I’d love for the Cavs to go double digit wins in a row, get to the Finals and take a 3-1 lead then win in 5. Haha

Beyond ridiculous that they're the 4th choice to make the Finals. PHI overhyped as usual when they never get past 2R & the NYY won't be as good as they were last yr thinking KAT is actually a + in the playoffs. BOS rightfully favored but CLE really should be the 2nd choice.
* never really took this thread seriously until this yr, but you're right about Atkinson being a huge upgrade. I even think if LeBron didn't force Blatt out at 30-11 after making the Finals the yr before, they would've won more than 1 chip, even
though they won it that yr with Lue. Lue is no different than Doc Rivers.. right place, right time for their 1 & only ring.

[lakerboy]

Cavs have played 8 games in 13 days. They had tired legs tonight and still found a way to win. WTH is wrong with the NBA scheduling all these games.

Crazy right?

They have 12 days off though in Dec between 8-20.

[Mac4Lyfe]

15-0 would be tied for the 2nd longest steak to start to the season. Can't see any team ever matching GSW 24-0.
* good omen: CLE beat GSW that yr as you obv know down 1-3

I could see Boston or OKC winning 20+ in a row but probably not to start a season. I’d love for the Cavs to go double digit wins in a row, get to the Finals and take a 3-1 lead then win in 5. Haha

[Doug tushyterror]

Bucks were hitting everything. That kid AJ Green was like 8/9 from 3. He even hit a 65 footer at the buzzer. Him, Lillard and Portis were unconscious. They out rebounded the Cavs by like 14…. AND STILL LOST. Ouch!

15-0 would be tied for the 2nd longest steak to start to the season. Can't see any team ever matching GSW 24-0.
* good omen: CLE beat GSW that yr as you obv know down 1-3

[Mac4Lyfe]

^
I just read 20 minutes ago that Greek is really hurting.
The word was leaked.

Bucks were hitting everything. That kid AJ Green was like 8/9 from 3. He even hit a 65 footer at the buzzer. Him, Lillard and Portis were unconscious. They out rebounded the Cavs by like 14…. AND STILL LOST. Ouch!

[Mac4Lyfe]

Cavs have played 8 games in 13 days. They had tired legs tonight and still found a way to win. WTH is wrong with the NBA scheduling all these games.

[Doug tushyterror]

They could legit be 15-0 going into Celtics game on 11/19

[stevenash]

^
I just read 20 minutes ago that Greek is really hurting.
The word was leaked.

[Mac4Lyfe]

Mac, imagine if we had been martingaling Cav/OKC tickets! $$$$$

Cavs were -6.5 but now has ballooned to 9.5. That must mean Giannis is out. This Bucks team is really awful without him. Cavs huge blowout tonight. They’ll cover this spread in the first quarter. The Bucks played they best they could play on Saturday and still loss. They are coming into this game totally deflated. Hammer time.

[Mac4Lyfe]

https://www.covers.com/sport/basketball/nba/standings
Chart gives OKC one ATS loss, but I saw mostly -12 on that Spurs game. Which would be a push.

Toronto is a very undervalued team. They’re not winning many games but they’re covering.

[Mac4Lyfe]

I will scout out some Futures this week:
1) SGA is now favored over Luka. I don't like taking a short price. SGA was +420, now about +275.
...I did see Chet Holmgren listed at 500/1. I don't think it's insane. His stats are all going up:
*Higher FG%, PPG, Blocks/gm etc.

2) Would much prefer OKC to get 1-seed. Opposed to OKC winning the West.
...Fast start has them at +214 to win West.

I might have waited too long on SGA/OKC. Prices have moved.

Yeah, a lot of people are high on OKC now. I just hate that an injury can derail any futures bet and it’s almost impossible to cap who might lose significant time. Teams like Boston and Cleveland are deep enough to withstand an injury to one player. Most teams cannot. I don’t think OKc could.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

I will scout out some Futures this week:

1) SGA is now favored over Luka. I don't like taking a short price. SGA was +420, now about +275.
...I did see Chet Holmgren listed at 500/1. I don't think it's insane. His stats are all going up:
*Higher FG%, PPG, Blocks/gm etc.

2) Would much prefer OKC to get 1-seed. Opposed to OKC winning the West.
...Fast start has them at +214 to win West.

I might have waited too long on SGA/OKC. Prices have moved.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

https://www.covers.com/sport/basketball/nba/standings

Chart gives OKC one ATS loss, but I saw mostly -12 on that Spurs game. Which would be a push.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Hmmm, that’s tough. So many of the players play so well. Tristan Thompson really isn’t very playable at his age but his experience and mentorship is huge for Allen and Mobley. I still think they need another quality 4/5 although Wade has played both positions well even though he’s small at the 5. They are heavy at the 2/3 and Strus hasn’t played yet. Very deep team but could use a big bruiser type to hack other teams imo.

That's a fair view. You mentioned Wade last year. I know he's a solid player.

I'm a big believer in Size. It's a commodity that's in short supply. I'm a little surprised Kornet is still on Boston, surely he could get more minutes elsewhere.

[Mac4Lyfe]

The Cavs will make Krit and Laker a believer. You guys know I posted this same thread 3 years in a row. 3 years in a row the Cavs were great until the All Star break when injuries killed them because JBB overplayed them too many minutes. Kenny Atkinson is a huge upgrade. Stay healthy.

[lakerboy]

It’s the same Cavs, they will win 50+ games and lose in the first or second round. They’re no different than those Utah teams with Mitchell, not enough.

They’re the same team. It’s all Mitchell, some Garland and a couple good bigs. When playoffs come you need more than two guys who can create their own shot. In a seven game series they aren’t beating Boston, Knicks and probably not a healthy Philly team.

Yup

[Mac4Lyfe]

https://www.basketball-reference.com...yoffs_per_possMac, do you consider anyone in the Cav rotation to be dead-wt?

Hmmm, that’s tough. So many of the players play so well. Tristan Thompson really isn’t very playable at his age but his experience and mentorship is huge for Allen and Mobley. I still think they need another quality 4/5 although Wade has played both positions well even though he’s small at the 5. They are heavy at the 2/3 and Strus hasn’t played yet. Very deep team but could use a big bruiser type to hack other teams imo.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/CLE/2025.html#all_per_poss-playoffs_per_poss

Mac, do you consider anyone in the Cav rotation to be dead-wt?