KLove is baaaaad - slow feet, no arm hustle to deflect or cover passing lanes, bad defense IQ
IT might as well not exist on defense
All the others are just as bad. Team in general do not communicate defensively, gets lost in switches and close outs. Also, no practice.
LBJ is bad reason #1: ball hog. Does not pass unless "assist"
LBJ is bad reason #2: Westbrook-esque on offense off ball - stand back and watch and wait for the ball to return
LBJ is bad reason #3: No effort defense. If not gay chasedown block, he rarely challenges scorers in front of him, lets cutters and drivers blow by him, and NEVER challenges layups and dunks
LBJ is bad reason #4: Worst TO average. Makes terrible passes that opponents easily deflect or grab
I know that watching the video biases you towards a certain perspective...but do you think Lebron has quit and is just riding out the season? What team could he go to next year?
I mean, I don't even know what this guy is doing pointing out Love. They are intentionally playing him out of position to try and score more, knowing he ain't great in the pick and roll or at the rim. If you want defense get TT into some windsprints and back into shape.
Another thing I noticed in that video, and I don't know if the scales would bear it out, but don't a lot of the Cavs players look chunky compared to 2015-16? Love and LeBron particularly look way bigger than when I thought they were most effective as a unit in CLE.
as i've said in previous posts... the Cavalier starters look like they lack basic cardio conditioning.. LBJ gave up against the Spurs... i've never seen that before.
Minnesota and Toronto ran the Cavs ragged. both teams were missing starters... and both teams stomped the Cavs. Minnesota didn't have Teague and Toronto didn't have Lowry or Ibaka. Both teams had a gang of very young players who ran the Cavs into the floor.
The Cavs problem is more than cardio or conditioning. In fact that's the least of their problems. They are a bunch of high-ego underperforming guys with very questionable coaching who do not play as a team at all. When you add the fact that Lebron looks very human already, with everyone attacking him more and more fearlessly in both offense and defense, and with Lebron demonstrably losing spirit along with his athleticism and alpha-male status, it becomes obvious why the Cavs are struggling.
If for some reason the sheer star-power of the team manages to will itself into the playoffs despite the problems of the team, then we can all go back into pretending that this was merely a slump and all is well in Lebron's little fiefdom.
Lebron doesn't exactly play defense until April starts.
It's really hard to get a read on this team. They started out poorly after looking impressive in their first game of the season. Then they had a really good stretch where they got close to having the best record in the league. Then they went into their current slump.
On January 26 2018 21:25 Twinkle Toes wrote: The Cavs problem is more than cardio or conditioning. In fact that's the least of their problems.
bad cardio undercuts anything an athlete can attempt. they looked gassed against both Minnesota and Toronto while "super stars" Freddie Van Vleet and Tyus Jones ran them ragged.
IT hinted at their poor cardio conditioning a week or two ago by saying "we never practice" in about 5 different interviews over a 6 day time period.
they have lots of other problems as well. i'm surprised the team ignored something so fundamental.
On January 27 2018 01:56 andrewlt wrote: It's really hard to get a read on this team. They started out poorly after looking impressive in their first game of the season. Then they had a really good stretch where they got close to having the best record in the league. Then they went into their current slump.
i'll try to make some sense of it ....
their really good stretch winning 19 of 21 was against lousy teams. only 4 of the 21 teams they played during that stretch are in a playoff spot right now.
also, they played that 21 game stretch with Calderon at the point. I said it when IT was injured... IT's game and LBJ's game go together like oil and water. the team is a disaster with IT at PG. Especially with IT still getting himself into game shape.
On January 27 2018 01:56 andrewlt wrote: It's really hard to get a read on this team. They started out poorly after looking impressive in their first game of the season. Then they had a really good stretch where they got close to having the best record in the league. Then they went into their current slump.
i'll try to make some sense of it ....
their really good stretch winning 19 of 21 was against lousy teams. only 4 of the 21 teams they played during that stretch are in a playoff spot right now.
also, they played that 21 game stretch with Calderon at the point. I said it when IT was injured... IT's game and LBJ's game go together like oil and water. the team is a disaster with IT at PG. Especially with IT still getting himself into game shape.
Those are both good reasons but I think a regular team wouldn't have the splits that this team has. A .500 team doesn't exactly win every game against lousy teams but lose every game against good teams. This team feels like a bunch of bipolar kids whose effort level coincides with their mood.
On January 26 2018 13:22 Jerubaal wrote: I know that watching the video biases you towards a certain perspective...but do you think Lebron has quit and is just riding out the season? What team could he go to next year?
The thought to start the year was lakers with pg13. But george seems to be getting along with westbrook, and the west is more of a grind. So lately people are guessing joining the young core of the 76rs or bucks.
The west had a losing record against the east until recently. Seems like the Thunder and the Wolves (even with Butler out) are finally rounding into form. Houston and Golden State are healthy again. Even the crappy teams like the Clippers, Lakers, Grizzlies and Mavs have had runs of friskiness in the past month.
They don't. The west had a losing record for most of the season until late-December, briefly took the lead, then lost it again until maybe around early to mid-January. I think the west has around a 10 game lead now.
Much of the domination of the west for the past 15-20 years rested on having an insanely deep conference. While the east had its share of championship contenders, seeds 4-10 in the west were good teams capable of giving championship contenders a challenging series and sometimes even causing an upset. The 9th and 10th seed in the west who would miss the playoffs were sometimes as good as the 4th-5th seed in the east.
The west this year is more top heavy than in recent years. And even the top contenders can be considered underperforming. Golden State has gotten lazy and would rest players on the mildest injuries. Houston had a string of injuries. San Antonio had their own injury problems and Kawhi has barely played. The Thunder had a really slow start. The Twolves had a bit of a slow start as well and Butler has missed quite a few games. They have really sucked without him.
It's the 6-10 seeds that have fallen off a cliff compared to recent years. The race for the final playoff spots was supposed to be deep but hasn't really turned out that way. The Clippers and Grizzlies just imploded after a strong start to the season, though both have recovered somewhat to become competitive, especially the Clippers. The Pelicans are good but haven't quite made the leap. Denver has regressed through some combination of injuries and just general bad play. Portland started running the Thunder's clogged toilet offense so they are stuck in mediocrity. Utah would struggle to outscore the 90s Heat/Knicks teams with their Rubio/Favors/Gobert lineup.
EPT
