Game #40: Cleveland Cavaliers 99 - Toronto Raptors 133

[Superjudge]

Hahahahahahahahahahahaaaa.
Well played Sir

[Demographic Shift]

Cleveland is in an interesting spot as we approach the trade deadline. Aside from flipping a switch how do they get better?
They look old and slow. They are over the cap and trading someone like Tristan Thompson further depletes their rebounding and size.

I mean, as constructed they can still flip a switch come playoff time but you have to think JV can have his way with them and the raps should be able to play at a much faster pace than them too.

Brooklynn is playing better which can devalue that pick too.

I love it!

Outside of Lebron those guys just look slow...They flip a switch..have to wonder if there is any power connected to it come April..

[golden]

Outside of Lebron those guys just look slow...They flip a switch..have to wonder if there is any power connected to it come April..

The problem is not the Cavs flipping the switch in the playoffs, they can and will. The problem has always been the Raps flipping the switch off when faced with some simple opposition game-planning.

There are very few takeaways from a game where one team wasn't even interested in playing, but the few of them are: (1) Raps need to own the paint, except that the Cavs could always bring TT back into the starting lineup to matchup with JV, (2) We need to make our open 3's and limit theirs - they won't be shooting 20%'ish from 3 in the playoffs and we won't be > 40% like last night, (3) Lowry/Derozan need to give the ball up early when trapped and trust the ball movement / decision making of role players - this is something we can control and is sustainable in the playoffs... the whole point of culture reset and getting those reps in the regular season.

The biggest advantage we had last night was energy and effort which will be minimized in the playoffs when those 'old guys' transform into 'savvy veterans' who actually give a shit.

[Demographic Shift]

Cleveland is in an interesting spot as we approach the trade deadline. Aside from flipping a switch how do they get better?
They look old and slow. They are over the cap and trading someone like Tristan Thompson further depletes their rebounding and size.

I mean, as constructed they can still flip a switch come playoff time but you have to think JV can have his way with them and the raps should be able to play at a much faster pace than them too.

Brooklynn is playing better which can devalue that pick too.

I love it!

Outside of Lebron those guys just look slow...They flip a switch..have to wonder if there is any power connected to it come April..

The TNT crew of Shaq and Kenny think they are just bored...which is the standard party line..I could see it if the Cavs were 30 and 10 or something like that..but they are in 3 rd and looking like they draw either of the Bucks or Pistons if the playoffs started in a month....They are 3 and 7 in their last 10....Might try to focus a bit and see if the switch is connected and in any kind of working order soon.

[Superjudge]

The problem is not the Cavs flipping the switch in the playoffs, they can and will. The problem has always been the Raps flipping the switch off when faced with some simple opposition game-planning.

There are very few takeaways from a game where one team wasn't even interested in playing, but the few of them are: (1) Raps need to own the paint, except that the Cavs could always bring TT back into the starting lineup to matchup with JV, (2) We need to make our open 3's and limit theirs - they won't be shooting 20%'ish from 3 in the playoffs and we won't be > 40% like last night, (3) Lowry/Derozan need to give the ball up early when trapped and trust the ball movement / decision making of role players - this is something we can control and is sustainable in the playoffs... the whole point of culture reset and getting those reps in the regular season.

The biggest advantage we had last night was energy and effort which will be minimized in the playoffs when those 'old guys' transform into 'savvy veterans' who actually give a shit.

Basically, if Toronto's guys, their core vets, stars, have matured to where they can hit shots when it counts, they have a chance in the Spring. This was nothing more than a blowout game, I don't real a lot into it, I just smile and enjoy it. Cavs will be ready in the spring, Boston, Washington, Indy, Miami, everyone will be ready to go.

[Nilanka]

What. A. Game!

Definitely didn't see that one coming. Freddy just increased his trade value on US national TV.

[3inthekeon]

The problem is not the Cavs flipping the switch in the playoffs, they can and will. The problem has always been the Raps flipping the switch off when faced with some simple opposition game-planning.

There are very few takeaways from a game where one team wasn't even interested in playing, but the few of them are: (1) Raps need to own the paint, except that the Cavs could always bring TT back into the starting lineup to matchup with JV, (2) We need to make our open 3's and limit theirs - they won't be shooting 20%'ish from 3 in the playoffs and we won't be > 40% like last night, (3) Lowry/Derozan need to give the ball up early when trapped and trust the ball movement / decision making of role players - this is something we can control and is sustainable in the playoffs... the whole point of culture reset and getting those reps in the regular season.

The biggest advantage we had last night was energy and effort which will be minimized in the playoffs when those 'old guys' transform into 'savvy veterans' who actually give a shit.

The first 3 are excellent points. But there is one issue with the bold. No question Cleveland's defence and effort were abysmal last night for the most part. It will be better in the playoffs. But how much better is another matter altogether. People seem to think the Cavs can turn a bad defence into good by giving a shit, but is that really true? If anyone bothered to read Ben Falk's article on how GSW torched the Cavs transition D in the finals, they would have seen Cav players jogging instead of running on numerous occasions. Making constant poor decisions. In the f'ing FINALS!

Their average age last year was 29.2. This year the oldest team in the league by far at 31.4. Last season's 22nd ranked defence is this year's 29th ranked defence. Maybe it's not quite the given that the switch they've been flipping is fully functional anymore or even funcional enough.

[golden]

The first 3 are excellent points. But there is one issue with the bold. No question Cleveland's defence and effort were abysmal last night for the most part. It will be better in the playoffs. But how much better is another matter altogether. People seem to think the Cavs can turn a bad defence into good by giving a shit, but is that really true? If anyone bothered to read Ben Falk's article on how GSW torched the Cavs transition D in the finals, they would have seen Cav players jogging instead of running on numerous occasions. Making constant poor decisions. In the f'ing FINALS!

Their average age last year was 29.2. This year the oldest team in the league by far at 31.4. Last season's 22nd ranked defence is this year's 29th ranked defence. Maybe it's not quite the given that the switch they've been flipping is fully functional anymore or even funcional enough.

This is deja vu ....

Can The Cavaliers “Flip the Switch”?
http://thesportsquotient.com/nba/201...lip-the-switch

Cleveland’s .500 record since March is almost entirely due to the fact that they have had the second-worst defense in the league over that stretch. Right now they have the worst defense among Eastern Conference playoff teams, and any chance of them “flipping the switch” will come from defensive improvement.

We know how that story ended.

[S.R.]

Outside of Lebron those guys just look slow...They flip a switch..have to wonder if there is any power connected to it come April..

I mean we said the same thing last year, that it was a) the worst Lebron team in years during the regular season, b) probably the best Raptors team ever, and especially c) Cleveland's defence was really bad. Then the Cavs flipped a switch to the tune of a four game sweep that wasn't even as close as it sounds.

Still, the above three points are incrementally more true each year. What is also new this year are important system changes for the Raptors - a modern, more equitable offence, and especially (for vs. the Cavs) a more modern defence with more switching and more mobile, long, athletic defenders. Remember when Channing Frye was a game breaker because the Raptors had no one to guard him? They have guys to guard almost anything right now.

[Nilanka]

In the past, the Raptors have made teams' playoff defenses look better than they are, because of how badly we've turtled against double teams.

But this year (so far), we seem much better prepared for those traps. DeRozan's reading the pressure, swinging the ball early, and role players are making the right plays. Even when shots aren't dropping, we're generating a ton of good looks. We've seen that in two games vs. Bucks, and now the Cavs. I don't expect that to change come April.

[3inthekeon]

This is deja vu ....

Can The Cavaliers “Flip the Switch”?
http://thesportsquotient.com/nba/201...lip-the-switch



We know how that story ended.

It ended with the Cavs defence getting painfully exposed in the finals.

[golden]

It ended with the Cavs defence getting painfully exposed in the finals.

But not before ending us, even more painfully. Cavs-Warriors is an entirely different discussion.

[KeonClark]

And there's the problem with fan voting

That's not a problem. All star games are meant to be fun. People act like we have this moral obligation to nail our votes accurately

[S.R.]

It ended with the Cavs defence getting painfully exposed in the finals.

After going 12-1 vs. the East. The problem we've had the past 7 years isn't Lebron's 3-4 Finals record, it's his 7-0 ECF record. The gap has been so huge that even Lebron with a mediocre defence cakewalks through the East.

[KeonClark]

In the past, the Raptors have made teams' playoff defenses look better than they are, because of how badly we've turtled against double teams.

But this year (so far), we seem much better prepared for those traps. DeRozan's reading the pressure, swinging the ball early, and role players are making the right plays. Even when shots aren't dropping, we're generating a ton of good looks. We've seen that in two games vs. Bucks, and now the Cavs. I don't expect that to change come April.

The 2 biggest differences in the 2018 raptors: Derozan looks like mature veteran in his prime, legit alpha dog, legitimate top 15 nba player.

The supporting cast is young, fast, with varying skills that complement one another, and appear to have no fear of big moments or big teams. A lot of them grew up in other countries and didn't idolize all these guys is maybe part of it. Good Pre draft character interviews is maybe another part of it. But I wanna go to war with og, pascal, jakob, fred etc