2022-23 Regular Season

[toooskies]

Last important regular season game today (hopefully). Win this one and guaranteed the 4 seed. While the 3 seed is still mathematically possible, 6ers need to win three more games to make it impossible while we win out (tbf our schedule after this game is wildly easy).

Should I still hold out hope that we can sneak into the three seed?

Probably not, but I'm not ready for the team to give up on it just yet. 6ers have to lose 4 out of these next 6 games, Raptors, Bucks, Celts, Heat, Hawks, and Nets. They are dealing w injury issues on top of going through a bit of a rough stretch. Its possible, but still unlikely.

The 3 seed doesn't give us more homecourt advantage in any round of the playoffs, so it's not a huge deal. It's arguable whether we want to face the Knicks, Nets, or Heat in round 1, and it's arguable whether we want to see the Bucks or Celtics in round 2. So I'm fine letting the chips fall where they may, as long as we're getting the important players ready to play playoff basketball.

Garland's been a little off for a few weeks. I'd like to see him round into shape.
Allen is hurt. I'd like to see him get recovered and get a little bit of that "you're a ****ing all-star" attitude back.
Okoro is hurt. I'd like to see him get right and make sure he's in-rhythm shooting-wise.
Rubio can use all the reps.
Is Danny Green a factor? I guess we could try to find out.
Any chance we're thinking of adding Diakite, Isaiah Mobley, or someone else to the postseason roster? Diakite is getting time when Allen or Mobley sit, so you'd have to think you want him available over either Merrill or Windler.

Personally, I think its too late to add someone new into our line-up and expect them to give real play-off minutes (barring add'l injuries). If we start resting peeps, then I assume everyone not named Evan, Darius, Donovan, or Jarrett will get many more minutes including our g-leaguers.

I mean, we are playing Diakite in games we are trying to be competitive in due to a single current injury, and he isn't on the playoff roster. Nailing down the injury contingencies is pretty important.

[jasonxxx102]

I think we’re gonna find out just how valuable Okoro is to this team. If he can’t go round one I think the Cavs lose in 5-6 games.

[JujitsuFlip]

I think we’re gonna find out just how valuable Okoro is to this team. If he can’t go round one I think the Cavs lose in 5-6 games.

If he's healthy what do you predict they do in the playoffs?

[jasonxxx102]

I think we’re gonna find out just how valuable Okoro is to this team. If he can’t go round one I think the Cavs lose in 5-6 games.

If he's healthy what do you predict they do in the playoffs?

Beat the Knicks in 7 and go 5-6 maybe in the 2nd round. The Knicks are a team that’s built for the playoffs mentality wise. 110% effort all the time. Cavs aren’t going to be able to let them get a big lead and be able to come back in the 4th like has been so common this season

Without Okoro they have no other on ball wing defenders

[jasonxxx102]

Without Okoro they’re probably going to need to blitz Brunson and get the ball out of his hands. You let the other guys beat you. If RJ Barrett is gonna rain 3s or Quickley drops 30 it is what it is I guess

Either way it sounds like, based on JBs comment, that Okoro is gonna be out

[JonFromVA]

Without Okoro they’re probably going to need to blitz Brunson and get the ball out of his hands. You let the other guys beat you. If RJ Barrett is gonna rain 3s or Quickley drops 30 it is what it is I guess

Either way it sounds like, based on JBs comment, that Okoro is gonna be out

Sure, we can do what other teams did to Garland before the Mitchell trade and test their secondary ball handlers, but there's a fair chance Brunson doesn't torch us 4 games out of 7 even if we don't.

Having Allen back is huge and lets all our wings play more aggressively on defense.

I wonder whatever happened to our zone with Mobley at the point of attack?

[jasonxxx102]

Without Okoro they’re probably going to need to blitz Brunson and get the ball out of his hands. You let the other guys beat you. If RJ Barrett is gonna rain 3s or Quickley drops 30 it is what it is I guess

Either way it sounds like, based on JBs comment, that Okoro is gonna be out

Sure, we can do what other teams did to Garland before the Mitchell trade and test their secondary ball handlers, but there's a fair chance Brunson doesn't torch us 4 games out of 7 even if we don't.

Having Allen back is huge and lets all our wings play more aggressively on defense.

I wonder whatever happened to our zone with Mobley at the point of attack?

The problem is that our wings aren't really great as point of attack defenders regardless of whether they are aggressive or not.

I would love to see more freedom for Mobley. Do a weird variation of the box and one where you let Mobley just float around the middle of the floor. Attack shooters super hard and force them to Mobley in the middle and worst case you have a scramble and Mobley is closing out on a shooter.

[ijspeelman]

Without Okoro they’re probably going to need to blitz Brunson and get the ball out of his hands. You let the other guys beat you. If RJ Barrett is gonna rain 3s or Quickley drops 30 it is what it is I guess

Either way it sounds like, based on JBs comment, that Okoro is gonna be out

Sure, we can do what other teams did to Garland before the Mitchell trade and test their secondary ball handlers, but there's a fair chance Brunson doesn't torch us 4 games out of 7 even if we don't.

Having Allen back is huge and lets all our wings play more aggressively on defense.

I wonder whatever happened to our zone with Mobley at the point of attack?

The problem is that our wings aren't really great as point of attack defenders regardless of whether they are aggressive or not.

I would love to see more freedom for Mobley. Do a weird variation of the box and one where you let Mobley just float around the middle of the floor. Attack shooters super hard and force them to Mobley in the middle and worst case you have a scramble and Mobley is closing out on a shooter.

The weird thing I liked was the one time I thought they had stuck Mobley on Brunson and he did a great job and then I realized they just got switched in transition. Honestly, with Allen healthy that could be a viable option if a player is that extremely hot that we just stick Mobley on them. Obviously, his value comes more as a help defender, but a team like NY mainly produces their shots on one-on-ones so it could be useful with Okoro out to explore that option.

[jasonxxx102]

Sure, we can do what other teams did to Garland before the Mitchell trade and test their secondary ball handlers, but there's a fair chance Brunson doesn't torch us 4 games out of 7 even if we don't.

Having Allen back is huge and lets all our wings play more aggressively on defense.

I wonder whatever happened to our zone with Mobley at the point of attack?

The problem is that our wings aren't really great as point of attack defenders regardless of whether they are aggressive or not.

I would love to see more freedom for Mobley. Do a weird variation of the box and one where you let Mobley just float around the middle of the floor. Attack shooters super hard and force them to Mobley in the middle and worst case you have a scramble and Mobley is closing out on a shooter.

The weird thing I liked was the one time I thought they had stuck Mobley on Brunson and he did a great job and then I realized they just got switched in transition. Honestly, with Allen healthy that could be a viable option if a player is that extremely hot that we just stick Mobley on them. Obviously, his value comes more as a help defender, but a team like NY mainly produces their shots on one-on-ones so it could be useful with Okoro out to explore that option.

Maybe I’m getting a little too high on our own supply but to me, Mobley feels like the key piece on both ends.

He’s absolutely the key defensively. I 100% embrace having him switch out onto ball handlers or whoever is cooking to shut the water off. I’ve watched his role evolve quite a bit and I’m pretty sure everyone in the organization and team has realized at this point what Mobley is defensively it’s just about situational knowledge and experience at this point. I am absolutely positive he is a multi time DPOY winner

Offensively I’m not super super high on him. Love the aggressiveness as the season has gone on. The little post hooks are getting really good, the turn around middys are looking nice, he’s putting together a nice package. Would like to see more ball handling in transition, we’ve seen flashes but want more. I think he’s got pretty limited upside as a half court ball handler, I don’t have any faith in the 3. His load up and release are way too slow, and he needs to get his FT% up to 80.

I think he maxes out as a secondary/tertiary offensive option unless he becomes an offensive hub ala Sabonis/Jokic. I have no doubt he’s got the brain to do it I just don’t see any opportunity to develop that on the Cavs currently.

[JujitsuFlip]

Well, Cavs finish as the 4 seed and are locked into a first round matchup with the Knicks.

[toooskies]

One more win and we keep pace with the 2013-14 Golden State Warriors, which has been my optimistic comparable to this year's team.

[ijspeelman]

Your Cleveland Cavaliers end the regular season 51-31 with the number one defense in the league and the eighth best defense.

This is only the beginning of these core 4 and we should be looking up from here. Looking forward to the playoffs to see what these guys can do.

[jasonxxx102]

We just need to win one series to really have some great momentum going into next season.

So excited to have playoff basketball back in Cleveland

[JonFromVA]

Your Cleveland Cavaliers end the regular season 51-31 with the number one defense in the league and the eighth best defense.

This is only the beginning of these core 4 and we should be looking up from here. Looking forward to the playoffs to see what these guys can do.

The Cavs didn't lead the league in many categories, looks like defensive rating, unassisted 3pters, and dunks from what I can tell.

Seem like solid playoff strengths, though ... the ability to defend of course combined with the ability to get both easy points (dunks) and tough points (unassisted 3's).