Game 9: Cavs @ Lakers 11/6/2022

[ijspeelman]

Had to listen to this one on the radio, but sounded like a great affair for our backcourt and a defensive explosion in the second half

[JujitsuFlip]

Hard to pay attention to NBA on Sunday's until the NFL season is over.

Feels nice to beat LeBron though, he's always tried so hard against the Cavs while wearing a different uniform.

[toooskies]

Had to listen to this one on the radio, but sounded like a great affair for our backcourt and a defensive explosion in the second half

They carried the first half. The rest of the team woke up and played defense in the 2nd half.

[ijspeelman]

Had to listen to this one on the radio, but sounded like a great affair for our backcourt and a defensive explosion in the second half

They carried the first half. The rest of the team woke up and played defense in the 2nd half.

Just watched the game. Definitely felt like an off-night where shots were not falling and defense wasn't fully clicking. Glad we still got the double-digit win.

Allen and Mobley getting in foul trouble did not help in the first half.

[JonFromVA]

Had to listen to this one on the radio, but sounded like a great affair for our backcourt and a defensive explosion in the second half

They carried the first half. The rest of the team woke up and played defense in the 2nd half.

Just watched the game. Definitely felt like an off-night where shots were not falling and defense wasn't fully clicking. Glad we still got the double-digit win.

Allen and Mobley getting in foul trouble did not help in the first half.

Yeah, it's pretty typical for some players to come out sluggish for an early start game, the Lakers otoh started out with a bunch of energy, especially from Westbrook, and our 3pters weren't dropping.

We can count on Garland and/or Mitchell to carry the team when needed, but we really kick things in to gear when we start involving the whole team.

That's where the Lakers never seemed to get. Davis, James, and Westbrook all had their moments individually but they just don't click as a team.

The Lakers hit 80pts with 3:52 left in the 3rd quarter to take a 3pt lead. They pulled James a couple of minutes later when they were down 4 (something the Cavs wouldn't had risked back in the day) and they didn't score again until almost 2 minutes in to the 4th. Over that nearly 6 minute scoreless period we took a 14pt lead but Garland and Mitchell combined for only 3pts.

So, while the Lakers have problems just putting NBA level players around their 3 stars and Beverly, the Cavs go to their bench, keep 2 of their starters on the floor and basically throw a different look at those opposing bench rotations.

The redundancy of our 2 bigs and our 2 guards has so far been giving us a big advantage over 48+ minutes and the fact that our bigs provide rim rattling vertical gravity and our guards provide soul crushing 3pt gravity is huge IMO.

Not to mention, being able to bring Love off the bench to face second units with a rim protector to help him - is unfair. He's basically a 5th star in his role.

[JujitsuFlip]

They carried the first half. The rest of the team woke up and played defense in the 2nd half.

Just watched the game. Definitely felt like an off-night where shots were not falling and defense wasn't fully clicking. Glad we still got the double-digit win.

Allen and Mobley getting in foul trouble did not help in the first half.

Yeah, it's pretty typical for some players to come out sluggish for an early start game, the Lakers otoh started out with a bunch of energy, especially from Westbrook, and our 3pters weren't dropping.

We can count on Garland and/or Mitchell to carry the team when needed, but we really kick things in to gear when we start involving the whole team.

That's where the Lakers never seemed to get. Davis, James, and Westbrook all had their moments individually but they just don't click as a team.

The Lakers hit 80pts with 3:52 left in the 3rd quarter to take a 3pt lead. They pulled James a couple of minutes later when they were down 4 (something the Cavs wouldn't had risked back in the day) and they didn't score again until almost 2 minutes in to the 4th. Over that nearly 6 minute scoreless period we took a 14pt lead but Garland and Mitchell combined for only 3pts.

So, while the Lakers have problems just putting NBA level players around their 3 stars and Beverly, the Cavs go to their bench, keep 2 of their starters on the floor and basically throw a different look at those opposing bench rotations.

The redundancy of our 2 bigs and our 2 guards has so far been giving us a big advantage over 48+ minutes and the fact that our bigs provide rim rattling vertical gravity and our guards provide soul crushing 3pt gravity is huge IMO.

Not to mention, being able to bring Love off the bench to face second units with a rim protector to help him - is unfair. He's basically a 5th star in his role.

Having that 3rd rim protector in RoLo even if in a limited capacity is nice when Mobley and Allen both get in foul trouble.

[KuruptedCav]

They carried the first half. The rest of the team woke up and played defense in the 2nd half.

Just watched the game. Definitely felt like an off-night where shots were not falling and defense wasn't fully clicking. Glad we still got the double-digit win.

Allen and Mobley getting in foul trouble did not help in the first half.

Yeah, it's pretty typical for some players to come out sluggish for an early start game, the Lakers otoh started out with a bunch of energy, especially from Westbrook, and our 3pters weren't dropping.

We can count on Garland and/or Mitchell to carry the team when needed, but we really kick things in to gear when we start involving the whole team.

That's where the Lakers never seemed to get. Davis, James, and Westbrook all had their moments individually but they just don't click as a team.

The Lakers hit 80pts with 3:52 left in the 3rd quarter to take a 3pt lead. They pulled James a couple of minutes later when they were down 4 (something the Cavs wouldn't had risked back in the day) and they didn't score again until almost 2 minutes in to the 4th. Over that nearly 6 minute scoreless period we took a 14pt lead but Garland and Mitchell combined for only 3pts.

So, while the Lakers have problems just putting NBA level players around their 3 stars and Beverly, the Cavs go to their bench, keep 2 of their starters on the floor and basically throw a different look at those opposing bench rotations.

The redundancy of our 2 bigs and our 2 guards has so far been giving us a big advantage over 48+ minutes and the fact that our bigs provide rim rattling vertical gravity and our guards provide soul crushing 3pt gravity is huge IMO.

Not to mention, being able to bring Love off the bench to face second units with a rim protector to help him - is unfair. He's basically a 5th star in his role.

I cannot wait for Rubio’s return.

I still wish LeVert was part of a bench mob with Rubio and Love; but I cannot argue with what we’re seeing either.


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[JonFromVA]

Just watched the game. Definitely felt like an off-night where shots were not falling and defense wasn't fully clicking. Glad we still got the double-digit win.

Allen and Mobley getting in foul trouble did not help in the first half.

Yeah, it's pretty typical for some players to come out sluggish for an early start game, the Lakers otoh started out with a bunch of energy, especially from Westbrook, and our 3pters weren't dropping.

We can count on Garland and/or Mitchell to carry the team when needed, but we really kick things in to gear when we start involving the whole team.

That's where the Lakers never seemed to get. Davis, James, and Westbrook all had their moments individually but they just don't click as a team.

The Lakers hit 80pts with 3:52 left in the 3rd quarter to take a 3pt lead. They pulled James a couple of minutes later when they were down 4 (something the Cavs wouldn't had risked back in the day) and they didn't score again until almost 2 minutes in to the 4th. Over that nearly 6 minute scoreless period we took a 14pt lead but Garland and Mitchell combined for only 3pts.

So, while the Lakers have problems just putting NBA level players around their 3 stars and Beverly, the Cavs go to their bench, keep 2 of their starters on the floor and basically throw a different look at those opposing bench rotations.

The redundancy of our 2 bigs and our 2 guards has so far been giving us a big advantage over 48+ minutes and the fact that our bigs provide rim rattling vertical gravity and our guards provide soul crushing 3pt gravity is huge IMO.

Not to mention, being able to bring Love off the bench to face second units with a rim protector to help him - is unfair. He's basically a 5th star in his role.

I cannot wait for Rubio’s return.

I still wish LeVert was part of a bench mob with Rubio and Love; but I cannot argue with what we’re seeing either.

Caris and Dean have both been doing great, no reason to change at the moment. Also there's every reason to let Rubio share his minutes with either Garland or Mitchell and in that case Wade makes sense over LeVert.

[ijspeelman]

I cannot wait for Rubio’s return.

I still wish LeVert was part of a bench mob with Rubio and Love; but I cannot argue with what we’re seeing either.

Caris and Dean have both been doing great, no reason to change at the moment. Also there's every reason to let Rubio share his minutes with either Garland or Mitchell and in that case Wade makes sense over LeVert.

LeVert has been doing all the things that fans (including myself) have been wanting him to do (and JB to ask him to do).

He's playing good team defense and respectable man defense.

He's taking 2.36 pull-up threes per 36 as compared to 3.05 and 3.50 in 2021-22 and 2020-21 respectively (though he is currently hitting 47.6% on these).

He's been shooting more C&S threes (2.86 per 36 as compared to 2.14 and 2.56 in 2021-22 and 2020-21 respectively) on flamethrower efficiency (44%). Over the past three years, he is now up to 38.0% average on his C&S.

He has also not been a ballstopper and has been a connective tissue within the offense. His passing has been great, but it always has been imo.

So, if he can keep up the volume and still stick around the 38% mark then I'm down for him as our starter alongside our backcourt. My favorite plays have stemmed with him controlling the ball and those two occupying the defense with their off-ball movement creating easy shots for LeVert, themselves, or others.

[JonFromVA]

I cannot wait for Rubio’s return.

I still wish LeVert was part of a bench mob with Rubio and Love; but I cannot argue with what we’re seeing either.

Caris and Dean have both been doing great, no reason to change at the moment. Also there's every reason to let Rubio share his minutes with either Garland or Mitchell and in that case Wade makes sense over LeVert.

LeVert has been doing all the things that fans (including myself) have been wanting him to do (and JB to ask him to do).

He's playing good team defense and respectable man defense.

He's taking 2.36 pull-up threes per 36 as compared to 3.05 and 3.50 in 2021-22 and 2020-21 respectively (though he is currently hitting 47.6% on these).

He's been shooting more C&S threes (2.86 per 36 as compared to 2.14 and 2.56 in 2021-22 and 2020-21 respectively) on flamethrower efficiency (44%). Over the past three years, he is now up to 38.0% average on his C&S.

He has also not been a ballstopper and has been a connective tissue within the offense. His passing has been great, but it always has been imo.

So, if he can keep up the volume and still stick around the 38% mark then I'm down for him as our starter alongside our backcourt. My favorite plays have stemmed with him controlling the ball and those two occupying the defense with their off-ball movement creating easy shots for LeVert, themselves, or others.

Not to mention, but he's been finishing at the rim better of late too.