Cavs @ 76ers 10/21/08 **ON CSN

[Skates]

Team ppg last season by month:

November - 91.1
December - 94.5
January - 95.3
February - 99.7
March - 102.7
April - 96.4

If we could start off this season at 97.0 ppg in November it would be a vast improvement over where we started last year. Like last year this team will struggle early as their offense and defense come together, as new players learn their roles and as the team re-develops its identity. This team added one major FA who will change the entire offensive flow and game plan and added numerous role players and one raw, but talented rookie who won't find their niche until the starters' and primary reserves' roles have become clearer.

The NBA training camp/pre-season is not really long enough for teams with a lot of changes to really gel. I think that even though this team will struggle early, it will do so at a much higher level than last year's squad where they just played terribly early on. I expect inconsistent play and overall mediocre results for the first month and a half. After that we should see this team take off and head for that 50 win plateau. Once the defense kicks into gear the offense will follow and this team will be a force by playoff time.

[geiger]

Terrible game and a strange, strange rotation.

First off, it's the pre-season, where games don't count, so why are the starters getting such heavy minutes?

Secondly, we know what the over the hill, injury prone, Theo Ratliff can do at this point of his career. One would think that Cheeks would be saving him for the regular season, so why is he playing major minutes in the pre-season? I know Dalembert is out, but why not play Speights for 35 minutes? If he fouls out, play Jared Reiner to see if he's worth keeping around. Why isn't Ivey playing at all and Williams getting 15 minutes? Why is Iggy getting so many minutes and Rush so few when we clearly know what one can do and have questions about the other?

I don't mind the sloppy play or the missed shots in the pre-season, but I mind when our youngsters don't get enough playing time and our veterans get too much.

[barkley34]

Terrible game and a strange, strange rotation.

First off, it's the pre-season, where games don't count, so why are the starters getting such heavy minutes?

Probably just so they get in game shape, we start in a week so there isn't much time to get them used to playing 35 minutes a game.

[dbodner]

With 2 new starters in the starting lineup, I don't have much problem playing the starters more than you typically would in preseason games.

[tk76]

With 2 new starters in the starting lineup, I don't have much problem playing the starters more than you typically would in preseason games.

I agree. It will take some time for this team to gel. If more minutes on the court in the preseason has them on the same page quicker its worth it. It could be the difference of a few more early wins this season- which can greatly impact playoff seeding down the road.

[The Guilty Party]

That game was EXTREMELY sloppy and it wasn't just the Sixers. In typical pre-season fashion, there were a number of "accidental" assists in that a player stumbled, fell to the ground and the ball made it's way to a teammate who made a shot.

I'm not that concerned about Brand's offense. If he continues to struggle this much into December then I might think there's something more going on then him just getting back into game shape.

[geiger]

Some of it I attribute to new starters, but Brand doesn't need 35 minutes and neither does Miller - they are veteran players who have played with each other before. Ratliff doesn't need to be playing over 20 minutes a game.

Iggy I can see because he's playing a new position. Young I can see because he is playing a new position and needs as much PT as possible at 20 years of age.

I want to see Speights and Williams out there for major minutes and I want to see Ivey and Rush worked in there to see if they will have a rotation role.

And if they are thinking of keeping Reiner, I would be nice to get him into game situations to see what he can do.

[ness]

Ed didn't see to happy with what he was seeing from cheeks or the players. I know its preseason but they look like they were lost a little, we have to play a lot better and he has to sub better...use the players better they still to me look to bunch up they need to spread the floor better..idk ..hopefully he'll learn how to use his players a little better on offense and defense.

[ankle420breaker]

Does anyone know if tonight's game vs. NJ will be televised anywhere? Would be nice to have something to entertain me between innings during the Phils game.

[geiger]

Cheeks has to work out his rotations for the regular season. He said as much himself after the Cavs game. Not having Dalembert hurts a bit, but I really think that the top 9 likely will be

Miller, Iggy, Dalembert, Young, Brand starting
Williams, Evans, Speights, Green off the bench

Marshall, Ratliff, Ivey and Rush will all only get spot minutes and will likely have a lot of "DNP" coache's decision next to their names.

Smith will spend the vast bulk of the season on IR, and likely the entire season.

In spite of what Cheeks said about Reiner, if Dalembert is healty, I think he gets released before the first game.

So we will still struggle quite a bit with 3 point and outside shooting unless our key players - Iggy, Young and Williams don't show improvement from downtown.

[The76thDegree]

Im not worried about anything yet simply because its a preseason game and there is no set rotation - when its 6 games into the season and brand is shooting 12% and our defense is terrible then ill be worried - a good thing I saw was how well reggie and speights played together - also Ratty wasnt as horrible as i expected

[ankle420breaker]

I don't understand why Lou barely played. I better not see Willie Green coming off the bench before Lou during the regular season.

By the way, loved that play where Lou crossed over on Lebron and forced Lebron to foul him with the shot clock winding down.

[geiger]

Would have been nice to have seen a whole lot more Lou at the point and Lou in combination with Ivey, but it is what it is at this point.

One more pre-season game left.

[ankle420breaker]

Checking the box score of tonight's game real quick between innings. Speights gets 33 minutes and goes 7-11 for 18 points, 7 boards, and 2 blocks.

Rush 3-3 from downtown, Williams 5-6 from downtown. The team 14-28 from downtown.

Willie Green and Thad had nice games.

Brand 0-4, 5 fouls in 17 minutes.

Sixers win 118-110

[eyeatoma]

Once again, I don't know why people aren't more concerned about this, but Brand's shooting has been atrocious except for 1 or 2 games this offseason. I really hope its just rust.

Thad played well, Speights looks like a stud.

[geiger]

One of the reasons is that his career FG is over 50%. A few bad pre-season games aren't likely to change what Brand does.