GT: Cavaliers vs. Spurs

[Nolan]

When: 8:30 PM ET, March 16, 2013
Where: AT&T Center, San Antonio, TX

Starting Lineups:

Cavaliers:
PG - Shaun Livingston
SG - Dion Waiters
SF - Alonzo Gee
PF - Tristan Thompson
C - Tyler Zeller

Spurs:
PG - Cory Joseph
SG - Danny Green
SF - Kahwi Leonard
PF - Tim Duncan
C - Tiago Splitter

Coming off a gritty win over the Mavericks we should have an easy one tonight against the Kyrie less Cav's.

Go Spurs!!

[TwentyOne920]

Still can't defend the long 2 but what a performance by Timmy!

30/12/4/5 blocks.

Kawhi with 24/13/4/2/2.

Manu with 14 and 10, getting back into form (dunk included).

[Nolan]

^
Yep Manu's starting to warm up, he looked great and he didn't turn the ball over every other trip down the floor.

Kawhi was unreal last night.

[mitrandil20]

I saw sporadic part of the 2nd quarter and specific Duncan and Leonard's highlights: apart from an assist or 2 that should have not been counted as such, these two are beasting, Duncan looked 5 years younger and that sick block had me laugh hard! If this is just a part of what he was in his prime I wish I could have gone into NBA world sooner. simply wow.

What chances does the team have not to go mental like past wcf? I cant watch many games (no lp nor cable tv so I must find other ways) so I believe you guys can tell more precisely the whole thing

[co_laper]

I'm sure everyone will point out the same thing.

Defense.

It's amazing lately seeing how teams that aren't exactly that great at scoring go for crazy scoring games againts us. Minnesota, Portland, and last night Cavaliers without Irving had 90 points after third. It's just crazy. You can attribute some of that to several guys just playing out of their minds, but it was also a product of us not playing a good enough defense.

If we don't get out stuff back together on the defensive end, it's hard to see we can go further than the WCF. This current defense of the last few weeks definitely isn't one you can count on to get stops or specifically get past OKC.

[Donald Kaufman]

Yeah the D is a concern. The W's game was a worry as well.

As for getting past the WCF, I think there are a few things that might tip in our favour:

1. Splitter is better in almost every way this year. That's critical, particularly against Perk, Ibaka and Collison.

2. No Harden. He slayed us in the WCF last year.

3. Game 4 was an anomaly for OKC. Ibaka/Perk going 18-20 from the field? That's not happening again, not ever.

4. Good/Bad Russ. If we get Bad Russ for 2 or more games - which is very likely BTW - the series is ours.

5. Coach Brooks fixation with Derek Fisher. Reggie Jackson is clearly the better player, but if Brooks wants to rely on Ol' Faithful in Fisher, I say all the better for us.

Obviously they're a concern, no doubt about it, I just feel better about our chances this season.