Game 62: Denver Nuggets (34-28) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (36-25) - 7:30 PM ET

[ducler]

[cavs4872]

Another L

[Stillwater]

^ I get it, we ain't there yet with the roster changes but I think this is a good match up if we can shoot better than 31% from 3.
I expect Swish to come out firing after spending the last 2 days shooting until his arms are marshmallows.

[Stillwater]

So much for Smith coming out firing
ZERO shot attempts in the first half.
About ready to change the channel perminantly until we start playing defense.

[jbk1234]

TT is playing so uninspired. It's frustrating to watch. It's an awful look for Klutch going forward.

[jbk1234]

TT finished -18 with only 7 rebounds in 27 minutes. Nance was +9 with 9 rebounds in 20 minutes.

[Dupp]

TT finished -18 with only 7 rebounds in 27 minutes. Nance was +9 with 9 rebounds in 20 minutes.

End this madness

[cavs4872]

It's an entire lack of size period, and Love coming back isn't going to fix a thing. It's a combination of Lue and the personnel. Zizic should get some burn, and Nance isn't much of a center, but even that's better than the lineups with LeBron at center. Bench Cedi Scrubman and give his minutes to Nance and Zizc; nothing against the guy, but he's not what our team needs at the moment.

[Stillwater]

^ Cedi is not the problem, despite making rookie mistakes. The main problem since Love's injury has been and will remain Smith needing to get his own shot and not doing it nearly enough. We need that scoring from him until the new players are more acclimated to the plays without having to think so much.Cutting them loose to play off each other not constantly trying to run designed plays is what happened when they first came here and may need to be what we return to if they cannot find that level under Lue's system...
I think they will get there and forcing them to do that now will be better probably given Love can step right into it knowing that system already.
Zizic was unlikely to get any pt this season because he was struggling to learn the plays as fast as Cedi had. That may change if Thompson continues to stink it up with lackluster energy and pretty much what appears to be a disinterested attitude most of the time. But he is much stronger than Zizic and would have to be injured again probably to fall out of the rotation completely even if Nance gets some starts.
Once Korver gets out of his slump and Hood gets more used to his team mates and the system, we will have plenty of scoring options when Love returns add the fact that Clarkson and Hill are both more than capable of getting theirs as well.
Lue is not the problem, the lack of time available trying to implement his schemes however looks like it will continue to put him as the fall guy until it eventually works out.
I would have agreed Lue was the problem if he continued to cater to the vets and wasn't playing Osman, who earned his role despite struggling some now that he is in it. I don't think he is catering to Thompson, but is simply unwilling to give up the chemistry between Nance and Clarkson on the 2nd unit which is reasonable imo despite Thompson and his need of a wake up call.

[cavs4872]

Do you believe that Smith does better in a conventional, non-small ball lineup? He is a shell of his former self; he is no longer on the '07 Nuggets. He's a catch and shoot guy now. Perhaps a move to the bench would reinvigorate him and make him more aggressive as a shot creator.

[Stillwater]

Do you believe that Smith does better in a conventional, non-small ball lineup? He is a shell of his former self; he is no longer on the '07 Nuggets. He's a catch and shoot guy now. Perhaps a move to the bench would reinvigorate him and make him more aggressive as a shot creator.

I disagree he just needs to go after his own shot much better shooter when he creates for himself off the dribble than any time that he catches and shoots off picks. Obviously some of the explosiveness attacking the rim is gone.
He might not be playing the defense that he needs to be playing but he's a better Defender than Hood or Korver so that move to the second unit doesn't seem like the best option right now.
Depends on whether he's willing to come out firing and looking for his own shot, that is his job as a starting shooting guard and if he's not willing to do it then I think he should be out of the rotation and out of the picture altogether. Just when you think that's going to happen he comes out and has a good half or good game whatever and it's the same old s***. He is streaky as it relates to shooting off the catch,until I see him chucking lost art off the dribble I'll roll with him.