Nòmades D'en Ricky. The Grey Havens.

[JonFromVA]

So far I like what i've seen. The Cavs look pretty darn good for stretches then bad for stretches. But I think we'll see some good passing and it'll be a fun team to watch.

If they want to tank, they have the wrong guy in Rubio. I think they can make some noise but i expect the same to happen as in Minnesota, Utah and Phoenix - once they start to win (with him), they trade him because "not part of our plans for the future".

Trading Rubio by the deadline was always the presumption - move him on to a contender where he wants to be, and bring back an asset that fits the Cavs timeline.

If the Cavs felt Rubio advanced their timeline and made them a contender I'm sure they'd reconsider, but that's fantasy at this point.

[begemot]

I'm another of those fans of Cleveland since childhood that started following the team today. Hello everyone!

As far as Rubio is concerned, he is at the peak of his career now, and it would be good for Cleveland not to waste him in a "mentorship" role. I seriously think that the team has the pieces to make some noise in the East.

[toooskies]

I'm another of those fans of Cleveland since childhood that started following the team today. Hello everyone!

As far as Rubio is concerned, he is at the peak of his career now, and it would be good for Cleveland not to waste him in a "mentorship" role. I seriously think that the team has the pieces to make some noise in the East.

It will be interesting to see whether the team prioritizes development or prioritizes winning this year. Because there's decisions to make already with both Rubio and with the SF spot. If Garland/Sexton/Okoro all start, it's a development year. If they let Rubio have the starting job if he earns it and start Markkanen at SF because he may be a better SF than any of our SFs, that's a team actually prioritizing winning.

[JonFromVA]

I'm another of those fans of Cleveland since childhood that started following the team today. Hello everyone!

As far as Rubio is concerned, he is at the peak of his career now, and it would be good for Cleveland not to waste him in a "mentorship" role. I seriously think that the team has the pieces to make some noise in the East.

It will be interesting to see whether the team prioritizes development or prioritizes winning this year. Because there's decisions to make already with both Rubio and with the SF spot. If Garland/Sexton/Okoro all start, it's a development year. If they let Rubio have the starting job if he earns it and start Markkanen at SF because he may be a better SF than any of our SFs, that's a team actually prioritizing winning.

what's best for Mobley...

[mg]

I'm another of those fans of Cleveland since childhood that started following the team today. Hello everyone!

As far as Rubio is concerned, he is at the peak of his career now, and it would be good for Cleveland not to waste him in a "mentorship" role. I seriously think that the team has the pieces to make some noise in the East.

It will be interesting to see whether the team prioritizes development or prioritizes winning this year. Because there's decisions to make already with both Rubio and with the SF spot. If Garland/Sexton/Okoro all start, it's a development year. If they let Rubio have the starting job if he earns it and start Markkanen at SF because he may be a better SF than any of our SFs, that's a team actually prioritizing winning.

what's best for Mobley...

I think they can start the best lineup and try to win games while also developing Mobley. I would say Rubio and Markannen are top 5 players on this team and both fit with Mobley. It would just mean 2 of the 3 lottery guards would come off the bench. They could conceivably start any of the 3 next to Rubio. These guys were all handed starting spots after they got drafted but maybe it's time to take off the training wheels and make them earn it. If feelings get hurt then hopefully a few react by working on their weaknesses. I'm going to assume the org wants Garland,Sexton,Okoro to all start in order to justify them as lottery picks.. As a fan I would certainly like to see more wins though. Starting a few vets and winning games will also help to avoid forming some bad habits..in the past the Cavs didn't have players like Rubio or Markannen to push the kids.
I just don't want Mobley or any of these young players to accept losing or get complacent.

[JonFromVA]

It will be interesting to see whether the team prioritizes development or prioritizes winning this year. Because there's decisions to make already with both Rubio and with the SF spot. If Garland/Sexton/Okoro all start, it's a development year. If they let Rubio have the starting job if he earns it and start Markkanen at SF because he may be a better SF than any of our SFs, that's a team actually prioritizing winning.

what's best for Mobley...

I think they can start the best lineup and try to win games while also developing Mobley. I would say Rubio and Markannen are top 5 players on this team and both fit with Mobley. It would just mean 2 of the 3 lottery guards would come off the bench. They could conceivably start any of the 3 next to Rubio. These guys were all handed starting spots after they got drafted but maybe it's time to take off the training wheels and make them earn it. If feelings get hurt then hopefully a few react by working on their weaknesses. I'm going to assume the org wants Garland,Sexton,Okoro to all start in order to justify them as lottery picks.. As a fan I would certainly like to see more wins though. Starting a few vets and winning games will also help to avoid forming some bad habits..in the past the Cavs didn't have players like Rubio or Markannen to push the kids.
I just don't want Mobley or any of these young players to accept losing or get complacent.

I'm not sure they would be able to put the proverbial genie back in the bottle.

Okoro? Sure, fine, but there may be ramifications to moving any of the others out of the starting lineup.

Not to mention, but who starts doesn't matter as much as total minutes and who finishes.

JBB hasn't accomplished much so far, but he has kept the guys trying to compete for the most part.

[El Hespiritu]

I thought there were only 4 Early Pre Season games...

Well... the more games, the more fun I guess.

Garlandas/Kokoro/MariKarmen/Mueble/Jarrete

Trying to replicate the impact last starting lineup did just switching RRubio for Garlandas.

It won't work but it was an expectable call, with SexToon out.


Addendum: We start in zone defense... nice.

Addendum2: Everything worked as good as it could be. They stuck to the zone and they managed to disrupt Pacers offense in exchange to let them some embarassing lanes to the rim.... they need to practice more on collective positioning. Normal at this stage.
Weird 2nd unit at court : RRubio / Dios-man / Wade /Kevin Amor / Mueble

[El Hespiritu]

That weird 2nd unit just educately pushed Pacers under 20 before half time...

... where J.B. decided to throw in deep bench followed some minutes later by Carlisle and so on 'til the end including 2-ways, 10-days, Exhibit contract, G-Leaguers and BallBoys.

There's some guy called James who can drive and some guy called ídem who's fun

[El Hespiritu]

Assists per 36 leaders in the preseason (min 40 minutes):

Trae Young - 13.7
Luka Doncic - 13.4
Kyle Lowry - 13.3
Chris Paul - 12.8
D'Angelo Russell - 11.4
Ricky Rubio - 10.7
Alex Caruso - 10.1
Gabe Vincent - 10.0
LaMelo Ball - 9.7
James Harden - 9.6

[JonFromVA]

Weird 2nd unit at court : RRubio / Dios-man / Wade /Kevin Amor / Mueble

Weird? That's a lot of shooting and ball-movers around Ricky with Mobley to attempt to clean up the defense and as a lob target.

[El Hespiritu]

...so we probably will never see this lineup again.

Addendum:

So with two-way deals going to Tacko Fall and RJ Nembhard, #Cavs are waiving Justin James, Kyle Guy and Mitch Ballock, sources say.
But the plan — and hope — according to sources, is for all three to play for the Cleveland Charge.

El Güey to the G-League.
Admin sad... we'll need all the fun we can get.
Just watch Kyle Guy`s Middle School scounting videos. You can tell he's a stud.

Read on Twitter

Will be a long Late Pre Season.

Well... at least we keep Tacko.

[El Hespiritu]

Debut vs. MEM Beornids.

Mixed feelings about the game.
That's better than negative feelings tho.

Man Of The Game: Jarret Allen 25 pts. 100% FG.

[El Hespiritu]

After trading Rubio, coaches, GMs and even owners from MIN often get cursed.

Thibs fired, Saunders fired, GRosas fired and Glenn Taylor about to sell the franchise.

Now, seems the Rubio Curse has expanded to Arizona: Sarver, PHX Suns Governor is about to face it.



Beware,Koby and Gilbert!

[JonFromVA]

Sure, we can call it the Rubio curse if you'd like ...

[El Hespiritu]

We used to call it the Indian Cemetery Curse (apparently, the Target Center was build over sacred native terrain or somewhat).

Do you know if Rocket Mortgage has clean energies?
The name sounds sinister for Catalan (Mort = Death) and Spanish ears (Mortgage sounds similar to Mortaja = Corpse's dress)

[JonFromVA]

We used to call it the Indian Cemetery Curse (apparently, the Target Center was build over sacred native terrain or somewhat).

Do you know if Rocket Mortgage has clean energies?
The name sounds sinister for Catalan (Mort = Death) and Spanish ears (Mortgage sounds similar to Mortaja = Corpse's dress)

Hmm, perhaps ... I'm not sure what they had to clear out to build the original Gund ... but in general there's a Cleveland Curse, so it's not like we need to pile on. LeBron and the Cavs got the city that one championship in 2016, but it's still just 1 since the Brown's won in 1964.

[El Hespiritu]

First W.
Hopefully, not the last.

If season was more advanced I'd put a bit of analysis about what good is for the team to join Gar L and Sex T into the same lineup.

But since it's just Late Pre Season, I leave it as merely an idle thought.

Man of The Hour is Laurita Mari Karmen.

That final streak of him full of no-dunks, no-threes and no-rebounds helped the team to win.
Don't ask me why or how possibly but it really did.



¡¡HAPTÉRRIMO!!*

(*Roughly translated: Gloriously gifted to play trollball)

[JonFromVA]

Ricky had it going in this game. Collin was trying much harder to involve others early in the game. It would have been even more impressive if he finished that way.

[El Hespiritu]

I have little wrong to say about Sextonto* at this point.

Never actually put an eye on his game before (I rarely pay attention to tanking teams unless RR plays there and/or they do some notorious trolling) and I try to forget about Early Pre Season games.

Out of these three official matches I'd say he's trying hard to put the right energy on court.

Still figuring him out (the same with many of Clecaus roster members).
Guy has some natural talent, that's obvious and has strong and explosive muscles, that's obvious too.

Too soon to start my usual troll scounting on players (meaningless jokes aside, like the Mari Karmen one).

Let's say I see more positive things from him than negative ones.

And even the negative ones I see could be perfectly attributed to his relative inexperience (I sustain 3 years of tanking developes you less than six months in a competitive team... week more, week less.) and even to him being a bit (understandably) anxious to prove the whole world he deserves a max.

He will eventually chill (team winning + him having good numbers will help to that I guess) and I'll get a more fair sample about his strenghts and frailties.

When it comes to meaningless jokes about him...

* Roughly from Spanish: Sexually Dumb

[mg]

LOL I like your insights @El Hespiritu. Wouldn't surprise me at all regarding Sexton. By all accounts he spends all his time in the gym and is a little socially awkward. I think he and all the kids on the team really want to win at the NBA level but don't know how to do it yet. Hopefully Ricky will show them the way this season.