Game #60 | Cavaliers (41-18) @ Hawks (34-26) | March 3, 2017 | 7:00pm ESPN

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Cleveland had the best transition defense in the 2015-2016 post-season too. Two things Moz and Delly weren't great at. But whatever, this regular season game undoes all of that.

Regular season games like this always undoes all of the playoff evidence and data we've gathered with this team. The hot-take crew that comes out in full force every time anything goes wrong details this wonderfully in their forum contributions.

 

[Chris]

For Atlanta. We drop the three point record on their ass.

More embarrassing for us, a game where you're up 20+ coming down to the last minute is pretty bad. Not that it matters in the end.

I do think LBJ is going to be a corpse by June.

 

[Rich]

The Cavs defense has considerably improved in the playoffs versus their regular season numbers, Rich. I don't get why you are trying to argue that that didn't happen.

The first year with Blatt, we were the BEST DEFENSIVE TEAM IN THE PLAYOFFS!!! We were not that in the regular season at any point.

Last year, we won the title with the worst regular seasons defensive ranking of a title team I think in NBA History, because we improved the defense in the playoffs

Miami won it ranked 10th in '06.

Needless to say, 10th is much better than 20th. But hey, let's see what happens!

 

[Walter White]

It was just a mental collapse by us. I wouldn't look too hard into it. I'm glad we still closed it out. We played insanely well in the 1st half and moved the ball great for most of it. Kyrie and LBJ were great. Derrick and RJ were too.

We made 25 threes without JR and Love, and Korver wasn't even feeling it. I think we will hit 30+ threes at some point this year.

Main downside for me is that LBJ ended up playing a lot of minutes again. He probably shouldn't play tomorrow, but I wouldn't be surprised if he does. Miami is also coming off a back to back at least, although they are at home and don't have to travel far.

 

[Rich]

Regular season games like this always undoes all of the playoff evidence and data we've gathered with this team. The hot-take crew that comes out in full force every time anything goes wrong details this wonderfully in their forum contributions.

Someone out here using one game to claim the defense sucks? Where? I'll get him!

 

[bboy]

we lost against Boston for the same reason...poor defense...I swear we'd be undefeated if we ever played defense consistently

 

[czvo]

LeBron can't keep doing this. He'll have nothing left in three months, if the Cavs get there.

No reason he should have ended up playing 39 minutes in a game the Cavs were up 25 at one point. Yes, it's the NBA, and teams make runs. But shit, put a goddamn game away.

He needs to sit tomorrow.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Miami won it ranked 10th in '06.

Needless to say, 10th is much better than 20th. But hey, let's see what happens!

I think there's a lot of legitimate reasons for that drop-ff, honestly. Plus with our offense being so damn good, we've been complacent effort wise except for in super crunch time.

But I think you and I can agree on this: We'd both like to see them at least put a few, start-to-finish, solid defensive performances together in the next month, just to at least remind themselves that they can and should value that side of the ball.

 

[Jscc]

Cleveland made 25 threes and 22 twos. More threes than twos. Has that ever happened before?

 

[Rich]

I think there's a lot of legitimate reasons for that drop-ff, honestly. Plus with our offense being so damn good, we've been complacent effort wise except for in super crunch time.

But I think you and I can agree on this: We'd both like to see them at least put a few, start-to-finish, solid defensive performances together in the next month, just to at least remind themselves that they can and should value that side of the ball.

Here's the issue. RIght now, I don't see a defensive spark plug off the bench to bring the team out of a lull when they aren't focused. Delly was that guy.

Liggins CAN be that guy, but they have to actually start trying to use him in that scenario.

And I know you don't want to hear it, but Iman Shumpert SHOULD be that guy, but he seems uninterested in the job. And if he's not gonna do it, then Liggins needs a shot at it before we get into the heart of the post-season. You gotta have someone who you can count on to just come in and harass the hell out of a ball handler no matter what else is going on.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Here's the issue. RIght now, I don't see a defensive spark plug off the bench to bring the team out of a lull when they aren't focused. Delly was that guy.

Liggins CAN be that guy, but they have to actually start trying to use him in that scenario.

And I know you don't want to hear it, but Iman Shumpert SHOULD be that guy, but he seems uninterested in the job. And if he's not gonna do it, then Liggins needs a shot at it before we get into the heart of the post-season. You gotta have someone who you can count on to just come in and harass the hell out of a ball handler no matter what else is going on.

I don't disagree with any of this. Shumpert was that guy before. He's capable. And I like the way his numbers are trending(I think his defensive numbers will take a leap after this game too, as soon as Shump was subbed back in and thrown on Schroeder, Atlanta went away from him totally and instead looked for Millsap and Bazemore(Kyrie was on him...thats a bad matchup) . But you are also right in that he is not at thee level we need him to be at for a role like that, currently. I'm hoping he can get there, he has at least shown some signs. But admittedly, signs will not get the job done. Needs to be every night, night in and night out, even if it causes his 3pt% to drop to 33-35, so be it.

 

[Tornicade]

Except Delly had the highest defensive rating on the team.

Cavs have added 4 players in the last 2 months. They have 2 starters out for quite awhile.

how bout give them more than 2 or 3 games to gel.

also the Cavs are 15-1 when leading by less than 5 in the 4th quarter.

 

[Jscc]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bf-wQ2VMxZA

 

[bob2the2nd]

Look the cavs didnt set the nba record, they tied it. Set by the cavs during the playoffs last year.

 

[NorthCoastBias]

Rich putting that law school education to good use.