Game 65, Cavs @ Rockets, Sunday, March 12, 2017, 9:00PM EST

[bboy]

I want to believe in the Cavs but why should I they've given no defensive effort all season

 

[dark2332]

Really, that's the shot you're gonna take LeBron?

 

[kookoo]

Man, if I were the rest of the league, I would hard foul Harden every single time he went to the rim. He's going to get the call anyway, why not make him feel it?

 

[czvo]

This team is in major trouble.

We were a top 10 defensive team last year headed into the playoffs.

We won't be top 20 this year.

Major, major trouble.

This is a fact. It is a major problem. There's been no evidence this year that they have another defensive gear. Have had to outscore everyone.

 

[Benedict_Boozer]

Is it the personnel or the schemes? What can be done to improve the defense? Is it all effort?

We had alot of the same personnel last year, yet we are complete ass on defense night after night.

 

[Walter White]

Actually the Cavs did adjust and got burned both ways. They got burned on switches (Thompson getting abused) and burned on traps (Harden offensive rebound after JR/Frye trap and Kyrie getting abused afed rotation onto roll man).

I just remember Harden scoring on TT about 10 times in a row. I wasn't sure if it was an instant replay or not the way he drove left and blew by him for the layup the exact same way every time.

Or Nene making easy shots over Kyrie and Deron about 5 times.

 

[brownsbuck6]

It's a very fair point. The numbers are a bit egregious, but we had no business ever even being up 14.

Well, we got a glimpse of playoff Cavs, and it was a good thing. As I come down from the frustration of losing this game, that is my takeaway. Down 2-3 key players, they had this game under control until fatigue took over.

It's all good. On to the next.

 

[Flight479]

Besides the rebounding, the other difference tonight...

Harden gets TT switched onto him and attacks the hoop. In the second half, LeBron/Kyrie get bigs switched onto them and shoot jumpers. They attacked the paint in the first half and scored at will, second half, not much.

Not an excuse but LeBron/Kyrie would attack much more if this wasn't the second night of a b2b. Its the truth. Shame but it is what it is.

 

[tatejuan11]

LBJ was passive aggressive again, thats bad....

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

TWENTY to three in offensive rebounds. 15 turnovers to their 6.

They should have way more FTs, they'e had way, way, waaaay more possessions.

They were getting the same trashy gift-basket calls that Harden always gets.

The Cavs should have shot more than 11. That's a fact. We were in the paint a lot.

 

[Flight479]

I hate that Harden will be mvp because he'll get exposed once again in the playoffs and his team will lose either in the first or second round.

 

[cavsfever]

Guys this is a back to back on the road. Your team looks fatigued. No reason to overreact.

Have you looked at the rest of our schedule? Back to backs pretty much every week from now on. We cannot afford to play Lebron 40 minutes in back to back nights, 36 year old Richard Jefferson 29 minutes/31 minutes on back to back nights, and STILL lose. That is the path to ending up losing the first seed AND having key players dog tired when we come to the playoffs. This was a game that we clearly wanted to win, we drove key starters into the ground to win it, and we still lost. Not good.

 

[czvo]

40 minutes on the second night of a back to back is unacceptable. Absolutely unacceptable.

 

[PIP]

Capella fella gets plenty of non traveling calls for some reason...

 

[CommD]

Beverly's rebounding from the G position is a weapon. Now folks see why CLE was trying to get him for Shump.