2023-24 Playoff Series #1 | Game #7 | Magic @ Cavs | May 5, 2024

[Prof123]

Our last two playoff series (NY last year and Orlando this year) have shown just how much different playoff basketball and regular season basketball are.

We have a bunch of players who are solid regular season players and can help put together wins. Struss, Niang, Merrill, Okoro, and Mobley. But in the playoffs, where every possession matters and the defense clamps down, they are not skilled enough offensively to get off shots. That leaves Mitchell, Garland, LeVert, and Allen to do our scoring. Allen can score, but he needs someone else to set him up, and he has been hurt. Garland and LeVert can create their own shots, but neither is an alpha dog who perform well in clutch situations. That leaves Mitchell having to play hero ball. It is one thing to go iso in the last possession of a game, but playing it for an entire quarter is losing basketball.

In short, in the playoffs, the better team wins. Given our current injuries, lack of a structured offense, and having too many guys who shrink in the moment, we aren't the better team. We need to fix at least two of those three to win today.

 

[Futuredome]

Eh, the Cavs are bleh. So are the Magic. Such poor shooting, yet they could barely win at home.

 

[macbdog]

Our last two playoff series (NY last year and Orlando this year) have shown just how much different playoff basketball and regular season basketball are.

We have a bunch of players who are solid regular season players and can help put together wins. Struss, Niang, Merrill, Okoro, and Mobley. But in the playoffs, where every possession matters and the defense clamps down, they are not skilled enough offensively to get off shots. That leaves Mitchell, Garland, LeVert, and Allen to do our scoring. Allen can score, but he needs someone else to set him up, and he has been hurt. Garland and LeVert can create their own shots, but neither is an alpha dog who perform well in clutch situations. That leaves Mitchell having to play hero ball. It is one thing to go iso in the last possession of a game, but playing it for an entire quarter is losing basketball.

In short, in the playoffs, the better team wins. Given our current injuries, lack of a structured offense, and having too many guys who shrink in the moment, we aren't the better team. We need to fix at least two of those three to win today.

Good coaches don't need a roster full of guys who can 'get off their own shots'. Look no further than Max Strus being a valuable playoff contributor in Miami, with a coach who builds a game plan around his players abilities, and here in Cleveland, where the coach rolls the basketball out onto the court and tells them to hustle. That's why you run plays. A good coach does far more with the skill sets of Merrill, Struss, Mobley, and Okoro. This is very much on coaching.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

We have a bunch of players who are solid regular season players and can help put together wins. Struss, Niang, Merrill, Okoro, and Mobley. But in the playoffs, where every possession matters and the defense clamps down, they are not skilled enough offensively to get off shots...Given our current injuries, lack of a structured offense, and having too many guys who shrink in the moment, we aren't the better team. We need to fix at least two of those three to win today.

Unfortunately, I agree. I'm seeing lots of guys who were "solid regular season players" now "shrink in the moment". LeVert, Niang, and Okoro come to mind immediately. Wade and Allen are out and Merrill is unplayable against a team this long; he can't get his shot off. Morris has little if anything left in the tank.

I wouldn't mind seeing Damian Jones get a shot; he brings energy and shot blocking. I have not been impressed with TT at all. I know I'm grasping at straws.

There's no tomorrow so I expect Mitchell, Garland, Mobley, and Strus will all play 40 minutes. Okoro will be a free agent after this season so he's playing for his next contract. So far I don't think he's made himself a lot of money. He's averaging 4.3 points, shooting 32%, and I haven't noticed him shutting down either Banchero or Franz Wagner.

Okoro needs to step up today with great defense and knock down 3-4 open 3's because he will get those shots. The Magic will not allow Mitchell to burn them for 50 again and will double and triple him when he puts it on the floor. The Magic will live or die with Okoro, Strus, Morris, LeVert, and Garland shooting 3's.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

I have to say this but the guy who could make the difference is Niang. If he and Mitchell are on the floor together and they're on the same side of the floor you know the Magic will double Donovan and leave Niang unguarded. Niang has the capability of hitting four 3's in a row once he makes the first one. It might come down to whether he can do that.

I can also see the Cavs having Garland set the high screen for Mitchell for a pick-and-pop. Darius is shooting 42% on 3's this series so if both defenders go with Donovan he can pass it back to Darius for an open 3 or a drive.

Garland has been doing a nice job of shooting runners when he gets into the paint instead of continuing to the rim for layups that get blocked. He needs to keep shooting those floaters.

I think the Magic will focus on Darius and Donovan after they made 32 of the Cavs' 42 field goals last game. It could come down to whether Okoro, LeVert, Niang, and Strus can make open 3's.

I also hope the reffing is more even this game. Last game the Cavs shot 10 free throws and they were going to the rim on every possession while the Magic shot 26. Mitchell mentioned it after the game. Part of it was the height disadvantage as the Cavs were hacking at the ball, knowing they weren't tall enough to effectively contest the shot. But the refs are influenced by the crowd so I hope the calls go both ways this afternoon.

 

[Mr. Orange]

My rep is in tatters after game 6. Thanks JBB.

No predictions today. This sad season will be put out of its misery soon enough. Today? A week from now? Doesn’t really matter. Someone show me some guts today. That’s all I ask.

 

[Kouki]

Just remember, whatever happens today, don't let the negative thoughts creep into your head. Don't think "ugh I almost hope we lose so that JBB is definitely fired" or "can't wait to trade so-and-so"...

If those thoughts start to take over, just remember this...






Trigger warning...
























But Kouki...even that is not enough...

Ok...

 

[eChameleon]

Hopefully the Magic don't catch us looking ahead to the NBA Finals, otherwise we're gonna be smoked.

 

[CardiacCavs]

I ponied up for tickets to the game. Let's go win this thing.

 

[bushwick_bill]

My rep is in tatters after game 6. Thanks JBB.

No predictions today. This sad season will be put out of its misery soon enough. Today? A week from now? Doesn’t really matter. Someone show me some guts today. That’s all I ask.

Will you watch?

 

[bushwick_bill]

 

[Kuiper]

JBB continues to say “we’ll see” Allen

https://x.com/amnotevan/status/1787139863558459845?s=46&t=uXiupHZfR0TxrRyWF9BmRg

 

[shoes22]

JB's answers may as well be AI

 

[bushwick_bill]

 

[Real Deal]

All eyes on us today. That's pretty cool I guess. They'll all understand it more when JBB gets fired too.