2023-24 Season | Game #42 | Cavs @ Bucks | Jan. 24, 2024 | 8:00 p.m.

[eChameleon]

Half of the arena is going to be ice, the other half will be hardwood. Gonna be interesting!

 

[Dr No]

I think we are a matchup problem for them. With Okoro, Strus, Wade, Vert & DM we can guard the 3 point line very well. Allen is great at switching the P&R and protecting the rim. They like to shoot 3's and we are well equipped to guard that. Now, without TT, we are limited against the size of Giannis, Lopez & Portis. But if we can stay out of foul trouble, I think we can slow down their offense. They have no shot at defending us. They are slow of foot and old and disorganized - and getting rid of their coach ain't changing that. If we play with pace and get good ball and player movement, we will get open shots. I think this one is pretty simple. If we shoot even our average of 36% from 3 I think we win. We shoot over 40%, which isn't all that rare for this group, and we win handily. The one caveat with the Bucks is the superstar factor - Giannis & Dame are both capable of having "one of those games". They are also capable of getting superstar treatment from the refs (especially at home) and getting our key pieces to the bench with foul trouble.

 

[2 For The Brew]

Half of the arena is going to be ice, the other half will be hardwood. Gonna be interesting!

Since we don’t have an NHL team we’ll just have to send the Cavaliers. Niang on skates would be must see TV.

 

[jjvors]

Alrighty then, we play the Bucks for the next two games at their home.

If we play the same way against them we have against the weak teams AND if we shoot 36% or better from 3, we win.

I give us a 45% chance of winning. Cavs 130-125.

We'll miss Tristan. I suppose Jones and Wade and Niang will fill in for him.

Play the game and see what happens.

 

[shoes22]

Since we don’t have an NHL team we’ll just have to send the Cavaliers. Niang on skates would be must see TV.

He'll land on his ass with his legs up even more than normal!!

 

[AustinCarr]

Do we know if Rivers coaches tonight?

 

[Peacedog]

I just questioned the comment that the Bucks are not a good team. I made no comment on tonight’s game.

But to your points the Cavaliers have the 4th best scoring margin in the conference, not the league. I agree we have been very good the past 16 games but we are playing a 30-13 team in their gym. They have the second best home record in the league, and we went 0-2 in a similar two games in three nights vs Boston.

There are good reasons to believe we can win tonight but this is not an easy game. They have no injuries, we humiliated them by 40, were weak at backup C without TT and we’re going to have cold shooting nights. There are plenty of reasons we can lose.

In my mind each game is a clean slate. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I value my ignorance, like The Emissary. If we knew what was going to happen then the game day experience for me is diminished (I.e. like a home game vs the Wizards).

Sorry, I meant conference, not league. Read what I meant, not what I wrote!!!

Yes, the Bucks are a good team, obviously. But not nearly as good as their W-L indicate.

 

[Tlyons]

Half of the arena is going to be ice, the other half will be hardwood. Gonna be interesting!

After a tough loss (Mitchell), "I tried to put em on skates but they were already wearing them".

 

[Prime 1978]

Half of the arena is going to be ice, the other half will be hardwood. Gonna be interesting!

Key to the game is winning out hardwood minutes. We have to pack the paint to protect our goal.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

From SI.com after the Cavs' loss to the Bucks on Dec. 29:

In their first 31 games, the Cleveland Cavaliers were shooting 35.4% from three-point range, which ranked 23rd in the NBA.

Last night, however, they recorded a historically low-percentage performance from behind the arc against the Milwaukee Bucks.

In their 119-111 defeat, Cleveland shot just 6-for-43 (14.0%) from three-point territory...Cleveland’s three-point percentage last night was also its lowest in a home game since February 23, 2014, when the team shot 2-for-18 (11.1%) in a 13-point loss to the Wizards.

According to NBA.com team tracking data, the Cavs were an astonishing 0 for 22 on wide open shots (defender further than 6 feet). They were 3 of 24 on catch-and-shoot 3s.

My comment: For the season the Cavs are shooting 39.9% on wide open 3's. So on an average night they would have made 9 of those 22 wide open shots, which would have given them 27 more points and a 138-119 win.

 

[thelastcavsfan]

Griffin had to go. Can’t have the inmates running the asylum. It’s a tough job that not everyone is cut for.

 

[BigZ94]

Oh boy would it be nice to spoil Docs Bucks debut

 

[2 For The Brew]

Oh boy would it be nice to spoil Docs Bucks debut

I don't think he's coaching tonight but that's OK. We can win Friday and spoil it then.

 

[Cavatt]

Their defense allows 3's and they can't guard JA from midrange or off the dribble. Foul trouble is their only hope

 

[AustinCarr]

I don't think he's coaching tonight but that's OK. We can win Friday and spoil it then.

I really hope this is accurate.

I stupid part of me is fascinated by playing a team 3 times in a week and a half with every game coached by a different person. It would have to be an unprecedented situation, I would think.