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The Cavs and Bucks square off for a rematch of Wednesday’s game; same time, same place. I think these back-to-backs with a day in between are great because both teams can watch the film and have a practice to try and correct problems or add something to exploit the opponents’ weakness. It’s just like the playoffs, only two games instead of a full series.
So what do the Cavs need to do after losing 126-116 on Wednesday?
We just have to protect the paint. They just went by us the whole night. We let them do what they wanted to do. - Max Strus
The Bucks were averaging 124.6 points coming in and scored 126 against the league’s best scoring defense the last few weeks. Over the last 10 games (not counting the 40-point win over the Bucks last week where Giannis was out), the Cavs were holding opponents to 11 points UNDER their scoring averages. The Bucks were right on their average against the Cavs. Strus is right - the defense needs to be better.
To be fair, however, the Bucks made some very difficult shots with hands right in their faces. Lillard’s drifting 3-pointer with two guys in his grill and one second left in the 3rd quarter is a great example.
The Cavs also came up short offensively. The Bucks are allowing 120.5 ppg, which is sixth worst in the Association. The Cavs managed just 116 points. Mitchell was 2-for-11 on 3’s and Jarrett Allen missed nine shots, most of which he usually makes. The 23 missed shots by Allen and Mitchell resulted in a sub-par night for the Cavs offensively.
It looked to me like Allen was rushing his shots, especially early, as he started 0-for-4. He scored 30 points against the Bucks in December, going 15-for-17, and he was 9-for-15 last week. He may have been a little tight on Wednesday.
In the two games Mitchell has played against the Bucks this year with Giannis on the floor he is 4-for-21 on 3-point attempts and 20-for-26 on 2-point attempts. I’d like to see him lay off the 3’s and get into the paint where he’s been deadly with the floater, layups, and pull-up jumper from the elbows. If he doesn’t have a good shot he can always kick it out to Wade, Merrill, or Niang, all of whom have been on fire from the 3-point line.
Tonight the Cavs need to get out to a better start. They fell behind by 21 points on Wednesday. It’s almost impossible to beat an elite team like the Bucks on their home floor when you’re that far down.
The Cavs impressively cut the lead from 21 points to 6 with 3:44 left. They had momentum and were in position to pull off an upset. Then the Bucks put the hammer down, pushing the lead from 6 to 15 points in the next 2:21 to drive the final nail in the coffin. Once the Cavs threatened to steal the game the Bucks took a timeout, got their shit together, and came out and squashed the Cavs like a bug.
As Chris Fedor said in his post-game podcast, there is a “perceivable gap” between these teams. The Cavs are good enough to keep it close, but can they beat the Bucks on the road? Not yet.
To beat this team the Cavs need to come out fast, build a lead with their bench, and hang on. If the game is close at the end you know Giannis, Lillard, and Middleton will take over like they did Wednesday.
The Cavs need to foul less than they did Wednesday as the Bucks outscored them 25 to 11 on free throws in a 10-point loss. The Cavs were way too “handsy” and the refs called a foul anytime a Bucks player was touched. The Bucks rank 3rd in free throw attempts per play. These grizzled vets have honed their foul drawing skills over the years and are outstanding at it, plus their reputations help them with the refs, who always give them the close ones.
It's fresh on our minds. The film won't lie about what happened, we'll get prepared tomorrow and bring it over into next game. - Jarrett Allen
It will be interesting to see what changes the Cavs make and how effective (or not) they will be. If Strus is correct it all starts with protecting the paint, but they can’t leave open shooters on the perimeter because the Bucks rank 6th in 3-point percentage. The Cavs could have won Wednesday’s game even allowing 126 points. They just needed Allen to make three of those eight or nine missed shots he usually makes and for Mitchell to hit a couple of the nine 3’s he clanked.
So what do the Cavs need to do after losing 126-116 on Wednesday?
We just have to protect the paint. They just went by us the whole night. We let them do what they wanted to do. - Max Strus
The Bucks were averaging 124.6 points coming in and scored 126 against the league’s best scoring defense the last few weeks. Over the last 10 games (not counting the 40-point win over the Bucks last week where Giannis was out), the Cavs were holding opponents to 11 points UNDER their scoring averages. The Bucks were right on their average against the Cavs. Strus is right - the defense needs to be better.
To be fair, however, the Bucks made some very difficult shots with hands right in their faces. Lillard’s drifting 3-pointer with two guys in his grill and one second left in the 3rd quarter is a great example.
The Cavs also came up short offensively. The Bucks are allowing 120.5 ppg, which is sixth worst in the Association. The Cavs managed just 116 points. Mitchell was 2-for-11 on 3’s and Jarrett Allen missed nine shots, most of which he usually makes. The 23 missed shots by Allen and Mitchell resulted in a sub-par night for the Cavs offensively.
It looked to me like Allen was rushing his shots, especially early, as he started 0-for-4. He scored 30 points against the Bucks in December, going 15-for-17, and he was 9-for-15 last week. He may have been a little tight on Wednesday.
In the two games Mitchell has played against the Bucks this year with Giannis on the floor he is 4-for-21 on 3-point attempts and 20-for-26 on 2-point attempts. I’d like to see him lay off the 3’s and get into the paint where he’s been deadly with the floater, layups, and pull-up jumper from the elbows. If he doesn’t have a good shot he can always kick it out to Wade, Merrill, or Niang, all of whom have been on fire from the 3-point line.
Tonight the Cavs need to get out to a better start. They fell behind by 21 points on Wednesday. It’s almost impossible to beat an elite team like the Bucks on their home floor when you’re that far down.
The Cavs impressively cut the lead from 21 points to 6 with 3:44 left. They had momentum and were in position to pull off an upset. Then the Bucks put the hammer down, pushing the lead from 6 to 15 points in the next 2:21 to drive the final nail in the coffin. Once the Cavs threatened to steal the game the Bucks took a timeout, got their shit together, and came out and squashed the Cavs like a bug.
As Chris Fedor said in his post-game podcast, there is a “perceivable gap” between these teams. The Cavs are good enough to keep it close, but can they beat the Bucks on the road? Not yet.
To beat this team the Cavs need to come out fast, build a lead with their bench, and hang on. If the game is close at the end you know Giannis, Lillard, and Middleton will take over like they did Wednesday.
The Cavs need to foul less than they did Wednesday as the Bucks outscored them 25 to 11 on free throws in a 10-point loss. The Cavs were way too “handsy” and the refs called a foul anytime a Bucks player was touched. The Bucks rank 3rd in free throw attempts per play. These grizzled vets have honed their foul drawing skills over the years and are outstanding at it, plus their reputations help them with the refs, who always give them the close ones.
It's fresh on our minds. The film won't lie about what happened, we'll get prepared tomorrow and bring it over into next game. - Jarrett Allen
It will be interesting to see what changes the Cavs make and how effective (or not) they will be. If Strus is correct it all starts with protecting the paint, but they can’t leave open shooters on the perimeter because the Bucks rank 6th in 3-point percentage. The Cavs could have won Wednesday’s game even allowing 126 points. They just needed Allen to make three of those eight or nine missed shots he usually makes and for Mitchell to hit a couple of the nine 3’s he clanked.
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