2023-24 Season | Game #55 | Cavs @ 76ers | Feb. 23, 2024 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN

[Wham with the Right Hand]

No Donovan Mitchell + awful free throw shooting + awful 3-point shooting + horrible bench = losing a game we should have won.

LeVert is 3-for-21 the last two nights. What exactly did he do over the break? Did he take a vacation to the islands? Did he not touch a basketball for a week?

Wade only played 11 minutes and was a +6. Niang was bad, as usual, although he did hit two wide open 3's (and missed two).

Allen had a good game except for four missed free throws and a couple of blown layups.

Our bench was 5-for-23 and was outscored by Philly's bench 34-20. So the last two nights our bench has been outscored 97-44. Don't tell me we're 10 deep. We have seven good players and that's it. The starters, Okoro, and Wade. That's who I would go with in the playoffs and maybe LeVert for 8-10 minutes.

Garland is gradually getting there. 20 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds tonight with 2 steals and just 3 turnovers in 38 minutes.

If we had Mitchell we win both of these games despite the bad shooting.

 

[Comeback kid]

No Donovan Mitchell + awful free throw shooting + awful 3-point shooting + horrible bench = losing a game we should have won.

LeVert is 3-for-21 the last two nights. What exactly did he do over the break? Did he take a vacation to the islands? Did he not touch a basketball for a week.

Wade only played 11 minutes and was a +6. Niang was bad, as usual, although he did hit two wide open 3's (and missed two).

Allen had a good game except for four missed free throws and a couple of blown layups.

Our bench was 5-for-23 and was outscored by Philly's bench 34-20. So the last two nights our bench has been outscored 97-44. Don't tell me we're 10 deep. We have seven good players and that's it. The starters, Okoro, and Wade. That's who I would go with in the playoffs and maybe LeVert for 8-10 minutes.

Garland is gradually getting there. 20 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds tonight with 2 steals and just 3 turnovers in 38 minutes.

If we had Mitchell we win both of these games despite the bad shooting.

No Merrill in the playoffs? I’ve got to disagree on that one.

 

[nolookpass]

If there were no injuries and JB wasn't forced expand his rotation, he might not have a job right now. Now he's back to who he's always been. A stubborn, unimaginative coach who only trusts his vets. A night like tonight against Philly, there is no way Niang should've gotten more time than Wade, and there is no way LeVert should've come back in the 4th quarter after his 1-11 debacle.

In general, what has Niang done to justify the minutes he's getting over Wade? When TT comes back, will Wade get buried on the bench?

 

[Comeback kid]

If there were no injuries and JB wasn't forced expand his rotation, he might not have a job right now. Now he's back to who he's always been. A stubborn, unimaginative coach who only trusts his vets. A night like tonight against Philly, there is no way Niang should've gotten more time than Wade, and there is no way LeVert should've come back in the 4th quarter after his 1-11 debacle.

In general, what has Niang done to justify the minutes he's getting over Wade? When TT comes back, will Wade get buried on the bench?

No I don’t think so. Tristan will get buried unless Mobley or Allen get beat up.

 

[Dr. Claw]

No Donovan Mitchell + awful free throw shooting + awful 3-point shooting + horrible bench = losing a game we should have won.

LeVert is 3-for-21 the last two nights. What exactly did he do over the break? Did he take a vacation to the islands? Did he not touch a basketball for a week.

Wade only played 11 minutes and was a +6. Niang was bad, as usual, although he did hit two wide open 3's (and missed two).

Allen had a good game except for four missed free throws and a couple of blown layups.

Our bench was 5-for-23 and was outscored by Philly's bench 34-20. So the last two nights our bench has been outscored 97-44. Don't tell me we're 10 deep. We have seven good players and that's it. The starters, Okoro, and Wade. That's who I would go with in the playoffs and maybe LeVert for 8-10 minutes.

Garland is gradually getting there. 20 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds tonight with 2 steals and just 3 turnovers in 38 minutes.

If we had Mitchell we win both of these games despite the bad shooting.

I'm really getting frustrated with the lack of Wade usage.

Against these two teams especially he is the better choice for 3/4 minutes. Faster on his feet on defense, and given the space, will hit the 3s. Wonder if something is up that we don't know. Would love to see more Okoro/Wade/Allen lineups and the other 2 can be whoever fits the bill.

 

[Comeback kid]

I'm really getting frustrated with the lack of Wade usage.

Against these two teams especially he is the better choice for 3/4 minutes. Faster on his feet on defense, and given the space, will hit the 3s. Wonder if something is up that we don't know. Would love to see more Okoro/Wade/Allen lineups and the other 2 can be whoever fits the bill.

What’s up is $$$$$. Front offices and coaches don’t want to be embarrassed by sitting higher dollar players on the bench for lower paid players.

 

[LutherRackley]

Just got done watching.
- Left too many points at the foul line.
- Bamba got away with a lot of illegal screens. He should be an offensive tackle.
- Muted telecast midway through the first quarter because Philly broadcasters are a-holes. Listened to some heavy metal.
- I hate everything Philadelphia. You have to live where I live to understand.

 

[ajz20]

No Merrill in the playoffs? I’ve got to disagree on that one.

There are a ton of teams that would love to have Merrill in their playoff rotation but I guess we have “ enough shooting”

Give me a break

 

[CleveRocks]

I think the play book on beating the cavs is "USE all your fouls, hit them first, and smack Garland in the eye whenever possible."

It works..

 

[Dr. Claw]

Just got done watching.
- Left too many points at the foul line.
- Bamba got away with a lot of illegal screens. He should be an offensive tackle.
- Muted telecast midway through the first quarter because Philly broadcasters are a-holes. Listened to some heavy metal.
- I hate everything Philadelphia. You have to live where I live to understand.

the Bamba point is the reason why I felt the officiating was being sneaky despite the Cavs not being called for so many fouls.

the Cavs in the last season or so have been called for more illegal screens than I'm used to seeing (one of them wiped out a Strus 3) and I know certain other teams would be allowed them. The one on Allen was pure BS. He wasn't even screening.

 

[J_J]

Garland just hasn't had it since he returned. He is showing incremental improvement. He needs to keep improving. He needs to be more reliable with his three point shot, he needs to make fewer mistakes and turnovers. I think and hope he will improve between now and the post season. We need him being the best version of himself.

Right now I want him to be the PG and not the first shoot mentality. Last season he did that 18 times with 10+ assists and he did 18 times 2 years back.

Against Orlando in Wednesday it was his first 10+ assists this season.

 

[Wham with the Right Hand]

No Merrill in the playoffs? I’ve got to disagree on that one.

Teams now understand Merrill is a one-trick pony and they're taking away his 3-point shot or at least making him rush it. They're also attacking him on defense.

In January Merrill averaged a shot every 2.4 minutes. In February it's every 3.3 minutes. Opponents aren't letting him shoot uncontested 3's any more. In nine games this month he has yet to score in double figures.

 

[2 For The Brew]

Teams now understand Merrill is a one-trick pony and they're taking away his 3-point shot or at least making him rush it. They're also attacking him on defense.

In January Merrill averaged a shot every 2.4 minutes. In February it's every 3.3 minutes. Opponents aren't letting him shoot uncontested 3's any more. In nine games this month he has yet to score in double figures.

Teams have adjusted their defenses against us and Merrill is a good example of that but he’s not the only one. We’re having trouble generating open three point shots and our percentages for the shots we do get have gone down.

LeVert and Niang have been crap the past few games.

 

[boostorbust1]

Teams now understand Merrill is a one-trick pony and they're taking away his 3-point shot or at least making him rush it. They're also attacking him on defense.

In January Merrill averaged a shot every 2.4 minutes. In February it's every 3.3 minutes. Opponents aren't letting him shoot uncontested 3's any more. In nine games this month he has yet to score in double figures.

Then JBB needs to have 10 plays in his playbook that gets him open like Warriors do with Curry, the whole teams agenda is to get him open.

But JBB wont do that because he sucks as a coach

 

[2 For The Brew]

Then JBB needs to have 10 plays in his playbook that gets him open like Warriors do with Curry, the whole teams agenda is to get him open.

But JBB wont do that because he sucks as a coach

So Merrill = Curry.

Public Service Announcement: Full moon today and they’re out early. I’d advise everyone to shelter in place.