Cavs vs. Pacers - 2018 NBA Playoffs 1st Round

[Ohio]

Has Nance been good? It's hard to say:

View: https://twitter.com/MZavagno11/status/988444669553111040

What is the definition of "luck" ?

Nance simply does more than TT. If he was starting like he should be, his impact numbers would be way, way higher. Instead he's playing with the bench and it's making him look bad with those numbers.

 

[czvo]

I'm just not sure Nance has been all that good. He was solid in game 1. Decent last night. Bad in 2 and 3. He should probably play more than 15 minutes, but I wouldn't play him more than 20. There's got to be a way to get him 20 minutes and TT at least 12-15 in this series, but it's impossible if you continue to play Love at center.

I think Nance is helped because he'll do some eye-popping things, like get out on the break and finish one-handed or get a hand on a pass for a steal. But I've seen him get burnt on the PnR far more often than he picks up steals. Those things just don't get remembered.

 

[Alec]

Starters:
Hill
Korver
LeBron
Love
Zizic

Bench:
Clarkson
Smith
Osman
Green
Nance Jr.

Hood/TT/Calderon left out.

***
Starters

Pros:
Hill and LeBron gives you two ball handlers. Maybe Zizic will fare better against the Pacers athletic front court. He couldn’t do worse. Perkins is unplayable and Love is being abused at the 5. Korver and Love give you some great spacing on offense and Hill isn’t a slouch from certain 3 places. can still trap Oladipo. Korver is unathletic but he’s busting his ass on D. Love doesn’t have to sit under the rim and get embarrassed.

Cons:
Smith isn’t starting. He’s a better defender than Korver. But Korver is a better shooter. I don’t love Korver, but we’re struggling to get points and he’s a true weapon. Love is still getting heavy minutes but maybe he breaks out in his more natural position. What good is Hill as a ball handler if LeBron and Love won’t move their asses to run plays? Hill basically becomes the guy who brings the ball up. He can’t create his own shot. Maybe putting another lights out shooter in his position would be better? Maybe Smith? Zizic could utterly tank against guys this caliber. But he’s nasty and he’s fearless. give it a half and see how it goes.

Bench
Pros:
It’s a pretty athletic bench. Could be a good defensive bunch with Osman picking up the best perimeter player and Nance being a terror down low. It’s a group that could run the floor and take advantage of any unathletic who may be on the floor.

Cons:
The IQ is collectively lacking. Green and Clarkson could ruin things with their chucking. Green and Nance are holes on offense. Clarkson May feel compelled to do too much being only he can create his shot.

***

Observations:

Pacers are really succeeding in building a wall to defend LeBron’s drives. It’s working for a few reasons. 1. No one else is moving on offense. 2. They’re really athletic. 3. The only people LeBron can blow by are big men. Everything else requires bully-ball. Every game will be tight unless the 3 ball starts falling in bunches.

We have so many flawed players with weird skill sets that you can justify playing them over one another with relative ease. If Clarkson is in deer-in-headlights chucker mode, it doesn’t even matter who is playing with him. There’s the theory that he needs an “adult” on the court with him, and the numbers bear that out. But to who’s detriment? You play with him Calderon? So now you’re back court is an extreme liability on defense? It’s really tough.

Green is one of the most athletic guys on the team. And he CAN be heroic moreso than anyone not named LeBron. But can you take his fumbling, chucking tendencies in the mean time?

I’m not convinced Jose is actually playable. He can’t create his own shot, he can’t alter a defense. we have plenty of guys on the team who can shoot 3s AND do other things. Jose is just an old unathletic liability.

Hood is another odd man out in terms of skill set. Everyone does he what does already, only he’s left handed. The redundancy is sickening.

TT is trash. Nuff said.

 

[Ohio]

I'm just not sure Nance has been all that good. He was solid in game 1. Decent last night. Bad in 2 and 3. He should probably play more than 15 minutes, but I wouldn't play him more than 20. There's got to be a way to get him 20 minutes and TT at least 12-15 in this series, but it's impossible if you continue to play Love at center.

I think Nance is helped because he'll do some eye-popping things, like get out on the break and finish one-handed or get a hand on a pass for a steal. But I've seen him get burnt on the PnR far more often than he picks up steals. Those things just don't get remembered.

Nance was dominant in the first half of Game 3...by the time he came in in the 2nd half, the Cavs were convinced that standing around on offense and holding the ball was a good idea. Nance was great again in the first half last night. Then Lue didn't play him until the game was effectively over.

Also, TT gets burnt in the PnR religiously. So I'm not sure where you're going with that one.

The only minutes for TT in this series, short of injury/foul trouble, is playing him instead of Jeff Green. Which, as I said before last night's game, could actually be a good idea.

 

[LeShaq]

I mean, he can set screens. That's about it. Offensively and defensively he's still god awful and that was again the case last night.

@LeShaq did a good job breaking this down

He should not be playing. He certainly should never be playing over Nance.

TT could have a role in the series, however limited. Particularly if Hill or another starter is hurt. And/or if Love keeps going Soft As Hell and we need more size/toughness at the bigs' spots. Or if Jeff Green just refuses to rebound.

Hopefully, the role will be small. And hopefully we can minimize any downside (on offense) when Tristan is in the game.

Tristan played last night after Love picked up 2 quick fouls. And Hill was out.

I would play both Zizic and Cedi ahead of the current version of Tristan. Zizic can defend the rim and he can score. Zizic doesn't allow the defense to play 5-on-4.

I personally hope Tristan has a 30/20 outing in Game 5 with a +20 and makes me look dumb. I just don't think it's going to happen, given all we have seen this year.

But I hope it happens. We all know Lue is not going to play Zizic over him, so we have to hope Tristan succeeds.

I can't imagine ever playing 2018 Tristan over Nance, unless Nance just needed more rest.

 

[kookoo]

Kevin Love, especially when not making shots, cannot play the 5. If he's forced to be physical at both ends, it's going to wear him down. More than that, Turner is also a good catch and shoot guy so Love has to worry about both rolling and fading. If he's marking Thad, life becomes easier because you'd live with him taking shots. Plus, Love has to be the worst at rim defender on the team. I'm assuming partially because he's just scared to get hurt again.

 

[Futuredome]

Nance should start with Zizic rotating in when needed. Love could shift to 5 when a advantage comes up, but he should get the bulk of his playing time at 4.

Known it since March. Free the Z.

 

[JMoneyYourHoney]

Nance should start with Zizic rotating in when needed. Love could shift to 5 when a advantage comes up, but he should get the bulk of his playing time at 4.

Known it since March. Free the Z.

Agree with most of this, but Zizic really should start with Nance backing him up.

Love plays the 4 with some spot minutes at the 5. Green should never again see minutes at the 5 and he should share backup 3/4 duties with Cedi.

Key word here being "should" because, you know, Lue...

 

[Futuredome]

Agree with most of this, but Zizic really should start with Nance backing up him.

Love plays the 4 with some spot minutes at the 5. Green should never again see minutes at the 5 and he should share backup 3/4 duties with Cedi.

Key word here being "should" because, you know, Lue...

I know, but am trying to being realistic. Zizic starting would probably cause the whole coaching staff to implode. Lue would probably die and I don't go that far...........

 

[jvpertz]

Jr smith needs to keep starting. An engaged and hustling JR is arguably the Cavs second best overall player this series.

Forget the regular season, obviously JR is a guy with a switch where he goes from one of the worst players in the NBA to almost a plus level NBA playoff starter.

 

[Soar]

The longer this series goes on the more I am impressed with Indiana's roster.

They really don't have a weak rotation player. Cory Joseph would be the closest thing to it.

Their big rotation is excellent with Thad, Turner, and Sabonis.

Lance plays out of his mind in Indiana and against LeBron. Dipo is an all-star. Collison is rock solid. And Bojan is a legit sniper who is also capable of making plays.

Bottom line is that while they lack upper end star power (so do we now ) they have an excellent group of players that fit well together.

Bottom line: Not surprising this series has been so difficult for us.

 

[Ruken]

I swear to god, Cedi and Zizic are not the answer to everything. Ppl are seriously clamor Big for Zizic to start? In a playoff series?

They have potential, but should be be relied upon in a playoff series at this point of their careers. Does anyone remember how badly Zizic was getting crushed on PNRs.
Both have a ton of potential, but they aren’t ready yet.

Love is hurt and his inability to grip is causing missed shots and turnovers. I also think Nance is still hurt, his explosion is pretty much gone.

 

[Cavatt]

I swear to god, Cedi and Zizic are not the answer to everything. Ppl are seriously clamor Big for Zizic to start? In a playoff series?

They have potential, but should be be relied upon in a playoff series at this point of their careers. Does anyone remember how badly Zizic was getting crushed on PNRs.
Both have a ton of potential, but they aren’t ready yet.

Love is hurt and his inability to grip is causing missed shots and turnovers. I also think Nance is still hurt, his explosion is pretty much gone.

Cedi is a legit defender and I think he could get Lebron some rest as well as push the pace. We don't have anyone else attacking the rim, and he can do that as well.

They are beating the shit out of Love, and they don't have to work at all on defense in the post. Zizic would at least give them another look and god forbid get the Cavs some easy buckets while setting good screens.

Mostly people want to see what they can do because they have both outplayed players in the rotation and their best attributes are qualities that are sorely lacking on this roster. Mainly Size, length, and Motor.

 

[HenryMuto]

Derrick Rose having another good first half. So imagine this team with healthy Kyrie, Wade and Rose.............Could have won it all folks.

 

[bob2the2nd]

Cedi is a legit defender and I think he could get Lebron some rest as well as push the pace. We don't have anyone else attacking the rim, and he can do that as well.

They are beating the shit out of Love, and they don't have to work at all on defense in the post. Zizic would at least give them another look and god forbid get the Cavs some easy buckets while setting good screens.

Mostly people want to see what they can do because they have both outplayed players in the rotation and their best attributes are qualities that are sorely lacking on this roster. Mainly Size, length, and Motor.

Cedi is definitely an above average defender but not sure he is ready for playoff basketbal on the offensive end. He would keep the ball moving but he isnt a reliable long distance shooter yet. I would be willing to give him 3-5 minutes a game but probably not much more than that.

Z... is just flat out inexperienced. He played more than 5 minutes 14 times this year. And only 7 times more than 10 minutes. Has he shown flashes, absolutely. But to expect him to show up in a very competitive playoff series even for a short period of time is probably asking too much.

Edit. Especially for Z where he would be matching up against some very good opposing bigs is a tall task