Kyrie Irving

[Photon]

Maybe we should just use him as a scorer? If other great scorers can play with a PG, so can he. If Dragić and Bledsoe can do it.... But, he still has to see some of the passing opportunities, he is able to score on crazy layups, but usually there are 3 defenders around him. Perimeter players were wildly waving for the ball, while wide open, and he just forced it anyway. You just alienate your teammates with this type of play.

 

[polklop1]

Crunch time is defined by the NBA as the last 5 minutes of a game where you are ahead or behind by 5 points.

He is leading the league in FG's made during that time with 24.

Next closest is Steph Curry with 18.

http://stats.nba.com/leaguePlayerCl...25&sortField=FGM&sortOrder=DES&PerMode=Totals

He also leads FG's attempted with 66. Next closest in the entire league is only 49! I knew we tended to get stuck in Kyrie iso towards the end of games, but I had no idea it was to this extent.

 

[Zen]

Dude lacks winner intangibles. His idea of competing isnt to stop you defensively. No, no thats to boring for Uncle Drew. He WANTS you to score on him so he can one up you once he gets the ball back. A pg taking 33 shots is never acceptable even if you score 40 and its even less impressive when your matchup scores an efficient 34 on your head. Dude just doesn't have the intangibles or mental toughness you want from your best player. I think Waiters has it to an extent but he isnt the "franchise guy"

I told my friend after the game that I couldn't decide if i was knit picking - but that 33 shots felt so wrong... even if its on 50% shooting and 9 assists. I don't remember Kyrie playing like this in his first two seasons, he just seems to be the antithesis of a good teammate at this point. taking 5 or 6 less shots and trying to get your friends involved will go a long way.

I despise Melo as a player, he doesn't play winning basketball. I saw another poster mention that Kyrie was the Melo of Pg's earlier... I don't know how valid that is, but it is a scary thought.

 

[brownsbuck6]

There is absolutely nothing 'irrational' about expecting our star player to actually TRY on defense, to not dribble into the corner multiple times at the ends of games, to not dribble the ball off his foot right out of an inbound (although to be fair I have a much bigger issues with effort and decision making than I do a simple physical mistake which happens), to not take crazy running bank shots over multiple bigs, etc etc etc. Especially when he has teammates that were scoring effectively all game long. I think it's hilarious the lengths to which some posters will go to discredit those that expect more, expect better, out of a supremely talented player. It's as if some people never learn. I think those refusing to admit the issues in his game are the ones being irrational.

 

[KB]

I honestly think it would be better for the Cavs to put Kyrie at the 2 and use him like he was AI then let Dion run the point.

Dion seems to run the offense better, better at the drive then kick game and also seems more willing to use it, even if it doesn't result in an assist for him it keeps the ball roation moving and defense over rotating which results in better looks for everyone.

Where I think KI is the more dynamic scorer and too often gets blinders on when he wants a bucket. This isn't a bad thing but he needs to learn how to pick and choose spots better

 

[Nathan S]

I was frustrated by his knucklehead plays when he would get himself in trouble in the corners. I was frustrated by his refusal to involve his teammates and take ill-advised pull up threes instead. I was frustrated by a lot of things.

But what really really pissed me off was his piss poor effort defensively. Really uninspired play on that end. Teague walked all over him. And then at the end of the game he gave ZERO effort on the Millsap/Teague pick and roll, and completely willingly called "switch" stranding Tristan on Teague. Kyrie could have EASILY fought through that screen (it was a pussy screen, seems like Kyrie made up his mind prior to the play) and should have been able to stick to Teague better than a big could.

Really really lazy play on defense. Go ahead and score 40. Means nothing to me when you give up 60 by letting your man score and letting him penetrate and collapse the defense. Ugh.

Sorry, but this is total bullshit. You seriously think Kyrie was too lazy to properly defend the game winning play? Come on man...I know Kyrie has taken plays off on defense in the middle of games as have many of our other players, but he wanted that win as badly as anyone when it came down to it. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have given any necessary amount of effort to stop that ball from going in if he could have.

The defense on that play wasn't even bad. It led to a contested midrange jumper that got very lucky to bounce around and fall in.

 

[NtG]

Kyrie made some mistakes to be sure, but we never would have been in it if it wasn't for him.

I completely disagree, the game would have been over in the 4th (Cavs victory) if Kyrie didn't decide to play 1v5 for the final 4 minutes.

 

[Kouki]

There is absolutely nothing 'irrational' about expecting our star player to actually TRY on defense

I tuned in for a bit of the Portland/LAC game last night. By a bit I mean two plays at the end of the first half. Chris Paul was absolutely HOUNDING on defense. He looked like a black Dellavedova but moved his feet way quicker. Wish it was on the game highlights. Kyrie needs to watch that...

 

[brownsbuck6]

I tuned in for a bit of the Portland/LAC game last night. By a bit I mean two plays at the end of the first half. Chris Paul was absolutely HOUNDING on defense. He looked like a black Dellavedova but moved his feet way quicker. Wish it was on the game highlights. Kyrie needs to watch that...

Great comparison. That's what I was yelling at the TV last night when he was on D- he doesn't move his feet... which is fundamental to playing defense and moving one's feet is all about want and effort. I don't know what other conclusion anyone can come to (especially when you compare him to a Chris Paul) then he just doesn't want it enough on defense.

 

[Los216]

I completely disagree, the game would have been over in the 4th (Cavs victory) if Kyrie didn't decide to play 1v5 for the final 4 minutes.

huh?

So we didn't need all his 4th Q points?

Or maybe it could have been over if Jack hits his free throws. Is that Kyrie's fault?

Was it Kyrie guarding Korver when he nailed those threes in the 4th or was it Jack?

 

[Tornicade]

Sorry, but this is total bullshit. You seriously think Kyrie was too lazy to properly defend the game winning play? Come on man...I know Kyrie has taken plays off on defense in the middle of games as have many of our other players, but he wanted that win as badly as anyone when it came down to it. There is no doubt in my mind that he would have given any necessary amount of effort to stop that ball from going in if he could have.

The defense on that play wasn't even bad. It led to a contested midrange jumper that got very lucky to bounce around and fall in.

im sorry but Kyrie switched off teague with Thompson 5 feet away heading toward another man. that was hardly contested. Irving bailed on the play.

 

[ice cream man]

Although he didn't play the right way on offense, had too many unforced turnovers, he made a good amount of his bad shots and we scored plenty.

If you're gonna point to a reason for losing, it's obviously defense. We didn't give up as many offensive rebounds last night, so that's a plus. But the Hawks still shot 50%. We will not string together some wins until we figure our defense out. (Gotta get rid of Bynum and Jack...)

 

[Nathan S]

im sorry but Kyrie switched off teague with Thompson 5 feet away heading toward another man. that was hardly contested. Irving bailed on the play.

Even if that's the case (which I don't agree that it is...the Cavs' goal is to force a contested jumper, and they succeeded), it's important to distinguish between Kyrie being lazy and Kyrie making a mistake. He didn't suddenly get lazy and say "nope, cba to play 3 more seconds of defense."

 

[chrisrich91]

Even if that's the case (which I don't agree that it is...the Cavs' goal is to force a contested jumper, and they succeeded), it's important to distinguish between Kyrie being lazy and Kyrie making a mistake. He didn't suddenly get lazy and say "nope, cba to play 3 more seconds of defense."

Fine. If it wasn't laziness it was stupidity/carelessness. He did not even attempt to fight through the screen. Go back and watch it. I was watching with my dad and brother and I was yelling right then at Kyrie for so nonchalantly switching right away. Sure, Tristan did a decent job on Teague. But a guard could have done better. If you don't agree there then you're simply making excuses for your star player. After 2010 I decided I wasn't going to do that anymore.

 

[OptimusPrime]

So we didn't need all his 4th Q points?

The last 4 minutes of regulation, during the Uncle Drew Show, he did not score. We could have used some points from someone.