Kyrie Irving

[sgm405]

Not trying to make excuses for him, but how many NBA players don't have "on/off" switches throughout the season?

[Tank God]

He's definitely got an on-off switch just like LeBron did. Early in the game he's deferring. It's fine to try to get teammates involved, but he needs to actively do it an not passivle do it...and that means setting guys up rather than just staying out of the play.

Although I don't think LeBron's off-switch is as bad as Kyrie's, you're right that Kyrie needs to be active in getting other teammates involved instead of giving up the ball and sitting on the perimeter. LeBron was great at doing that so he was at least being passive in a good way. He needs to be penetrating and racking up assists. This will open things up for him later when the opposing team is also worried about the passing lanes, so they'll give Kyrie more room to operate.

[rabman_gold]

He's human. I thought it might've been because he quit, but he can't become a machine like LeBron. Stop prepping him to be like one. Or I'll show you stats of all the players that could spend their entire careers having double digit point games on back to backs since 1987. Most of you guys have never played competitive basketball. How would you know the mental or physical energy it takes to push yourself to produce on a superstar level day in and day out?

[godfather]

I don't understand when a player lets the game come to him, instead of playing it reckless and careless, it means he's passive and not playing hard. Just ridiculous to nitpick at Kyrie like this. I didn't have a "problem" with how he played last night. He struggled with his shot, teams pack the paint against him, giving him virtually NO WHERE to go. Knowing he's without a doubt the only real threat out on the floor, teams defend him, and dare others to beat them. Kyrie could become careless, selfish, and start taking really bad shots that don't really help the team, nor his teammates. But he doesn't.

I saw Kyrie actually giving effort, and fighting hard defensively. Yeah, he had some miscues, but Kyrie was definitely playing hard defensively last night.

There's going to be nights you don't score the ball. Common, he's 20, he still has flaws. It's too much to ask a guy that young, to do it all, and everything every single night. It's too much for any player, and basically that's what is needed out of him. And he can't do it every single game. No one can.

He's only leading the league in scoring as a point guard with that being said. I say give him a little slack, he's definitely one of only few very bright spots on this team. I'll judge him more as a playmaker when we get better offensive talent on this team. Without a real force to score the ball down low, and inconsistent scoring on the perimeter, his playmaking skills have to come second.

[IWantAKouki]

I don't understand when a player lets the game come to him, instead of playing it reckless and careless, it means he's passive and not playing hard. Just ridiculous to nitpick at Kyrie like this. I didn't have a "problem" with how he played last night. He struggled with his shot, teams pack the paint against him, giving him virtually NO WHERE to go. Knowing he's without a doubt the only real threat out on the floor, teams defend him, and dare others to beat them. Kyrie could become careless, selfish, and start taking really bad shots that don't really help the team, nor his teammates. But he doesn't.

I saw Kyrie actually giving effort, and fighting hard defensively. Yeah, he had some miscues, but Kyrie was definitely playing hard defensively last night.

There's going to be nights you don't score the ball. Common, he's 20, he still has flaws. It's too much to ask a guy that young, to do it all, and everything every single night. It's too much for any player, and basically that's what is needed out of him. And he can't do it every single game. No one can.

He's only leading the league in scoring as a point guard with that being said. I say give him a little slack, he's definitely one of only few very bright spots on this team. I'll judge him more as a playmaker when we get better offensive talent on this team. Without a real force to score the ball down low, and inconsistent scoring on the perimeter, his playmaking skills have to come second.

Criticizing =/= nitpicking. I think we are all pretty impressed with his game, but pointing out things that we don't like about his game is still......fair game.

[NarlCavs]

Like giving the ball to Thompson before he even crosses half court?

I don't know what the hell that is about but it seems it's what Scott wants. In recent games the G crosses halfcourt and then passes off to Thompson or Zeller out past the middle of the 3 point line in many halfcourt possessions. Makes no sense. You're taking the ball out of the hands of a player who can create and putting it in the hands of 2 players who can't dribble or pass. Does nothing but slow down the offense. Varejao can pass if you give it to him out there but these two can't at all.

I'm not worried about Kyrie now but I do sense some frustration starting. Another reason why the Cavs organization needs to step it up a little after the season.

Kyrie's teammates also need to realize that he's the #1 player and option now. Waiters, Gee, and Miles need to tone it down sometimes and not go 1 on 1, force shots, and/or ignore their 4 teammates on the floor with them.

[CavsFanJapan]

You guys are kidding right? Being critical of Kyrie because of a bad shooting night? It is not like he shot his team out of the playoffs like Kobe basically did last year. Every time the kid turns around, he has a new line-up to work with and every team gunning at him knowing Waiters is going to shoot 20%. I thought he did a good job chasing Williams around the court and is showing slight improvement on defense. Defense is not easy and if he is burning energy trying to get better, then great! He will learn to put it all together and we will have nights like this. BTW, I never thought we would make the playoffs this year anyways so I am enjoying the effort by every player on his team. We have been close so often with 78 different lineups and still are looking at a top pick. I will begin to worry if we are playing crappy towards the end of Feb or early March after all the home games and practices. Unless Kyrie begins to have 10 turnover games, I have NOTHING to say about him.

[IWantAKouki]

no jesus christ no people, some of us are actually making valid points and just mentioning small things that we would like to see him get better at

he isn't immune to criticism and we are allowed to point it out without thinking he's a terrible player my god

it's a god damned message board, if we can't talk about what players need to do to get better then what can we talk about

[Biw]

no jesus christ no people, some of us are actually making valid points and just mentioning small things that we would like to see him get better at

he isn't immune to criticism and we are allowed to point it out without thinking he's a terrible player my god

it's a god damned message board, if we can't talk about what players need to do to get better then what can we talk about

Exactly. As polished as he already is, Kyrie still has areas of his game on which he can improve in. Nothing wrong at all in discussing that.

I would hope this thread would be a little more than a constant stroke fest over Kyrie.

[apolo29]

constant stroke fest over Kyrie.

I'm down

[Jon]

I don't know what the hell that is about but it seems it's what Scott wants. In recent games the G crosses halfcourt and then passes off to Thompson or Zeller out past the middle of the 3 point line in many halfcourt possessions. Makes no sense. You're taking the ball out of the hands of a player who can create and putting it in the hands of 2 players who can't dribble or pass. Does nothing but slow down the offense. Varejao can pass if you give it to him out there but these two can't at all.

I think the idea is to pull an opposing big out of the paint ... at least partially ... and encourage some movement in the offense because at the very least one of the guards is going to swing around and get the ball back.

Mostly it's how the offense is supposed to work, and if all the bigs don't get used to working out of the high post, then it's just not going to.

[akhan786]

I'm down

I lol'd.

[Czvosec]

I think the idea is to pull an opposing big out of the paint ... at least partially ... and encourage some movement in the offense because at the very least one of the guards is going to swing around and get the ball back.

Mostly it's how the offense is supposed to work, and if all the bigs don't get used to working out of the high post, then it's just not going to.

The Cavs have a lot of token movement. Its movement for the sake of movement. Their cuts aren't really hard, there's no purpose. Its as if they run through the motions waiting for Kyrie or Dion to get the ball back to run a PnR.

[Sawduzt]

The Cavs have a lot of token movement. Its movement for the sake of movement. Their cuts aren't really hard, there's no purpose. Its as if they run through the motions waiting for Kyrie or Dion to get the ball back to run a PnR.

agreed the cavs offense is just '50 ways to start a pick and roll'

[godfather]

Criticizing =/= nitpicking. I think we are all pretty impressed with his game, but pointing out things that we don't like about his game is still......fair game.

I don't have a problem with that. I don't care if someone, or anyone wants to criticize a player's game. However, I do think it's beyond unfair to "question" his desire, work ethic, effort, etc, when a player has an off game.

I think when someone goes that far, they're not just calling out a player's game, but their character too. Not every play Kyrie will be involved in. Sometimes Kyrie has this "let the game come to me mode". Maybe he has it too much, but bottom line, he's never been the kind of player that forces the issue. The way the Nets, and lots of teams are guarding Kyrie, they're almost forcing him to give the ball up, and let someone else beat him. It's design that way defensively. Kyrie is seeing different respect defensively this year, compared to last year.

He could be selfish, and just turn into a chucker. But he's too smart, and too good of a team player to do that.

The biggest problem lies that Kyrie just needs more talent around him. It's hard for a 6-2 guard, to take it upon himself to win games himself every night. And he almost has to without Andy. It was hard for a 6-9, 265 pound guy to do it here.

Kyrie is definitely flawed, and there are lots of things he needs to clean up on. His shot selection, and choosing when to shoot is definitely not one. He's one of the smarter basketball players I've seen. He doesn't take stupid, ridiculous shots the way LB is prone to. And Kyrie understands what his game is, what isn't better than 99% of the young players in this league.

He's special, we have nothing to worry about with him. It's the rest of the team we should be concern about. Because we're pretty bad.