Game 2 -|- Bulls @ Cavs -|- Friday, November 2nd, 7:30PM ET

[Rainman]

I'm sorry for people who want to make the playoffs, you have to be kidding yourselves. When you watch some of these elite basketball teams, the Cavs are far from it. The way I see it, we are probably a good 3 to 5 years away from being a solid playoff team at the rate this team is going. I really hope we are able to get a high draft pick next year and pick up 2 or 3 good vets because if not we may see Kyrie leave. And as much as most don't want to see this team get stuck in mediocrity, if they don't start making some major moves they may be stuck in suckiocrity for years and years to come.

[Rich]

I'm sorry for people who want to make the playoffs, you have to be kidding yourselves. When you watch some of these elite basketball teams, the Cavs are far from it. The way I see it, we are probably a good 3 to 5 years away from being a solid playoff team at the rate this team is going. I really hope we are able to get a high draft pick next year and pick up 2 or 3 good vets because if not we may see Kyrie leave. And as much as most don't want to see this team get stuck in mediocrity, if they don't start making some major moves they may be stuck in suckiocrity for years and years to come.

I mean can we please not start up with the Kyrie leaving stuff. Just no sense in it.

[billmac91]

Um......what? What CJ have you been watching?

He plays confidently on offense and can actually dribble. Two things Alonzo doesn't do. Playing CJ at the 3, would without a doubt take some pressure off of Kyrie and Dion.

[daddywags]

Wasn't looking to make the playoffs, but I'd also rather not see a young team sleepwalk through the second game of the season in front of a sold out home crowd.

[Goldin Brown]

The Bulls are going to be that team that the Cavs measure their progress against. They will keep kicking our ass and eventually the young Cavs will grow because of it. I saw this loss coming a mile away, I want to see if they are able to rebound from it tomorrow night or if they get their ass handed to them again. This Bulls team is very experienced and very well coached, we really don't measure up at all right now...I'm looking forward to see if they are more competitive the next time they meet Chicago. That will tell you a lot about the make up of this team.

[chrisrich91]

Not gonna read any of this thread...but my God, Tom Thibodeau is the best coach in the NBA. What an identity he has established there.

[billmac91]

Not gonna read any of this thread...but my God, Tom Thibodeau is the best coach in the NBA. What an identity he has established there.

Their defense is certainly suffocating. It doesn't help when the officials smell blood in the water and let them emasculate our team. I have to give them credit though...they play their asses off, especially for the second game in the season.

[Oasis]

First, playing Walton is completely pointless. He's of no value. Secondly, the Bulls weren't some mystery team. They play suffocating D and routinely double the ball and rely and freakin' THRIVE off of the fast break opportunities they receive when a team cannot pass its way or dribble through for an easy bucket.

We needed a Fratello type slow down after breaking the timeline. When a team is forced into a bad shot time after time it's coaching.

I've never thought much of Scott going all the way back to his days in NJ. He's stubborn, doesn't deviate from the pre-game plan, and his rotations are maddeningly robotic. He was thoroughly outcoached tonight, and the talent level disparity between the teams isn't nearly what the final score would seem to indicate.

They're better coached, period.

Oasis

[Tornicade]

Please bring Kyrie back on.

The sad thing is that our 'veterans' - Boobie, Walton, Miles - are giving us nothing.

If we'll trade AV, who will be our veteran leader?

They start chucking and have no ball movement because they are bad at the game of basketball. When you have Donald Sloan and Daniel Gibson running the show and the best offensive talent on the court is probably either Gibson or Samuels, there are no real options there.

the key is that the second unit has ZERO facilitators. Waiters might have to come off the bench as a the 2nd string ball handler. it just gets too ugly when the starters leave the game.

cavs still essentially the D-league all-stars. the talent level on Chicago is just so much higher than the Cavs. even their so-called "no name" guys look like ballers.

Our defensive rotations is just shitty. Even in the Washington game. The wiz just shot poorly but most of their looks are open. If we are trying to be the Phoenix Suns and try to just outscore everybody this rebuild will fail.

Shipping out Andy doesn't set back the team. It A) increases playing time for players that will be here when we are contenders, B) increases our asset base, and C) improves our draft position this year. Yes we would likely not be as good next year without Andy as we would be with him, but in the following years it would be nothing but beneficial.

Wasn't looking to make the playoffs, but I'd also rather not see a young team sleepwalk through the second game of the season in front of a sold out home crowd.

I see alot of focus on the bench. its not really a reasonable expectation to have your bench win games for you. The stating unit was clearly outclassed and demolished in every aspect of the game.

Chicago is a horrible matchup for the Cavs their defensive system and personel and set up specifically to stop the things the cavs are trying to learn. Thats right learn . its a keyword.. There was really no sense in keeping waiters ina 30 point blowout. it served no purpose. even if he made any gains it would be largely irrelavent because players learn their craft in competitive games . when the score is tight and they are getting the best the other team has to give.

some of you seem to be oblivious that... Chicago hates the Cavs. Boozer hates the Cavs. Noah hates Andy. Rip has always detested the Cavs.

What that means is that when the bulls play the Cavs they bring it all and take their game to the top leve. They simply want to destroy us and they can. so they do.

While the last 4 games havent been good. they are good for the team. Every time they think they have it. the Bulls will come in and make sure they do. If they dont youll see what you did tonight.

What the Bulls have that the Cavs dont isnt a large disparity in Talent.. It is a cohesive unit that does all the small things that Scott is trying to Teach the Cavs. its Scotts i told ya so game.

Dion probably learned more about the bulls watching them on the sideline than on the court. Scott let him see wha t they were doing and made sure dion saw it before he put him back in. thats solid coaching and will serve the Cavs well in the long run.

I was hoping the Cavs would show some fight but this game was lost at the tip off. we will have to just wait and see if the cavs bounce back or go into a rut.

[chrisrich91]

Kirk Hinrich owns Kyrie. God help us if he plays for one of our opponents when we make the playoffs in a couple years..

[Nathan S]

Chicago shot 16/26 from midrange (2's from 10 feet or further) compared to 6/28 for the Cavs. Obviously some of that has to do with defense, but a lot of it is just luck. If they both shoot 40% from midrange, the game ends 103-96 in favor of the Bulls, a much more ordinary result. Considering Coach Scott insists on playing Luke "I forged my birth certificate and am actually 45" Walton and CJ "I'm contractually obliged to chuck up the same shots Jamison took last year" Miles, I'm surprised the Cavs offense functioned as well as it did.

[Rimage]

Kirk Hinrich owns Kyrie. God help us if he plays for one of our opponents when we make the playoffs in a couple years..

Is this a serious post? I just skimmed through this game thread after leaving it early last night...what is up with you guys? It is constant "Where is Waiter?!?!" "Why is Luke Walton out there!?!?!" and "What is Scott doing!?!?" over and over over and over again. Fucking unbearable. Second game of rebuilding season and people are acting like this? Good lord, calm down. This board has severe ADD.

[RchfldCavRaised]

Is this a serious post? I just skimmed through this game thread after leaving it early last night...what is up with you guys? It is constant "Where is Waiter?!?!" "Why is Luke Walton out there!?!?!" and "What is Scott doing!?!?" over and over over and over again. Fucking unbearable. Second game of rebuilding season and people are acting like this? Good lord, calm down. This board has severe ADD.

This is lame

ChrisRich pointed out something that has been evident in every head to head matchup between kyrie and Kirk Hinrich.

Captain Kirk is a tough, defense first blue chip all american point guard who knows how to play the game and did so at Kansas under my boy Roy Williams all the way to the National Championship game, then went and played for the US National Team for collegians. Dude is solid, despite being undervalued as a guy who can sell tickets.

I really was hoping Chris Grant made him or Jarret Jack or a guy like that a top priority this summer. He will continue to give Kyrie trouble as long as Kyrie is allowed to develop and compete against great guards like Donald SLoan on a daily basis in practice. Find me a 4 year college all american and veteran NBA point guard and I will show you a guy who will and should give Kyrie fits until he learns the position more.

[Futuredome]

Rewatching, but 2 things really stuck out:
1.The Bulls had a good shooting game, the Cavs didn't
2.Vaj struggled badly. Looked like some dead legs, really undermining the defense

The young players were up and down as expected.