Remember When We Were Good? Podcast Included
Well so much for Mo Williams’ half-assed guarantee (as accurate as his jumper at this point). Well so much for Orlando’s shooting in the first three games being an aberration (team record 17 3-pointers) . So much for the notion that our defense was going to turn it around (gave up 116 points, second most all year). So much for the Hack-a-Ho as a legitimate adjustment (7 of 9 from the line). So much for that dominant regular season, so much for the MVP, so much for the Coach of the Year, so much for the Executive of the Year, so much, so much, so much…disappointment.
The Cavs face the unthinkable just four games into the Eastern Conference Finals: a 3-1 deficit. The Magic have completely imposed their will on the Cavs. We’ve been the team that’s had to make the adjustments. We’ve been the team that has been forced to come up with the answers. We’ve been the team that fell short on a night when we were supposed to have desperation on our side. And in the end, we’re the team that needs to win three straight, or risk wasting the best regular season in Cavaliers history.
They came out and made the adjustments fans have been clamoring for. They brought in Gibson and Szczerbiak and gave them valuable minutes. Mo Williams was aggressive and despite an off-shooting night, blew by defenders and got to the foul line. Delonte West was nasty on both sides of the floor, posting 17-7-5 while locking down Hedo. Ben Wallace played alright. When on the floor, Varejao had 5 steals and 9 points. They showed a number of different looks defensively against the screen and roll (with the rare twist of leaving Rafer Alston open – the only way to make him more comfortable would have been to pair him up with the Professor in the backcourt and let Duke Tango call the game).
In the end, there’s nothing Mike Brown’s disciplined defense can really do to slow down the Magic and their gimmick offense. His system is based on help and recover. Against the Magic, helping only digs you into a grave, one Michael Pietrus three at a time. The Magic have forced LeBron to work overtime on defense, which has partially slowed him down towards the end of games (eight turnovers combined in the fourth quarter and in overtime).
So with all that said, we’re confident they can come home, feed off the crowd and avoid only their fourth home loss of the season. But then again, there’s nothing Orlando has done in this series to make us think anything can be taken for granted at this point.
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We’ve been the team that’s had to make the adjustments.
I’m still waiting on a single adjustment. Being willy-nilly with your subs isn’t an adjustment, it’s an act of desperation. The team’s best defensive unit needs to be on the court at all times, and that means Lebron needs to be at the 4 when Rashard is on the court. Play AV/Z/Ben at the 5, depending on fouls.
great article, at this point i don’t think our defense is going to do anything, this team is shooting out of their minds, and it is a personnel mismatch. The best strategy we have at this point is to hope their luck runs out and they actually miss a shot. It is our offense that has to start clicking and maybe force the refs to call some fouls when we drive. But I don’t think our defense is going to be our bread-winner anymore.
Hey NickP, “our best defensive unit needs to be on the court at ALL times”? Um, maybe you forget this isn’t NBA2K9, since that’s obviously the only BBall you’ve ever played, but this little thing called fatigue is the reason that the best players can’t be on the court at all times.
our depth has been one of our greatest strengths all season, and I am curious why we don’t see more rotation. Especially Joe Smith, Z and Big Ben is strong enough of a match for DH, but not fast enough, and andy is fast enough but not strong enough, Joe seems like he would be the closest thing in-between those 3 to match up with Howard. The obvious problem is his fatigue, but why we havn’t seen him in the rotation more is where I’m confused.
Hey embarrassedmoron,
If a guy is too tired to run up the court, he ceases to be a part of the “best defensive unit.” At which point, the best defensive unit would need to include a guy who isn’t tired. When the initial player gets his breath back, he can then re-enter the game.
You see, basketball is a sport played 5-on-5, but it isn’t strictly limited to five players for the entire game. Substitutions are used to get players out of the game who may be tired, in foul trouble, or aren’t playing well and need some coaching on the bench.
/jmorris
//the ad hominem was well received, you fuck.
Podcasts are great!
Stop making these average boring terrible podcasts!!!! You have went from a below average to awful in the Cleveland blog sites…….Your better off drinking with me at the Tavern then wasting your time with these lackluster podcasts.
And your blog needs to be changed to cursed cavaliers because that’s the only thing that is covered. Lets here some browns news/rumors/made up stories………and even though nobody really likes professional baseball you can write maybe one paragraph a week about the tribe.
The only reason I stumbled back on this site again is because I clicked on the wrong tab…….