11/06/13 Game Thread: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Milwaukee Bucks, 8:00 PM EST

[Meticode]

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc28/Meticode/Sports%20Logos/cleveland_cavaliers_alt_2-64_zps446a5b2f.pngCleveland Cavaliers

_C - Anderson Varejao
PF - Tristan Thompson
SF - Earl Clark
SG - Dion Waiters
PG - Kyrie Irving

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc28/Meticode/Sports%20Logos/milwaukee_bucks_alt_2-64_zps79fe02f0.pngMilwaukee Bucks

_C - Zaza Pachulia
PF - John Henson
SF - Caron Butler
SG - O.J. Mayo
PG - Gary Neal


Larry Drew is pondering another change to what has been an anemic starting lineup for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Without an adjustment, that unit could continue to struggle offensively Wednesday night against the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers, whose defense has been outstanding.

The Bucks (1-2) lost 97-90 to Toronto on Saturday in their home opener, their already ineffective starting five further hamstrung by O.J. Mayo being benched to start the game. The guard scored a game-high 16 after arriving late for shootaround.

He hit a tying 3-pointer with 5:53 remaining, but Milwaukee followed that by going 1 for 6 from the free-throw line over a four-minute stretch.

"I really felt if we just hung around hopefully we could probably try to steal it, but we just didn't make the plays down the stretch," Drew said.

Drew has utilized a different starting lineup for each game. He's been without Brandon Knight due to a hamstring injury for the last two, and Knight's status for Wednesday is uncertain.

More changes could be on the way Wednesday, as Milwaukee's starters rank last in the league with 37.7 points per game. The team's reserves have averaged 55.0 points and 51.2 percent shooting, among the best in the NBA.

"I'm concerned about our energy, our speed, our activity with that first group," Drew said. "I've got to re-assess that."

The Cavaliers (2-2) are one of the lowest-scoring teams in the league at 87.3 points per game, but they've held each opponent to fewer than 95 points.

Cleveland limited Minnesota to fewer than 100 for the first time this season in handing the club its first defeat, 93-92 on Monday. The Cavaliers recorded a season-high 12 blocks along with 10 steals while limiting Kevin Love to 17 points -- more than 12 below his average -- and 8-of-20 shooting.

The stingy defensive effort -- Minnesota shot 36.2 percent -- helped compensate for a rough night for Kyrie Irving, who committed a career-high nine turnovers.

"Luckily, K-Love missed a shot and we got the stop," Irving said of Love's missed 3-point attempt with 1.9 seconds remaining.

Irving has been unimpressive thus far, averaging 15.3 points -- 8.2 fewer than last year -- and 36.9 percent from the field. Perhaps he can establish a rhythm Wednesday, as he's averaging 26.7 points and 55.7 percent shooting in six career matchups with Milwaukee.

Some production from top draft pick Anthony Bennett could help take some pressure off Irving. Bennett was 0 for 3 from the field against the Timberwolves and is 0 for 15 on the season.

Milwaukee will try to shore up its rebounding after surrendering 21 second-chance points on 18 Toronto offensive boards.

The Bucks had won nine straight in the series before dropping the final two meetings last season.

[Meticode]

Hopefully Anthony Bennett can score his first field goal of his rookie season.

[FatComputerNerd]

Hopefully we can stop playing like complete @$$ on offense!

[Meticode]

Hopefully we can stop playing like complete @$$ on offense!
Last game was good for three quarters. Then in the fourth quarter last game the turnovers and the turnovers and the turnovers were really bad...

...it doesn't matter how good you are defensively. If you're turning the ball over which leads to fast breaks you're going to dig your own hole. In which they barely held their selves above the ground last time doing that.

What drove me mad is the last offensive play by the Cavaliers in that game. Brown calls a timeout and seems like he's trying to make a play, but the play that happened was Irving held the ball and dribbled for 20 seconds, drove to the basket, and hammered, no foul and no shot made. Shit drives me insane when what led to a great offensive was the ball movement in the beginning of the game.

[Meticode]

Readjusted Bucks lineup.

[MP.Trey]

I can't recall Varejao missing a mid-ranger this season. :eek:

[Meticode]

I saw a lot of Waiters complaining last game about no fouls called for him. Then when he gets a foul called for him he misses both freethrows. :facepalm

Our freebies have been horrible this year I think without looking at the actual stats.

[Meticode]

WTF Pachulia leads his teams with points per game this season with 13?

[RedBlackAttack]

I saw a lot of Waiters complaining last game about no fouls called for him. Then when he gets a foul called for him he misses both freethrows. :facepalm

Our freebies have been horrible this year I think without looking at the actual stats.
It's been more backwards than terrible. Kyrie has been missing a ton more than usual and Waiters is usually solid and hasn't bee, but at the same time Tristan is shooting almost 80% from the line and Bynum is at almost 90%. :eek:

Bizarre.

[Meticode]

Irving letting himself get picked and Wolters get's a easy layup and and-1.

[MP.Trey]

WTF Pachulia leads his teams with points per game this season with 13?
One of 8 players in the league leading their team in points AND rebounds. :bowdown:

[Meticode]

Varejao knocking down the mid-range jumper tonight. 3-3 from 15 feet out.

[MP.Trey]

I remember that game in 08 when Redd beat us at the buzzer. He shuffled his feet on the pump fake but that's beside the point, he was a great shooter and fun to watch before injuries and age caught up to him.

EDIT: Good to hear he admitted it. :lol

[Meticode]

I remember that game in 08 when Redd beat us at the buzzer. He shuffled his feet on the pump fake but that's beside the point, he was a great shooter and fun to watch before injuries and age caught up to him.

EDIT: Good to hear he admitted it. :lol
I remember when he was going to be a free agent I wanted him to come to Cleveland so bad because of Ohio State. Then a season later we got Mo Williams (which I was happy about at the time).

[Meticode]

Bucks go on 8-0 run. Bynum is in now.

[Meticode]

Bucks Udoh checks in for the first time this season in this game and gets a wide open dunk and his first points in like 1 minute of play. Anthony Bennett...not so fortunate this season so far.

[Meticode]

Bennett get's a three shot to close the 1st quarter and totally bricks that shit. 0-16. :roll:

[MP.Trey]

Everybody just standing around on offense...

[Eric Cartman]

Not even close ... :lol

[MP.Trey]

Bennett made one! :bowdown::bowdown:

[Eric Cartman]

Bennett made one! :bowdown::bowdown:

Can't believe it

[FatComputerNerd]

Finally!!!

[MP.Trey]

Finna go off now

[MP.Trey]

He may have missed that second jumpshot, but it was the most confident looking jumpshot I've seen him take yet. So take from that what you will.

[b1imtf]

Goat

[NattyPButter]

Saw some pain in Bynums face

[RedBlackAttack]

Kyrie looks good.

[FatComputerNerd]

Kyrie heating up

[Meticode]

I don't know what it is, but when Irving has scored tonight it looks super-easy and like the Bucks aren't pressing him hard. Even when he's went inside he's gotten 2-3 easy layups.

[Meticode]

Awww man, I went to go peel some potatoes and start dinner and Bennett get's his first basket and I missed it!?

[MP.Trey]

Awww man, I went to go peel some potatoes and start dinner and Bennett get's his first basket and I missed it!?
It was nothing special. Just imagine every single pick and pop three he's taken so far, except he made this one. :lol

Nice to see Dion and Kyrie hitting some triples.

[Eric Cartman]

cross em uncle drew

[RedBlackAttack]

I don't know what it is, but when Irving has scored tonight it looks super-easy and like the Bucks aren't pressing him hard. Even when he's went inside he's gotten 2-3 easy layups.
No Larry Sanders helps in that regard. Generally, though, Kyrie has always made it look extremely easy.

He's really coming along with his all-around game. Despite his poor shooting start to the season, he's been pretty damn impressive in the other phases of the game, most notably playmaking and defense (considering where he was at). Even his rebounding has been pretty on-point so far this year.

[Meticode]

I swear, on some Cavs baskets the Bucks seem to just give up and let them get what they want. When Waiters just made that layup no one even tried to crowd him near the rim.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Wolters can play.

[Meticode]

What's up with the Cavaliers defense? They give up 55 points to a team who is 25th in the league in scoring I believe?

[RedBlackAttack]

What's up with the Cavaliers defense? They give up 55 points to a team who is 25th in the league in scoring I believe?
WIP

[Meticode]

WIP
Yes, I guess it's a WIP against the likes of Pachulia, Henson, Butler, Mayo and Neal. Score them out of the building. :oldlol:

[MP.Trey]

This 3rd quarter turned into a shootout.

Cavs are atrocious on D right now.

[MP.Trey]

Better hope Kyrie can go off here and bring us back. We deserve to lose this game with the D we're playing.

[FatComputerNerd]

Win or lose, Kyrie and Dion both looked nice tonight.

[MP.Trey]

Win or lose, Kyrie and Dion both looked nice tonight.
Our offense as a whole has looked the best it has all season so far. Dion and Kyrie getting in a groove is nice to see as well as Bennett making his first FG. The defensive effort just hasn't been what it was the first 4 games. We're giving a nice little late game sprint here so let's see what happens.

[FatComputerNerd]

Kyrie!!!

[JimmyMcAdocious]

OJ da anti-clutch god is back :bowdown:

[MP.Trey]

Kyrie from Green Bay :eek: :bowdown:

CJ!!!!!! Amazing!

[FatComputerNerd]

Omfg

[Meticode]

Wow, it the Cavaliers win this game it would be a steal.

[Meticode]

Wow, Bucks with 0 timeouts in the last 2 minutes.

[MP.Trey]

Bucks out of timeouts too. We got three.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Mayo is so ****ing clutch :bowdown:

[MP.Trey]

Mayo is so ****ing clutch :bowdown:
He saw Caron cutting so he passed it off the front of the rim. :bowdown: :lol

[MP.Trey]

Tough turnover. Game's still in our grasp though.

[FatComputerNerd]

Dammit!

[FatComputerNerd]

Miles will hit a three

[MP.Trey]

I'd go quick two. Bucks could panic inbounding the ball with no timeouts.

EDIT: Maybe not, since we just used our last one.

[JimmyMcAdocious]

Why Kyrie force that?

[FatComputerNerd]

Oh well. Good game, and Bennett finally scored. That's a win in my book.

[Meticode]

What a horrible way to end the game. Brown draws up whatever the f*ck he draws up and he Irving shoots a three with over 5 seconds left on the clock while his man in his grill off balanced? It doesn't make any sense. It was so rushed and paniced. And don't even let me mentioned the dribbled ball off the left foot.

Every sequence in the last 45 seconds of the game was played horribly by the Cavaliers.

The Bucks deserve the win. Good game.

[MP.Trey]

Good offensive effort all game long, but outside of the last 5 minutes our defense was not there. Props to the Bucks though, Wolters is a lot better than I expected and Mayo shot the lights out tonight. Just another learning experience for a young team that's still getting used to each other.

[Meticode]

Good offensive effort all game long, but outside of the last 5 minutes our defense was not there. Props to the Bucks though, Wolters is a lot better than I expected and Mayo shot the lights out tonight. Just another learning experience for a young team that's still getting used too each other.
Maybe...besides Jack, Bynum and Clark everyone else has been playing together fully for 1+ seasons.

[Meticode]

Tough game to lose. The staple of the team is defense, yet they give up 108 to a team ranked 25th in the NBA in scoring.

They turn it on in the fourth quarter (rather Kyrie) then he literally kicks the game away with ISO play, then forcing a three pointer to try to tie it at the end with his defense literally right on top of him and there's still 6+ seconds on the clock to dribble the ball out and try to get some space. So forced.

[Meticode]

I get the funny feeling Bynum is still not playing in Philly. :oldlol:

[MP.Trey]

Maybe...besides Jack, Bynum and Clark everyone else has been playing together fully for 1+ seasons.
-Jack, Bynum, Clark & Bennett are all new to the team this year.
-C.J., Zeller & Waiters only came to our team last year.
-Our starting backcourt Irving & Waiters only played 50 games or so together last year.
-Andy barely played at all with Waiters, C.J. and Zeller. Or even Tristan Thompson for that matter.


I'd still say we're getting used to each other, and that's been very apparent on offense so far despite the improvement today.

[Meticode]

-Jack, Bynum, Clark & Bennett are all new to the team this year.
-C.J., Zeller & Waiters only came to our team last year.
-Our starting backcourt Irving & Waiters only played 50 games or so together last year.
-Andy barely played at all with Waiters, C.J. and Zeller. Or even Tristan Thompson for that matter.


I'd still say we're getting used to each other, and that's been very apparent on offense so far despite the improvement today.
They're getting used to Brown not knowing what offense is.

[RedBlackAttack]

They're getting used to Brown not knowing what offense is.
That's not really fair. He hasn't exactly been in situations so far in his career that would allow a coach to implement a conventional offense. Two teams, two headstrong superstars who pretty much do what they want.

In his first couple years in Miami, the Heat's offense didn't look much different than the Cavaliers under Brown, aside from obviously having an insane amount of natural talent playing together. LeBron made a personal decision to change his game and Wade/Bosh took a step back. That's why the situation started to work... Not because Brown was so horrible and James was implemented in a completely different kind of offense down there. He was pretty much doing the same stuff initially.


And, in retrospect, his one year in LA with that aging lineup was pretty damn successful and he had a large hand in making Bynum arguably the best center in the league that season.

I'm not saying Brown is an offensive guru, none of the Cavs' first three losses have been due to his "not knowing what offense is."

This is a young team still learning how to take their game on the road. It's no coincidence they're 2-0 at home and 0-3 on the road. That's how this league goes when you're the second youngest roster in the NBA. It will probably be like that all season long, too.


As for tonight's game, it was really an unfortunate finish. The only reason the Cavs had the lead late in the first place was Kyrie going completely "video game" on the Bucks.

That's why it's hard to be too critical of the last two possessions. He put us in position to get the win. Just couldn't finish it off. I'd like to see him rely on his teammates a little more at the end of games, if I have any one criticism.

He's done such a good job so far this year of finding the soft spot between playmaker and scorer. There is really no reason to become Kobe Bryant in the last 50 seconds of every game.

Other than that, not many complaints from me at all tonight. The Cavs' defense had been terrific through the first 4. Tonight was an off-night defensively and the Bucks took advantage of it. Kudos to them.

And, it was fun watching Kyrie almost single-handedly drag us to a win. Dion was also amazing tonight, aside from his performance at the FT line.

[Uncle Drew]

Couldn't watch the game cause it started at 2 am here. Judging from the box scores it was all defense tonight. Not. Giving up 109 to the Bucks? Well, nice to see Kyrie and Dion getting their shooting back.