ESPN Cavsuckery in full force....

[R.I.P.]

Irving and Love defense improving. Held Pacers to 97 points!!!! :applause: :applause:

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-cavaliers/post/_/id/124/kyrie-irving-kevin-love-seek-improved-d

Pacers season average is 93.4.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

Cavs have a DRTG over the last 7 games around 100....which is pretty darn good. They aren't gonna be as bad on defense as people think.

[ThatCoolKid]

The article looks legit:

Fast-forward 15 games into the season, with the Cavs beating the Indiana Pacers 109-97 on Saturday while holding the Pacers to just 39.7 percent shooting -- extending their win streak to three games, in which their opponents have averaged just 86 points on 40.4 percent shooting -- and it appears that Cleveland has indeed done something about its defense.

Irving again outshined his point guard counterparts -- helping to hold Indiana

[buddha]

Cavs have a DRTG over the last 7 games around 100....which is pretty darn good. They aren't gonna be as bad on defense as people think.

last 7 games

Pacers
Wizards
Magic
Wizards
Raptors
Spurs
Nuggets

I wonder why

[RoundMoundOfReb]

last 7 games

Pacers
Wizards
Magic
Wizards
Raptors
Spurs
Nuggets

I wonder why
The combined ORTG of those teams is around league average.

[Droid101]

The combined ORTG of those teams is around league average.
No it isn't.

[RoundMoundOfReb]

No it isn't.
Not gonna bother doing the math but i saw this on realgm before the pacers game:


Over their first 7 games, they posted a DRTG of 116.6 against teams who's average ORTG was 107.9.

Over the last 7 games, they've posted a DRTG of 100.9 against teams who's average ORTG was 106.6

They're obviously still missing a key piece to a great defense (a rim protector), but it looks like they might be buying into the defensive system that Blatt has been teaching. They started out the season as a bottom 3 defensive team and have worked themselves to around league average (playing at a top 5 defensive pace the last 7 games).

They won't be elite defensively, but they have a good shot at a top 8-12 defense, imo.

106.6 is league average, i believe.

[coin24]

Roundmound cavsuckery in full force:applause:

[I<3NBA]

their defensive improvement has been noticeable, especially stopping transition baskets. they've basically improved on that. their paint area is still a layup line at times though, and they can't stop good post up players.

[finchyyy]

Just by watching the game you could see the Cavs are gelling much better on defence than they were at the start of the year.

[Hoopz2332]

Irving and Love defense improving. Held Pacers to 97 points!!!! :applause: :applause:

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-cavaliers/post/_/id/124/kyrie-irving-kevin-love-seek-improved-d

Pacers season average is 93.4.


pacers most upped their score in in garbage time. Cavs puts the clamps them for sure

http://i.imgur.com/LwkrM1p.png

http://scores.espn.go.com/nba/boxscore?gameId=400578530

[RedBlackAttack]

Irving and Love defense improving. Held Pacers to 97 points!!!! :applause: :applause:

http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-cavaliers/post/_/id/124/kyrie-irving-kevin-love-seek-improved-d

Pacers season average is 93.4.
Their defense is improving... pretty drastically over the last handful of games. I don't even care what the numbers say because it is obvious when you watch the games. If Kyrie is going to get skewered by the media when he doesn't give a great effort defensively or when his assists aren't there -- which he has -- the attention should also be there when he does those things well.

People are interested in the Cavs. That's something you may have to accept.

[Marchesk]

It's 3 games. Just before that, the Cavs were a disaster and the season had fallen apart. Maybe we should wait to make judgments based on a handful of games.

[RedBlackAttack]

It's 3 games. Just before that, the Cavs were a disaster and the season had fallen apart. Maybe we should wait to make judgments based on a handful of games.
People have been making definitive statements about this team since the first game. This is nothing new. I agree with your point, but people seemed very comfortable saying the Cavs were a hopeless defensive team after the first three games. That just seems to be the way people are judging this particular team, as short-sighted as it may be.

[swagga]

People have been making definitive statements about this team since the first game. This is nothing new. I agree with your point, but people seemed very comfortable saying the Cavs were a hopeless defensive team after the first three games. That just seems to be the way people are judging this particular team, as short-sighted as it may be.

imo they will finish the season as a top 10 defense. Too much athletic talent and size to not make it work. Lebron, irving, thompson, varejao, marion, miller are/can be plus defenders.

The cavs need to trade dion waiters for a rim protectic big and a wing defender and they'd be set. I always chuckle at the hibbert for waiters rumors, that team would destroy the league, but I don't see bird ever doing something that stupid.

[RedBlackAttack]

imo they will finish the season as a top 10 defense. Too much athletic talent and size to not make it work. Lebron, irving, thompson, varejao, marion, miller are/can be plus defenders.

The cavs need to trade dion waiters for a rim protectic big and a wing defender and they'd be set. I always chuckle at the hibbert for waiters rumors, that team would destroy the league, but I don't see bird ever doing something that stupid.
I still think Dion could be a very good player in the right situation. His ability to get to the rim is a major commodity in the NBA and he has a lot of gifts (size, athleticism, handles, vision)... he was even a good catch-and-shoot player last year.

But, he currently seems out of place on this roster.

Obviously, his best role would be as a Vinnie Johnson/Manu Ginobili to provide scoring and playmaking off the bench, but it just hasn't been there. Now, he has started each of his first two seasons slowly and come on as the season has progressed, so I haven't completely given up on him yet...

But there are things that this team needs desperately, most notably a defensive presence around the rim, and Dion may have to be the sacrifice.

We'll see what's out there. I won't give him up for nothing. He's still just 22.

[#number6ix#]

Waiters for KJ McDaniels would really help the cavs defensive efforts