Future is uncertain in THE LAND - Cav's '18 story

[cincy14fan]

Height for Bucks cause trouble for a half

Game 2 @ Bucks (1-0, 0-0)

Cleveland Cavaliers at Milwaukee Bucks
Oct 20, 2017	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Cleveland (1-0, 0-0)	27	27	25	37	116
Milwaukee (1-0, 0-0)	22	26	13	31	92

First half would be a battle. Cav's seemed to get there way of getting the ball deep inside but as a famous college football coach said , "Not so fast!" Bucks were baiting the Cav's and it worked as they forced 7 turnovers in the first half and came away with 7 blocks.

Bucks dared the Cav's to shoot mid range and outside shots thinking their length would get to the shots, but with quick ball movement and sometimes double screens Cav's found wide open shooters on the outside to take a lead heading into half.

Second half it was the LeBron James show. In what looked like it was going to be a classic match up between two stars it was just LeBron showing the league and the world he is in doubt of not slowing down as he would open the lane from his mid range shot before driving and getting fouled (a lot). Antetokounmpo on the other hand had a terrible shooting night, but other than that did very well for the most part.

Still for the second straight game LeBron posted a triple-double and ended up getting the Player of the Game with 44 points, 17 rebounds, and 11 assists. He would miss his last foul shot he took in the game in which he went to the line 17 times and now has been to the line over 20 times in two games and only missed one. Thompson joined Love, which Love for the second straight game, ended up with double-doubles.

Box Score:

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Bucks Box Score:

[cincy14fan]

LBJ gets first rest of the season

Game 3 vs Magic 2-0, 0-0

Orlando Magic at Cleveland Cavaliers
Oct 21, 2017	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Orlando (0-2, 0-0)	15	23	26	32	96
Cleveland (2-0, 0-0)	27	45	23	25	120

Lebron James would snap his triple-double game in the third game. Still he was very close as he was just one assist away from it. Plus with the first back-to-back game of the season Coach Lue would allow Lebron to get some rest. That or he didn't want LeBron to break records since this game was very easy for the King. Some might say it was one of his best games of his career and would only play in the first half only in this game. He ended up shooting 14 of 16 from the field and both misses would come off of a second chance from point blank range.

Crowder and Zizic would be the bench that would shine as they would both score in double figures, but only Zizic would end up with a double-double this game. This game was never in doubt from the tip. Lebron would start off by hitting a three, then on the next possession a 12 foot jumper, followed off by a post move for a monstrous dunk.

The only good thing for the Magic in this one was that they had four players in double figures. Rookie small forward Jonathan Isaac got the NBA welcome from James and was shut down for most of the game. At half he would have four fouls in the game and would be the only person to foul out and this was only after he got to play in just 21 minutes which was sadly one more minute than what Lebron played.

It looked very easy as everything was falling for the Cav's in this one as they shot a blistering 64 percent from the field and dominated the paint for 68 points as they got any shot they wanted to fall. While the Magic did get more offensive rebounds than the Cav's the Cav's easily own the overall count. Magic still have to face off against the Cav's three more times this year.

Box Score:

Magic Box Score:

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[cincy14fan]

Not even a full week of games into the season and our first difficult decision by the front office. While it was a double take the answer is no. Sure Rose is averaging 14.3 points, 2.3 rebounds, 6 assists, and with 2.7 turnovers a game for our team.

Now for a first round pick we will always listen. While Portland did make they playoffs last year the West is a lot harder this year so they will still be fighting for a play off spot so we are not worried we wouldn't lose the top 10 protected for the draft. As for Pat Connaughton he is only averaging 2.5 points, 1.3 rebounds, 0.7 assists in just 8.1 minutes this year. Sure he is shooting 51.5% from three, but in all reality he is just a throw away player on our team as he is on his last year of his contract. It's the pick that is intriguing and if this was before the trade deadline the Cav's would of said yes after hearing "first round pi...". With Thomas out though we still need Rose so the brass has declined the trade...for now.

[Cruzerr]

I don't like the Top 10 protection at this point to the season. Knowing 2k and the randomness of the cheat engine, they might flop completely and actually keep the pick. Plus, with you not having a point guard at the helm after the trade, I wouldn't take it. I'd be a decent trade nearing into All-Star break though - closer for IT return and knowing how Portland will potentially finish. Might hurt your chances though in the playoffs so a backup signing might be needed ( or get Napier? is even still on their team?)

[cincy14fan]

Quote: Originally Posted by Cruzerr

I don't like the Top 10 protection at this point to the season. Knowing 2k and the randomness of the cheat engine, they might flop completely and actually keep the pick. Plus, with you not having a point guard at the helm after the trade, I wouldn't take it. I'd be a decent trade nearing into All-Star break though - closer for IT return and knowing how Portland will potentially finish. Might hurt your chances though in the playoffs so a backup signing might be needed ( or get Napier? is even still on their team?)

Honestly I would of done the trade if there was a player actually listed in the game, but sadly he isn't. He is currently out with an ACL tear and I would of traded Rose before the season and actually started him at guard. Edmund Sumner from the Pacers but I guess being injured until January at the earliest means you don't get to be in the game as a rookie. He came from Xavier (my college team) so I have a soft spot for players. Plus he is a point which would of been great.

You brought up replacements and I didn't even think of that. Looking at free agents the best overall is Deron Williams. But he is 33 and we don't need another old vet on the team. Two young guys who are rated highly would be 26 year old Pierre Jackson (50/50 on) or Trey Burke (most likely would sign) who is only 24 years old.

I know this is a long response but you are right it is too early we haven't lost yet and Rose has been great for our team. I am sure more trades will be offered here shortly but now we won't give much though if it is for Rose. He is too valuable.

[cincy14fan]

A Cav's record is almost broken

Game 4 vs. Bulls

Chicago Bulls at Cleveland Cavaliers
Oct 24, 2017	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Chicago (1-2, 0-0)	24	17	23	16	80
Cleveland (3-0, 0-0)	27	35	28	19	109

Bulls were hot early in this game. Actually more like Quincy Pondexter was has he had 14 of their first 17 points on 5-6 shooting with 3-3 from deep. Lebron was closing down the shots but if Lebron wasn't going to block the shot it was going to go in. Lebron would help keep the Cav's close in a 17-12 game as he would score 10 of our points.

After the first quarter the Bulls were shooting around 48 percent from the field while the Cav's were just a hair under them at 44 percent. Second quarter the Bulls would go flat and LeBron would flex his muscles as he was close to another triple double in a half.

Second half it seemed as the Bulls would give all their energy on the defensive side and only until the shot was taken as the Cav's would bring down 17 offensive rebounds in the game (they would have 16). On the offensive side the Bulls would just look sluggish and it showed as they couldn't get their shot to fall and would see their shooting percentage pummel to end up at 33 percent for the game.

Now while LeBron did end up with a triple-double for the game (third one in four games) and ending up with the Player of the Game most people thought it shouldn't of gone to him. It would be the rookie, in the off-season Celtic trade, that would tie the team record set by Anderson "Wild Thing" Varejao from January 2nd, 2014. Ante Zizic would end up with his second double-double of the year with 22 points but 25 rebounds in the game. He was a beast on the boards as 6 where offensive where he turned into 12 easy points.

Box Score:

Bulls Box Score:

Cavaliers Box Score:

[cincy14fan]

One undefeated goes down and with a massive injury

Game 5 @ Nets

Cleveland Cavaliers at Brooklyn Nets
Oct 25, 2017	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Cleveland (4-0, 0-0)	27	26	17	28	98
Brooklyn (3-0, 0-0)	20	24	16	21	81

Somehow the Nets are 3-0 to start off the year. If this was NFL that pick wouldn't be looking great, but luckily this isn't football. We still have a lot of games ahead and on paper it looks like it will be four losses for Brooklyn, but games aren't played on paper.

First half would be the double-double show of LeBron James as we ended up with 14 points and 11 rebounds. What kept Brooklyn in this game was the bigs in this game as their outside shooting is just terrible.

Third quarter seemed like both teams were still in the locker room as they came out and couldn't make anything as either team was unable to score 20 points in the quarter. The biggest news would be a broken ankle injury in the quarter that is going to keep out Jeremy Lin out for 2-4 months.

With Lin out (he was 4 for 20 shooting) the rest of the shooters didn't do their job as missed shot after missed shot would expand the Cav's lead. LeBron James wouldn't get his triple-double this game nor his 30 points, but it really wasn't that big of a deal this game as we would run away with it. Zizic would have another double-double (he is turning into a beast for our team).

Box Score:

Cavaliers Box Score:

Nets Box Score:

[cincy14fan]

James three rattles out

Game 6 vs Pelicans

Cleveland Cavaliers at New Orleans Pelicans
Oct 28, 2017	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Cleveland (5-0, 0-0)	22	21	27	32	102
New Orleans (2-3, 0-0)	30	21	30	23	104

For the first five games of the year we have dominated the paint on both ends and also rebounds. This game we knew it would be tough to score inside and they were daring us to shot outside as they would compact the paint.

The first half they would do a great job at limiting our second chance points (only had 2 offensive rebounds and zero put back points) but it seemed like the Cav's were content to shot outside. Yet Kevin Love was 0-6 (0-4 from deep) in the first half and J.R. Smith who leads the NBA in three point percentage so far shot just 2-8 (2-5 from deep) in the first half.

On the other side Anthony Davis and DeMarcus Cousins would both have a double-double at half, and would have them out to a 28-13 rebound advantage in the game as they seemed to get every rebound that came there way.

It would be the first time we would be down at half, but coach Lue would try to light a fire under his guys for the second half. It seemed to work as the Cav's would shoot better in the third, but the problem was that the Pelicans would keep pace and even outscore us. Going into the fourth down by 11 looked like it was too much for us.

Then the tables seemed to turn. LeBron James decided to show his team how to rebound as he would grab 11 rebounds in the quarter (3 offensively) and would single handedly claw their way back into the game. With just a minute left and the ball everyone knew it would go to LeBron. He would get it and do a jumper from the corner to score to tie the game. On the other side it would be the Brow would would repay the favor with a turnaround jumper over Love for the lead. With just 3.8 seconds the Cav's elected to go for the win and LeBron shot from deep would be halfway in before falling out of the cylinder to give them the first lost of the year.

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