Cleveland Sports Forum

A tale of two teams. I went to the Cavs game & got there early enough to get an autographed team glossy on the front & individual head shots on the back of Cav cheerleaders. Also had a nice pic taken of me & two of the girls. My arms around each & theirs around me. If I can figure out my phone I will post. Oh the game. Cavs score 61 in the 1st half & lead by 18. They scored 6 yes 6 in the 3rd quarter. 29 in the 2nd half which was how many they scored in the 1st qtr. Granted, the Suns looked horrible in the 1st half & great the 2nd but the Cavs looked like a team of guys playing 1 on 1. I like Dengs agressiveness to the basket, but he is shoot 1st & maybe pass 3rd. He does hustle. But everyone was pathetic in the 2nd half. Thankfully it wasn't a wasted trip. The tickets were free & the girls were fantastic.

Cavs are on the edge of the cliff and I have no idea which way this team is going to go.

As Ricky Ricardo would say, Mike Brown you got some explaining to do......

Explaining pronounced "splainin".

To an extent, I didn't really expect them to beat the Suns last night. But the way it happened was particularly painful.

To play that well in the first half, and watch it completely dissolve in the 3rd quarter was frustrating. The Suns, to their credit, completely upped their defensive intensity level and took the Cavs out of any offensive rhythym.

Oh well.

I think the Cavs went off the cliff last night rusty. This team does not work! Grant needs to be fired and so far Brown has proven himself to be a terrible hire! They simply have to play the kids, look for another high lottery pick in a loaded draft, and make EVERYONE on the roster available in trade talk.

Irving is the most over rated supposed superstar player in the NBA. He can not lead a team! Trade his ass and move on before he makes it clear he is not staying in Cleveland!!! I'd rather see Waiters at PG and Irving can bring back some assets!

The rumor of course with Kyrie is that he like to imbibe in eartlhy pleasure. This guy needs to concentrate on basketball. I wonder what an all star starter would bring in a trade. The thing I really dont like about him is his constant freezing out of certain teammates. This guy is not a point guard. If your star has a hang over during the game the fans in attendance should get a refund,

No excuse for how Mike Brown has failed to improve the Cleveland Cavaliers offense: Terry Pluto


on January 27, 2014 at 11:45 AM, updated January 27, 2014 at 1:22 PM


CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Mike Brown keeps talking about the need for accountability from his players.

Agreed.

But this question also much be asked: What about the Cavaliers coach?

How can a team add Jarret Jack for the entire season, have Anderson Varejao healthy all year, and pick up Luol Deng 10 games ago…

How can that team with three veterans be averaging the same 96 points as it did a year ago?

OK, it's 96.2 this season. And it was 96.5 last season. So it's slightly worse.

The fact is that Mike Brown's offense -- and it's his offense -- is a mess.

When the team needs to score, too often it's hand the ball to Kyrie Irving and hope for the best.

If anyone who watches a few Cavs games knows that, so does the rest of he NBA. Is it any shock teams employ hard double-teams on Irving, forcing him into poor shots?

Can't the coaching staff counter that?

The fact is Varejao is very effective taking medium range jumpers on the high-pick and roll play. He's making more than 50 percent from the 12-to-18 foot range.

That's an option rarely used in clutch moments of the game.

Then there's Luol Deng, a two-time All-Star. He has been with the team for nine games, and it's time the Cavs have him be a big part of the offense when it matters most.

There are spots where he likes the ball, such as the low post. Get it to him.

He is one of the best at cutting to the basket without the ball, catching a pass and scoring. You'd never know it with this team.

The Cavs are 4-5 since adding Deng. He is averaging 16.7 points, shooting .444 from the field. And he's doing it while seeming to be almost an after-thought in the offense.

Simple question: Why?

Why not more movement with Deng and Varejao, two of the best in the NBA at moving without the ball.

Why such a burden on Irving, who is not a great player -- despite his early-career acclaim.

Why hasn't Brown made more of an impact?

About the defense

A year ago, the Cavs gave up 101.2 points.

This season, it's 101.3.

So it's not as if the Cavs have suddenly become a defensive power, which explains their stagnant scoring.

The Cavs love the stat of defensive field goal percentage. Former coach Byron Scott was pounded because the Cavs were last in that category at .476.

OK, they have risen to 15th this season at .452.

But the question then remains -- why are they still being out-scored by the same five points as last season?

And why is it happening with a vastly improved roster?

Why are things not much better than a year ago when they were 24-58?

Yes, the team is still young -- although not hopelessly young as Deng, Varejao and Jack bring playoff experience.

Brown has been empowered to be demanding on defense.

While the defense has improved in some areas, the overall impact on the team has been minimal.

I know, what about Anthony Bennett?

General Manager Chris Grant appears to have taken a huge swing and miss on the draft's top pick, who plays about as much as most fans when the game is on the line.

So Grant needs to take part of the blame for this season. And Brown was his idea.

Twenty-nine wins?

The Cavs will probably win about 29 games at this pace.

That's a major disappointment. They were 24-58 a year ago with no Deng, no Jack, Varejao playing 25 games and Irving missing 23 due to injury.

Despite the flop of Bennett, the talent has been upgraded with Jack and Deng, and with Varejao and Irving staying healthy.

We can save a critique of the draft for another time.

There are no excuses for this team to be 16-28, and only 11-11 at home.

Not after they lost 3-of-4 on this homestand, including blowing a 20-point lead to Phoenix on Sunday.

No one should have expected miracles from Brown. But he was supposed to make a significant difference over what we have watched in the last few seasons.

So far, that has not been the case, and his problem with offense is a big part of the reason.

The Cavs didn't want to have an "offensive coordinator" as they did in 2008-09, when John Kuester helped Brown. This story is NOT about firing Mike Brown. It is about insisting he pick someone to fix the offense, as happened back in 2008-09.

Several of the Cavs coaches -- Bernie Bickerstaff, Jim Boylan and Igor Kokoskov -- are supposed to be wise when it comes to NBA offenses.

Maybe they are, and maybe some of their ideas need to be incorporated.

But this much is certain -- something must change for the Cavs, and it's not just on the defensive end of the floor.

The most disheartening loss of the season brings big questions in its wake about Cavaliers' management: Bill Livingston

Bill Livingston, The Plain Dealer

on January 27, 2014 at 8:55 AM, updated January 27, 2014 at 11:51 AM


CLEVELAND, Ohio –- Back in the era of almost and not quite, when LeBron James played for the Cavaliers, there was something called a 1-4 set.

Now, in the era of not even close and this is a joke, right?, with Kyrie Irving all flush with accolades and an upcoming All-Star Game start, we have the 1-5 set.

The 1-4 featured James dribbling away the shot clock at the end of games, sometimes with four shooters spread on the wings and in the corners, waiting for a drive-and-kick. Other times, it featured three shooters and Anderson Varejao, who would shuffle out from the baseline and set a screen for James on the right free throw elbow, then roll to the basket. It was all predictable, but often effective.

The 1-5 set features Irving taking on the entire other team, sometimes with a long, contested, fallaway jumper and other times with the kind of pell-mell drive into oblivion that convinces you he is utterly bereft of faith in most of his teammates. It works occasionally because of Irving's startling natural ability. But not often.

The old 1-5 was on display in the fourth quarter Sunday night against Phoenix.

But I'm not sure there was any discernible offense on the floor for the Cavs in the abomination that was the third quarter.

This jolted those fans who came to The Q on a frigid night out of their will-he or won’t-he reveries about Luol Deng staying or – yeah, this is really gonna happen – James coming back, or even Irving sticking around. It was that bad..

By the end of the game, boos were pouring down, maybe because the fans realized Mike Brown 2.0 has no more idea about offense than did Mike 1.0 3 1/2 years ago.

The thought also just might be occurring collectively that, charitably speaking, Irving is not good enough to carry a team in the same way that the once-in-a-generation talent of James could do. Or, alternatively and uncharitably speaking, that Irving just might not be all he is cracked up to be, not least of all by himself.

The difference might be no deeper than the fact that James looked to pass first and Irving looks to shoot first. In the clutch, his trigger finger is as itchy as Hotspur Haslam's out in Berea.

The right play Sunday night in the debacle against Phoenix was basically –- well, anything but what the Cavs did. Instead there were a lot of one-on-one misses, forced shots, lazy passes and general unreadiness after a terrific first half (Psst. Almost any half-decent NBA team will make a run, and Phoenix is pretty good.). There was also a general lack of focus in crisis that has not sharpened much all season.

How do you go from perhaps the best offensive quarter of the season (the second) to unquestionably the worst (the third) in a matter of minutes?

Phoenix played harder than before, for sure, and brought a defensive energy that made the Cavs look like callow kids, which they basically are.

Third-quarter tailspins were a characteristic of Brown's teams in the LeBron Era too. Most teams use halftime to make adjustments. The Cavs use it to play euchre, apparently.

This franchise is a shambles. It is three-and-a-half plague years after James left, and it's just more boils, hail and locusts. The Cavs aren’t getting much better.

Brown seems to have no handle on how to reach these guys. Nothing positive seems sustainable. This became evident as the second half wore on.

As the Phoenix surge rolled on, I hated to be the bearer of bad tidings for the Sunshine Boys on the Cavs’ TV broadcast, Fred MacLeod and Austin Carr, but teams that surrender a 38-6 run are rare even in these parts and teams that come back to win after surrendering such a run are non-existent.

Chris Grant, the general manager who put together this schizophrenic team, somehow managed to select the blockbuster of all-time busts with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft, Anthony Bennett. A one-and-done guy at UNLV, Bennett has only played against the dregs of the league, Milwaukee, in his last seven games.

Why he isn’t in Canton, getting minutes and trying to work on something in the D-League to salvage his career, is a mystery.

So is what Grant might have done to enjoy the confidence of owner Dan Gilbert.

So is Brown’s status midway through a season in which his emphasis on defense has often been of no consequence. Even the woebegone Browns didn’t bring Pat Shurmur back for a second try after Rob Chudzinski, his successor, was canned.

Deng, a savvy veteran with game, figured to be the best thing that could happen to Brown, since he believes in the same defense-first teamwork as the coach. Plus, he’s a former Duke player, which would help in mentoring Irving, a former Blue Devil himself.

If Deng isn’t thinking “I am so out of here” after this, though, you can only wonder why in the world not.

Is Kyrie Irving the Most Overrated Superstar in the NBA?
By
Zach Buckley , National NBA Featured Columnist

Jan 28, 2014


Between a jaw-dropping highlight reel, an overstuffed stat sheet and an undeniably appealing commercial campaign, Cleveland Cavaliers point guard Kyrie Irving looks and acts the NBA superstar part.

The hoops world is clearly buying his work. The third-year guard was recently selected as an Eastern Conference All-Star starter.

In a league run by superstars, Irving has established himself with the ruling class—despite having some glaring holes in his resume.

The 21-year-old is charismatic, immensely talented and unbelievably exciting to watch. He's also the NBA's most overrated superstar, who's facing an uphill battle in shedding that label.



Not a Leader

When the Cavs won the draft lottery in 2011, they seemed to be staring at a jackpot prize.

Just one year removed from LeBron James' infamous exit, Cleveland needed more than talent. It had to find a franchise cornerstone, the type of player who could carry his team and ignite a city.

Irving's track record said he was the perfect man for the job. A natural point guard packing a mighty scoring punch while always keeping a keen eye out for his teammates, he was a no-brainer (and, potentially, a game-changer) for the Cavs.

Some two-plus years into his Cleveland stay, though, the franchise is still waiting for him to have a superstar impact. In fact, this group looks strikingly similar to the 19-win outfit he was supposed to save:

Irving himself doesn't look much different than the player who captured Rookie of the Year honors two seasons ago. If he's made any strides in his game since, he's given them back in other areas.

Lateral Movement: No Real Improvements on the Stat Sheet Season MPG PPG APG FG% 3P% PER
2011-12 30.5 18.5 5.4 46.9 39.9 21.4
2012-13 34.7 22.5 5.9 45.2 39.1 21.4
2013-14 35.1 21.5 6.2 42.7 36.7 20.0

Basketball-Reference.com

Yet, individual production is supposed to be Irving's calling card. His team hasn't gotten any better since his arrival, so his superstar ascent has been based largely solely on his solo stat sheets.

That's a flawed approach for a few different reasons.

First, he shouldn't be turning many heads off his numbers alone. They're just not good enough to warrant his lofty standing among the fans.

"Last season, I would've told you Irving was a top four or five point guard," FOX Sports Ohio's Sam Amico wrote. "This year, I'm not so sure -- and [Derrick] Rose and the Celtics' Rajon Rondo have been injured, so they're not even in the discussion."


What's worse is that Amico was actually trying to make the point that Irving isn't overrated. He makes that point by leaving Irving out of a top-five point guard, ranks that don't include Rajon Rondo or Derrick Rose, either.

That's how far Irving's stock has slipped, even if fans still think they're seeing the same returns.

Beyond his own struggles, though, there's a problem with celebrating a player who can't even make his team respectable. The fact his position is the easiest to elevate teammates from complicates an already erroneous measure.

"At some point, winning has to matter more than All-Star games, 3-point shootouts and even USA Basketball," Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon-Journal wrote. "At some point, if Irving wants to be considered the best in the league, he has to win."

If the Cavs (16-28) can't win in this Eastern Conference, they may never win again. At least, not as long as their superstar continues neglecting one end of the floor.



One-Way Play

Cavs coach Mike Brown was supposed to fix this issue.

During his first stint in Cleveland, the Cavs posted a top-15 defensive rating in each of his five seasons at the helm. Three of those seasons, they landed inside the top 10 and twice forced their way into the top four.

Brown's offense was fairly vanilla, but Irving's offensive creativity made it worth the risk. Provided, of course, that the coach could get his star point guard to play both ends of the floor.

Well, Irving has suited up 41 times for Brown. And he looks as lost as he's ever been on defense:

Even in this age of advanced statistics, reliable defensive metrics remain largely elusive. The ones we do have at our disposal, though, don't shed any favorable light on Irving.

On the season, he's been the difference between Cleveland having a dominant defense and an overly porous one.

With Irving on the floor, the Cavs have allowed 106.3 points per 100 possessions. Stretched out across the season, that would be the league's fifth-worst defensive rating. When Irving takes a seat, that number drops all the way to 99.5. Only the Indiana Pacers, Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder have a better defensive rating than the Irving-less Cavs.


Now, on/off splits can be skewed by the other players on the floor. But with players like C.J. Miles and Anderson Varejao, both of whom share the starting lineup with Irving, the Cavs get worse when those two leave the floor.

As for his solo assignments, Irving has been getting cooked. Opposing players are posting an 18.6 player efficiency rating—league average is 15.0—against him on the season, via 82games.com. He's also been hit for 0.90 points per possession defensively, via Synergy Sports (subscription required), nearly the same amount he's posted at the opposite side (0.93).

Granted, not every superstar is a two-way force.

But Irving isn't a potent enough offensive weapon to compensate for lethargic play at the other end.


Will He Ever Reach His Hype?

Irving could do exactly what he's doing now for the rest of his career and many would dub it a resounding success.

As it stands, he has max money headed his way soon. His global brand is already strong and clearly continuing to grow. The basketball world has anointed him as a superstar and treated him as such.

If he wants the style-over-substance career, he wouldn't be the first player to follow that path.

Who do you consider the league's most overrated star?
Kyrie Irving Kevin Love Carmelo Anthony Other (specify in comments) Submit Vote vote to see results

But if he wants something more, if he truly wants to make an impact in this league, he has to change. There are way too many problems being conveniently swept under the rug right now.

As Lloyd said in defense of his critical column, "I just think we’ve reached the point where he has to take accountability for some of this stuff."

The bad losses, the sieve defense, the lack of growth for both himself and his team. These are all serious problems, and ones that need to be solved.

Irving's not the only overhyped star. But he sits as the game's biggest offender.

It's hard to place that label on anyone entrenched in the playoff race given Irving's inability to carry his team even that far. Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Love are similarly on the outside looking in, but their stat sheets (27.2 points and 9.0 rebounds, 24.9 points, 12.9 rebounds and 4.1 assists, respectively) are a level above Irving's.

Irving has the talent to reach the game's premium pedestal. But he has to want it and be willing to work for it.

No matter how hard the hoops world tries, it can't lift him to that ultimate stage on its own.



Unless otherwise noted, statistics used courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com and NBA.com.

http://cleveland.cbslocal.com/2014/01/2 ... -all-year/

Great interview by Sam Amico on Cavs chemistry issues.

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_ski ... &f=2360643

Jason Lloyd on the Cavs and Kyrie.

CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao will not play against New Orleans because of a knee injury.

Varejao hyperextended and bruised his left knee on Sunday in a loss to Phoenix. The 6-foot-11 Varejao was fitted with a brace on Tuesday, but after he warmed up on the floor, the Cavs said he would not dress against the Pelicans.

Tyler Zeller is expected to start in Varejao's place and face New Orleans big man Anthony Davis.

The perpetually hustling Varejao had played in all 44 games this season for the Cavs after being plagued by variety of injuries in recent years. He played in just 81 games over the three previous seasons.

Varejao averages 8.8 points and leads the Cavs with 10.3 rebounds per game.

Also, Carrick Felix could miss eight weeks with a stress fracture in his left knee. The rookie swingman was injured in a D-League game. Felix, a second-round pick, has played six games for Cleveland this season. He has spent the season shuffling between Cleveland and the Canton Charge.

... which combined with Miles drawing two quick fouls led to No. 1 Draft Pick getting a rare 9 minutes of first half playing time. And he came through like a star:

0-3 1 turnover 2 fouls. No other marks in the book.

Still out on the court, he shoots, he scores!!!!

He's on fire !

Anthony Bennet had his best game as a pro on Tuesday with a career-high 15 points, adding eight boards, one assist, one block and two 3-pointers in 31 minutes.
The rookie was a litter better on offense and had a couple nice possessions with getting open in good spots. Although, he had a silly foul, was exposed on help defense and about a dozen other things. Bennett's still not up to speed on how to play in the NBA and we'll be in February next week and is only worth a deep-league look while Anderson Varejao (knee) is out.

Jan 28 - 9:32 PM