Game 44: Clippers @ Cavs 1/29/2024

[ijspeelman]

[JujitsuFlip]

He's back!

[jbk1234]

Mobley looks a little rusty. This is the first game we missed TT. I loved that pick by Niang on Theil.

[Iwasawitness]

Had a lot of fun attending this one with old college friends. They’re on a roll and are the hottest team in the NBA. What a season so far.

[JujitsuFlip]

Poor Merrill.

[toooskies]

Poor Merrill.

Did he get hurt?

[JujitsuFlip]

Poor Merrill.

Did he get hurt?

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

[toooskies]

Poor Merrill.

Did he get hurt?

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

Just really odd that your first reaction to a win over the other hottest team in the league is to bemoan the coach for benching a guy who is mostly about his shooting and couldn't get a shot off (or any other statistical contribution). I haven't watched the game yet, will probably get to it tomorrow, but it seems pretty straightforward, especially with the Clippers being so strong on the wings.

[JujitsuFlip]

Did he get hurt?

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

Just really odd that your first reaction to a win over the other hottest team in the league is to bemoan the coach for benching a guy who is mostly about his shooting and couldn't get a shot off (or any other statistical contribution). I haven't watched the game yet, will probably get to it tomorrow, but it seems pretty straightforward, especially with the Clippers being so strong on the wings.

Seems really odd that a coach in his 5th NBA season as head coach can't figure out how to play more than 8 guys in a regular season rotation.

I love the regular season win, it's super duper cool, pretty pointless in the grand scheme of things.

Sam goes from averaging 22 MPG with 13 PPG on 43% from deep on 8 attempts/game and all the knucklehead Jb can muster is 7:17 bc someone came back from injury yet is on a minutes restriction and another guy just got suspended for 25 games and the 10 day contract guy's contract ran out.

Jb is so predictable, anyone coulda predicted this was coming yet there you were saying Sam was above Niang in the 8 man rotation... Yeah, about that.

Sam has people writing articles like the below about him yet he's glued to the bench, brilliant coaching and rotations lmfao

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/1/26/24050272/sam-merrill-cleveland-cavaliers-3-point-shooting

https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/news/how-sam-merrill-has-helped-evolve-cleveland-cavaliers-offense

[toooskies]

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

Just really odd that your first reaction to a win over the other hottest team in the league is to bemoan the coach for benching a guy who is mostly about his shooting and couldn't get a shot off (or any other statistical contribution). I haven't watched the game yet, will probably get to it tomorrow, but it seems pretty straightforward, especially with the Clippers being so strong on the wings.

Seems really odd that a coach in his 5th NBA season as head coach can't figure out how to play more than 8 guys in a regular season rotation.

I love the regular season win, it's super duper cool, pretty pointless in the grand scheme of things.

Sam goes from averaging 22 MPG with 13 PPG on 43% from deep on 8 attempts/game and all the knucklehead Jb can muster is 7:17 bc someone came back from injury yet is on a minutes restriction and another guy just got suspended for 25 games and the 10 day contract guy's contract ran out.

Jb is so predictable, anyone coulda predicted this was coming yet there you were saying Sam was above Niang in the 8 man rotation... Yeah, about that.

Sam has people writing articles like the below about him yet he's glued to the bench, brilliant coaching and rotations lmfao

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/1/26/24050272/sam-merrill-cleveland-cavaliers-3-point-shooting

https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/news/how-sam-merrill-has-helped-evolve-cleveland-cavaliers-offense

From some comments on Reddit, sounds like Westbrook was cooking Sam so bad on isos that we couldn't afford to keep playing him. So JBB adjusted.

[Iwasawitness]

Poor Merrill.

Did he get hurt?

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

I already said this in the other thread, but I don’t think he fell out of the rotation. Clippers are a very lengthy defensive team with good personal at that end and he struggled to get open looks as a result. And on defense he was exposed by multiple players. Cavaliers were actually playing at their worst on both ends when he played. Bickerstaff to his credit realized this and opted not to play him for the rest of the game.

I can see Merrill being back for the next game against the Pistons. And hopefully that’s the case.

[Iwasawitness]

Just really odd that your first reaction to a win over the other hottest team in the league is to bemoan the coach for benching a guy who is mostly about his shooting and couldn't get a shot off (or any other statistical contribution). I haven't watched the game yet, will probably get to it tomorrow, but it seems pretty straightforward, especially with the Clippers being so strong on the wings.

Seems really odd that a coach in his 5th NBA season as head coach can't figure out how to play more than 8 guys in a regular season rotation.

I love the regular season win, it's super duper cool, pretty pointless in the grand scheme of things.

Sam goes from averaging 22 MPG with 13 PPG on 43% from deep on 8 attempts/game and all the knucklehead Jb can muster is 7:17 bc someone came back from injury yet is on a minutes restriction and another guy just got suspended for 25 games and the 10 day contract guy's contract ran out.

Jb is so predictable, anyone coulda predicted this was coming yet there you were saying Sam was above Niang in the 8 man rotation... Yeah, about that.

Sam has people writing articles like the below about him yet he's glued to the bench, brilliant coaching and rotations lmfao

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/1/26/24050272/sam-merrill-cleveland-cavaliers-3-point-shooting

https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/news/how-sam-merrill-has-helped-evolve-cleveland-cavaliers-offense

From some comments on Reddit, sounds like Westbrook was cooking Sam so bad on isos that we couldn't afford to keep playing him. So JBB adjusted.

That’s pretty much what it was. Was at the game last night and it was one of the things I noticed.

[JonFromVA]

Did he get hurt?

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

I already said this in the other thread, but I don’t think he fell out of the rotation. Clippers are a very lengthy defensive team with good personal at that end and he struggled to get open looks as a result. And on defense he was exposed by multiple players. Cavaliers were actually playing at their worst on both ends when he played. Bickerstaff to his credit realized this and opted not to play him for the rest of the game.

I can see Merrill being back for the next game against the Pistons. And hopefully that’s the case.

The second unit was -9 in the first half, and +7 in the second half.

You won't find me complaining about an adjustment that actually seemed to be needed (going bigger) and worked.

[jbk1234]

Just really odd that your first reaction to a win over the other hottest team in the league is to bemoan the coach for benching a guy who is mostly about his shooting and couldn't get a shot off (or any other statistical contribution). I haven't watched the game yet, will probably get to it tomorrow, but it seems pretty straightforward, especially with the Clippers being so strong on the wings.

Seems really odd that a coach in his 5th NBA season as head coach can't figure out how to play more than 8 guys in a regular season rotation.

I love the regular season win, it's super duper cool, pretty pointless in the grand scheme of things.

Sam goes from averaging 22 MPG with 13 PPG on 43% from deep on 8 attempts/game and all the knucklehead Jb can muster is 7:17 bc someone came back from injury yet is on a minutes restriction and another guy just got suspended for 25 games and the 10 day contract guy's contract ran out.

Jb is so predictable, anyone coulda predicted this was coming yet there you were saying Sam was above Niang in the 8 man rotation... Yeah, about that.

Sam has people writing articles like the below about him yet he's glued to the bench, brilliant coaching and rotations lmfao

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/1/26/24050272/sam-merrill-cleveland-cavaliers-3-point-shooting

https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/news/how-sam-merrill-has-helped-evolve-cleveland-cavaliers-offense

From some comments on Reddit, sounds like Westbrook was cooking Sam so bad on isos that we couldn't afford to keep playing him. So JBB adjusted.

Not only was Westbrook getting the better of him, but the Clippers were really staying inside his shirt.

[jbk1234]

Best win of the season aided by Lue deciding to go 5 out to close the game with Allen still on the floor.

[JujitsuFlip]

Did he get hurt?

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

I already said this in the other thread, but I don’t think he fell out of the rotation. Clippers are a very lengthy defensive team with good personal at that end and he struggled to get open looks as a result. And on defense he was exposed by multiple players. Cavaliers were actually playing at their worst on both ends when he played. Bickerstaff to his credit realized this and opted not to play him for the rest of the game.

I can see Merrill being back for the next game against the Pistons. And hopefully that’s the case.

Garland is back next game, so we'll see. Much like CPJ, i think we've saw the last of Merrill but time will tell.

[toooskies]

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

I already said this in the other thread, but I don’t think he fell out of the rotation. Clippers are a very lengthy defensive team with good personal at that end and he struggled to get open looks as a result. And on defense he was exposed by multiple players. Cavaliers were actually playing at their worst on both ends when he played. Bickerstaff to his credit realized this and opted not to play him for the rest of the game.

I can see Merrill being back for the next game against the Pistons. And hopefully that’s the case.

Garland is back next game, so we'll see. Much like CPJ, i think we've saw the last of Merrill but time will tell.

With some back-to-backs coming up I think we should see 10 or 11 guys in the rotation over the course of both nights given Mobley's minutes restriction and Garland probably having one, too.

[Iwasawitness]

No he just fell outta Jb's rotation, as i said he would lol

I already said this in the other thread, but I don’t think he fell out of the rotation. Clippers are a very lengthy defensive team with good personal at that end and he struggled to get open looks as a result. And on defense he was exposed by multiple players. Cavaliers were actually playing at their worst on both ends when he played. Bickerstaff to his credit realized this and opted not to play him for the rest of the game.

I can see Merrill being back for the next game against the Pistons. And hopefully that’s the case.

Garland is back next game, so we'll see. Much like CPJ, i think we've saw the last of Merrill but time will tell.

Really? Okay, that changes things then.

[JonFromVA]

Seems really odd that a coach in his 5th NBA season as head coach can't figure out how to play more than 8 guys in a regular season rotation.

I love the regular season win, it's super duper cool, pretty pointless in the grand scheme of things.

Sam goes from averaging 22 MPG with 13 PPG on 43% from deep on 8 attempts/game and all the knucklehead Jb can muster is 7:17 bc someone came back from injury yet is on a minutes restriction and another guy just got suspended for 25 games and the 10 day contract guy's contract ran out.

Jb is so predictable, anyone coulda predicted this was coming yet there you were saying Sam was above Niang in the 8 man rotation... Yeah, about that.

Sam has people writing articles like the below about him yet he's glued to the bench, brilliant coaching and rotations lmfao

https://www.theringer.com/nba/2024/1/26/24050272/sam-merrill-cleveland-cavaliers-3-point-shooting

https://www.si.com/nba/cavaliers/news/how-sam-merrill-has-helped-evolve-cleveland-cavaliers-offense

From some comments on Reddit, sounds like Westbrook was cooking Sam so bad on isos that we couldn't afford to keep playing him. So JBB adjusted.

Not only was Westbrook getting the better of him, but the Clippers were really staying inside his shirt.

The second part is fine since that's real shooting gravity, the first part not so much.

Best win of the season aided by Lue deciding to go 5 out to close the game with Allen still on the floor.

Oh, I don't know about that. The Clippers went on an 11-3 run during that stretch to cut our lead to just 4.

Either way, nice to survive that, not something I take for granted.

[jbk1234]

From some comments on Reddit, sounds like Westbrook was cooking Sam so bad on isos that we couldn't afford to keep playing him. So JBB adjusted.

Not only was Westbrook getting the better of him, but the Clippers were really staying inside his shirt.

The second part is fine since that's real shooting gravity, the first part not so much.

Best win of the season aided by Lue deciding to go 5 out to close the game with Allen still on the floor.

Oh, I don't know about that. The Clippers went on an 11-3 run during that stretch to cut our lead to just 4.

Either way, nice to survive that, not something I take for granted.

I don't know where you're starting and stopping the run, but Allen scored 6 of our last 9 points starting at the 3:44 mark. Assisted on thr only other made bucket (Mitchell) and secured a couple of key defensive rebounds.