DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Cavs // Playoffs continued...

Is Hood active tonight? If so, I think he's the only one that hasn't seen the floor.

Great total effort. Big question is can they do this 3 more times

Whether you think you can, or think you can't. You're right.

Henry Ford Sr.

It's up to them.

I'm not sure they can win three more... we'll see...

Huge bounce back game. Glad to see them actually playing like they're capable.

Gotta win 3 of the next 4 now.

Certainly won't be easy. But hey, we were down 3-1 in the '16 finals and look how that went.

we looked better, took care of business

but we have to do it again game 4 and 6 ... and then hope to steal one

j/c:

Very nice win. I knew this wasn't over.

--I'm so glad that Lue is going w/TT in the starting lineup and spelling him w/Nance. Keeping Love at the 4 is huge for us.

--Each series is different, but the bigger lineup is good against Boston. They are not as good when they have to match-up w/our bigger lineup. They can counter w/their bigger lineup, but that unit is not as effective offensively. They can't transition as quickly and their ball movement isn't nearly as crisp. I'm glad Lue is recognizing that.

--I know this might not be appreciated by some, but the screens that TT and Nance set out there are huge for our offense. They get LeBron open and they even set off the ball screens that free up our jump shooters. I love the little nuances of basketball that don't show up in the box score.

--Love played a nice defensive game and was a man on the boards. If he gets hot.........watch out, Boston!

--Obviously, game 4 is the pivotal game in this series. I think the winner of that game wins the series. I hope Lue doesn't mess w/the lineup too much. Keep the starters the same and spell them w/Korver, Green, Nance, and Clarkson.

--Never say die!!!

Boston really struggled with some misdirection stuff on the weak side last night. We actually used our good shooters against them, which is smart.

Well I simply won't lie but I missed the game yesterday. Nice hearing/reading the things I am and have been though. There's still life!

We hit threes, big improvement, but we really frustrated them inside in the paint. We ran the court harder, just a reliable indicator of team efforts. Good effort overall. TT helped big, Love got some going, LBJ held court for The Land, and I loved Nance working hard. He has a scratchy game. Not quite dead yet.

Go, Cavs!

2-1 Boston here we go

Cavs in 6!

This game tonight between the Warriors and the Rockets could very well be the series.

I think the game is close early and the Warriors pull away in the 3rd quarter.

55-54 Warriors at the half.

89-74 Warriors after 3 quarters.

115-98 Warriors when all is said and done.

Rockets have missed 12 layups/dunks so far... Stick a fork in em'.

54-43 Warriors at the half.

yikes.

Despite that shellacking, I don't think GS looks as invincible as they did earlier in the playoffs. Houston just laid down and played dead after screwing up their numerous opportunities.

GS can appear beatable for the entire half, and then all of a sudden go on a 13-0 run in like a minute. It really is incredible.

Not to mention Curry finally caught fire

I was listening to Brian Windhorst this morning on Golic and Wingo's morning show. I'm not the biggest Windy fan, but I thought he really nailed this point about the Cavs offense. He was saying the team is pretty mentally fragile and everything seems to build upon their ability to hit the three-point shot. If the shots are falling, they have extra bounce in their step, they play tougher defense, they move off the ball on offense much more, and they generally play more engaged. If the shots aren't falling however, they just seem to mope and not even try anymore.

I think that pretty much nails it, and why it's so difficult to watch this team at times. When they get into a shooting funk, they just seem to try to shoot themselves out of it. And if that doesn't work, they pretty much throw their hands up in the air. The defense completely goes away and they don't bother trying to pound it inside or try off ball movement to get easier layups or anything. Windy was saying that all the back-door cuts in Game 3 sort of surprised the Celtics, and it was mostly because they didn't see any of that the first two games when the shots weren't going in and the Cavs didn't bother trying them. It's like they don't want to grind out a gritty win if they can't 3-bomb the other team to death.

I've said this all year, we live and die by the 3 ball. We are mentally weak don't have the intestinal fortitude to push through. Thats why its so important that we play loose and aggressive. They get in their own heads sometimes and can't get out. Lebron does it too...sure he puts up great numbers when others are failing, but its because he stops trusting and tries to do it all himself. Which is the opposite of what needs to happen.

GO CELTICS

This team revolves around its ability to make the 3-pointer.. when they have at least a couple guys draining 3s, they become almost impossible to guard because of everything LeBron can do, plus his ability to find open guys... they play at a fast tempo and their defensive intensity stays high..

When they aren't making the 3s, everything falls apart with it. They become stagnant on offense, they become complacent on defense, they start looking at each other funny...

They are going to have to win a game where they aren't shooting the lights out.... they are going to have to find another way to win...

So , is that where a Coach comes into the picture ??

Coach or LeBron... the rest of the players will follow either one. If we are struggling and LeBron starts settling for contested 3s and not hustling back, everybody will follow.

Wish these games were on FSO...

After watching the Warriors last night, I don't think it matters much what happens tonight. Man, that team owns this league as long as they're healthy.

Yeah... in the industry they'd call it a "monopoly" lol. They're just too stacked and then some.

j/c:

I'm rooting for the Cavs. Of course it's huge for us if we are hitting 3's. LOL.

We brought those guys in because we had LeBron. Other teams are built in a similar mode. The 3-ball is also huge for GS and Houston.

We will always live and die w/LeBron and the 3-pt shot. Where we can change the game is by playing guys like TT [despite what some clueless folks on this board say] and Nance. When you have a great player and a bunch of shooters, you need a guy or two to do the dirty work.

I think this series comes down to this game. The winner of this one wins the series. I am not confident we will win this one, but I would pick my team over the Celtics and that isn't because I am a homer. All one has to do is read my posts on the Browns to realize that.

My concern if Lue tries to get cute and listens to guys like lead and doesn't play TT enough and instead tries to go small against Boston. That would be a big mistake and we witnessed it in game one. I also really don't want to see many more guys than the same starting lineup from game 3 and spell them w/Nance, Green, Corver, and Clarkson.

And for good luck's sake.

Let's Go, Cavs!!!! Shut the Haters up!!!

lets go cavs, shoot well

Must win tonight

LET'S GO CAVS!!!!

Love is playing some solid D. so is TT

Lookin' good so far!

JR Smith looking like he could heat up.

Wow what a flop

Hill has got to be able to break these guys down off dribble

we need to sign love to a max QB deal asap

Seriously. That was sick.