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127-98? Ick.

We are in all likely hood going to be the #1 seed in the East by the time Playoffs start, if not sooner..

But clearly we are inconsistent..

Mostly on the defensive end.

I don't honestly think just trading for a Big is going to "fix" that...

I didn't see the game, thank goodness. Man, it looks like it was a complete mess for the Cavaliers.

You are right, the only thing that is going to fix that is time. People think that good defense is about the individual defender, and it really is not. It is about the team, the way the team plays together on defense, and a lot of it is just practice and repetitions. Give it some time, I think the Cavs will be ok on defense.

KING

I don't know. Toronto, Atlanta, and Washington are all built for the regular season. It could be tough to get ahead of all three of them.

It also doesn't really matter. Toronto is the only one of those three teams that I think has enough upside to worry about.

I don't know ... our defense is a mess. But we seem like we can flip a switch whenever we need to and just got on offensive tears while play "just enough" on defense. I just worry this is going to exhaust us through 4 rounds of playoff basketball.

Rondo to the Mavs.



Good trade for Dallas.. Assuming Rondo can gel with all the ball handlers they have..

On this edition of No One Tells A Rich Man No...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/sport...71-f0feafdd1394

Championship teams win on the road. I'd gladly settle for a 4 or 5 seed if it meant guys getting rest and healthier. We are built to win a title, those other teams are built to win in the regular season.

Yeah, I've heard them talking about this on the radio the last day or two. It's got to be the most delusional thing I've heard in a long time. "Hey it works at the rec level!"

Two major flaws to that plan ... NBA players can bury a wide open shot with fairly regular ease, unlike the req-league girls team. They can also cover the length of the floor in about 5 strides, so as soon as a shot goes up there's going to be a guy half-way back to cover.

To an extent, that's more or less what most franchises do all the time, nowhere more so than in the NBA.

"Man, that Hasheem Thabeet sure can block shots."

My Western Conference Contender Rankings-

Spurs
Warriors
Mavericks
Thunder
Clippers
Grizzlies
Trailblazers
Rockets


Anyone of those teams could be a 1 seed in the East

And people wonder why LeBron didn't wanna go to the West...

I am just glad that OKC hung around enough without Westbrook/Durant to be within range of the playoffs there. Durant probably misses a couple games again, but they should make it in.

We might see teams fighting to NOT be the 1-seed if OKC is healthy and locked into the 8-seed at the end of the year.

Rockets just got Corey Brewer for Troy Daniels and change:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/sources--rockets-acquire-corey-brewer-from-timberwolves-194852845.html

That sucks. He would have been a decent piece for the Cavaliers. I don't know that salary situations though.

Mike Miller is moving into the starting SG spot for the Cavaliers.

Mike Miller to be inserted in starting lineup against Brookyln Nets in return from concussion | cleveland.com
http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2014/12/mike_miller_to_be_inserted_in.html#incart_m-rpt-1

CLEVELAND, Ohio – After missing the last seven games recovering from a concussion, Mike Miller will be activated for Friday's Cavaliers home game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m.

But not only will Miller be in uniform, sources tell Northeast Ohio Media Group that he will be inserted into the starting lineup at the shooting guard position. Shawn Marion, who has been holding down the spot since the fourth game of the season, will come off the bench.

This switch comes on the heels of the Atlanta Hawks routing the Cavaliers at The Q 127-98 on Wednesday.

"I just do whatever it takes to win," Marion told NEOMG following the team's morning shootaround. "Whatever coach needs me to do, I'll do it."

Marion is averaging 5.4 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 assists in 24 appearances.

Miller sustained the concussion toward the end of the Cavaliers' 90-87 road win over the New York Knicks on Dec. 4.

He has passed all five phases of the NBA's concussion-recovery protocol. He was cleared to play in Wednesday's lopsided loss to the Atlanta Hawks, but was held out as a precaution with stiffness in his neck.

Before suffering the injury, Miller had carved out a spot in the rotation and was playing well. Head coach David Blatt is hoping Miller continues his upward trend. LeBron James has stated countless times that he has a rapport with Miller. The two understand each other's game dating back to their time in Miami.

In 13 games, the sharpshooter is averaging 1.5 points, 2.1 rebounds and is shooting 25 percent from 3-point range. This will be Miller's first game in a little over two weeks.

Cavs shooting 39% from the field through 3... and winning.. Amazing.

There are little things better than watching the Spurs do work, while Hubie Brown talks about the Spurs doing there work..

How about a Danny Green night on top of it.

It's one of those things where, while I'd love to still have him here.. I know he'd be nowhere near the player he is now..

Exactly right.


And this Lillard kid might be an okay player too

Eastern Conference:

Team blows team out, no one really cares..

Western Conference:

Two teams going all out to win a game in DECEMBER.

That's what happens when you can win 50 games and still not make the playoffs... As opposed to know you don't even need a winning record..

This game is redonkulous..

Tim Duncan is a machine, guy is unreal at his age

Oh come on ... you make it sound like he is averaging 15/11 per night, and shooting 47% in only 31 minutes/night, at age 38 ..... or something.

He's not a machine .... he's a Terminator.

I respect a guy that's 3/14 wanting to take the final shot because he is the guy and all..

But you just sat on the bench the entire time your team made a run to even be in the game... And you've sucked all day..

Give it to someone else..

I guess if Swaggy P hadn't gotten (rightfully) thrown out he was pretty much the only other option..

JC

Miller was hot from downtown yday! Good game. Kevin Love prob had his worst shooting night of the year thus far.

No comments on the Memphis game?

Last night was a good game, but im not putting much stock into it as they were without allen and randolph. I think its a much different game with those two.. But I did like the offensive flow. When the ball moves its beautiful, speaking of...the last 3 games Love has turned into a black hole...taking bad shots and playing alot of iso ball..not sure what's going on there.

Unfortunately, I missed the game.

It does appear like Lebron and Dion had really nice games, and played well together. Lebron and Kyrie sure shared the ball nicely. A combined 23 assists is definitely impressive.

Odd note from the stats ...... Kyrie had 3 times as many rebounds as Lebron did .... and Dion had twice as many.

I really can't recall many times where Lebron has finished a game with only 1 board.

Anyway, there are some good things happening as the season progresses. Maybe Dion will be able to find a solid role on this team. It would be huge is he could.

They got Andy into the mix yesterday, and he was able to convert his layups. I like what he brings to the table when they are able to use him like that. I'm surprised they haven't tried to use Kevin Love in a role like that. Maybe hitting quick bunnies off a pick and roll just isn't his game? Andy seems to thrive off of it though.

Dion found his shot yesterday as well too, so it was nice to see him get points in a bench role. Still, his favorite shot seems to be that 15 to 22-1/2 foot Larry Hughes-esque mid-range jumper. It's like the least efficient shot you can take, but when he's on .. he's hitting it.

The defense looked a little better yesterday. They seem to be recovering much quicker when they switch defenders. They are still getting burned a lot on the high pick-and-roll.

Thought this was interesting. He still had two years on his contract.

The Detroit Pistons on Monday waived veteran forward Josh Smith, who still had two years and $26 million remaining on his contract after this season.

The veteran forward was averaging 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season.

"Our team has not performed the way we had expected throughout the first third of the season and adjustments need to be made in terms of our focus and direction," coach Stan Van Gundy said in a statement.

"We are shifting priorities to aggressively develop our younger players while also expanding the roles of other players in the current rotation to improve performance and build for our future. As we expand certain roles, others will be reduced. In fairness to Josh, being a highly versatile 10-year veteran in this league, we feel it's best to give him his freedom to move forward. We have full respect for Josh as a player and a person."

If Smith clears waivers over the next 48 hours, he will have the right to go elsewhere as a free agent.

The Pistons acquired Smith as a free agent after the 2012-13 season. In 105 games with Detroit, he averaged 15.5 points, 6.9 rebounds and 3.7 assists.

Smith was drafted with the 17th overall selection in the 2004 NBA draft by the Atlanta Hawks.

Detroit Waives Josh Smith

No way he clears waivers, and we are pretty far down in the waiver wire order

I wasn't suggesting that the Cavs try to get him.

I don't even know how he would fit in here. I was just really surprised that the Pistons would just waive him.

We won't claim him, because his contract would not in any way fit, and he won't come as a free agent. He would have to sit behind Lebron and/or Love, and that's not going to happen. He will look for a team where he can start.

It is pretty surprising that they couldn't find a deal anywhere for him.

all things aside, but his contract is still the responsibility of detroit..they are using stretch provision on him. I'd much rather have him than marion tbh

You find it pretty surprising that no one wanted to take on one of the NBA's worst contracts for a guy who spends most of his time on the court sulking and jacking ill-advised 3 point attempts?

Josh Smith can still defend at a high level. I'd like him as a bench swingman for defense.

He shoots only 39% overall (which is, by far, his career low) .... and he really does have no range beyond the arc. (only shooting 23%, on 9 of 37 from 3 point range)

He is a very good defender though.

I have read that he has struggled to fit into Van Gundy's offense. CBS says that the Pistons are expected to use the "stretch" provision on his contract, that allows them to take the salary hit over 2X the contract year remaining, plus one additional year. Since he has 2 years left, they can take the remaining dollars are spread them over 5 years. (2X2+1)

I think that the Pistons could have found a bad contract to take back, plus an asset or 2, if they tried .... but I think that they want to accelerate their tanking. They are 5-23 right now .... tied with NY, and only 2 more wins than Philly. I think that they want to make sure they don't win any more than they have to.