CHAMPS!......of the Central Division.

Congrats Cavs! But's just a stepping stone to the goal that has eluded us for so long...

 

Wish there was a bigger image:

 

I wouldn't even send the big three to Boston, let alone have them play there.

 

Let each take one of the last three home games off.

The entire team seemed to have taken last night's game off as well. I thought the goal was to remain sharp going into the playoffs?

^ they threw that game. According to Ethan Skolnik ( great Twitter follow), the cavs organization really wants Boston in the first round and views them as the team that will cause the less stress on the cavs. Ethan became really close to LeBron and wade covering the heat the last four years for miami media and now took a job with bleacher report.  I kind of thought they would throw the game as well. They have put themselves in position by locking up #2 seed to have the power to decide who they play. Why play Wade or the re-energized pacers who would most likely make u play more games than the celtics.

Look for them to lose again tomorrow as well in Boston

If they threw the game, then the team should reimburse all fans for parking and ticket prices. I hate that s-hit

Well they won't TELL us that. But it's the reality. I Was having the conversation with my wife last night, If I'm a fan there and it's the only cavs game I would ever go to, I'd probably be upset. LeBron chucking up bricks and missing dunks, nobody boxing out or guarding shots from the elbow. But if I'm a fan who understands the bigger picture, I want them to lose the game. The goal is a title. Although we are the most talented team in the East, Indiana and Miami won't be afraid to play the cavs and would make them work significantly harder.  It's a two month playoff after a 6 month season.  less stress is better early on. 

 

The Cavs did make a run and tie it and try to provide some moments for the fans, but I just kind of knew after they took the lead that they were not interested in burying Boston.

It's dishonest and cheap and shameful. They openly pulled those tactics in 02 and I was furious then too, regardless of getting LeBron as a result.

 

No different than the Olympics scandal:

 

http://espn.go.com/olympics/summer/2012/badminton/story/_/id/8221408/2012-london-olympics-eight-badminton-players-disqualified-trying-lose-matches

What happens when Blatt rests four starters? The Cavs lose by 39 points, 117-78, in the second game of a back-to-back with the Celtics.

 

First game this season that I completely missed without an excuse (like being on a Caribbean cruise!).

If celtics hold onto the 7 seed, cavs will sweep them.

The Cavs are now 30-3 in 2015 in games in which our Big 3 plays.

I like the cavs chances to advance to the finals at this point.  The Spurs just jumped to the 2 seed in the west, remarkably!?! They are like vampires, every time I want to think they cant win with those old time YMCA type guys, they keep winning.  I think the cavs can take any West team in the finals, with the exception of the Spurs.  I think the Spurs probably exploit all of the cavs inexperience in a 7 game series and that would be that. Hope that some fearless team like Golden State or Memphis can knock them off.  I

Boston just clinched the 7th seed with the win over Toronto.  Very happy about this first matchup.  Go Cavs.

Cavs-Celtics playoff schedule

 

Game 1 – Sun. April 19, Boston at Cleveland, 3:00 PM, ABC

Game 2 – Tue. April 21, Boston at Cleveland, 7:00 PM, TNT

Game 3 – Thu. April 23, Cleveland at Boston, 7:00 PM, TNT

Game 4 – Sun. April 26, Cleveland at Boston, 1:00 PM, ABC

 

(If necessary)

 

Game 5 * – Tue. April 28, Boston at Cleveland, TBD

Game 6 * – Thu. April 30, Cleveland at Boston, TBD

Game 7 * – Sat. May 2, Boston at Cleveland , TNT

 

I am assuming that Shawn "The Matrix" Marion, who will be retiring at the end of this season, will not be in the playoff rotation.  If so, what a great way to end his career last night with a steal and breakaway dunk to seal the regular season finale in OT.  If that is the last play he makes on an NBA floor, it would be fitting.  I was happy for him.

 

As for the playoffs, things couldn't have worked out better.  We have Boston first and then play the winner of Chicago and Milwaukee.  Home court through both of those series.  The other bracket in the EC has Atlanta, Indiana, Toronto, and Washington.  I would almost rather play any of the teams in our bracket over any of the teams in the other bracket.  And, should we make it to the EC finals, only Atlanta would hold home court over us.  On the other hand, if we make it to the NBA finals, we are almost sure to not have home court.

^ I agree Matrix wont be in the rotation, but I wouldn't be surprised if we see him and some of the veterans even for limited minutes in important situations.  I think back to 2008 when Boston won it all, dinosaur PJ Brown kept hitting big shot after big shot.  When the Heat won their first ring with Lebron, Juwan Howard was in there hitting shots, as well as Mike Miller.  I think there will be a few situations where our young guns are off and they will lean on veterans to come in and hit some big shots.  Wouldn't be surprised to see Matrix, JJ or Miller coming in, even for a few minutes to help out at some point. 

As for the playoffs, things couldn't have worked out better.  We have Boston first and then play the winner of Chicago and Milwaukee.  Home court through both of those series.  The other bracket in the EC has Atlanta, Indiana, Toronto, and Washington. 

 

Indiana??

^Oops.  Nets.  But same conclusion.  The Nets are a better team than your typical 8th seed.... certainly more dangerous IMO than Boston or Milwaukee.

J.R. Smith wrote about his time in Cleveland for @TheCauldron. https://t.co/7rGzdW65eQ

Tristan finished 5th in Sixth Man of the Year voting, behind Lou Williams (the winner), Isaiah Thomas, Jamal Crawford, and Andre Igoudala.  In other words, he was considered the best bench Big in the league

There's an article today in the Boston Globe (sports section) re Cleveland is a dying city.......That 13 point loss Sunday must've really hurt

Ridiculous. Completely inaccurate description of the current state of downtown. What a joke.

Dan shaughnessy of all people? I thought the globe was prestigious? He did NOT do ANY homework for that article. How lazy

Terrible article. What was the point? Are Boston fans that upset the Cavs are better? Are they that insecure? Since were talking about lazy journalism and stereotypes...maybe Terry Pluto should write an article about how racism and Boston.

 

I won't give their site a click to read it. Eff 'em.

Back on topic..... the starting 5 of Mozgov, Love, James, Smith, and Irving is now 27-4.  That is a clip on pace with the 72-10 Bulls from '95-'96.

Not as clean as it could have been.  Still, 2-0.  Perhaps just as important, strong finishes.

I'm hoping coach LeBlatt and company have learned lots of schemes from these last two games and go into the Garden and give the Celtics a drubbing on their home court. 

I was wondering, just now, if any pro team that picked first overall in a draft has ever won the championship the following season?

I'm hoping coach LeBlatt and company have learned lots of schemes from these last two games and go into the Garden and give the Celtics a drubbing on their home court. 

 

We still haven't seen the Cavs good offense yet ie movement without the ball and high volume passing.

I was wondering, just now, if any pro team that picked first overall in a draft has ever won the championship the following season?

 

The Lakers won the title in 1980 with Magic Johnson as a rookie, when he was the number 1 overall pick.  He famously jumped center (and played some center) in the deciding Game 6 against the Sixers after Kareem was injured in Game 5.  He scored 42, had 15 rebounds, and 7 assists in the Game 6 win and was the first rookie to be named Finals MVP.

 

(So yes, it has happened.) 

I really hate 3 day delays when not changing site locations.

It wasn't pretty but it was a win.

Boston certainly is chippy.

It wasn't pretty but it was a win.

Boston certainly is chippy.

 

The thing about Boston is their fans expected them to win 100% their tonight.  They are Boston.  They win everything!  This was a huge win for the Cavs to go in there and not give up any ground. 

Boston did all they could to pressure the Cavs. Good to see they didn't lose their composure. Then again it wasn't a dirty game, just hard fought.

 

I still want to see the Cavs regain their offensive flow. We get glimpses of it, but nothing sustained.

 

When that happens we'll start getting those 20 point wins again, no matter who the opponent is.

It's been an interesting series with the Cavs trying to maintain their flow and composure and Boston trying to use every trick in the book to make it competitive

Best game of the series so far for the Cavs. And on the road, no less. 3-0, it's over. Seal the deal on Sunday.

It was interesting that both Kyrie and Isiah Thomas were both shut down in that street fight. The Cavs certainly x and o'd Thomas out by pushing him to the right.

"The only way to pick up is get your funky jazz down"

One thing I have learned about the playoffs:  people need to stop thinking this is going to be easy.  The Bulls, Warriors, Hawks all struggling with inferior teams.  The only teams that are cruising are Memphis over a crippled Portland team and Houston over Dallas which is a mess. 

 

Im pretty disappointed that most series are 2-0.  that will change next round, no doubt.  Get ready to get your heart racing when games are within 1-2 points with the season on the line.  I was so impressed with Kevin Love last night, when he is hitting his shots this team will be awfully hard to beat

One thing I have learned about the playoffs:  people need to stop thinking this is going to be easy.  The Bulls, Warriors, Hawks all struggling with inferior teams.  The only teams that are cruising are Memphis over a crippled Portland team and Houston over Dallas which is a mess. 

 

Im pretty disappointed that most series are 2-0.  that will change next round, no doubt.  Get ready to get your heart racing when games are within 1-2 points with the season on the line.  I was so impressed with Kevin Love last night, when he is hitting his shots this team will be awfully hard to beat

 

100% agreed.  While we are up 3-0, these are hard fought games and Lebron is playing a lot of minutes.  It is going to get much much harder.

It's almost ideal in a lot of ways as a first round series, IMO.  The Cavs have a huge talent advantage over the Celtics, so the chances of losing the series are unbelievably slim.  But there is no doubt that Brad Stevens is a terrific coach, so the series is going to be competitive and force the Cavs to deal with all kinds of wrinkles.  That can only bode well for later in the playoffs.  (I'd say that the Cavs definitely won't face a coach as good as Stevens until they get to the Finals (maybe Budenholzer of the Hawks if you think he is going to turn into the second coming of Pop). 

One thing I really liked about this last game was Blatt telling J.R. Smith to just keep on shooting. It's the only way to get your confidence back.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2015/04/celtics_fans_vicious_vile_taun.html#incart_2box

 

Well that never works....

Announcing and reffing today has been absolutely unreal...

 

Olynyk yanks Kevin Loves out of the socket...nothing.  Isaiah Thomas fouls LeBron out-of-bounds!!!!...nothing.  Announcers openly rooting for Boston.  Never seen anything like this.

Assuming we play Chicago in the next round,  and it is pretty much a foregone conclusion and that is who we are playing, losing Love is devastating.  Chicago will now just pack the paint, just as they did in the game before the All-Star break when Love sat out.  Life is going to be extremely difficult for LeBron and Kyrie against the Bulls

I gave JR Smith a standing O for knocking Crowder the bleep out. Boston was playing dirty knowing their season was over. What do they have to prove playing like that?

I think Olynyk pulled his arm to keep Love away from the rebound, not to intentionally hurt him.  It was an intentional non-basketball foul.

 

Perk deserved to be ejected

 

Smith should at least get a game.

They can beat Chicago at home one game without both of those guys. I don't think they can get a series though. I'm hoping Smith gets a minimum punishment ( a half would be great). As long as nothing is torn, I can see love playing in that series.