Game 25: Cavs @ Celtics 12/14/23

[JujitsuFlip]

I honestly just thought this was a cool graphic so I wanted to start the game thread lol

[JujitsuFlip]

TJ, Mobley, and obviously Rubio out for the Cavs.

Brown is questionable for the Celtics.

[ijspeelman]

TJ, Mobley, and obviously Rubio out for the Cavs.

Brown is questionable for the Celtics.

Little worried that last game was our best chance to beat the Celts without Mobley, but we will have to wait and see

[JujitsuFlip]

TJ, Mobley, and obviously Rubio out for the Cavs.

Brown is questionable for the Celtics.

Little worried that last game was our best chance to beat the Celts without Mobley, but we will have to wait and see

Cavs got out to a 29 to 14 lead on Tuesday so obviously something was working.

If Brown doesn't play then they will probably have to start Horford so maybe that would help. Plus maybe one of their dudes can get into foul trouble this time lol

[JonFromVA]

TJ, Mobley, and obviously Rubio out for the Cavs.

Brown is questionable for the Celtics.

Little worried that last game was our best chance to beat the Celts without Mobley, but we will have to wait and see

Cavs got out to a 29 to 14 lead on Tuesday so obviously something was working.

If Brown doesn't play then they will probably have to start Horford so maybe that would help. Plus maybe one of their dudes can get into foul trouble this time lol

The "flow of energy" was diametrically opposed. The Celtics came out a bit sluggishly (thank you Beilein) as it was like 5 days since their last game .vs. the Cavs who came out of the gate strong, but played the night before and then naturally played pretty big minutes (thank you Bickerstaff).

If Brown doesn't play, that should even things up a bit on the injury front and the energy/rest is obviously a lot closer with both teams getting a day off. We may have to shoot lights out the whole game, though, if we can't do something about the free-throw disparity.

[JujitsuFlip]

Brown is active for tonight.

KP was a late addition to the injury report but is probable.

[ijspeelman]

Read on Twitter

[jbk1234]

I'm numbing it up before this one.

[JujitsuFlip]

I'm numbing it up before this one.

Pick your poison lol

What's your drink of choice?

[jbk1234]

I'm numbing it up before this one.

Pick your poison lol

What's your drink of choice?

I'm a dad now so beer is fine. Pre-baby, Jameson.

[JujitsuFlip]

I'm numbing it up before this one.

Pick your poison lol

What's your drink of choice?

I'm a dad now so beer is fine. Pre-baby, Jameson.

Ah nice, i like whiskey too but usually go with Jack, I'm not super particular though.

[Iwasawitness]

I don't really expect much from this one. God I hate injuries.

[ijspeelman]

So the biggest thing I noticed is when we are pre-switching and rotating and we have a player closing out a little late or even right on time, the Celtics are shooting it every time because they know they we aren’t going give away the lane to the basket.

Because the rotations have looked fast and good today and they Celts are shooting them and making them. If I’m right, I hope we come out of the timeout and figure out a different way to rotate/switch or we go out hard and focus on contesting the shots rather than containing the drive. Then switch it up if needed.

Also, I think Allen can go out to the perimeter and guard players with the caveat that the player is not a player who is efficient self-generating threes. He shows his play too easy leaning his left foot back and right foot towards to the player so he doesn’t get blown by, but, as Tatum did, he just has to lunge forward to get Allen off balance and have an open three point shot. May need to trust the defenders behind him to help…

On offense, we gotta mix it up. It’s been PNR, reset, PNR, reset. Boston is too switchable to typically create openings into the paint which is making our threes not as open. We have had some open ones and we’ve missed them. Our half court offense looks terrible right now.

[jbk1234]

So the biggest thing I noticed is when we are pre-switching and rotating and we have a player closing out a little late or even right on time, the Celtics are shooting it every time because they know they we aren’t going give away the lane to the basket.

Because the rotations have looked fast and good today and they Celts are shooting them and making them. If I’m right, I hope we come out of the timeout and figure out a different way to rotate/switch or we go out hard and focus on contesting the shots rather than containing the drive. Then switch it up if needed.

Also, I think Allen can go out to the perimeter and guard players with the caveat that the player is not a player who is efficient self-generating threes. He shows his play too easy leaning his left foot back and right foot towards to the player so he doesn’t get blown by, but, as Tatum did, he just has to lunge forward to get Allen off balance and have an open three point shot. May need to trust the defenders behind him to help…

On offense, we gotta mix it up. It’s been PNR, reset, PNR, reset. Boston is too switchable to typically create openings into the paint which is making our threes not as open. We have had some open ones and we’ve missed them. Our half court offense looks terrible right now.

As to the Allen part, Mobley isn't behind him.

[ijspeelman]

So the biggest thing I noticed is when we are pre-switching and rotating and we have a player closing out a little late or even right on time, the Celtics are shooting it every time because they know they we aren’t going give away the lane to the basket.

Because the rotations have looked fast and good today and they Celts are shooting them and making them. If I’m right, I hope we come out of the timeout and figure out a different way to rotate/switch or we go out hard and focus on contesting the shots rather than containing the drive. Then switch it up if needed.

Also, I think Allen can go out to the perimeter and guard players with the caveat that the player is not a player who is efficient self-generating threes. He shows his play too easy leaning his left foot back and right foot towards to the player so he doesn’t get blown by, but, as Tatum did, he just has to lunge forward to get Allen off balance and have an open three point shot. May need to trust the defenders behind him to help…

On offense, we gotta mix it up. It’s been PNR, reset, PNR, reset. Boston is too switchable to typically create openings into the paint which is making our threes not as open. We have had some open ones and we’ve missed them. Our half court offense looks terrible right now.

As to the Allen part, Mobley isn't behind him.

I get it, but we have to try something different imo. Or maybe it’s just best to give them that shot and not allow the lane. Some analytics person with Synergy data knows haha

[JujitsuFlip]

From the box, looks like LeVert is having himself a 3rd quarter.

[ijspeelman]

And like that… it’s a three point game.

We had some more fluidity in the offense. Not super complex, but they started running guys off off-ball screens to get their feet in the paint and it worked out. It’s where LeVert came alive.

Only saw one semblance of where we got taken advantage of rotating/switching and Mitchell did immediately jump, but over committed to helping the roll on a PNR and gave Hauser too much space

[afarmenian]

No worries, can't beat the good ones. Get to beat up on bad teams soon and this treadmill will be in working just fine.

[ijspeelman]

I just saw what happens when Allen lets his defense behind him help and it wasn’t great lol

Maybe I’m making too many excuses, but I can chalk this up to lacking Mobley. The Celts size was getting unfair and they are the number one team in the league for a reason

[JujitsuFlip]

Yeahhhhh i don't wanna play them in a 7 game series.