Quickie from Seattle
Posted January 16th, 2007 by bwindhorst
Seattle — Just wanted to pop in before I leave KeyArena for a little snap judgment on tonight’s game, which the Cavs lost 101-96. This is still the difference between a team like the Cavs and a team like, say, the Spurs or Mavericks or whomever up there. None of those teams loses a game like tonight. In my opinion the Cavs have been turning a corner over the last month because they’ve been dedicating themselves to defense, which I wrote a little about today. If they stay on this path, and I’m making no predictions, they will win a bunch of games the rest of the season. They are really getting it, I can see it and I can feel it in the locker room. They say the right things and doing the right things defensively.
But while they continue to make strides there, I still believe they will occasionally be these setbacks due to focus and offense. Nine of the Cavs last 10 shots were long jumpers. Which is why they lost. After handling the Sonics zone all night with drives and excellent passing, they just bombed away. This is partly due to focus and partly due to not having a more sound offensive attack in crunch time, which can be blamed on the sideline and the guys on the floor.
Here’s what I mean. After the game, LeBron James said:
"When you shoot 18 percent from the 3-point line it is going to be tough, we had some great looks we usually knock down."
I see 3-of-18 on 3-pointers and don’t wonder about the "3," but the "18," especially when I see 41 percent shooting overall. The Sonics writers here are all impressed with their team because LeBron was held to just a few points in the fourth, I was more interested in that Zydrunas Ilgauskas didn’t score more in the fourth against the zone he was eating up all night. LeBron wished more 3s would’ve fallen, I think they should never have been taken.
Until those lessons become more honed and more toward second nature — like the defense is showing some signs of — this team is still very much of a work in progress. A good team, yes, but not a complete one.
January 17th, 2007 at 7:43 am
I totally agree Brian. Z had 16 points in the first half and it was obvious that the Sonics couldn’t guard him (and for some reason they gave him open 16 footers).
The Cavs had this game won but let Seattle back into it by A) shooting too many jumpers and B) giving up offensive rebounds that energized the fans and team.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:55 am
When are they going to get the right pieces?! The need a point guard that can score! I love Eric Snow and what he brings, but we need someone who can help car the load all the time.
January 17th, 2007 at 12:31 pm
bri, maybe you’re right but the simple basketball fact is that a zone gives up the open jumper. and another basketball truism is ya gotta make shots.
besides, the sonics essentially iced the game because the french dude hit a long J.
and i disagree that the cavs were really picking apart the zone beforehand. either way, the sonics packed it in in the zone and took a gamble, as you do when ya run a zone, that the other team won’t hit a bunch of jumpers.
again, your seeming hatred of jumpers sometimes, IMHO, doesn’t take into account in-game factors. would we rather that LBJ or someone else force the drive against the zone and turn it over? i’d rather take my chances with a jumper than a turnover any day…
January 17th, 2007 at 12:33 pm
oh, any chance that now that sarunas j. has been traded by the pacers to the warriors, that he might be someone we could get, what with him being Z’s best friend and all?
January 17th, 2007 at 3:06 pm
Our Jordan needs a Pippen!
January 18th, 2007 at 10:40 am
shooting jumpers isn’t the only way to beat the zone. crisp passing can open up the key. a weak outside shooting team like the cavs should know that teams love watching them shoot long jumpers and 3’s all game.
and sorry lebron, with mechanics like yours you are never going to be the shooter you think you are.