Game Notes: Knicks v. Cavs
Yes, the Cavs are really that bad.
Forget quarter-by-quarter today. I hate to bore people, and it’s late as it is. So we’re gonna do this quick.
Wow, do the Cavs look awful. When their defense is malfunctioning—as it did last night, allowing the Knicks to shoot 56 percent from the floor—they bear no resemblance to the team that made it all the way to the NBA Finals last year. You’d think LeBron James was going to be available in the draft again (and while I’m sure the Cavs would love to get their hands on Derrick Rose or one of the other fabulous froshes, I’m equally sure they’d rather not miss the playoffs in order to be able to). In fact, with the exception of LeBron, the only thing fantastic about the Cavs was Drew Gooden’s beard.
Right before tip-off, Damon Jones stands in the paint in order to participate in a complicated dance/handshake ritual with each starter. HBO Real Sports should dedicate an entire segment to it.
You have NO IDEA how quick and strong LeBron James is unless you’ve seen him play in person. I mean, NO IDEA. All caps, bold, whatever. It’s hard to describe, because I’ve never seen anything quite like it. And it’s not like I don’t remember Magic and Michael. Kobe Bryant may be the closest to Michael anyone’s ever seen, but LeBron, when all is said and done, has a chance to be the best ever. He’s every bit that good.
It’s hard to take notes when two starters on the same team have the same initials (Drew Gooden and Daniel Gibson). Thank God for nicknames.
The Knicks are on fire from three early on, and Q does more of those headband bonks in the first quarter than he’s done all year. I love that he still won’t explain what it means.
Zach Randolph is falling in love with his long-range shot, and someone should probably put a stop to it. Not that he’s a bad three-point shooter, but if he misses, who’s going to rebound?
Anderson Varejao looks like he spent his entire holdout on a beach drinking Mai Tais. His hair is bleached blonde, he’s got a tan, and his physique is, like the Knicks rotation, undefined.
Hey Isiah, ESTABLISH A ROTATION. I still can’t believe that Nate Robinson didn’t play a single minute against the Pacers—that alone should have been reason for dismissal.
Larry Hughes has fallen off so hard his new nickname should be “Basejumper.” Or at least “Trip.”
David Lee should be getting a minimum of 30 minutes a night. Ideally he’d be starting next to Zach Randolph, but I guess Eddy Curry’s psyche (and Isiah’s pride) is too fragile for that. Which is a damn shame. Nate should be playing 25-30 minutes a night, too.
Stephon Marbury is in the building and active, but doesn’t play a single minute. Not to say that has anything to do with the result or anything.
The fact that this game didn’t sell out is pathetic.
Nate Robinson gets the play of the game nod with a two-handed dunk off a lazy Sasha Pavlovic backcourt pass back to the inbounder. The game should have just ended right there—instead it has to limp along for another 10 minutes. Nate follows that play up a few minutes later with a heads-up full-court sprint for a layup while the Cavs are still arguing the previous call. None of these guys have any heart, though.
Two things to consider: A FIRE ISIAH chant starts up with two minutes to go and the team up 18, and the team on the floor gets a standing ovation as the clock runs out. It’s not the team they have a problem with. Effort will always be appreciated at the Garden.
Final score, 108-90, Knicks.
Just as one blowout loss isn’t cause for firing, one blowout win isn’t cause for celebration. And despite the result, Isiah Thomas still needs to go—at least from the bench, if not entirely. The poison in the Garden air is still too thick, players roles still too undefined, loyalty still blinding Isiah’s eyes to who should be playing and who shouldn’t. His need to justify his moves as a GM are what’s killed him as a coach. In a sense, he’s getting exactly what he deserves.
As for the Cavs, I have no idea. Mike Brown is supposed to be such the defensive coach, yet his team gives up an easy 100 points to the Knicks (who laid off after scoring 63 points in the first half alone). Major changes will have to be made if they expect to even come close to duplicating the success of last season (as of right now, they’re on pace to win all of 35 games). Then again, they do have LeBron. So anything can happen.
25 Responses to “Game Notes: Knicks v. Cavs”
Dec.20 at 2:03 pm
TADOne says:
I’m glad you didn’t go basket for basket on the notes for these two teams, Russ. It would have been a waste of good writing you can save on more worthy teams.
Dec.20 at 2:15 pm
Myles Brown says:
Russ, I heard Bron intentionally bumped Mike Brown on his way to the bench in the 4th and had a few choice words for him while doing it. Did you see anything?
Dec.20 at 2:17 pm
Allenp says:
Damn, your team effs up and you get the blame. Your team wins big, you get no credit. The players don’t play well, it’s your fault for signing them. The players do play well, and they’re not the problem it’s you. Crazy logic man, crazy logic. I respect people’s feelings that Isiah is a flawed coach, I actually agree. But, if you’re going to dump on the man you need to give him credit for success. You can’t get all the blame and none of the credit, that’s shady.
Dec.20 at 2:18 pm
Jared says:
Damn russ, third time today you’ve posted that the Cavs are on pace to win 35…you must be impressed by that stat/fact. And does Fred Jones do anything? He’s so indifferent on the court.
Dec.20 at 2:19 pm
Jared says:
What credit does he deserve Allen? What success? A game?
Dec.20 at 2:50 pm
Ryan Jones says:
I told you this was gonna happen, Russ.
Dec.20 at 3:18 pm
Allenp says:
Jared, if it’s a big deal when he loses (e.g. “Shame Notes”) then why wouldn’t it be a big deal when he wins big against a team that appeared in the Finals last year? Personally, I think neither a big win or a big loss are a massive deal and a cause for consternation, but I would appreciate big wins being treated with the same fanfair is big losses. But, that’s only my opinion, it’s in the minority in most places.
Dec.20 at 3:23 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
Given that the big losses (especially the “Shame Notes” one) were part of a bigger string of big losses, and the blowout win is (as of right now) an anomaly, I believe that I’ve been more than fair. Obviously, you may feel free to disagree.
Dec.20 at 3:57 pm
t.dot dude says:
omg
Dec.20 at 4:04 pm
Larry says:
save all the words for when kobe bryant slices through that knicks “defense” for sunday’s high noon tilt…
Dec.20 at 4:19 pm
The Cool says:
Yeah I’ve seen LeBron play in person and let me tell he is A BEAST, HE IS A DOG. The guy is built like a Rhino but with the speed of a gazelle. It is unreal to see a player with that type of skill and body type. The way the Cavs are playing right now, they will have a chance to snag a Derrick rose, Micheal Beasley, or DeAndre Jordan in the next draft. Kobe will be Player of the weekend when he goes to MSG. I guarantee 65 points. believe dat. play wit it.
Dec.20 at 4:43 pm
Harlem_World says:
I guess Isiah paid attention to the rally outside. Fire the bum. Play Lee and 50 more minutes. Don’t let Q EVER make any type of gestures until he can string more than one game out of 10 together. Message to Steph: we all send condolences and pray your father rests in peace - but you’re being paid EXTREMELY above your talent level to do a job. We all lose loved ones, but have to pick ourselves up and go back to work. When do you plan on doing that?
Dec.20 at 4:45 pm
deestarbuckz says:
It’s a sad sad day for me…
The joy of watching how good ‘Bron ‘Bron is gets taken away by how bad the team can be. And I don’t know what relief there is in sight! It’s like constantly watching them regress… The team, not LeBron. No changes to the roster, no change in philosophy (defense or offense). No one seems to get better year to year outside of LeBron. Larry is just miserable to watch… it hurts!
Dec.20 at 4:56 pm
Ben Osborne says:
Good stuff, Russ. I jotted a few notes, too, in my time at the Garden last night. If I may…
-Devin Brown wears New Balances with “DB33″ stitched into them. I love this.
-David Lee balled the whole game. He’s got very quick hops.
-I think Jamal Crawford thought the old And 1 mixtape film crew was in the building; dude was putting extra extra sauce on his moves.
-The Daily News was trying a little too hard to make news last night; they had put the “Fire Isiah” pull-out posters in yesterday’s paper, which was cool. But then they had a reporter in the stands who would go interview people who held up the signs. Not exactly “organic” news gathering.
Dec.20 at 4:59 pm
Harlem_World says:
I’m surprised they let Russ in the building
Dec.20 at 5:07 pm
riggs says:
im surprised they let isiah…
Dec.20 at 5:16 pm
Elyse says:
If Kobe does get 65 he will have scored his 20,000 point against the Knicks. That seems appropriate.
Dec.20 at 5:19 pm
Jake Appleman says:
Harlem_World, you have to realize that Russ is the building.
Dec.20 at 5:26 pm
Cub Buenning says:
Jake, are you ready to retract certain “early season” statements/predictions?
Dec.20 at 5:39 pm
Russ Bengtson says:
I remember when Jake used to go to games.
Dec.20 at 5:52 pm
Sam Rubenstein says:
the daily news tried that thing with the handout. The Post went with this story title: http://www.nypost.com/seven/12202007/news/regionalnews/knick_____hits_the_fans_996612.htm
Dec.20 at 6:16 pm
Jukai says:
I’m telling myself everyday that the Cavs are tanking on purpose so they can get Eric Gordon in the draft. Everyday.
Dec.20 at 7:01 pm
Myles Brown says:
In case anyone cares, that was a definite bump at the 13 sec mark. But its not Kobe, so no one cares. Props to SOMM for the story and the link.
http://dwil.wordpress.com/2007/12/20/lebron-james-and-the-bump/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-isWejT9jCw
Dec.20 at 7:12 pm
deestarbuckz says:
In a perfect world Jukai!
Dec.21 at 12:03 am
Ben Osborne says:
Also, Khalid and I were sitting with a guy who said Mardy Collins looks like Torry Holt, which we thought was pretty good.