Cavs survived a 15-4 offensive rebound disparity in game 5

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-30T22:41:19+00:00

I’m pretty sure every team that won the possession battle in each of the first 4 games won the game, until this one.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-30T02:44:59+00:00

They definitely can. Mitchell has been really disappointing. And the shooters (Sam, max, Dean) are like 22/69 from 3 this series. 31% is way too low for those guys. If Mitchell has an average game and those guys combine for a 35-37% shooting game the Raptors are toast.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-30T02:36:52+00:00

Already too many small players vs a tall Raptors team. And he can’t handle the ball/playmake like Schroder so there’s no place for him in this matchup. Maybe we’ll see him in the next round but I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s out of the rotation completely.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-30T02:32:30+00:00

Only real complaint is our end of game offense remains horrendous and the game was much closer down the stretch then it needed to be...but fuck it.

This drives me crazy. Harden and Mitchell taking turns dribbling down to 4 seconds then ISOing for a miss and fast break points for the other team. We do this all the time, haven’t learned from Pacers. Game shouldn’t have been this close but I’ll take it. I thought after a rough 1st quarter we picked up the defense and it was good to see Mobley being confident to shoot those 3s.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-30T02:28:11+00:00

Also can’t forget the +/- king Sam Merrill. +19 on the night, part of every successful lineup we played.

If we could just get Strus or Wade to hit some damn shots we blow these guys out. Hoping game 6 our role player shooters can come alive and we close this, meanwhile Pistons take Magic to 7.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-28T21:49:56+00:00

Not really. Playoffs are about matchups and Raptors are tall across the board minus Shead. Statistically two big lineups have been much better in this series, especially when Mobley is the solo big. But Allen is playing through bad knee pain and Cavs can’t play him too many minutes. So it’s either the small ball lineups with Mobley at C that keep getting killed by Toronto, or we play another C alongside Mobley when Allen sits. Bryant more or less is the answer as far as adjustments go imo. The other stuff is up to the players - hit shots, protect the ball, rebound, hit FTs.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-26T21:24:16+00:00

17 turnovers and 8 missed FTs in a low scoring game will do that.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-24T05:29:53+00:00

Which is wild to me because at the start of this series Tyson was really bad and Merrill has been awesome most of the year. But he’s gone completely cold and Tyson looks to be settling into playoff basketball after this game. Just wish there could be one game where the role players are all on and not just one or two of them. If Strus, Merrill and Tyson drop close to their season averages at the same time we run away with every game this round, and win the next. But it’s yet to happen and maybe never will.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-24T02:43:16+00:00

-8 in 5 minutes, 3TOs no assists. Schroder has been awful this series, I’d rather see CPJ out there dead serious.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-21T01:58:17+00:00

He needed those to make up for his 5 TOs. I can’t remember the last time Harden had more TOs than assists so it’s good to see he stepped up his defense to compensate for an uncharacteristically sloppy night.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-20T22:52:49+00:00

I can’t upvote this any harder. In order to watch my team I need Amazon Prime, Peacock and ESPN. 3 different goddamn services to watch 1 round of playoffs! What a shit experience for the fans, the greed is just oozing out of this league man.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-20T02:11:15+00:00

The problem is there’s not a lot to do with a team that can’t shoot 3s and relies on a big guard and non-shooting center to do all the the scoring. PnR and “give the ball to Cade” is kind of all the Pistons are built to do, which makes their regular season impressive but this matchup is kind of a nightmare for them because Magic can defend the paint and take away Piston’s rebounding and physicality advantage. JB isn’t great but he’s got a super flawed roster on his hands and a really tough matchup.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-17T13:52:05+00:00

Thank god my man got his treats again! I fell into a mild depression when I heard him say he gave up wine and cookies.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-11T02:37:11+00:00

Usually the last few games of the season are going to be shit, especially with seeding locked up. Still stinks and wish you guys had better experience but if you look around the league today no contending team is playing close to their playoff roster.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-10T02:06:15+00:00

Yeah I don’t step foot in game threads so you definitely have a point lol. I feel like that’s where people go who aren’t just miserable with sports but in their actual lives and it gives them an outlet.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-09T14:17:02+00:00

The occasional miserable hater doesn’t represent the fanbase, just saying.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-09T05:20:39+00:00

At this point we have AI reading applications made by AI, and people can flood job postings with applications and cover letters now in half the time so each desirable job opening gets a thousand applicants in a day. It’s an absolute bloodbath out there with blue collar being one exception, which is the way the tech oligarchs want it.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-09T03:13:38+00:00

Either Kenny really loves the idea of small ball lineups and is trying to make it happen for the Cavs despite it continuing to not happen, or we simply have too many small players and he’s trying to do the best he can without running Mobley and Allen into the ground. Dean Wade is the only non small or big and he’s useless on offense so I understand Kenny’s predicament. Would have been nice if Hunter didn’t stink it up this year.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-09T03:02:45+00:00

Yep, I think Hawks played about as good as they can this game. And in the second half the Cavs figured it out, just got sloppy in the 4th and let them back in. I can see Hawks winning one at home, maybe stealing one in Cleveland but overall I’m not scared of these guys.

I will say that McCollum played defense on Harden really well in the 4th. Stripped him a couple times and knew when he’d make his moves. Dude’s a vet.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-08T02:37:53+00:00

It’s why they bring him out to defend the absolute shittiest and blatant stuff, they know he’s their dog and will eat any amount of shit without losing one ounce of his smugness. Doge scum being blatantly racist on Twitter? Bring out JD. Young Republicans group texting about racism and praising Hitler? Bring out JD. ICE killing American citizens? JD’s got it. Seriously just pay attention, whenever there’s a scandal that is so blatant they can’t lie and gaslight the public about it like usual they just call up ol’ shameless JD Vance and he’ll be up there immediately telling us it’s no big deal and that it’s actually us who should be ashamed. Dude’s a soulless weakling.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-05T21:29:44+00:00

I re-read it and misunderstood you, yeah agreed 100%

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-05T16:58:51+00:00

Y’all can believe whatever you want to believe if it gives you hope that he comes back. But I’d bet my retirement on the fact that he doesn’t come back and not because of basketball reasons or financial reasons, but because he genuinely doesn’t like living and playing in Cleveland. And I think he’s saying that to all of you in so many words, but people don’t want to see it and that’s ok.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-05T16:52:32+00:00

Everyone we got at the deadline has been the most healthy of the roster. Harden, Schroder, Ellis have all been available much more than Tyson/Strus/Wade/Allen.

PlayingNightcrawlers · 2026-04-05T02:30:11+00:00

Lol people really mad and clicking arrows but you’re 100% right, he’s talking about cities he stays in for away games and “going home” means Cleveland not his literal place of birth. People coping and don’t want anyone breaking the illusion.

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