CLEVELAND, Ohio — On this episode of the Wine and Gold Discuss podcast, Ethan Sands, Ashley Bastock, and Jimmy Watkins talk about the Cavs’ historic season, clinching the No. 1 seed within the Jap Convention.
Takeaways:
- The Cavs have remodeled from 48 wins final yr to 63 this season.
- Kenny Atkinson’s teaching has been pivotal for the workforce’s success.
- The significance of 3-point taking pictures can’t be overstated for the Cavs.
- Dwelling courtroom benefit is essential, particularly in Sport 7 conditions.
- Well being administration is the highest precedence because the playoffs method.
- Darius Garland’s efficiency is vital to the workforce’s playoff success.
- The Cavs’ offensive progress is a results of inside improvement and training.
- Ty Jerome has emerged as a major contributor this season.
- The workforce’s capability to adapt and be taught from previous playoff experiences is significant.
- Cavs followers can have fun their achievements however should stay cautious concerning the playoffs.
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Learn the automated transcript of right this moment’s podcast beneath. As a result of it’s a computer-generated transcript, it might comprise errors and misspellings.
Ethan Sands
What up Cavs Nation, I’m your host, Ethan Sands, and I’m again with one other episode of the Wine and Gold Discuss Podcast. And becoming a member of me right this moment, Ashley Bastock, Jimmy Watkins, and we’re coming to you guys after the Cavs clinched the primary seed within the Jap Convention and locked up dwelling courtroom benefit all through the East playoffs after defeating the Chicago Bulls 135-113 in a matchup that might preview the primary spherical of the playoffs for the Cleveland Cavaliers if the Chicago Bulls do get by way of the play-in match. However I wish to begin and deal with the Cavs. Let’s go full circle for just a little bit. This Cavs workforce was 48 wins final yr. The expectation was for them to be just a little bit round there. Now they’ve 63 wins, 16 losses. This can be a workforce that
is a title contender by way of and thru, even from the person that acquired his job this summer time coming from the man that stated he had excessive expectations for this workforce, had the understanding of the roster, expertise, and the caliber of the gamers that he set to work with, however he, Kenny Atkinson, didn’t see this coming, and it’s one thing that we’ve talked about at size as a result of we knew that this workforce could possibly be good.
We knew this workforce might go just a little bit additional than final yr with the offensive modifications, the re-imagination of the id of this workforce. However Jimmy, we talked about this lots earlier than the season began. I don’t suppose anyone noticed this, even when the gamers say that they’d excessive expectations for themselves.
Jimmy Watkins (01:49.159)
It’s only a large piece of validation for the complete group as a result of that is after they determined to run it again. I feel that was greeted with a bunch of skepticism throughout the fan base, throughout the media house. know we on this podcast had questions on how a lot of that was actually Kobe betting.
on the interior improvement and Kenny Atkinson and the way a lot of it was didn’t just like the sniffs I acquired within the commerce market on your Jared Allen, your Darius Garland, et cetera. And I imply, it’s attainable that that’s nonetheless influenced this, clearly with out query, has been, Kobe’s been confirmed unequivocally appropriate in small tweaks from a schematic perspective being the fitting transfer. I I wrote earlier right this moment that
This man deserves govt of the yr for making no strikes, basically. imply, the De’Andre Hunter commerce has labored out properly. You get a pleasant participant. You additionally get underneath the luxurious tax. That’s a nifty piece of enterprise whereas sacrificing minimal draft capital, swaps on swaps. That’s a small value to pay, however they’re not within the place to make the De’Andre Hunter commerce if all of their inside bets don’t repay. I feel that’s a win for…
Kenny as properly, as a result of every bit of his imaginative and prescient that he shared when he first acquired employed has come true. I imply, negotiating with Donovan Mitchell to take a smaller function, that’s a troublesome factor to do. It labored instantly, which helps, nevertheless it labored instantly, which suggests you’re onto one thing. The Evan Mobley Venture, 5 stars, 10 out of 10.
Kenny jokes within the publish sport strain tonight that it seems like typically Evan is their finest shooter. His leap as a 3 level shooter. suppose it was Mikey McNuggets who put in a publish sport that Evan has 13 video games of three level, yeah, 13 video games with three three pointers made or extra. That’s a mouthful gun, try to say that one at dwelling a number of instances. This season, earlier, earlier than this yr, I feel he had three in his profession.
Jimmy Watkins (04:16.105)
It’s only a large bounce and we’ve talked about {that a} ton. as an aggressor, Evan as an initiator, Evan’s physique. Once more, every bit of his sport has taken a large step ahead. Darius Garland, reclamation season. And we’ve hit some, we’ve had a tough skid right here late within the yr, however he acquired again to all-star standing. I feel he could even nonetheless have a case for third workforce all NBA, however.
At his peak, he was definitely in that dialog. And naturally, Jared Allen, the man that most likely above all else, everybody was dashing out of city. Nonetheless as regular as ever. Nonetheless proved. imply, the Evan improvement is an enormous piece of this, however we had been we had been asking over the summer time, can Evan develop the best way that you really want him develop if he’s taking part in subsequent to Jared? The reply in all capital letters. Sure. Sure, you dummies, as a result of.
Kobe made the fitting teaching rent, Kenny made the fitting teaching tweaks, and all of the gamers round these guys have made the requisite sacrifices to filter out for all these things to occur. And it has resulted in among the best tales within the NBA.
Ethan Sands (05:30.78)
I wish to ask you from afar as a result of clearly you watch the video games while you’re at dwelling in the course of the Brown season and also you’re sort of attending to see this workforce from a broader perspective while you speak and take into consideration this workforce and the way they’ve sort of grown into what they’ve change into I Know you’ve coated this workforce for a few years
Did you ever suppose we had been gonna get again to this after the ashes of the Lebron period and the way this workforce has developed into a real title contender and among the best within the Jap Convention and after tonight, the primary workforce within the East?
Ashley (06:06.636)
Yeah, I didn’t. And I imply, I don’t suppose that’s loopy to say as a result of Kenny Atkinson right this moment even talked about how he thinks that is like like this simply feels completely different for him by way of having a workforce that legitimately has an opportunity to win a title. imply, I feel that that’s large. These Brooklyn groups he was a coach of like had excessive expectations. Clearly, they they type of underperformed and he stepped down and.
Then he was with Steve Kerr for a number of years, proper? Like he was with Ty Lue for one yr with the Clippers. We all know all that. For him to say this feels completely different, suppose, is an acknowledgement of these issues. And I feel, primary, it was like total the turnaround post-LeBron occurred lots faster than most individuals anticipated, proper? As a result of the 4 years from LeBron’s first period to LeBron 2.0 in Cleveland.
issues had been abysmal and he or she was the lacking piece that allowed a man like Kyrie Irving after which clearly you Kevin Like to flourish. After which we now have the 4 nice years after which he’s gone and I feel everybody simply assumes, properly, you haven’t executed it with out LeBron earlier than, so why is it gonna be any completely different now? And I feel even final yr, seeing they win a sequence, proper, however they nonetheless can’t recover from that hump.
and make an prolonged playoff run. So properly, on the identical time, I’m like, don’t suppose I got here into this yr anticipating them to get the one seed, anticipated them to be a playoff workforce. However nonetheless, for me, wanting forward, the largest query is, OK, now’s that going to be sufficient to make that prolonged run? And we had been speaking about that in the course of the sport, Ethan, like that’s simply the wild card with this workforce nonetheless. And it’s I’ve stated this earlier than on this podcast, it’s the unanswerable query that
We’re merely not going to know till they’re in that scenario.
Ethan Sands (08:04.374)
And truly, suppose that’s a terrific segue into the breakdown of tonight’s sport as a result of I felt like tonight was a terrific indication of the 2 sides of the Cleveland Cavaliers, proper? They are often sluggish to begin the sport. They’ll enable groups that shouldn’t be in conversations with them to be in these conversations. The Chicago Bulls, there’s no approach this Chicago Bulls workforce that had their C workforce.
Principally, you may have guys like Kobe White, Lonzo Ball, Josh Giddy, all on the bench, all on the sidelines. And like now you’re telling me that after the primary quarter, it’s a one level sport, it’s 25 to 24. Positive, it’s simply 12 minutes into the sport, however your foot ought to have already got been down their throat. Apologies, none. Like I feel you then acquired to see within the second quarter the place this workforce simply turned or reminded themselves who they’re, proper? They’d 10 threes within the second quarter alone.
After which once more, within the third quarter, we’ve talked about this all season. The third quarter has been the Achilles heel of this Cavs workforce, proper? They allowed the Chicago Bulls to convey it again inside single digits and a number of completely different instances as contest. After which once more, within the fourth quarter, they ended up dropping 9 threes within the fourth quarter alone. So 19 threes in two quarters, after which simply six within the first.
in third quarters respectively. I don’t wish to say that they reside and die by the three, however I’m saying that they reside and die by the three. And that’s one thing that they’re going to should lean on once we get into the playoffs, particularly as a result of we all know that they will, we’ve seen it, we’ve seen it up to now couple of weeks. They want their three level shot to be there, particularly in opposition to these higher tier groups. And naturally right this moment, although they’d six threes in over two quarters, which isn’t sufficient,
They made 25 complete due to the 19 over two completely different quarters, proper? In order that signifies that they’d, they tied for the second most threes in a single sport in workforce historical past. So think about if they really play to the usual that they’re alleged to be at for 48 minutes in opposition to a workforce that shouldn’t be within the conversations with them. One other stat that I feel is necessary to notice due to the offensive progress of this workforce,
Ethan Sands (10:21.994)
primarily as a consequence of Kenny Atkinson and in addition the expansion of Darius Garland and Evan Mobley who we’ll get into just a little bit later. Tonight was the Cavs franchise document twentieth sport with 130 or extra factors this season. The earlier workforce document for 130 or extra factors in a single season was simply 5. Guys they quadrupled what their authentic document was coming into this season and naturally that’s an enormous quantity however I don’t suppose I feel it
precisely identifies how this workforce has grown. it’s humorous to me to suppose that this workforce nonetheless considers themselves to be a defensive id first workforce. And it is smart in components as a result of you too can look to the opposite aspect and the way they pressured 20 turnovers by the Chicago Bulls who didn’t actually have a real facilitator and contributor on the offensive finish tonight. Jimmy, once we speak concerning the offensive progress of this workforce, once we speak concerning the three pointers,
And I’m gonna let Ashley get into this as properly, as a result of I do know she’s writing for it for the morning. How necessary is the three ball to you?
Jimmy Watkins (11:29.391)
It’s the foreign money of offense in our sport, frankly. We’ve we’ve stated, suppose we’ve stated this earlier than. Principally it’s not, it’s not, you understand, go up there and shoot 53s and you’ve got a great offense. But when your offense is of course producing a whole lot of three pointers, that often means you may have a reasonably good offense. That is often linked to how, the way you, how.
typically you’re in a position to get into the paint, how typically you’re in a position to put defenses in rotation and make them, and make them scramble. So Kenny, Kenny’s made that an emphasis and the, simply acquired to consider the place this offense was round this time final yr. imply, at sure factors of final yr, JB had this workforce taking pictures extra threes and taking part in tempo, pacing house, however
It was, it was just a little bit completely different. There was just a little bit completely different. They’ve been simply not everybody felt as concerned. And the second we acquired to the playoffs, the offense cratered. And I simply don’t suppose that we don’t have, I simply don’t have that feeling concerning the, concerning the offense this yr. I’m simply not that apprehensive about it. And I do suppose that we will speak about, we’ll speak about this as we get nearer to the playoffs. You have a look at a few of the splits from the Cavs.
Um, since new years, they began so scorching from three unsustainably scorching from three, a few of the splits from, from new years, they’ve come again to earth just a little bit. And I’m wondering, and I requested this to our subtext was the opposite day, I’m wondering what occurs within the playoffs with the Cavs offense. In the event that they’re nearer to a high 10 ish three level taking pictures workforce, then they’re the very best three level taking pictures workforce within the league or a high three factors, high three three level taking pictures workforce within the league as they’ve been.
for a lot of the yr, however the thought is although their percentages have dipped during the last couple of months, they’re nonetheless producing about 42 makes an attempt a sport. They’re nonetheless making about 14, 15 makes an attempt per sport. That’s even once more, even when the chances dip just a little bit, that’s nonetheless two hallmarks of a wholesome offense. And it simply once more, speaks to the job that Kenny has executed.
Jimmy Watkins (13:53.641)
empowering guys to shoot. imply, one, two, three, 4, 5, six completely different guys made three threes tonight. Now the bulls suck, significantly on protection. weren’t solely are the bulls dangerous to start with, however they had been shorthanded tonight. So we acquired to take some of these things with a grain of salt, however 25 threes is 25 threes, brother. Getting 50 up is getting 50 up.
As you understand, the glass have full caps and is likely to be yelling into their telephones proper now. Nicely, is the development to the imply, proper? Okay, they’ve been slumping for a short while right here. Possibly it is a large Cavalanche approaching the opposite finish. It’s simply how safe I really feel of their offense heading into this postseason after how dangerous it regarded for components of the final two. Such a large distinction.
Ethan Sands (14:55.396)
I do know you’re writing about this for the morning concerning the three level shot and the way necessary it’s. I wrote about how if the three level shot isn’t there for the Cavs, it is a very completely different dialog on the subject of the playoffs. It’s once more, reside and die by it, and particularly with how the protection has performed and we wish to see that ramp up within the playoffs. However I actually do actually suppose that this offense is what’s going to assist them get to the following stage and push additional than the Jap Convention semi-finals, which
Clearly is the primary purpose of this workforce. The place do you stand on this? The three level taking pictures in tonight’s sport after which as a complete, particularly as we go into the playoffs.
Ashley (15:34.59)
Yeah, I imply with a sport like tonight, I feel and I do know Ethan you’re gonna go down this street most likely sooner or later this week, however Tonight for me Darius going six of ten is absolutely like the important thing right here And I feel we’ve been in the previous few weeks the place Darius has struggled for no matter cause clearly tonight, they don’t have Donovan and Jimmy did you say right this moment is finest sport in how lengthy factors smart 28 factors on
Jimmy Watkins (16:03.685)
It’s his finest sport in like a month. He had a 30 level sport in early March, I consider.
Ashley (16:04.174)
10 of 17 taking pictures. Yeah, that’s what I assumed. Yeah. Yeah. So finest sport since early March, we’re in early April. We’re virtually in mid April, truly. So I feel to me, that’s that’s an enormous a part of this, proper? When Darius is on, then it’s good for them as a 3 level taking pictures workforce. And so they have a number of everybody else who did rather well tonight. Did at the least three threes. I imply, while you’re having Evan Mobley get entangled like that to
That’s enormous. I do exactly nonetheless to not be the lady who cried wolf. Like that is simply the character of being a workforce that’s taking the fourth most threes. They’re taking the fourth most threes proper now coming into tonight. They’re making the second most threes behind Boston. Boston leads each of these classes clearly. And I feel once more in a playoff sequence you simply fear you don’t need them to go chilly
on the flawed time. That’s at all times going to, I feel, be a danger. And we all know after they do go pull Ethan, I do know you had this stat in your story the opposite day. It hasn’t modified since they made 50 % of their threes tonight. However these video games the place they’re beneath 32%, there’s seven and eight. There’s 15 of them. There’s seven and eight. And their 4 worst performances have all come since mid-March.
And people are all like within the 20 p.c. So that you don’t need them to be rolling into the top of April and into Might taking pictures like that. So hopefully right this moment assist them discover one thing they talked about. Couldn’t actually get specifics out of anyone on this, however they modified a few of the methods they’re taking pictures at shoot round. Clearly, we all know this workforce doesn’t apply lots. It’s very completely different from how JB was working issues the final couple of years and simply the best way their schedule is laid out. So like the way you repair it.
I don’t actually know. sort of good now should guess in your finest gamers are going to make photographs when the time counts, when it’s a seven sport sequence, when it’s a win or go dwelling scenario. It’s a part of the rationale I feel why dwelling courtroom and this workforce securing the one seed within the East is so necessary as a result of any little bit goes to assist with that. However once more, it sort of simply all goes again to unknown, unknown entity proper now by way of what this workforce goes to do with its three level proportion.
Ashley (18:30.635)
as soon as they hit the playoffs, however clearly they’re taking so a lot of them, it must be a web constructive for them. In any other case, it’s going to be a adverse.
Ethan Sands (18:40.332)
Particularly while you have a look at how these groups are going to defend them within the playoffs, they’re going to try to run them off the road, proper? They’re going to strive them and run them out of the three level photographs as a result of they know the way deadly that’s. So while you do have the chance to place them up in these playoffs sequence, they gotta go down or it’s going to be a adverse as Ashley was declaring. And only one extra level earlier than I get into the following part, which Ashley sort of alluded to, Darius hit six threes tonight, proper?
He had a sport excessive 28 factors. That is Darius’ 4th sport with 6 or extra 3s this season. He has 211 made 3-pointers this season, which is the third most in a single season in Cavs franchise historical past. So once more, we’ve seen the drop off from Darius during the last month, however we additionally should be very cognizant of how good he’s been, and him and Kenny Atkinson each admitted tonight that
He wanted this sort of sport to simply see the ball undergo the basket. And Darius even admitted that he had been BSing during the last couple of video games, not getting his photographs the place he wished them or simply not even getting them to fall. So I feel that’s actually necessary for Darius, his confidence and clearly the overlooking of this workforce, as a result of I feel the 2 largest gamers on the subject of the playoffs are going to be Darius Garland and Evan Mobley in figuring out whether or not they get the place they wanna go. However Jimmy.
I do know you may have an article popping out tomorrow about how necessary dwelling courtroom benefit is for the Cleveland Cavaliers, particularly as we have a look at the playoffs and all these items. We’ve seen the Cavs, the Cavs have gotten the primary seed within the Jap Convention simply 4 instances, proper? That is the fourth time in franchise historical past that they’ve been ready to do this.
How necessary is dwelling courtroom benefit, which you’ve seen not solely within the NBA, but additionally within the NFL and all these items. I really feel prefer it’s simply one thing that they essentially didn’t plan to get. However now that they’re right here, I imply, you possibly can solely hope that it’s gonna be a major constructive for them.
Jimmy Watkins (21:00.937)
I imply, I feel usually, it’s good to have a loud crowd in your aspect and sleep in your individual mattress, get your routine, all that. I feel I used to be wanting this up, I feel typically dwelling groups win like 54-ish p.c of the video games within the playoffs, which is nearly a negligible distinction, proper? The distinction to me is available in while you go deeper right into a sequence. Sport seven, dwelling groups in sport seven.
are 109 and 33 all time within the NBA. That’s a couple of 77 % win proportion. That’s higher than Jared Allen’s league main area purpose proportion. That’s higher for the Browns followers amongst us. That’s higher than Chador Sanders nation main completion proportion with all these bubble screens they had been throwing down in Boulder, Colorado final yr. It’s a extremely good hit fee. And I used to be speaking to Tristan Thompson at his locker about this after.
After the sport, we had been speaking about final yr in Orlando and also you the Cavs are getting completely smoked within the first half of that sport. They’re down like 20 and a half and, and I convey the sub at Tristan’s and he cuts me off. goes, yeah, there’s no approach we come again in that sport if we’re on the street. However it’s simply simpler to swing momentum when the group’s in your aspect. And he was mainly saying that for those who’re taking part in at dwelling in a type of video games.
and also you’re behind, it by no means feels such as you’re out of it. And for those who’re forward, that further power, that further kick drains groups faster. It’s sort of, it’s an actual anecdotal factor. have this document, this quantity that tells you that it’s a extremely good factor to have sport seven. Now a part of that’s the increased seed, it at all times has sport seven at dwelling. In order that’s a part of it too. However these are sequence that to that time within the sequence have gone forwards and backwards.
time and again. And 77 % of the time, the house workforce wins it. It’s simply these, these supreme strain, excessive pressure moments appears to be the place these, the group and the power actually, actually kicks in for the, for the workforce that has it behind.
Ethan Sands (23:23.192)
I imply, simply experiencing the sport seven final yr, clearly I feel all people can agree that there was, for followers, I can think about, and for the complete group, till they made that run, there’s like this pit of their abdomen as a result of Jimmy, as we talked about on the finish of final season, in the event that they lose sport seven, Kobe Altman may not be in govt of yr conversations as a result of he may not have had the selection.
to maintain guys round. It will have simply been an enormous explosion with folks getting tossed each which approach due to conversations they’d have been having after that sport, after that sequence. Not simply J.B. Bickerstaff, in fact. However I simply suppose the house courtroom benefit does a lot for this workforce particularly due to their dwelling document, due to how they’ve held themselves accountable. After which additionally simply as you had been mentioning, Jimmy, they gained
each sport in that first sequence at dwelling. Neither workforce gained a sport on the opposite workforce’s courtroom final yr in that first spherical. Clearly, the Cavs successful acquired a win in Boston within the second spherical within the Jap Convention semifinals. That was their solely win of the sequence. So it is determined by the matchup. However I do suppose it’s an necessary wrinkle to have a look at on the subject of this workforce and the way they simply feed off the sixth man, which is the Rock and Area crowd.
However truly, as we proceed to have a look at how this workforce goes to maneuver ahead, now that they’ve locked up the primary seed, this Cavs workforce has prioritized well being all season lengthy. However now it’s actually like these final three video games don’t matter in any respect, aside from guys like Ty Jerome and Deandre Hunter, who’re attempting to build up specific amount of minutes, specific amount of video games to be within the six man of the yr and most improved conversations.
However Kenny Atkinson alluded to the potential for resting guys like Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley, clearly not Jared Allen, perhaps he does the I’m a begin however I’ll play half the sport scenario as we’ve seen earlier, as a result of they perceive that the rationale that they felt they may not get additional or previous the Boston Celtics final yr is as a result of they weren’t wholesome. How necessary is well being to this workforce, one, and two,
Ethan Sands (25:48.482)
How do you’re feeling about them managing minutes with a few of their core guys, their star gamers, and even some that they simply listed as banged up and bruised to make sure that they’re gonna be prepared? As a result of there’s this discrepancy between, do you relaxation and be just a little bit doubtlessly rusty after having two weeks off? Or do you proceed to play and get right into a rhythm and see how that helps you?
Ashley (26:11.95)
Well being to me is crucial factor. It’s extra necessary than dwelling courtroom benefit. It’s extra necessary than what seed you might be. It’s the end-all be-all of any workforce seeking to make a postseason run. And fairly actually, on Sunday night time when Donovan Mitchell is down writhing in ache on the ground, that ought to have been the reminder
to each single one who cares about what this workforce does, who covers this workforce, who’s a fan, who’s within the entrance workplace, who’s on the roster. That’s the warning flashing pink lights about simply how necessary that is. So I get the stability. However crucial factor to me is ensuring everybody comes out of those subsequent three video games unscathed. On Monday morning,
You can’t have one of many core 4 members of this workforce in query. I feel no matter you bought to do to make sure that occurs, nice. Look, get it. Allen actually needs to play in all 82 video games. Play him in as little of these video games as attainable going ahead as a result of they don’t actually matter at this level. All that issues is these guys are going to be wholesome. Such as you stated, once we requested Kenny Atkinson about this, you understand,
It definitely appears like it’s his choice now. He stated it, that Donovan Mitchell doesn’t play, however they’re going to have the discussions with these guys. And he introduced as much as put you to all these research now that say, like, elite athletes like these guys, it takes two full weeks of being out of one thing to get out of practice. I actually suppose they’re going to be superb. I feel they’ve performed sufficient collectively. I don’t suppose it’s important to be apprehensive about, properly, what if there’s 14 days? Like, that’s actually not that lengthy to them.
It’s not like they’re not going to be doing something. They’re going to have a while to catch their breath right here just a little bit. I truly suppose that’s perhaps extra necessary at this stage of an NBA season than ensuring they’re not rusty. Like I feel it’d be actually onerous to get rusty at this level. The well being to me is at the beginning. So I hope we don’t see a whole lot of these core guys over the following couple of days right here arising.
Jimmy Watkins (28:34.301)
Additionally, for those who’re going to get rusty after 10 days or 11 days, wouldn’t you get rusty after seven? The rhythm dialog, you may have every week off regardless. So I feel that that’s sort of a moot level. would additionally simply to Ashley’s level, I’ve been wanting stuff up on this and doing a little reporting on how Kenny has managed minutes and the way that’s type of an evolution from years previous.
There’s a saying that goes across the league that it’s not the very best workforce that wins, it’s the healthiest. for example that I regarded up the, how do I, Spotrak has this factor that measures the price of video games misplaced basically. It’s a greenback determine positioned on accidents. Principally, if in case you have an costly participant, we expect that’s a greater participant. We weight these.
heavier and so they rank the groups yearly based mostly on most costly video games misplaced to least costly video games misplaced. And basically on the final 9 champions, we solely have three groups who’ve even been within the high half of the league, three champions who’ve even been within the high half of the league in video games misplaced, cash video games misplaced. I don’t know what they name it in Spodek, I don’t have it pulled it up proper now, nevertheless it’s on this.
I’ve the rankings on this phrase doc. Two of them are the Warriors. One is likely one of the Kevin Durant groups. So throwing that out as a result of they had been unfair. The opposite Warriors workforce was ranked so excessive as a result of it was the yr that Klay Thompson missed half the yr. And he’s clearly a really costly participant, however he was wholesome by playoff time. Everybody else is like 18th or decrease on this record, which simply goes to indicate you want that doesn’t, this doesn’t imply.
This can be a common season stat. So this doesn’t imply that every one these groups had been essentially as wholesome as they may probably be within the playoffs. It simply goes to indicate you that for those who’re, doesn’t, what I ought to say is it doesn’t exempt you from one thing going flawed within the playoffs for somebody turning an ankle or dangerous luck taking place, proper? However it’s simply the concept of for those who’re pondering this fashion over the course of 82 video games, you’re setting your self up for long run success at shoot round earlier right this moment.
Jimmy Watkins (30:56.137)
I used to be asking Darius Garland about, I imply, it’s onerous for him to speak about accidents from final yr and never speaking concerning the acute stuff, however he was saying from a bumps and bruises, nicks and cuts perspective, he can inform there’s a lot much less put on and tear on his physique this yr. Don Mitchell is taking part in extra video games this yr. He’s going to play extra video games this yr than he has performed in like six years. And he’s usually been a reasonably sturdy man.
as it’s, this isn’t an accident. This complete philosophy that Kenny’s Institute are high down, Donovan leads the workforce in minutes and it’s like 31.4. Once more, as we noticed on Sunday, that doesn’t cease you from having a nasty ankle flip, however what the science kicks again to you is that just like the comfortable tissue lingering sort of pulls and
and small tears that may perhaps not finish your season, however damage a season as a result of it lingers. That stuff is controllable to some extent. course, the whole lot with accidents just a little bit associated to luck, however you may have some energy over that and the Cavs are exerting energy over it. And everybody, Darius actually, as he acquired off the chair right this moment at shoot round, he knocked on the courtroom, knock on wooden as a result of athletes are so superstitious once we’re speaking accidents.
So everybody once more, as I’ve stated a few instances within the pod, knock on wooden collectively that this retains up, however the Cavs are doing the fitting issues. And the groups, you’re, right here’s a Venn diagram for you. Groups that win 60 video games, groups that keep wholesome, you discover a whole lot of deep playoff, a whole lot of deep playoff runs in that Venn diagram.
Ethan Sands (32:48.204)
I feel that’s a great level. And I feel the Cavs proceed to sort of separate themselves from narratives that they’ve had about them coming into the season. Clearly LeBron James period, as a result of it’s the primary time that they’ve had primary seed within the East with out LeBron James. I simply suppose once we have a look at this workforce, once we have a look at this season, it’s completely different. It’s modified. There’s so many alternative issues that we will level to.
And clearly we weren’t that apprehensive. The workforce wasn’t that apprehensive concerning the March stretch, the 4 sport shedding streak, all these items. However there have been instances, and I feel it’s legitimate to even level to Kenny Atkinson being like, the Sacramento Kings loss sort of slapped us within the face. Like, hey, that is actual. Like there are groups out right here which can be studying what we’re good at, studying what we’re not good at, and so they’re going to assault us. This isn’t.
The Orlando Magic, the Indiana Pacers, the Chicago Bulls and the playoffs. All the pieces will get ramped up. All the pieces will get put to a distinct degree. And once more, I agree with Ashley. Like we now have to maintain ready to see the way it truly pans out as a result of they haven’t executed something but. tonight, as Katie Ekinson says, Cavs followers can have fun. Cavs followers can sit again with a sigh of aid. They acquired the job executed for the common season.
the primary seed within the Jap Convention. They’ve already gone above and past majority of the objectives that lots of people had set for them. And even what Kenny Atkinson had believed they had been going to perform. He answered the purpose at 50 wins. They acquired 63 and the primary seed. So I feel it’s nice to see this Cavs workforce have the ability to convey itself from what it was just some years in the past. Clearly, Donovan Mitchell accelerates that course of, however not lots of people thought we might be right here.
Particularly after final season Ashley Jimmy something you wish to add earlier than we get out of right here?
Jimmy Watkins (34:50.919)
Ty unique taking pictures membership. simply wish to, texted this out in the course of the sport. One other, one other organizational victory lab. heard about September MVP Ty Jerome again in the course of the preseason. It’s like, okay, that’s sort of attention-grabbing. We’ll see what occurs there. Dude’s actually placing collectively one of many best taking pictures seasons ever. Sort into basketball reference, head gamers underneath six, 5, whoever’s 12 factors a sport.
Ethan Sands (34:53.58)
Sure.
Jimmy Watkins (35:20.809)
60 % efficient area purpose proportion. There’s 10 dudes ever who’ve executed it. Steph Curry has executed it a bunch of instances, however 10 gamers, 10 separate gamers have executed it. Ty Jerome is on tempo to hitch that crew this yr. I simply suppose that’s one other man who deserves recognition in all of this, deserves to be celebrated. And as I stated to you guys after the sport, if we’re arrested a bunch of fellows, I wouldn’t hate to see.
major possibility tied Jerome over the following couple video games. Let’s simply see what occurs. Dude scored like 23 a sport for 36 minutes and he simply, each time you miss it, you’re stunned. So, would like to see what he might do with an extended run.
Ethan Sands (36:03.606)
Yeah, I feel that’s nice. suppose Ty Jerome clearly is a man that over his final 9 video games, excluding the 5 sport stint the place he was injured with left knee tendonitis, he hasn’t scored lower than 10 factors in a contest, proper? And even when he didn’t play the final six minutes of the sport the opposite night time in opposition to Sacramento within the fourth quarter, he nonetheless had probably the most factors in that contest for the Cleveland Cavaliers. I feel it’s enormous what he’s
executed and I even stated this to Ashley in the course of the sport tonight. The largest factor that’s completely different between this yr’s Cavs workforce and final yr’s Cavs workforce exterior of Kenny Atkinson, they didn’t have Ty Jerome. Now they do. And it’s made an enormous, large distinction. However with all that being stated, that’ll wrap up right this moment’s episode of the Wine and Gold Discuss podcast. However keep in mind to change into a Cavs insider and work together with Chris, me and Jimmy by subscribing to Subtext.
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