Baffling coaching decisions, blown defensive assignments, bad shooting and a battered jaw for one LeBron James have left the Cavs halfway to getting swept in the Eastern Conference Finals. With the next two games at The Q, the Wine & Gold aren't completely in dire straits just yet. Still, it’s been ugly so far. The guys discuss Ty Lue’s decision to ride with JR Smith over Kyle Korver in the starting lineup, the struggles of the newer members of the roster, the “organizational fatigue” plaguing everyone who has been around for the long haul, and the weight of trying to fight back in a series knowing what would await in the Finals (and *not* knowing what awaits this summer).
Scott Sargent, editor and co-founder of WaitingForNextYear.com and a contributing writer for Bleacher Report, joins the show to bring the guys up to speed on the state of the Cavs heading into another Christmas showdown with the Warriors. New faces such as Dwyane Wade, Jose Calderon and Jeff Green have the team surging after a rough start to the year. Scott explains what has made the Cavs’ excellent second unit work so well, why Calderon has been a surprisingly good fit with the starters, where Isaiah Thomas and Derrick Rose will fit moving forward, what Tristan Thompson’s role will look like and whether any roster moves are coming later this season. … Plus: A quick rundown on the Warriors, and the LeBron James vs. James Harden MVP debate.
With an alley-oop off the backboard from Kyrie to LeBron 3 minutes into Game 1, the Cavs were on their way to dismantling the Raptors, and they never relented en route to a decisive and dominant four-game sweep. The guys discuss LeBron’s transcendent play through the first two rounds, the Cavs’ switch officially having been flipped, and what’s ahead after the team’s next lengthy layoff.
Regardless of your geographic beliefs, the Cavs remain high atop the mountain in the Eastern Conference after the NBA trade deadline, and they could have more reinforcements on the way in the form of Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut. The guys discuss whether the Celtics did the right thing by passing on a proposed trade for Paul George and how the Cavs’ and Warriors’ dominance has deterred teams from making deadline deals. Plus: A look at the Cavs’ surprisingly effective super-sized second unit and some proposed rules changes for Major League Baseball.
With 2017 upon us, the guys were ready to throw out some predictions for the new year as well as a few resolutions for Cleveland’s teams. But 90 minutes before it was time to press record on Thursday night, Cavs GM David Griffin went ahead and crossed item No. 1 off the list in a big way by
acquiring Kyle Korver from the Hawks. The guys discuss Griff’s latest bit of roster resourcefulness and what other moves could be in the works, as well as their 2017 outlooks for the Indians, Browns and college football.
