NBA Game Action: 12/28/2014

Kevin Durant out per Darnell Mayberry per Scott Brooks

 

Go KNICKS and Thieves! ROCKETS, of course.

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>THIS JUST IN: Kobe Bryant will play tonight vs Suns after missing 3 games to rest for what he called &quot;old age.&quot; <a href="http://t.co/vXpU9AVP9h">pic.twitter.com/vXpU9AVP9h</a></p>&mdash; SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/549284701727649792">December 28, 2014</a></blockquote> <script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

I really hate Dallas but I don't want OKC in the playoffs especially now that the Rockets seem poised to "rocket" up the standings.

 

Nevermind. I want Dallas to lose.

 

We probably want Dallas to win. They'll fade anyway.

OKC will be scary when Durant gets back.

 

Kevin Love has to sort out his 3-point shooting. He gets uncontested looks and bricks them.

 

Lebron is lifeless this year. Absolutely zero energy.

 

I realize it's NFL Sunday and nobody cares, but the Cavs collapsed in spectacular fashion against the Pistons in the 2nd quarter. It was brutal. Something like a 20-2 run.

They are awful.

 

Addition by subtraction. Detroit won their last game, too.

 

Is it all LeBron? The people that say K-Love and Kyrie are overrates losers, are they right?

I'm at a loss to explain why they are still going through the motions.

 

Valid point to consider. But Greg Monroe doesn't look very good. You'd think he is the guy who would capitalize.

The Cavs were killing them and then they stopped playing/caring. Not to discredit the Pistons, but the turnaround is solely on Cleveland.

 

I've watched 90% of Cavs game this year, and I point it solely to Lebron. The team takes your best player's identity more often than not. Lebron is going through the motions. He admitted after the Magic game.

Look at their possessions in this game that led to the Pistons run. Lebron jacked up jumpshots, drove softly, didn't defend... That's been him ALL season. The lackadaisacal play is baffling. You would think he's supposed to "teach" the Cavs what winning is, but his play is the opposite of that.

Love has been struggling, but he tries. He's just having trouble fitting in right now (like Bosh did his first year with the Heat). Love will eventually be fine offensively. The shots he's taking are great shots, he's just missing. He will never be a good defender, but this is where Lebron must step up. But his defense has been worse than Love.

Kyrie has been the most impressive Cav of all. He tries on defense, has gave up a lot of ball handling duties to lebron, and yet still has found ways to impact the game.

What the Cavs are missing are 2 things:
1) Consistent interior offense (Lebron can easily resolve this but he loves to float on the perimeter)

2) Defensive toughness (Lebron is heralded as a great defensive player but he's been a ghost. He has gotten a huge pass for his pathetic defensive play this year).

Again, if Lebron starts to care, the Cavs will start to play better.

 

Maybe it's just that the city of Cleveland is too damn depressing for these guys?

 

LeBron going to deactivate chill mode or

 

Interesting.

And Detroit starts the 2nd half with a run.

 

Watch Lebron's defensive movement. It's minimal.

But every team also play their best v. a Lebron-led team. Pistons shooting lights out.

 

He's in chill mode

 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Tyson Chandler (back spasms) will not play vs. Thunder.</p>&mdash; Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) <a href="https://twitter.com/espn_macmahon/status/549338278688604160">December 28, 2014</a></blockquote>
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