KG and LeBron at the Line

[barefacedmonk]

There's few things worse than a team or individual who talks a ton of trash and can't back it up - and that has been this year's team in a nutshell.

Trash talk is also a form of aggression...and I don't see any reason why this team should just stop it because some fans find it "immature". Trash talk comes naturally to some people/some teams...its part of their personality...they don't need a scoreboard to tell them when and when not to display some aggression.

Also, it has been proven that trash talk also helps adrenaline rise. Adrenaline plays a leading role in sports....it can make or break a game, and it is a necessity. Plus, some players just use it to motivate themselves and their team mates.

[Smitty77]

Fafnir,

With all due respect, AV is FAR from the Cavs second best player.  His Eff. Rating is a 15.15.  Jamison's is 18.60.  Mo Williams is 15.33.  He is arguably their fourth best player, but I would highly disagree with that.  I think that Hickson is better NOW.  Shaq is more important to their team according to some.  That might make him arguably their 6th best player.

Let us not forget that ONE of the Cavs two wins came with PP out.  He is clearly one of our GLUE players.  PP is greater than AV anyday, any year, any game.

Smitty77

[BudweiserCeltic]

I am worried by the fact that the Cavs were missing their second best player. We wouldn't have had such a huge cushion if AV was out there on defense, and we needed every inch of it.

Boston would have lost if Varejao was healthy.

These types of opinions are nonsensical to me. A new player entering a game changes the whole dynamic of how the game was played. We don't even know how he would've played this particular night.

[snively]

I am worried by the fact that the Cavs were missing their second best player. We wouldn't have had such a huge cushion if AV was out there on defense, and we needed every inch of it.

Boston would have lost if Varejao was healthy.

These types of opinions are nonsensical to me. A new player entering a game changes the whole dynamic of how the game was played. We don't even know how he would've played this particular night.

Hickson played well for the Cavs as well.  Not always in the right place defensively, but he duplicated Varejao's rebounding and hustle points.  Z was also effective for them on offense and kept a lot of balls alive.  Powe seemed like he barely played.

[jdpapa3]

I also consider Varejao to be their second best player, but I wouldn't make a blanket statement that they would've for sure won with him. Would've been a whole different game with him, but to make a statement as if it is a 100% truth when in reality it's conjecture is not fair.

The Cleveland bigs situation is a great platform to judge on/off court stats because all of their bigs are above average nba players and Varejao dominates this. 

[connerhenry43]

and to clarify my prior statement, i do not want TA backing down from lebron. i want him to be confident. but realistically speaking, he is just not big enough or strong enough to guard him (who is, right?). so it is silly to talk trash to him when guarding him  on its own merit is hard enough.

barnes talked trash to kobe because he can physically stay with him, even though he is not nearly the caliber of player kobe is. again, i am a TA fan and am glad he is getting minutes, but to me, him talking trash to bron, though probably over analyzed by us, is silly.

[Fafnir]

I am worried by the fact that the Cavs were missing their second best player. We wouldn't have had such a huge cushion if AV was out there on defense, and we needed every inch of it.

Boston would have lost if Varejao was healthy.

These types of opinions are nonsensical to me. A new player entering a game changes the whole dynamic of how the game was played. We don't even know how he would've played this particular night.

True, but I'm very confident the Celtics don't score 90+ points in three quarters if the Cavs best defensive big man is in the game.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I am worried by the fact that the Cavs were missing their second best player. We wouldn't have had such a huge cushion if AV was out there on defense, and we needed every inch of it.

Boston would have lost if Varejao was healthy.

These types of opinions are nonsensical to me. A new player entering a game changes the whole dynamic of how the game was played. We don't even know how he would've played this particular night.

True, but I'm very confident the Celtics don't score 90+ points in three quarters if the Cavs best defensive big man is in the game.

Meh, we came out with a ton of energy, with great focus, and with pretty much no mistakes. We could've still done it. We were playing a very good game and I see no reason why we should demean it by saying "well Verajao wasn't there". Plus, it ignores that in the last two games we've been shooting over 50% from the field. Plus it ignores the damage we were doing from the outside through 3 quarters.

It would've been a different game that's for sure, but I don't think that Verajao alone is enough to take away on how we came out and played today. We were stroking the ball from everywhere.

[joeb]

I am worried by the fact that the Cavs were missing their second best player. We wouldn't have had such a huge cushion if AV was out there on defense, and we needed every inch of it.

Boston would have lost if Varejao was healthy.

These types of opinions are nonsensical to me. A new player entering a game changes the whole dynamic of how the game was played. We don't even know how he would've played this particular night.

True, but I'm very confident the Celtics don't score 90+ points in three quarters if the Cavs best defensive big man is in the game.

Big "what if"...Celtics may have won a championship last year "if" KG and Powe were healthy. It's all speculation at this point. Maybe it could have been a closer game, and then the Celtics pull away and win by 10. Nobody knows. We got the W today...that's the only stat that counts.

[ThaPreacher]

Is that why LeBron came into the Celtics huddle during a timeout? I feel that the majority of the other players in the league get a technical for that.

Not on the Espn/Abc Tip.  Lebron is adertising.  He is highlight film.  Technical foul, to take him out of the game.
Never.  He could have sat down in the Celtics huddle and he would have just got a warning....

[celticinorlando]

when LBJ does anything that would cost other players.....he is glorified....i.e. the goaltending blocks off the backboards...entering another team's huddle..etc

[FallGuy]

when LBJ does anything that would cost other players.....he is glorified....i.e. the goaltending blocks off the backboards...entering another team's huddle..etc

It's the way of the league. Glorify the stars.

[BballTim]

I am worried by the fact that the Cavs were missing their second best player. We wouldn't have had such a huge cushion if AV was out there on defense, and we needed every inch of it.

Boston would have lost if Varejao was healthy.

These types of opinions are nonsensical to me. A new player entering a game changes the whole dynamic of how the game was played. We don't even know how he would've played this particular night.

True, but I'm very confident the Celtics don't score 90+ points in three quarters if the Cavs best defensive big man is in the game.

  And we probably stay more focused if the lead's 10-12 instead of 20+ points.

[Fafnir]

Fafnir,

With all due respect, AV is FAR from the Cavs second best player.  His Eff. Rating is a 15.15.  Jamison's is 18.60.  Mo Williams is 15.33.  He is arguably their fourth best player, but I would highly disagree with that.  I think that Hickson is better NOW.  Shaq is more important to their team according to some.  That might make him arguably their 6th best player.

Let us not forget that ONE of the Cavs two wins came with PP out.  He is clearly one of our GLUE players.  PP is greater than AV anyday, any year, any game.

Smitty77

Efficiency overrates volume scoring. If you shoot 33% from the field, or 25% from 3-point range you'll improve your efficiency rating. It also doesn't account for defense at all. It's a somewhat useful metric, but nothing to rely on. Especially when you're comparing an offensive player who takes a ton of shots with a defensive big man.

AV is the Cavs best defender, an efficient scorer in the pick and roll with LeBron, and in particular their best help defender. He can also defend either the 4 or 5. He's not flashy, but he's their second most important player.

Hickson is flashy on offense, but his defense and rebounding aren't even close to AVs.

[JSD]

I snapped this picture yesterday. I figured this was a good thread to share it because of the title.