Jan 12 Game Thread: Cavs @ Kings

[Meticode]

Cleveland Cavaliers
_C - Anderson Varejao
PF - Tristan Thompson
SF - Luol Deng
SG - C.J. Miles
PG - Kyrie Irving

Sacramento Kings
_C - DaMarcus Cousins
PF - Jason Thompson
SF - Rudy Gay
SG - Marcus Thornton
PG - Isaiah Thomas Jr.


Coming off a pair of impressive showings, the Cleveland Cavaliers are hoping to keep building with Luol Deng on board.

The last-place Sacramento Kings have also been playing better of late.

The visiting Cavaliers and the Kings both go for a third consecutive win when these teams meet Sunday.

After easily getting by Philadelphia 111-93 on Tuesday behind C.J. Miles' season-best 34 points, Cleveland (13-23) beat Utah 113-102 on Friday in the opener of a season-high five-game road trip. Kyrie Irving led the way with 25 points, eight assists, six rebounds and a career high-tying five steals while Deng scored 10 in 21 minutes in his Cavaliers debut.

"I'm really excited. I see the way guys are setting a screen, where we are scoring from," said Deng, acquired from Chicago on Monday. "I just want to bring in something that we don't have. Whether it's posting up or defensively getting the guys going. You don't want to come to a new team and bring something that is already there."

The Cavaliers shot 54.2 percent -- their second-best mark of the season -- while outscoring the Jazz 54-40 in the paint and outrebounding them 45-34. Cleveland, enjoying back-to-back wins for the first time since a season-high three-game run Dec. 7-13, snapped a five-game road losing streak.

The Cavaliers, 3-15 away from home, haven't posted consecutive road wins since Dec. 22-26 of last season.

"Especially on the road, for us to lock in and fight the right way to get that win, to start the road trip off the right way, was big," said coach Mike Brown, whose team outscored Utah 39-21 in the third quarter. "You give our guys credit for coming out the second half and playing the game of basketball like they know how."

The Cavaliers now turn their attention to the Kings (12-22), who are looking to win three straight for the first time since Dec. 5-8 of last season. Sacramento beat Portland 123-119 on Tuesday before cruising to a 103-83 victory over Orlando on Friday.

DeMarcus Cousins had 24 points, 14 boards and six assists while Rudy Gay finished with 22, 10 and five, respectively.

"We validated our Portland win. For one of the few times this year, after beating a good team, we came back and validated it and we built on that win," coach Michael Malone told the NBA's official website.

The Kings, who shot 51.3 percent and limited the Magic to 33.3 percent, improved to 10-3 when scoring at least 105 points.

"It's all a tribute to us moving the ball, playing together and also running and playing Kings basketball," Gay said.

Acquired from Toronto on Dec. 9, Gay is averaging 23.4 points while shooting 56.3 percent in helping the Kings win four of seven.

"Rudy has helped us out so much and gives us another option offensively," Cousins said. "He's been a great addition."

Cousins is enjoying a torrid start to 2014, averaging 29.5 points and 13.0 rebounds in four games.

Miles, meanwhile, has averaged 22.8 points in Cleveland's last four, more than double his season mark of 10.3.

The Cavaliers had taken 10 of 11 from the Kings before losing both matchups last season by a combined nine points. Cousins averaged 22.0 points and 15.0 rebounds in those games.

Cleveland has averaged 108.7 points during a 6-1 stretch at Sacramento

[Meticode]

I hope the Cavs bigs play better in the first half than they did in the previous game. Kanter for the Jazz was raping them in the first half.

[MP.Trey]

Over/Under 1 technical foul for Cousins, provoked by Andy V?

[andremiller07]

Unless the Kings use the Big Boy's Toys line up of Cuz/JT/Williams/Gay/IT CJ Miles and Dion Waiters are going to destroy Thornton and Mclemore. Waiters if either one of those is guarding him for most the game will score 25+.

[cos88]

can't wait for this game...























wait i can wait



































wait i'll watch a movie or something that is better than 2 pathetic organizations

[fiddy]

can't wait for this game...

wait i can wait

wait i'll watch a movie or something that is better than 2 pathetic organizations
"underrated poster" :facepalm

[fiddy]

bulgaria = gypsy land full of beggars. shitiest thing in the world. die


The braindead druggie tried to neg me. He doesnt even know how to give rep properly left me a neutral. :oldlol:

[MP.Trey]

Zeller just had a nice lefty slam on Derrick Williams. :eek:

Dion passing the ball well again, I like how our offense looks.

[andremiller07]

The fact Zeller has 6 points in the first quarter including a poster dunk should automatically mean the Kings lose.

[MP.Trey]

C.J. :wtf: :bowdown:

[Meticode]

C.J. has been hitting everything from all over the floor the last 3 games.

[D-Wait]

CJ Miles just hit a halfcourt buzzer beater, dude is on fire this month :bowdown:

[Uncle Drew]

Earl f-ing Clark :facepalm :facepalm :facepalm

[andremiller07]

Rudy Gay is playing unreal since he came to the Kings

[MP.Trey]

Jimmer lighting us up. :facepalm

[andremiller07]

Byu Jimmer!!!!

[Uncle Drew]

Kings can't miss.

[MP.Trey]

What a pass Andy. :applause:

Gotta tighten up on D though.

[Uncle Drew]

Andy Ginobili :applause:

[Meticode]

Cavaliers not showing much defense, hope this changes in the second half.

[avonbarksdale]

gay looks great

[JohnFreeman]

Deng is actually good for the Cavs

[MP.Trey]

Kyrie's ice cold this half.

[Meticode]

Irving has made 0 jump shots. He missed both his free throws. The only basket he's made is a hard layup that seemed like luck more than a made shot the way it came off his hand when he drove.

[andremiller07]

Rudy Gay/D-Will/JT were fantastic, Jason is having his way with Tristan in the post.

Andy V should easily get a triple double

[JohnFreeman]

Rudy Gay/D-Will/JT were fantastic, Jason is having his way with Tristan in the post.

Andy V should easily get a triple double

:cheers:

D Will was such a good pickup!

[Embers]

Alot of people need to give Sacramento/Rudy Gay some credit

He has been sensational since joining. It is clear to me that he is thriving no longer having to be his sides number 1 offensive option. He is a Robin as opposed to a Batman in all reality.

[JohnFreeman]

Alot of people need to give Sacramento/Rudy Gay some credit

He has been sensational since joining. It is clear to me that he is thriving no longer having to be his sides number 1 offensive option. He is a Robin as opposed to a Batman in all reality.

Yes he is doing well, unfortunately I feel like Rudy's numbers and efficiency will drop

[Meticode]

Kings are pushing the ball down the Cavs throat and they're taking it.

[Meticode]

22 point lead for the Cavaliers. Cavaliers came out the second half and absolutely didn't adjust to anything. If anything the defense and effort is worse.

[MP.Trey]

Well, it'd take a miracle for us to come back in this one. We're missing open shots on offense and it's effecting our confidence, and probably a pushing factor as to why we look so uninspired on defense.

Kings look good though. I like how Gay has looked as a King, IT is playing great and Cousins is a beast. No doubt Sac-Town has a nice roster, their record just doesn't show it yet.

[andremiller07]

Cousins with the LBJ pass

[JohnFreeman]

How long till Mike Brown is fired?

What happened to Irving?

[JohnFreeman]

Thomas :bowdown:

[Basketbolero]

22 point lead for the Cavaliers. Cavaliers came out the second half and absolutely didn't adjust to anything. If anything the defense and effort is worse.
Yheir defense looks awful. On the 3rd quarter they were unable to score but that is going to happen sometimes over the season. It is the poor defensive effort what surprises me the most, especially for a team coached by Mike Brown.

[HOoopCityJones]

Cavs, you better win this game.

Help the Tank!!!

[SkipToMyLou]

wow miss open dunk

[Basketbolero]

Time to play Bennett?

[JohnFreeman]

Great game across the board from the Kings. 16 rebounds for Thompson :eek:
Why are the Cavaliers so bad?

[Embers]

McLemore doesnt do much for me TBH. First year and all that but he looks out of his depth so far

[Basketbolero]

Acy has become one of my favourites players this season, The guy brings it every night, nice pickup by Sacramento

[SkipToMyLou]

isaiah Thomas is playing good

[bigkingsfan]

I missed this rape earlier because of the Broncos game. Looks like it's still going on.

[Lakers_Kobe_Fan]

How long till Mike Brown is fired?

What happened to Irving?

he signed 5yr deal right? wow

[Marcus Thornton]

Oh wow. Cavs still look like a mess. :deandre Jordan:

[JohnFreeman]

McLemore doesnt do much for me TBH. First year and all that but he looks out of his depth so far

Hopefully we can part ways with him. He just isn't confident and it shows.

[Lakers_Kobe_Fan]

Cavs needed Gasol more then Deng.

Gasol can give them easy baskets when needed and can create for Cavs young players from the post...but wait they went with deny cause why?

gasol would be much better fit

[Embers]

Hopefully we can part ways with him. He just isn't confident and it shows.

I would use him to flog off Marcus Thorntons horrid contract

[B-Easy8]

Wolves will take Ben Mc

[JohnFreeman]

Wolves will take Ben Mc

Mclemore for Love :D

[Meticode]

Cavs needed Gasol more then Deng.

Gasol can give them easy baskets when needed and can create for Cavs young players from the post...but wait they went with deny cause why?

gasol would be much better fit
SF was their weakest position.

The team doesn't do well with post players. Look at Bynum and the way they gave him the ball unsuccesfuly so many times.

Deng does more things that we need at the SF position than what Gasol does at PF/C.

Deng can be a long term solution. Gasol is at the end of his career and has slowly been regressing as a player.

[JohnFreeman]

SF was their weakest position.

The team doesn't do well with post players. Look at Bynum and the way they gave him the ball unsuccesfuly so many times.

Deng does more things that we need at the SF position than what Gasol does at PF/C.

Deng can be a long term solution. Gasol is at the end of his career and has slowly been regressing as a player.

Would you give Deng the money he is after?

[cuad]

Mclemore for Love :D
I will GLADLY do Ben McLemore for Shabazzzzzz.

[Basketbolero]

Cavs needed Gasol more then Deng.

Gasol can give them easy baskets when needed and can create for Cavs young players from the post...but wait they went with deny cause why?

gasol would be much better fit
How exactly does Gasol help solve their problems on D?

The production from the SF has been abysmal, easily worst in the league. Deng will make a weakness become a strength.

[Embers]

Kyrie Irving is the weakness atm. His play has been abysmal so far

[NattyPButter]

Kyrie Irving is the weakness atm. His play has been abysmal so far

Not just him but Thompson also. He gets raped then creampied by the other teams PF every night.having multiple ppl on the starting unit with horrible D is asking for losses.

[KyrieTheFuture]

I ****ing hate this team. Time to change usernames.

[andremiller07]

Not just him but Thompson also. He gets raped then creampied by the other teams PF every night.having multiple ppl on the starting unit with horrible D is asking for losses.
Thompson is way to small imo, he's like as big as Acy who is a 3rd string PF (who I love), to me Tristan looks like a solid back up not a starter.

[KyrieTheFuture]

Thompson is way to small imo, he's like as big as Acy who is a 3rd string PF (who I love), to me Tristan looks like a solid back up not a starter.
Unfortunately you can say that about half our team. We have 2 (3 for andy) starter quality players.

[Lakers_Kobe_Fan]

SF was their weakest position.

The team doesn't do well with post players. Look at Bynum and the way they gave him the ball unsuccesfuly so many times.

Deng does more things that we need at the SF position than what Gasol does at PF/C.

Deng can be a long term solution. Gasol is at the end of his career and has slowly been regressing as a player.

deng is a 3rd wheel on a championship team and useless on a lotto team cause his stats are deceiving.

he should be playing on a playoff team to get their money's worth...he is not a smart choice for a team trying to make playoffs...he wans 15/16 yr

good luck with that

[Lakers_Kobe_Fan]

I ****ing hate this team. Time to change usernames.

seriously whats going on with Kyrie this year? he is been pathetic all yr long

[andremiller07]

seriously whats going on with Kyrie this year? he is been pathetic all yr long
Thomas has a long history of owning him

[Ed Wachter]

I ****ing hate this team. Time to change usernames.

Don't do that.

[KobesFinger]

Jesus, that was ugly. I was wondering whether they'd get to 80 points. Anthony Bennett looks lost out there too

[cuad]

I feel sorry for Deng. He's on an awful team. Rudy got traded to an awful team, but he was a scrub when he got traded. Deng has always been a good player and a good team mate. :/

[JohnFreeman]

Andre what do we want for Marcus Thornton's contract or Mclemore?

[Levity]

Andre what do we want for Marcus Thornton's contract or Mclemore?

Kings should see if they can offer mclemore for henson straight up. and if not, then add the pieces to make it work.

[andremiller07]

Andre what do we want for Marcus Thornton's contract or Mclemore?

1# Start Williams @ SF and move Rudini to SG
2# Try package both of them for Larry Sanders or a shot blocker like Brandon Wright to bring off the bench or start with Cousins
4# Play Jimmer more mins including SG
3# Let eMTpty rot on the bench and play #M16 about 10-15mins a game to limit his negative impact and hope he fixes his trigger which is stuck on safety the dude looks like Thomas Robinson had a baby with Jodie Meeks out there which is not good.

Rudy game in 15 games has now shot over 50% 11 times and out of those 11, 6 times over 60% and his free throw % has been crazy as well and sprinkle in good defence dude is playing like a top 5 SF atm.

[JohnFreeman]

1# Start Williams @ SF and move Rudini to SG
2# Try package both of them for Larry Sanders or a shot blocker like Brandon Wright to bring off the bench or start with Cousins
4# Play Jimmer more mins including SG
3# Let eMTpty rot on the bench and play #M16 about 10-15mins a game to limit his negative impact and hope he fixes his trigger which is stuck on safety the dude looks like Thomas Robinson had a baby with Jodie Meeks out there which is not good.

Williams would be great starting, good punch off the bench though.
How about Dion Waiters?

[andremiller07]

Williams would be great starting, good punch off the bench though.
How about Dion Waiters?
I suggested the idea in a trade thread not to long ago, Cavs fan were highly against it which I don't blame them.

[JohnFreeman]

I suggested the idea in a trade thread not to long ago, Cavs fan were highly against it which I don't blame them.

Thornton + Mclemore/Gray for Affalo

[Milbuck]

Looks like my Kyrie, Thompson, Waiters, 2 1sts for Brandon Knight trade doesn't sound too bad now does it? :confusedshrug:

[bingoa]

What happened to Tristan Thompson's defense? Wasn't that his calling card? If his Defense has regressed then he's just a bench big.

[Embers]

Thornton + Mclemore/Gray for Affalo

Dreamin

At best I think

Thornton + McLemore for Ben Gordon and Portlands top 12 protected first rounder.

Sacramento get a much needed expiring + another first rounder for next year

[Pacer24]

Wow. A 44 point winning margin for the Kings over the Cavs. 3rd straight win.

[JohnFreeman]

Wow. A 44 point winning margin for the Kings over the Cavs. 3rd straight win.

Feels good :applause:

[Milbuck]

Feels good :applause:

Lookin forward to that Kings-Bucks finals matchup in a few years

[JohnFreeman]

Lookin forward to that Kings-Bucks finals matchup in a few years

Nah Kings will probably be knocked out by the refs again

[andremiller07]

Feels good :applause:
I can't wait for the Pacers game, they had our number in the past minus Rudy. Honestly with the way we been playing against the really good team's I could see us sneaking past Indy.

[El Gato Negro]

terrible showing for kyrie and the cavs, why can't the kings play that hard every night?

[JohnFreeman]

I can't wait for the Pacers game, they had our number in the past minus Rudy. Honestly with the way we been playing against the really good team's I could see us sneaking past Indy.

I was just thinking of that game. I think Kings will win. Cousins will school Hibbert, D-Will and Rudimental will destroy PG :bowdown:. I think Isaiah will score 30 on Hill

[andremiller07]

terrible showing for kyrie and the cavs, why can't the kings play that hard every night?
Cause normally Thornton and Mclemore are holding us back and are pretty much responsible for 90% of the losses, this is the first time the Kings in ages can actually play 5 on 5 basketball with JT/Williams stepping up and Rudy playing like a gun, it use to just be Cousins/IT vs the world for most the season.

[JohnFreeman]

Cause normally Thornton and Mclemore are holding us back and are pretty much responsible for 90% of the losses, this is the first time the Kings in ages can actually play 5 on 5 basketball with JT/Williams stepping up and Rudy playing like a gun, it use to just be Cousins/IT vs the world for most the season.

Pretty much this. Would love a knock down perimeter shooter

[B-Easy8]

Cavs are so bad at drafting.

[Railgun]

Do you guys want to win? (Kings fans)

[JohnFreeman]

Do you guys want to win? (Kings fans)

yes..

[Uncle Drew]

Cavs are so bad at drafting.
Funny how you always show up when we lose, saying the Cavs are bad at basically everything, but when we win you're nowhere to be found. :oldlol:

[shallehalle]

Funny how you always show up when we lose, saying the Cavs are bad at basically everything, but when we win you're nowhere to be found. :oldlol:
don't you guys lose most of the time?

[B-Easy8]

don't you guys lose most of the time?

Pretty much.

Also there is 6 pages of people talking smack about how trash the Cavs are. I see most of them hating when I do.

I will make a comment when you guys chalk up a win then to make you happy.

[B-Easy8]

don't you guys lose most of the time?

Loving the avy.

[Miles and Miles]

The Kings dominated despite the poor play from the SG spot. Not sure what Marcus Thorton has brought us all year. He had like 2 good games. Ben has hit the wall but he's young and will recover, hopefully this year. Should just rotate IT, Jimmer, and Ben through the 3 guard spots. It's not always pretty but Jimmer has been playing well. I too would like to see him get more minutes at the SG spot. Give him someone who can set a decent screen (Acy, Grey) and he will knock down even more shots.