Posted:
#1
53-52
I did the same thing last year. I played the POY in GAME 1 with the Thunder -5.5 over the Sixers. It was a game that was posted THREE MONTHS in advance and I begged the readers to get it while they could. It won. Yes, it won.
This year, the POY comes in Game 1 again.
There is a lot to say about this play in terms of metrics but the angles beyond that is the trigger for the play itself, and why I am going so large. So let's concentrate on that alone.
The focus here is on the CAVS because we all know the assets the Celtics acquired. So let me address the Cavs: the impetus for the play and the state they are in.
The 3 angles are this: 1. "Fade the Ego Massaging" + 2. "Offseason of Turmoil" + 3. "Playoff/Kyrie Revenge"
#1 Fade the Ego Massaging
I was on the fence about this game since the schedule was announced.
Then I saw who Lue decided would be in his starting lineup. And it is jaw-dropping:
Lebron (naturally)
Crowder (New face)
Love (at center? Huh?)
Wade (WHAT?)
Rose (An even BIGGER WHAT!??)
How in the WORLD is Lue STARTING Wade and Rose??? I guess you have an argument with Wade but is he, at 35, a better fit than JR who has been a cornerstone of the team? Hell no.
And worse, to start Rose?? The Knicks did everything possible to get rid of this guy. The lowly despicable Knicks! They wanted no part of him and he basically went AWOL and forced himself off the team. Now he's the STARTING PG for the 3 time defending EC Champs?
If you're answer is YES I know what your next words will be. Who else is there? Kyrie was traded and Thomas is injured. The CROWN JEWEL who was supposed to start has a timetable to get back on the court....when exactly????
So ROSE is the #1 option???
And his back-up is? Drumroll please? Jose Calderon???!!!
Seriously! Seriously? I know there is an echo in the thread right now but is because I am so dumbfounded the Cavs would field this as their opening day roster!
Calderon is yet ANOTHER ex-knick who they couldn't wait to get rid of...just like Rose.
Now I know they have even MORE KNICKS on their squad in JR and Iman, but those two, as big of dumpster fires as they were in NY, were godsends to the Cave Championship team.
Lightening has already struck twice. Now you think it will strike a third and fourth time with Knicks castaways??? Twice is the max folks. You do NOT want to keep accruing Ex-Knicks on your team! This is a disaster of a position. Rose can score but he has NO lateral movement because of his innumerable surgeries. He cannot defend anyone. Kyrie will tear him limb from limb after the nerves are calmed being back in Cleveland.
Now onto Love at Center. This is a player who has started 62% of his career at PF and virtually 100% at PF in his time with CLE. And now, opening night against what could be the future #1 seed, you...start him at center and bench a natural center in Tristan Thompson....Wow. There will be an adjustment and I can't think Love is happy about this!
Now onto Wade. 35 years old. Career lows in points, assists, minutes played per game, FG % last year on the Bulls and now he dispatches JR because well, he won twice with Lebron in Miami so why not start him?
And worse, don't look now but you just pissed off the WORST guy to piss off in the league (because he is a complete head case, the modern day Dennis Rodman) for his benching:
https://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2017/10/
jr_smith_absolutely_frustrated.html
I watched NY burn as this guy wouldn't even lace up his shoelaces. Piss him off and he can go into a cocoon or start chucking like Jamal Crawford of Knicks yesteryear.
And why was this all done? Why all these moves. To APPEASE the egos of AGING Stars. And this is a winning formula?
Oh and Lebron has an ankle injury which took him out of several preseason games.
When asked about it, Lue diverted with "Just something we're going to do to start the season and see how it works."
That sounds very confident doesn't it?
We haven't even gotten to angle #2.
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