Chandler wrote:Last year Thibs couldn’t seemingly have Brunson and kat on floor at same time. This year they’re making beautiful music together

Can one of you basketball nerds explain what brown has done particularly on defense? They were each targets last year and now????

Brown or someone on the staff or his teammates or simply Kat himself convinced him (Kat) to commit defensively. He's moving his feet, he's in the right rotations, he's contesting shots with real effort rather than (1 step late) and as always he is rebounding like a MOFO.

I do think it's possible Kat saw the writing on the wall relative to Giannis and him likely being moved for the Greek in the summer.
Early in the season Kat wasn't all there - clearly not bought in mentally and for me I believe the trade deadline was hanging over his head -- he didn't think the organization was fully bought in on him and that can F with a players head.

I think post the trade deadline either Kat determined on his own that he would commit to do the LITTLE THINGS defensively because he wants to be in NY, his dad probably wants him here and his girl probably wants him here as well.

Jalen on the other hand I think his D has been OK but not nearly as impactful as Kat post the trade deadline.

Don't think it is a defensive scheme thing AT ALL it's simply a real commit on Kat's part to work harder. It's possible the move to involve him more on offense (as a facilitator) upped his defensive commitment to another level in the playoffs.

Underrated part of Kat's overall game --- GREAT HANDS --- which help with his great touch, passing, rebounding in traffic and when he swipes at the ball on D (ELITE hands for a big).

LivingLegend wrote:Mitch and Deuce and Jose kind of NO SHOWS again --- particularly Mitch/Deuce --- concerning?

Yes a little. I thought Mitch eventually woke up a little but he has to make a bigger impact. His attitude has to be that the team needs to win during his minutes. I think the hack a Mitch thing has messed him up a little. He hits a couple and he’ll be a changed man

Deuce is more of an enigma and I think he’ll turn it around. Same thing about winning minutes. He’s potentially a huge weapon for us w his shooting if not in this series then the next so we just have to wait for him to turn it on.

LivingLegend wrote:

Chandler wrote:Last year Thibs couldn’t seemingly have Brunson and kat on floor at same time. This year they’re making beautiful music together

Can one of you basketball nerds explain what brown has done particularly on defense? They were each targets last year and now????

Brown or someone on the staff or his teammates or simply Kat himself convinced him (Kat) to commit defensively. He's moving his feet, he's in the right rotations, he's contesting shots with real effort rather than (1 step late) and as always he is rebounding like a MOFO.

I do think it's possible Kat saw the writing on the wall relative to Giannis and him likely being moved for the Greek in the summer.
Early in the season Kat wasn't all there - clearly not bought in mentally and for me I believe the trade deadline was hanging over his head -- he didn't think the organization was fully bought in on him and that can F with a players head.

I think post the trade deadline either Kat determined on his own that he would commit to do the LITTLE THINGS defensively because he wants to be in NY, his dad probably wants him here and his girl probably wants him here as well.

Jalen on the other hand I think his D has been OK but not nearly as impactful as Kat post the trade deadline.

Don't think it is a defensive scheme thing AT ALL it's simply a real commit on Kat's part to work harder. It's possible the move to involve him more on offense (as a facilitator) upped his defensive commitment to another level in the playoffs.

Underrated part of Kat's overall game --- GREAT HANDS --- which help with his great touch, passing, rebounding in traffic and when he swipes at the ball on D (ELITE hands for a big).

Thanks. Really appreciate it. So you’re not seeing any adjustments to his positioning or scheme that is affecting things at all? Last year Brunson and Kat were repeatedly targeted in PNR

Last night I saw Brunson had a lot of assignments where they were effectively hiding him in the corner to cover one of their 3 point shooters and I was surprised Cleveland wasn’t using that guy to set a screen for DM or Harden to try and get the switch.

LivingLegend wrote:

ToddTT wrote:

Clean wrote:If we get into the Final I never want to hear people trashing Bridges because of the picks we gave up to get him anymore. This being the 2nd playoffs in a row he stepped up and helped us get deeper than we would have without him I think he deserves that respect. He will have slumps during the regular season like he always does but he has earned our respect.

The rules are unclear. If the Cavs win four straight, it’s okay for people to continue calling out Bridges when he has extended streaks of playing soft and being a non-factor?

I think I'm agreeing with Todd -- I think we've been mostly fair with Mikal - praise when going great, venom when he completely disappears or is invisible. I feel like he gets FAR TOO MUCH praise for playoffs last year - can recall great 4th quarter vs Celtics and the 2 steals but also MANY invisible stretches. Thus far in these playoffs post game 2 or 3 vs Hawks he has been ELITE on both ends.

5 more wins to be had -- if he keeps this up and we get those 5 wins going to be VERY DIFFICULT to go very hard on him in future and we probably wouldn't have the need because he'd have figured his place out on this roster.

I have a ton of respect for Mikal. When he or OG disappears I typically find it the artifact of us relying on hero ball. When we’re moving the ball those guys just simply play better

On top of that it seems this year both guys for whatever reason (I credit brown but don’t know) have had more freedom on what they do on offense. More drives not simply catch and shoot and an occasional cut.

I don't understand why we haven't seen more of that in the past, but I hope it's a sign we'll see more of that moving forward.

There should always be an easy target for Brunson to pass to in those situations. We know the doubles are coming.

wrap this thing up tomorrow and let OG rest some more.

NardDogNation wrote:Travis Kelce is going to need a few more beers tonight

The chick to his right opened her purse and casually handed him a piece of gum 🤣