I knew the Cavs were in trouble when they started the hack-a-Mitchell Robinson strategy up 15 in the 3rd quarter
NBA: *** 2025-26 NBA Thread ***
- Thread starter BigJCy
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The 4th quarter was both insanely entertaining and insanely frustrating as a neutral viewer. I can only imagine how livid I'd be if I was a Cavs fan. That **** would have never happened if Georges was still on the team.
Idk if Mitchell was hurt or just tired but it looked like he was limping around during the last quarter and OT. I fell asleep for part of the 2nd and 3rd. Did something happen?
Either that or Atkinson has a fetish for pain because Harden was getting absolutely abused and they just kept going back to him. Brunson absolutely throttled him at the end.
I actually loved that strategy. For me that strategy almost works better when you're up then when you're behind. Just doesn't let Other team get any momentum going, crowd gets anxious and think there's even more pressure on the shooter to make them. Thibbs did it last year too but I don't understand playing him late in quarters when you're in the bonus. He's unplayable in my mind in those situations.
Imo what did Cavs in was the stagnant waste time launch a prayer offense and the continuous allowing Brunson to get Harden matched up on him. At some point you gotta call another timeout and say we can't give them that matchup again.
It's like they thought their wasn't enough time no matter how bad they played
Wemby is the flopper in this series? Surely not a serious take when Chet and SGA are on the other side.
I'm mostly trolling but I do believe the OKC gets all the calls complaints is overblown
Yeah the hack-a-strategy didn’t hurt them. In my mind, it just showed they were playing scared and sent the wrong message. But tactically, you’re right. I think the Cavs actually grew the lead while doing that.
As you said, the big problem was continually getting Harden stuck on Brunson over, and over, and over. You’ve got to call another TO to draw something up to prevent Harden getting hunted. Or just pull Harden out of the game altogether.
Good point idk why Harden needed to be out there. I'd take Mitchell over him isolating against the clock if that's the plan and Harden is maybe the worst defender Cavs have
The complaint I’ve heard isn’t about whether they get the calls, it’s a matter of hunting for calls as an offensive strategy. When you jump into a defender and chuck the ball up with no attempt at making a shot, that’s not basketball. Wemby falls down a lot. But I’ve also felt like he’s treated like Shaq where defenders are allowed to get away with a lot of **** just because he’s so much taller than them. So I don’t know how much is warranted and how much is attempts to get calls.
I just think that's so much of basketball now. Idk if they're any worse than your typical average team. I guess I don't understand why they get such a higher vitriol than other teams for doing what you mentioned.
I completely agree with Webenyama. My initial post was in jest because I know most people posting in this thread hate OKC
Sometime being the best at something puts you in the spotlight.
They foul bait on offense and then get away with a bunch of contact and try a lot of shady stuff on defense. No wonder 99.9% of America wants them to lose.
