Some thoughts on the Cavaliers heading into the weekend:
1. We’ll probably see a few more losses like the one Wednesday in Toronto, where the Cavs fell 92-77. They looked tired and flat, and everything they tried just didn’t work. Welcome to the NBA on the second night of a back-to-back.
2. In other words, this shouldn’t have been a surprise, or be considered a major reason for concern. Not when you so heavily rely on a pair of rookies who are 19 and 20 years old in Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson, respectively.
3. Remember, the Cavs are the youngest team in the Eastern Conference and fourth-youngest in the league. They have seven players with one year or less of NBA experience. And not many veteran teams could have won in Toronto had they been in the Cavs’ situation.
4. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not trying to excuse a loss. You’re probably thinking, “Well, it sure sounds like it, Amico.” All I’m saying is nobody in the NBA goes 82-0 (or in the case of this lockout-shortened season, 66-0). The Cavs probably aren’t even a playoff team, in fact. But they are young and mostly exciting, and those type of teams are allowed the occasional clunker.
5. I’ve actually heard fans complain about the team’s .500 record and strong desire to win, whining about the need for another lottery pick in June. That’s ridiculous. I’d much rather be a veteran or two away from the playoffs than trying my luck in the draft. There’s no guarantee prospects such as Jared Sullinger, Harrison Barnes or Anthony Davis will make successful pros. We think they will, but no one can be sure. There are busts every year.
6. It seems like Irving has found his kryptonite in Raptors point guard Jose Calderon. After all, Irving’s two worst games both came against Toronto. Then again, his first game was the season-opener, and Wednesday’s was his first back-to-back. Read: It’s probably more than the situation than Calderon.
7. That said, the Cavs don’t really match up with the Raptors all that well. The Raptors remind me a little of Orlando, with strong ball movement and perimeter shooting, and a man whom the Cavs can’t seem to slow down in Andrea Bargnani.
8. One thing I’ve noticed is the losses really seem to pain Irving, Thompson and the rest of the team much more this year. The Cavs actually expect to win. Anyone who saw the long faces on the players and coach Byron Scott after the Raptors game can tell you that.
9. Irving played just 11 college games at Duke, and said he could feel his first NBA back-to-back in his legs after just a few trips down the court. “With a young team like we have, you can talk about it all you want,” Scott said. “Until you go through it, that’s when they get it. After this game, they’ll understand how tough back-to-back games are.”
10. The Cavs’ long road trip takes them to Minnesota on Friday, followed by Portland on Sunday. It should be fun to see how they match up with the Timberwolves, a very young team with loads of promise in Kevin Love, Ricky Rubio and others. The T-Wolves swept the series last year, including a real hammer job in Minneapolis. And don’t think the Cavs forget.
11. Needless to say, both games will be televised on FOX Sports Ohio in HD. Pre-game starts at 7:30 p.m. Friday and 8:30 p.m. Sunday. Also, “Cavaliers In The Paint,” hosted by Dionne Miller, has begun its weekly run on FS Ohio. You can check it out Tuesdays at 6 p.m., as well as throughout the week at various times.
Follow Sam Amico on Twitter @SamAmicoFSO
