Random dribbles following the Cavaliers' embarrassment of a 131-112 home loss to the Golden State Warriors on Saturday.
1. Things just keep getting worse, which is basically the opposite of what you want when you tell everyone you're rebuilding. You want to see growth. Are you seeing it? I sure don't know if I am.
2. These weren't the Warriors of Steph Curry (injured), Klay Thompson (ditto) and Kevin Durant (injured somewhere else). Instead, the Cavs were rocked by the likes of Glenn Robinson III, Damion Lee and Eric Paschell.
3. So this is not the roster that has been to five straight Western Conference finals. Instead, these Warriors entered with five straight losses and left with a record of 11-39.
4. The Cavs (13-37) have lost 10 in a row at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. Ten in a row. At home. They haven't won in Cleveland since before Christmas (Dec. 23). We're now into February.
5. During that stretch, they've been walloped by some of the league's saddest sacks -- New York, Washington and now Golden State.
6. It's no wonder first-year NBA coach John Beilein wanted to plead the fifth during the postgame press conference. "That should tell you how I feel," he said.
7. Or how about this -- during a 15-minute stretch between the end of the second and start of the fourth quarters, the Cavs were outscored by a 58-19 count. Against this brand of Warriors. Actually, forget how bad the Warriors have been. This is the NBA. That should never happen.
8. More Beilein: "I don't have a lot of answers for you. I really don't."
9. And more: "There's some things that happen just because we're young. There's some that happen because of persistence in effort."
10. I would love for the fans to hear from GM Koby Altman right now. Or at least after the trade deadline. I know a lot of Cavs fans have been asking me, "What's the plan?"
11. To steal a line from the coach, I don't have a lot of answers for you. I really don't.
12. Anyway, yes, the trade deadline is Thursday. If I'm Altman, I just got considerably more aggressive in making calls. I am all ears when someone else calls first. I am open to just about any proposal. It's not an overreaction to say the Cavs should have no untouchables.
13. Beilein was asked if he thinks maybe the players are tuning him out. It's a fair question because the results have been so ugly.
14. Beilein's response: "I can't answer that. Our guys have to measure themselves. Have they bought in to playing winning basketball? There's moments that they have. So, I can't answer that."
15. I'm not about to insist that the players have tuned out the coach. But they clearly aren't nearly as focused as they once were. Who can forget the first two weeks of the season, when the Cavs seemed so determined to overachieve? Back then, they made their fanbase proud. But today, that feels like a decade ago.
16. Speaking of yesteryear, I looked it up, and the Cavs were 9-41 at this point last season. So they have four more wins this season. That really doesn't matter, though. They are not better now than they were when the season began. They're worse. That's a problem.
17. Collin Sexton again played hard and again led the Cavs, this time scoring 23 points. I'm not so certain Sexton understands how to make the right play, but there can be no questioning his effort. He never wobbles off the floor. He never asks to be taken out. He plays every night. He scores a lot. That all has to count for something in an otherwise lost season.
18. Rookies Kevin Porter Jr. (19 points) and Darius Garland (15) were also solid offensively. The entire team was bad -- real bad -- on defense.
19. Robinson scored 22 to lead the Warriors. He came in averaging 12.5. D'Angelo Russell added 19. Old friend/enemy Draymond Green was brilliant passing the ball and defensively. He compiled a whopping 16 assists, slicing up the Cavs as they stood around and watched.
20. Next up: The Cavs get the Knicks at home again Monday. Not sure if that's good or bad news anymore.
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February 02, 2020 at 12:01PM
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Dribbles: Losses Like This Make You Think Cavs Changes a Must - Sports Illustrated
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