Random dribbles following the Cavaliers’ 114-94 home loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
1. Kevin Love and Matthew Dellavedova returned for the Cavs. All-Star center Joel Embiid remained out for the Sixers. The Sixers were still considerably better.
2. Yeah, I know. Riveting analysis. But despite another inspiring start to the season, the Cavs just aren’t going to match up with many teams. Not without a center such as Andre Drummond, now with the Los Angeles Lakers. Or Jarrett Allen, still out with a concussion. Or even JaVale McGee, now with the Denver Nuggets.
3. That’s nothing against new center Isaiah Hartenstein. It seems he has potential. He just clearly doesn’t have the experience.
4. In other words, the Cavs are awfully small. So defending in the key isn’t going to be their strong suit without Allen. The defense of Collin Sexton and Darius Garland isn’t very good. They can’t really keep anyone out of the paint. Then once opponents do get in the paint, it’s lights out.
5. I don’t know if this was the plan, but the Cavs have a worse roster now than they did at the start of the year. And by “worse,” I mean less depth, less size and less veteran know-how.
6. Maybe that will change once Love gets re-acclimated. I doubt it, but I’ve been wrong before. Maybe that can be the Cavs’ new motto: “We’re banking on Amico being wrong!”
7. Die-hard fans understand that the Cavs (17-31) are still going through a rebuild. They know the Cavs are better than last season. They know the Cavs are usually pretty fun to watch for about a half. At least, they are most nights.
8. Those types of fans also know the plan is to build around four key players — Sexton, Garland, Allen and rookie Isaac Okoro — and take some lumps in the process. The idea being that this unit will become a well-oiled machine once it ages together.
9. But most fans aren’t die-hards. Most fit more into the “casual” category. And casual fans typically only have one question: “Did the Cavs win?”
10. Yeah, nope. Not usually.
11. But whether you’re casual, die-hard, or general manager of the team, everyone knows these Cavs are still lacking an elite talent to take them to another level. Now, and for the future.
12. That is why the Cavs again have their sights set on the NBA draft, or more specifically, the lottery. Theoretically, the payoff is landing a young do-it-all type, a future super-duper star. The downside is losing a lot now and having the guys currently in uniform wonder if this is somewhere they really want to be.
13. So what should the Cavs do? Well, I really have no clue. My plan would be to try to win as much as possible and let the chips fall where they may. Giannis Antetokounmpo was a No. 15 overall pick, and he’s the back-to-back NBA MVP. Kawhi Leonard was No. 15 overall, too. And along with Antetokounmpo, Leonard is considered one of the top five or six players in the league.
14. Don’t worry, die-hards. The Cavs aren’t anywhere near good enough to end up with the 15th pick. They’ll be back in the top 10. Again, they’re less talented, less deep and less experienced than they were three months ago — when they were actually winning games, or at least competitive for entire games.
15. So how did Love look? Pretty good for about 14 minutes. That makes him like the rest of the Cavs. Love scored all 13 of his points in the first quarter, and the Cavs trailed by just two at halftime. Then they got run off the court after the Sixers seemed to start taking things seriously.
16. Sexton led the way with 24 points, though why he was still in with the Cavs getting blown out late in the fourth is beyond me. Dean Wade added 16 points and eight rebounds in one of his finest showings as a pro. Hartenstein was solid with 12 points. Everyone else was just sort of out there, although Garland made some nifty passes on his way to eight assists.
17. Along with that, the Sixers’ guards simply crushed the Cavs. Shake Milton came off the bench and got in a night of shooting practice, finishing with 27 points on 10-of-14 from the floor. Seth Curry scored 19, including 5-of-10 shooting on 3-pointers. Milton went 5-of-7 on threes.
18. The Cavs have now lost five of six. The final two quarters of this one quickly turned into little more than 24 minutes of garbage time. This after an unsightly 39-point loss at Utah the other night.
19. Cavs forward Larry Nance Jr. (illness) did not play. That certainly didn’t help matters. Dellavedova went 0-fo-4 shooting. That didn’t help, either.
20. Bottom line: If you’re a die-hard fan, this is kind of how you expected the season to go, and you’re OK with the fact that it’s highly likely to remain this way. But if you’re in the majority, you’ve probably already turned your attention elsewhere. Maybe next year the Cavs will stop being fine with regularly taking one on the chin.
