Cavs Writer: "Kyrie accolades outnumber his successes"

[mozichrome]

Something changed within Irving last season, and it coincided with his return from All-Star weekend. It was evident to anyone around the team, particularly former coach Byron Scott, who told me in the days before he was fired, “I haven’t changed, but he has.”

Irving spoke all summer about growing up, about becoming more of a leader and committing to defense under Mike Brown. It sounded good, it has even looked good at times, but the Cavs are still floundering in the East and Irving is still getting beat by too many mediocre point guards in the NBA.

He’s scoring less than last season and shooting worse. His assists are up marginally and his turnovers are down slightly, but this hasn’t been the significant leap he spoke of nine months ago.

Just within the last three weeks, here are the point guards that have really hurt the Cavs: Denver’s Ty Lawson had 19 points and 11 assists (averages 18 ppg, 8.9 apg), Portland’s Damian Lillard had 28 points and 5 assists (averages 21.2 ppg, 5.8 apg), the Lakers’ Kendall Marshall had 10 points and 16 assists (averages 10.1 ppg, 9.1 apg), Sacramento’s Isaiah Thomas had 26 points and 6 assists (averages 19.5 ppg, 6.3 apg), Utah rookie Trey Burke had 17 points and 6 assists (averages 13.5 ppg, 5.6 apg) and Philadelphia’s Michael Carter-Williams had 33 points and 5 assists (17.5 ppg, 6.7 apg).

Of that list, the only player who is supposed to be in Irving’s class is Lillard, yet all of them are reaching or exceeding their averages fairly easily against the Cavs. All-Stars don’t allow the D.J. Augustins of the NBA to beat them so soundly, nor do they allow their teams to lose by 44 to the Sacramento Kings.

gotdamn he getting torched on defense

 

[triplehate]

Not ever gonna win shyt with a star point guard... We eventually shyt on them all. Welcome to the Club Kyrie

 

[Newzz]

6 PGs over the last 21 days (3 weeks) who's "exceeding their averages fairly easily against the Cavs"?

How about THIS:
Over the last 3 weeks, Damian Lillard has allowed Isiah Thomas to go for 22 points and 8 assists (19.5 ppg and 6.3 apg on the season), Jameer Nelson to go for 17 points and 10 assists (13.7 ppg and 6.7 apg on the season), Patrick Beverly to go for 17 points and 5 assists (9.5 ppg and 2.4 apg on the season), Reggie Jackson to go for 15 points and 5 assists (13.4 ppg and 4.0 apg on the season), Ricky Rubio to go for 10 points and 11 assists (8.6 ppg and 8.3 apg on the season), and Stephen Curry to go for 38 points and 8 assists (24.1 ppg and 9.3 apg on the season). Is Damian Lillard garbage on defense as well, because he's allowed 6 PGs to reach or exceed their season averages against him all within the last 3 weeks?


Close this thread please

No PGs can really shut down another in this day and age of "touch fouls". They are too fast and shifty, and you cant play up on them like you used to.