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The Cavaliers deliberately prevented the No. 2 seed by tanking the top of their remaining sport. ESPN’s Tim Bontemps discovered it “reprehensible.”
On “The Hoop Collective with Brian Windhorst” podcast, Bontemps took subject with Cleveland coach J.B. Bickerstaff, who pulled most of his common gamers whereas main the Charlotte Hornets late, presumably to keep away from a attainable first-round matchup with the Miami Warmth or Philadelphia 76ers.
“What the Cavs did was scream to the world that they’ve completely no religion of their staff,” Bontemps stated. “That they cannot beat Miami, that they cannot beat Philly.”
With 6:39 to play and the Cavaliers successful by six factors, Bickerstaff pulled Max Strus from the sport and performed the rest of the sport with no guards. His ostensible level guard was 6-foot-8 Emoni Bates, a rookie who had seven assists all season going into Sunday. The remainder of the lineup was three facilities and an influence ahead. Unsurprisingly, they managed simply two factors the remainder of the best way.
On the time, Cleveland had an opportunity on the No. 2 seed, although the New York Knicks ultimately received in additional time to assert second place. The Cavs ended up falling to the No. 4 seed and a matchup with the Orlando Magic, although a win would have gotten them the No. 3 seed.
Bontemps took subject with the message that the technique despatched. Primarily, the Cavaliers have been foregoing an opportunity at the next seed and home-court benefit in an effort to get what they thought was a extra favorable first-round collection. However in doing so, they put themselves instantly within the path of the Boston Celtics within the second spherical, and in impact, stated they have been afraid to play the seventh- and eighth-place groups of their convention.
However the Cavaliers’ technique is flawed as a result of it price them what might have been an much more favorable matchup. In the event that they’d received, they’d be going through the smaller Indiana Pacers, who they defeated on Friday night time. They’d have put themselves on the other facet of the bracket to the Celtics as properly.
When the Cavaliers traded future All-Star Lauri Markkanen and a number of first-round picks so as to add Donovan Mitchell, was their objective actually simply to win a single first-round collection? If that’s the case, it is no shock that Mitchell is reluctant to sign an extension. How is he alleged to imagine within the Cavaliers after they do not imagine in themselves?
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