Point: The Cavaliers lost to the freaking Knicks by 19 points on Sunday. Counterpoint: It is October.
The Cavaliers look terrible. It is October.
We have that and more in Monday’s NBA newsletter.
Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images
Point: The Cavs have lost three straight games. Counterpoint: It is October.
Point: The Cavaliers have lost four of five, and the win was a close game against the freaking Bulls. Counterpoint: It is October.
Point: The Cavs are below .500 two weeks into the season with a bottom-10 strength of schedule. Counterpoint: It is October.
Point: The Cavaliers have a bottom-5 defense right now. Counterpoint: It is October.
Point: The Cavs are closer to last place than first place in the Central Division. Counterpoint: It is October.
Don’t panic. It is October. Don’t panic. It is October. Don’t panic. It is October.
Scores Galore ...
MIL 117, ATL 106
SAS 94, IND 97
DEN 124, BKN 111
ORL 113, CHA 120
WAS 110, SAC 83
NYK 114, CLE 95
DET 115, GSW 107
... And So Much More
But seriously folks, the Cavaliers are not playing well right now. This is muted somewhat by the fact the Warriors are not even trying until the fourth quarter most nights. Golden State’s defense has been a tire fire of disregard. It bit them Sunday as DETROIT BASKETBALL slid in and stole a win. I would make a bigger deal of this, except I’m hurt and disappointed and ... hurt that the Pistons are apparently for real a year after I foolishly believed them to be real. Fool me once, Detroit ...
If you weren’t watching the NBA on Friday, you missed a FRACAS. It happened late in Wizards vs. Warriors in Oakland. Bradley Beal clubbed Draymond Green across the face, they hugged, Kelly Oubre came swinging in, a couple of Wizards left the bench. You’ll want to check out Tim Cato’s full breakdown of the buffoonery. The only suspensions were Markieff Morris and Carrick Felix, who both left the bench. Fines for Beal, Oubre, and Dray. So we’re clear: leaving the bench is worse than swinging fists in the NBA.
This Chris Haynes piece is ostensibly about Draymond’s anger about being fined by the NBA, and especially being fined more than Oubre. But buried deep in there is DRAYMOND SNITCHING ON NEIL OLSHEY, who apparently flipped the bird at the end of a recent Blazers’ loss.
Paul Flannery on why Kristaps Porzingis is the right man for the Knicks’ future.
Seerat Sohi is writing a new Sunday column for SBNation.com ... and it’s gooood. The first one hits the magic of Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.
Whitney Medworth has a new column, too. It’s called the B-Sides and it’s a celebration of what makes the NBA so fun. Check it out.
Uh, the Thunder’s plane hit something in flight from Minneapolis to Chicago on Friday night, leaving the nose cone looking like a beer can in the clutches of viral Maryland student. Delta says the plane hit a bird on descent.
You’re going to want to subscribe to Kelly Dwyer’s new home.
I explained what we know about the Nets’ sale to Joseph Tsai.
Blake Griffin is reliably shooting threes now. Be afraid.
Interesting piece from Marc Spears on how much players value warm welcomes from former teams after being traded or leaving as free agents.
Clever self-pass, Malik Monk! It’s a shame Aaron Gordon sniffed it out so easily.
The Sixers put Markelle Fultz on ice for at least three weeks. And so it begins ...
Everyone knows when the Spurs are going to run the hammer, and no one can stop it. But hey, Indiana made it out thanks to a gutsy Victor Oladipo game-winner!
Look, I will read anything about the new Raptors bench unit. That this piece is by a writer as talented as Jared Dubin is a bonus.
Wessell Rustbrook. Think about it.
And now, for an abrupt switch to a serious, painful topic: WNBA star and UConn legend Breanna Stewart’s personal #MeToo essay. (Trigger warning based on the subject matter.)
Who Got Next?
There’s a good NBA TV double-header on deck: Spurs-Celtics at 7:30 p.m. ET and Warriors-Clippers at 10:30. And honestly, the League Pass lineup is great, too. Full schedule here.
Be excellent to each other.
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