Two for One: Cavs put forth embarrassing effort in home loss to Kawhi-less Clippers

Not sure what you say about this one. The Clippers were without Patrick Beverley and Kawhi Leonard on the road, and still found a way to give the Cavs their worst home loss in team history. So. It’s not what you’d want. The problem here, among many, is that this wasn’t simply just a poor shooting night. The Cavs have been getting worse defensively, and appear to be getting worse. The Cavs haven’t created good shots this season, but actively ran offense that had Andre Drummond and Tristan Thompson taking three point shots. The Cavs have not played rotations that would maximize success, but tonight had several lineup permutations that included three of the Drummond, Kevin Love, Thompson, and Larry Nance Jr. quartet at once. It’s just not what the NBA is anymore.

The Los Angeles Clippers, 133. Your Cleveland Cavaliers, 92.

Again, the worst home loss in 50 years of Cavs basketball.

Andre Drummond was sort of a disaster, but that’s the okay part

Look, if he’s going to come in here and be firing up three pointers that’s not what his role can or should be. He had a nice dunk off a Cedi Osman lob. But 19 points on 17 shots, four turnovers, and defense on par with the rest of the Cavs just won’t do. Honestly, he was two of three from three point range, so it’s a matter of the process being bad. This isn’t just a results-based view.

All that said, it’s his first game and he barely knows these guys or whatever system the Cavs actually have. He’s about the only Cavalier with an excuse. Still, it doesn’t speak well of his mindset for him to come in and launch those threes.

The defense is regressing, and it was already atrocious

It seemed to me like the first month of the season Collin Sexton came in wanting to defend. That’s long gone. Darius Garland isn’t going to do it. Cedi Osman has physical limitations. Kevin Love is probably on cruise control until the end of the year. Tristan Thompson will be a free agent this summer, so he has reason to stay motivated, but his minutes will now be limited. In other words, the wheels could come off on the Cavs defense, if they haven’t already. The word that comes to mind more than anything after this game is embarrassing. They didn’t contest layups or threes.

Variance explains a lot of single-game team shooting percentage, but the Clippers were downright comfortable as they waltzed to 130+ points on 57% shooting.

I don’t know what to say here that could be positive, and I’m considering mailing in the last part of this in honor of the Cavs

Kevin Porter Jr. had a nice dunk. He then celebrated like it was the All-Star contest while his team was down 15, but that’s okay.

It’s worth noting the Clippers were on the second night of a road back to back. This is the Cavs 12th straight home loss. What else is there to say?