Being that the Cavs were wearing throwback jerseys from the 1970s on Thursday, James was asked which former Cleveland player he would have liked to have teamed up with most. Their successful unselfish play was instantly noticeable, as they were passing the ball through all corners of the court before putting up good shots. “There’s no ifs ands or buts”. “I’m sure we will learn more going forward”.
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“Andy really gave us a lift”, Blatt said. You saw it on them. You saw it in their approach. “We got to play tougher and meaner…” The Cavs nearly doubled up the Bucks, 43-22, in rebounding last night.
James made quite the statement Thursday after a shootaround as the Cavaliers prepared to play the Milwaukee Bucks in Cleveland in hopes of preventing a three-game skid.
James registered 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, while Tristan Thompson grabbed 16 rebounds and matched a career high with five assists. Greg Monroe scored 17 points, and Khris Middleton added 15 for Milwaukee.
They shot 48 percent, passed for 27 assists on 41 baskets and led by as many as 26 without James.
Led by Kyle Korver’s nine consecutive points, Atlanta made a mini-run in the third quarter. Jeff Teague, the Hawks’ usual starter at point guard, returned after missing two games with a sprained left ankle and scored 13 points.
Thompson started at center in place of Timofey Mozgov, who could miss two weeks with a strained right shoulder.
“I used to remember Butch Beard and them would come to me and go, ‘We need you tonight.’ I’m sitting there, ‘Boy, I just had a knee operation, my knee is as big as a balloon, ‘ but I’d strap it up and I’d go out and play”.
– Jason Kidd tried to get the bench unit involved early, but they weren’t able to provide much of a boost.
“We expect that out of him”, James said.
“He was frustrated, knew we weren’t playing right”, Cavaliers coach Dave Blatt said.
“It was kind of disjointed in terms of how well we played at a few moments and then how helter-skelter and off-keel we played at other moments”, Blatt said. “We cut it to two or five points, then the floodgates opened for them”.
Milwaukee had a franchise-low 22 rebounds. Let’s go Cavs 101, Hawks 98. If a player in the game receives his sixth personal foul and all substitutes have already been disqualified, said player shall remain in the game and shall be charged with a personal and team foul. “We didn’t win anything”, James added.
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Playing the entire fourth, Antetokounmpo couldn’t keep Milwaukee’s hot shooting streak going even after adding 10 points himself. According to espn.com, James said after their loss to the Andre Drummond-led Detroit Pistons. I think a coach has a right to get upset. “He’s all over the floor”.
