Game Thread 2023-24 Game #18 - BLAZERS @ CAVS - NOVEMBER 30, 2023 - THURSDAY - 4:00 PM PST - ROOT

Jerami was on a heater last game. Cavs have no answer for the Wrath of Grant.

 

Until after the deadline, I’m going to be rooting for W’s. Hoping for another big Grant game regardless of the end result. Grant looks like someone who could really help the Cavs.

 

Chris- we’re 5-12, not 4-13

 

Chris nice work. I won’t take the time to critique you…..sigh

 

This should be more entertaining than the previous matchup in Portland at the least.

 

Tough to score on Mobley and Allen. They need to have a lot of player movement and ball movement (Steve 'Snapper' Jones) to get those two out of position.

 

Put a few bucks on the Blazers +12

So Blazers lose by 11 points or less, or actually win - and I win the bet. Blazers lose by 13 or more and I lose.

Seems like we've played okay lately and that's just too big of a spread.

Wouldn't be shocked we get blown out and I lose though, so guess we'll see.

 

Do you think Grant is earning his contract currently?

 

The game ending 1-2-3 of Brogdon, Thybulle, and Sharpe makes a lot more sense than having Scoot stand in the corner.
There are no small guards of those three players.

 

I would say yes he is. With Dame gone, the things I suspected of him all pretty much came to be true. Grant is a great 3rd scorer, not a primary scorer. I was especially annoyed with him handling the ball so much in the beginning of the season, but I’m seeing a lot more catch and shoot 3’s, which he’s shown to be good at. He also is great at getting his shot off against smaller guys. His post fadeaways remind me of Shaun Livingston’s (against the Blazers, I felt like he hit a couple of those on one of our guards every quarter).

I actually think that playing on a competitive team with better players, he could average closer to 50% fg than the 45% he’s averaging right now, although on maybe 20ppg as opposed to 23.5ppg. His fg% has been climbing though, so maybe he gets around that point without being on a playoff roster. Being that efficient of a scorer, alone, is a tough job on a non-competitive team.

Tobias Harris, for comparison, is making over $39m this year, based on a 27 game sample size in ‘19. Based on a decent edge in rpg and playmaking stats, there might be a debate Harris is a slightly better overall player. To me though, there is no debate, Grant is the better player. I think that Grant is significantly better at getting to the line and stopping the clock, and he is a noticeably better shooter. The difference between Grant and Harris is salary this year is what, $12m?

Wiggins is going to have a PO for $30.3m in ‘26-‘27, and Grant will be making $34.2m. Jaylen Brown will be making $57.7m that year. Ingram’s contract is over in ‘24-‘25 at $36m, meaning his ‘26-‘27 number is going to be well over $40m, probably starting around $42-44m.

I’d argue he is already living up to his contract based on some of the numbers above, and he’ll likely outplay it, given the salaries some of the guys coming up are going to get. I don’t think Brown is $23m+ better than Grant, I don’t think Ingram is going to be $10m better than Ingram in a few years, and I don’t think Grant is only $3m better than Wiggins this year.

 

Kevin Knox photo for Brogdon intro at Cleveland. WTF.

 

Go Blazers

 

STOP REPLAYING DURING LIVE ACTION PLEASE FFS

 

WHY don't the Blazers use Ayton more???

 

Cavs radio ragging on Ayton afterlast matchup. "that's a lotta money for a 6/6 guy"

 

Grant is a disaster in this game. Ayton looks good.

What do the Blazers do?

Let Grant take over.

 

Holy shit Jerami Grant masterclass on how to suck ass on both ends. What the fuck?