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JB Bickerstaff

Sports gambling

Is legal sports gambling hurting the NBA?

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All of a sudden, Rudy Gobert doesn’t seem so crazy.

Gobert made headlines for pantomiming the money sign after getting whistled for his sixth foul late in the fourth quarter of a wild Cavaliers-Timberwolves game in Cleveland on March 8. By flashing the money sign, Gobert was implying that the officiating crew targeted the 7-foot-1 Frenchman because they had money riding on the game.

At first blush, Gobert’s reaction reeked of sour grapes. The Cavs went on to win the game in overtime, and Gobert – as dominant as he is – has a history of emotional outbursts. Even after watching the Netflix documentary “Untold: Operation Flagrant Foul,” it’s hard to imagine that the trio of officials in Cleveland that night would’ve been brazen enough to place bets on the game they were officiating. (Although it’s worth mentioning that Scott Foster and Tim Donaghy were fast friends back in the day.)

But sadly, Gobert’s larger point – that legalized sports betting is hurting the NBA – might have some legs.

Prior to Cleveland’s home matchup against the Miami Heat, Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff told reporters that the sports-betting craze is starting to hit way too close to home.

“I personally have had my own instances with some of the sports gamblers, where they got my telephone number and were sending me crazy messages about where I live and my kids and all that stuff,” Bickerstaff said. “So it is a dangerous game and a fine line that we’re walking for sure.”

I’ll share a personal anecdote. When I attended the Cavs-Knicks game in Cleveland on March 3, there was a guy sitting in our row who repeatedly declared that “the Cavs are gonna win by five” to anyone in earshot. Late in the fourth quarter – when it was clear that the Cavs weren’t going to win at all – he vanished like a fart in the wind. I’m guessing he had some skin in the game.

That guy popped into my mind when Bickerstaff talked about the “added pressure” that legal sports gambling has placed on the game of professional basketball.

“It brings a distraction to the game that can be difficult for players, coaches, referees – everybody that’s involved in it,” Bickerstaff said. “And I think that we really have to be careful with how close we let it get to the game and the security of the people who are involved in it, because again it does carry a weight. A lot of times people who are gambling, this money pays their light bill or pays their rent, and the emotions that come from that. So I do think we’re walking a very fine line and we have to be extremely careful in protecting everybody who’s involved.”

I certainly hope the fan in our row didn’t wager his rent money on that game.

Sports betting has been legal in the Buckeye State since Jan. 1, 2023, thanks to the passage of House Bill 29. Since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a federal law that prohibited sports gambling in 2018, some 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting in some form.

Marcus Morris

Cavs sign veteran Marcus Morris to 10-day contract

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The Cleveland Cavaliers added some depth and experience with the signing of forward Marcus Morris.

The 13-year veteran appeared in 37 games this season with the Philadelphia 76ers. Morris was traded to San Antonio as part of a three-team deal on Feb. 8, and the Spurs bought out his contract on Feb. 29.

After signing with the Cavs, the 6-8 forward will be eligible for postseason play.

In his career, Morris has played in 820 games (509 starts) with Houston, Phoenix, Detroit, Boston, New York, L.A. Clippers and Philadelphia, averaging 12.1 points and 4.5 rebounds in 26.7 minutes per game.

But it’s his playoff experience that makes this such a strong move for the Cavaliers. In 67 career playoff games (45 starts), Morris has averaged 12.6 points and 5.1 rebounds in 30.1 minutes while shooting nearly 41% from 3-point range.

Prior to Monday night’s game in Indianapolis, coach J.B. Bickerstaff rattled off the list of attributes that make Morris a great fit for a young Cavaliers team.

“Just the level of professionalism,” Bickerstaff said. “[Morris is] a guy who’s been through all the trials and tribulations of the NBA; a ton of experience. There’s a toughness to him, a grit to him. [There’s a] reputation around this league of what his peers think about him and how they respect him. And obviously his ability to make shots and compete on the floor.”

With 14 games left in the season, the Cavaliers are looking ahead to the playoffs. The battle-tested Morris is a low-risk waiver-wire pickup for a team that’s determined to advance further than last year.

Donovan Mitchell

Donovan Mitchell’s knee still isn’t right

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Like many NBA teams, the Cavaliers have been battling injuries throughout the season.

Jarrett Allen missed the first five games of the season after hurting his left ankle in training camp. Evan Mobley and Darius Garland each missed roughly six weeks starting in mid-December. Max Strus has missed the last seven games with a right-knee strain.

Then there’s MVP candidate Donovan Mitchell. The Cavs welcomed Mitchell back to the fold on March 13 after a seven-game absence, and trounced the New Orleans Pelicans 116-95 – snapping the Pelicans’ four-game winning streak.

Mitchell tallied 14 points in New Orleans. While that’s roughly half of Mitchell’s season scoring average, Darius Garland told reporters after the game that Mitchell’s mere presence on the court is a major boost for the Cavs, because he attracts so much attention from the opposing defense.

Unfortunately, the Cavaliers were unable to carry that momentum into Houston Saturday night, where they lost to the Rockets 117-103.

Mitchell drained three 3-pointers but finished with only 13 points in 25 minutes of action.

After the game, a frustrated Mitchell dropped a bit of a bombshell on reporters.

“I’ll give you some news: I’m probably not playing the next game, to be completely honest with you,” Mitchell said. “I just gotta take some rest and get it right. I thought I was ready. I’m not.”

On March 4, Mitchell received a platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injection at the Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine Center to treat a bone bruise in his left knee. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff has attributed the injury to wear and tear over the course of the season.

After the loss in Houston, Mitchell was brutally honest about how the bruised knee has stifled his game.

“No disrespect to some guys – I’m not really blowing by people right now, and that’s disappointing to me and it’s affecting me,” Mitchell said. “ … It sucks. I want to be out there, but it’s clear as day, even to myself. I can’t fool myself. So I have to sit there, get it right and be ready when that time comes.”

If Mitchell can’t play in Monday night’s Central Division matchup in Indiana, it will be a tough blow for a Cavaliers team that’s been struggling since the All-Star break. However, the Cavs have managed to overcome plenty of adversity throughout the season. Despite the rash of injuries, they’re still within striking distance of the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference.

The Cavaliers are 33-16 with Mitchell in the lineup this season.

Bulls Cavs Double OT

Why the double-OT loss in Chicago was noteworthy for the Cavaliers

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The Cleveland Cavaliers have been in a bit of a funk since the All-Star break.

After getting a win in Detroit Friday night, they’re 3-3 since play resumed, which isn’t bad. But the Cavs set the bar high after a torrid stretch in which they were 18-3 from Jan. 1 up to the All-Star break.

They’ve also set the bar high in overtime play over the past few seasons.

The Cavaliers’ Feb. 28 double-overtime loss in Chicago snapped their 11-game overtime winning streak. With that mark, Cleveland had been tied for the second-longest OT winning streak in NBA history.

New Orleans holds the NBA record with 13 straight overtime victories from 2006-2008.

The Cavs got their 11th consecutive overtime win on Dec. 18, against the Rockets. In that one, Donovan Mitchell had 37 points and Sam Merrill had 19 off the bench, including five points in OT.

The Cavs were 7-0 in overtime last season, and 2-0 during the 2021-2022 season, when the streak started. Even before that, the Cavaliers had been excelling in the extra session, posting 4-1 and 3-1 overtime records, respectively, in the previous two seasons.

Put another way: With the Feb. 28 loss in Chicago, the Cavaliers are 18-3 in overtime since the 2019-2020 season.

That’s a cool stat that overlaps with most of J.B. Bickerstaff’s tenure as head coach. The Cavs promoted Bickerstaff to the position in February 2020 after John Beilein resigned.

JB Bickerstaff

Bickerstaff’s comments on Cavs’ depth ring hollow after double-overtime loss in Chicago

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The Cavaliers just completed their second of seven back-to-back matchups in the 29 games on the post-All-Star-break schedule.

They’re 1-3 in those back-to-backs so far.

After the Cavs’ 132-123 loss in double overtime at Chicago, I’ve been thinking back to some comments that coach J.B. Bickerstaff made in a Feb. 21 press conference.

The topic: depth.

“I think it’s important to just continue to focus on our depth,” Bickerstaff told reporters, when asked about the seven back-to-backs on the schedule. “Being able to go 10, 11 men deep gives us an opportunity to not kill anybody.

“Obviously, you’re gonna play and do what you gotta do to win the games. But understanding how you manage first halves versus second halves where you don’t have to just put a ton of pressure on one guy to play a ton of minutes because of the depth that we have – that’s been our message to our guys is embrace the depth, embrace the opportunities for your teammates to be successful, and at the end of the day that’s all that matters.”

The Cavs showcased their newfound depth in the six weeks or so that Evan Mobley and Darius Garland were out of the lineup.

When Bickerstaff was forced to turn to his bench, guys like Sam Merrill, Craig Porter Jr. and even Damian Jones got playing time, and they seized the opportunity, for the most part. Tristan Thompson was a big part of the equation as well.

It seemed like depth was becoming a strength of this team. And Bickerstaff – who favors tight, playoff-style rotations throughout the season – sure seemed like he was beginning to see the light, based on his comments.

To be fair, nine- and 10-man rotations are the norm in the NBA. Still, with a brutal schedule on the docket – including five games in seven days twice – you’d think this would be the perfect time to mix things up and capitalize on the Cavs’ depth.

Evidently not.

The Feb. 28 double-overtime loss in Chicago is a great example. On the second night of a back-to-back, Bickerstaff employed a nine-man rotation. (Bulls coach Billy Donovan used a 10-man rotation.)

Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland each played 44 minutes. The previously minutes-restricted Evan Mobley played 42 minutes. Caris LeVert – who had a terrific game – logged 39 minutes off the bench.

Merrill played zero minutes.

Porter played zero minutes.

On a night when the Bulls outrebounded the Cavs 74-39 – and Jarrett Allen’s legs looked heavy – the 6-10 Jones played zero minutes. Jones has provided a spark in the few opportunities that he’s had this season.

In the previous night’s win over Dallas, Bickerstaff employed a nine-man rotation as well, opting not to use Merrill or Porter.

And let’s be honest: Some guys had zero chance of playing.

Barring a rash of injuries or illnesses, the 6-11 Pete Nance will never play a single minute of meaningful (non-garbage-time) NBA basketball.

Same goes for Sharife Cooper and Zhaire Smith.

Isaiah Mobley has played a total of 14 minutes this season – all garbage time. The 6-8 Mobley has good size and a strong pedigree, but many fans speculate that he’s only on the roster to keep his brother happy. We may never get to find out one way or the other.

Again, this is not unique to Bickerstaff. Tight rotations are an NBA paradigm. Coaches are focused on maintaining continuity and chemistry, and that comes with guys being on the court together on a regular basis.

Still, when it seems obvious that starters and regular rotation players are on wobbly legs, it’s tempting for fans like me to wonder why coaches are so stubborn with their rotations.

JB Bickerstaff

Bickerstaff not satisfied After Cavs’ come-from-behind win over Wizards

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Heading into the All-Star break, the Cleveland Cavaliers were the hottest team in the NBA. The Cavs were 18-3 since the turn of the calendar year, a torrid stretch punctuated by eight-game and nine-game winning streaks.

If you thought the final two months of the NBA season would be a mirror image of the previous two months, the past week has been the equivalent of a cold shower.

The Cavs resumed action with back-to-back losses. As for which one was more troubling, you can take your pick.

In a 116-109 loss to Orlando, Mo Wagner was flexing his muscles like Hulk Hogan and the Magic reserves outscored the Cavs’ bench 63-24. The next night in Philadelphia, the Sixers beat the Cavaliers 104-97 without Joel Embiid – again.

Sunday night in Washington, it looked the Cavs might be headed for their third straight loss.

The Cavs went into the fourth quarter with an 87-80 lead, only to watch the Wizards go on a 14-0 run that gave Washington an 88-94 lead with 9:17 left. Darius Garland stopped the bleeding with back-to-back triples, and the Cavaliers had to gut out a win over the 9-48 Wizards.

After the game, a hoarse Cavs coach J.B. Bickerstaff was not in a good place.

“Again, we just need to be better,” Bickerstaff told reporters. “I don’t think we played to our standard tonight. I expected more fire from our group, after losing two games in a row and having an opportunity to play another one.

“We’ve got to get back to playing with that spirit, the way we played before the break. We’ve got some tough stretches coming up here. But we’ve got to be better. I’ve got to do a better job of getting guys ready to play, and our players have to do a better job as well.”

The Cavaliers are 24-7 since Dec. 16, but they’ve lost three of their last five. Their two wins have come against Chicago and Washington, and the win over the Bulls was a nail-biter.

In some respects, the Cavs are a victim of their own success. They’ve played so well over the past two and half months that they’re on everybody’s radar now – and the scouting report is out. Teams are finding success by playing tight, physical defense on the Cavs and pushing the tempo, which has forced the Cavs to rush their offensive sets and commit a lot of turnovers.

In the Magic’s Feb. 22 win in Cleveland, the Cavs turned the ball over 19 times, which led to 28 Orlando points.

While it’s been a tough stretch, the Cavs still hold the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. (At this same juncture last season, the Cavs were the No. 4 seed.) Nevertheless, they’re going to have to dig deep to stay there.

The post-All-Star-break schedule includes six more back-to-backs; a nine-game West Coast trip; five games in seven days – twice; and two games each against Minnesota, Phoenix, Miami and Indiana.

How can the Cavaliers maintain the proper mindset for such a treacherous schedule?

“It’s a focus on our habits right now,” Bickerstaff said. “Defensively, [it’s] understanding personnel, strengths and weaknesses, and forcing people to their weakness. Executing our coverages, being more physical, all those things. I think we have to continue to build those habits to get us where we want to go eventually.”

Cavs 76ers

Sixers Outhustle Cavaliers, Snap 9-Game Winning Streak

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If ever there was a “trap” game, this was it.

Heading into Monday night’s home matchup against Philadelphia, the Cavaliers were riding a nine-game winning streak – the longest active streak in the NBA at the time. Some of those wins were so non-competitive that they looked more like a Harlem Globetrotters game than a legitimate NBA contest.

Meanwhile, the 76ers have been reeling in the absence of reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who had surgery performed on his left knee earlier this month. While the Sixers’ lengthy injury report included Tobias Harris, Robert Covington and Nicolas Batum, they recently added prolific sharpshooter Buddy Hield and Cameron Payne via trades.

Other than Tyrese Maxey, this was a Philadelphia starting-lineup configuration that the Cavs hadn’t faced before.

The warning signs were there.

“These are the games you cannot take lightly,” Serena Winters of Bally Sports declared just prior to tipoff.

Brad Daugherty put it this way: “The problem when you play against a team that’s not at full strength is they’re gonna be a little freeer than you are. So they’re gonna take some tough shots; they’re gonna take a lot of shots. You don’t want to get lulled into doing that. You want to be disciplined, take advantage of your offense. Execute – that’s what’s gotten you here.”

The execution wasn’t quite there from the opening tip for the Cavs, who stumbled on their first possession and trailed 34-33 after the first quarter. Particularly troublesome was the fact that the 76ers shot 67% from the field in the first frame, matching the Cavs with 20 points in the paint.

Without Embiid, the Sixers took a page out of the Cavaliers’ playbook, playing aggressive defense, attacking the basket, gobbling up 50/50 balls, firing away from 3-point range and playing with an overall sense of urgency – a formula that served the Cavs well when Darius Garland and Evan Mobley were out.

The Sixers led throughout the second quarter and went up 66-62 at halftime. Philadelphia had the edge in paint points, 36-30, and shot 59% from the field.

“Give them credit – they’re attacking our paint,” Cavs assistant coach Luke Walton told Winters at the start of the third quarter. “The surprise for us [is] we’re an elite defensive team, and we don’t let people do that to us. We gotta play with much more physicality in the second half and really just get back to doing defensively what we’ve done so well all season long.”

Shortly after Walton’s comments, Sixers backup center Paul Reed started off the third quarter with an easy layup. Reed scored in the paint again on the Sixers’ next possession to make it 70-62 Philadelphia.

The 76ers continued to score effortlessly in the paint until a disgruntled J.B. Bickerstaff called a timeout with 9:14 left in the third.

The Cavs responded by ratcheting up their defense and getting some baskets in transition, taking a 77-76 lead with 7:00 left in the third. The 76ers weren’t fazed.

Still, the Cavaliers fought hard, taking a 92-91 lead on a Jarrett Allen dunk at the end of the third quarter. Considering that the Cavs had a 33-2 record when leading after three quarters, it looked like they had a good shot to extend their winning streak to 10.

The Cavs extended their lead to 94-91 early in the fourth, but the Sixers didn’t wilt. Maxey, who finished with 22 points, and Kelly Oubre Jr. (24 points) showcased their jumpshots all night.

Hield’s layup put the 76ers up 106-102 with 5:40 left in the game. Hield, who finished with 24 points, nailed a 3-pointer on the Sixers’ next possession – and then another to make it 113-104 with 4:28 remaining.

The Cavs trailed 115-107 with 3:17 left.

Somehow, the Cavs had a chance to win it. Donovan Mitchell, who led all scorers with 36 points, intercepted an errant inbounds pass with 53.4 seconds left and drove to the basket, scoring on a floating bank shot. Hield fouled out on the play, and Mitchell converted the free throw to make it 120-116.

On the next 76ers possession, the Cavaliers finally got a stop. After Max Strus and Garland missed 3-point attempts, Mitchell coolly drained a 3-pointer to make it 120-119 with 14 seconds left.

The Cavs had a chance to win at the buzzer, but Garland – who is still trying to find his rhythm after missing six weeks due to a fractured jaw – missed a 3-point shot as time expired. Philadelphia prevailed, 123-121.

Dean Wade was out with an illness, and the Cavs certainly missed his dogged defense. Georges Niang and Sam Merrill played, but both reserved were held scoreless.

Mitchell, the Eastern Conference Player of the Week, wasn’t making any excuses.

“I don’t mean to say this in a harsh way, but we kind of deserved to lose this game just based off of how we started,” Donovan Mitchell told reporters after the game. “We came out as if one, they were gonna lay down and let us just continue to do what we do, but I think also we just didn’t put forth [the effort], especially defensively. Offensively, we got what we wanted. But [defensively] we didn’t come out the right way, and the basketball gods don’t reward you for that.”

Mitchell added that there’s no reason to panic. However, with the addition of Hield, it sure looks like the 76ers are going to be dangerous if and when Embiid returns this season.

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