Maybe it’s time we start getting really, really worried about the Cavaliers. During a Sunday matinee against the Atlanta Hawks, Cleveland led by as many as 26 points in the fourth quarter. Somehow, this lead was not safe, and Atlanta came back to win in overtime, 126-125.
This is unfathomable. You almost have to try to blow a lead that insurmountable, and with only two games left until the playoffs start, the last thing that Cleveland needed was to lose a game in such a heartbreaking way. It was so bad that no one on the internet can really comprehend how this happened.
https://twitter.com/jasonkirksbn/status/851199134103109633
man what is happening here
— David Zavac (@DavidZavac) April 9, 2017
When no one else on your team is willing to die for their sport pic.twitter.com/xwEaohqVS3
— Zito (@_Zeets) April 9, 2017
This game is the exact opposite of a THIS. GAME.
— Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) April 9, 2017
Let's check on the Cleveland Cavaliers big lead… pic.twitter.com/YuSs1wXeTc
— 8 Points, 9 Seconds (@8pts9secs) April 9, 2017
This is the most uniquely talented team at forgetting how to play basketball that I've ever seen
— FearTheSword (@FearTheSword) April 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/noamschiller/status/851198124517445634
Schrodinger's Cavs have never looked worse/Should easily make Finals
— Ethan Strauss (@SherwoodStrauss) April 9, 2017
LMAOOOOOOO @ Bron. Just a comedy of errors
— Wosny Lambre (@BigWos) April 9, 2017
Unofficial Fear the Sword recap image pic.twitter.com/IY3QAmndzO
— Carter Rodriguez (@Carter_Shade) April 9, 2017
One person decided to make fun of LeBron James, who made it a priority for his front office to go out and get reinforcements at the trade deadline. The organization did its best, but things have gone downhill – especially on the defensive side of the ball – over the last month or two.
https://twitter.com/RegimeOfBatman/status/851197864235716608
Just how bad was this for Cleveland? Prior to today, only two NBA teams had ever come back from a 26-point forth quarter deficit.
Atlanta is the third team in NBA history to come back from at least 26 points down in the fourth quarter and win the game.
— Hawks PR (@HawksPR) April 9, 2017
Cleveland fans, as you can guess, are kind of furious after this one. The Cavs tweeted out this graphic at the conclusion of the game…
…which led to Cavaliers fans on Twitter responding with some serious anger. Apparently it got to be so bad that the team deleted the tweet and instead retweeted Fox Sports Ohio.
Still, the Cavs’ mentions on Twitter are something else right now.
I'm about 99.9% sure the @cavs will not repeat this year. The habits they've demonstrated for 80 games won't suddenly change in April.
— Oldy James (@EMONT006) April 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/Nervous_Nick115/status/851204165242155010
I've now heard the expression 'great' 4 times in @cavs postgame show to describe the play of James & Irving. Defensive end count anymore?
— Michael Reghi (@MichaelReghi) April 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/mjheller10/status/851203904549384192
https://twitter.com/pensgotballs/status/851203832143003648
@cavs 🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮🚮
— Anthony WOJas (@_D3adpool) April 9, 2017
Seems pretty bad, right? Let’s check in with Tyronn Lue, who is … fine?
Ty Lue said after the game the #Cavs are ready for the playoffs.
— P.J. ZIEGLER (@PJFOX8) April 9, 2017
Cleveland is going to make the playoffs. It is going to have a top-2 seed and will be the favorites to make it out of the East. But based on the last few months and especially what happened today, it’s hard to feel optimistic about the team’s chances of going back-to-back.