Wine and Gold Talk Podcast

Highlights:

• Who on the team/front office discovered Craig Porter Jr., and should the team consider making him a permanent part of the roster?
• If Ricky Rubio doesn’t return, what position should the team prioritize in a trade with his salary cap space?
• How concerned should we be about Darius Garland’s high turnover numbers this season?
• Can Max Strus change or enhance the Cavs’ culture with his infectious play and attitude?
• Will J.B. Bickerstaff success as the coach of these Cavs be decided by the 2023-24 regular season or by the playoffs?

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Highlights:

• Was the win over Denver a statement win for the Cavs, and how confident can the team be with the growth they’ve made in the last three games?
• The emergence of rookie Craig Porter Jr.: Porter’s impact on the team’s offense and composure in high-pressure situations while realistically discussing what his role will look like when injured players return.
• Jarrett Allen’s performance against Nikola Jokic: Historical context of Allen’s plus/minus rating and its significance.
• Should the Cavs prioritize playing both Allen and Mobley together or stagger their minutes?
• What will Cleveland’s defense and rotations look like when Isaac Okoro returns?

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• Subtext subscribers express a desire for more significant incentives for teams participating in the in-season tournament, such as playoff spots or performance multipliers, Chris and Ethan agree and even add another option. 
• The hosts discuss Max Strus' impact on the Cavs and whether he should play all 48 minutes or not.
• The podcast explores whether Dean Wade or Caris LeVert should start in place of the injured Darius Garland.

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The key discussions in the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast regarding the NBA awards races with Cavs players as possible competitors. Highlights:

MVP Race:

• Nikola Jokic is the front runner for the MVP award.
• His outstanding performance has put him in a prime position for this prestigious honor.

DPOY (Defensive Player of the Year):

• Ethan's pick for DPOY is Anthony Davis.
• Chris is going with Rudy Gobert because of his impact on an overall better defense.

Sixth Man of the Year:

• Caris LeVert is the likely candidate for the Sixth Man of the Year award.
• His impactful contributions in his new role off the bench have been noteworthy.

Most Improved Player:

• The discussion centers around Tyrese Haliburton and Anthony Edwards as the top contenders.
• Both players have shown significant improvement and have made a case for this award.

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Highlights:

• Season Opener Report Card: We analyze the Cleveland Cavaliers' performance 10 games into the season and ask the burning question - Is it too early to panic?
• Frustrations on Both Ends: The Cavs receive an overall F grade for their offensive and defensive performance, and we delve into the reasons behind their struggles.
• Bright Spots Amidst the Darkness: Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert, and Max Strus have been the lone bright spots for their respective teams in the early part of the season.
• Coaching and Strategy: Explore the coaching decisions and strategic choices that may have contributed to the Cavs' rough start, and whether adjustments are needed.

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Highlights: 

• Meet Ethan Sands, the new host;
• A new "Hey Chris" segment, including the Cavs' search for a forward/big, Ricky Rubio, Dean Wade, and Evan Mobley's slow start.
• Discussion of the impact of the recent Cavaliers vs. Warriors game, focusing on interior play and standout performances.
• Jonathan X. Simmons discussing the latest developments in the G-League, and Sharife Cooper's status.
• Exploration of player development in the G-League and its benefits to creating stars in the NBA.
• Discussion of the Cavs' plans for Emoni Bates, his role on the Charge and Cavs, and analysis of how Emoni Bates' skill set complements the current Cavs roster.
• Comparisons between Emoni Bates' development trajectory and other young NBA stars, and parallels to successful NBA players' journeys.

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The Cavaliers will play one final preseason game on Friday night in Indianapolis before beginning the 2023-2024 regular season on Wednesday night in Brooklyn.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss how the Cavaliers have been putting their offensive plans into action as the preseason has begun.

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Nate Duncan from the Dunc’d On Podcast and NBA Strategy Stream on League Pass joins Chris Fedor to discuss where the Cavs stand in the Eastern Conference after a flurry of offseason activity, what would be a successful season, whether Evan Mobley can make the All-Star team in his third season, if Mobley and Jarrett Allen is a viable long-term pairing and Donovan Mitchell’s much-discussed future. 

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss their thoughts on Media Day and look into the worst-kept secret when it comes Donovan Mitchell.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss what Damian Lillard's arrival to Milwaukee may mean for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the reasons behind the return of Tristan Thompson to the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove take a look at Cleveland's offseason and how it will translate into a better 2023-2024 season.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the Cavs' 2023-2024 schedule, the In-Season Tournament and Ricky Rubio's decision to step away from basketball.

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Cavs forward Dean Wade joins Chris Fedor to discuss his late-season struggles, how the Kevin Love buyout impacted him and the team, his potential offseason transformation and how he views his role this coming season.

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Former Cavs forward Larry Nance Jr. joins Chris Fedor to discuss his younger brother, Pete, playing in Cleveland, whether the NBA’s in-season tournament will be successful, becoming an investor with Leeds United and whether he has any regrets about how his time with the Cavs ended.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss Cleveland's Summer League Championship and what it means to the franchise.

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Ethan Skolnick of 5 Reasons Sports in Miami joined Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove to offer insight into former Miami Heat forward Max Strus, who joined the Cleveland Cavaliers this offseason.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss Cleveland's additions in free agency and what they'll bring to the Cavaliers.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss how Cleveland can get the best possible version of rookie Emoni Bates as well as what the team is looking for as free agency nears.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove take a look at Cleveland's options in the 2023 NBA Draft.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss Donovan Mitchell's future and what the Cavaliers would do if he ultimately wanted to be a New York Knick. 

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss just how close, or how far, the Cleveland Cavaliers are to reaching the status of the Miami Heat as the Eastern Conference Champion and wonder if Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving could join LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove have conversations about LeBron James, J.B. Bickerstaff and Jarrett Allen in regards to their status with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the plan for the Cavs as the NBA offseason approaches.

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The Cavaliers endured a heartbreaking loss, as Nick Gilbert passed away due to complications of neurofibromatosis, the team announced.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove analyze the comments from the Cavaliers', including President of Basketball Operations Koby Altman, after Cleveland's season came to a close on Wednesday night.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove react to Cleveland's 4-1 series loss to the Knicks and discuss what happens next as the Cavaliers look towards the 2023-2024 season.

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Wednesday is do-or-die time for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

"Must-win" is an overused phrase in sports, but the Cavs find themselves officially in must-win territory, facing an elimination game against the New York Knicks down 3-1 with Game 5 on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. EDT in Cleveland.

Chris Fedor joins Ashley Bastock to discuss how the Cavs have gotten themselves here in the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast.

The two dig into the Xs and Os of how the Knicks have been able to limit some of what the Cavs do best, including the rebounding disparity in the series, and Jalen Brunson's effectiveness in ISO situations. They also discuss some of the biggest questions they have heading into Game 5, most notably with Cleveland's rotation.

Finally, the duo talks about what it takes to come back from a 3-1 deficit -- something Cavs fans are very familiar with already.

Want to become a Cavs Insider? Click here for more info and to sign up.

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The Cavs' season is officially on the brink.

In their first-round series against the New York Knicks, Cleveland is officially down 3-1 after a 102-93 Game 4 loss on the road during a Sunday matinee at Madison Square Garden.

Chris Fedor joins Ashley Bastock as the two break down what went wrong Sunday for Cleveland in the latest episode of the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast.

They discuss Donovan Mitchell taking the blame for the loss, as well as Darius Garland attempting to mount a comeback early in the second half. They also take a look at the rebounding, as the Cavs gave up 17 offensive rebounds in a single game for the second time this series.

Bigger picture, Chris and Ashley break down the limitations within the Cavs' roster, and why the Knicks are a bad matchup in terms of being able to exploit those limitations.

The two close out by looking ahead to Wednesday's Game 5, and discussing how Cleveland can claw its way back in to at least one more game.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove react to Game 3 of the first-round series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the New York Knicks on Friday night.

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As the Cavs prepare to take on the Knicks in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series, they suddenly have a pretty obvious starting lineup question.

Do they stick with Isaac Okoro? Or hand the reins over to Caris LeVert?

Chris Fedor and Ashley Bastock discuss in this Thursday episode of the Wine and Gold Talk Podcast. The duo takes a deep dive into the team's stats against the Knicks with both guys on the court, and Chris also discusses an exchange he had with J.B. Bickerstaff at practice on Thursday that has since gone viral.

Then there's the other lineup question: Is Cedi Osman going to play? The swingman was added to the injury report with a sprained left ankle -- Chris gets into what he saw at practice, as well as what he thinks could happen to Osman's minutes if he doesn't play.

Finally, the two talk about Madison Square Garden, and why it's different to play there. Chris closes out by giving some of his favorite New York recommendations.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers New York Knicks

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the adjustments that need to be made by the Cavaliers to win Game 2 against the Knicks in this first-round series.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove break down Game 1 of the first-round series between the Cavs and Knicks.

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It's playoff eve in Cleveland.

With the Cavs' first-round series against the New York Knicks beginning on Saturday, Chris Fedor joins Ashley Bastock to preview the series.

First: What are their series predictions, as well as the predictions of Chris' Cavs Insider Subscribers?

They then have a detailed discussion about key matchups in the series, particularly featuring Donovan Mitchell, Jalen Brunson and Isaac Okoro.

Next, it's potential X-factors in the series. Why Mitchell believes Caris LeVert is one, and what about Evan Mobley?

Finally, Chris details what has to happen for the Cavs to win the series.

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The playoffs are quickly approaching for the Cavs as their first-round series with the Knicks begins Saturday -- so it's time to look back while also looking ahead.

First, into the past we go: What has made J.B. Bickerstaff able to find success in Cleveland in a post-LeBron James era.

Chris Fedor and Ashley Bastock discuss Chris' new story on J.B. Bickerstaff, taking an in-depth look at what has led Bickerstaff to being a success story in Cleveland right now. They dive into the important role his background played thanks to his father Bernie Bickerstaff, and J.B. Bickerstaff's personality relating to his players.

And looking ahead: What's it going to take for Bickerstaff to get his team to be successful in a seven-game series? The two speculate about what kind of adjustments they might see.

Finally, an update on Isaac Okoro, who has been battling a knee injury. Will he be able to play against the Knicks?

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove take a look at the upcoming series between the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks, in addition to discussing why Evan Mobley will garner NBA Defensive Player of the Year votes.

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The Cavs have learned some valuable lessons over the last week -- at least, that's the hope after their tough March 31st loss to the New York Knicks, their upcoming first-round playoff opponent, and having to give their all in a close win over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday.

Chris Fedor and Ashley Bastock discuss what lessons they think will be valuable as the Cavs prepare for their final regular season game on Sunday against Charlotte and as Cleveland gets ready for its first-round playoff series against New York.

And then there's Donovan Mitchell's production. The All-Star has had 40-point games in each of his last four outings. He's also going dark on social media. Is he peaking at just the right time for Cleveland to make a postseason run?

Finally, Chris and Ashley discuss the biggest Cavs' rotation questions heading into the postseason, including Isaac Okoro's knee injury, and what the roles of Danny Green and Ricky Rubio may look like.

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Chris Fedor and Ashley Bastock discuss the Cavs clinching a spot in the postseason for the first time without LeBron James on the roster in 25 years.

The two also discuss what they were doing in 1998 the last time Cleveland accomplished the feat.

On a macro level, the big discussion centers around the Cavs rebuild as a whole, and how not all rebuilds work out this way this quickly.

And of course, there's the ever-important question, how important has coach J.B. Bickerstaff been to this team's turnaround, and what makes him the right guy to coach this group?

Finally, Ashley and Chris close out by discussing the Cavs' favorable schedule the final six games of the season, and as Chris prepares to head to Atlanta, the two discuss the "magical" cups available in the Hawks' press room this season.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss who the Cleveland Cavaliers will likely face in the 2023 NBA Postseason.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove answer questions about the rotation, the end of the regular season and what defines success for the Cleveland Cavaliers this season.

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It’s not far fetched to believe that any one of the three major sports teams in Cleveland will play for a championship in the next 500 or so days. 

Both the Browns and Cavaliers have made all-in moves, declaring themselves ready to win now. The Guardians, meanwhile, surprised many with their playoff run last year and have an exciting young core of players with, perhaps, the best manager the franchise has ever had.

We try to answer the question on this podcast: Which coach or manager will win a championship first in Cleveland?

We start by talking to our experts who cover them.

Chris Fedor tells us about J.B. Bickerstaff.

Paul Hoynes gives us the lowdown on Terry Francona.

Mary Kay Cabot tells us everything we need to know about Kevin Stefanski.

Then, Doug Lesmerises, Ashley Bastock and Dan Labbe try to answer the question: Which manager will win a championship first?

Music credit:

Ice Flow by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3898-ice-flow

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the many different aspects of Kevin Love's departure from Cleveland, as well as his legacy with the Cavaliers and beyond.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the Cleveland Cavaliers as they approach the NBA Trade Deadline, as well as Kyrie Irving's trade to the Dallas Mavericks and LeBron James' road to the NBA scoring record.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss why the Cavaliers have the same 30-20 record that they did last season and evaluate the performance of J.B. Bickerstaff and Kevin Love this season.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the return of Ricky Rubio to the Cavaliers as well as what the future may hold for Caris LeVert in Cleveland.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the reasons for Cleveland's latest losing spell.

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Chris Fedor and Hayden Grove discuss the importance of Jarrett Allen and Donovan Mitchell to the Cavaliers as they stake their claim as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

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The Cavaliers have acknowledged that LeBron James is Cleveland basketball, but they've now officially created their own path forward.

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