Chris Francis and Nate Smith dust off the podcast microphones after an almost two month absence. While they were convalescing from viral and life injuries, they've been jonesing for some Cavs Basketball.  To slake the roundball thirst, the CtB faithful have been catching up on youtube videos, pro-am highlights, and international play of all your Cavalier favorites. Chris and Nate go through most of the roster and talk about what the next season holds in store for these guys. Topics include: is Okoro's rumored upskilling real?; what will Collin Sexton's role (and contract) be?; is second-year Mobley going to shoot like a young KD (in results or form)?; who plays backup point guard?; who gets cut or traded? (we're looking at you Dylan, Cedi, and Lamar); and are there minutes for rookie Ochai Agbaji? It's a pretty loose and casual conversation between guys trying to dust the rust off their vocal cords.

It is the 2022 NBA Draft eve, and you know what that means, CtB's Draft Appetizer season! Nate Smith, Eli Kim, and Chris Francis serve up a mighty helping of draft and trade slop to satisfy the basketball hunger (h/t to friend of the podcast TrillBroDude of You Know Ball Podcast for the term "slop"). There's a quick rundown of biggest stories hitting the media sphere, breaking news mid-episode, an appetizer draft (yes that's right), and last but not least a CtB Annual Mock Draft that leaves Nate and Eli so puzzled and confused that it could drive you throw your appetizer dish at the wall (Disclaimer: CtB is not liable for any damages resulting from their podcast) So grab a fork, pull up to the trough, and dig in....

Welcome to 1985. Nate Smith, Eli Kim, and Chris Francis have gathered again at the Cavs: The Podcast resort studios to serve the people another helping of offseason hooper content for the basketball-starved fans of Cavsland. The trio discuss the 2022 NBA Finals, John Hollinger's free agency guide regarding Collin Sexton, the NBA Draft now only a mere eight days away. The Cavs are "Running up that Hill" to build their roster, and the draft, trade, and free agency talk flies fast and furious. Then the gents talk Top Gun: Maverick, Stranger Things Season 4, Eli's squeaky dishwasher and the best and worst movies of late!

Cavs: the Podcast turns back the clock with Nate Smith, Tom Pestak, Elijah Kim, and Chris Francis to talk the latest in Cavs' rumors, draft musings, and a return of CtB's classic podcast bit "Lawn Mower Chat" featuring a homeowner's horror story 20 years in the making. First order of business was an extensive look at cleveland.com's Chris Fedor's chat with Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype to react to all the rumors swirling around about potential offseason moves for the Cavs, including a bunch of would-be senior citizens. Fedor drops a ton of names and CtB has all the reactions including a brief canonization of "St. Weirdo" Dion Waiters, one of the most beloved of recent Cavs' lore. The legend Mike Conley Sr.'s dunking prowess continues the gerentological theme of the chat. Chris and Eli give a quick update regarding NBA draft rumors post-combine. The league is starved for wings, how will the Cavs fare in the draft finding that elusive two-way wing? Tom, Nate, and Chris give reaction to the elder statesmen Golden State Warriors entering the Finals picture with their win over the Dallas Mavericks. It appears that the Boston Celtics are headed on a collision course against GSW, how do the guys think it will shake out? And of course, last but not least "Lawn Mower Chat" and CtB pitches! Shoutout to all the old guys turning back the clock, may this podcast inspire you! And also, shoutout to all the seniors across the country and world who are graduating, it's summer time in Cavsland!

Nate Smith and the Chrises Mr. Lyden and Mr. Francis hopped into the Cavs: the Podcast studio resort to take the temperature of the NBA playoffs so far, the impending draft lottery, and the latest in Cavsworld. On the foremost of Mr. Francis' mind was the upcoming draft and how the Cavs' might approach it. Secondly, the trio dives into the Conference semis, with particular attention from Mr. Smith to the spectacular collapse of the Phoenix Suns and the cooler talk aftermath. The guys riff on the very contemporary subject of video games, which are ubiquitous in the world of Gen Z or "Zoomer" generation. Mr. Lyden takes the guys and audience down the fascinating rabbit hole of DeAndre Ayton's video gaming habits. The trio quickly covers the disturbing reports regarding Rajon Rondo, while ending on a high note by talking next steps in the development of the Cavs. Of course, no Cavs: the Podcast is complete without some pitches, and there are some delightful ones if you're a fan of music and TV

Editor's Note: this Episode of Cavs: the Podcast is sponsored by Precious Ones Ministries, and our fundraising drive to "Save the School." It's simple. It's direct. See the details below, and give what you can. We're presenting this pod commercial free save our ask that you help us with this effort. One of the features of 21st century communications is the so called "group chat." It enables people, regardless of their location, to instantly communicate with each other in a social way. In this episode of Cavs: the Podcast, Nate Smith, Eli Kim, and Chris Francis have staged an "avant garde" performance of their most recent discussions regarding the post-mortem 2021-22 Cleveland Cavaliers. Listeners can dive in and "peak behind the veil" of CtB to discover how the guys are processing the Cavs' season now that the playoffs are in full swing. There's a little bit of coach talk, PBO talk, player talk, trade talk, draft talk, join in on the friendly banter below. And most importantly, Nate comes through with the most important pitch in CtB history, below. So I'm currently fundraising for a school in Uganda that my cousin runs that we want to fund through the year (at least). It is a school for very poor children which would not have a school if this did not exist. If you ever felt grateful for the years of free content that this site has provided, please consider giving back by donating to this school. I'm going to come up with some way to thank the donors, but I will start by just saying, everyone who donates $50 gets a sweet T-Shirt (no details yet, but you know I'm good for it). Read about it here. Donate here. The charity is a 501c3 and fully deductible.   The Story Our dear friend Shannie in Uganda, the Director of Precious Ones, has been running a school for years for the orphans and the poor in her village. When I met her she was paying for the teacher's salaries out of her own salary (she works for a church in the city) and running the school out of a garage. Some land was donated to her and she would literally buy a brick every time she earned enough money to buy one. She knew one day God would provide a school building! Talk about faith!! We were blessed to be able to help build the school. Another organization was helping pay for the food and school fees. She also had support from some kind individuals. However, the pandemic shut the school down for two years. The support ended during that time. Fast forward to now. The school opened back up in January with almost no support. Shannie is really struggling to keep the school open. The school has 200 students and 10 teachers. It also has the only well in the area with clean water. They also feed the kids lunch at School. School in Uganda is not free, nor does the government help in any way. She is short $1000 a month. If the school closes, these kids will not be educated. That's just the reality. Most of their parents received little-to-no education (we are trying our best to educate the women in our program, but most have never had formal education a day in their lives). To keep the school open and to step into this partnership, we would need people to give $1000 a month. That's 10 people willing to give $100 a month. Or 40 will to give $25 a month. All donations to this go through Precious Ones Ministries and would be tax deductible. Will you help us keep the school open?

Postgame the CtB trio of Nate Smith, Chris Francis, and Chris Lyden hopped into the podcast resort studios to recap the Cavs' loss against the Brooklyn Nets 115-108. They break down the game from all angles, who stood out, who stepped up, who disappeared? The gang goes down every Cavs' rabbit hole. The boys also go into the Nets' playoff prospects, and some erudite conversation flows. Lastly, some NBA awards are handed out and if you love hometown picks, this pod's for you. Last but not least, we have some hot off the presses music recommendations for your listening pleasure.

Emerging from their winter hibernation, Nate Smith, Elijah Kim, Chris Francis, and Chris Lyden took a spring break trip to the Cavs: the Podcast resort studios to catch up on all the craziness of the Cavs' season post-All Star Break. In true CtB fashion, they push this episode as best as they could to the two hour mark. So don't worry, if it has anything to do with the Cavs, the quartet has got you covered. They break down the latest Cavs games against the Magic and Bulls, break down where things have gone wrong and right this season, hold yet another referendum on JB Bickerstaff, look forward to the regular season stretch run, make some bold post-season and off-season predictions, look at the rest of the NBA, and praise Elijah Kim and his Amazing Technicolor Cavs Coat. it's a long podcast for a very long month!

To celebrate Sunday's win over the Pacers and the newly acquired LeVert, the CtB faithful squeezed into the podcast studios. Nate Smith, Elijah Kim, Tom Pestak, and Chris Francis kicked it off by holding a (Kevin) Love fest for what we'd all just witnessed. After breaking down the game and the Cavalanche, the guys got into the LeVert trade and broke down how he helped the Cavs, how he fits their timeline, and what other moves the Cavs might have considered or what they may be considering still. The CtB brain trust tried to nail down the origins of the Cavs' 90's mascot, Boomer, played a game of "who he play for?" with an early aughts Cavs squad, Tom penned an ode to Bill Fitch, Eli (the Korean Channing Frye) regaled us with the details of his Sunday night pick-up glory, Tom and Nate traded epic tales of bureaucracy and wisdom, and then the old men sang the praises of the OG computer store, Micro Center. What a night. What a win. What a trade. What a season.

Nate Smith, and the Chrises (Mr. Lyden and Mr. Francis) gathered together in the CtB podcast resort studios for a Podcap Two-fer to cover the awful loss in Detroit and the gritty home win against the New Orleans Pelicans. The trio covers all aspects of both games, with a deep dive into Coach JB Bickerstaff's changes between the two games. Nate also lobs Mr. Francis a softball to wax poetic on the inaction of Cavs' GM Koby Altman. For those who can his pain, join him. Finally, the trio dives into All-Star Reserves nominations, which should be coming out shortly this week! There's the strong possibility Cavs fans will see some of their own during All-Star weekend in Cleveland...?

Nate Smith and the two Chrises (Mr. Lyden and Mr. Francis) hop into the CtB podcast studio resort to bask in the glory of the Cavs' statement win against the Milwaukee Bucks, 115-99. The win puts the Cavs in 3rd place of the Eastern Conference and in the hunt for the first seed. The Cavs dominated the game even though they were easily the more shorthanded team and the Bucks came out like gangbusters in a fantastic first quarter performance. But NBA Champion Kevin Love and Cedi "the Jedi" Osman stepped up for the team and delivered MVP performances and serving a beatdown of the reigning champions. Conspicuously absent from the CtB trademark rap session was trade talk because, why ruin the good vibes? One of the most underrated aspects of team building is chemistry, and the Cavs have found something special. Just watch NBA Champion Kevin Love's postgame comments, he knows what winning at the highest level looks like. So no trade talk, just good vibes...

After the valiant effort the Cavs put forth in Chicago, losing to the Chicago Bulls 117-104 in a game that was more more hotly contested than the score suggests, Nate Smith and Chris Squared (Mr. Lyden and Mr. Francis) hopped into the CtB Podcast resort studios to take the temperature of Cavsland after a wildly successful road trip and signature win Monday against the Brooklyn Nets. The CtB trio break down the Chicago game, Brooklyn game, trade rumors, and hand out some Cavs' prognostications. The theme (shoutout to legendary local rap group, Bone Thugs-n-Harmony) that emerged from this exciting discussion: Have the Cavs reached the Crossroads? The Cavs have found their franchise pieces and their title window. But how do they go from feel good playoff story to legitimate contention? Are the Cavs the team that beat the Nets or the team that lost to the Bulls? Where will Dan Gilbert, Koby Altman, and J.B. Bickerstaff lead this organization? Are there moves that they should make now? Or do they play the long game? Enjoy the discussion and sound off with your thoughts on CavstheBlog.com.

Tonight, a long winter's night in the dead of January, Nate Smith, the official train conductor of Cavs: the Blog, rounds up two of his best train engineers Elijah Kim and Chris Francis, both of whom with vast experience on the Trade Express, to take stock of three major stories in CavsLand: 1. the Midseason report card, 2. the extension of Koby Altman, and 3. the Chris Fedor tweet on possible trade targets. The trio lists their Favorite Things about the first half of the season. They dream a little dream about the improvements they're looking forward to for the second half of the year. But let's be honest, the buzz is growing about trade deadline 2022. So hop aboard the Trade Express if you dare, and let the dulcet tones of Cavs: the Podcast take you on a NBA odyssey through the long winter's night...

CtB emeritus Tom Pestak is in the house! That's right, Nate Smith and the Chrises (Mr. Lyden and Mr. Francis) have gone to the North Pole, busted out Tom from the cryochamber, and gathered in the CtB podcast resort studios for a Christmas Podcast Miracle. The quartet revel in the success of Tower City and the Cleveland Cavaliers, and break down how the Rockets beatdown and the first third of the season has gone. The vibes were incredible with Tom back on, bringing some great new insights to the team this year and of course "Tales from Americana." Mr. Lyden and Mr. Francis were armed and ready with spreadsheets, calculators, and box scores to contextualize this amazing start the Cavs have had, Mr. Francis' hot take about championship caliber basketball got Tom juiced up and comparing this team to the underrated 2014 San Antonio Spurs squad. The CtB gang dreams big... but the real ones know, there's something special brewing with these Cavs. Also! Don't miss Nate Smith properly hazing Tom with the legendary and rousing game, "Who he play for???" GO CAVS!

Nate, Chris Francis, and Eli break down the Cavs' last three games, gush over Evan Mobley, J.B. Bickerstaff, Jarrett Allen, the Big Finnish, Cedi Osman, Darius the Great, and so much more. It's a fun and yuletide inspired podcast. The title is copped from Chris Lyden's brilliant recap of the 115-92 beatdown of the bulls but also refers to Billy Donovan's entreaty of referee Jonathan Sterling, to "blow the whistle" on the Cavs. The title also evokes notes of the Cavs' winter train leaving the station and picking up steam as they head towards the easier part of their schedule as well as the sad train whistle of leaving things behind, like Eli's Summer trade dreams.

Tonight, Nate Smith and the Chrisses (Mr. Lyden and Mr. Francis) hop into the CtB podcast studio resort to celebrate the Cavs' jackpot win over the hapless Miami Heat, 111-85. It's been a dozen years since the Cavs have won in South Beach... Since Shaq, Boobie, LeBron (1.0), Z, and Delonte West were Cavaliers (Check it out the classic recap in CtB wayback machine). So, what changed tonight (aside from Butler and Bam being out of commission)? The Koby Altman assembled team is firing on all cylinders and rounding into form... The Cavs had six guys in double figures, led by Kevin Love's 22, and pitched in 14 blocks, and outrebounded Miami 46-28. Only 20 turnovers besmirched a dominating performance. Chris, Chris, and Nate break down all the angles of the game, plus the All-Star candidacy of Jarrett Allen, the DPOY campaign of Evan Mobley, the renaissance of Kevin Love and Ricky Rubio, and the growth of Darius Garland and Isaac Okoro. The trio asks and answers the question of the night, "was this roster luck for Koby, or was it skill?" Another important question loomed large: "do the Cavs need to make a move this year to sustain the success or take it to the next round?" And as always of course, stick around for the CtB pitches... GO CAVS

Last night, Nate Smith, Elijah Kim, and Chris Francis entered the CtB podcast studio resort to take the the temperature of Cavs” fandom at the quarter pole of the 2021-22 NBA season. Obviously, the big news recently for the Cavs is the recent four game losing streak and the loss of Collin Sexton for the year to the knee injury. The trio breaks down both and takes a wider view of the season as a whole. The other hot topic in Cavs-land is Isaac Okoro and his early season struggles along with his sudden role change as Young Bull’s replacement. Chris has his calculator handy while Nate and Eli bring the eye test heat to break down the early returns. For a bit of fun, the trio also breaks down the second Koby Altman missive of the season, “From the Desk of Koby Altman.” What’s up with that? Lastly, since it is the holiday season, don’t miss the favorite Thanksgiving food pitches and a quick recap of the gang’s holiday plans. To everybody who reads and/or listens to CtB, have a safe, joyful time with people you love, Happy Thanksgiving! GO CAVS!

We've known each other for so long: old school CtBer, and first time podcaster Chris Lyden (Aka @Leavelander!) joins Chris Francis and Nate Smith in the podcast studio. Until this season, our hearts have been achin' (for some great Cavs basketball), but we're too shy to say it. But we all know what's been going on with the Cavs’ beatdown of the Knicks 126-109. The trio tells you how're they're feelin' about newest Cavaliers from this off-season, Ricky Rubio and rookie phenom Evan Mobley, who both had career nights in the Mecca of basketball, Madison Square Garden. A full commitment's what we're thinkin of, as we cover the dynamic duo. Ricky went 8-9 from deep for a career high 37 points and 10 dimes, and Mobley notched 26/8/9! You wouldn't get this from any other guys! The CtB trio are also gonna make you understand the grit and grinders such as Dean Wade, Cedi Osman, and Jarrett Allen and the rest of the squad who were never gonna give you up, and never gonna let you down if you're a Cavs fan. Nate and the Chrisses also cover some the surprising stories around the NBA, who’s up? Who’s down? Spicy takes? Who's gonna run around and desert you? They're all here as the trio rides high into the night celebrating a victorious occasion. Don't tell me you're too blind to see it. They don't say goodbye and hurt you if you either, when you stick around for some excellent pitches (especially if you love beer!). We know the game, and we're gonna play it, so as always: GO CAVS!

Tonight, Nate Smith and Chris Francis enter the CtB podcast resort studios to revel in the Cavs' victory, a gritty 107-104 win over the reeling Portland Trail Blazers. Jarrett Allen put together another superstar, MVP type of performance  alongside some sharp shooting and passing from Darius Garland. Nate and Chris break the game down from all angles including breaking out the calculator and dissecting all the numbers. The CtB duo also reminisce on the week that was in Cavs-land, discussing the brutal schedule and how competitive the Cavs have looked even at their worst. They also discuss the stench coming from Portland, which began well before the season kicked off. Nate and Chris also take a step back with a survey around the NBA, discussing some of the surprises so far in the early going. And finally, it wouldn't be a Cavs: the Podcast without the pitches. Chris and Nate discuss the cinematic phenomena that is Dune, and Nate finishes with a deep cut documentary on the Sparks Brothers, one of the great unsung musicians of pop and rock scene for the last 50 years. So sit back, relax and enjoy... the Cavs have found a spark!

Nate Smith and Chris Francis hop into the CtB podcast resort studios to break down the Cavs’ opener, a tough loss against the Memphis Grizzlies led by the ridiculousness of Ja Morant, 132-121. The duo breaks down this game from every angle including J.B.’s "Tower City" experiment, featuring Lauri Markkanen at the three, the strange closing lineup, a brilliant night by Jarrett Allen, and the promising debut of one, Evan Mobley. For a nice coda, Nate and Chris also do a little “around the world” of the NBA, including waxing poetic the greatness of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the somewhat surprising spryness of the Golden State Warriors, and whether the Lakers or Nets should be concerned. And as always, stick around for a hilarious “pitches” segment, because CtB is nothing if not fun!

Korea's own Eli Kim and Chris Francis join the ole' ball coach Nate Smith for a giant squid sized episode of Cavs: the Podcast! The trio breaks down the latest roster moves, the Cavs' lengthy preseason, from the bad loss to the Chicago Bulls to the glorious beatdown of the Indiana Pacers, at the hands of the many tentacled trio of 7-footers the Cavs started: Markkanen, Mobley, and Allen. They lament having no love for Denzel Valentine, but give special shout out to Rickio Rubio's ability to strand opponents on "Love Island." And for the main course, the CtB trio completes the tour around the NBA with the Eastern Conference edition of Over/Under. Who's up? Who's down? You won't want to miss the Cavs' predictions! Also, Nate, Eli, and Chris give the hottest of takes in their NBA end of season awards (admittedly, Chris may have been doing a bit). Lastly, it wouldn't be a Cavs: the Podcast without the pitches. Nate pitches a show inspired by the cultural touchstone that is "Love Island," while Eli gives his full endorsement to the Korean drama and global phenomenon, "Squid Game." Chris wraps it up with a heartfelt shoutout for the rock act, Des Rocs.

Nate Smith and Chris Francis make an emergency trip to the CtB podcast resort studios to breakdown the whirlwind 48 hours of preseason Cavaliers basketball action. After an embarrassing night in Chicago, the Cavs were able to grit and grind their way to a victory in Atlanta on the standout performances of rookie Evan Mobley and veteran Ricky Rubio. Nate and Chris bask in their glory, and breakdown both matchups from all angles. The duo also gives a nice little preview look into the upcoming Eastern Conference Over/Under episode, with a couple of quick assessments of the Bulls and Hawks’ offseason moves. Lastly, Nate and Chris discuss the weirdness of Cavs’ coverage by the television networks, which apparently isn’t just a problem with the Cavs… Adam Silver if you’re listening, hopefully you’ll take a look!

Ole' ball coach Nate Smith gathers up Dani Socher and Chris Francis into the CtB podcast resort studio to recap the first action of the Cavs' 2021-22 season with the Wine and Gold Scrimmage that took place on Saturday afternoon. Naturally after deconstructing the action, the conversation led to speculation about what the Cavs' starting lineup could look like. For the main course, the CtB trio plays the classic game of Over/Under, with tonight's subject the Western Conference. Join in the conversation below with all of your Western Conference hot takes!

Fresh from the CtB podcast resort, Nate Smith, Dani Socher, and Chris Francis pay homage to the classic PBS television program, "The McLaughlin Group" with their own, wacky, loosely scripted version of the show, except better... because it's the Cavs' Edition. That's right, Chris plays "moderator" to two of the "giants" in Cavs media, Nate and Dani... who go head to head in a battle of Cavs' basketball ideologies with no clear victor, except for the listeners who will be thoroughly entertained as the duo grades ALL of the offseason moves with the Cavs barreling towards the start of the 2021-22 NBA season. The episode starts off cordial and polite, but by the end, there were fireworks that rival any Rozzi's show, (okay, that might oversell it a touch). And of course, no Cavs: the Podcast episode is complete without the gang's trademark pitches. Nate reminds the world of the greatness of the band R.E.M. especially in live form. Dani, in true Chris and Eli fashion, salutes the glorious land of South Korea name dropping Park Chan-Wook's "The Little Drummer Girl." Chris also reveals his own personal TV obsession, "Lucifer" which is based on the graphic novel series "The Sandman" by Neil Gaiman. So sit back, relax and enjoy two of the intellectual heavyweights of Cavs' world duel in a battle of (t)wits...

The ole' ball coach Nate Smith called a trade rumor audible and rounded up CtB veterans Elijah Kim and Chris Francis to discuss the recent Ben Simmons talk that has swept up NBA fans. The CtB trio does a deep dive into the possibilities (or improbabilities?)... with Nate dropping a deep cut Kenny Rogers and Michael Jordan reference that caught youngins' by surprise! The trio also lightly touch on free agency and thoughts before the Cavs' training camp begins in a mere three-ish weeks. Be sure to stick until the end for the Tom Pestak tribute "Dad talk" as told by Chris, who offers his own version of "Uncle talk" that'll be sure to make all the parents of teenagers out there laugh, or shake their head in bemusement. Nate and Eli take everyone home with covering the topic de jour, the Bishop Sycamore football team scandal.

Elijah Kim and Chris Francis reflect upon the biggest NBA news of the weekend, the Cavs trading hometown son and de facto team leader Larry Nance, Jr. to the Portland Trailblazers in a three team trade that brings over the sharp shooting big Lauri Markannen, who fell out of favor with the Chicago Bulls and their new front office regime. Eli and Chris cover all aspects of the trade, what the Cavs lost, what did the Cavs gain... leaving both CtBers wondering if there could possibly be more moves on the horizon? The duo also hits on the other "big" NBA news of the weekend, the buyout standoff between NBA champion Kevin Love and the Cavs front office. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, Love has no interest in a buyout. Chris Fedor of cleveland.com reports that the Cavs are also uninterested in any buyout without Love giving back significant money. Eli and Chris venture some guesses as to what these reports mean as we approach the beginning of the 2021-22 NBA season. And since CtB traditions are sacrosanct, Eli and Chris pitch some of their favorite things, with Chris name dropping his favorite tequila to drown his Larry Nance Jr. trade sorrows and Eli checking in with the Cavs fandom of South Korea.

Nate Smith and Adam Cathcart make a Transatlantic connection for this week's podcast to go over all the latest Cavs news. First we take on Chris Fedor's "maybe trade Larry" Article on Cleveland.com, and examine Nance's role on the Cavs. Then we go through the Central Division and see if the Cavs can go better than 4-8 next year. We discussed the Cavs' surprising success against the Knicks, Hawks, Sixers, and Nets last season(7-5!) and if they can repeat it this coming year.  We talked about Chris Fedor's Dylan windler article, talked through any last takes on the Cavs' summer league, teased Tuesday's Evan Mobley article by a mystery writer returning to CtB, said goodbye to Taurean Prince and hello to Ricky Rubio, lamented the Cavs lack of free agents (again), talked Collin Sexton extension (again), and surveyed the landscape of Cavalier beat writers. It's a fun escape during the dog days of summer!

Wednesday night, Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro, and the Cavs earned their first victory of the summer with a dominant third quarter performance to put away the Jalen Suggs led Orlando Magic 94-84. The ole ball coach Nate Smith made the call to the bullpen and brought Elijah Kim and Chris Francis off the bench to do a deep dive on the young Summer League Cavaliers now that they've reach the halfway point of schedule. Eli and Chris cover all aspects of the game, waxing poetic about the virtuosity of Evan Mobley's passing, the feats of strength of Isaac Okoro, the rock solid play of Lamar Stevens, and the Cavs' bench mob stepping up big time. The CtB duo also surveyed the lay of the NBA Summer League land and the latest Cavs' news/rumor about the a possible Collin Sexton extension??? And to top it all off, Eli takes Cavs the Podcast international with a glorious shout out to the Cavs fans of South Korea!

Nate rounds up CtB vets Eli and Chris for a draft/free agency spectacular! The Evan Mobley pick, the Ricky Rubio trade, the Jarrett Allen signing, NBA free agency, they cover it all… including a free agency signing of their own! That's right, CtB is joining the Fansided podcast network and Minute Media! We celebrated by going deep on the Cavs penchant for centers and guards as if they're trying to exploit some market inefficiency that no one else knows about. We also lamented the Cavs' lack of productivity in the free agency market. Then we went around the league to go over our favorite and least favorite offseasons. Let's get it started, and as always, go Cavs.

The ole’ ball coach Nate Smith rounds up Eli and Chris for a Cavs the Podcast double album entitled, “Larry Nance: if he’s not a Cav, what’s the point?” Nate’s stirring soliloquy on the virtues of Larry Nance Jr. will melt even the most jaded of Cavs fans’ hearts. On a slightly more serious note, the trio also covers everything else under the basketball sun at the CtB “beach side” podcast studio including Evan Mobley draft buzz, trade rumors, the Olympics, and even a coda on the 2020-21 NBA Season with the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship. If you are starved for content, they won’t leave you wanting.

Elijah Kim and Chris Francis stole the keys to the CtB Podcast lair, which led promptly to a 2021 NBA Draft extravaganza! With the ole' ball coach Nate Smith in Dan Gilbert/Wizard of Oz mode, CtB veterans Eli and Chris take charge to check in with a live update on Team USA's final game against Spain before the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Then they break down the Bucks' victory in Game 5 of the NBA Finals and pay homage to one of the greatest in the game today, Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then for the main course, the guys reveal their 2021 NBA big boards. Eli has the scoop on all the consensus top picks, while Chris demonstrates the beginning of a possibly unhealthy obsession with finding the elusive unicorn, "two way playmaking wing." So sit back and relax with your favorite beverage, and get all the info you need about the 2021 NBA Draft... GO CAVS!

On this hot midsummer night, with only two weeks until the 2021 NBA Draft, Nate Smith, Elijah Kim, and Chris Francis gathered in the global CtB bunker to process the Cavs’ news which seems to be the current hot topic among NBA circles: are the Cavs trading Collin Sexton? According  to reports, the Cavs and Knicks seemed to have serious discussions on trading the 22 year old guard but the talks broke down. Eli is on top of  the case, giving everyone a break down of possible destinations. Chris starts to get onboard with Nate’s “Cade Cunningham and Josh  Giddey” draft agenda as the CtB crew touches on all the Team USA and  FIBA basketball action with more than a few current and former Cavs  enjoying the FIBA spotlight. Eli has the scoop on Jonathan Kuminga and  Evan Mobley, who apparently have just had private workouts with Cavs’  brass. Also for your listening pleasure, Nate gives everyone a few  choice shows that should be on the binge list. So sit back and relax, and kvetch.

Cavs-mas came late in the evening as the Cavs were able to move up to the third pick in a loaded 2021 NBA draft. Nate Smith gathers Elijah Kim and Chris Francis to Santa's studio to break down the monumental night. They dive into the possibilities which are seemingly endless. They also continue a fantastic discussion regarding Ben Simmons, with a hat tip to CtB veteran Ben Werth. They also break down the winners and losers, and the surprises we might see in the playoffs and offseason. So sit back, relax, and join in on the conversation below. GO CAVS!!!!!!!!

'Twas the night before Cavs-mas... Yes, Virginia, the draft lottery  has really been the Cavalier Christmas over the last couple years. As such, Nate, Eli, and Chris gathered in Santa's podcast studio, hoping to cook up some Cavs-mas magic on Cavs-mas eve. The trio discussed their hopes and fears for the draft, the prospects they have their eyes on, and the possibilities that exist should the Cavs' luck take a fateful turn. For the second half, Nate and Chris chat by the fireside and reminisce about what has been an exciting and mind boggling NBA playoffs. Have we witnessed the obliteration of four franchises in this past couple of weeks? Are we witnessing the emergence of a changing of the guard among the NBA's elite? Is building a superteam of stars the only way to a ring? Nate and Chris also pay tribute to the greatest championship in NBA history, the 2016 Cleveland Cavaliers (RIP to the late, great Fred McLeod). So sit back, relax, and enjoy the Pod before Cav-mas Eve, and be sure to leave some milk and cookies for Adam Silver.

On day three of the 2020-21 NBA Playoffs, the ole' ball coach Nate Smith brings together grizzled veteran Elijah Kim and the rookie Chris Francis to wrap up what has been one of the weirdest seasons in Cavs' history. It started with the the joy of seeing Cavs' basketball after the long dark night of the COVID cancellation and NBA bubble, then after a decent start of the season, the craziness and tumult kicked in. Kevin Porter Jr., gone, the big trade for Jarrett Allen, the Andre Drummond drama, the Kevin Love drama, then the full-on tank... CtB covers it all in this epic podcap. They discuss the whereabouts of Dan Gilbert (Dead or alive? Did he even exist at all???). Will we ever hear from Koby Altman again? Does JB Bickerstaff get a mulligan? What will the Cavs do to the roster? The biggest question, were the Cavs actually trying to win this season? and only one way to find out the answers... And to provide a sonic chaser to the Cavs talk, Nate, Eli, and Chris hand out some hardware to put a 2020-21 season to bed. Nate reveals his the team he's secretly rooting for. Eli reveals who's secretly behind the success of his sister's golfing career. Chris reveals where he lurks on the internet when he's not on Cavs the Blog, and we hand out our 2021 awards and playoff predictions. You're not going to want to miss this episode of Cavs the Blog Podcast, enjoy!!!

The Cleveland Cavaliers took the best team in the Association, the  Phoenix Suns, into an overtime battle, finally running out of gas at the  end 134-118. The Cavs were greatly undermanned with only a seven man  rotation, but that didn’t stop Isaac “Ice” Okoro, who went toe-to-toe  with one of the brightest young stars in the NBA, Devin Booker. Ice  turned in a career performance tonight with 32 points on only 16 shots  and six assists, while chipping three rebounds AND taking on the  defensive assignment of Devin Booker. Nate “the Podcap Shaman” Smith shepherded first time (ever!) podcast  guest Chris Francis into a deep dive on all things Cavaliers, covering  all aspects of one of the more entertaining games of the year in a  manner that would hopefully make the late great Cavs legend Joe Tait  proud. They pay tribute to the man they call “Ice,” Nate allows Chris to  nerd out on all the obscure stats, and they cover recent Cavs’ news  regarding Anderson “Wild Thing” Varejao’s return, Love’s buyout/trade  prospects, and a status report on sometimes controversial Cavs’ figures,  Collin Sexton and JB Bickerstaff (#FREEBUCK shoutout to EG!). And of  course, it wouldn’t be a complete CtB Podcap without some  recommendations for your entertainment.

The Cavs hosted the Bulls Wednesday night with a new coach at the helm (at least for one night). Greg Buckner, a longtime assistant, got his first shot at being in charge... and his team responded with a wire-to-wire impressive victory over the team just ahead of them in the race for the play in tournament. Sexland led the way with 55 points on blistering 19-30 shooting (7-9 from deep), and the Cavs played some of their most stifling defense of the season in the first half to earn Coach Buck his first victory... and subsequent icewater dousing. To revel in the outcome, Nate, David and the prodigal EvilGenius piled into the podcast booth for a couple hours. We hit all the highlights, spent some time chewing the NBA fat, musing about playoff scenarios and favorites and doing a deep dive into classic sit-com territory for some reason. Your patience will be rewarded if you make it to the end for some DW hot takes on Bea Arthur.

Old friends Nate and EvilGenius squeezes into the podcast booth and looked over the games and more importantly the coming decisions for Cleveland this week and into the future. We discussed whether Andre Drummond would get moved this week, whether we'd see much movement in general, if we'll ever see Kevin Love in a Cavs game again, and the big decisions the Cavs would have to make this offseason. Do the Cavs extend Sexton? How much do they pay Jarrett Allen? Is this "core" sustainable? Is J.B. Bickerstaff the long term answer as head coach? We went around the league to discuss coaching fits, and delved into the Cavs' disastrous head coach hiring history. We pitched a couple albums, picked out current NBA favorites, and decided Larry Nance Jr. and Isaac Okoro really shouldn't share the floor anymore. It was a fun, if slightly ominous time.

This podcast starts with some devastating news we received Saturday afternoon. Our friend, podcaster, and contributor Ryan Yankee passed away Friday night from heart failure. We will share more news when I have it, and a more fitting tribute to Ryan in the coming days. I'm still raw from the loss. Ryan is someone who'd contributed to the CtB community pretty regularly in the past couple years with recaps, comments, and an effervescent personality on podcasts. He always enjoyed going by the the moniker, "Jude Elysium." This podcast kicks off with the late Michael Stanley's team theme song from the 80's, "Let's Go Cavs," and plays out with Ryan playing guitar on 2012's "Everything I Wanted," by the band Good Touch, Bad Touch. Ryan played in many Cleveland bands in his decades long adventure in the Cleveland music scene, and we hope to share more about his life in the coming days. The Euro classically trained musical CtB contingent, Adam Cathcart and Ben Werth joined Nate in the podcast booth, and we think this podcast is what Ryan would've wanted, an in depth review of the first half of the Cavs' "corkscrew season." We kicked it off with the ridiculous Larry Nance Jr. trade rumors, whether the Cavs could get anything for Andrew Drummond, and a breakdown of the good, the bad, and the ugly from the first half. Then we got into the players: Nance, Drummond, Allen, Garland, Okoro, Windler, Stevens, and Collin Sexton. Ryan, who always pitched the silver linings in everything, would've loved the glimmers of hope and excellence we've seen from them all. Finally, we looked at the NBA at large, with reverence for the professionalism that the players have shown in this meat grinder of a season, and picked out some of the highlights. We hope we did you proud, Ryan. We miss you.

David Wood and Nate Smith dared enter the realm of the podcast booth to talk about the Cavs and a variety of other topics. They hit on why the Cavs need to just let it rip from deep, how great Dylan Windler (the South Paw Ginger Kyle Korver) is, Isaac Okoro, how the Cavs are great at post entry passes, who deserves to be in the All-Star game, why Sexton doesn't need to think as much, why Trae Young is the absolute worst, MVP choices, coach of the year, and a ton of other fun topics.

Cavs looked much more prolific from three in this one: 10-32 to the Bucks' 7-22. It was a marked improvement to Wednesday's 10 free throw night, but while the Cavs improved in offensive diversity, they regressed in rebounding: losing that battle 54-36. Between that and trying to stop Giannis (33/12/4) and his ability to take three steps on every dribble, it was tough for the Cavs to keep pace in a fourth quarter that saw them outscored by 15. In that frame, the Bucks turned off the cruise control and hit the gas enough to keep Cleveland at bay. To break it all down, Nate and Ryan braved the cold to man the podcast both. We talked about the last two games, JB's problems coaching offense, the Cavs' poor out of bounds execution, whether the Cavs are tanking, and whether or not  Andre Drummond should be fired into the sun. Towards the end we rebound to get into a little discussion of lizard breeding, twee pop, and Wanda Vision. It was a fun way to spend a Friday night.

The Cavs rolled into Madison Square Garden Friday, clearly thinking they could just flip the switch on the Knicks, yet they found themselves outworked, outplayed and outhustled on defense for one of the few times this season. Not to mention, they had real issues hitting shots both in and out of transition. It’s hard to win games where you log a 33 point half of basketball, or shoot 35% from the field. Yet, the Cavs had a chance to turn this game around following a monster run to start the second half… that is, until poor offensive execution and Immanuel Quickley caught up to them. All in all, it was a very forgettable outing for this young Cavs team, who still have some growing pains to go through on their way to regaining relevance in the NBA… but Nate and EG hopped in the podcast booth to remember the good and the bad of tonight’s game and the previous game against the Pistons. We also delved into the upcoming brutal stretch of February games, what the Cavs should do with Andre Drummond leading up to the trade deadline, and how things are different in this Covid-impacted season. Hang out to the end for some solid documentary and musical pitches, and insight into the joys of international travel!

Tom and Nate hopped in the booth to instapod and gush over what we just saw: the best performance in the best game by a Cav since the James' trip to La La land. We explored the meaning of "Scary Hours" like two Dads would do and dreamed about whether the Cavs should cash some chips in to chase a playoff spot this season. Collin Sexton might have stolen his new nickname from Drake and the Nets' big three. With Kyrie Irving joining James Harden and Kevin Durant for the trio's first game together, the Cavs paid no attention, Wednesday, to the names on the jerseys, going on a 16-0 run to close the first quarter behind the hot shooting of Cedi Osman. Despite nurturing and watering a lead to a 14 point cushion in the third quarter, the Cavs let the Nets hang around and then paid the price as Brooklyn tied it up, and used shoddy officiating to deny the Cavs a final shot to win it before overtime. In the first OT, all seemed lost when the Cavs trailed by five with about a minute left before crucial jumpers from Jarrett Allen and Larry Nance Junior kept Cleveland close and then Collin Sexton put the game on his back. After putting back an airball to cut the Nets lead to one, the Cavs played the free throw game before Collin Sexton burned and annoyed Kyrie Irving by tying the game on an iso left wing three point dagger. Larry Nance shut down KD's left baseline J with 1.2 seconds left to force double super secret overtime before Sexton exploded in the second OT. Youngbull kept backing up and kept swishing threes, going 4-5 from deep and dropping a whopping 15 in the final five minutes. It was the most exciting explosion of basketball talent trying to express itself since LeBron Raymone James suited up for the wine and gold. By a minute and a half left, Sexton had assumed the "Scary Hours" moniker and single handedly put Steve Nash on the hot seat. But lets not ignore the the contributions of Collin's teammates. With seven Cavs in double figures and major contributions from new Cavs Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince, this was a total team effort with Sexton playing the role of ace closer. Eye popping lines like Cedi's 25/7/7, Larry Nance Jr's 15/8/5 with four steals, and Prince's 17/7/4 and +20 were the norm for a Cavs team that isn't fully healthy yet, and suddenly looks electric. Hell, Javale McGee didn't even play in this game. We can't wait to see the next one when Garland and Windler are back.

Any time you Podcast with Tom Pestak, It's like you're waking up Bucky Barnes from the cryo chamber as you fill him in on everything that's happened in the NBA since the last time he was on a podcast. Wednesday night was no different, Elijah Kim and Nate Smith filled him in on today's blockbuster trades, out of which the Cavs acquired Jarrett Allen and Taurean Prince. It was certainly a lot of fun as we went long on the implications of this trade, where the Cavs stand, and whether the Cavs will make any more moves. After that we went over the last two clunkers for the Cavs, discussed the veracity of the injury report, pondered the enigma of Kyrie Irving, and lamented the Cavs' absolute dearth of wings. After the NBA talk died down, we got into Nate's embarrassing video conference faux pas, Tom's MRI Journey to Mordor, and Eli's quest to find the Wizard of Za. Now if we can just get Tom back in the freezer and survive the coming polar vortex.

The Cavs ran out of gas against Orlando for the second game in a row, Wednesday. A consistent theme of this game was injuries, as the Cavs were down six guys going into the night, and could be down seven after an ankle injury to Dameyan Dotson limited him to just 15 minutes. But the worst injury of the game came on a fairly innocuous play in the first quarter when Markelle Fultz blew his ACL driving on Isaac Okoro. It was a heartbreaking moment for the kid, and the Magic took it out on Cleveland for the rest of the night. This game wasn't as close as the final score. Cleveland was down 19 by the end of the third quarter, and as much as 23 before garbage time started. As on Monday, Cleveland just didn't have enough scoring and competent NBA bodies to compete with Orlando's depth. Cleveland was running two center lineups and giving major rotation minutes to G-League rookies. Ryan Yankee and Nate Smith broke it all down in the podcast booth: Andre Drummond's foul trouble, Cedi's bad shooting (0-7 from three), Collin Sexton's superior scoring (21 points), the Cavs' defense, Javale wondering where he was on the court, icing out Ice Okoro, and so much more. Finally we went through the list of current NBA free agents and debated whether the Cavs should dump any of their end of the roster guys to pick up some old Cavalier friends. It was a fun one!

After a late scratch by Joel Embiid, the Cavs boat raced the unsuspecting Sixers Sunday, and posted another monster second quarter (35 points) to spring to a 14 point halftime lead. They won the final two quarters as well, with their lead ballooning to as much 32 points in a game that may open some eyes around the Association. If there is one thing that has excited Cavs fans in this 3-0 start it's the play of Darius Garland, whos' been absolutely scintillating averaging 19 points and 8.3 assists a game, and leading a team that is second in the NBA in assists. But the real revelation has been Andre Drummond who is playing like a defensive player of the year candidate so far, and whose gravity around the basket is opening up the entire offense for the rest of the Cavs. He's got five blocks and eight steals already in three games to go along with 20/15/4 averages. There's so much to love about this Cavs team so far, and in many ways, it's all falling into place in a "best case scenario" way most of us didn't expect. To break it all down, our own EvilGenius returned to the podcast booth with Ryan Yankee and Nate Smith. We talked about the game and how the Cavs ambushed the Sixers, as well as how the Cavs players all seem to have improved significantly since last season. Cedi, Collin, Darius, Andre, Larry, and more all seem better. Only Kevin Love seems to be struggling to return to form. Given that, we dared to dream about whether this is sustainable, and if it is what the Cavs should do with Andre Drummond. Do they think about extending him? Do they make any trades? Who do they pay? It's an interesting and fun discussion as we dove into a pretty deep analysis of all the Cavs' players.

Frohe Weihnachten, Cavs fans!. It's a Christmas Miracle! Ben Werth joined Nate Smith in the podcast booth after a three year absence! Ben, a resident of Germany joined us from Berlin, and we talked all things Cavaliers. The biggest discussion: what will the starting lineup look like. We both concluded that if the Cavs want to win, they'll start Cedi and Okoro over Sexton or Garland (we were split on which one to bench). But since they likely don't want to win, the Cavs will end up starting a pair of tiny Elves at the guard spots. We snuck down and rattled the presents under the tree as we went through the Cavs roster and gave our thoughts on the coming NBA season: who starts, who sits, who makes the rotation. We also weighed in on all the Cavs youngsters: Sexton, Garland, Okoro, KPJ, Dylan Windler, and our not-so-tiny Tims at the end of the bench, Dean Wade and Thon Maker. There was a lot of Cavs to talk through before we even got to the NBA as a whole and walked through a season preview for the East and West. We broke down who finishes at the top, who finishes at the bottom, and how they get there. We tried to to track some of the many movements in the NBA offseason. It will be good to open some of these presents when the NBA tips off on Tuesday, when we get to watch some real NBA action in empty gyms around the league. It's a fun listen, for Elven and Human ears.

Isaac Okoro has captured Cavs fans' imaginations with his stellar play so far: the economy of his game, his defense, his ridiculously overbuilt NBA body, and most importantly, his ability to make winning plays look effortless. As such, the winning slogan of the 1952 presidential election is also the titular theme of this podcast. Ryan Yankee joined Nate in the podcast booth to gush over the young rook and break down the Cavs preseason so far. (Though Nate stressed small sample size). We walked through the most recent preseason games, and analyzed the likes of Dylan Windler, Darius Garland, Cedi Osman, Andre Drummond, Thon Maker, and Dean Wade. We also made fun of Tom Thibodeau, puzzled over the Pacers, and gave big props to J.B. Bickerstaff. It's a fun walk through the Cavs preseason and we can't wait for the the regular season to Kick off.

Tom, Nate, and Eli make a long awaited return to the podcast booth! This was a fun one, as we discussed a whirlwind NBA offseason, the Cavs' draft and free agency, and all the news from around the NBA. Tom Pestak has been decidedly out of the loop when it comes to NBA news, so we added a couple games to make the proceedings more fun, and to get Tom up to speed. Tom took a swing at the game made famous by the Chuckster on Inside the NBA, "Who He Play For," as Tom tried to  guess some of the NBA free agent moves. In "Real or Fake" he tried to figure out if some of these NBA names like Facundo Campazzo were real or made up. Tom topped that off with a Kafka-esque tale of trying to shop health care options, while Nate and Eli expressed their biggest regrets (Nate's involves a planetarium, Eli's a PS5). It was a fun and random ride as these long time compadres celebrated a return to NBA action.