Good News

Delonte West might be back tonight:

The best team in the NBA is beginning to get healthy.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, riding an 11-game winning streak, could get guard Delonte West back in the lineup Tuesday against the New Jersey Nets.

He missing the last eight games with a broken left ring finger, leaving the Cavs without their top two point guards.

Starting point guard Mo Williams, out with a shoulder injury, said Monday he expects West to play. Coach Mike Brown wasn't as confident because he hadn't received final clearance, but that could come at Tuesday's morning shootaround.

Delightful. It would be nice to have him get his feet wet against a team like the Nets as opposed to a team like the Magic. They'll probably need West on Thursday night, especially if Vince Carter still thinks it's 2001.

Oh, Taco Bell...

I love the fact that Lamar Odom makes an appearance the new Charles Barkley/Taco Bell commercial. Hey, a stoner and a fat guy promoting Taco Bell, go figure. This isn't the first time Taco Bell and the NBA have teamed up. The Cavs own Shaquille O'Neal has appeared in a few (again, go figure).

Reverse Psychology

Marc Berman, New York Post:

When a native asks if you’re attending the Saturday night Knicks-Cleveland game at the Q, reply, “Yes, and I’m excited about seeing LeBron James play his final season in Cleveland.”

The response is either laughter, utter disdain or both. A guy on Cleveland’s Rapid Transit rail tells me it’s “80-20” — 80 percent of Northeast Ohio patrons believe James will re-sign with the Cavaliers. Then he adds curiously, “But if the Cavs win the championship, that drops to 50-50. He’ll want to win another one somewhere else.”

That is the Cleveland inferiority complex at work. Even if James reaches the summit in Cleveland, bringing the city its first NBA title, he still would want to leave. It’s nonsense, flying against everything James has chattered about in the run-up to his free agency, which begins July 1.

Last night, James stopped chattering, blowing off his pregame interview session, which is becoming more commonplace.

During the Cavs’ 113-106 victory over the Knicks, several fans held up signs reading “No York” — a reference to the Knicks’ pursuit of James, who dropped 47 on them.

The better the Cavaliers do this season — and right now they own the NBA’s best record at 41-11 — the worse the Knicks’ chances of making the biggest score. The worse the Knicks do this season also takes the air out of the July grand ball.

Cleveland Magazine reported 40.5 million Google results for the phrase “LeBron James unrestricted free agent.” The magazine deduced in a cover story titled “LeBron Will Stay” that after parsing all the quotes on the subject, a 90-percent chance exists he doesn’t leave Cleveland.

Frank Isola, New York Daily News:

The worst-kept secret in sports is that James, a pending free agent, is the Knicks' primary target starting July 1. The best thing the Knicks have to offer is Madison Square Garden and endless marketing opportunities - although James appears to be doing pretty well in the marketing department while wearing a Cavs uniform.

Cleveland is also providing James with the best chance to win, which James says is his top priority. The Cavs have now won 11 straight games and are on pace to lock up the NBA's best record for a second straight year. The Knicks have to root for Boston, Orlando or Atlanta to knock off Cleveland during the postseason because a second trip to the NBA Finals would likely result in James re-signing with the Cavs.

"That's what we're thinking," said one Cavs official. "You never know what could happen but I think he'll stay."

The Cleveland franchise is cautiously optimistic that James will spend the prime years of his career - or at least the next three - in his home state. But they also understand the lure of New York City. Walsh has plenty to offer James, except a winning team.

Mike D'Antoni's squad is 19-31 and will struggle to make the playoffs. The Knicks are on pace for a ninth straight losing season and thus it's hard to imagine James leaving to join a rebuilding team.

"I think they're trying to show LeBron that (Danilo) Gallinari is a good piece to build around," said the Cavs official. "I like him as a player but right now he's one-dimensional. And a lot of those other guys are free agents and won't be back. The Knicks are going to get someone this summer. I have no idea who that is but they're still a few years away from being a contender."

James has refused to discuss his future for several months, but people close to him claim that he hasn't made a decision yet. The Knicks are hoping to get him to visit the Garden on July 1 and there is a feeling that James, who likes the attention, would milk the recruiting process for as long as possible.

As a Cleveland fan, I won't believe LeBron is staying until he signs that dotted line but I won't pretend that this isn't a positive development either. If NY folks are starting to realize that LeBron leaving is a long shot, then things are trending in the right direction.

The Cavs and Dan Gilbert can't offer beaches or the big city, but he can offer a winning franchise with top flight facilities (oh, and the most money). As I've said before, James isn't hurting trying to find marketing gigs here in C-Town (and by the way, that McDonalds' Super Bowl HORSE ad with Dwight Howard wasn't that good) and I doubt he wants to start over with a team trying to make the playoffs. The Cavs are winning and the teams hoping to sign LeBron aren't, you can't ask for much more than that.

Coincidence

So the game where the Cavs nearly blow a 20 point halftime lead is the same game where they got that lead from LeBron nailing jumpers? Interesting.

To simply say that LeBron was 'hot' the first quarter doesn't do him justice. He was feeling his jumper and he kept moving farther and farther away and shot after shot kept going in. It was full on Video Game James and LeBron scored 24 straight Cavalier points.

The Cavs were up 20 points at half and lead 94-80 heading into the fourth and yet somehow were clinging to a 109-106 lead with just over two minutes to go. Fittingly, James bailed them out with a couple jumpers and few free throws (Bron-Bron was 7-7 from the stripe) and the Cavs hung on for the win. LeBron's final line was ridiculous: 47 points, 8 boards, 8 assists and 5 steals.

While it was frustrating to watch them piss away 20 point lead, it wasn't exactly surprising. The Cavs built their lead by watching a scorching hot LeBron make nearly every shot. Is anyone shocked they kept watching him? Watching LeBron got them the lead, watching LeBron lost them their lead and in the end, LeBron won it.

I don't want to sound critical but it's hard to not be a little frustrated after watching that second half. Yes, the first quarter was ridiculous and when LeBron gets like that, you let him go. But they more or less took off the second half and there's really no good reason for the lead to shrink to just three. I mean sure, a win is a win is a win. If you need LeBron to win a game by himself in early February, so be it. They all count the same in the end and these are the perks for employing the best player in the game.

However, I do think the second half shows how vulnerable they are when LeBron does everything. They're too predictable when LeBron dominates the ball like that. It can work for stretches but it's not their best offense. They other guys can't be all be spot up shooters, the offense needs movement and can't bog down. But hey, they're missing their two point guards and LeBron has been averaging 10 assists in their absence.

They've won 11 in a row and have the best record in the NBA. These guys are good.

10 in a Row

The Cavs, with LeBron James starting a point guard (where's Dajuan Wagner?) have just won their 10th game in a row and their record stands at 40-11. You know what their record was last season at this time? 40-11.

Think about that. After all the early season questions (I mean, people seriously lost their shit after that Toronto loss) and tough schedule (all the 4-in-5s and back-to-backs), Cavs have matched the pace of last season's 66 win team.

Would anyone out there take last year's squad over this current one? I know I wouldn't.

(For what it's worth, I didn't set the VCR last night and I only caught some of the third and all of the fourth. Not exactly an exciting finish).

This is why I'm so torn on the trade deadline. For some time now I've been saying that while the Cavs should make a trade, they don't have to.

Obviously, I understand why people want the Cavs to make a deal. The Cavs showed last season that having the best regular season record doesn't mean jack come playoff time. You couple that with the fact that the Cavs sat on Wally Szczerbiak's expiring deal and some fans are convinced that Cavs must make a move.

I get all that. I really do. But this team is different. Last year's team had significant matchup problems with other elite teams, this year's team doesn't have that. And letting go of Wally is a tad easier to swallow than parting with longtime Cavalier Zydrunas Ilgauskas (both emotionally and basketball-wise). While both were role players, Z is Shaq's backup and a nice insurance policy in case the big fella goes down (or do you trust a Cleveland team to stay healthy for the playoffs? We don't need another Jim Chones situation).

The best case scenario is the Cavs getting someone like Antawn Jamison or Andre Iguodala for Z's contract and then having Washington or Philly buy out Z. But from what I've read, teams seem to be asking a lot from Danny Ferry (Indiana wanted Z, J.J. and multiple picks for Troy Murphy. HAHAHAHA). The thinking goes that since LeBron can walk this summer, the Cavs will be eager to make a deal that put them over the hump and other team can take advantage of their supposedly desperate situation.

But that's the thing, the Cavs shouldn't be desperate. Obviously, I'd love to add a player like Jamison, Iguodala or Amare Stoudemire, but I don't want Ferry to feel like he has to. The last thing I want is some panic trade. Just because you stood pat last season and didn't win it all doesn't mean you're doomed to lose this year if you fail to find a trade. Name me a team that the Cavs matchup poorly with? There's no team out there like Orlando last year that creates a mismatch at three different positions. The Cavs are versatile, they're flexible and they beat the good teams.

The Cavs top win streak is 11. Their next two games are against the Knicks and the Nets. I will be seriously disappointed if they don't get to 12.

Agree 100%

Ball Don't Lie midseason awards:

Most Valuable Player

1. LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers

It's not even close. No player combines all the important facets of an NBA game and performs them as well and as consistently as James. At this rate, anything outside of a unanimous win should be cause for concern from the voters.

[snip]

Defensive Player of the Year

1. Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers

Quick test. Whether you have League Pass, or are following the Cavaliers through that team's 97 national TV appearances this season, count in your head how many times you've seen Varejao flop in a game. I've seen quite a bit of his minutes, and I can barely recall any, a far shot from the three flops per half that infuriated so much (infuriated even Cavs fans, because refs stopped giving him the benefit of the doubt) before this season.

If you're lucky, you have a chance to block three shots (three possessions altered) a game. But every time down court, your ability to show on a screen-and-roll or protect the paint or close out properly or secure a defensive rebound can alter things completely and utterly. That's what Varejao does consistently.

I almost got really pissed when Varejao was left off the Sixth Man of the Year section, but I'll gladly take Defensive Player of the Year instead.

The idea that this team is all LeBron is ludicrous. Yes, he's far and away the best player on the squad (as he would be on any team) but he's not the sole reason the Cavs win games (only the biggest).

Cleveland 105, Memphis 89

Domination, pure domination. Normally, whooping the Grizzlies at home isn't all that impressive, but this Memphis team is pretty good; they beat the Lakers on Monday and they're 25-14 after their 1-8 start. But the Cavs just dominated. Cleveland's defense was fantastic (Memphis shot 38% from the floor) and their offense was equally impressive (the Cavs shot 49% and had 27 assists). I think that this extended home stand (and the extra practices that go with it) is really going to help the Cavs, especially offensively. Guys were moving without the ball, the offense didn't stagnate and the Cavs seemed to get whatever they wanted. Yes, Memphis was on their fourth game in five nights, but they're a good team and this game was never close.

LeBron looks like he's toying with people. James led the Cavaliers with 22 points and he easily could've had much more. James ran the offense to perfection; he set up his teammates for easy hoops, collecting 15 assists in the process, and picked his spots to score the ball. There were no instances of Le-Iso that I can remember and the game felt like one giant highlight reel. LeBron finished with 22 points, 6 boards, 15 assists, a steal and a ridiculous chase down block on O.J. Mayo. His layup at the end of the half is gonna be what people talk about (he switched hands mid-air, like Mike) but my favorite plays were his two hook shots off the low block. That's right, LeBron had two running hooks and they were beautiful. I'm telling you, this extended mid-season home stand could be the worst thing to happen to the rest of the league. The offense is clicking and Bron-Bron is showing off hook shots. Awesome.

Shaq seems to be rounding into shape. The big fella finished with 13 points and 13 boards in just 21 minutes. He shot 6-10 from the floor and he even dominated the game for a stretch in the second quarter, scoring 7 straight points and setting up LeBron for an easy dunk. He seems to have found his touch from the floor, he's not missing those bunnies like he did early on. Defensively, Shaq was great. O'Neal had 4 blocks and he was a big reason why Zach Randolph shot just 3-14 to finish with 8 points.

Another solid game by Boobie. I have to say, I had some concerns with Gibson taking over the point guard duties for a few weeks, but things have gone pretty well (if 'they haven't lost since Mo got hurt' counts as 'pretty well). Gibson has scored in double figures every night since his insertion into the starting lineup and his 16 points Tuesday night was a season high. Boobie finished with 16 points (6-11 FG, 2-6 3pt), 1 board, 3 assists and a steal. However, as good as his scoring has been, over these six starts, Gibson has a total of 14 assists (or one less than LeBron had on Tuesday). Of course, since Mo has been out, LeBron has been conducting the offense (Tuesday was a perfect example) and has averaged 10 assists over those seven games, allowing Gibson to focus on what he does best- shoot.

Solid night from the big men. J.J. Hickson had a nice game, going for 15 and 8 with an assist and two steals. He played good defense early on (leading to some points) and his spacing at the offensive end looks really good. Varejao continued his strong play, netting 8 and 6 in 25 minutes off the bench and I'm continually amazed at how well he finishes while moving (reverses, bank shots, etc). Finally, Z shot 6-10 from the floor and finished with 14 and 5 in 21 minutes. The Cavs got 27 and 18 out of their center spot, with neither guy playing more than 21 minutes. Me gusta.

I thought Mike Brown had a good night. First of all, he's got to get a little credit for all the passing and cutting, no? I really think that we'll see the offense improve throughout this home stand. It was nice seeing the Cavs not give away their 18 point halftime lead (Cleveland's highest scoring quarter was the third) and the Cavs never let up. Brown also led the arena in a standing ovation for Shaq after the big fella protected the rim with one of his four blocks. I really liked some of the lineups Brown used, particularly the five of LeBron-Jawad-Moon-Varejao-Shaq/Z. That's a big effing group right there. You could take that group, move Varejao to center, add Delonte and go 'small' and run while still playing great defense. This team is versatile and I love it.

Rough night for Memphis. I feel for any team that is playing its fourth game in five nights but playing the Lakers and Cavs back-to-back... ugh. Randolph was 3-14, O.J. Mayo went 4-15, Mike Conley (who hit the game winning shot earlier this year in Memphis) finished just 1-6 and while Rudy Gay shot a respectable 7-14, he never seemed comfortable out there (at one point shoving Varejao into a shooting Jawad Williams, which ended up in a four-point play). The Cavs had the extra rest and they used their energy to harass the Grizzlies shooters at every opportunity. The Cavs never took their foot off the gas and the Grizzlies just wilted (there wasn't even a token 'get the lead down to 10' third quarter run).

and finally...

Sweet, we get to watch LeBron vs Wade again. The Cavs face the Heat this Thursday night on TNT and lord knows what to expect. I love watching Wade and Bron-Bron go against each other I'm sure a nationally televised game won't hurt matters (though it could if they go into Hero Mode too early). The Cavs follow Miami with the Knicks on Saturday, the Nets on Tuesday and head into the All-Star break after facing the Magic in Cleveland next Thursday.

Am I gonna have to learn to spell "Iguodala"?

Over the years, I've had to memorize how to spell names like "Ilgauskas" and "Szczerbiak" (still got it!) and now Marc Stein reports that the Sixers are trying to interest the Cavs in Andre Iguodala:

Another recent topic discussed in this cyberspace: Philadelphia's attempts to interest Cleveland in a deal for Andre Iguodala.

Open to any trade that will help them convince LeBron James to stay in Cleveland -- as witnessed by their early season run at Stephen Jackson and their well-chronicled interested in a floor-spacing power forward such as Antawn Jamison or Troy Murphy -- LeBron's Cavs are on the short list of teams that would consider absorbing the four years and $56 million left on Iguodala's contract after this season.

The determined pursuit of Jackson until his November trade from Golden State to Charlotte only makes it more apparent that the Cavs are not solely focused on “stretch fours,” as they’re known in the modern game.

Iguodala, though, is difficult for Philly to move because of all that money he’s still owed. Not as difficult as moving Elton Brand or Samuel Dalembert, but all of the teams that like Iguodala – Houston, Dallas and Cleveland are known to have shown varying degrees of interest – have reservations about taking on a deal that big.

The Cavs have to be prepared for the worst-case scenario. Would they still want Iguodala on their payroll if LeBron leaves and plunges Cleveland into that worst-case position?

Iggy could be the perfect number two for LeBron. He's young (just 26), he's uber-athletic and while he's really talented, he's not quite a number one option. Could he be the fabled "LeBron's Pippen"?

Brian Windhorst confirms that the Cavs are interested:

According to several league sources, the Cavs and Sixers have been in talks about Iguodala. The talks remain open and it is still possible the Cavs could trade for him, contrary to other reports at the end of the last week. At this point, however, the two sides are just in discussion and have not progressed to the serious stage.

The Sixers are probably at that stage with a lot of teams. Over the last several weeks, when the Sixers actually starting making calls offering Iguodala, some teams were taken off guard. They had not done research into Iguodala because recently it didn't seem sensible. After all, it was less than two years ago that the Sixers signed Iguodala to a six-year, $80 million deal and hoped he'd mature into an perennial All-Star.

[snip]

But then there is the prospect of getting a player like Iguodala on the cheap. This is the kind of deal the Cavs like to pull. Willingness to take on salary got them O'Neal for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic. And Mo Williams for Damon Jones and Joe Smith.

Iguodala is like a younger version of [Stephen] Jackson, who they missed out on. He's just an average shooter but a strong defender, rebounder and distributor for someone at his size (6-6) and position. This year, a terrible season for the 76ers, he's averaging a career high in rebounds (6.8) and assists (5.7). He's also shown good leadership skills.

Those are all desirable traits, but he's the type of player that it may take a while for the Cavs to adjust to. Right now, as they are on a seven-game win streak and display their depth nightly, this acquisition might not make sense.

Iguodala and the Cavs? It is complex, to be sure. But it is also quite possible.

In a throwaway line in my Amare post, I called Iguodala "Larry Hughes with muscles,"(meaning he's slasher but not a great shooter) which isn't quite fair. After some heavy lurking over at Real Cavs Fans and a discussion with my brother, I've warmed considerably to the idea of adding AI2.

Now, comparing anyone to Larry Hughes during his Cleveland tenure is a bit misleading. There's a lot of reasons why Hughes didn't work here (his shot selection, attitude, and injuries to name a few) but he wasn't helped by the fact that the Cavs literally had no point guard. Ferry and Brown did Larry no favors by pairing him in a backcourt with Eric Snow. Those were the days, eh?

With Mo Williams on board, Iguodala would, unlike Hughes, immediately step into a situation which plays to his strengths, rather than exacerbates his weaknesses. A trio of James, Iguodala and Williams is just a tad stronger than LBJ, Hughes and Snow, no? Plus, I'd bet Iggy's shooting numbers would go up when he's getting wide open looks and not trying to be the hero every night (as with Jason Kidd in Dallas).

Yes, Iggy isn't a stretch four, but he sure is a beast of a wing (imagine the crunch time, lock-down D they could play with LeBron and Iguodala *drools*). The issue for Ferry and Co. is whether or not you trust LeBron and Andre to work together. Best case scenario, Iguodala pushes the Cavs over the hump, LeBron re-ups and the Cavs have a long term solution at shooting guard. If LeBron ends up staying, Iguodala's contract length becomes a strength (he's signed through 2013/14) but, as Stein mentions, if LeBron decides to bolt, the Cavs are stuck with paying Iguodala all that money.

At the end of the day, Antawn Jamison still seems like the best fit for the Cavaliers. Jamison gives the Cavs another shooter and he'd plug directly into their starting lineup while replacing their weakest link. If things don't work out, he's only around for another two seasons (compared to Iggy's four). But lord knows if the Wizards will cooperate.

According to Stein (same link), the Wizards are demanding the Blazers give them both Rudy Fernandez and Nicolas Batum for Brendan Haywood. Yikes. If that's what they're demanding for Haywood, I doubt they'll take Z and J.J. for Jamison (as far as I'm concerned, you either get J.J. or a 1st round pick, not both).

I go back and forth on whether or not I think the Cavs have to make a deal. This team is really freaking good as currently constructed; they passed every test you could ask for and not only survived, but thrived. However, I'd sleep easier at night knowing they added another offensive piece.

In the end, it really comes down to Washington's asking price and which crunch time position you feel more comfortable about, power forward or shooting guard. You really can't go wrong with trading for either Jamison or Iguodala; either addition would push the Cavaliers over the top. The Cavs are already the best team in the NBA and, in my opinion, adding either AI2 or Antawn makes them the no-brainer favorites.

This Doesn't Make Sense to Me

From Chris Mannix's Power Rankings (Cavs are #1):

While the Lakers are widely considered the class of the Western Conference, the Cavaliers are in for a dogfight in the East playoffs. Atlanta plays tough against them, and Orlando is largely the same team (sub in Vince Carter and a healthy Jameer Nelson in, sub out Hedo Turkoglu (!!!!!!)) that bounced the Cavs from the conference finals last year.

But if you ask NBA scouts, Cleveland's path to the Finals will be blocked by one long obstacle: Kevin Garnett.

"If KG is healthy, Boston is a better team than Cleveland, period," a West scout said. "That defense is light years better when he is in the lineup."

The Celtics and Cavaliers haven't seen each other since opening night, when a stifling Boston defense limited the Cavaliers to 89 points on 41.4 percent shooting. Garnett didn't defend LeBron much that night but he did, an East scout said, "coordinate the attack against him."

"Boston can score with Cleveland without Kevin," the East scout said. "And [Kendrick] Perkins is a very good interior defender. But KG is the guy who moves the pieces around out there. When he's in the game, Boston is rarely out of position. And you need to play smart defense when LeBron is in the game or he will carve you up."

Look, I don't deny that Boston is a great team or that their defense is superb. But "Boston is a team better than Cleveland, period" with a healthy KG? How do you figure? (and nevermind the whole "Orlando is largely the same team (sub in Vince Carter and a healthy Jameer Nelson in, sub out Hedo Turkoglu) that bounced the Cavs from the conference finals last year." Um, Turkoglu ran their crunch time offense and the Cavs had no way to defend. In no way are they close to the same team that knocked out the Cavaliers).

I could be extremely mistaken here, but I'm not worried about Boston at all. A worse Cavs team faced a more talented Celtics squad in the second round of the 2008 playoffs and still took them to seven games. This was a series where the home team won every game (the games were close in Boston, blowouts in Cleveland), LeBron was awful for the first two games and yet the Celtics still needed P.J. Brown to save their asses in Game 7.

Two years later, LeBron is better, the Cavs are improved, and the Celtics are older. Maybe I should be concerned with Boston but really, I'm not. I don't think anyone would argue that LeBron hasn't improved in past two years. I don't think anyone would deny that the Cavs are a better, more well rounded team with the additions of Mo, Shaq and guys like Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker. Meanwhile, KG has no knees and while Rondo and Perkins have improved, I'm really not sure if they actually expect Paul Pierce to check LeBron for a full seven games or not (remember, no James Posey to take that burden).

Yes, Boston's defense is really good... as is Cleveland's. But really, if you're taking anything away from their first meeting this year, you're an idiot. It was the first game of the season and at that point, the Cavaliers were still figuring things out (half their team was sick during the preseason and they didn't have a lot of on court time together). I'm not saying toss that game out completely, but you've got to take it with a pinch of salt, no? Hell, Coach Mike was throwing Shaq and Z out there together without practicing it beforehand. Things have improved.

The Cavs still have another month until they face the Celtics, when they travel to Boston on the 25th (my birthday. That'll be neat). Who knows what these teams will look like at that point (post-trade deadline) but I think it's safe to say that the February, March (14th) and April (2nd) matchups will tell you more about these teams than a game on October 27th.

Maybe I'm over confident. The Cavs have met nearly every challenge thrown their way and they still keep winning. They've beat the Lakers twice, they've won in Orlando, Miami, Phoenix, Portland and they have as many road victories as Lakers have road games. I feel really good about this team.

They're better than they were two years ago when they nearly stole the series from Boston while Celtics are worse (re: older). I don't want to come off as dismissing Boston, because they're really really good (I even respect Kendrick Perkins. This pains me) but if they were to meet up in a series, I don't see how the Cavs couldn't be favored (especially if they own home court advantage, as they currently do).

Cleveland 92, Miami 91

Save this one on the DVR (or in my case, don't record over the VHS tape). This was a classic. If you didn't enjoy this game, never watch basketball ever again, cause there's not much more you could ask for. The ending was spectacular; down 91-90 with under 1o seconds, LeBron stole Dwyane Wade's behind-the-back pass, raced down court, got fouled and made both free throws (Wade could've/should've been called for goal tending for hanging on the rim). The night was full of highlights; Wade went off for 30 in the first half and he and LeBron traded baskets late in the second quarter (in which LeBron dropped 20). All in all, these two put on a spectacular show and the Cavs snuck out of there with a victory (they trailed the whole game until Gibson's three put them up 76-74 with just under 9 minutes left).

I'm amazed that I continue to be amazed by LeBron James. The dude is just unreal. I simply shake my head and just laugh to myself. I mean, he followed up his game saving block on Kevin Durant by stealing the ball from Dwyane Wade and giving the Cavs the lead on two free throws. The fact that there's even an argument about on who's the Best Player in the NBA boggles my mind. James is a absolute monster; Bron-Bron finished with a 32-9-4 and his dunk over Wade (32-10-5) in the second quarter was insane. James wasn't perfect (there were some bad Le-Iso possessions) and while he didn't have a field goal in the fourth quarter, he did make all of his free throws in the final period (which proved to be the difference).

Wade played great but man, he gets some ridiculous calls. Yes, LeBron shot more free throws (17) than Wade (16) but from watching the game, you felt like LeBron at least earned his. Wade gets a lot of touch fouls called away from the rim and, at his size, he can careen into people at full speed and end up shooting freebies (whereas if LeBron runs into someone at full speed, he knocks their ass over). Wade torched the Cavs for 30 in the first half but finished with just 32 for the game. I don't know if Mike Brown actually made an in-game adjustment (not his strong suit) or if Wade's shot simply stop falling (he made a ton of jumpers early) but the Cavs held Wade in check for the second half (they were doubling him early in the possession and getting the ball out of his hands). Unlike LeBron, Wade didn't do himself any favors late in the game, missing two freebies with 40 seconds left (would've put the Heat up 3) and followed up his turnover and LeBron's free throws by clanging a jumper off the rim. Not his best ending.

Back-to-back good games from Shaq. O'Neal was a force, scoring 19 points on 9-13 shooting in just 27 minutes. He was effective early on (scoring the Cavs first 8 points) and was a factor late in the game as well (blocking Jermaine O'Neal's shot with 3 minutes to go and giving the Cavs a 90-89 lead off a jump hook with a minute left). Shaq finished with 19 points, 5 boards and 2 assists. The Cavs still force feed him the ball at times but they're going to need Shaq to produce with both Mo Williams and Delonte West out with injuries. I don't know if this means anything, but the Cavs haven't lost to any of Shaq's former teams this season.

Daniel Gibson was solid. While he's still not a point guard, Boobie sure can shoot the hell out of the ball. Gibson finished with 15 and he gave the Cavs their first lead of the night with a triple with about 9 minutes to go. Gibson was 5-10 from the floor and 4-6 from behind the arc but he only had 1 board and 1 assist in his 43(!) minutes of court time. I love his moxie (he's not afraid to take big shots) but he's got to give the Cavaliers more than just scoring. At time the Cavs let Anthony Parker have the ball handling duties while Gibson played off ball and ran around screens.

I don't know when exactly this happened, but Anderson Varejao is a downright crafty offensive player. While Andy's jumper is still scary, I've been really amazed at how he finishes around the basket. Varejao gets himself in great positions to score and his footwork is ridiculous. He finds the holes in a defense and exploits them with an array of hooks, finger rolls and layups. Andy finished 13 points (5-8 FG), 10 boards, 2 assists and a steal. He scored 5 points in the fourth quarter and had a huge three-point play to tie the game at 79.

This team is good, like really really good. The Cavs were without two rotation players, including their second leading scorer (though Jamario Moon returned), they got a combined two points from their starting shooting guard and power forward and yet still pulled out a victory in Miami. They weathered Wade's early onslaught and they kinda, sorta executed the offense down the stretch (they were throwing Shaq the ball late in the game, which was nice to see). They're 35-11 and have now won in cities like LA, Orlando, Miami (twice), Atlanta and Portland. They just beat Kobe, Durant and Wade in three straight games, all while shorthanded. Yikes.

and finally...

Dear LeBron and D.Wade, Please never ever join the same team, as it would mean missing out on games like these. Sincerely, NBA Fans. This game was f-u-n. The second quarter was a blast and the ending was amazing. Wade and LeBron bring out the best in each other (there was a palpable buzz in the arena during the second quarter) and it'd be a shame to miss out on that. The basketball fan in me wants to see these guys face off in a seven game series, just to see what would happen (and the Cavs fan in me wants nothing to do with Wade and playoff officials). At 23-21, the Heat are currently 5th in the East but the 8th seed, Charlotte, owns a record of 20-21, so a first round matchup is definitely in play. The Cavs next game is against the Timberwolves at home on Wednesday night.

Cross-posted at LeBrownsTown.com. Follow me on Twitter @BenCox83

Dream Big

I love the pie-in-the-sky trade speculation this time of year. Brian Windhorst has the latest:

The Arizona Republic reported late Sunday night that the Cavaliers are one of three teams to be in talks recently with the Suns about trading for star Amare Stoudemire. The reporter on this story is the Republic's Paul Coro, which why there is a blog going up on this topic now and it is not being regarded as common fodder. Coro has a good reputation for being credible. For example, was the first to report the Cavs and Suns had re-started trade talks for Shaquille O'Neal last June.

[snip]

It would be surprising that the Suns would want to do another salary dump trade with a star but it isn't impossible. This move potentially could save team owner Robert Sarver another $10 million and perhaps more. The natural trade that makes sense here would be Zydrunas Ilgauskas and J.J. Hickson for Stoudemire. The Suns could also ask for draft picks, the Cavs own their full slate of first round picks in the future. The Cavs and Suns talked about Hickson the O'Neal deal but the Cavs wanted to keep him. So the Suns have a history of interest in Hickson.

[snip]

The Suns and Warriors nearly pulled a deal for Stoudemire last June before the draft but it fell apart. There is little doubt that both the Wolves and Warriors could put together more talent-rich offers for Stoudemire. The Cavs cannot and will not offer the same package of young players.

But with Stoudemire having the right to become a free agent this summer, it would be foolish for either team to trade for him without an agreement he'd re-sign with them. He already made it clear he didn't want to go to Golden State last summer, which was one of the sticking points to that failed trade. It is hard to believe he'd want to stay in Minnesota, which is in the middle of a large rebuilding project.

That factor reduces Stoudemire's value on the trade market and why such a deal would make some sense for the Cavs. Stoudemire has said he wants to play for a contender but probably would also be attracted to New York or Miami in the offseason. So the danger is the Cavs may find themselves renting him as well.

Yikes. Amare Stoudemire! For Z and J.J.? Yes, yes and yes.

While I'm (still) not the biggest Amare guy out there, I have to admit that the dude has talent. A lot of talent. All-star level talent. He just happens not use it on the defensive end.

I'm not one who advocates giving up draft picks and young players (I'm completely against giving Washington anything but capspace for Jamison. No #1 picks, no J.J.), but for a player like Amare, you do it. He averages 20 and 8 at the age of 27. Amare is what you hope J.J. becomes, he's Hickson's best case scenario.

But there are concerns. Defensively, if you're the Cavs, you hope Amare's poor defensive attitude is due to the Suns' run-and-gun philosophy and that Mike Brown (and LeBron) can get Stoudemire on the right page. But I'd be very concerned about starting Mo Williams, Amare and Shaq every night, defensive pick-and-rolls could be brutal.

Offensively, he may not be the perfect fit either, John Krolik:

First of all, Amare isn’t the most cerebral offensive player. His assist ratio ranks 61st of the 68 listed power forwards. His turnover ratio is 46th out of 68. He’s not as good of a finisher in traffic as he used to be, either. He only makes 56% of his layups, and doesn’t have a left hand to speak of, but he’s more than willing to try and force a right-handed shot in traffic. If the ball gets tossed to Amare, it’s probably not coming back. And those numbers come in an offense with amazing spacing and a directive to rotate the ball back to Steve Nash at the first sign of trouble. Do you really want a player like that on the floor with LeBron James, especially late in games?

Not only that, but we'd get to watch Mike Brown retool the offense on the fly (something I don't think he'd necessarily have to do with someone like Jamison or Troy Murphy). So that should be fun.

All of that being said, I'm 10000000% behind trading for Stoudemire. Yes, like LeBron, Amare could leave after the season. But if you're the Cavs, you have to think that bringing in Amare would be quite an incentive for LeBron to stay (and vice versa). A core of Mo Williams (27), Stoudemire (27) and LeBron (25) is more than solid.

While I doubt the Cavs end up with Amare, I do think it's within the realm of possibility. The Suns and their owner are nortoriously cheap, it makes no sense to trade him to a bad team (since he'll just walk), Danny Ferry and Steve Kerr have a familiarity both on the court and as GMs (Shaquisition) and the Cavs have just enough salary relief and young talent to make things interesting.

At the end of the day, I just can't see the Suns trading a 27 year old big man for Z, J.J. Hickson and late round draft picks. You gotta think there'd be a better offer out there but a guy can dream, right?

And I gotta say, I like this rumor a lot more than the Andre Iguodala one. Iggy is Larry Hughes with muscles (defensively they'd be ridiculous, offensively... notsomuch).