Monday, May 12, 2008

Game 3 recap/Game 4 preview

OK, I lied. I simply haven't had the time to sit down and watch the game like I should. I've seen bits and parts, like some LeBron's blocks or Z's amazing drive, but I haven't been able to watch the entire game.

For all of the bitching about Brown and Ferry after Game 2, they should be feeling pretty good about themselves. The team they built and coach would be up 2-1 if their star player made a couple of layups in Game 1. I have my issues with Brown, but the Cavs went into Boston and lost Game 1 by a couple of baskets when LeBron goes 2-18. That doesn't happen if A) the team has zero talent and B) if they have a terrible coach. I don't think these guys get the credit that they sometimes deserve.

Game 3 was nice, but this becomes a series tonight. If the Cavs win, we get a 'Best of 3'. If they lose, I don't expect to see them back in Cleveland until training camp. The good news is, their defense has been solid all series (which has gone largely unnoticed) and Boston should be feeling some pressure to win a road game.

Eventually, the Cavs are going to need a big game from LeBron and he needs to get on track tonight. I don't think he needs a 40 point game, but if the even it up 2-2, they might need it in Game 5.

But we're not there yet. If the Cavs lose tonight, all the gains they made in Game 3 are just blips on the radar. They need to have the same sense of urgency tonight as they did on Saturday. There ain't a whole lot of difference between 3-0 and 3-1. If the shooters continue to shoot and if LeBron can get even somewhat on track, I like their chances.

(by the way, who says that this series doesn't have all the trash talk that the Wizards series had? check this out:
Kevin Garnett and Zydrunas Ilgauskas might be talking a little extra trash with each other in the coming days. Ilgauskas is a Manchester United fan and Garnett is a Chelsea fan, and the two English soccer powers are meeting Tuesday in the Champions League final in Moscow. Not that Ilgauskas, a longtime fan of English soccer, thinks that Garnett really cares.

''He's a fake fan,'' Ilgauskas said.

Oh no he didn't!)

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Haha, nice find on the Z quote regarding soccer. Good stuff.

Anonymous said...

Will all due respect, KG responding to trash talk by Z would be like Jay-Z responding to trash talk from ... I don't know, a white, Lithuanian rapper?

Game 4 is a must-win, no secret. But in reality, Games 5 and 6 are must-wins, too. If the Cavs win tonight, they have to take that momentum advantage back to Boston and steal the road win they need in Game 5, then close it out at home in Game 6. I honestly cannot see any team beating Boston in a Game 7 at the Corporately Sponsored Garden.

Anonymous said...

I'll lay it out there - if the Cavs win tonight, they'll win the series. Boston will be feeling immense pressure and they won't respond well.

If they lose, obviously it's over.