More LeBron Fallout

In a surprise to absolutely no one, Dan Gilbert was fined by David Stern for his and subsequent interviews:

Shortly after James' announcement, Gilbert fired off an incendiary letter to Cavs fans, vilifying the 25-year-old and calling his decision to bolt Cleveland as "narcissistic" and "cowardly behavior." He also guaranteed his team would win an NBA title "BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER 'KING' WINS ONE."

Gilbert took it a step further when he later told The Associated Press in a phone interview that he felt the NBA's two-time MVP quit on the Cavs during the playoffs the past two years, and that James "has gotten a free pass." He also said James should be held accountable for his actions.

[snip]

Gilbert is attending the owners' meetings in Las Vegas, where NBA commissioner David Stern said Monday he was fining the Cavaliers $100,000 for the comments.

"He was completely correct in expressing his disappointment," Stern said, adding that Gilbert's statement and the sentiments he expressed in a follow-up interview with the AP were "a little bit extreme."

Only $100,000? That's not really a whole lot to an owner of an NBA franchise. I'm still shocked that Stern hasn't made him take that letter down. It's still up on Cavs.com for anyone to read.

Stern also said that he didn't care for LeBron's special (which ESPN innocently points out just happened garner 10 million viewers) and that LeBron should've informed the Cavs before the TV show (no shit!). Craig at WFNY has a nice post on what LeBron should've done. Me gusta.

As far as Jesse Jackson's Dan Gilbert/Slavery comments... both Stern and Gilbert dismiss them (and disagree, obviously) and I really like Jason Whitlock's take:

It’s stupid. Dan Gilbert’s rant was certainly immature, but it wasn’t remotely racist. He sounded like a scorned lover, a guy who gave his heart to a relationship and found out on national TV that the alleged love of his life didn’t care about him at all.

I agree whole heartedly

BTW ^this post^ was, um, posted today over at Upon Further Review Sports today, albeit linkless, as rebuttal to this. Check it out.

Speaking of other sites where my crappy writing appears, LeBrownsTown.com has now (for some weird reason...) been renamed LandLoyalty.com (rolls off the tongue, no?).

and finally, you know wanted to read Matt Taibbi's thoughts on The Decision. Of course you do.

Well if Devin Brown likes him...

then who am I to question:

Former Cavalier Devin Brown thinks Byron Scott is the perfect new coach for the Cavs and the sort of guy who just might persuade free agent LeBron James to re-sign with the team.

"He demands respect," Brown said of Scott, his coach for two-plus seasons in New Orleans. "I really think he was a great hire for Cleveland. I think it was a move to show LeBron that they are serious about what they're trying to do. I really think it's a great fit."

Though I do like the hire of Byron Scott. I really don't see anyone out there who is a better fit for the Cavs. I wouldn't want to be pursuing LeBron James with a rookie head coach. Scott has been to the Finals as both a player and coach and, as Devin says, demands respect.

I have more on Scott's hiring over at LeBrownsTown.

The Last Days

So here we are, the waning days of the LeBron Era in Cleveland.

Maybe.

This last month has been a bit nuts, there are rumors flying every where. The NBA world has officially gone mad.

LeBron was supposed embark on a elaborate free agency tour but instead decided to host teams in Akron. LeBron, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh and Joe Johnson(?) were all set to have a Free Agency Summit but it got canceled. Except that it didn't. But LeBron wasn't there. Or maybe he was.


William Wesley is trying to push LeBron out the door so he can be a stronger agent (and a very convenient scape-goat). Hell, World Wide Wes is even trying to engineer a trade for Chris Paul, a player he doesn't even represent. But apparently, Wesley won't be a part of any of LeBron's negotiations.

For LeBron, it all comes down to winning. And the ownership, the ownership definitely matters most. But LeBron isn't even talking with the Cavalier front office! Except that he is. Windhorst says that LeBron will have the final word (well, duh) and that despite everything, the Cavs still have "the edge" to retain his services. And hey! The Cavs even have a coach! (maybe)

Are we having fun yet?

I don't know how this is possible, but I'm fascinated by this whole saga while simultaneously feeling extremely ambivalent. It's not that I don't care (obviously, I do) but I've simply grown numb to the whole thing. I've been bombarded with so much LeBron James News, it's insane (and that's without watching any PTI or SportsCenter).

(I've embarked on an unofficial boycott of ESPN ever since the Cavs were unceremoniously bounced from the second round of the playoffs. I do this whenever Brett Favre/Barry Bonds/Terrell Owens-eque stories pop up. Why watch? I know I'll simply get frustrated. Same reason why I never watch Cable News).

Basically, I just want it to be done.

(Also, re: ambivalence. LeBron is the first pro-athlete I've really followed where I've been older than the athlete. It's a different experience. I still care probably more than I should but, as with ESPN, I have other things that interest me (aka books, politics, job, not-having-money, not-getting-laid, etc) and obsessively following some dude younger than me seems weird. I dunno).

Right now, it looks like Miami and Chicago are LeBron's two most likely non-Cleveland destinations. The Bulls can sign two max free agents (New Jersey is making a last ditch effort to clear space to do the same. Fuck you, Washington) and LeBron could team up with another superstar like Wade or Bosh (while the Heat are pushing for the whole threesome). Needless to say, the Cavs cannot do the same.

While I certainly understand the appeal of playing alongside another superstar, I hope LeBron realizes it's not an automatic championship like many believe (aka Fantasy Sports =/= Real Life).

Say LeBron signs in Chicago with Bosh and teams up with Derek Rose and Joakim Noah. Pretty sweet, right? But tell me why you wouldn't simply back the lane against that squad? Derek Rose is many things, but a spot up shooter he ain't (they just traded Kirk Hinrich for, as far as I can tell, nothing). Nevermind the fact that he'll have to drive by Jordan's statue every day heading into work. Enjoy playing in that shadow.

And Miami? So LeBron is going to head into D. Wade's house and either A) take over the show or B) defer to Wade? Really? All while taking less than the max? And how good is Chris Bosh? On a team with James and Rose/Wade, Bosh's offensive duties would certainly decrease. Is Chris Bosh going to be able to defend and rebound against the likes of Dwight Howard and Pau Gasol come playoff time? Bosh is certainly skilled offensively but is he be willing to do that dirty work down low? Would you call him playoff tested? I dunno.

What I do know is this: two years ago the Cleveland Cavaliers won 66 games and this past season they won 61. Yes, LeBron is the reason the Cavs were contenders but his performance is also the reason they were bounced from the playoffs two rounds too early (not that he was the only issue, mind you). Leaving a 60 win team on the heels of an epic choke job is going to be his Ohio Legacy. Good luck with that (he'll be second only to Art Model in Most Hated Cleveland Sports Figures).

Certainly the idea of LeBron teaming up with Bosh and/or Wade is tantalizing, but how many championship teams were built through free agency? Has that ever worked? I just hope that if he bolts, he knows he's leaving a pretty damn good situation.

I also think that if LeBron decides to stay, he should sign for more than a three year deal. Take the full max and reup for six years (and make a TON more money); the Cavs can't go through another three years of "you better win right this second or I'm gonna leave". It's no way to build a franchise; it hurt them last summer with free agents and it's the reason they currently have no cap room (or coach). LeBron needs to be their rock (ala Magic, Bird and Jordan) and it's hard to build around a cornerstone if you can't count on him to be there in the future.

People like to point to KG's "loyalty can hurt" comments after Round 2 as reason LeBron should go, but I can't help but wonder if say, Paul Pierce feels the same way. Winning in Cleveland will count for more. Period. How many championships will LeBron need to in Chicago to feel validated? Three? Four? More? What if he only gets one? He'll never be bigger than Jordan, not anywhere, but especially not in Chicago. He wins in Cleveland, he's The Man. Period. The End.

As for what I think he's going to do? I have literally, absolutely no idea. No one does. Everything is pure speculation. If I had to make a guess, I'd say he goes to the Bulls. Yes, LeBron would have to share the ball with Derek Rose in Chicago, but at least the end-of-game situations would be pretty cut and dry (unlike Miami). I certainly hope he stays here (the Cavs do supposedly have the edge) but I haven't felt confident that he'd reup ever since the Cavs were bounced by Boston.

I guess if I have a plea for LeBron, it's to finish the job here. Don't let your last home game in Cleveland be the Game 5 stinker (or let your legacy be: Yankees Hat==> Hold Franchise Hostage==> Flirt with Other Teams==> Lay Egg in Biggest Game of the Playoffs==> Leave for Team that Historically has Ripped Out the Hearts of Cavalier Fans). If you can get the Cavs over the championship hump it'll count for so much more. You'd have built your own legacy. Winning here, in Cleveland, in Ohio, will be sweeter.

Somehow, I think you know that.

PS: I never mix work and sports blogging, but this is a special occurrence. On July 8th (the first day free agents can sign with their new teams), the Brook Park branch of the Cuyahoga County Public Library system is hosting Plain Dealer columnist Terry Pluto. I actually set up this particular event but I'd be lying if I told you that I purposely planned to host Pluto on LeBron's (possible) signing day. Just a happy convergence. Sign up here.

Game 4: Boston 97, Cleveland 87 (Series tied 2-2)

Hey, this Rajon Rondo guy is pretty good. To say that Rondo dominated this game isn't doing him justice. He recorded his fourth career playoff triple-double and it did in astounding fashion. Rondo ended up with 29 points, 18 boards (anytime you guys wanna box out, that'd be great) and 13 assists. His energy was fantastic; he beat the Cavs to loose balls, he attacked the rim (not fearing contact and getting to the line) and consistently pushed the ball down court. Rondo's offensive putback with a little over a minute to go basically sealed the game for Boston (giving them a 92-85 lead).

What happened to all that aggression and urgency? The Cavs were down 8-11 for most the game, made a run in the third (even took the lead on three free throws from West, his only contribution for the game) only to quickly get back down 8-11 during the fourth. They were consistently beat down court (by the likes of KG and Ray Allen, which is inexcusable) and after winning the rebounding battle in Game 3, they were killed on the glass by a 49-33 margin (though, that'll happen when you let a point guard get 18 boards). The Cavs routinely took a lot of time setting things up (lot's of holding the ball and surveying/probing the defense) and the Cavs didn't seem to feel any urgency until it was a 7 point game with under two minutes to play. For example, during crunch time, LeBron seemed content to waste 15 seconds only to set up Varejao for a long jumper. If you're relying on Anderson Varejao to hit a 22 footer to win a playoff game, you deserve to lose.

LeBron has to lead more (and take more shots). In the two Cleveland victories, LeBron took over 20 shots (22 and 24) and during their two losses, he took under 20 (15 and 18). If you just look at LeBron's stats (22 points, 9 boards, 8 assists, 2 steals, a block and um, 7 turnovers), you'd say he had a pretty solid game. I'm not saying he needs to do everything, but the Cavs aren't going to beat Boston if James is 7 points under his season average. I felt like LeBron wasn't attacking enough and that when he did, he didn't have a good idea of what he was going to do (though give credit to Boston's defense, they were fantastic). I don't know if his elbow was bothering him or what, but James has to look for his shot more often (especially down the stretch- I don't trust any of the other guys having to create their own shot).

For the most part, I liked what I saw from Antawn Jamison. Yes, KG has abused him in the post, but Jamison has realized that Garnett is extremely slow and doesn't have the foot speed to keep up defensively. Jamison finished with 14 points and 6 boards and routinely attacked the basket (especially when the Celtics over pursued on closeouts). Jamison shot 6-12 from the floor but missed all three of his treys and did not look comfortable down the stretch (though his one miss came after he got away with a travel and shot a 'wait, we're playing?' floater).

Let's pretend that Shaq is just a big version of J.J. Hickson, okay? Do the Cavs really need to be running plays for Shaq? Does he have to start every game by forcing a bad shot over Kendrick Perkins? When O'Neal is on the move and the Cavs are creating mismatches, he's really effective. When they simply throw it down to him and stand around watching him try to back down Perkins, he's not effective... at all (doesn't help that they just stand around watching him). Though I will say this in Shaq's defense: he gets Boston in foul trouble (O'Neal shot 11 free throws and made 7). It wasn't pretty, but Shaq finished with 17 points and 5 boards in 28 minutes.

Way to use the Cavs' athleticism to their advantage, Coach Mike. J.J. Hickson received 5 minutes and Jamario Moon got to play 3. Awesome. I know these guys didn't play perfect, but Anthony Parker is allowed to screw up all he wants (he bobbled the ball away a few times) and still get playing time, while Moon and J.J. get yanked at the first sign of trouble. A big (non-Rondo) reason that Boston won was because Tony Allen went 6-7 and gave them 15 points and 5 boards (similar to Sheed's 7-8 off the bench in Game 2). The Cavs are going to need their bench (all starters scored in double figures) and having Moon and Hickson combine for 8 minutes barely gives them a chance to make an impact.

and finally...

You can't really be surprised that we're all tied up at 2, but there are some concerns. For instance, the fact that the energy comes and goes is a bit disconcerting. Maybe the Cavs figured they won back home-court advantage in Game 3, so this game wasn't that important, but this loss means that they'd either have to clinch A) in Game 6 in Boston or B) a Game 7 (where anything can happen), rather at home in Game 5. Also, the series is tied at 2 and Paul Pierce has yet to have a good game (he's averaging 11 points on 32% shooting). I doubt he's going to go the entire series without having a big game. Game 5 is Tuesday night at The Q.

Cross-posted at LeBrownstown.com

Game 2: Boston 104, Cleveland 86 (Series tied 1-1)

Well that sure sucked. The high point of the evening came when LeBron accepted his MVP award before the game; it was all downhill from there. The Cavs didn't defend (the Celtics shot over 50%), they were outrebounded (43-32), they didn't move the ball (17 assists to Boston's 30) and they couldn't buy a bucket from the field (28-70 for 40%), from three (4-21, 19%) or from the line (26-38, 68%). There was no energy, no sense of urgency and no creativity (let's throw it down to Shaq and watch him miss a layup, again!). What's scary is the fact that the Cavs shot more free throws (38-18), had less fouls (15 to Boston's 31) and won the turnover battle (15-17) and still managed to lose by 18, at home, on the night LeBron won his second MVP. Awesome.

The Celtics are too good to for the Cavs to screw around for three quarters. I get that LeBron likes setting up his teammates early in games and that the Cavs try to establish Shaq at the start of quarters. Understandable and even commendable. But you see how the Celtics are exploiting Rondo's (13 points, 19 assists) and KG's (18 points, 10 boards) matchups constantly? There's no reason the Cavs shouldn't do that with LeBron. Now, this is on LeBron too (not just Brown); he needs to lead and be aggressive and he has to establish a tone early on that isn't "I'll just turn it on later after you guys hit some shots." You can get away with that crap against the Bulls and throughout the regular season, but it isn't gonna fly against the Celtics. The Cavs made their late run (they got it down to 10 with 4:33 left) by attacking the rim and running the floor (and the run fizzled when they started chucking threes). There's no reason they can't do that for a full 48 minutes (seriously, Boston is a good defensive team, but they're slow. Attack them!).

Shaq was, um, ineffective. O'Neal finished with 9 points on 4-10 shooting with 4 rebounds (3 offensive) in 17 minutes. It wasn't pretty. He was missing shots at point blank range and giving up offensive rebounds at will. I'm not sure what Brown can do at this point. The Cavs are going to need Shaq in the next series, so he needs reps... but they need to get to win this series and O'Neal is killing them. What's maddening is that the Cavs just stand and watch when Shaq gets the ball and the Celtics aren't doubling O'Neal (because Perkins is really good post defender). So no movement, no drawing a second defender and lot's of missed point-blank shots. Shaq had 10 shot attempts to Mo's 9 (made one) and Jamison's 11 (made six). This should not happen... ever... (and especially not when he's shooting that poorly). Shaq isn't the second option (or 2a or 2b), he's option C or D.

It's everyone's fault, there's enough blame to go around. The effort was terrible (the Cavs tried... for about 6 minutes in the fourth quarter... after they were down 23), the offense was horrible (you're allowed to run plays. It's totally legal) and the defense was perplexing (Jamison kept fronting KG, with no help over the top and it led to three layups in Boston's big third quarter). Mo Williams went 1-9, Anthony Parker shot 2-7 and Shaq was 4-10. That's three starters combining to shoot 7-26. Wow. I'm blaming Coach Mike for the sloppy offense and terrible energy but he can't control who shoots well (and I don't know what he said at halftime, but it did not work).

But I will point a finger at Coach Mike. Yes, I have some issues with his sub patterns (just 5 minutes for Jamario Moon?) and the usual complaints with the offense (boring and predicable). But the Cavs have looked unprepared at the start of halves and their body language is just beyond awful (Mo, Parker and Delonte look terrified and too deferential to James). Brown was really animated after the game (which isn't too surprising, considering how they lost) but I would've loved to see some of that passion during the game. Get a tech or do something to light a fire under these guys.

I don't understand why Anthony Parker deserves minutes. You know how you can't measure some players (like Varejao) by their box score? I feel the same way about Anthony Parker (only negatively). Parker finished with 6 points, 1 board, 1 assists and 3 steals in 27 minutes. He had one turnover and two fouls. But that line doesn't do him justice. His one turnover was a terrible pass off an inbounds pass underneath their own hoop. One of his fouls was a weak push off a Ray Allen curl (and led to a three-point play). I don't like his defense (though it's not terrible) and I don't trust him at all on the offensive end (both of his field goals came in the first period and he can't create his own shot). I was completely baffled that he was allowed to play that entire third period.

Anderson Varejao is the second most valuable Cavalier. Andy has been playing with a bruised knee and it shows. His activity level is way down and to say that the Cavs miss his energy is an understatement. He's far and away their best help defender and he's also probably their best rebounder. Andy had a nice stretch the second period when worked the pick-and-roll with LeBron and got himself to the line (4-5 FT) but he ended up leaving the game early due to back spasms. The big injury story is LeBron's elbow, but Varejao's knee (and now back) may be a bigger concern.

For those clamoring for more J.J. Hickson, just so you're aware, the kid has a grand total of 3 rebounds in two games (31 minutes). Don't get me wrong, I'm all for J.J. getting more playing time, but you can't just concentrate on his scoring. And his scoring is great! He had 13 points on 4-6 shooting in just 14 minutes. He attacked the rim, he ran the floor and he got himself to the line (5-7 FT). All this is great. But he was murdered defensively (the Celts went right at him) and it's not a coincidence that Rasheed Wallace went off (17 points, 7-8 FG, 3-4 3pt) when J.J. was on the floor.

The refs were decidedly pro-Cavalier, but I'm gonna bitch anyways. The Cavs got some highly questionable calls in the fourth quarter (when they made their too-little, too-late push) and it's hard to argue with a 31-15 foul advantage and 38-18 free throw disparity. But man, Rajon Rondo is hard to guard as it is, but when you let them set illegal screens all night, it's practically impossible (seriously, they move nearly every time). Plus, Anderson Varejao was called for the first Flagrant 1 block in NBA history. Seriously, he helped baseline on Ray Allen, bodied him out of bounds and somehow earned a Flagrant 1 (Allen split the free throws and hit a trey the ensuing possession. Great).

and finally...

At the end of the day, the series is tied 1-1. Yes, they played awful but a 20 point loss counts the same as a one point buzzer beater (though getting out played/worked/coached in 3 of the 4 halves, at home, has to be a concern). They got their butts kicked and now they have to respond. They have to lose three more to get knocked out. They're OK. And it's not the worst thing in the world that series won't resume until Friday. Not only does the break give LeBron and Varejao time to heal up but the Cavs now have three days to stew and digest that crappy performance.

Game 5: Cleveland 96, Chicago 94 (Cavs win series 4-1)

It was a weird, somewhat choppy game (but 44 fouls and 57 foul shots will do that). The game started off with a scorching hot Antawn Jamison (14 first quarter points from all over the court, including two treys) but the Bulls hung close and trailed by just a point after one quarter (27-26). Jamario Moon gave the Cavs a spark in the second quarter, scoring seven points in a little less than two minutes (a trey, an fast break layup and an alley-oop from James) and Cleveland went into the half with a comfortable seven point lead (55-48). The Cavs then proceeded to sleep walk through the third quarter, scoring just 18 points (going away from Jamison) and went into the fourth with a 73-71 lead. In the fourth, LeBron and the Cavs (with a little help from the refs- more on this in a bit) built themselves a 9 point lead (93-84) with under four minutes to go. They seemed well on their way to closing out the series (LeBron was getting to the rim at will and wasn't settling for jumpers).

The end of the game was kind of bizarre. The Cavs didn't look particularly good over the final three minutes (the Bulls doubled LeBron early and outscored Cleveland 10-3); LeBron missed a dagger three, Jamison was (correctly) called for an offensive foul, Mo missed two jumpers (he did not want to shoot) and Anderson Varejao committed a cringe worthy turnover. Leading 95-92 with 7 seconds left, LeBron split a pair of free throws, shooting (and missing) the second one with his left hand (because his right arm was bothering him... um, *gulp*). Needless to say, LeBron's bum right arm put a bit of a damper in the victory celebration (especially considering that the game ended with Luol Deng scoring a meaningless putback as time expired). I felt bad for the crowd; they were supposed to cheer moving onto the second round but they just watched the MVP brick a freebie with his left hand.

The refs were not good. The previous sentence is an understatement. I have to say, if I was a Bulls fan, I'd be pissed and, as a Cavs fan, I certainly can't defend what happened to Brad Miller in the third quarter. Miller was shown jawing with the refs and was immediately called for two ticky-tack fouls soon thereafter (while Shaq backed him down). Then, Joakim Noah took up the Big Fella and was quickly called for another ticky-tack. Later, the refs took away a continuation bucket for Derek Rose (no review, kinda iffy continuation, in my opinion) and foul shots for Deng (they reviewed it, the 24 second clock expired before the foul). Hell, the Cavs didn't even commit their first foul until LeBron clipped Flip Murray on a three with 2 seconds left in the first quarter. Both Miller and Taj Gibson fouled out for Chicago (while Joakim Noah had 5) and Anderson Varejao and Shaq both finished with 5 apiece.

Shaq was pretty effective (refs or no refs). The Cavs went to O'Neal early to establish the tone inside and the big guy delivered. Shaq finished with 14 points (7-9 shooting), 8 boards and 3 assists. I liked his energy but he was plagued by fouls as well, which limited his minutes (just 26). Shaq's touch around the glass seemed better on Tuesday night; his jump hooks were falling and he even drove to the lane for a slam (though that's easy to do when the opposing bigs aren't allowed to touch you).

Mo's performance does not easy any concerns you might have. Williams finished with 7 points and 5 assists and shot just 2-13 from the floor (2-7 3pt). Late in the game, when the Bulls doubled LeBron early in the possession, Williams was forced into two unsure (at best) missed jumpers. The Cavs survived because of LeBron (of course) and the double digit contributions they got from Jamison, Shaq and Delonte West (16 points, 2 boards, 4 assists).

and finally...

Excellent closeout win (in their first try too) but bring on the Celitcs! This'll be fun. Playoff series are always more fun when teams don't like each and that certainly is the case with the Cavs and Celtics. How can you not be excited for this? Boston is so hate-able; they talk trash (KG), the flop (Pierce), they give cheap shots (Ray Allen) and they're Rasheed Wallace. Plus, we'll get to see how long Garnett can hold off from taking a swing at Varejao (my bet? Game 5) and we get to boo 'Sheed again (always fun). And not that this should surprise you, but I think the Cavs will take the Celts (pending LeBron's right arm) in the next round. The Cavs took Boston to Game 7 two years ago with Wally Sczerbiak and Ben Wallace in the starting lineup and they've since added Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison, Shaq and J.J. Hickson... with home court advantage.

Cross-posted at LeBrownsTown.com.

Game 4: Cleveland 121, Chicago 98 (Cavs lead 3-1)

LeBron James is a good basketball player. What else can you really say? James made sure that the Cavs came back to Cleveland up 3-1; LeBron paced the Cavs with 37 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. His night was insanely efficient; Bron-Bron shot 11-17 overall, 6-9 from behind the arc and 9-10 from the line. The dude was feeling it. Coincidentally, LeBron's 37-12-11 occured right after Dwyane Wade went nuts and dropped 46 on the Celtics.

Cleveland started the game a little slow. The game was close for the first quarter and well into the second. The Cavs didn't seem completely engaged; they settled for too many jumpers and didn't box out nearly enough. The Cavs started the game feeding O'Neal in the post, with mixed results (Shaq finished with 6 points and 7 boards in just 17 minutes). Cleveland led just 24-21 after the first quarter and were even trailing midway through the second.

That's when James started to impose his will. Midway through the second quarter, James put the Cavs on his back and they never looked back. He scored 12 points over the last six minutes before the half and the Cavs turned a four point deficit (37-41) into a 10 point halftime lead (62-52).

The Cavs brought the hammer down after halftime. The Cavs came out of the locker room and took it directly at the Bulls; Cleveland opened with a 7-0 run that soon ballooned into a 17-6 blitzing. Jamison (12 points) and LeBron (10 points) paced the Cavs, carving up the Bulls defense with excellent passing and movement. It also helped that the Cavs defensive intensity picked up and decided to stop giving up second chance points. James even hit his first ever dagger half-court buzzer beater at the end of the third, giving the Cavs a 99-76 heading into fourth (take that D. Wade!).

LeBron, as masterful as he was, didn't do it alone. Yes, LeBron had the eye popping stats, but Antawn Jamison finished with 24 points (9-16 FG) and Mo Williams pitched in 19 (6-10 FG, 3-6 3pt). The Cavs had five players in double figures (AP had 12, J.J. had 10). They're defensive pressure was great, especially after halftime. You could tell that the Cavs actually gave a damn (playoffs!) and that they weren't going to blow a big lead and let the Bulls back in the game.

J.J. Hickson got some run, at the expense of Big Z. Hickson got his first extended minutes of the post season, scoring 10 points in 17 minutes. I liked the energy Hickson brought off the bench but he had a couple of instances where he forgot to box out. But he did go 3-4 from the field, 4-4 from the stripe and grab an offensive board. He wasn't great, but he did some nice things. It's unfortunate that he's taking Z's minutes, but I think Hickson's the better fit against the Chicago bigs.

Coach Mike was decent (or even good). Throughout Brown's tenure as Cavs coach, Cleveland hasn't always played the best third quarters. But on Sunday afternoon, the Cavs came out of halftime focused and destroyed Chicago by a count of 37-24. Then in the fourth, when the Bulls cut the 24 point deficit to 19, Brown subbed in LeBron and let King James bury the Bulls. James played five minutes in the final period and record 9 points, an assist and grabbed 3 boards. Brown let's LeBron sit and maybe the Bulls cut it down to 15 or less and make it a ballgame.

Bulls weren't terrible but their role players didn't step up. Derek Rose finished with 21 points and 5 assists, Joakim Noah netted a 20-20 (actually 21-20, with 7 offensive boards) and Luol Deng scored 16. Unfortunately for Chicago, their role players came back down to Earth. Kirk Hinrich (he of the 9-12 FG, 4-4 3pt Game 3 performance) shot 3-13. Brad Miller was ineffective, shooting just 2-8 and missing more than a few layups. The Bulls bench combined to go 7-25 from the floor. For the most part, the Bulls played hard, but they just don't have the talent to matchup with the Cavaliers (it didn't help that Derek Rose rolled his ankle either).

and finally...

End it on Tuesday. Please. Heading home to Cleveland up 3-1, the Cavs are in control of this series; the Bulls simply don't have the horses to keep up with the Cavaliers when Cleveland is hustling. The Cavs only need to look at the Lakers and the trouble they're having with Oklahoma City to realize how important it is to wrap this thing up. The way LeBron and company ended the game, I'm thinking that they'll take care of business in Game 5.

Cross-posted at LeBrownsTown.com.

Game 2: Cleveland 112, Chicago 102 (Cavs lead 2-0)

Now this felt like a playoff game. While the Cavs still ended up winning by double digits, Monday night was much more tightly contested than Game 1. The Bulls played with a lot of energy and too often the Cavs were caught flat footed. Cleveland built a double digit late in the first quarter but let the Bulls climb back in. Give Chicago credit, they played pretty well (three guys notched 20 points); the Bulls aren't easily intimidated (not after their series with the Celtics) and outworked and out-hustled the Cavaliers. However, in the end, LeBron was simply too much to handle.

LeBron was absolutely spectacular. The Chosen One did it all, finishing with 40 points, 8 boards, 8 assists, 2 blocks and a steal. To say James was on fire isn't doing him justice; his jumper was falling and he attacked the rim, going a ridiculous 16-23 from the field (69.5%). Down the stretch James was burying dagger after dagger, but some of his most jaw dropping plays came when he took it to the rim. On back-to-back possessions in the first quarter, James drove to the right side of the hope, only to change directions and spin the ball off the backboard with the 'wrong' hand (right hand on the left side) and then followed it up with possibly the most vicious dunk of his career, a right handed tomahawk over James Johnson. In the fouth, he threw in a gliding, left handed scoop layup. James was great. He rebounded, he set up his teammates (he had a nifty bounce pass to a cutting Antawn Jamison) and the dominated the fourth quarter. He's the closer.

Joakim Noah talked some shit, but he backed it up, no? Sure, the Bulls didn't win, but it was of no fault of Noah. The ugliest man alive finished with 25 points, 13 boards and 3 assists. Noah simply outworked most of the Cavalier big men. Seven of his fifteen rebounds came at the offensive end and those putbacks were a big reason why he ended up with 25 points. Defensively, he guarded Shaq a bit better, but Shaq played only 15 minutes mostly due to foul trouble (which was self induced, I might add. Shaq throws a lot of elbows 'unintentionally').

LeBron didn't win this game by himself. Sure, he has the stats and the highlight plays, but he wasn't out there alone. Jamison had 14, Mo William and Jamario Moon both scored 12, Another Parker had 9, Shaq scored 8 and both Anderson Varejao and Delonte West had 7. Multiple guys scored multiple baskets. Until the end when LeBron became dagger-happy, I thought the Cavs really shared the ball well (Williams: 6 assists to 0 turnovers, Delonte: 5 to 1). I absolutely loved seeing the Cavs start off the fourth with back-to-back plays in the post (first Jamison, then West).

I don't want to alarm you, but the Cavs shot really well from the line. Mo Williams went 8-8 from the stripe (just 2-8 overall, but I liked his aggressiveness), LeBorn shot 6-6 and even Shaq shot an astounding 4-4. As a team, the Cavs finished 22-24 (92%), with only Varejao and Z missing one.

Jamario Moon: Super Sub. Coach Mike gave Moon 20 minutes and Jamario made the most of 'em. Moon played great defense, shot 4-5 from beyond the arc and skyed for three clutch rebounds late in the game. I loved the fact that Moon wasn't afraid to shoot; whenever the ball rotated to him, he simply pulled the trigger and knocked it down (plus, he didn't take any poor shots, they were all within the flow of the offense). In fact, Moon was so effective, Brown kept him in for the entire fourth, opting for a lineup for Mo-West-Moon-LeBron-Varejao (I like this a lot).

I'm gonna need more from Z. Big Z has been playing OK, but he's not finishing plays. He's normally in the right spot (whether on a defensive rotation, a pick-and-roll or for a rebound) but he just doesn't convert. Z had missed layup and got outworked on the glass more than once. I was hoping Brown would throw J.J. Hickson out there and try to give the Cavs a spark, but not such luck. Shaq and Z combined for 11 points and 11 rebounds... meh.

and finally...

Well, that was fun, glad they'll get to do this again twice in the next six days. After having just one day off between the first two games, the Cavs and Bulls will have two days off before Thursday's Game 3 in Chicago and then another two days off before Sunday's Game 4. Lame. LeBron and the Cavs have took care of business and won both games at home. While they didn't play perfectly, the Cavs had stretches where they dominated Chicago. However, the Bulls will certainly a harder out than last year's Pistons team (the presence of Rose and Noah guarantees that) and it wouldn't surprise me if the Cavs drop a game on the road (especially if they get sloppy).

It was a very good year

The Cavs finished the season at 61-21, the best record in the NBA and their second best in team history, after last season's 66-16 However, they also ended the season on a four game losing streak.

All in all, I feel pretty good about them heading into the postseason. I'm not thrilled with the way they ended the year (barely even trying), but I do see the logic in it (hell, they saw the Raptors lose Chris Bosh first hand and they nearly lost Jamison against the Bulls). I have a hard time complaining that the team with the best record in the NBA didn't win enough games. (And as for the 'Michael Jordan played all 82' argument, who cares? Jordan was also a competitive maniac who got into fistfights with teammates during practice).

Statistically, the Cavs are quite good. They're 9th in the NBA in scoring, averaging 102.1 points a game (up from 100.3 last year) and are tied for fifth in points allowed, only giving up 95.3 (they were first with 91.4 last season). Their difference of +6.5 ranks second behind Orlando's +7.5 (they were first last season with +8.9) and they're tied for third with Chicago in opponents field goal percentage, holding teams to just .442 shooting (the Magic are first with .438). Their team field goal percentage is up from .468 to .485 and they assist on 53% of their made baskets (3rd in the NBA). The offense is good and the defense is good (I know, you're shocked).

So despite the five win difference, I fully believe that this year's squad is better than last season's 66 win team. The Cavs started off this season 3-3 and finished 0-4, meaning 1/3 of their losses came either while they were still working in two new starters or when they rested LeBron and others after clinching the best record in the NBA. A full third! (Interestingly, they lost to the Bulls during both stretches).

I'm confident in this team because they've passed basically every test they've faced this season. The Cavs were just 4-3 early in the season when they went down to Florida and swept back-to-back against Orlando and Miami. They went 3-1 and 3-2 on their two West Coast trips, losing those three games by a combined 10 points. They beat the Lakers on Christmas Day and again a month later, without Mo Williams. They swept a home-and-home with the Hawks and nearly came from back from a 22 point deficit in Boston (with LeBron missing a three to win).

They added three new players in the offseason (including two, then three new starters), developed J.J. Hickson and Jawad Williams, added Antawn Jamison (another new starter) and Leon Powe midseason, brought back Z late in the year and still managed win streaks of 13, 8, 7, 6 and 5 (twice). Shaq hurts his thumb and the Cavs go 16-2. Mo Williams goes down and they rattle off 11 straight wins. These guys are talented and they are very, very deep.

They also happen employ the best player on the planet, LeBron James. James, a shoe-in for his second MVP in as many years, finished with averages of 29.7 points, 7.3 rebounds and 8.6 assists while shooting 50% from the floor. LeBron's chameleon like ability to play anywhere from point guard to power forward (coupled with the Cavs' great depth) allows Coach Mike the luxury of playing any style of ball. They can slow it down and go big or speed it up and go small at a blink of an eye.

If LeBron and the Cavaliers have one weakness, it's free throws. James is shooting 76% from the stripe, down from 78% last season (though still the second highest % of his career) and as a team the Cavs are dead last in the NBA at 72% (down from 75% last season). It's not exactly shocking that the team free throw % took a dip after adding Shaq (who made just 49% from the stripe) but Antawn Jamison didn't help matters by shooting just 50% at the line since the trade (he made them at a 75% clip for the Wizards).

Being last in the NBA in free throw shooting obviously isn't good, but it won't necessarily stop the Cavs from winning a title. The San Antonio Spurs won the championship in 2003 and 2005 and both years were 26th in the NBA from the stripe, shooting 72.5% and 72.4% respectively. While 72% foul shooting isn't acceptable or defendable, it doesn't have to be a fatal flaw.

Things are looking up heading into the playoffs, despite the free throws and four game losing streak. Despite the 0-4 record, I did like the fact that Mo Williams had to carry the load with LeBron street clothes. The Cavs are going to need Mo to play well if they are going to win the title and his 35 points, 10 assist effort against the Bulls was great to see (as was his 19 points through three quarters against Orlando). And while I don't blame Brown for resting guys for health reasons, I really would've liked to see Shaq shake off some rust in a game that didn't matter, rather than the first round.

(I will note that Brown chose to stop competing in crunch time following the Chicago loss (playoff preview!), when the James-less Cavs went scoreless over the final minute and a half, mustering only a forced turnaround from Mo and two ugly jumpers from Varejao. I'm still quite wary of their late game play calling).

The Cavs are healthy, LeBron is rested, Shaq has lost 20 lbs, Mo's shot is falling, there's no one like Sasha Pavlovic or Eric Snow in the rotation and they have home court advantage throughout the playoffs. You've got to feel good about this, no?

Plus, as a Cavs fan, you couldn't ask for a more entertaining (potential) road to the title. Should Boston, Orlando and the Lakers take care of business (let alone the Cavs themselves), Cleveland will face the Bulls in the first round, the Celtics in the second round, Orlando in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Lakers in the Finals. So they'd start with Michael Jordan's old team, then face the team that knocked them out in 2008, follow that with the team that sent them home last season (one of Shaq's former team) and finally end it against Kobe and the storied Lakers (another one of Shaq's former teams). Awesome.

This should be fun.

Cleveland 113, Toronto 101

Solid win, the Cavs played with a lot of energy. In what could be a potential first round preview, the Cavs thoroughly handled the Raptors. Of course, the Raptors are easier to handle when Chris Bosh has to leave in the first quarter with a broken face (he caught an elbow from Antawn Jamison). With Bosh out, the Cavs went inside and got whatever they wanted (this is shocking, but the trio of Andrea Bargnani, Hedo Turkoglu and Amir Johnson don't protect the rim very well). The bigs moved extremely well without the ball and both LeBron (13 assists) and Mo Williams (12 assists) rewarded them for their effort.

I can't stress enough how great the passing was (80% of their field goals were assisted). The Cavs racked up a season high 38 assists (on 47 baskets) and they made it look easy (and a lot of fun). Anderson Varejao checked in late in the first quarter and immediately netted two wide open layups off of passes from LeBron. The Cavs notched an assist on every basket they made in the third period (where they took control of the game), including the five baskets Jamison scored in the first four minutes after halftime. The play of the night also came in the third; after a defensive stop, Mo threw a full court pass (football style) to a streaking LeBron, who then made a perfect bounce pass to a trailing Hickson for the slam. Just beautiful.

Nice game from Anthony Parker. I'm still not completely sold on AP, but this is the second game in a row where I've liked what I've seen. Parker was aggressive and didn't just settle for jumpers and, like Jamison, he really moved well without the ball. AP finished with 18 points (his Cavalier high), 8 boards and 6 assists. I hate when he just parks himself in the corner and waits for the pass (not saying it's his fault exactly, the Cavs have a tendency to stand around and watch LeBron). I'm not looking for him to post 18-8-6 all the time, but he needs to fill up the box score.

The Cavs had six players in double figures (which makes sense, seeing how they had 38(!) assists). Jamison led the Cavs with 20 points, LeBron had 19, Parker scored 18, Mo had 14, Jawad Williams scored 13 and both Varejao and Hickson notched 10. There were times the Cavs went to Jawad in the midpost and I came away impressed. Jawad is very deliberate when he gets someone on his back and he used a variety of jab steps and ball fakes to clear space to knock down his faceup J. I loved the energy I saw from J.J. on both ends of the floor (he's become great at filling the lane and he's a very active defender). Speaking of energy, you couldn't tell that Andy just returned from injury (he made a great bounce pass to J.J. for a weakside dunk).

The Cavs really only played 8 guys. Z, Varejao and Jawad Williams were the main contributors off the bench (Powe, Moon and Green got some garbage time minutes). We still don't quite know what the team's playoff rotation looks like, since the Cavs still aren't at full strength but Coach Mike slowly seems to be shortening his rotation (I'm assuming Jawad got Delonte's minutes, as West missed the game due to back spasms). I'm still intrigued to see what Brown does once Shaq returns (who's minutes get cut, J.J. or Z? Or will it be determined by matchups?).

It was nice seeing the Cavs take this game seriously, despite having the top seed locked up. The Cavs beat the Raptors by sticking with their offense (again, 38 assists!) and playing timely defense (they weren't super aggressive all the time). They didn't stand around and take bad jumpers, they didn't give up a ton of easy baskets (though Jarrett Jack, 23 points, 7-12 FG and Amir Johnson, 16 points, 7-8 FG, torched 'em) and they kept their focus for the full 48 minutes (they didn't need to flip a switch in the fourth). LeBron was content to set up his teammates and he didn't take much contact in his 36 minutes of court time.

and finally...

There has got to be a better nickname for Antawn Jamison. Austin Carr has dubbed Antawn "The Jumpshooter," and proceeded to hammer it home roughly 15 times over a 30 second clip... of Jamison making layups. The Jumpshooter. Makes sense for a guy like Parker or Daniel Gibosn, but notsomuch for the dude with all the crazy hook shots. But whatever. The Cavs have the top seed, why not let Austin Carr call Jamison "The Jumpshooter" a billion times over the next week or so. The Cavs are in Chicago on Thursday, face the Pacers at home on Friday, play the Magic on Sunday afternoon and end the season with Atlanta next Wednesday.

Cross-posted at LeBrownsTown.com

Boston 117, Cleveland 113

This game was simultaneously both frustrating and awesome. The first half sucked; the Cavs trailed 64-49 heading into halftime and they clearly weren't interested in playing defense. They weren't playing terrible, but Boston seemed to be getting all the loose balls and hustle plays. The Cavs stormed back in the second half and they were led by that LeBron guy. James scored 32 of his game high 42 points in the second half, seemingly willing himself to the rim, despite whatever Boston threw at him. Down by as many as 22, the Cavs fought back and even took the lead a few times in the fourth but they couldn't hold on and Boston escaped with the victory.

LeBron was the reason the Cavs were even in the game, but he still needed to be better (as weird as that seems). It's crazy to think that the guy who had 42 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists, a steal and block needed to do more, but it's true. Despite going full on Video Game James to end the third and start the fourth, LeBron shot just 14-22 from the line (63%), including two big misses with under a minute to go. I loved seeing LeBron put his head down, attack and simply will himself to the rim but I hated how he settled for jumpers late in the game.

There were two jumpers that stood out. Down 115-113, Kendrick Perkins missed two free throws and LeBron grabbed the board, raced down court and shot a pull up trey over two defenders with 4 seconds to go. Yes, James could've (and maybe should've) driven on the two Celtics, forcing a foul. But he also had Antawn Jamison all alone, right in front of the rim. Had LeBron missed short or the had the ball gone off the backboard, Jamison was in perfect position for a put back (instead, the ball careened to the left and out of bounds). Personally, that shot doesn't bother me nearly as much as the jumper LeBron hoisted two minutes prior. The Cavs had the lead (104-103) and the ball with just over two minutes to play and LeBron chucked a 20 footer with 15 seconds left on the shot clock. Ugh. If you run a good play to net a bucket and extend the lead, you've put a ton of pressure on the Celtics. Instead, LeBron settled for a long two without even making them work. This was doubly frustrating since James was getting to the rim whenever he wanted.

The refs were not good. Both the Cavs and the Celtics were jawing at the referees (and each other) throughout the afternoon (not without warrant). Coach Mike was kicked out after a tirade that came on the heels of a Mo Williams tech. To their credit (kinda) the Cavs had a legit beef. Mo was blatantly held by Tony Allen (like, literally grabbing the arm) which allowed Rondo to shake free for a wide open layup (all of this occurred right in front of the Cavs bench). The Celts weren't happy with the refs either; Rasheed Wallace picked up another tech (shocking) and Rondo got a T late (after they missed him getting hit in the face). There were also BS plays, mostly some touch fouls in the post (on both sides) as well as Paul Pierce getting an absurd continuation late in the first half. Bad refs or no, the Cavs didn't exactly handle themselves well when things didn't go their way. They picked up four techs total (LeBron showed up a ref in the fourth) and ended up losing by four points. I'm not saying that the techs cost them the game, but they sure didn't help.

LeBron actually had some help. Sorta. While I wouldn't say any of the other Cavs had standout performances, all five starters were in double figures and Z pitched in 10 off the bench before fouling out. Mo Williams started out hot and went 6-6 from the floor, but just two of his 17 points came in the second half (Mo sat the entire fourth). Both Jamison and J.J. Hickson finished with double-doubles (16-10 and 14-11, respectively) and each made a big basket in final period (Jamsion hit a three to make it 101-96 while Hickson put them up 106-105 off a pick-and-roll with James). What suprised me the most was how great Anthony Parker played. His bank shot with three minutes left gave the Cavs their first lead of the game (104-103) and he hit LeBron cutting baseline with a great pass (off of an offensive board) that led to some free throws. Also, AP's defense on Rondo forced the Celtics into a 24 second violation late in the game.

Besides Ray Allen and Rondo, no other Celtic really played well. Rondo was great, scoring 16 points and dishing out 14 assists. He absolutely killed Williams (including a three to end the half, after Mo let him roll ball up, allowing the Celtics to keep the game clock at 2 seconds). Allen finished 33 points, shooting 10-17 overall, 6-9 from behind the arc and 7-7 at the stripe (including those techs). Allen always seemed to hit a three right when they needed it (including one where J.J. blocked a shot directly to Allen). Meanwhile, KG scored 19 but went 5-14 from the floor and Paul Pierce shot 4-13 on his way to 16 points. The biggest difference (besides giving a crap for 48 minutes) was the fact that Boston shot 31-38 (81%) from the charity stripe while the Cavs missed double that, going just 24-40.

and finally..

I'm strangely confident after this game. Yea, the Cavs just lost to Boston and missed a billion free throws. But Cleveland played about a poor a first half as you'll see 'em play, were down by as many as 22 and yet they still had a chance to win in the end. Plus, the Cavs were without both Anderson Varejao and Shaq. The game got quite chippy down the stretch and you can tell these guys plain just don't like each other. I can only hope and pray these teams meet in the second round.

45 Minutes of Goodness*

Speaking of LeBron and New York, that was just one of the topics covered in the second Coxcast on LeBrownsTown. I sat down (over the internet!) with Brian Spaeth and we discussed the Cavs, LeBron's future, Lost and his new business venture... Turtle Calls. It's pretty awesome.

*[Edit] Ok, so the Coxcast itself is about 25 minutes. The raw, uncut, uncensored version of the podcast can be found right here: 45 minutes of goodness. If you're looking for just the Cavs stuff, go to LeBrownsTown (though I think some of the latter Cavs stuff (re: post-Turtle Calls conversation) got cut).

Zeveland (see what I did there?) 97, Sacramento 90

The score should've never been that close. The Cavs were in control for most of the game but they let the Kings hang around. The Cavs would have stretches of good play only to follow them up with dumb mistakes (for instance, the Cavs had a 10 point lead with 46 seconds left in the first half, but some poor defense and a terrible pass later, they went into halftime up only 6, 58-52). At no point did I think the game was actually in doubt, but there's no reason why LeBron need to log 39 minutes against an injury depleted Sacramento team.

LeBron loves those dagger shots late in the game. This tends to bug me. Too often down the stretch, the Cavs and LeBron settle for the three. During the last two minutes (with the Cavs only up four), LeBron had the only three Cavalier field goal attempts, all of them treys. Now, he made his first one, putting the Cavs up seven and essentially sealing the game, but it's not exactly good. It's almost like the Cavs are playing prevent defense; they sit there, running down the shot clock and then chuck a bomb. If it goes in (as it did the first time), great. If it misses, well, at least you took 24 seconds off the clock. But I'm nitting picks here; LeBron finished with 34 points, 7 boards, 8 assists and 3 steals while I'm bitching he could've done it slightly better. Heh.

Don't know if you've heard or not, but Zydrunas Ilgauskas returned to the Cavs. The Cavs and Dan Gilbert went all out (take notice, LeBron); Z was introduced separately from the starting lineup, everyone got Z posters and the Q was christened Zwicken Loans arena. Big Z played well, getting 4 points and 6 boards, including the last basket of the first quarter on a (classic) offensive board. I kept hoping they'd get him a three point attempt, but it never materialized. I thought Z played well but you can tell he's still not quite up to speed with everyone else. There were little things like miscues with some defensive rotations and passes being a little bit off or behind.

Antawn Jamison is sneaky good. Jamison scored 7 of his 26 points in the fourth quarter, including a big three to put them up 8 (94-86) with about three and a half minutes to go. Jamison had 9 boards and 2 assists in his 41 minutes. The Cavs got him the ball in the post, especially in the first half and his scoop hook shot is an absolute delight. It's kinda funky and it's definitely something they utilize more often.

I'll be honest, I can't tell ya what happened in the third quarter. I changed the channel at halftime and I kept watching Tennesee-Michigan State (worst half court shot I've ever seen). The Cavs led 58-52 and by the time I tuned back in, the game is tied and Carl Landry is knocking down jump shots.

Cleveland's energy and focus came and went. For instance, they let Omri Casspi get behind the defense for breakaways a couple of times (Delonte West has gotten beat this way a couple times over the past week). You can tell these guys know there's only eight games left until the playoffs and they can't quite get up to face a 24-49 team that's missing their best player (having Varejao out doesn't help matters).

Predictably, the defensive intensity picked up in the fourth. The Kings scored just 14 points in the fourth quarter and the Cavs held them to just 6 points over the last seven minutes (just one field goal). However, it's not like the Cavs were much better, scoring just 19 points themselves in the final period. The offense wasn't pretty and there was some definite Le-Iso possessions. The Kings, missing Tyreke Evans, just didn't have the fire power to match baskets with the Cavs down the stretch.

I liked some of Coach Mike's lineups but I'm still missing Jamario Moon. The Cavs only played eight guys (West, Z and Powe off the bench). At one point, the Cavs had a five of Mo Williams, West, LeBron, Jamison and Z (which I like a lot) and then subbed in J.J. Hickson.... for Mo. Throwing J.J. there pushes Jamison to small forward and LeBron to shooting guard. That's a big, multi-talented offensive unit. I mean, having the 6-8 LeBron at the 2? Me gusta. However, I'm growing more and more impatient with both Mo Williams and Anthony Parker (they combined to go 1-7 from three and 5-13 overall). I'm already a proponent of having Delonte West on the floor during crunch time, but now I'm not sure who's spot he should take. It used to be Parker, but Mo let freaking Beno Udrich record a triple double on his watch (18 points, 10 boards and 15 assists. Beno Udrich!). I still don't see how Moon doesn't get time, with his size and speed, he can be extremely useful.

and finally...

Only eight games left, but the next few could be a pain in the ass. The Cavs have the Bucks and Hawks at home this week (Wednesday and Friday, respectively) and then face the Celtics in Boston on Sunday. There's not too many patsies left on the schedule, as the Cavs finish with Toronto, Chicago, Indiana, Orlando and Atlanta (all teams who could be jockeying for playoff positions).

Happy St. Brad Pitt's Day

Roughly eight people still get that joke (and the over/under on blog readers is 2.5) but I still enjoy it.

Due to my job (and the fact that I forgot to set the VCR) I will not be able to catch the glory that is Cavs vs Pacers. Eh, what can ya do?

Also, if you haven't filled out a March Madness bracket yet, head over to LeBrownsTown and fill out theirs (and if you've already filled them out, do another one, it's free!). There's over $1000 in prizes being award (courtesy of Hey Butler) and it's free, so there's no reason not to sign up. (If you do, put my initials after your bracket title so they know that I brought in those four brackets).

Cleveland 113, Detroit 101

The score was close for most of the game, but it felt like the Cavs were on cruise control. After the first quarter, game was knotted at 28. At halftime, the Cavs trailed by two (56-54), and they cut it down to one (76-75), heading into the third quarter. However, despite the poor effort and constant whining to the officials, at no point did I think this game was ever in doubt. Sure, the Cavs were playing with fire, if someone got hot or the Cavs went cold, things could've gotten dicey, but you just knew they were going to pull it out in the end. And did they ever. The game was still tied (91-91) with roughly five minutes to go and the Cavs blitzed the Pistons with a 22-10 run to seal the game.

LeBron had a triple-double. Bron-Bron finished with 29 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, a steal and a block (that shoud've been called a goaltend). I've said this before, but I'm amazed that I continue to be amazed by what he does on a nightly basis. While watching this game alone in my apartment, twice I audibly said to myself, "nice pass" because of LBJ (once for an over the top pass to Jamison in the first half and then for his late game drop off to Varejao. Just gorgeous). That kills me, he has me talking to myself. I will say I'm a bit concerned that they needed James to play a whopping 43 minutes to beat this crappy version of the Pistons, but you'll have that from time to time.

Nice game from Mo, kinda. The good: Mo had 20 points, 4 boards, 5 assists and 2 steals. He was a factor in the fourth quarter, scoring 11 points in the final period, including three big triples. The bad: Mo had a couple of awful turnovers down the stretch (a double dribble and a terrible, sloppy pass to LeBron) and he fouled Charlie Villanueva on a trey midway through the fourth. I want Williams to be more aggressive (especially at the start of the second period); I hate when he dribbles the ball and wastes the shot clock and I like the trouble he causes when he attacks (LeBron gets wide open when he drives). He needs attack the defense more, make them work.

Antawn Jamison had a quiet double-double. Jamison finished with 15 points (7-14 shooting), 12 boards and 3 assists. Not too shabby (though taking 14 shots for 15 points ain't great). However, he had 13 and 9 at halftime... In the second half, I felt the Cavs turned Jamison into a spot up shooter, the stretch 4. Making him a stretch 4 is fine here and there, Jamison can knock down those corner threes... but he can do more than that. I have the same issue with Delonte (who sat with a sore knee); while these guys can knock down shots, they're more than just catch-and-shoot players. Having them stand around and watch LeBron (or, at times, Mo) dribble the ball for 17 seconds isn't using them to the best of their abilities.

No one was happy with the refs. The Cavs were chirping at the refs for the bulk of the game and maybe it paid off. Cleveland benefited from a few key calls down the stretch. In the fourth quarter, LeBron got away with both a charge and a goaltend (even if Fred McLeod didn't want to admit it) and the refs gave him one of the biggest continuations I've ever seen (practically the whole lane). Overall, the refs weren't good and I'd even say they tilted Detroit's way (the Cavs had a point, even if they needed to shut up), but the Cleveland got the big calls late in the game.

The bench continued to play solid ball. Jawad Williams had a nice game, scoring 10 points (7 in the second period). Varejao was really effective, going 4-5 from the floor to finish with 9 points, 6 boards, 3 assists (including a nifty over-the-shoulder to Jamison) and 4 steals. With Delonte out, Boobie got some PT and made the most of it, going 2-3 from the floor and hitting the only three he took. Something to keep an eye on, after getting 20 minutes against the Celtics, Jamario Moon only received 9 against Detroit (though it's probably due to Jawad's hot shooting more so than Moon's play).

I go back and forth on the Cavaliers' celebrations. The goose neck stuff, the jumping up and down, the handshakes... it's a bit much. On one hand, it's not like they're taunting people. They aren't getting in guys faces or trash talking. For the most part, all of the crap is directed at each other. However, the Cavs and LeBron celebrated his dagger three like he just clinched a playoff series. I know Rip Hamilton and Tayshaun Prince are still there, but this is not the same Pistons team; they're older and just not as good. It shouldn't have taken a late flurry of threes to beat these guys. I can definitely see why they'd piss people off.

and finally...

I miss the Farmer's Only commercials. These Isley's Chip Chopped Ham commercials just aren't doing it for me (it makes it hammier!). City folks just don't get it. Anyways, the Cavs face the Pacers on Wednesday night at The Q, which is always fun. Though the Cavs tend to have their way with Indiana, Danny Granger usually plays LeBron pretty well and they've had some nice, nice battles over the years. The Cavs have played two games in their four-in-six days stretch; after the Pacers, they're in Chicago on Friday and face these same Pistons on Sunday at The Q.

Cross posted at LeBrownsTown.com

Cleveland 100, Philadelphia 95

The Cavs started off by making a lot of jumpers. In theory, this is a good thing; the made jumpers should force the defense to respect the shot, move closer and allow better lanes to the hoop. In theory. In real life, the Cavs drilled their first three treys and five of their first seven, only to go on chucking 'em and finish just 10-31. LeBron made his first two bombs (no Cavalier fan should've been surprised when he hoisted a heat check soon thereafter) but ended up just 3-10 from behind the arc. This was quite frustrating in the fourth, where 11 of their 17 field goal attempts came from downtown.

All that being said, I never once thought this game was in doubt. Maybe I've seen this movie too many times, but I always felt the Cavs were in control of the game. The Cavs trailed 85-80 (they had just missed three consecutive threes) with roughly nine minutes to play but they went on an 8-0 run (shooting three treys in the process) and never looked back. I'm not gonna lie, the dependence on threes is a little concerning but, to be fair, the Cavs were without Shaq, Antawn Jamison and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Except for a few notable plays (Delonte West and LeBron both had some nice dunks) the Cavs rarely went inside and were happy to settle for jumpers.

LeBron was great, if a bit rusty. James started off smokin' hot, scoring 12 (4-6 FG), of his team high 23, in the first period. James finished 7-18 from the floor (not great, but not awful), 3-10 from behind the arc (not great, kinda awful) and 6-12 from the line (flat out awful). So LeBron, in a 'shake off the rust' game, finished with 23 points, 6 boards, 10 assists, a steal and 3 blocks. It's really insane how good this guy is. The week long rest did LeBron some good (even though you couldn't tell at the offensive end. Really, 10 of his 18 shots were threes?); James was extremely active defensively, especially off the ball. LeBron was all over the place, playing passing lanes, challenging shots and then fighting for the rebound off that same shot. It really was impressive to watch. The dude seemed like he was everywhere.

The Sixers got good performance from their vets, that's about it. Andre Iguodala finished with 30-7-5 and Elton Brand put up 24 and 9 in 44 minutes apiece. Not gonna lie, Iguodala made a couple plays that had me lamenting that Danny Ferry couldn't pry him lose from Philly (however, Iggy finished 1-7 from downtown, so maybe it's for the best). The only other Sixer to score in double figures was Thadeous Young and, while he had a couple of nice moves, he ended up needing 14 shots to get 15 points. The Sixers can run (57 points in the first half) but even with Brand (who didn't shoot a single free throw), they have trouble scoring when the game slows down (just 16 points in the fourth).

It's amazing how good the Cavs look when Mo Williams plays well. Williams scored 21 points on 8-13 shooting (4-8 from three). After a nice all around game on Monday (where he notched 8 boards and 8 assists), Williams put up just 1 board and 2 assists (but the Cavs had him playing off the ball for stretches). When fully healthy, the Cavs don't need Mo to score 20 a night to win games, but with Jamsion out, the Cavs needed a big night from Mo and he delivered. True, he wasn't as active as the other night (where he was coming off, in his own words, a shitty performance) but his shooting gave the Cavs that second option they needed.

Delonte West continues to impress. Brotha Red scored 17 points (on 7-12 shooting) to go with a board and 4 assists. West attacked the rim with his usual flair, skying for slam over Samuel Dalembert (who was wearing just one tube sock. This seriously bugged me the whole night). In the fourth quarter, it seemed like Coach Mike played Delonte at the point and let Mo play the 2 and get himself open for threes. I like this a lot; West isn't nearly as good off the ball (he's not a good spot up shooter, I don't like him standing around) and I like Mo with a scoring mindset (and again, I that Delonte will wave LeBron away from time-to-time, making LBJ play off the ball rather than holding it... and holding it... and holding it...).

and finally...

The Cavs face the Celtics on Sunday. Finally, the Cavs get to test themselves against the Best Team in the NBA* (*when healthy). I expect the Cavs will get a good game from Boston, seeing as the Celtics have been going through a rough patch of late (losing to New Jersey, nearly losing to Washington and getting blown out by Memphis... all at home). A nationally televised game against LeBron the Cavs should get their juices flowing. As much as I don't fear them come playoffs, Boston is a good road team (they're tied with the Cavs for best road record, at 22-11) and the Cavs will have their work cut out for them. Antawn Jamison is expected to play and I'm very interested to see how his knee responds.

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

Not to pile on, but...

(It's a just one road loss in early March. It's a just one road loss in early March. It's a just one road loss in early March. It's a just one road loss in early March. It's a just one road loss in early March. It's a just one road loss in early March. It's a just one road loss in early March. )

Mo Williams, via Twitter:

I apologize to all my fans and Cavs fans for a shitty performance to say the least. I will get past this a get better, stay with me pls

I hope he doesn't get in trouble for the expletive. He's right. 'Shitty' is the perfect way to describe Mo's evening (and in all seriousness, I really do hope he doesn't get in trouble for saying "shitty").

The Cavs (already without Shaq and Z) gave LeBron the night off (giving his body, specifically his ankle, a rest) and they started off poorly, trailing 25-14 after the first quarter (Williams went 0-5). Interestingly, Jawad Williams got the start over Jamario Moon (not sure I agree, despite Moon's questionable shot selection. I mean, which guy do you foresee getting playoff minutes?).

Led by Antawn Jamison (30 points, 11 boards, 2 assists, 5 steals and a block) and Delonte West (27-4-6-0-1), Cleveland managed to pull within 42-41 going into halftime. The Cavs scored 27 points in the second period and all but two (from Mo incidently, his only basket of the first half, as well as the Cavs' last) came from either Jamison and West. While Milwaukee regained the lead in the second half, the Cavs were were down only eight (80-72 with five and a half minutes to go (that's well within striking distance).

While you can't put the entire loss on Mo (I mean, J.J. Hickson, Anthony Parker and Jawad Williams combined for 12 points and 14 boards) his overall performance stood out, at least to me (especially compared to Delonte West). Mo's box score is bad, but it doesn't tell the whole story. Williams finished 3-17 from the field overall and 1-7 from behind the arc (he had no free throw attempts).

But you can live with a bad shooting performance. These things happen. What drove me nuts was his poor defense and the way he ran the offense (and both of these things have been a problem for awhile now).

Mo has never been known as a good defender but he's gone from passable to just plain bad (teams have attacked him all season long). I don't know if it's simple lack of effort or he's worried about the shoulder (he did hurt it reaching in for the ball) but got burned quite a bit Saturday night (personally, I wonder if he's healthy).

Too often Brandon Jennings (25 points, not a coincidence) would drive by him and Mo would just end up taking a desperate poke at the ball as they went past. The Cavs don't need him to be Gary Payton circa 1997 but he's going to have to step it up at some point (odds are they'll meet either Rajon Rondo or Jameer Nelson in the playoffs).

At the other end, Williams takes too long setting up the offense (the Cavs, as a team, have trouble with this from time to time). Mo isn't aggressive enough in starting the play; when the Cavs finally get themselves into their offense, shot clock is already down to about 12-10 seconds. There's no reason to waste all that time (especially late in the game) and it puts too much pressure on them to execute whatever play Mike Brown didn't design (zing!) to perfection.

On one hand, this is still just one loss, on the road, to a playoff team, on the second night of a back-to-back, without LeBron, Shaq, Z, and Boobie (and Leon Powe didn't play either). Andrew Bogut (15 points, 9 boards, 3 blocks) would be a load to handle even with Shaq and Z and the Bucks do own home record of 20-9 (I like the atmosphere that Bogut helped create but I want to strangle whichever guy kept blowing freaking that horn).

On the other hand, I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't a little concerned about Mo's recent play.

Mo hasn't looked comfortable in the ten games since returning from his shoulder injury (10.9 ppg on 34% FG% bear this out). Personally, I think he's pressing a bit, especially following his Eastern Conference Finals performance and the 13-game win streak that coincided with his absence.

The Cavs just have to hope that Williams can work through this (it's not like he's doesn't have time) because they don't have a ton of options if he can't (well, they do and they don't, both West and Gibson have flaws). As much as I love Delonte's game (he posts up, attacks the rim, plays defense, and isn't afraid of LeBron), the Cavs simply can't trust him as the starter (he just sat out a game "as part of the recovery process", whatever that means). And Gibson is still a shooting guard in a point guard's body; LeBron would be running the offense too much in the playoffs.

But I'm getting way way way way ahead of myself.

Mo Williams had a shitty game. It happens. Best for everyone (including and especially Mo) to move on. The Cavs face the Spurs on Monday at 7pm.

Cleveland 126, Toronto 118 (OT)

Things going great until Reggie Evans checked in. The Cavs came out hot, building a quick 12 point lead (27-15) and they assisted on 12 of their first 13 field goals. But then Reggie Evans came in and things went to hell. Evans scored 7 points over the last four minutes of the first quarter and the Cavs lead was just 33-30 going into the second period. Antawn Jamison led everyone with 11 points in the first quarter.

The Bosh-less Raptors stuck around and made it a game. The Cavs defense was spotty at best; the Raptors shot 48% and a couple of guys went off at different moments. With Shaq and Z both out, the Cavs were forced to go small with Varejao starting at center. Varejao got himself into foul trouble and the Cavs got some good minutes from Leon Powe (I love this team's depth). Both Toronto and Cleveland had six players score in double figures and the Raptors had nice contributions from a lot of guys (I liked what I saw from Andrea Bargnani, 24-4-3, that dude is skilled).

LeBron was "average great". The guy averages greatness. I mean, if you watched this game, I don't think you'd say LeBron played particularly spectacular. There weren't many 'wow' plays (like chase downs or crazy dunks) and there were some ugly possessions (I think they're too focused on hitting those dagger jumpers) but here are his numbers: 36 points (10-17 FG, 15-16 FT), 6 boards, 9 assists and 2 steals. Those numbers are great. Late in the game, LeBron was attacking the rim and it got the Cavs either wide open jumpers (that they knocked down) or easy layups for James. What's so frustrating about LeBron and his isolation jumpers is that it seems like he can get to the rim whenever he wants (to be fair, it's not like Toronto is equipped to deter him).

Mo Williams was one of the guys knocking down those wide open jumpers. Man, the Cavs sure look good when Williams plays well. Mo had 22 points and 6 assists and shot a blistering 6-11 from behind the arc. Williams had the first six points of overtime (two quick treys) and the Cavs quickly took control in the extra period. Of course, there were the usual defensive issues, like when Jose Calderon scored three straight baskets during a stretch in the fourth (and Jarrett Jack finished with 24), but overall, Mo was really good.

Antawn Jamison looks like he'll fit in just fine. Jamison scored 22 points to go along with 11 boards and 3 assists. He moves really well without the ball and LeBron found him a couple times for easy layups (whenever Jamison got the ball, he seemed surprised at how wide open he was). Those two could be deadly once they get comfortable with each other. I will say, I worry that the Cavs will turn him into another spot up shooter (he's too good to just stand around and watch LeBron).

Once again, I'd like to thank Orlando for letting Hedo Turkoglu walk. Man, I hate that guy and I wake up everyday thankful that he's not still on the Magic. I was having Conference Finals flashbacks as Turkoglu scored 7 of his 18 points in the fourth quarter, including a game tying and go ahead buckets in the final minutes. He's just too tall for the Cleveland guards to deal with (he can just simply shoot over Delonte and Mo).

I love Delonte West, especially on the block. Brotha Red finished with 15 points, 4 boards and 2 assists in 30 minutes. West has a very polished low post game and he three or four buckets off low block. The Cavs' offense is much harder to defend when they can throw different looks at the opposition. With Shaq out, they'll have to call some post ups for other Cavaliers (like LeBron? Where'd that go?). Another thing I like about Delonte is that he's not afraid to waive LeBron off down the stretch (when LBJ likes to initiate the offense); it's OK to have LeBron play off the ball in crunch time every now and then.

The refs weren't great and it very nearly cost Cleveland. Anderson Varejao started at center, quickly picked up two fouls and ended up fouling out after just 23 minutes. To his credit, Andy put up 10-8-3 in those 23 minutes but he fouled out on a really cheap call. The Cavs got a bit chippy with the refs at times, but they can't complain too much (I mean, James did shoot 16 freebies).

I'm still not sold on Anthony Parker. Parker took the potential game winner to end regular and I'm not sure I agree with the call. Yes, he was open (since, um, Toronto wasn't guarding him) but I would've much rather had anyone (West, Jamison, Mo or LBJ) take that last shot with a second to go. Parker finished with 10 points (all five Cavs starters finished in double figures) and he hit a couple jumpers early in OT to help put the game out of reach. AP finished with 10 points, 2 boards and 6 assists.

and finally...

Now that the ship righted, let's build a win streak. After beginning the post All-Star break with three straight losses, the Cavs have now won two in a row and their next three opponents are the Knicks (20-37), the Nets (5-52) and the Pistons (21-36)... all at home. Yes, having Shaq miss some time isn't what you want, but it's not the worst thing in the world for him to get some rest in the middle of February. The injury is to his thumb, it's not like he's missing time due to his legs and plus, now Mike Brown has additional minutes to keep J.J. Hickson focused and for Leon Powe to get his sea legs (seriously, the Cavs are deep).

Cross-posted at LeBrownsTown.com

Cleveland 105, New Orleans 95

Not the prettiest game but the Cavs needed this one. The game was much closer than the final score makes it seem (it was a four point game with 2 minutes left). The Cavs had some nice stretches but they had some struggles throughout the game. The Cavs had some issues both offensively (the New Orleans zone seemed to frustrate them) and defensively (they had a real hard time guarding Darren Collison and Marcus Thorton, two small, quick guards). The Cavs pulled away at the end thanks to a few threes and some timely defense. It was a hard fought win and it ensures that the Cavs won't be heading into Thursday's game in Boston on a four game slide.

Things started off fairly well. The Cavs came out focused; the defense was good (they challenged every shot), the offense was crisp and they had a lot of energy. The Cavs led 28-16 after the first, with LeBron scoring only 5 points in the quarter (he didn't score until there were four minutes left). The offensive movement was delightful; everyone touched the ball, they made quick decisions and they got a lot of good shots. There wasn't any standing around and watching LeBron. It was nice to see.

Things didn't go quite as well in the second quarter. Two words: Marcus Thorton. Thorton, a rookie, absolutely torched Cleveland. There was no stopping him; Thorton scored 23 points in the second quarter (he finished with 38) as the Hornets put up 40 to the Cavs' 25. New Orleans had 21 fast break points in the period. The Cavs transition defense was awful and they seemed to have real trouble dealing the Hornets' zone defense.

Cleveland's defense stepped up in the second half. While the Hornets scored 40 points in the second quarter, they only put up 39 in the entire second half. The Cavs pestered the New Orleans shooters and cut back on the easy baskets (they stuck LeBron on Thorton, though he still scored). The Cavs shot only 8-25 from behind the arc (!!) but three of those eight came in the final four minutes (Mo, West and LeBron all hit big shots) and the Cavs pulled away at the end.

LeBron was solid, if unspectacular. James finished with 20 points, 5 boards, 13 assists and 2 steals in, um, 44 minutes (not sure I like Bron-Bron having to play 40+ against a Chris Paul-less Hornets, but they needed this win). LeBron finished 7-16 from the floor (2-6 from three) and made all four of his freebies. There were some offensive, LeIso-ish, issues at times, but late in the game, LeBron set up on the block (finding Jamison for an easy layup) and attacked the rim. The Cavs had six guys in double figures and LeBron's passing is a big reason why (as a team, the Cavs had 29 assists).

Antawn Jamison started, played well. Jamison played pretty well, scoring 18 points (7-14 FG) and notching 8 boards and 2 assists. He spaces the floor really well and whenever he finds some space, LeBron finds him (he got a few layups off of passes from LBJ). James also found him for a nasty 'and one' dunk over David West in transition. Antawn was running on the wing, took a pass from James and skied over West with a one-handed jam. I, for one, did not see that coming. Well done, sir. Jamison could average 20 points in Cleveland without getting a play called for himself.

Coach Mike shortened the rotation, playing only eight players. Boobie, Hickson and Jawad were the odd men out but I can't really disagree with Brown. I like Boobie a lot and he's done well thus far, but he wasn't playing before Mo and Delonte got hurt, so I'm not exactly shocked he's not seeing the court. Mo can give you most of what Boobie does (assuming Mo ever finds his shot) but he passes (8 assists for Mo)( and handles the ball better (same with West. Delonte just gives them more). Jamario Moon received some playing time but only 10 minutes. I like Moon and what he brings too the Cavs; he's athletic (before he got hurt, they were routinely throwing him alley-oops from the weak side) and he's tall (he can defend bigger guys), so he's more versatile than both Gibson and Hickson.

I liked some of the lineups we saw Tuesday night. I really enjoyed the West, Moon, LeBron, Jamison and Varejao lineup. That's a group that should be able to compete both offensively and defensively. I also liked seeing a old school/new school blend of Mo, West, LBJ, Jamison and Shaq. That group could be positively deadly. Brown has his work cut out for him. It's only going to get harder with Leon Powe activated and Z's possible return.

Shaq had a solid game. The Big Fella had 20 points and 7 boards in 31 minutes. You can tell Shaq is getting his touch back as he's making a lot of those layups and bank shots he was missing early in the year. O'Neal finished 9-13 from the floor and the Cavs found him for easy hoops off of pick-and-rolls and dribble penetration (he had two or three alley-oops). He may be old, but he's still a load and he can still put the ball in the hole. I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Cavs need to utilize him more, especially when they get jumpshot happy. Very few guys can guard Shaq one-on-one (even at this age) and playing inside-out isn't a bad way to go when the offense stagnates.

Mo Williams didn't have the best of nights. Mo just doesn't seem right to me. His jumper looks flat and he shot just 2-9 from the field (1-5 3FG) for 6 points. Defensively, he was completely useless against both Collison and Thorton (22 and 37 points, respectively). It was nice to see Williams hit a big shot (a three that gave them a 92-89 lead with just over four minutes to go) but the Cavs are going to need more from him over the long haul.

Special shout out to the Cavs announcers. Wow. I know they're blatant homers and everything but I nearly died when Fred McLeod said that he thought Shaq got all ball on his fifth foul. I mean, this wasn't even close. I don't think Shaq got any ball, let alone all of it. I get the wine and gold colored glasses, I really do, but it's it not the end of the world to admit that a Cavalier committed a foul, especially when it's blatantly obvious. Just call the game and let Austin say crazy crap, that's all we need.

and finally....

Cavs vs Celtics on Thursday. Finally, the Cavs will be able to test themselves against the Best Team in Basketball (*when healthy). Hopefully, the Cavs can build off this win against the Hornets (it wasn't easy) and go into Boston with some confidence. Obviously, the Cavs are still getting used to the Jamison acquisition but it sure would be nice to win a game in Beantown.

Cross-posted at LeBrownsTown.com