So we've been away for a few days, and the Cavs have been doing work. Since December 25th Christmas beatdown of the Lakers, the Cavs have continued their tear through a tough road trip, and extended their winning streak to 6.

First up was a trip to Houston to faca a tough Rockets team, who you should remember beat the Cavs in their last meeting. The Cavs won 108-83, and LeBron had 29 points and 6 assists in 30 minutes. This game was close at halftime but when the Rockets started bricking every shot they took, the Cavs pounced and it wasn't even a contest.

Coming up after the blow-out in Houston was this Tuesday, when the Cavs played the first game of a back-to-back away/home series with the Hawks on consecutive days. This game was ugly, but the Cavs resurged in the second half led by Delonte West and LeBron. This was the Hawks game to win, but the Cavaliers defensive effort in the fourth quarter was something to behold, and they simply would not allow the Hawks to settle in offensively. The best play of this game came when Delonte West drove down the court with shot-blocker Josh Smith hot on his trail. In case you haven't been watching the Cavs recently, Delonte West has been sick, throwing down dunks that are top-play worthy of Sportscenter highlights. Josh Smith landed himself #7 on ESPN's top-plays, as he was posterized/ by Delonte in a beautiful display of dunksmanship. In summation: Delonte resembles Vince Carter, Cavs win 5th straight in a row, including 5/6 on the road, and Cavs clamp down in 4th quarter to shut down tough Hawks team. LeBron loves playing for Cleveland. Cleveland loves LeBron. LeBron James is Underrated

Apparently the Lakers don't know the true meaning of Christmas. The Cavaliers showed up to the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Christmas Day, and delivered a knock-out punch to the Laker organization. LeBron and the rest of the Cavaliers were calling this game a "measuring stick" to judge how far the team has come this season. I'd say we did pretty well, considering we owned a 20 point lead in the first half, and the Lakers (more specifically Kobe Bryant) were booed off their own court in a game the Cavs simply dominated.

There are too many things to talk about with this game. Let's start with the Cavs. LeBron only needed to score 26 points, and the rest of the team played outstanding. Jamario Moon was very efficient, connecting on several deep shots and throwing down several dunks including an alley-oop from Mo Williams. Shaquille O' Neal came out of the gate strong, and had 3 close-range dunks in the first quarter alone. Mo Williams led the Cavaliers in scoring, racking up 28 points, 7 assists, and 6 rebounds. (Doesn't that sound like LeBron's usual statline?)

The Cavs were simply on-fire last night, and the Lakers couldn't handle the onslaught of dagger 3-pointers as well as the stifling defense the Cavaliers were playing. This was a clear message to the defending NBA champions that Cleveland is a legitimate title contender this year, and that Zydrunas and Shaq on the floor together is an impossible matchup for any team, even the Lakers.

Now for the Lakers.. where do I begin? Let me start off by saying that the entire Los Angeles Laker Organization is a bunch of overrated, under-achieving, self-promoting group of people who showed in this game precisely why they are the biggest babies in the entire league.

Kobe Bryant.. all hail the great Kobe Bryant. Sick Kobe, you managed to score 35 points on 11/32 shooting, while making all your teammates worse. You cried to the officials every single time you went up for a layup, when the Cavaliers were clearly just playing good defense. You threw up shot after shot, and missed more than 20 times. Maybe you should hit the weight room like LeBron does, so that you don't fall to the ground over the slightest bit of contact every time you drive to the lane. Unlike you, LeBron actually trusts his teammates and doesn't have to throw up 30 shots to feel good about himself. Also, try talking some sense into your loud-mouthed, over-paid running mate Lamar Odom, who managed to get ejected after his second technical foul. Or maybe you could tell Derek Fisher to stop being a complete prick. Better yet, stop thinking you're better than you are, when LeBron showed why he is by far the better player.

The Lakers childish behavior was exemplified by the Laker crowd, who decided to throw their foam fingers and water bottles onto the court. Real classy Los Angeles, while we're supposed to be enjoying an NBA game on Christmas Day, and you decide to act like a group of 4 year olds who pooped their pants and can't figure out why. I'm sick of the Lakers and their fans thinking their team is so great, and that Kobe Bryant is the best thing ever. I've said it before, and I still think this; Kobe is an selfish, egotistical, shovenistic prick, and he always will be. He may have 4 rings, but 3 of those came on the back of Shaquille O' Neal. You don't deserve to be talked about as one of the best players in the league anymore. You don't even deserve to be made into a puppet alongside LeBron James in the Nike Commercials. Your team is falling apart; Lamar Odom is a scrub (have fun with Khloe Kardashian), and Derek Fisher resembles an angry old man. The Lakers are missing Trevor Ariza, and without him they aren't the same team. Did I mention I hate the Lakers? LeBron James is the reigning MVP, and he intends to be again. LeBron James is Underrated

So I've been busy with Christmas shenanigans, and I've been lazy about doing my posts. In case you missed it, the Cavs won in Sacramento on Wednesday in a game that I predicted the Cavs would dominate.. Whoops. They barely held on to send this game into overtime, and even without Kevin Martin the Cavs looked shaky throughout the game.

LeBron did have an amazing triple-double, and kept the Cavs in the game. Even though LB did work, Zydrunas was the reason we won this game. After the Cavs stopped Sacramento from even getting a shot up to force overtime, big Z decided to step his game up. Ilgauskas did the unthinkable, sending in three straight 3-pointers from the same exact spot in the corner to seal the deal in OT. The Kings couldn't make a basket, and the Cavs won 117-104.

I would talk more about this sick victory, but I'm watching the Cavs hold on to 10 point lead vs. the Lakers right now. The referees are helping the Lakers and did I mention I hate Kobe Bryant? He's such an arrogant butthead. They're up right now, and I'm sure LeBron will seal the deal when he guards Kobe for the better part of the 4th quarter. Andrew Exler knows.. LeBron > Kobe. LeBron James is underrated

Contrary to popular belief, the desert is a nice place to visit. Well not really, but the Cavaliers went in to Phoenix and came out with a 109-91. Global warming? Not so much. The Cavs cooled off the Suns, ending their 19 game home win streak. This put the Cavs in a good position as they look past the Sacramento Kings tonight to the real matchup of the week with the Lakers on Christmas Day.

LeBron James was thoroughly better than his competition last night. Early in the 1st quarter, he ran opposite Mo Williams on the fastbreak and Mo threw a delicious bounce pass that LeBron handled full sprint and he proceeded to dunk the ball so hard that I was wondering if the Suns would just quit on the spot. However, the Suns foolishly played out the rest of the game and Amare Stoudemire probably wishes they hadn't. What happened to Amare will happen to players time and time again. When you watch LeBron steal the ball, drive to the lane, and basically do nothing to stop him, he will make you look like a D-league player as he dunks over you. That dunk (pictured right) was absolutely spectacular. Amare, you just got posterized by the King.

The Cavs really didn't play all that well in the first half, and at one point trailed 42-34. But they turned it around, and in the second half they never looked back. When LeBron nailed a 3 pointer giving the Cavs a 105-86 lead, (following a technical foul from the frustrated Stoudemire) the game was already out of reach for the Suns. Coach Alvin Gentry had no answer for the Cavaliers potent offensive attack, and even with a sub-par performance from Shaquille O' Neal, the Suns were by far outmatched. Their 18 turnovers led to 30 points for the Cavs, and they just don't have what it takes to beat a tough Cleveland team.

Expect the Cavs to pulverize Sacramento tonight, who will be playing without their best (only) player Kevin Martin. Sacramento is such a joke right now, and tonight the "King" will show the "Queens" how Cleveland plays basketball. I could be wrong, but my prediction for tonight is 124-16 Cavs. Sacramento won't be able to score, and the King will have monster dunks in similar fashion from the Suns beatdown. LeBron wants to send a message to the Lakers who really aren't ready for what the Cavs are going to do on Christmas Day at 5 pm. Get ready for a classic. LeBron James is underrated

Okay, so the Cavs lost to the Dallas Mavericks last night. I don't even really want to talk about it. Dallas is a pretty good team this year, and even without Dirk Nowitzki who was wearing a suit, they matched up well with the Cavs. At least Delonte played well again, and that's a good sign for the Cavs.

Another thing that I will say is shame on the Mavericks for what they did at the end of the game. It was 100-95, and with basically no time remaining, the Cavs were ready to concede defeat and let the Mavericks dribble out the ball. Instead, Mark Cuban's team decided to throw the ball down the length of the court, and a player I hate (Eric Dampier) put in a lay-up to seemingly slap the Cavs in the face. Screw you Dampier, and the rest of the Mavericks for that matter. You can score on us when we've given up, Awesome. Don't let it happen again. Regardless, the Cavs will remember that little stunt and LeBron will make you pay next time.

The Cavaliers face another tough road test in about an hour, as they travel to Phoenix to play a solid Suns team, who will be ready for the Cavs who are playing back-to-back games. Please LeBron just win tonight, so we don't start another losing streak. The Cavs will definitely win Wednesday vs. the Sacramento Queens, so it would be nice to have a winning streak going into the all-important Christmas Day showdown with the Lakers. Kobe is playing with a broken finger, and the Cavs need to win that game to show the rest of the league that they're serious about winning an NBA title this year.

I don't know if the Cavs have the pieces right now to beat the Lakers, considering their plethora of big men (Gasol, Bynum) that match up well with our own. But as long as someone can keep a hand in Kobe's face when he's shooting, we should have a good chance to come out of Los Angeles with a victory. Senior Citizen Phil Jackson has lost his touch, and might as well have a rocking chair on the sidelines. The Lakers are a bunch of over-paid scrubs, and they will not win a title this year. LeBron will take that honor, along with another MVP trophy, and the Cavs will sweep them in the Finals. LeBron James is underrated

What happens in Cleveland stays in Cleveland.. sort of. In the NBA, it doesn't matter how bad a team looks, just what the end result is. The Cavs won another game by a very narrow margin, and this has become an increasingly alarming trend. Why are we playing down to crappy teams levels? Is this what we can expect from the Cavs this season?

The Cavaliers led the game late in the 4th quarter 85-75.. and never scored another point. They turned the ball over multiple times, missed shot after shot, and let the Bucks crawl back into the game. The Cavs ended up winning 85-82, but this was far from an impressive performance. One could almost argue that the Bucks deserved to win this game, and they just might have if Michael Redd could remember what it felt like to make a 3 pointer (or hit the rim). The Cavs played one of the ugliest first halves in recent memory, throwing up bricks left and right. They had their run to end the 3rd quarter, and then played like a bunch of hooligans who couldn't do a damn thing. I wish I could blame Mike "Clown" Brown but that was just not the case.

All things considered, it could be worse. (Nets anyone?) The Cavs just won their 5th straight game, and did it against a tough Bucks team who took Kobe and the Los Angeles Fakers down to the wire losing 107-106. Brandon Jennings is a force to be reckoned with, and his ability to finish in a crowded lane, while also possessing a sick shooting stroke makes him a pretty legit PG in this league.

The Bucks held the Cavs under 90 points. Are teams are starting to figure out how to defend the Cavaliers? It's not really a secret, you force LeBron to be a jump-shooter and play perimeter defense on our dangerous 3 point threats. That's easier said than done though, and sometimes forcing LeBron to shoot from outside is comparable to shooting yourself in the foot. The only thing that I am beginning to question about LeBron is that sometimes the ball movement seems to die when he is on the court. This is not always the case, but when the King feels like taking the game over, he has a tendency to hold the ball and do his own thing.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to tell him he's wrong. He got us to the NBA finals, and has us on a 5 game winning streak. But when it comes down to beating the Lakers, we're going to need to rely on ball movement and support play from Mo-Mo, Delonte, Gibson, and the rest of our squad. Delonte had a huge game for us and was a major reason we won this game. At halftime, ESPN showed an interesting statistic that made me question our decision to start Shaq over Z. When Z is on the floor with LeBron, the Cavs have outscored opponents by over 100 points. When Shaq is on the floor, that number is barely a positive integer. Does Z need to play more? The answer is yes. Does Shaq need to stop committing offensive fouls? For sure, but the refs have not been calling him fairly. Does Mike Clown need to realize all of this, while getting the Cavs to play better against sub .500 teams? Obviously. Will LeBron fix everything before the playoffs? Absolutely. LeBron James is underrated

The Cavaliers traveled to Philadelphia last night, and went down to the wire needing an impressive 4th quarter run to take this game 108-101. LeBron did yet again (36 points) what was needed to keep the Cavs from losing to a team that they have no business being in a close game with. Philadelphia gave the Cavaliers all they could handle and led late in the fourth quarter until Bron Bron (along with some help from Mo) decided to save the day once again by hitting two crowd-silencing 3 pointers. Mo Williams also came to play, and Shaq dominated in the first quarter making several of his jump-turn hook shots. Boobie Gibson did not miss a single 3 pointer he shot. If Gibson shoots such a high percentage from behind the arc, why does he not get 25 shots a game? Mike Brown may think he may presents a defensive liability since he's really a 2-guard and he's always matched up against taller players, but from what I've seen this season his defense has improved significantly. He only played 26 minutes last night and went 3-3 from behind the line, giving the Cavs 9 points.. let him play 40 and see what happens.

Andre Igoudala led the 76ers with 26 points, and he definitely had a monster throwdown loosely comparable to the tenacity LeBron shows on his own sort of signature dunk. I wonder if Austin Carr said to himself.. "throws the hammer down?" LeBron did have several impressive drive and slams also, and showed Igoudala why he's not even close to his level. The 76ers are a team that runs at every conceivable chance they get, and they won the fastbreak points statistic 30-14, which really never translates to wins for them. They have a lot of young talent with Igoudala, Jrue Holiday, and Thaddeus Young. Once this team can figure out how to score points in a half-court set, and they get a legitimate center, (Brand you suck) they may be able to compete in the Eastern Conference. Igoudala needs a better supporting cast, which brings me to "The Answer."

After watching once city-savior Allen Iverson make one-third of the shots he threw up, it was obvious to all that he does not help this team and most often just gets in the way. His 4 for 12 shooting was far from the answer, and made me question whether he should even be coming off the bench for this team. "Practice? We talking bout practice?" Yeah, we are actually, and you could use some. Allen, do us all a favor by retiring, so we can remember when you were actually good. There's a reason you were traded to Denver, shipped to Detroit, signed with Memphis, and now found yourself back with the 76ers. Your plus-minus was -11, meaning your team played worse with you on the floor. You can't come off the bench? No team worth playing for is going to start you, and your return to Philly was pretty much pointless. LeBron will never leave Cleveland, and if he did he wouldn't return after he clearly lost a step, to take minutes away from players who need all the experience they can get. No team will ever feel bad enough for LeBron that they let him come in and make a bad situation even worse. Iverson is no longer the answer, his new nickname should be "The Unwanted". LeBron James is the answer. LeBron James is underrated