We're taking a break from the countdown to talk about an event taking place in Cleveland this weekend.  The NBA, Sprite, and LeBron James are hosting a Slam Dunk Showdown this weekend during the Marc's Great American Rib Cook Off and Music Festival.

Basically, here's the deal.  The Showdown is all about finding the top amateur dunkers in the area.  If you prove yourself here, you could compete against other non-collegiate dunkers all across the country. 

Here's how you can compete.  Submit a video of yourself dunking here http://www.nba.com/dunk/ and you could be selected to compete.  This is a great opportunity for the best dunkers in Cleveland to show their stuff.  If you don't fancy yourself a dunker, at least treat yourself to seeing some of the best local dunkers at their finest.  The Showdown will be at Time Warner Cable Amphitheater, 1187 W. 3rd Street in Cleveland.  Here's what the schedule looks like for the weekend.   

Friday: 11am to 11pm
Saturday: Noon to 11pm
Sunday: Noon to 11pm
Monday: Noon to 8pm

LeBron is hosting the event, and you won't be disappointed if you go.  We all know LeBron can dunk... now it's your turn.  LeBron James is Underrated

At this point, I'm making my picks and sticking with them.  I'm sure that there will be many who see the remaining 17 and say, "How could he put him over Terrell?"  The reason is, because I didn't truly start watching all of the games until the 1996 season, Terrell's last with the Cavaliers.  My top 20 list is dedicated to those Cavaliers I can remember watching.

That being said, #18 on our list is the great Terrell Brandon.  Born in Portland, Oregon, Terrell attended Grant High School and eventually went on to lead his team to the Division III state title in 1988, the same year I was born.

Terrell decided to attend the University of Oregon, and he immediately was identified as top NBA recruit for the 1991 NBA Draft.  The Cleveland Cavaliers selected 5 foot 11" Brandon with the 11th pick overrall.  He naturally became the leader of team, which had historically been a mockery in the Association.  He kept developing his skillset, and eventually was named an Eastern Conference All-Star in 1996, and then again in 1997.  That's impressive for a mediocre team at best.

Terrell never really fully appreciated his nickname, "The Lone Ranger" but did admit that it fit his personality.  "I'm a people person when I'm with people," he said, "but I'm not out there to meet people."  In a 1997 Sports Illustrated issue, Terrell was named the Best Point Guard in the NBA.  Pretty impressive when you consider he was playing on a team that finished 42-40, good enough for 5th place in the Central Division.  He played alongside other Top 20 candidates Danny Ferry, Bobby Phills, and Bob Sura.

In the Sports Illustrated issue, Brandon was touted for his focus on basketball and not on being a superstar.  He was quoted as saying that there's not a city in the NBA that he could describe, nor a restaurant that he could name.  "People think I'm going to use my money to buy cars," he said, "but I'd rather give it to my church, to my family, do something I can be proud of. All those days sitting in the hotel room, looking out the window, this is what I'm thinking about. What can I do to make my son 5 year old Trevor proud of me. What can I do so my parents will be proud of me."

The simplicity of his life surprised many. He sought no endorsements, no press coverage, none of the trappings of stardom. "This life is easy if you let it be," he explained, bewildered that anyone might court fuss. "I won't complicate mine. I play the game, go home, wait for the next day. I don't want any stress in my life."

In addition to being dubbed "The Best Point Guard in the NBA" in 1997, Brandon also won the NBA Sportsmanship Award.  Class all the way.  Brandon was traded along with Tyrone Hill in 1997 to the Milwaukee Bucks, in the infamous Shawn Kemp deal.  He finished his career in Minnesota and retired in 2001.

Those are a few things that separate "The Lone Ranger" from some of today's players, whose focus seems to be on celebrity status, advertising dollars, and creating a media buzz about their every move.  Holding a city hostage, while the head coach gets fired in an attempt to satisfy his every desire.  Wait a minute, that kind of sounds like LeBron now that I think about it.  The King could learn a thing or too from Terrell.  Terrell Brandon is Underrated

                   

It took me a while to justify this pick, but coming in at #19 is Donyell Marshall, a great Cavalier in his own right.  Donyell grew up in Pennsylvania, and was a top basketball recruit in the country after leading his high school team to a 29-2 record his senior year.  He decided to play for UConn, and put together an impressive college resume including 1993 Big East Player of the Year.   

Minnesota drafted D-Marsh with the 4th overall pick in the 1994 draft.  40 games into his rookie season, they decided to trade him to Golden State for Tom Gugliotta.  He played for Golden State until 2000, but playing for the Warriors pretty much makes you irrelevant.  Donyell then was traded to Utah, signed with Chicago, and then was traded to Toronto all before 2003.  In a March 13th, 2005 game with the Raptors, he tied Kobe Bryant's record for three point field goals in a game when he nailed 12 of 19.  That was pretty much Donyell at his best. 

The Cavaliers signed Marshall to a 4 year deal in June of 2005.  The front office was trying to put a core of veterans around LeBron James, in an effort to contend for an NBA championship.  They saw his ability to knock down 3 pointers, and his versatility in guarding both small forwards and power forwards.  He was also known to throw down a nasty dunk on occasion.

D-Marsh was a clutch 3 point shooter, his best season was in 2006.  His three point shooting came in handy during the 2007 playoffs, when he drilled 6 three's in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semi-finals vs. the New Jersey Nets.  This helped us advance to the EC Finals vs. Detroit, where we all remember how LeBron took over.

In 2008, the Cavs decided it was time to part ways, and he was traded to the Seattle Supersonics.  Cavs fans should remember Donyell in a positive light, and appreciate his ability to have a big game every once in a while.  I'll also always remember his wardrobe malfunction in 2008 when he attempted to enter a game without his jersey on.  Everyone on the Cavs bench got a good kick out of that one.   

Donyell retired after he played the 2009 season with the Philadelphia 76ers.  He currently is employed by Comcast as a sports broadcaster.  D-Marsh, we will never forget your many three pointers you cashed in wearing #24 for the Cavaliers.  You helped us get to the 2007 NBA finals, and we appreciate it.  Much like Wally, LeBron always dished the rock to 'Yell when he was open, because he knew the man could shoot.  Donyell Marshall is Underrated

                    

Starting off our countdown of the greatest Cavaliers ever, is none other than Wally Szczerbiak.  Wally was born in Madrid, Spain.  He spent almost all of his youth in Europe, as his dad was a professional basketball player for Real Madrid.  After his dad retired, he moved the family to New York.  Wally was a grade-A high school baller, and was recruited by Division 1 Miami of Ohio to continue his basketball career.

Wally was a man possessed at Miami, leading a team of relative scrubs to the NCAA's Sweet 16 in 1999 as a 10 seed.  In their first round upset of #7 Washington, Wally unloaded for a career high 43 points.  After that they upset #2 Utah; he scored 24 points and led the Redhawks to the Sweet 16.  Meanwhile, he was named a first team All-American and MAC player of the year in 98-99.  He finished his career as Miami's 2nd all-time leading scorer. 

After his solid college campaign, Wally was taken by the Minnesota Timberwolves with the 6th overal pick in the 1999 NBA Draft.  His best year was in 2002, when he played in all 82 games, averaged 18 points, and was added to the Western Conference All-Star team.  In 2003, he tied a Timberwolves franchise record scoring 44 points.  For one reason or another, Minnesota decided to have Wally come off the bench in 2004.  He wasn't too happy about it.  In 2005, he regained his starting role.  His total contract value for his time in Minnesota was $63 million.    

In 2006, the Timberwolves decided it was time to part ways with fan-favorite Szczerbiak, and traded him to the Boston Celtics for basically Ricky Davis.  He played well for Boston initially, and early in the season dropped 35 points on the Bobcats.  But pretty soon, his injuries started to catch up with him and he had to have knee surgery.  Not too long after that, he suffered injuries to both of his ankles and decided to have season-ending surgery on both ankles.  Had Wally been able to avoid these injuries,which greatly affected his shooting and jumping ability, he could still be playing today.  He's not on an NBA roster currently.

The Celtics saw Wally's diminishing skill-set and made a move on draft night to trade him along with Delonte West to Seattle, in exchange for Ray Allen and their 35th pick.. who ended up being Glen Davis.  Probably one of the best trades in Boston's history.  Ray Allen's pretty good from what I hear.

In 2008, the Cavaliers decided to go after Wally.  At this point in his career, he was still a solid knock-down shooter, but his injuries were of major concern.  We decided we wanted him anyways, and in February 2008 we completed a three-team trade to acquire Wally, Delonte, Ben Wallace, and Joe Smith.  This sent Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden, and Shannon Brown on their way.  Probably shouldn't have given up on Shannon so early.  I recall there was a lot of excitement in the air after this trade, mostly because of Ben Wallace.  I was more excited about Wally.   

In his first year, he played in 25 regular season games, starting only one time.  He averaged 8.2 points and 3 rebounds.  He was still very skilled at putting the ball in the basket, but you could tell his ankles were bothering him.  When the playoffs came around, Mike Brown decided to start Wally at the 2 position. 

In an important Game 6 vs. the Washington Wizards in Round 1, Wally dropped 26 points and helped the Cavs advance out of the first round.  We eventually lost to Boston, but he averaged 10.8 points per game, and was always the best-looking Cavalier representative.  Wally was always good for a quote after the game too.  After one game,  "Bottom line in this league is, you've got to make shots, especially in the 4th quarter."

Wally averaged 20 minutes a game the next year, and he played in 74 games.  He averaged 7 points and 3 rebounds, shooting 45% from the field and 41% from 3.  I can still hear my roommate screaming WALLLLYYYYY as he swished another shot.  After that season, the Cavaliers signed Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon.  These acquistions somehow made Wally expendable, and since his contract was up they did not resign him.  I'll always remember the day we got Wally, and the passion he played with as a Cavalier.  LeBron always loved to find an open Wally Szczerbiak, because he was a reliable jump shooter.  An interesting fact about Wally:  He named his son Maximus Jack.  I can't imagine what that must be like.  Maximus Jack Szczerbiak.  Wally Szczerbiak is Underrated

                    

No, Eric Snow did not make the list.  In fact, he's probably my least favorite Cavalier of all-time.  I've decided to boycott all the shenanigans currently transpiring regarding LeBron.  I can't handle the daily garbage that comes up on ESPN, in Cleveland, Chicago, New York newspapers.. etc.  Honestly, who cares?  The Cavaliers lost.  I get it.  LeBron is a free-agent.  Sweet.  I'm going to do my best not to mention anything going on related to the free agency rumor mill.  He can sign with any team he chooses starting July 1st.  That's 41 days, 4 hours, 52 minutes, and 33 seconds from now.. not that I'm counting.

So, what this means is that I'm going to need something else to talk about for the foreseeable future.  Obviously, there aren't any games I can talk about.  I'm still watching the playoffs though, and it looks like a Lakers/Celtics Finals rematch of two years ago.  Kobe is on a mission and the Celtics are solid.  That's all I'll say about that.

Anyways, I've come up with a list of my 20 favorite Cavaliers that I can actually remember seeing play in a Cleveland uniform.  You may not agree with my list, but quite frankly.. I don't care.  To be an all-time great Cavalier, you don't need to be considered a great player.  The only thing I really judge is their impact on the Cavaliers organization.     

I left several players off my list, for obvious reasons.  Some of them I just didn't really like, others failed to live up to the expectations.  Here's a few of the players I left off the list:  Robert "Tractor" Traylor, Trajan Langdon, Eric Snow, Kevin Ollie, Bimbo Coles, Mateen Cleaves, Jason Kapono, Carlos Boozer, Delonte West, and Mo Williams all did not make the cut.

So for the next few weeks or so, this is what we'll be discussing.  Why talk about ignorant LeBron free agency scenarios, when you can reminisce about some of the best players to ever adorn the Wine and Gold?  (or Blue, Orange, White, and Black) I actually still love those black jerseys.  There's nothing quite like taking a trip down memory-lane.  LeBron James is Underrated

So I took a few days to assess what just happened.  Essentially, the Cavs crumbled under the immense pressure of being the favorite to win the NBA finals this year.  This is about as low as it gets for Cleveland fans, who fear we may have seen the end of the LeBron James Era.  It's over.  No more games, the season is over.  If you've seen any ESPN lately, you would know that it's basically turned into LeBronTV.  Expect this trend to continue for the foreseeable future.

What a terrible way to end what may be the King's last season in his homecourt.  The Cavaliers started off the game okay, but it was soon apparent we were not coming out of Boston with a win.  There really aren't words to describe how crushing of a loss this was.  I really don't even want to talk about the game, basically it was close at halftime but during the 4th quarter we just gave up.  Let's get to what the end of the season means, for all those involved in the Cavaliers organization.

Let's start with Mike Brown.  The sentiment in the air is that Brown is a dead man walking.  The coach who led the Cavaliers to the best record two straight years in the regular season is apparently on his way out of Cleveland.  When the expectation is a championship, and you have the best player, there isn't a whole lot of room for error.  In other words, when you get bounced in the Eastern semi-finals and it's the deciding year for your prized free-agent, you're not coming back. 

Danny Ferry said that he respects and admires Brown, but none of that really matters.  Word on the street is that LeBron and John Calipari may be a packaged deal, so you better believe that Dan Gilbert is already on the phone with Calipari's agent, (who happens to be LeBron's agent) asking him what it will take to move him from Kentucky to Cleveland. 

Sorry Mike, but you came up short.  Your in-game adjustments and failure to produce a lineup that could win in the playoffs was your downfall.  Relying too much on Shaq, not enough of Varejao and Hickson proved to be costly in the Boston series.  You had a chance to be the coach of the best player on the planet for a significant period of time.  Kiss that chance goodbye.  Maybe you should learn how to properly implement an offense instead of differing to LeBron the entire game.  Even the one thing you supposedly do well, namely encouraging defense, failed miserably this final series.  Thanks for coming out.  Maybe you can land a job in the D-league.

Let's move on to our owner, Mr. Dan Gilbert.  Dan promised to be relentless in his quest to win a championship for the city of Cleveland.  Well, it didn't happen.  Your two major moves, acquiring Shaq Diesel and Antawn Jamison didn't work out like you planned it.  You and your boy Danny Ferry's whole goal was to build a team that could contend with Orlando and effectively combat Dwight Howard.. only you failed to realize the supporting cast you had surrounded LeBron with couldn't even beat the Celtics.  Dan, I hope you somehow can get The King to resign.  Promise him anything you need to.  And next time you have the chance to acquire Amare Stoudemire, don't let the potential of JJ Hickson deter you.  Have a serious heart-to-heart with Danny, and assess your life goals. 

Shaquille O' Neal, you were one of the only Cavaliers who showed effort and energy in the series vs. Boston.  However, you promised to "Win a Ring for the King."  You got me all excited, and in the end you didn't live up to your word.  The only thing you "witnessed" was the early-exit of a team that should have won the NBA finals.  I'm not sure you were worth the $20+ million we payed you this season.  Oh, and the team you played for last year.. they're still in the playoffs.  Maybe you should think about retiring, and preserving your legacy.  You've already won championships with the Black Mamba and the Flash.  You are without question one of the greatest centers of all-time.  My advice is to avoid "pulling a Michael Jordan" and playing well past your prime.  You were once a force in this league.  Let us remember you the way we should.

There's really only one other Cavalier worth discussing.  King James, aka the Dunking Dictator, aka the Akron Hammer, aka the Chosen One.  Although I may be one of your biggest supporters, I must say my disappointment level is at an all-time high.  After teasing us with your Game 3 performance in Boston, you effectively called the rest of the series off.  Okay, so you lost Game 4 in Boston, we weren't mad about that.  But when you came home for Game 5, we expected a lot more.  Not only did you not play well, but it looked like you didn't even try.  And then you let us give up in Game 6.  What happened?  Where is the heart and the desire?   Everyone expected you, the two-time reigning MVP, to show up and lead Cleveland to the promised land.  Didn't happen.  You didn't even make it out of the second round. 

Kind of embarrassing, and if you leave Cleveland this way, it will be a permanent stain on your already tainted legacy.  Granted, you are the best player in the game but right now none of that matters.  I don't know if the rumors are true about your Mom and Delonte, but that's not even an excuse.  I'm not big into magic tricks, but your Game 5 no-show was one of the best disappearing acts I've ever seen.  Plain and simple, you need to stay.  Stay, and win a championship.  If you go to Chicago and play with Joakim Noah we will never forgive you.  You already cut a hole into the heart of Northeast Ohio, and by leaving you would just be pouring salt on the wound.  Dan Gilbert is dedicated to giving you whatever you want.  If it's Calipari and Bosh, he's going to do his best.  Take some time, think about it, and realize this is your home.  Until then, whether or not LeBron James is Underrated is highly questionable.  Your legacy is in doubt.  Don't make the wrong decision.  Sincerely - The City of Cleveland

                                

The Cavaliers needed to win Game 5 to re-establish the home-court advantage in this series.  What happened was a shock to all who watched.  Honestly, this is one of the biggest embarrassments in the history of Cleveland (there have been a few if you recall).  I'll spoil the end for you; LeBron apparently doesn't care, scores 15 points on 3/14 shooting, and the Cavaliers are blown out by 32 points, in the biggest game of the franchise's history.

We actually started the game off alright, running the floor as much as we could.  Shaq established himself, and had a nice dunk off an LBJ pass.  Anthony Parker had a solid And-1, but Kendrick Perkins came down and responded with one of his own.  LeBron had 3 assists in the first 6 minutes. 

Apparently MB read my post yesterday, because Zydrunas Ilguaskas was inserted into the game at the 4 minute mark.. after 3 straight games not seeing the floor.  Z drills his 1st shot, and the crowd went nuts.  Parker follows drilling a three pointer, and we're up 21-20.  I would like to point out that at the 1:38 mark, Delonte failed to see that Jamario Moon was wide open for a 3.  I digress.  LeBron finishes the quarter scoreless, but does have 4 assists.  Our defense does a pretty good job of containing Rondo, and we take a 23-20 lead into the 2nd quarter.

The second quarter starts off excellent, with the Cavs going on a 6-1 run, but this was the last time we would enjoy what we saw.  Varejao gets called for a highly disagreeable clean block on Big Baby, and Rasheed picks up his 3rd foul at the 8 minute mark.  Paul Pierce continues his awful performance, but that would soon change.  Delonte West is becoming hard to watch, and LeBron is nowhere to be found.  Joey Crawford has a questionable offensive foul call on Shaq, resulting in Antawn and Perkins getting double technicalled.  6 minutes left, and LeBron has made exactly 0 field goals, only scoring on 2 free throws.

Kevin Garnett drills a jumper, and the Celtics take the lead 30-29.  They would never look back.  This was a very ugly game at this point; The Cavs had 8 turnovers.  15-0 run for the Celtics takes place, and the Celtics are up 36-29.  A clutch Mo Williams 3 cuts the lead to 42-39, while Big Baby tackles Varejao.  Pretty unorthodox 4 point play if you ask me. 

The Celtics continue to trash our defense, but a much-needed Zydrunas And-1 cuts the lead to 50-44, and we head into half.  LeBron has 0 field goals (still) and only 8 free throws to show for an entire half.  And we certainly didn't feel great about where this could be headed.

Ray Allen starts the 2nd half by drilling two consecutive 3 pointers.  Not good.  Rondo picks his game up, and starts dissecting our defense; We're down 12.  Shaq's dunk starts the Cavs scoring, but the game was already slipping away.  LeBron gets called for a charge, continuing his shaky game.  No one could have predicted that The King would be such a no-show in this all-important Game 5.  In my opinion, it looked like he didn't even want to be in the game.  He deferred to his teammates, and really wasn't doing much of anything.  The lead balloons to 16 points, and the Cavs are down 62-46.  LeBron starts shooting a bunch of jump shots but they all looked miserable.  And the whispers began, "Will this be LeBron's last ever game in Cleveland?" 

Meanwhile, Shaq gets his 3rd dunk, while Rondo continues to hurt us offensively.  LeBron is 0/, until he gets his first field goal (an easy dunk) at the 6 minute mark in the 3rd quarter.  Not what we expected out of our leader.  At this point, Brown decides to even give Daniel Gibson a chance.

Boom, another Ray Allen 3 and we're down 73-52.  Antawn answers with one of his own, but it was too little too late.  Another LeBrick, making him 1/9 from the field. 

We literally just keep getting owned in the 4th quarter.  It's pretty hard to watch.  I can't even defend this pathetic performance.  It's 92-68, and I'm starting to think it's time to turn this game off.  The quarter drags on, while we wonder what LeBron could possibly be thinking.  The game comes to a merciful end, and we lose by 32 points.  This is the worst playoff defeat in Cavaliers history.  Shaquille O' Neal leads the Cavs with 21 (not good).  LeBron scores 15 points.  15 points.  15 freaking points.. in the biggest game of his career. 

Now, I think we should all just take a second and really assess this game.  Sure, LeBron looked like he would have rather been anywhere else.  The rest of the Cavs, except for Shaq, looked like they were ready to fold as well.  However, stop all the nonsense.  This series is still up for grabs.  Granted, the Celtics have the momentum, and a chance to close out out tomorrow at home. 

The fact of the matter is this.  This team can come together and win 2 games in a row.  Have some faith people.  Maybe LeBron wanted to add a little more excitement to the series.  Wasn't it just last Friday that LeBron scored 21 in the first quarter verses this team, in Boston?  Essentially, if we win tomorrow night, the series shifts back into our favor.  Stop all the talk about LeBron being done in Cleveland.  We're down, but not out.  Sometimes, even The King needs to take a night off.  Kind of a shame he chose Game 5 in a tied series to do it, but LeBron does what he wants.  LeBron James is still Underrated

                               

Uh-oh.  The Cavaliers lost in Boston on Sunday, in ugly fashion.  The series is now tied 2-2, and the we must defend home-court tonight to take a 3-2 lead.  This is not what was supposed to happen in this series.

The Cavaliers still don't seem to have an answer for Rajon Rondo, who had a ridiculous 29 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists in Game 4.  Seriously, a triple-double for Rondo?  That's not right.  LeBron was not on his game, and finished with only 22 points.  He missed all 5 three-pointers he took.  This one hurt to watch.  Even though LeBron had a disgusting block on Ray Allen, and Jamison threw down a few dunks, there wasn't a whole lot of positives to take away from our defeat.

Cavs fans, we should all be highly concerned.  This is now a 3 game series, and Boston seems to have the momentum in their favor.  I'm not happy about it.  I'm pretty sure it's all Mike Brown's fault; Let me tell you why.

Shaquille O' Neal was a force in Game 4 until he picked up his 5th foul.  So of course Clown sits him down, and for some reason he never returns to the game.  Are you serious?  They were taking advantage of our small lineup, and apparently Brown didn't recognize or seem to care.  Speaking of small lineups, what has happened to Zydrunas Ilguaskas?  Honestly, this is really starting to chap my ass.  So what you're telling me is, you don't have any room in your rotation for a 7 foot 3" Lithuanian monster who can knock down shots anywhere on the floor?  This man has given his life to our franchise, and you are now deciding he has no place in our playoff lineup? 

Really though, it doesn't make sense.  We're getting dominated in the paint, Shaq has 5 fouls and you won't put him back in.. and you still won't put Big Z in?  Don't you realize he's still one of the best centers in the league?  Didn't we make a huge effort to resign him after trading him to Washington? Quit being stupid, adjust your glasses, and realize what you're doing.  LeBron led us to the best record in the regular season, not you.  In my opinion, you may be coaching yourself out of a job.  If you can't figure out a way to get your lineup to make sense, and find out how to stop Rondo, (put LeBron on him all game)  I really don't want you coaching my team.  Not that you're really the coach anyways.

I'll continue my rant.  Tony Allen comes in the game and starts lighting our defense up, and you still make no adjustments.  Your answer?  Play JJ Hickson for 5 minutes.  You're not as smart as you don't look.  I hope you make some serious adjustments in Game 5, because your stupid lineups are really starting to get on my nerve.  Play Shaq until he fouls out, find minutes for Zydrunas, and put JJ in the game when we need a spark.  Does LeBron have to make another public statement before you get it through your head?  You're not the coach of this team.  LeBron is.  LeBron James is Underrated

                              

LeBron put all the elbow rumors to rest in Boston last night.  In the all-important Game 3, the King came out ready to have a huge night.  “It was my mindset to come out really aggressive and just dictate tempo from the start of the jump and I was able to do that,” said James. “I think rest helped me. Rest helped all of us and we were able to put a complete game for the first time in these playoffs.”

Our first 4 points came from Shaquille O' Neal, who the Cavaliers looked to get looks right off the bat.  A Shaq hook shot, and 2 free throws later and it's Shaq 4, Boston 0.  LeBron was quick to follow, and began drilling shot after shot.  The 1st quarter was one of LeBron's most spectacular performances in the playoffs. 

LeBron drills his first shot and then follows with a lay-up.  Following that, he comes down and Kendrick Perkins tries to take him out.  This was clearly a dirty play with a football-looking hit on LeBron's elbow side, but the King stepped to the line and drilled his 2 free throws.  Kendrick, nobody likes you.

LeBron drills another 2 jumpers, continuing his scorching start.  He was 4/5 shooting with 12 points at the 6 minute mark.  You knew it wasn't going to end well for Boston.  King James was looking for his own shot, and he was making it almost every time. 

Garnett and Perkins rack up their 2nd fouls early, and we're up 20-8.  The King cashes in yet another deep jumper, and his total is 14 at 3 minutes.  And then another, just for good measure.  LeBron reaches the 16 point mark before the Celtics do.  This is the start we envisioned.  Fast-forward thirty seconds where Bron gets hit while making a lay-up, a rather disgusting And-1.  And LeBron has 18. 

Meanwhile, the Cavs are playing great defense the whole time.  The Celtics are turning the ball over, and they really can't do a whole lot offensively.  We forced Rondo to be a jump shooter, but he just couldn't see the floor like he did in Game 2. 

Pretty soon it was time for a LeBron-dunk, and he didn't disappoint.  After grabbing another rebound, he fed Jamario Moon with a bounce pass on a fast break.  Jamario wisely dishes it back to LeBron, and the king flushes an unbelieveable 360 jam.  He had to duck his head from hitting the backboard; this dunk was unreal.  So we reach the end of 1, and the score is Cleveland: 36, LeBron: 21, and Boston: 15.  It felt really good to have a 19 point lead.  There would be no looking back. 

For once in his life, Mike Brown correctly decides to leave LeBron in the game at the start of the 2nd quarter, for once in his life.  The King responds, starting the quarter off by splashing a 3 pointer.  Give him 24.  Then he swats Glen Davis and there wasn't much the Celtics could do about it.

The quarter progressed, and the Cavaliers defense was exactly the way it needed to be.  Anthony Parker's 3 put us up 55-35, our second 20 point lead of the game.  A few buckets later, the Cavs push the lead to 65-41, and LeBron has 28 points.  That's a good night for 99% of NBA players.  That's a good half for LeBron. 

The half ends, and we're up 65-43.  In addition to his game-high 28 on 11/15 shooting, the King nothes 8 rebounds and 4 assists.  The Cavaliers shoot 61% in the half, and you can pretty much put this one in the books.

The second half started off just as we left it off.  Shaq makes a hook and then gets an And-1 layup.  LeBron drills his first 3, and the Celtics were just throwing up bricks.  Shaq continued to punish them down low, Perkins really had no answer. 

With Ray Allen right in his grill, LeBron double-moves and hits a shot right in his face, giving him 33.  77-52, and life is beautiful.  Antawn Jamison is doing his part too, grabbing offensive rebounds and making a few shots.  Mo Williams also looks better than he did in Gam 2, driving and making some lay-ups.  Time-out Celtics, and the Cavs own a commanding 86-58 lead.  The end to the quarter couldn't come soon enough for Boston, who were down 96-70. 

We really didn't need to play the 4th quarter; this one had long been over.  LeBron never gave the Celtics a chance.  The Cavs never stepped off the pedal, and the final score was 124-95.  This makes history in two different respects.  First, the Cavs broke their margin-of-victory on the road in a playoff game, while the Celtics suffered their worst playoff loss in franchise history.  The King finished with 38 points, and Boston had no answer all night.  This is a great sign for the rest of the series.  LeBron heard all the talk about his elbow, came out, and made a statement.  LeBron James is most definitely Underrated

                                  

This game means everything.  After getting run off the court in Game 2, the Cavaliers need to bounce back and win this crucial Game 3 in Boston tonight.  Why do we need to win tonight?  Historically, when the series is tied 1-1, the winner of Game 3 takes the series 76.3% of the time.   

The Cavaliers need to do a better job containing Rajon Rondo, and Kevin Garnett.  Rondo made our pick-and-roll defense look pathetic. 

LeBron's elbow has gotten ample rest, and he needs to come out of the gate and send the Celtics a message.  The time for excuses is up.  We need to win tonight, plain and simple.  This game could potentially have a signifcant impact on the future of the organization.  If we don't take care of business tonight and this series shifts into Boston's favor, the King's future in Cleveland could be in jeopardy.  That is just something that cannot happen.  LeBron belongs in the city he put on the map.  LeBron James is, and always will be, underrated

Monday night the Cavaliers received a playoff beatdown from the Boston Celtics.  It was terrible to watch.  LeBron was not at his best, obviously resulting in a Cavaliers defeat.  Mike Brown summed it up:

“They kicked our behind from the beginning,” lamented a visibly upset Coach Mike Brown. “They got every 50/50 ball, they converted every offensive rebound into points and we did not fight back until late. We have to decide if we are going to take the fight to them and take these games. Nothing is going to be given to us at all.”

Asked again what went wrong, Brown asserted,  "We all got our behind kicked. Every single one of us, starting with myself, did not fight tonight and it showed on the court. You gotta give the Celtics credit. It's 1-1, but let's keep it real, they kicked out behinds tonight."

We made a run in the 4th quarter but it was too little, too late.  Rajon Rondo ties a franchise record in assists, and we lose by 18.  Not exactly what we were hoping for.

Let's just pretend like this one didn't happen.  Talking, or thinking about this game is pointless. It's clear that we need to win at least one game in Boston during this series.  Hopefully they just win the next 2 and then close Boston at home in Game 5.  As dedicated Cavaliers fans, we must humbly accept defeat but it realize it was a fluke.  LeBron's elbow will get some much needed rest and we will come out Friday with much more intensity.  The Cavaliers don't lose 2 games in a row.  We're better than that.  LeBron James is still Underrated

                                  

After a slow start and going down by double digits, the Cavaliers turned things around in the 2nd half and took Game 1 in Cleveland.  LeBron James is Underrated        
                                

LeBron James was awarded with his second straight MVP award, coming off a 61 win regular season.  The King pretty much expected this award, and rightly so.  I thoroughly enjoyed the fact that Kobe Bryant didn't receive any 1st place votes, and in fact finished 3rd in the voting.  This is the 1st MVP trophy he will win this year.  The next will be the NBA Finals MVP, after we sweep the Lakers in 4 games.  We'll come back to this later in the week.  LeBron James is the MVP, again.  (LeBron James is Underrated)


                                   

You knew the Cavaliers weren't going to allow Chicago to win more than 1 game in this series.  Although it was far too close, the Cavs closed out the Bulls in game 5, winning 94-94.  Essentially, here's what happened: the Bulls played tough and mistakenly thought they had a chance.  Mo Williams started the game off with a 3 pointer. 

With 7.8 seconds left, and the Cavs holding on to a 96-92 lead, LeBron shot a free-throw left-handed.  He was dealing with a sore elbow, and this was not a good sign.  A lot was made of this after the game, but I personally didn't read too much into it.  We were a little concerned, but we knew LeBron wasn't about to miss Game 1 with the Celtics on Sunday. 

Antawn Jamison led the Cavs with 25 points, and LeBron almost notched another playoff triple-double.  His 19 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists were just another example of why he deserved to win the MVP.  Cavs close out the Bulls, and send Joakim Noah a message: don't talk smack about Cleveland.  LeBron's elbow was a major concern after the game, but we all knew it really wasn't going to be a big deal.  (more to come on this closeout game later)  LeBron James is Underrated