I feel the need to pay homage to the largest Cleveland Cavalier ever. Shaquille O' Neal is set to return from injury, although we're not sure if we'll see him in action tonight vs. the Atlanta Hawks.
It was probably tough for the Diesel to sit out most of what may be his only season with LeBron James. Since the injury though, he has been working hard to get into playoff shape. He dropped 20 pounds, and he looks to be in the best shape he's been for some time.
This video is an NBA all-star classic. Shaq, LeBron, and Dwight in a dance-off 2 years ago. What's not to love?
I knew Shaq had moves, but seriously.. this guy can dance. Not to say that LeBron doesn't have some tight moves himself. Regardless, the Big Aristotle has to be the best dancing 7 foot 3" 350 man ever. Enjoy this video, and the fact that we have this guy on our team. Shaq is a physical freak. Kind of like LeBron. LeBron James is underrated
Watching the Cavaliers without LeBron is like watching the Special Olympics. No offense, but it's hard to watch. You really want them to succeed, but you know something is missing.
Sunday afternoon, the team that bounced the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals last year showed up to Cleveland for the last regular season meeting between the two teams. Mike Brown decided to sit LeBron for the 3rd straight game, and the end result reflected this move.
Personally, like most other Cavs fans, I would have loved to see him play. I felt that we needed to send a message to the Magic that this is not their year, and the only way to do that is from a thorough beatdown right before the playoffs start. Regardless, it didn't happen. LeBron was in street clothes again, and (surprise) we lost by 6 points 98-92.
Let's give the LeBron-less Cavaliers some credit though; they started off as well as you could have imagined. At one point we took a 16 point lead, and the Magic looked like a D-league team. No LeBron and they can't do anything? Maybe they were let down because they thought The King would play, but that's not really a good excuse. Stan Van Gundy used it anyways.
"I don't know if we still would have won, but we would've played much better, much more focused had LeBron played," Van Gundy said. "The air went out of our locker room when our guys found out he wasn't playing."
Van Gundy was in a terrible mood for most of the first half, and you can't blame him. The Magic couldn't do anything offensively; they had no ball-movement and shots just weren't dropping. Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams were leading the Cavaliers to what looked like would be a blow-out.
It wasn't meant to be, and the Magic cut the defecit to only 4 points before half. Dwight Howard was a huge factor for them, and his 22 points and 13 rebounds were only a small part of his dominance. Antawn and Mo didn't see the floor in the 4th quarter, which might explain why we lost. Listen Mike Brown, I understand you want to rest your starters and we've already locked up the #1 seed overall, but have some perspective here. This is the team that knocked us out of the playoffs last year, and you're going to give them a game right before the start of the playoffs?
This reminds me of Jim Caldwell sitting Peyton Manning during the last part of their regular season finale, and the bench just couldn't hold the lead. That move allowed the Jets to win the game, ruined the Colts perfect season, and gave the Jets some confidence going into the playoffs. Sometimes coaches overthink resting their starters, and it can have a negative impact on a team. Losing 3 straight is not the way I envisioned this team heading into the last game of the regular season.
So here's what I'm saying, please get our starters back in vs. the Hawks. We need to at least get one game to get our team back on track, because losing 4 in a row can't ever be considered a good thing going into the playoffs.
Speaking of getting our starters back, there was great news for Cavaliers fans released yesterday. Shaquille O' Neal has officially been cleared to play, and maybe we'll see him tomorrow night vs. the Hawks. Shaq Diesel is going to be a huge part of our success in the playoffs this year; we need his physical presence. Sunday proved that without him, the Cavs can't handle Dwight Howard both offensively and in the rebounding battle. "The Real Superman" doesn't just sit around and let Dwight do his thing. He bodies him up and when it's necessary, sends him to the free throw line. There are reports that Shaq has lost over 20 pounds since his injury, and he looks to be in great shape. He also is sporting the clean-shaven look for the first time in awhile.
This season has flown by, and it's hard to believe there's only one regular season game left. Atlanta is another one of those teams we can't allow to gain confidence, because they have a well-put together team capable of making a run in the playoffs. My proposal: play your best players, and end this nonsensical losing streak. Mike Brown, take off your glasses for a second and stop pretending to be smarter than you are. LeBron wants to play. Don't be ignorant. LeBron James is Underrated
Breaking News: Without LeBron James, the Cleveland Cavaliers aren't the best team in the NBA. Mike Brown has decided to rest his superstar, and the Cavs responded by losing two games in a row.
First up was the battle with Chicago on Thursday night. Even without LeBron, this was still a pretty entertaining game to watch. Most of the fireworks came from Mo Williams, who decided he would try to be LeBron-for-a-night. Mo finished with 35 points, and late in the 4th quarter he single-handedly kept the Cavs in the game. His 3 point shooting stroke was spectacular, and LeBron showed his appreciation dancing on the sidelines as Mo went off. Mike Brown also was very impressed with Williams.
"He was terrific,' Brown said. "He did a nice, nice job of not only looking for his shot, and being aggressive, but also looking to get others involved."
The game ultimately came down to the wire, and the Bulls held on to win 109-108. It was back and forth all night, with the lead changing 20 times. Anderson Varejao missed a jumper that would have stolen this game from Chicago, who desperately needed a win to keep their playoff chances alive. This marked the first time in 31 consecutive games that the Cavs lost to a team with a losing record.
There was however, something very positive to take away from this game; there was a Sebastian Telfair sighting. In only 16 minutes on the floor, Telfair had 8 points on 4/7 shooting. Remember the Cavs acquired him in the Jamison deal. His offensive game is solid, and his passing ability is also noteworthy. I like the way Sebastian runs the offense, and he could possibly serve as a great backup for Mo in the years to come. You had to have been impressed with his ability to come in the game and make an impact.
Mike Brown basically confirmed the fact that he wants to rest his starters as much as possible, because late in the game, Antawn Jamison went down with an injured ankle. He was attacking offensively and his 23 points were huge. Hopefully he doesn't have to miss any time in the playoffs.
After the loss in Chicago, the Cavs were set to face the Indiana Pacers. This is a team that has no business competing with the Cavaliers, provided that LeBron James is in uniform. The King took the night off, and you can pretty much guess the outcome: Cavs play tough, but without LeBron they lose again.
Mo Williams also sat out this game. Telfair yet again stepped up in his absence, and impressed his Cavalier teammates as well as coach.
"For being a new guy and a young guy, you can feel the leadership qualities that he does have," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "He is extremely intelligent, he has a great feel for the game and a great change of gear, and he's worked extremely hard on his mid-range game."
Telfair came off the bench and had another solid night shooting the basketball. He finished with 21 points on 8/14 shooting. He also had 4 nice assists, which is probably my favorite part of his game. His vision and ability to sneak bounce passes in tight holes makes him a threat offensively. Combine that with his great scoring ability, and you have a potentially great Cavalier in the making.
Danny Granger finished strong with 36 points, but his quote after the game made me laugh a little bit.
"It's a great confidence builder because Cleveland is a great team," Granger said. "I don't care who is not playing for them, they're still very good. So, it's a great road win for us."
Really Danny? You're proud of beating the Cavs without LeBron, Mo, Antawn, or Shaq? That's 4 of our starters and our best talent. Congratulations, you really should be proud of yourself. Next time, don't say stupid things.
So all of this brings us to the showdown with the Magic today. LeBron will not be playing again, which I have to question. Orlando is capable of beating the Cavs, and this game sets the tone for a potential Eastern Conference Finals matchup. Why not play LeBron and get him back into the flow, and then rest him in the season finale vs. Atlanta? I understand wanting to rest him, but you can't let the Magic gain more confidence if they happen to win today. Without LeBron in the lineup, that has a much better chance of happening. I think seeing Jamison go down in Chicago had a lot to do with this decision. Maybet we'll win anyways. It's all about the playoffs, which are approaching very fast. This is our year. LeBron will get his championship for the city of Cleveland. LeBron James is Underrated
The Cavaliers play the Chicago Bulls tonight on national television. Kind of odd that our last game was with the Raptors, who are currently engaged in an intense battle with the Bulls for the 8th spot in the playoffs (aka the right to lose to the Cavs.) Since Cleveland has already secured the #1 seed and homecourt throughout the playoffs, the 8th seed will have to face LeBron and company.
Currently, the 8th seed belongs to the Toronto Raptors. They are barely holding on though, and their 1/2 game lead is in serious jeopardy. Toronto has to be pretty upset about the fact that Bosh was critically injured during the last Cavs game, and they won't have him any time soon. They lost again last night, and also lost Hedo Turkoglu to injury, adding to their misery.
This is why tonight's game could have a significant impact on who the Cavs face in the first round of the playoffs. If Chicago can somehow beat Cleveland tonight, they will tie the Raptors for the 8th and final seed in the playoffs. They then play New Jersey tomorrow night, and expect to win. Toronto is off tonight; they face an always-tough Atlanta Hawks squad on Friday.
Who makes the playoffs will ultimately be decided Sunday night when the Raptors face the Bulls head-to-head. After that all-important showdown, Toronto's last two games are against Detroit and then New York. Chicago will finish up vs. the Bobcats and Charlotte.
You might be asking, does any of this really matter? The answer is obvious and was already stated; these teams are essentially fighting for the right to be swept and embarrassed by the Cavaliers in the first round. From the looks of things, it will probably be Chicago, since Toronto has to finish their season without their star and leader Chris Bosh. The matchup I'm looking forward to most is Varejao vs. Joakim Noah. Is Noah one ugly-looking scrub or is it just me?
Personally, I would much rather face the Bosh-less Raptors than Derrick Rose and the Bulls. It doesn't look likely that Toronto will hold onto their lead however. Their only hope is that the Cavs dismantle Chicago tonight and then they win the head-to-head matchup on Sunday. Again, let me reiterate, that none of this matters. If Atlanta and Milwaukee hold onto their 4th and 5th seeds, respectively, then we will have to face them in the 2nd round. After we beat the Hawks, it will likely be the winner of the Magic/Celtics 2nd round series facing the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Playoff hypotheticals are always tricky, because who can say that Orlando will beat Charlotte, or Boston will get by Miami in the 1st round. One thing is for certain; LeBron and the Cavaliers will be waiting for whomever in the Eastern Conference Finals. From there it's only a matter of time until the Cavs play for the championship. LeBron is on a mission this year, and with home-court throughout the playoffs, it doesn't look like anyone else stands a chance. LeBron will be the MVP (and finals MVP). LeBron James is Underrated
To steal a line from LL Cool J, "Momma said knock you out." That's pretty much what happened last night in Cleveland, as the Cavaliers steamrolled the Raptors winning easily 113-101. There wasn't a lot to cheer for if you were a Raptors fan, and to make matters worse Chris Bosh went down with an injury.
Early in the game, Bosh was battling hard with Antawn Jamison. Bosh was the recipient of (an unintentional) hard elbow to the face by Antawn. Bosh layed on the ground in pain, and you can't blame him. His nose started bleeding profusely, and tests showed Bosh broke his nose, and also incurred a facial fracture. Honestly, I feel pretty bad for him. That type of injury always looks excruciating; its reminiscent of Anquan Boldin's nasal fracture last season in the NFL. It's something that Bosh can possibly play with, but let's be honest; the Raptors aren't going anywhere this year anyways.
After their stud big-man went down, the Cavs stepped on the pedal. The wine-and-gold finished shooting a scorching 56 percent from the field, and a season-high 38 assists. Pretty impressive when you remember we've already clinched the best record overall, and basically have nothing to play for. You couldn't even have blamed Mike Brown had he decided to rest his stars.
Jamison led the Cavs in scoring with 20 points, but LeBron added 18 to go along with 13 assists as well. You have to appreciate the distribution of the ball, and the unselfishness of this team. All systems are go for a championship go.
"It was awesome," said Cavs star LeBron James. "To have 38 assists on 47 field goals is what we're all about. You can't have those numbers every night, but to pass like we did tonight with everyone giving each other the opportunity to score, sharing the basketball and knocking down shots was great to see."
That's what makes LeBron better than Kobe, and anyone else for that matter. If he wanted to, he could score 50 points a night and hog the ball like a certain purple-jersey wearing overrated Laker. LeBron loves to get his teammates involved, which is a huge reason why the chemistry on this team is so good. LeBron is at his best when he's hitting Mo Williams or Anthony Parker for demoralizing 3 pointers. Speaking of Parker, he loves showing Toronto why wish they still had him. His 18 points were certainly needed, and his season high 8 rebounds also had a huge impact.
You better have enjoyed watching our starters play this one, because there's really no reason to see them in action the rest of the regular season. We've earned the right to give LeBron and company some rest for the playoffs. Mike Brown certainly will take advantage of the opportunity. Even on the bench, LeBron still has a huge impact because our other players love showing the King their own set of skills. The Akron Hammer loves seeing the success of his teammates, and will likely be the number one cheerleader off the bench for the last few games of the season. That's what makes him the Most Valuable Player in the game today. LeBron James is Underrated
The first 3 quarters of this game was one of the worst defensive performances the Cavaliers have displayed this entire season. The Celtics somehow get off to a fast start, going up 8-1. Then LeBron hits a ridiculous layup, dishes a sick pass to Jamison for 2, and then comes down and hits a layup while getting fouled. Just like that, its 8-7. But the Celtics remembered the last two beatdowns the Cavs handed them, and looked determined to battle tough in the 1st quarter.
Rondo hits a jumper, Ray Allen hits a 3, and the Celtics are soon up 19-12. LeBron and Mo are taking most of the shots. LeBron missed his first several jumpers, but Mo picked up the slack by hitting some 3’s.
At the end of the quarter, the Cavs were down 22-30 and LeBron had the vision to find Jamario Moon for a spectacular alley-oop. Paul Pierce comes down and gets a garbage and-one, and the Cavs finish the quarter down 33-24. Boston clearly wanted to get off to a fast start, and they did just that.
The 2nd quarter progressed much like the 1st, and the Celtics just kept hitting shots. The Cavs look somewhat out-of-sync, and the Celtics were playing tough. Rondo and Ray Allen were playing solid. At the 5 minute mark, the Celtics were up 49-36 and we were just waiting for LeBron to escape his shooting slump. (3/11)
We weren’t getting many calls, but that wasn’t the reason why we were down double-digits. They kept getting out on fast-breaks and scored a lot of points in the paint. Hickson’s two baskets and then two free-throws cut Boston’s lead to 50-42. Hickson was a bright spot, who at this point had 8 points and 8 rebounds. Varejao’s absence didn’t help; his energy was invaluable in our last game with Boston.
Mo Williams took charge, hitting a tough running layup and then hitting his third 3 pointer (he hadn’t missed one yet.) LeBron added to the Cavs free-throw misery, bricking two with about a minute to go. The Cavs missed 14 free throws total, with LeBron having 8 of those. It’s not often LeBron goes a full quarter without scoring a point, but that was almost the case today. His only 2 points in the quarter came when he hit a deep jumper with 20 seconds remaining. The Cavs went 8/15 from the line in the half. There’s a reason why they’re called “free” throws. However, for the Cavaliers, sometimes they’re anything but “free.”
Rajon Rondo hits a deep three as the buzzer sounds, and the Celtics take a 64-49 lead at the half, their biggest lead of the game thus far. LeBron misses all 4 of his 3 point attempts, and shoots 4/13 on the half. Mo Williams was the only bright spot, with 15 points hitting all 6 shots he took. Ray Allen and Rondo both have 12 points, and it seems like every Celtic is playing their best. The Cavaliers never held a lead, and Boston looked like the championship team of 2 years ago.
Early in the 2nd half, things were looking grim. Following another episode of LeBron-swats-Rondo, the Cavs were down 53-72. Anthony Parker hits a big 3, and then LeBron finds Hickson for a nice dunk. But Ray Allen just kept hitting 3’s. It was a common theme. We cut the lead to 60-75, then Ray-Ray drills another 3, pushing the lead back to 18.
This was not the defensive effort Mike Brown was expecting. Fast-forward to the 6 minute mark, where Mike Brown effectively lost his mind. He gets double-technicaled while screaming in the face of a referee. I’m not sure what his plan was, but probably something in the “motivate the team” department. His stress factor was elevated when Mo Williams was being held by Tony Allen on a rebounding attempt. It was actually kind of refreshing to see a vintage Mike Brown freak-out. In his defense, the officiating was pretty suspect. Had he not been held back, it looked like he was ready to throw down.
So Brown gets sent to the locker room, and not a whole lot changes. Late in the quarter, there was an Antawn Jamison sighting. He had a nice offensive rebound off a LeBron-miss for an easy two, then the next possession down he hits a 3 cutting the Celtics lead to a (not-so-manageable) 87-70. Ray Allen hits another freaking 3 pointer and the lead is right back up to 20 @ 92-72. The quarter ended with the Celtics at 98 points, leading by 17, and we could only hope for a miracle in the 4th. Considering the Cavs only give up 95 a game, the fact that we gave up 98 in just 3 quarters was not a good sign.
The 4th quarter was far more entertaining for Cavaliers fans. No one scored for the first 2 minutes of the final quarter, and LeBron’s two free throws at the 9:54 mark yet again cut the lead to 15. A few possession’s later, another questionable call upset LeBron, and he received a technical foul. That really pissed the King off, and the Cavaliers started playing with a chip on their shoulder. LeBron cut the lead to 101-93 with about 6 minutes to go; there was no quit in the Cavaliers on this day. Antawn Jamison hits an unbelievable 3 pointer, and the lead is down to 5. (It’s easy to lose a big lead when you rely on Kevin Garnett, who missed a bunch of shots in the 4th)
LeBron’s smooth lefty-layup cut the lead down to 2, and then Rondo got a technical of his own on a drive. Anthony Parker hits a nasty bank-shot off the dribble, and the comeback is complete; Cavs take the lead 104-103. Honestly, in my opinion; this is one of the greatest comebacks in Cavs history. Even though we lost, the 4th quarter was so much fun to watch. The fact that we turned around a 20 point deficit to take the lead undoubtedly put a smile on the face of Cavaliers fans everywhere. This game truly showed that the Cavs don’t ever concede defeat.
Ray Allen hits another 3 with 46 seconds left, and the Celtics lead is 4 points at 112-108. Ray Allen was the reason the Celtics won this game. He hit 6/9 from deep, and his huge makes seem to come at terrible times for the Cavaliers on this occasion.
The game ultimately came down to a missed 3 pointer by LeBron. With 10 seconds to go and down 115-113, LeBron shot a 3 pointer. He was 0-9 from deep in the game, which makes you kind of wonder why he didn’t just drive to the lane and try for an easy bucket. Garnett’s two free throws sealed the deal.
This was a hard-fought game, and the tension kept growing throughout the entire contest. You gotta be proud of the Cavs though, who turned this game from a blowout into a thriller. LeBron led the charge in the 4th, and it looked like we had a chance to pull the miracle. This game definitely added to the rivalry between the two teams. Players that received technical fouls: LeBron, Rasheed, Rondo, and Mike Brown's ejection adds to 5 technicals total. The Cavaliers do not have any respect for the Celtics, and rightly so. The King finishes with 42 points, but everyone remembers the pull-up 3 that wasn't. LeBron wishes he could have had that last shot back, but he went for the win and you have to admire his overall performance. Even in defeat, LeBron James is Underrated
In the last two games, our beloved Cleveland Cavaliers won by a combined 8 total points. It's getting to be that time of year. The playoffs are on the horizon, and the Cavs have already locked up the division. Speaking of which, the next closest team in our division is 18 games behind. If that doesn't proclaim dominance, I'm not sure what does. Regardless, at this point in the season, we can't expect our starters to see their regular minutes. Mike Brown knows this team is poised for a championship-run, and he doesn't want to take chances.
Wednesday night, the scrappy Milwaukee Bucks were ready to give the Cavs their best shot. This game came down to the wire, and Mo Williams held us together to grit out a 101-98 victory. Milwaukee took advantage of our missed free throws, and lack of offensive production. LeBron's 23 points and 7 assists were solid, but we definitely played down to the competition.
"We should have won that game," said Bucks coach Scott Skiles. "We gave them that game. Nothing against Cleveland, because they won and they deserved it. But we've got to make plays."
Not so fast Scott. When you're playing the Cavaliers, you should never say, "We should have won that game." There's no justifying this blatently ignorant statement. Cleveland is just better than Milwaukee. You should have said, "We almost got really lucky and won that game against the Cavs who are clearly a better team than us."
Nice try though. Maybe instead he also should have focused on the free-throw disparity, which was awesomely one-sided. The Bucks shot 9 free throws; the Cavs shot 46. Either the Association loves to see LeBron win in Cleveland, or Milwaukee just commits a ridiculous amount of fouls. I vote the latter.
John Salmons was one who didn't overlook the statistic, and he as quoted saying, "9 to 45, that's got to be a record," Salmons said. "I don't want to lose no money, so ... I'm not going to speak about that." Now there's a guy who values the importance of the all-mighty dollar.
Milwaukee thought they should have won, but that's just not the case. Their playoff chances also took a major hit last night as Andrew Bogut was seriously injured in their victory over the Phoenix Suns. Bogut sustained a dislocated elbow, broken hand, and sprained his wrist. Obviously, Bogut won't be available for the Bucks futile playoff run. Not looking good for the brew-crew faithful.
The win over Milwaukee pushed the Cavs' win total to 59 games, one away from that sweet #60.
The Atlanta Hawks came to town, hoping to delay the Cavaliers achieving this feat back-to-back years. It wasn't meant to be. LeBron and company continued the recent trend of allowing opponents to think they have a chance, then actually start playing late in the 4th quarter. So in summation: Cavs don't take the first 3 quarters very seriously, push the "easy" button (aka giving LeBron the ball) late in the game, and win a close game 93-88.
Don't get me wrong, Atlanta has a pretty darn good team. A starting lineup with Jamal Crawford, Joe Johnson, Josh Smith, and Al Horford is a pretty formidable squad. Their problem arises when they go to their bench, who can't hang with the depth of the Cavaliers' bench. Another problem is a common one for NBA teams: Having to go against LeBron James.
LeBron was vintage ridiculous in the 4th quarter, displaying an impressive arsenal of unstoppable drives. His shooting stroke was also dead-on, and the Hawks had no answer. LeBron finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds. There aren't too many other (in fact there are no) small-forwards in the league that have the potential to grab 13 rebounds in a night. That's part of what makes LeBron James the most dominant force in the league. His signature hammer-dunk in the 4th quarter got the crowd on their feet, and left the rim in a little bit of pain.
Also important was the continued clutch play of Mo Williams, who had 24 huge points to help the Cavs seal the deal late. Maurice Williams is one of the best point guards in the league. LeBron knows this, and always gives him opportunities to knock down much-needed 3 pointers when the game is on the line.
Let's just think take a minute, and think about how great our team is. With this win over Atlanta, the Cavaliers became the 18th team to have back-to-back 60 win seasons. The Cavaliers also clinched home-court advantage throughout the Eastern Conference finals, and soon to be throughout the entire playoffs. This win makes it 10 straight at home. The Cavaliers are 60-16 on the season. That means, that if you bet $100,000 on every Cavs game this year, you would have turned your $100,000 into $4.4 million. That's a pretty good return on your investment. LeBron is the run-away pick for MVP. That means he could win the scoring title, regular season MVP, and finals MVP. When your franchise goes from 17 wins, 65 losses, to 60+ wins and 16 losses, you probably drafted LeBron James.
Today, we head to Boston to embarrass the Celtics, (again) and the win total will climb to 61. The Celtics are just hoping to not get knocked out of the 1st round this year. The Cavs are expecting to win at all. All things are possible when you draft the King. LeBron James is Underrated
