I visited the Indiana Pacers and Minnesota Timberwolves locker rooms before they played and beat the Cavs last week.  Both of them had virtually the exact same scouting report up on the dry-erase board.   They read something like this: 

"Make them play half court. Slow tempo. Stop the ball. No fast breaks."

There’s no espionage there, these aren’t industry secrets.  In the NBA, two things exist in incredible abundance: extreme paranoia and carnal knowledge of sets, plays, trends, and styles.  NBA advance scouts work in teams with binoculars, listening devices and pages of play diagrams.  By this point in the season, the entire NBA knows the Cavs plays and what they’re called.

Just to give you an example, I’ve seen the LA Clippers advance scout at least four times at Cavs games already.  They play twice in four days this week.  Before that, I saw the Pacers scout come to two or three straight games.

So here’s my point, the scouts came and watched the Cavs rip teams apart by running and gunning and figured it might be a good idea to keep LeBron James and Larry Hughes out of transition.  The Pacers and Timberwolves are also good half court defensive teams, so they were also playing to their strengths.  But the league has figured out that when playing the Cavs you need to make them play half court offense.  Which is why the Cavs have to figure out how to play better half court offense.

I give my opinion in my Sunday column, which is to take advantage of Zydrunas Ilgauskas.  Mike Brown’s reaction is to play better defense.  This is sound thinking, because in the playoffs every game is a half court game and the team that plays better defense usually wins.  However, this is November and they badly need to get better in the half-court.

They are inserting new plays all the time, but really only a handful seem to work in the half court.  As Mike Brown taught me during one of his media practices, the Cavs offense calls for lots of movement if the original play breaks down.  Well, they haven’t been doing it recently.  In the last two losses, there’s been a lot of LeBron dribbling the ball and everyone else standing around…where have we seen that before.

The Cavs have three days off to work on it, let’s see how they respond.  After their last two-game losing skid, they won eight straight.

Now, for my usual dose of The NBA Beat Life:

• I saw Jared from Subway at the Pacers game on Thanksgiving.  Apparently all that Subway cash has bought him some sweet seats.  Or are those "sweet-and-sour chicken teriyaki" seats?  Hardy, har, har.

No seriously — and I realize before I write this that I am opening myself to criticism in the comments section (that means you, Tucker) — I saw Jared get up to go to the concession stand at least three times.  And this was on Thanksgiving night!  Perhaps those subs are getting a little tiresome.

• I know that some people don’t travel much and perhaps Thanksgiving is the only time of the year many people fly.  That’s great, I hope you all had wonderful trip.  But, for the love of all things sacred, please, please, please, realize that you have to go through a metal detector more than 15 seconds before it is time to walk through it!  Excuse me, sir, did you think it was a good idea to bring seven bucks in change and your comb collection.

Damon Jones loves the new dress code, he always shows up dressed to the nines.  The other night he comes into the locker room, last to arrive as is his ritual, decked out.  I mumbled to Luke Jackson that all he need was a cane to complete the outfit and LJ33 shouts it at DJ.  "These ain’t even pimp clothes," Jones said back.  Then he got into a disagreement with Drew Gooden over thread counts.

Anyone who has read me for awhile or heard me expound on the radio or TV knows that I’m a big Ron Artest fan.  I flat out think he’s one of the 10 best players in the NBA.  I don’t care about the brawl or the record label or all the flagrant fouls.  (By the way, that picture is Mike Brown trying to peel Artest off that fan in Detroit last year).  This is why I could never be an NBA general manager, because I would be tempted to forget about character when it came to getting talent.  I’d trade for Artest in a heartbeat.  In fact, the day after he was suspended last season I called Jim Paxson and asked him if there was any way the Cavs could trade for him.  He set me straight.

Anyway, the point is I’m very much looking forward to seeing how LeBron handles Artest tomorrow night.  The Cavs haven’t won in Indy in three years and last year they were embarrassed twice in there.  I’m sure this game means a lot to Brown and it is a great test to see where the Cavs stand.  It really doesn’t matter who wins at this point, it is how the Cavs play.  Which is why it’s worth watching Artest and LBJ.

When LeBron was a rookie, the only guy that got to him was Artest.  He was rough, he was physical and he shut him down.  They only got to play once last season, in the opener and it was a great two-overtime affair.  LeBron is better, stronger, and more respected by officials now and the stakes are higher so I’m probably not going to take my eyes off those two much.

I see rivalries with LeBron and Andre Igoudala of the Sixers, Andres Noiconi of the Bulls, Ricky Davis of course, developing.  But none of these will be more important than his matchup with Artest because the Cavs will eventually have to beat Indiana to do anything meaningful long term. Same goes for Detroit, of course, but I think the Cavs are built for the longer haul right now.  In basketball terms, tomorrow night will be a big-time heat-check.

In other news:

• Damon Jones was wearing shoes that looked like this after the game on Tuesday.  Now sprained ankles are serious and you don’t want to rush back from them.  But considering Damon was able to walk out with these on and the fact that he’s proud he hasn’t missed a game with injury in eight years, I think there’s a chance he could play.  Most importantly, it doesn’t appear he’ll miss a great deal of time.
• Donyell Marshall was awesome in the preseason and the first seven or so games, but he’s struggled over the last week.  His 3-point percentage is down to .340 and that was after going 2-of-4 last night.
• Can you hear the sound of Drew Gooden earning money?  He’s been a total pro and done everything asked of him without a hint of complaint.
• If you have some time this afternoon, you can check me out on Kenny Roda (WKNR 850-AM) in the 4 o’clock hour, I think it is at 4:10 but I could be wrong.  Also, at 5 p.m. I’m doing a live chat/Internet radio broadcast at realcavsfans.com.  I’ll be driving towards Indy, so come and keep me company.

• And finally, Happy Thanksgiving to all.  Enjoy the day with your friends and families and lament how I have to spend it in Indy and then check out the Cavs vs. Pacers on TNT.  I’m most thankful for all of you, my readers! 

It is no surprise to me that Damon Jones and Terrell Owens are boys and proud supporters of each other no matter what.   As Damon said the other night in Philly to a reporter: TO just wants the ball.

When athletes hang out, usually they play video games, go to clubs, compare personal chefs and, in the case of the Minnesota Vikings, pass loose women around a chartered boat.  When DJ and TO get together, they might just sit around and look at themselves in handheld mirrors.

Considering the pressure they compete under, it is understandable why having a massive ego is sometimes vital in sports.  Damon doesn’t just say he’s the best shooter in the world, he actually believes it (he also believes he’s the best looking guy on the Cavs and probably the NBA).  No doubt that is comforting when you’ve got to make a jumper in front of 20,000 people or make clutch free throws like he did the other night in Philly.

After three weeks of not talking to the media, DJ finally spoke up today.  He made it pretty clear that even though the Cavs are playing well, he’s playing well, and everyone thinks the idea of bringing him and Donyell Marshall off the bench together is smashing, he’s still not happy.  Nor will he happy until he’s the starter.  The conversation between him and the media went like this:

Branson Wright, Plain Dealer: Did it have anything to do with Eric Snow being the starter, not speaking to us?
DJ: Next question.
Branson: Are you comfortable with your role coming off the bench?
DJ: Next question
Yours truly: Can you not be fully happy unless you’re the starter, is that what we’re getting out of this?
DJ: Next question.

Draw your own conclusions from that.

This, mind you, less than 48 hours after the biggest Cavs win of the season to get the team to 8-2.  Damon did say Mike Brown has handled the team well and Brown said he had no problems with Damon…YET!

In other news, Carlos Boozer isn’t just sitting around waiting for his hamstring to heal.  He’s buying a $6.8 million house in LA. Today is his 24th birthday…Happy Birthday, Carlos!

I’ve gotten e-mails asking me what other stuff I read regularly on the net.  Well, today I have decided to tell you.

• The best site for NBA news, read by everyone in the league everyday is Hoopshype.com
• A good clearinghouse for all pro sports news is here.
• I didn’t mean to cause a stir, insidehoops is also a very good jump site.
• The best NBA blog out there I’ve seen is this one at YAY Sports.
• You can’t go wrong with anything Darren Rovell from ESPN.com writes at either of his blogs.

It is late, but here’s what’s on the brain from Brian after Orlando game:

• I don’t want to say Z was in the zone tonight or anything, but dude threw three no-look passes, setting a career-high in that catagory, and all of them actually were caught.
• Mike Brown has learned quickly, no matter who’s fault a defensive breakdown is, he almost always yells at Drew Gooden.  Or at least that what it seems like.
• They never play Usher’s Yeah song anymore at Q, wonder why?  Last season they belted it out like six times a night and would always used canned footage of the few games Usher came too.
• After the game, Pistons-Rockets game is on huge TVs in Cavs locker room.  Yao Ming dunks on Ben Wallace.  Quoth LeBron: "Yeah, Yao, dunk on his (backside), somebody beat them, we’re trying to catch them."
• Damon Jones, who still isn’t talking to the media, practices his preposterous high leg kick during warm-ups.
• Mike Wilks can throw down some of the nastiest dunks on the team.  He can get up.
• Steve Francis has to lead the league in complaining to the officials.  Tonight, however, I thought he was right at least twice.
• I think Dwight Howard can jump higher than LeBron, the only guy in the league I thought could do that was Josh Smith.  He’s going to be crazy good.
• Speaking of Dwight Howard, it looked to me like he twice fouled LeBron hard on purpose within a few minutes of each other in the third quarter.  One wonders if it was a message from Aaron Goodwin, Howard’s agent who LeBron fired last spring.
• I’ve been on a huge Warren Zevon kick lately.  He has some of the best lyrics of all time.  "I’m hiding in Honduras, I’m a desperate man; send lawyers, guns and money, the s— has hit the fan!"  That and The Killers, especially Smile Like You Mean It.
• I find covering a team on a winning streak is sometimes no fun, there is no controversy to write about.
• I will be interested to see if Damon Jones or Eric Snow can keep Allen Iverson in front of them in Philly tomorrow (or, actually, tonight, since it is nearly 2 a.m.).  Let’s just say their tactics didn’t work in the two preseason games with the Sixers.  He averaged 33 points in those two games.
• I find it mildly comical to refer to Hedo Turkoglu as Hedo Turkey-glue.
• I respect that Sasha Pavlovic is keeping his head up after getting benched, but Luke Jackson looks better by the game.

OK, I have to sleep and get ready to go to Philly.  Sorry to disturb the chat room passing as my comment section.  By the way, my latest podcast is here.

Peace.

I’m not sure how closely many of you watched it because the Browns were on at the same time, but the Cavs win over Orlando really showcased some things about this team.

As I touched on in the article linked above, the most impressive thing about the win was LeBron James didn’t have to do it all.  In fact, not only didn’t he touch the ball on Donyell Marshall’s 3-pointer to tie the game at the end of regulation, he didn’t touch the ball on the Cavs first five possessions in overtime.  The Cavs scored on all six of those possessions, which won them the game.

Rather, it was Larry Hughes who ran things.  In overtime, Eric Snow brought the ball down, he’d pitch it to Hughes on the left wing, who ran the exact same play over and over while LeBron stood in the corner.  Last year this team couldn’t seem to score a point in clutch time unless LeBron did it, and often he couldn’t.

Donyell has been getting a lot of attention and rightfully so in the early going, but I’ve been telling people that Hughes has been way better than his stats.  He had 22 points, nine rebounds, seven assists and four steals in Orlando, his best statistical night of the year.  But his role was equally important last week in the blowout over the Grizzlies.  When LeBron went to the bench in that game with foul trouble in the second quarter, Hughes basically took over the game.

I don’t get to hear the call-in shows when I’m on the road, but I really haven’t heard a lot of credit being given to Hughes by the fans thus far and that’s an injustice I’m trying to fix.  I don’t care what the stats say, he’s playing like an All-Star right now.

Other things rattling in my head include, but are not limited to…

• I have decided to see every movie that Peter Sarsgaard appears in.   I’m just a big fan and I don’t care what you think about it.  From Boys Don’t Cry to Shattered Glass to Garden State.  Ok, so Flightplan was a setback, but I’m amped to see Jarhead.
• I see a lot of movies on the road and in Orlando I saw Pride and Prejudice.  Ok, ok, my girlfriend was on the trip and she wanted to see it.  But it was pretty good if you like English humor.  It was no Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, mind you.

• The favorite TV show among Cavs?  Well Sasha Pavlovic likes S&M Tonight - that’s stands for Serbia and Montenegro you sickos.  Just kidding.  Actually, Alan Henderson and Drew Gooden are always bantering about Curb Your Enthusiasm, and I too am a huge fan.  But the writers on Desperate Housewives have to be the best in the biz.

• Classic moment in the locker room the other day.  In his new style with the dress code, LeBron is all about the Jay-Z preppie look, especially with large collection of argyle socks to match his outfits.  After a game, Luke Jackson, who James constantly is joking with, looked over at his footwear and said: "I like those socks, man, I wear those when I play golf.  What are they called again?  Oh, gargoyles, right?"

Some stuff to keep you busy:

• Damon Jones is blacking out the media, those of us in Cleveland have chosen not to write about it but a columnist in Toronto did.

• Larry Hughes isn’t happy with his play.  I don’t think he’s been gangbusters, but I think he’s selling himself sort so far.  He’s is so multi-talented and fun to watch, even though what he does may no always been noticeable to the average fan.  Watch how he plays Ray Allen tonight on defense, I assume they’ll be matched up.
• Drew Gooden took out some extra insurance.  I think it probably cost him six figures, but it is a smart thing to do.
• Are you a numbers nut? Like basketball’s version of "Moneyball?"  If you are, you’d realize the Cavs most valuable player so far has actually been Donyell Marshall. This site has the proof.
• Carlos Boozer.  Remember him?  They barely do even in Utah right now.
• The Sonics hit Cleveland in trouble

San Antonio — I either wrote or said sometime last week that all the Cavs’ weaknesses would be exposed here against the Spurs.  Boy, was I right.  I know it is early and still very much a work in progress, but here’s what I’ve noticed:

• The point guards lack lateral quickness.  It won’t show up every night like it did last season with Jeff McInnis, who didn’t guard anybody.  But Damon Jones and Eric Snow have a problem keeping quick guys like Tony Parker, T.J. Ford, Speedy Claxton, and Allen Iverson in front of them.  I’ve seen them take on all four and all four have torched them.  This really might turn into an issue.
• Damon Jones can be a chucker. This I already knew, but because he’s such a good shooter you figure it’s OK when he shoots.  But I thought that he would take bad shots in the half court and you’d live with it.  When he hoists them on the fastbreak or in transition, it isn’t pretty.  He seems to do it when he’s frustrated defensively.
• The Cavs show potential for great ball movement.  But simply not often enough.  Three times Friday they made four passes to set up a shot and it was always open, but they simply aren’t comfortable enough with the system yet.
• LeBron is posting up more.  Forget about those 3s, the new wrinkle in his game is that the Cavs are getting him in position to get the ball on the post.  If he gets the ball with position in the post there IS NO STOPPING HIM.  He will score or be fouled.  This needs to be developed.
• I saw one of the Spurs championship rings up close. I can see why everyone covets them.

On Bob Finnan…

• As blog loyalists know, I’m a huge Bob Finnan fan.  He is the Cavs beat writer for the Lake County News-Herald and Lorain Morning Journal.  This is his 11th year on the beat, so he’s a wily veteran.  We often travel together, in fact he’s sitting across from me right now.  And simply, he absolutely cracks me up non-stop.  Here’s a sampling of his work this season so far.

• He has spied not one, but two obscure singers in public that he’s a apparently a fan of and I’d never heard of.  Paul Williams and Aaron Neville.  Finnan told me Williams wrote the theme to the "Love Boat."  When we walked by him at a restaurant in Boston, we hummed the tune to see if he’d look up.  He did.

I wasn’t with him when he saw Neville, so I’ll take his word on it, I guess. 

The other night at "The Q" he watched the Cavs’ dance team perform their "show," which drew the ire of numerous fans for its R-rated nature.  Then he turned to me and said "All they’re missing is a pole."

Then, this morning as we’re about to catch a flight to Memphis, a very, very early flight, Finnan is waiting in line to board the plane and starts smiling and waving to a little child being carried by his mother in front of him.

The child first stares, then begins to cry.  Said Finnan:

"Oh my God, I’m the ugliest person this baby has ever seen."

People love predictions, but I don’t.  Even so, here’s my best guess as to what will happen with the Cavs/NBA this season.  Feel free to tack on your own predictions in the comments section:

• Cavs record: 47-35.  Ironically, this is the same record I predicted last season.  Do I not think this is a better team than last year’s?  Of course.  However, I know that the entire Eastern Conference and especially Central Division are better.  Even Atlanta and Charlotte, you won’t just be able to walk into those arenas and win anymore.
• Cavs finish: 3rd in the Central Division, No. 5 in the Eastern Conference.  Call me a realist.
• Eastern Conference champ: Indiana.  What?  I love Ron Artest.
• Western Conference champ: San Antonio.  Edging out Golden State.  Just kidding.
• Champ: Ho hum, Spurs.
• MVP: Shaquille O’Neal.  Heat will have a great record and people still feel bad about last season.  Not me, though, I voted for Steve Nash and I stick with that vote.
• Rookie of the Year: Chris Paul, Hornets.  He’s a freakin’ stud.
• Sixth man: Michael Finley, Spurs.  The rich get richer.
• Coach of the Year: Rick Carlisle, should’ve won it last year.

So there, I’m probably all wrong.  Oh, my first podcast is up on Ohio.com.  Check it out.  OK, off to the Q…

For your listening pleasure, I’ll be on the Kenny Roda show on WKNR 850 AM today from 3-7 p.m. The whole show will be a season preview on the Cavs. I’ll co-host with Kenny and we’ll have several guests. Feel free to call in.