And the kernels get stuck in your teeth
Posted December 2nd, 2005 by Brian Windhorst
Seattle — Someone once described to me how a long road trip is like eating popcorn. The smell allures you as it’s popping, it’s so good when it’s hot and fresh and you just enjoy grabbing handful after handful. But you keep eating it and it gets cold and rubbery and eventually gives you a stomach ache.
The Cavs play four of their next five games on the road, starting against the Sonics. It is on the road where the Cavs’ success this season will be determined. Last year they were 13-28 on the road, which was actually worse than the 14-27 they were the year before. They had the best home record in the history of Gund/Quicken Loans Arena last season and yet were unable to qualify for the playoffs.
PhD candidates have done studies on why sport teams don’t win on the road as much as at home. It goes beyond the "not sleeping in your own bed" theory, NBA players often like not sleeping in their own beds if you get my drift. I will also say that, unlike in college, almost all NBA arenas are the relatively the same* and, while the home crowd can play a role in various clutch situations, I would say it is quite rare they decide the game.
Mike Brown believes defense wins on the road and of course he is right**. But, then, defense wins at home, too, right?
It is my own personal opinion that the reason the Cavs haven’t been a great road team has been a lack of experience. They kicked away numerous games on the road last season because they didn’t know how to handle themselves. Like, when the home team is on a run, don’t chuck a 3, drive to the damn basket and get a foul. Or running and gunning just because your opponent is running and gunning and you want to one-up a guy to silence the crowd. It is up to the coach to discourage this, but up to the players to execute it.
There a certain percentage of road games the Cavs are destined to win and those they are destined to lose. Some nights outside and supernatural factors*** determine the outcome, regardless the opponent. The thought process is veterans Donyell Marshall, Larry Hughes, Alan Henderson, and Damon Jones have the know-how to help the Cavs win these contests. It still remains to be seen if they will.
If you can stay awake long enough to watch the games out here on the coast, play close attention to the possessions the Cavs have when their opponent is on a run and how they react when the come out of timeouts, especially the ones they call to stop a run. Also, see if they execute offense or just hand the ball to LeBron and pray when they need a basket. These are the things that add up.
In the meantime, check out my latest podcast. In addition, in response to demand here and in my e-mail inbox, please keep an eye out in the Beacon Journal for Anderson Varejao and Martynas Andruiskevicius updates. Also, Monday I will be a guest on the Kenny Roda show on WKNR 850-AM at 5:40 p.m. EST. I’m currently in PST, and EST certainly beats the hell out of it.****
*-except for Sacramento and Indiana. Sac has a non-descript arena but the best fans in the league, Indy has the best building but the fans don’t match.
**-Though, the Cavs did win a road game 123-120 in regulation this season.
***-In general, these do not include David Stern, despite what you’ve heard.
****-This may not be true.
December 2nd, 2005 at 3:42 pm
Don’t we all know the real reason teams don’t win on the road in the NBA? Namely that NBA refs systematically favor the home team when they call games? I’ve been to plenty of games and I’ve seen it.
Even top teams like San Antonio have barely better than a .500 winning percentage on the road. You can’t tell me that’s cause of “inexperience”.
December 2nd, 2005 at 4:55 pm
People must be incredibly bored and lonely if they’re demanding Varejao updates from you, let alone Martynas Andruiskevicius updates. Apparently watching the love stories taking shape in “Lost” doesn’t sufficiently fill their free time.
Hey, will your “update” column also include the present status of Jon Bon Jovi’s hair? I’m just dying to know.
December 2nd, 2005 at 10:39 pm
When is a certain Akron Beacon Journal writer going to write that Ferry made a substantial mistake by signing Damon Jones to that bloated long-term contract? Jones can’t dribble, Jones can’t drive, Jones can’t play defense. And on top of that, Jones can’t play defense. Oh, wait a minute. I already said that. So what *can* Jones do? I mean, what can Jones do that doesn’t otherwise involve providing the local sports media with some entertainment fodder and a chuckle? Absolutely nothing. Oh, wait a minute. I just remembered. Jones can shoot a three-point shot. Whoopie. If that’s what Ferry was looking for, and very clearly he was, then why in the world didn’t he simply sign Jason Kapono? Kapono was available to anybody with a Bic pen and a piece of paper that said “Contract” on it. Ferry could have gotten Kapono for a song and a dance and no long-term commitment and no additional salary cap crunch affecting the team’s future. Bad, bad move, Danny. In Mexico, I believe this is known as “el stinko.”
December 2nd, 2005 at 10:59 pm
No, no, I think exhibit A was here in Seattle tonight. The Cavs made big shots but didn’t play with poise, especially on defense, a sign of immaturity.
Those of us who are paid to be objective and watch lots of games will tell you that officials very rarely decide the winner. They decide how rough the game will be played, but usually the same amount of bad calls go each way.
What do you want me to say, that Damon Jones isn’t a point guard? You’re right. Kapono is second in the NBA in 3-point shooting, but he’s a worse defender.
December 2nd, 2005 at 11:37 pm
I hear what you’re saying about Kapano being a “worse defender,” Brian, and I agree with you. But when you really sit back and think about it, does it *truly* make a difference as to how badly a defensive assignment is blown? Two points is still two points. It’s like comparing and contrasting the smell of my unwashed armpits to the smell of the mildew in my bathtub. Neither is fragrant. They’re both superb at attracting flies, though.
Sure, your job will be a lot more fun covering the Cavs with Jones as opposed to Kapono or any other short-term hired three-point deadly gun out there. But the Steelers’ Frenchy Fuqua and his platform shoes with the live goldfish swimming around in the see-through high heels was pretty fun, too. In the bigger picture, so what? It sure isn’t going to help the franchise if that Jones contract prevents future trades and/or free agent signings that could have otherwise been made to improve the team next season and beyond.
December 2nd, 2005 at 11:48 pm
Oops. Typo. Misspelled Mr. UCLA’s name. It’s “Kapono.” Sorry, Mr. Kapono’s dad. Wasn’t intended.
December 3rd, 2005 at 12:09 am
Actually, while it’s on my mind, how in the world are the Cavs going to improve beyond this year? Other than James’ talent level, where is the potential upside? No first-round picks and a few pretty bad long-term contracts hanging onto the payroll like an albatross. While the signings obviously improved the team since last season, haven’t Ferry’s moves also boxed the team into a corner for all the years remaining on James’ contract? If Ferry can’t add additional talent beyond what they already have now, then how can the number of victories be increased beyond this season?
Oh, and while you’re in Seattle, bring me back some of that great coffee. Empty the mini-bar for me if you have to. And don’t worry, there is a little thing the Beacon Journal has that is known as an “expense account.” They’ll never know the difference. Thanks in advance.
December 3rd, 2005 at 6:17 am
Alan, they’ll have the MLE to use, which is typically how teams add the last few pieces to get over the hump. They’ll picks up someone like a Bonzi Wells or a player like that.
The nice thing about the Cavs is they have their main pieces. They need to fill in the holes, and the MLE is how they will do so.
They can also hire you as a motivational speaker, although I hear your rates are quite high.
December 3rd, 2005 at 6:56 am
What would Alan do without this blog??? I think we need a few people with PhDs to study him. I know there has been research done on talk show callers. Maybe we need an Alan Tucker study done. He really gets into this stuff. Brian, have you seen any strange cars following you lately or parked outside of your house? Perhaps you noticed something got into your trash or that your underwear drawer was open when you know you left it closed…
December 3rd, 2005 at 9:27 am
mr tucker (tucker, eh? rhymes with…oh, never mind; too easy…) states “Actually, while it’s on my mind, how in the world are the Cavs going to improve beyond this year? Other than James’ talent level, where is the potential upside?”
well, obviously luke jackson and anderson varejo are the answers here. luke has serious athletic ability and hustle, as does andy. and who knows what old marty might give us next year? ten minutes a game bakcing up z would be welcome relief from the alan henderson era…
and one more thing on marty, i remember when EVERYONE in cleveland was moanin’ about z when the cavs drafted him because to most fans he was an unknown. so, how’d that work out for us? i have more than a sneaking suspicion that in 3 years or so, people will be hailing ferry as a complete genius for trading for marty…
so, windy, howzabout it? have you seen anything from marty that might give us a clue on whether he’ll be a player or not? oh, and windy, i LOVED the subtle shot you gave to us blogites with the comment “those of us who get paid to be objective.” oh, you mean like sam smith? very nice…
December 3rd, 2005 at 11:24 am
What would I do without this blog, Bob? Oh, I don’t know, Bob…Help little old ladies to cross the street and help the blind to see? So in a way, this blog is a blight on society. GET RID OF THE BLOG, BRIAN!
The MLE??? You get better by adding strength and removing weakness. There are several glaring weaknesses that no amount of coaching can change. Let’s start at guard. There are two point guards, neither of whom can play NBA point guard, both with bulbous long-term contracts. Unless the plan is to switch James to point, this is a major problem that is not going away. And the bench spare parts have little trade value to other teams.
I went to the circus this past Wednesday. I bought a $10 ticket, but I moved up to the $60 seats. It was great. I felt like I was back at the old stadium watching the Indians. Buy a cheapo ticket, and then sit in the most expensive box seats. But I really feel sorry for the elephants. God didn’t invent the elephant so some trailer trash can hold him at gunpoint and force him to hop around like a bunny. Anyway, I had their gypsy read the Cavs tea leaves. She said that barring Ferry persuading that dummy Rob Babcock to trade Chris Bosh for Ronnie Duncan, Michael Reghi and a future radio play-by-play screamer to be named in 2007, this team is going to be Garnett’s Timberwolves all over again. That is more than just a “hump.” Bad long-term contracts in the NBA are not a hump, they are the polyps in Ronald Reagan’s colon. Will intestinal polyps persuade James from going to Brooklyn or Manhattan? Brian openly admits he asked LeBron’s mom this question, and she said she was too busy trying on chinchilla coats to talk.
December 3rd, 2005 at 11:34 am
Snow’s contract is bad, DJ’s is not so bad. Four million a year is nothing in the NBA. Unless Hughes gets injured, the Cavs don’t really have any terrible contracts. I think Z is overpaid for what he is, but not that much really, and most centers are overpaid now.
I’ve been thinking for a while that the Cavs made a big mistake by letting Kapono go. If all we want is a spot-up 3 point shooter, he was it. That’s really all DJ is right now. And Luke, although he looks better on defense, is so lost on offense that Kapono would be an improvement on him overall. Kapono can at least do one thing really well.
December 3rd, 2005 at 12:06 pm
In the grand context of things, four million a year guaranteed for the next four years spent on a guy that can’t do anything but shoot three-pointers and make reporters chuckle is very, very bad when a three-point stud like Kapono is available for a pack of Juicy Fruit, and a genuine running/driving/shooting/defensive talent like Latrell Sprewell is available without a long-term commitment for the current asking price of five million. Or, with a little bit of agent give and take, for what Jones is getting.