The wins keep on coming
Posted May 8th, 2007 by Brian Windhorst
Before tonight’s, well considering I’m getting to this at 2 a.m., last night’s game, I told a handful of people I thought the Nets would win Game 2. I heard some of the things the Nets said they planned to improve on — especially their offensive ball movement — and thought they might have a chance to get the Cavs. Actually, it was the inverse, the Nets did a lot right and still couldn’t overcome the Cavs in Game 2.
Thoughts…
–The Nets’ ball movement was excellent, they really beat the Cavs rotations a bunch and it got them open shots. Open shots that they made. I know everyone, especially the New York media, will make such a big deal about Vince Carter’s struggles. But Carter distributed very well, he had seven assists, and his teammates were awesome at times. At one point in the third quarter, Mikki Moore, Jason Kidd and Richard Jefferson were a combined 16-of-18 shooting and most of those were jumpers. I mean, wow, man.
–Of course, this was totally overcome by the Cavs offensive rebounding. While I thought too much was made of the offensive rebounding differential (20-9) in Game 1 — both teams were virtually tied in second-chance points — it was almost doubly effective than numbers (19-3) showed the in Game 2. The Cavs got 20 more shots, which everyone will point out. However, the Cavs also took eight more free throws (shots don’t count in stats when a player is fouled) and committed eight fewer turnovers. So that overall possession differential is gargantuan. In fact, it was amazing the Nets only lost by 10. It shows just how well they played. Do you know how hard it is to shoot 52 percent in an NBA game and only score 92 points? Well, it’s hard.
–LeBron James was great and he’s been great for almost every game in these playoffs. I’m not writing any more about it now, other than to say the chemistry in the fourth quarter on offense has been huge. The movement away from the ball has dramatically improved.
–Sasha Pavlovic’s best defensive job has been when Carter has attempted to drive to the baseline. The way the Cavs play, he will always have help when Carter goes to the middle. Sasha has been just quick enough to cut Carter off numerous times, especially tonight. Which is why Carter ended up taking so many jumpers from the baseline tonight. By the way, the next 72 hours hold the potential for Sasha hitting rock star status.
–Larry Hughes is shooting 40 percent in the six playoff games. All roads…
–A few years back Buster Olney, now with ESPN but then of the New York Times, kept track of how many bats Yankees closer Mariano Rivera broke during a season. I thought that was super cool (in a nerdy beat writer sort of way), so every year I’ve been on the Cavs beat I tried to keep my own obscure stat. This year I tracked Anderson Varejao’s charges taken (78 in the regular season, two so far in the playoffs) because it’s not an official stat. If I were to cover the Nets, though, I think I would keep track of the amount of games when Carter goes to a limp. So far in this series it’s 2.
–Want to know what was the Cavs’ the biggest offensive rebound of the night? When Sasha tracked down his missed 3-pointer with 50 seconds left. He took that 3 with like 16 seconds on the shot clock and the Cavs up 7. Not so big for the team as for Sasha himself. Mike Brown might’ve ordered lashes.
–Tonight was the first night I thought the atmosphere at the Q reached last year’s levels. It was very loud in the second half.
Time for bed, three off days now to digest more…
May 9th, 2007 at 12:09 am
Thank you for the nice post.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:23 am
Missed your in-game blogging tonight, but thanks for the late night notes.
Rebounding also helps (and today more free throws, even if they were missed too often) to slow the NJ transition game down. Compared to the track meet vs. Toronto, the Nets have had very little success getting fast break buckets. It’s unlikely the Nets will shoot that high percentage of jumpers every night, but Jefferson is going to make 100% of those fast-break slam dunks.
If the game starts to move faster, as it did several times tonight, the series could shift. But so far the Cavs have done enough down the stretch.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:51 am
Two things:
a) Is anyone else totally bamboozled by this playoff stretch thus far? By my count, the Cavs have underperformed in 6 straight games, yet they have 6 straight wins. Am I to be whipped up into an angry frenzy over their lack of turning “it” on? Or should I be eltated that we’re apparently talented enough to win without “it”? Really, what is a Cavs fan to do? This is craziness.
b) But, far more importantly, where the hell are the playoff-man-beards? By this point, Lebron and Larry should be far more grizzled… Z’s apperance should suggest he’s never seen a mirror, and he’s more inclined to holding a shotgun, or a dead racoon, than a basketball. The only way I can accept this is if it’s a unified team demonstration of understanding of the Braziller Thriller’s facial folical deficencies. More crazinesss.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:09 am
I agree - it’s a SHOCK that the Cavs have not let one of these games get away, especially after what we saw many times this season. I think we should be happy that they have been able to step up in the 4th quarter. And tonight, they really stepped up at the 6-minute mark.
They are the “Just Do Enough” team. Which is good for the playoffs. So far.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:01 am
I can’t freaking wait to see Alan Tuckers first comments on the Cavs latest win. You JUST KNOW he is going to have something negative to say about this win, their 9 game streak, Lebrons new killer instinct, etc.
Come on Alan, give us your best shot ya frickin moron.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:05 am
Well done…The Cavs cotinue to fly under the radar, with everyone essentially handing the Eastern Conference Title to the Pistons…
Go ahead, everyone, keep thinking that…..
FTS
http://www.fearthesword.com
May 9th, 2007 at 5:52 am
anyone else surprised that Mike Brown didn’t pull Sasha when he picked up his 5th foul with like 2 or 3 minutes left to play? I thought for sure Snow would come in to guard Carter for a little, but he didn’t and Sasha had a huge put back on, I believe, the next possession
May 9th, 2007 at 6:04 am
I can’t help but think this could be the high-water mark this year for us Cleveland sports fans. Consider this:
1. The Cavs have won 10 straight;
2. The Tribe is already 10 games over .500; and
3. The Browns had a seemingly excellent draft.
Why is it that I can only think that things will surely fall apart? I hope I’m wrong, but…
May 9th, 2007 at 6:21 am
I was also surprised to see Sasha being left in the game after his fifth foul. and it’s pretty amazing to see that the cavs win even when they’re not on top of their game. as for the beards, i think it’ll be a trickle down effect, when roker brown decides its time to become a lumberjack. i think the only thing that’s really going to harm us in the long run is that Wesley has left for personal reasons–without him warming the bench for the rest of the series, the GI’s gluteus maximus may get hypothermic.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:27 am
Larry’s defense on Kidd worries me. Wasn’t Larry all-NBA defense a few years back? It hasn’t shown against Kidd thus far. Hopefully Cavs can keep it up. LBJ and the guys on the boards have been dominant. If the Nets couldn’t do it shooting the way they did last night, you have to feel good about our chances.
May 9th, 2007 at 7:07 am
Forget the playoff beards. The whole team needs to go with the Drew Gooden hair patch look to show solidarity.
May 9th, 2007 at 7:21 am
LeBron to the hoop, no contest. If he posts up more, it will get even better.
May 9th, 2007 at 7:33 am
You’re funny, JoeHoops. I mean, aside from your glorious declaration that you’d never post again, and then three minutes later, you were back posting again. No, what I mean about “funny” is that you’re posting about me, and not about basketball. You’re a bigger loser than the Wizards, Celtics and Grizzlies put together. And that’s a helluva loser.
But, since you demand it, I’ll humor you: If people would stop being so overly giddy, they’d realize this series means little. The Pistons, assuming they beat the Bulls, is the true test. Otherwise, this playoff run is the worst possible thing for fans, just more false hopes.
If they’d played and lost to the Heat, which was not out of the realm of possibility until fantastic luck fell on their side, things would be much different. Right? Mike Brown would already be gone, and the heat would be on Ferry to do something drastic. But now Brown is going to keep his job, and Ferry will be able to be fairly complacent this off-season. He’ll tinker, but that’s it.
I mean, let’s be honest here. The Wizards without Arenas and Butler are the equivalent of an expansion team. And the Nets? For God’s sakes, they were a .500 team in arguably one of the most pathetic conferences in professional sports history! A great team they’re not. A good team they’re not. Mediocre? Even that’s pushing it.
Any team with LeBron James is going to win a lot of games against poor to mediocre teams. His massive ego notwithstanding, on the court, he’s that freakin’ good. No, let’s see how the Cavaliers play against the Pistons, assuming the Bulls don’t come back and nobody on the Pistons gets hurt. If they lose to the Pistons again, then nothing has been accomplished, something major has to be done if they are truly serious of contending for a championship, and a backup like Steve Blake is not going to fix anything. Isn’t that the point, to win a championship?
May 9th, 2007 at 8:23 am
Alan is right. The Wizards were terrible and the Nets are not very good either–they seem strangely disorganized and it’s amazing how a team with Kidd and two great scorers struggles to reach 90 pts. It’s still early in the series, and we’ll see how easy it goes after the first game in New Jersey.
It is also true that LeBron’s supporting cast still seems lacking. But that’s what makes the current winning streak, and LeBron’s play, so encouraging. He is using the roster he has to play winning basketball, picking his spots, making great passes, scoring in the fourth quarter and making defensive plays at big moments. Those are the things Magic and Bird did, making them better than their stats.
BW says he won’t write much about the way LeBron’s playing at this time. If so, he’s missing the story of these playoffs and maybe of the NBA season. It’s nice that Pavlovic and Gooden are playing well, etc., etc., but we might be seeing LeBron take the next step toward being a great player, the step that guys like Dominique Wilkins and Charles Barkley never took.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:33 am
Alan, I see your point about the Cavs playing the Wizards and Nets in the first two rounds, but going into the playoffs the hottest teams were Golden State and New Jersey. Golden State beat the Mavericks, the NBA’s winningest team and the Nets took care of business.
My point here is that records do not always mean squat, it is about momentum and chemistry. Look at the St. Louis Cardinals and even the Steelers a few year back. Their records were in the bottom of the play-off teams yet won the title.
Am I worried about playing Detroit again, absolutely, but this is the play-offs and this momentum is huge for the teams psyche. After all, we could be the Mavs and sitting home.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:34 am
If you have watched any of the Pistons
series, which I am sure most of you have,
they are playing way better than last year.
The difference between their front line of
Prince, Webber, Rasheed, Maxiell(sp), and
Mcdyess and the Nets is just ridiculous.
Yes the Cavs are playing well. No they have
not faced a top 8 team yet. Would anybody
here put the Nets in the top eight. Only
Joe Fruit Loops who is ready to coronate
us as champions without playing a contender
yet. Gooden and Z are playing well but its all moot right now.
The trophy goes through Detroit then San Antonio or Phoenix. Did any of you insomniacs watch the Suns last night?
When they start running they are scary.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:00 am
what so many here fail to take into account is that what seperates the cavs from every team in the east, at least, is that they have the SUPER-DUPER star; that means they can play against a better TEAM and still win. and win a series. have none of you watched basketball in the 90’s? did ANYONE think the bulls were a better TEAM than the the early 90’s cavs? hell no! but the bulls beat those teams because they had the super duper star that the cavs didn’t. the only team to beat the super duper star was the pistons over the lakers a few years ago but that was because the pistons had a perfect storm of a great coach and a lazy shaq feuding with kobe. the team with the super duper star wins more than not.
people are sooo under-appreciating LBJ’s play right now it’s almost comical. he has now scored at least 20 points in his first 19 playoff games. he’s second ALL-TIME in scoring at least 20 points in consecutive games to start a career. kareem is first with 27 games. think about that for a minute. no bird. no jordan. no shaq, duncan or kobe. just LBJ and kareem ( plus his early playoff record is FAR superior to jordan’s, for example ). add this to the 3rd straight year w/over 25, 6 & 6, joining only the big o in nba HISTORY, and well, people, including mr. windhorst ( who cracked on LBJ today on espn saying “His shortcomings as a superstar and as a leader have been questioned often this season, sometimes with significant evidence and merit.” ) need to enjoy this amazing player more.
and speaking to mr. windhorst’s statement, i would say that the evidence is *suspect* to back up what he says. “shortcomings” as a superstar? ummm, please reference those numbers i mentioned last paragraph. and as for his leadership…well, sometimes a general retreats knowing it’s better to regroup and fight later. in reference to LBJ he, rightly, as it turns out, saved himself for the second half of the season and the postseason. look what happened to the last two 60+ game winning teams in the league, the pistons and the mavs. no finals. nothing to show for the “great” regular season. nada. zip. LBJ was RIGHT to save himslef for the stretch run and i would love to see people admit it.
and would you guys please stop feeding the troll aka tucker? he LIVES for you talking about him and engaging him on his cleveland old-school loser-cynic mentality. if the cavs win a title i GUARANTEE he would still bitch amd moan about how the cavs won in a weak year and how they’d get swept in the 1st rd. by the 80’s celtics, blah, blah, blah…
sorry for the long post. feel free to lambast me for it.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:18 am
Great post about a great player KJ. Now
he gets to see how hard it really is to
win the big one. It was pretty comical
when Doc and Simmons said he would collapse
in the second half of the season. Something
Magic said last night about the Cavs was
that they would be truly frightening if they
really pushed the tempo like the old Lakers.
Would need Z and Gooden to become Jabbar and
Worthy however which I am sure would make
Tucker and Doc laugh. The overall speed of
this team is very good the way they get up
and down the floor.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:42 am
I DON’T EVEN BOTHER READING ANY OF TUCKERS NONSENSE ANYMORE. THE GUY CAN’T EVEN ENJOY A FEW GOOD CAVS WINS. HE’S A WHINER. HE’S A PESSIMIST. HE’S A TOOL.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:00 am
Dan, all I’m saying is the present giddiness is unnecessary and unwarranted. Let’s all take a breath. All I’m saying is that LeBron James with a surrounding cast consisting of the chicks on “The View” could beat most of the teams in the Eastern Conference. The Wizards are the 17-65 Cavaliers from a few years ago. The Nets might as well have Joe Piscopo coming off the bench. These two series prove the irony of the fact that Jim Paxson’s incredible dufusness (is that a word?) saved the Cavaliers. And that’s it.
If they don’t beat the Pistons (or the Bulls), then there has not been a scintilla of progress. If that happens, and I’m not saying it will or it won’t, then where do they go from here? That’s the big question, and I sense that the silliness and giddiness of winning these two series is going to bury that question. The local media, being the not-so-closeted fans they are, will bask in the glow of a mirage, and Ferry will believe his own baloney and sign Steve Blake (or somebody similar) to ridiculous multi-year money using their exception, to “take them to the next level.”
What’s wrong with discussing this possibility now? I wouldn’t mind a boring team if the Cavs would win a championship. And let’s face it, the Cavs are a boring team. Will a championship ever happen with what Ferry’s put together? Will reality set in when they play a team that doesn’t have players fresh off a WNBA roster?
Jeez, anybody watch the Warriors play? Now THAT’S entertainment. The old Nuggets of English, Vandeweghe, Issel and Gervin never won a damn thing, but boy were they fun to watch. If the Cavs are going to be a perennial runner-up, then at least surround James with guys that match his skills and give the people a spectacle.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:22 am
And again Tucker who might those spectacle
makers be. Are you going after Artest or
Iverson or maybe Stephen Jackson? How about
P Diddy for that matter, he could give us
the new Cavaliers rap, I know that Tukka he,s a real mutha _______. If you want to
play run and GUN with no D thats a real ticket for success.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:37 am
jmoe, does it really matter? Swap Ilgauskas for Jeff Gordon and Danica Patrick. I’m saying if they’re not going to win a championship, but merely tease the fans while Gilbert giggles over the annual Forbes estimates of sports franchises’ net worth, then “success” is all relative. Face the facts, Gilbert’s definition of success differs from yours and mine.
So, yes, if they lose the next round, if it takes trading the entire team for guys on roller skates to add excitement to what James already brings, then I say do it.
May 9th, 2007 at 10:46 am
I have to agree with KJ. BW is starting to remind me of one of those kids who aches to pop a balloon, spoiling his friend’s birthday party. He’s biting the hand that feeds him when he feels compelled to point out LeBron’s minor faults.
All in all, LeBron has been pretty amazing handling stardom and he shows leadership on the floor. He repeats the Brown mantra at postgame press conferences and never calls teammates out.
He did complain about the team’s style of play, but it was at the right time this past season. In my estimation, his complaint was just as important to turning the season around as Brown’s lineup changes. The complaint might even have been the impetus for those changes.
May 9th, 2007 at 11:06 am
I think B-Dub has grown a little too big for his britches (and that is not a crack on his weight). I think all the media attention he has been getting with writing articles for ESPN and now doing radio shows for 850 has gotten to his head. He has been riding LeBron James all season, criticizing him left and right. But EARTH TO BRIAN, YOU WOULDN’T BE WRITING FOR ESPN IF IT WEREN’T FOR LEBRON! LeBron has made this man’s career, and he thanks him by calling him out for faking sick during the post-game conference in game 1? I think we all know that LeBron likes the drama of being the wounded animal…he stays down a little longer than necessary whenever he takes a hit on the court…but there was no need to call LeBron out with what goes on after the camera shuts off. Was BW right? Absolutely. LeBron was not as sick as he appeared to be. He was very jovial in the locker room after that game. But that’s one of those incidents that you just kinda stick in your pocket. BW is using his beat-writer knowledge a little too freely, and he’ll be sorry when LeBron quits opening up to him for it. BW already got in E-Snow’s doghouse this year, he doesn’t want to be in LBJ’s.
May 9th, 2007 at 11:38 am
Well said larry d. He does always repeat Brown’s mantra at press conferences. And the offense looked better in game 2 even though some of the shots weren’t falling. Honestly the more people complain about the Cavaliers, the more I feel like they’re missing the point. We are getting a lot of contribution out of guys defensively that have never been good at defense. Pavlovic made Carter work for everything. The reason he dominated against Toronto was because he got 15 open 3’s a game. I said it before and I’ll say it again. 2 years ago, when Danny Ferry signed Marshall, Jones, and Hughes, I remember reading Simmon’s article. He ended his analysis of the Cavs with - this team won’t stop ANYONE on defense, so they’re going to have to hope they can outscore everyone. Nothing could be farther from the truth. They don’t let LeBron or Hughes play the passing lanes anymore, they play conservative on offense so as not to let the other team get out in transition. Bottom line, their defense keeps them in the game and it wears teams down in the 4th quarter. It might not be as flashy to some as the cherry picking suns, or the trey-hoisting warriors. If they improve offensively, this team is very dangerous - I’m enjoying the ride so far. I think Gibson and S. Brown are going to play great roles in this teams future, and I look forward to the improved play of Z and Gooden.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
Oh, please, Paul. No, the Beacon Journal’s beat writer ain’t svelte, but what’s the big deal with a friendly jab at an egomaniacal superstar who’s far more Willis from “Diff’rent Strokes” than Willis Reed?
And come on, be serious, nobody is knocking his play.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
tucker, again your seeming ignorance of nba basketball and history is noteworthy.
for example, when the pistons lost multiple times to the celtics in the late 80’s they did not show one “scintilla of progress?” in doing so, eh? yet, they eventually did beat them and won back-to-back titles.
or i suppose MJ and the bulls never showed a “scintilla of progress” when they lost to the pistons time and again, right? and yet, they went on to win six titles. curious, no?
perhaps you should take a break from posting and read up on nba basketball history and get back to us later, eh? no sense in embarassing yourself here any further.
for the rest of you, growth is CLEAR to anyone with eyes. the cavs are a markedly better team than last year. and considering a one-man cavs “team” took the pistons to 7 games last year, what SENSIBLE person would discount their chance to beat them this year?
May 9th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Tom, I get back to my original point…as well as Simmons’. Of course the Cavs have no apparent weaknesses now. Simmons’ crystal ball at the beginning of the season said that the Cavaliers would win the East. Not because they’re good, but because James is so goddamn good, and because the East is so incredibly putrid. The Wizards and Nets strongly support his preseason argument.
Seriously, how can anybody possibly say with a straight face that the Wizards or the Nets deserve to be anywhere but on vacation with their wives, girlfriends, groupies and hookers? Even Jason Kidd, one of the few guys that shouldn’t be in the D-League, is playing like a worn spare part that’s punched his wife in the face one too many times.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Unlike so many including Rev. columnist and some at the PD like Livingston, Windhorst actually will every now and then point out and jab at some of LeBron’s antics and bs. Which I think is often refreshing. Most of the time when he takes a shot at his game, and I say most not all, he’s right and he backs it up. Not like Simmons or Bucher who take shots from the West Coast and run. I haven’t been able to find this type of coverage anywhere else. So Brian don’t listen to these toads and keep it up.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
But he’s not criticizing LeBron’s game, mostly because there’s nothing to criticize about LeBron’s game over the last two months or so. He’s vaguely criticizing LeBron’s demeanor, playacting, sniffling, etc., at a time when it looks like LeBron might lead the Cavs to the finals.
LeBron’s only 22 or so, and has the world by the tail. He handles himself very well and is treated very well by the national media. To me the local criticisms sound more like petty jealousy than relevant basketball analysis. BW does a very good job and is very gracious to have this blog, but maybe his perspective changed after he got scooped on the Nike contract.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:56 pm
Oh cmon didn’t you guys see Lefreethrow
get kicked in the nuts last night? He took
it like a man and promptly missed both
freebies. Where is the coverage of that?
This guy gives up his body every fricking
night to the point of where he is wearing
bubber bands on his knees. And all the media
and BW can talk about is his towel head and raspy voice. I would like to see BW after
he got kicked in the nuts that hard. He would be spitting wooden nickels and crying
for Damona.
May 9th, 2007 at 12:58 pm
well, larry, i wonder if the cavs do get to the finals if anyone in the local or national media will admit that LBJ’s “turning it on in the 2nd half” of the season strategy actually WORKED. so far, there is little evidence to dispute that it has indeed worked.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:12 pm
One of these years, people are going to wake up and say “The entire world was blinded to the truth of the LeBron James “lightswitch” theory except for LeBron himself and Tom (me).
When are you guys going to wake up and realize. Want to know the difference between game 1 and game 2? Besides 36,12 and only 2 turnovers as opposed to 21, 7, 11, 3 turnovers and sub 40% shooting?
Clearly he was GOOD in game 1 and GREAT in game 2? Why? WATCH YOUR TV SCREEN! I would seriously bet my HOUSE that he was getting 3-6 inches more lift in game 2. GUARANTEED. Did u see his crossover on Carter in the first half? How bout his steal and high flying dunk? His hanging layup after drawing contact from 15 Nets? No Lie I called his 30+ point game after 1 minute had gone by in the first quarter? How you ask? Watch his FIRST JUMP SHOT. He GOT LIKE 3 feet off the ground!! Right away I said “Oh, he got up on that one!” And he goes and attacks the rim, hits his 3s, imposed his will in the 2nd half.
When LEBRON’S LEGS ARE FEELING GOOD, he cannot be stopped. When they are tired or he has tendonitis or he’s just plain sore from all the punishment he takes, he is HUMAN and relies on his passing and size. When his legs are under him he’s the most unstoppable player I have ever seen play.
Watch those games were he “flipped the switch” in late february early march. He’s CLEARLY getting higher on everything from his 3’s, to jumpers, to Dunks. A few weeks later he was back to pre-AllStar LeBron. And you could see, he wasn’t getting the lift or the explosive quickness out of his legs.
He’s NOT FLIPPING ANY MENTAL SWITCH. He always plays Good. When he can’t be stopped it is because his legs are under him.
I know you are all going to say I don’t know what I’m talking about. All I ask is this. Watch him play. Don’t just watch box score events. Watch his quickness, ability to get around double teams, height on his jumper, height on his rebounds. You will notice he puts up HUGE numbers when he GETS UP!
May 9th, 2007 at 1:19 pm
jmoe, I believe there is a YouTube video of BW getting kicked in the nuts. Sorry, I don’t have the link.
kj, the point is a true professional doesn’t turn it on and off like a faucet. It has nothing to do with “strategy.” The guy is 22, not 122. I’m not saying he has to dive for every loose ball, but at least make the effort to play to the best of your ability.
But all right, if you absolutely insist that it’s A-O.K. to half-ass it during the regular season (for “strategical” purposes, of course), then it’s only fair that fans attending regular season games, including season ticket holders, should pay half-price for their regular season tickets.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:20 pm
You guys need to give Damon Jones a break. Last time I checked his numbers this year were all better than last year and he was doing it in 6 less minutes a game this year. Mike Brown has made the decision to bench him this year in place of more minutes for Gibson and Pavlovic. Damon Jones hasn’t complained about it and remains poised on the bench while we rip on him. His numbers this year are almost identical to his career numbers. You can’t say a guy is disappointing when he does what he’s always done.
May 9th, 2007 at 1:42 pm
Damon Jones “remains poised on the bench?” Yes, the black Jerry Seinfeld remains poised while he hones his material for his teammates while getting paid millions to sit on his untalented ass. How stoic of him.
It also seems to me that that his post three-point blowout “flu” immediately followed by “back spasms” immediately followed by zero minutes of playing time would seem to indicate that he indeed was “complaining,” but hey, what do I know. The man is definitely a hero. A true role model for flu-sufferers, paraplegics and young comedians everywhere.
May 9th, 2007 at 2:03 pm
Alan - unlike others, I won’t ever give up on you. One of these days, someone is going to hug those demons out of you. Maybe it will be JoeHoops.
That being said - I haven’t heard Damon say anything publicly against his lack of playing time. In fact, I haven’t heard that from ANY of the players on the Cavs. What is the difference between Damon and Boobie? Nothing. Damon is more experienced, Boobie is younger. Brown has chosen to go with Boobie. His decision. It’s not like Damon showed up out of shape and shot 20% from the 3 pt line. His “injuries” were probably something they all made up so that stories wouldn’t start circulating about why Damon Jones isn’t getting any playing time.
May 9th, 2007 at 2:22 pm
Tom, it’s not like the media can use the Patriot Act to bug his phone while he’s making prank calls. “Yo. Do you have Prince Albert in a can? Oh, one other thing, beeach. Brown is a mofo.”
Who knows if he’s complaining? Who cares if he’s complaining? Jones is irrelevant.
The guy is making millions to sit on his duff and crack jokes. And yet he rises high above fan cheapshots. What a trooper.
May 9th, 2007 at 2:31 pm
Holy crap. Did someone actually come to Damon Jones’ defense on this blog?
Hey, Tom, he deserves the jabs because he’s one of the most self-aggrandizing, self-promoting, overconfident guys in the league.
If you’re going to call yourself, “the greatest shooter in the world,” and make silly, junior-high schoolesque gestures after you drain three pointers, and publicly campaign to be invited to the All-Star 3-point contest so that you can come in next-to-last on national TV, and basically act like a showboating jackass during your 2.6 minutes per game, then perhaps you should expect some backlash when your ass is bolted to the bench every night.
As far as I’m concerned, the dude is fair game.
May 9th, 2007 at 3:16 pm
Besides that James subliminal Sprite commercial, which I still don’t get, it’s still more logical than that homoerotic Michael Jordan/Kevin Bacon commercial for Hanes. Although I wouldn’t put it past LeBron to whore himself a few million in exchange for 30 seconds of riding around in a pair of Speedos on his Cub Cadet.
Why are Jordan and Bacon sharing their Hanes underpants while Jordan blocks Bacon shooting his Hanes undershirt, or whatever Bacon is shooting? Why are they living together in a quiet and cozy bright white San Francisco studio apartment? Why is Michael Jordan seemingly in his first trimester of pregnancy, and why does Kevin Bacon resemble a tranny? I want answers!
May 9th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
I don’t care what he says or does off the court. As far as I’m concerned, he brings some life and attention to a team that gets next to none from the national media. I’m glad Gooden’s growing the DuckBill. I’m glad Pavlovic said “My defense is my offense.” Gives media types something to talk about CAVS related. Damon was shooting almost 40% from 3 this year before he got benched. They brought him in to shoot 3s and decided that they didn’t need that skill from him anymore. Not his fault. It’s not like he shot 20% from 3 for 3 months so they benched him. As far as I could tell, he was playing a better all-around game in the little time he got this year. It’s always nice to have a streaky shooter on your team.
May 9th, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Tom, you make a fair point about Jones performing slightly better than he did last year. However, you also compared him to Daniel Gibson and said there was no difference.
I think the obvious differences are that Gibson is quicker, plays much better defense, and sometimes penetrates on offense, creating opportunities for teammates.
Jones doesn’t do any of those things. Hence, he doesn’t play much.
May 9th, 2007 at 3:47 pm
Let’s get something straight: Jones brings life and attention to himself. He does not bring life and attention to whatever team(s) he happens to be on during the season. How many teams has he been on now, eight? Nine? I’ve lost track. And he already knows he’s on to the next train stop, because as already reported on Windhorst Central, the black Bob Saget has his house up for sale. I know I said the black Jerry Seinfeld in an earlier post, but I misspoke. Seinfeld has talent.
May 9th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Tucker, I had the same questions about the Hanes commercial. What, exactly, IS going on in that alternate TV universe? I like to imagine that Jordan and Bacon live in a modest 1 bedroom apartment in Germany that was recently redecorated by Frank from Trading Spaces.
The only conclusion I can draw is that the ad is part of Hanes’ masterful “People Who Haven’t Been Relevant Since 1998″ campaign. The newest commercials will feature Ed O’Neill and David Faustino playing grab-ass in a swank downtown loft with background music from the Barenaked Ladies.
May 9th, 2007 at 4:49 pm
Maybe Gibson plays better D, and he does penetrate. But he doesn’t drive and kick or make easy shots for his teammates when he penetrates. If he drives, he doesn’t care who is waiting for him in the paint, he throws his body into the defender and tries to get off a shot. He’s made it a few times (even against Shaq) but it’s not like his driving is opening up shots for other people. I would give Damon Jones the edge in shooting this year.
Maybe Gibson is better suited than Damon. All I’m saying is that I can’t attest to his decreased play being because of his production. People seem to rag on him in here like he’s shooting 15% from beyond the arc and chucking up 12 3’s a game WHILE running his mouth. He’s been much less vocal about being the “greatest shooter in the world” this year and as I said before, his 3pt shooting is up from last year as are his points even though he averaged much less minutes a game.
May 9th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
Yes, but take a look at Jordan’s emerging belly in that commercial. I think it’s more than just irrelevant celebrities getting together for a good Hanes time in a quaint English flat. I think Bacon actually knocked Jordan up. Check out that commercial the next time you see it, and you’ll see what I mean. I slowed it down frame-by-frame, and I could have sworn I saw a tiny little kick coming out from underneath Jordan’s shirt.
May 9th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
Oh, come on, Tom. He was PLENTY vocal up until that moment he irreparably humiliated himself forever. Even Pacman Jones didn’t suffer that kind of tail between his legs humiliation.
May 9th, 2007 at 5:01 pm
Just for everyone’s edification, 82games.com keeps track of charges taken:
http://82games.com/charges0607.htm
Varejao is indeed #1 in the NBA by a good margin. The ever underrated Devin Harris is second and Bogut is a surprising (to me at least) 3rd. Varejao took almost twice as many charges as Shane Battier this year!
May 9th, 2007 at 5:37 pm
I’d like to see Varejao eventually take a major flop from somebody insane, like Stephen Jackson or somebody like that. Those flops evidently can fool some refs, but that is some serious girly basketball. It stinks. I don’t advocate assault and battery in the area of somebody’s banana hammock, but Vlade Divac deserved it yet never got it. Giving it to Varejao would be the next best thing.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:21 pm
Tom, I don’t know how you can “give the edge to Jones in shooting this year,” when Gibson’s shooting percentage is much higher than Jones’, (in both 2 and 3 pointers). But to each his own.
Tucker, you may well be right about this Jordan/Bacon scandal. There definitely is a paunch there. Only time (and the E! Channel) will tell whether Mike is really carrying an heir Jordan and whether Bacon is the father.
For purely selfish reasons, I hope this wunderkind ends up with Michael’s winning smile but gets Bacon’s strong chin and dazzling blue eyes.
May 9th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Graham,
82 games keeps offensive fouls drawn, not charges drawn. Two different stats.
May 9th, 2007 at 7:28 pm
I saw Alan Tucker outside of the Q selling Starbury shoes for $29.95. For anybody interested, you can get them for $14.95 in the stores so don’t let swindlers like Tucker rip you off.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
Bomani Jones of espn.com wrote that Bron Bron was the only superstar left in the playoffs and his game tuesday night was the Bron Bron of the “witness campaign”, boy this guy is a loser.
May 9th, 2007 at 8:49 pm
damn i hate them mormons up in utah, i hope the golden state warriors will kick their ass.
May 9th, 2007 at 9:02 pm
Who or what is Bomani Jones?
Funny, just as I’m writing this, there’s Michael and Kevin on TV playing with each other’s shorts.
The more and more I watch these Western Conference games, it’s undeniable how awful the East teams are compared to the West. The Wizards and the Nets would have been absolutely destroyed by every West team, with the exception of the Lakers. Is anybody else watching these games? The Cavs wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in that conference.
And what’s the deal with Boozer? The Cavs need him, but that’s not the point. The point is the guy is making all that money, and he still can’t afford Clearasil?
May 9th, 2007 at 11:51 pm
the utah jazz are the new boston celtics; lilly white basketball team with a lilly white fan base, who get all the calls from the official. well actually the basketball team is not lilly white, but im sure you understand the point. damn, i hate those mormons. i would hate to live in a town with one sport. one thing you got to give larry miller owner of the jazz, despite the team ups and down he stuck with the alcoholic jerry sloan. only if we had that commitment to the coach, paul silas would still be the coach. and not lemon black head. the finals will be 1. pistons vs. spurs; 2.pistons vs suns; 3. cavs vs. spurs; 4. cavs vs suns. wow another singing black angel kicked of American Asshole, cleveland police killed another black man, who was just trying to turn down his radio, so he could hear them say, “put your hands on the car”, boy it was hot today, my house was hot, i need an air condition. do carlos boozer drink booze? why is this alan tucker person so popular on this blog? why can’t paul byrd by a victory? will brady quinn start for the browns, will they get a vet qb, does anybody really care? i cannot sleep it is so damn hot in my house. will the cavs sweep the nets? will they resign sasha, or andy? can gay ferry keep them both and get rid of other baggage? why is danny head so big? how in the hell did he become a gm, what was gilbert thinking? can gilbert think, or with all his money do someone think for him? I heard the cleveland clinic was going to buy the browns from randy learner,if they do, do we call them the cleveland clinic browns? will the players be free from staph infection by going to the clinic? do not drive down euclid this summer, its going to be hell. why do the city of cleveland need a new transit system? no one goes downtown anyway, its a waste of tax dollars? when will the iraq war end? who will be the next president? all hail hillary clinton? put your money on her. if she win, will bill be the vice prez? why in the hell is dennis kucinich keep trying to be president? and who cares that russell simmons gave him his endorsement, will all the rappers vote for dennis? will that be enough to win the presidency? why can we not just drop a bomb on iraq and call it quits? will that be in human? are there really virgins in heavan? because there is none down here on earth. will lebron new house be on mtv cribs? do the show still come on? if a person is rich is that person happy? if a person is poor is that person happy? did don imus deserve to be fired? will his suit hold up in court? im still not sleepy. should i count sheep? shhhhh! someone is coming, got to go.
May 10th, 2007 at 4:25 am
Hey Alan Tucker, moron of the year. What makes you think the East can’t compete with the West? Sure, I’m watching the games, and the teams out their look tough (this Utah/GS series is one of the best I’ve seen). But they said the same thing LAST YEAR about the East…. and then Miami won it all. I guess thats why THEY PLAY THE GAMES you fool. You really need to try to be more positive instead of a pessimistic idiot. People like you really really make me sick. I know I should just save my breath, but PLEASE GO AWAY.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:17 am
Wow… just when I almost gave up on this blog, turning into a high school bathroom stall of insults and anti-tucker propaganda, it redeems itself today. Good stuff lads. The bacon/jordan angle has been played. I think I read those same takes in Simmons 3 or 4 weeks ago. Let’s not turn into creepy pseudo-cool older men who use phrases like “talk to the hand” about 3 years after it was deemed unhip.
Kj how can you defend Lebron for taking half a season off? It was “the right decision”? Honestly? He’s 22 years old! I respect his talent and i’ll ride the King as long as he puts up numbers and delivers wins, but he’s not exactly the most endearing public figure to a city of blue collar unsophisticates. The 24 hour knee flus, the sniffles, coasting through early season games, the vapid post game comments all amuse me. I can’t help it. The kid is obviously completely in love with himself, without the least shred of irony or self knowledge. How about that dorky “angry face” he makes when he completes an “and one”. His mannerisms and behaviors and thought processes are hilarious, and even more so because he is completely oblivious to it all. Don’t worry. I’m right there screaming and pumping my fist when he takes over games. But massive egomaniacs are a source of mirth, even when they happen to play on my favorite team.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:33 am
And tucker is right about one thing. Sweeping the Nets is going to put a false golden sheen on this season. Boat shoes Ferry will be able to kick his sweaty bare feet up on his coffee table, thinking, hey we just went to the Eastern Cofrerence Finals! What a year! Progress! When the reality is that this team underachieved all season, the best player had worse stats across the board, seemed to regress in certain phases (shot selection, shooting in general), and the style of play devolved into something that could be charitably called “not so entertaining”. Let’s say the Pistons beat us in five. Where do we go from there? The payroll seems stuffed with untradeables and stiffs. Hughes is declining. Z may show up for training camp lathered in spaghetti sauce to hide his pasta-soft white ass physique. Damon Jones may be starring as the midget sprite in Lebron’s follow up soda commercial.
And Tom, the conversion rate is aas follows: every pro-Damon Jones comment reduces your overall credibility by about 20% each time. So be careful lad.
May 10th, 2007 at 7:36 am
Doc, did Simmons write about that Jordan/Bacon ad? I just looked it up in the search engine, I didn’t see anything. Out of desperation, I also typed in “Simmons Bacon Jordan Pride Gay,” and I still couldn’t find it. Are you sure?
May 10th, 2007 at 7:48 am
It might have been in one of his mailbags. Hopefully youre not at work while googling “pride gay bacon”.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
gee, i guess i’m just a dummy because i seem to remember LBJ carrying his team far into the playoffs last year, working hard PHYSICALLY doing so, and then less than a month later going to olympic training camp and playing basketball all summer then getting about a month off until the REGULAR season started. guess that was all my imagination, eh?
and the larger point some of you are missing is that it doesn’t really MATTER what you do in the regular season. and i even pointed out to you that in the LAST TWO years the team with the best regular season record didn’t even get to the finals!!
you can blow smoke about this and that about the regular season but it just doesn’t matter! the playoffs matter! dirk is the regular season MVP. so, how is he thought of by players, media and fans alike, hmm? yeah and it because he chokes in the playoffs because THAT is where repuatations are made.
if LBJ wants to coast the first half of the season, that’s fine. cuz all i care about is winning a title. i don’t care ONE IOTA how we do it. none. and despite you old white men bitching about it (while ignoring, of course, that bird and the celtics were notorious regular season coasters as well), LBJ, so far, has been proven right in his strategy. he knew that coming off all that near-continuous basketball season of his, the best thing FOR THE GREATER GOOD would be for him to coast a bit until after the first of the year and then kick into gear and make sure you’re on a roll going into the playoffs. and it has worked to PERFECTION so far.
if you effetes wanna debate the aesthetics of basketball. help yourself. i, and LBJ, wanna win a damn title ANY way possible. and considering most of you here are, i assume, lifetime clevelanders, you should ONLY care about winning too…
May 10th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Uh Doc if you made 30 mill a year and
your face was plastered all over billboards
and the boob tube you would be an egomaniac
too. The good thing about James is he is a
sensible egomaniac. You don,t see him fondling underage girls or beating his wife
or letting his dog attack the neighbors
8 million dollar horse. You don’t get it.
The King has morals and a conscience and
once again he loves Northeast Ohio.
And uh Tom don’t you think regardless of
Damonas immense shooting and ballhandling
skills that uh like he did something bad
like very bad to somebody. I think she lived
in Westlake and he would be in the pokey if
it wasn’t for boat shoes padding the prosecutors butt with something green. Mikeys mad cause that was his bonus hence
the feathered boa and giggling with Jay-Z.
May 10th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
I think doc and Tucker are the same frickin person. Both of them have the same thoughts about the Cavs. Clearly they are not fans, or if they are, THEY SUCK. Why do you even bother to post here if you are so negative about the Cavs. We took the Pistons to seven games last year, so lets just see what happens you idiots. You are counting them out before the games have even been played.
Hi doc and Alan (one in the same)!
May 10th, 2007 at 1:04 pm
Oh, good post kj. You get it, whereas idiots like Tucker just want to complain and be-rate the Cavs. I really really really dont understand why they even post here…other than maybe Tucker needs somewhere to vent his stupidity so his head doesn’t explode.
May 10th, 2007 at 1:27 pm
O my god KJ. You mean the King played basketball almost all year long? Heaven forbid. Sort of like what Tim Duncan, Ginobili, Hinrich, Billups and a host of others have done? God bless him. If you want to make apologies for a professional athlete who gives a substandard effort early in the regular season, go right ahead. But wouldnt it be more justifiable if this team actually won something before going into coast mode? Don’t you have to prove yourself as a champion before screwing around losing home games in december to the bobcats? And, moreover, is it asking too much for professional athletes to give an honest effort, no matter what game it is? And if the regular season doesn’t matter, why not just have him tape commercials and chomp his flavorful fingernails until March every year. If we take the Pistons to a seventh game, it’s going to be in the Palace. It didn’t have to be that way. Getting knocked out of the playoffs because you blew home court advantage in one of the weakest conferences in NBA history by losing home games to the hawks, bobcats, and sixers, is not exactly a plan working to “perfection”.
May 10th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
wow… stoudemire beat out Lebron for 1st team all-nba. Inexplicable.
May 10th, 2007 at 2:49 pm
how many of those guys have won championships in the last few years, eh? ummm, none. in fact, stats have shown that guys who play the whole year have WORSE years following. so, knowing that, LBJ has made the smart play here. see, ya can’t have it both ways, doc. i’d love to tell you that yes, your fairy-tale world where *everyone* gives their all in *every* minute of *every* one of EIGHTY-TWO games is possible. but it ain’t.
see, doc, grown-ups know that life is about a lot of little compromises in relation to larger goals. and i, being an adult, realize that the greater goal here is winning a title. and if that means that guy who is the SINGLE BEST CHANCE WE IN CLEVELAND HAVE TO GET A CHAMPIONSHIP IN A MAJOR SPORT, wants to coast for the first half of the season, i. do. not. care. i just want to win a title.
oh, and quit talking about losing to bad team A or bad team B. EVERYBODY loses games like that. even the old celtic and MJ’s bulls. jeebus, i swear you guys act sometime like you’ve never watched a whole pro basketball season…
May 10th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
hmmm, it seems bill “LBJ is tanking it and that will be THE story of the 2nd-half” simmons has come around to my way of thinking. from his blog today:
“With LeBron peaking at the perfect time and making a run at the “42 Club,” I have to say … I’m not sure I’d want to play the Cavs right now. They could absolutely beat the Pistons.”
gee, ya think???
May 10th, 2007 at 2:57 pm
wow, LBJ not 1st team all-nba, eh? thank you, thank you, thank you, moronic voters!! we’re going to the finals!! woooooohoooooo!!
May 10th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
the cavs suck and they are not going to the finals, get that out of your heads and keep it in your dreams because that is the only time the cavs will be going to the finals and that is in your dreams. I AM ALAN TUCKER DAMMIT!! MY DAD USE TO WORK FOR THE CAVS AND I KNOW JOE TAIT.
May 10th, 2007 at 6:25 pm
Alan Tuckers wishes for 2007 and 2008…
- Cavs get swept by Detroit, Lebron gets frustrated and retires to his McMansion in Bath to focus on rap music
- Joe Thomas accidentally steps on Brady Quinns foot, shatters it, then trips and brakes his arm. Both are out for the year.
- Indians go on 100 game losing streak, finish with worst record in MLB history. The mayor is humiliated and decided to tear down the jake and make a parking lot for the rock hall.
- Cleveland gets snow in August
May 10th, 2007 at 6:27 pm
I hate becoming an apologist for someone who basks in the glory of being LeBron, but has it occurred to anyone that LeBron may not have been slacking off? If I recall, the team was trying to work on a new offense based on movement and sharing the ball, and he was expected to step back a little and let the game come to him.
Of course, none of the veteran bums who were getting all the minutes back then did anything but stand around the 3 pt. line(or work on new ways to tell the press what great leaders they are). The team was in transition and everything was a mess.
It wouldn’t surprise me if LeBron was a little tentative early in the year–not sure when to turn it on and dominate the ball, or when to let the new offense play out.
May 10th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
doc - what can I do to increase my credibility by 20% or whatever without making fun of the team I root for?
May 10th, 2007 at 8:10 pm
LOVE YOUR STUFF BRIAN!
Come on Cavs… beat the Nets down IN New Jersey for a 3 game lead, and everyone will start licking their lips for the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Eastern Conference Finals! Can you believe it?!?
No way could Mike Brown and the Cavaliers let us down from such great heights, right?
I can’t wait for it… Go Cavs!
http://www.ColumbusCavs.com
May 10th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Larry, yep, you’re become an apologist. The guy has no valid excuse, except that he chose to be in goof-off mode.
And kj, get real. As I said before, if a professional is going to intentionally half-ass it, then why don’t you e-mail Gilbert and tell him to refund half the ticket prices to the folks that paid to see those games? I’m sure being the fair businessman he is, a guy that wants to give the people what they paid their hard-earned money for, he’ll humbly apologize and oblige.
May 10th, 2007 at 9:07 pm
JoeHoops, I ordinarily ignore your juvenile stalking nonsense, but in this particular instance, I would be remiss if I failed to point out that you omitted a sentence where an RTA bus runs over your foot.
May 10th, 2007 at 10:31 pm
i have cum to the conclusion that the piston will kick the cavs ass, know if, ands or butts about it. the cavs just do not have enough to over come the pistons. the pistons are to us now, to what they were with the bulls back in the late 80’s early 90’s, its just not our turn to beat them yet and have rasheed not wanting to shake Z’s hand. maybe next year maybe not. If by some slim chance we luck up and beat the pistons, i hope that mr. ferry still disect this team next year. we do not want them getting into some false sense of security thinking every thing is alright, when it is not. the cavs need a serious over haul. win lose or draw.
May 11th, 2007 at 6:43 am
If you watched the Pistons/Bulls last
night it was kind of shocking how Detroit
completely dismantled the Bulls in the
second half. They threw up that 2-1-2 zone
disguised as a 3-2 zone and the Bulls were
completely befuddled. Hamilton and Billups
switch and recover to the 3 line on kick
outs better than any tandem in the NBA.
The only way the Cavs can beat them is
shoot over it sucessfully and set hard
clean picks to attack the creases. They
are getting old however and in one or two
years the Cavs will rule the East and Tucker
can move to Detroit.