Things will change in Game 2
Posted June 9th, 2007 by bwindhorst
San Antonio — Can’t speak for all of you, but this series is already getting a little tiresome for me. Oh, there’s only been one game played? Wow, you could’ve fooled me. Two days with this much attention makes the analysis and conjecture reach a saturation point pretty quickly. So the Cavs couldn’t stop Tony Parker in Game 1, OK everybody knows. So Tim Duncan is good, everybody knows. LeBron James didn’t play well, got it.
One way or another there’s going to be different things to talk about and evaluate after tonight’s game. So don’t forget everything you saw in Game 1, but please don’t dwell on it too much longer because I simply can’t take it anymore.
Here’s a few things to chew on…
–Larry Hughes seems to be a little peeved that he’s getting so much blame for the Parker domination in Game 1. He pretty much said today if the Cavs don’t want to play him anymore he’s fine with it, but until then people should get off his back about it. He also said he only guarded Parker about four times in Game 1. Larry, I feel ya on the first point, Parker is a horrible mismatch for you and it’s not fair to ask you guard him, especially with a messed up foot. But only four times? He burned you at least four times in the first quarter. I feel like I have to be the Robin Williams character in Good Will Hunting. If I keep saying to him "It’s not your fault," maybe he’ll break down.
–Sounds like Mike Brown is planning on using LeBron and Daniel Gibson a lot on Parker and maybe even Sasha Pavlovic. The goal will be to use big guys and give him space so he has trouble getting good looks at the basket and will take jumpers more. This is a total pick your poison choice and Brown knows it. The Spurs were shooting almost 40 percent on 3-pointers in the playoffs before they missed a boat load — many of them going in and out — in Game 1. Parker will happily kick the ball out and so will Duncan.
–Today people were asking LeBron if he was "rope-a-doping" the Spurs in Game 1. I was like "huh?" Sorry, maybe this dates me as being too young, but I had no clue what the heck a "rope-a-dope" was. I just assumed it involved a late night tactic at a Country Western bar. Apparently, it is a boxing term made popular by Ali when he’d let a George Foreman-type pound him and then explode with a flurry of punches. LeBron, a boxing fan, knew what the question was and gave an average answer. However, as I point out here, LeBron does have a history of laying low in Game 1s and then adjusting as playoff series advance.
–Of all the things that need to happen for the Cavs to win Game 2, and there are a lot, Zydrunas Ilgauskas returning for form has got to be high on the list. If nothing else, Z should be able to rebound, especially against the Spurs, who are not a good rebounding team. Other than LeBron, that’s the key guy for the Cavs.
–This is the point it’s gotten to as well all wait for the Finals to start again: Today after answering questions on The Sopranos and Spiderman 3, a reporter asked LeBron what he would ask himself if he were a media-type. LeBron’s answer: "I don’t know." My answer: Me either, can we play another game, please?
June 10th, 2007 at 1:33 am
Hughes must just be remembering his stint until the first timeout, when they switched LeBron onto Parker. Or maybe he blocked that out.
It’s true, though, that Hughes didn’t cover Parker nearly as much after that. Pavlovic, Gooden, and Gibson (it was a no-call pushoff) also got burned to the hoop. LeBron did better, but it can’t do good things for his endurance on offense.
I don’t think Hughes is going to defend Parker in Game 2 unless his foot is a whole lot better or unless the Cavs change their defensive bigtime. I see LeBron on Parker, maybe Pavlovic (although that is a scary thought), Gibson, and possibly Snow to body him, depending on the game score.
There is no way that the Cavs, a defensive-oriented team, are going to let Parker light Hughes up again for too long. Letting Michael Finley, Bruce Bowen, and Brent Barry sink or swim is much more likely.
If Hughes can be in the game (covering Finley or whatever) and just buy some minutes each half (or hit some early 3’s like he did vs. Detroit), I would take that, and I’m sure the Cavs will. If Hughes plays 23 bad minutes, like he did in Game 1, that’s a problem. But if Hughes doesn’t play at all, who is going to cover the 10-15 minutes he might give us? Snow? Jones? It’s not like Gibson’s going to play 48 minutes, as much as fans would like to see that. Removing a less-than-100% Hughes just means the Cavs have another problem.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:40 am
It sure would be nice to hear Hughes say he could play better, rather than hear him grouse about poor press.
June 10th, 2007 at 9:40 am
I can understand not having seen the Ali-Foreman fight live. It’s been awhile. But not even knowing what “rope-a-dope” means? I’ll grant you that boxing today is a joke and all of those fight-based “sports” are getting to be more realistic versions of American Gladiator. C’mon, though. How could a sportswriter never even have heard of the phrase?
More importantly, how could someone in the media think a basketball player would ever try that strategy in a series? If that was the plan, it could only work in one game at best. The point is to tire your opponent out and then turn on the afterburners. For a couple rounds of a fight, it can work, but not for more than a game of a series.
June 10th, 2007 at 9:54 am
I’m tired of hearing about the Cavs’ forthcoming “ADJUSTMENTS.” Since when has Coach Brown been known for those?? His half-time “adjustments” lead to the worst quarters the team plays!! What a joke!
LeBron was using Game 1 to “feel out the Spurs??” What??? Is that some new Jordan stragegy, there? How about the Cavs coming out and making the OPPONENT “feel us out” or “make adjustments” for a change!! Why do the Cavs always have to put themselves in hole?? Does anyone SERIOUSLY think the Spurs are gonna let LBJ dominate in any game? No friggin way. LBJ couldn’t figure it out in Game 1, and he’s not playing those mental-midgets from Detroit, here. S.A. will lock him down, period.
Oh yeah, I forgot about those “ADJUSTMENTS.” Ha ha ha. Brown and LBJ may want to try those “in-game” (like after a quarter, or at the half), instead of waiting to “WATCH THE FILMS.” Oh, the idiotic catch-phrases these losers toss about.
June 10th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
BW
While you’re trying to avoid the media circus between games two and three, go rent When We Were Kings. You’ll learn all about the Rope a Dope.
June 10th, 2007 at 6:51 pm
If the Cavs lose this one (like it looks like they will after the 1st), the blame has to go on Mike Brown. Why did he take Lebron out after getting his 2nd foul? Let’s be honest the refs were never going to call a 3rd foul on Lebron anytime soon. Like Jordan, Lebron virtually never fouls out, because the NBA doesn’t want their stars on the bench. Mike Brown has to know this. Terrible move that will probably cost them the game. Lets hope I’m wrong.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:04 pm
Wonderful “adjustments.” Thank heavens LeBron “felt them out” in Game 1. And, wow, how “looking at the film” has paid off!
If not for those three tactics, along with Brown’s refusal to play Gibson (his only shooter from the get-go, the Cavs might trail by 20 points in the 2nd Q.
Oh wait. They do.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Wow, based on 1.5 games against the Spurs, the Cavs look like the really, really suck.
I was thinking the “least deserving finalist” stuff and the “overall suckitude of the East” were overblown. Now, maybe they were right. The Cavs don’t look like they belong.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:10 pm
Some ESPN writer said in his “Page Two” column that the Cavaliers are the all-time worst team to make the NBA Finals.
Truer words were never spoken. And I’m a Cavs fan. This team is sad, sorry, awful, when stacked up against any quality opponent. Coach & Ferry need to study the Spurs a bit more. Point #1: It takes more than just defense (which can only stop a certain pct. of shots). If you don’t have five players who can realistically put the ball in the hole, you are going to lose. Basketball 101.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:14 pm
I dont think anyone can really be pissed with the Cavs. Yes its the finals and people say “anything can happen”. I dont think that applies in this game. At what point in the season did it look like we had a consistant enough offense to hang with the Spurs. I mean, I love me my Cavs, but lets look at this objectively. We had a punchers chance at best of taking a game in SA and after what ive seen tonight that is not happening. Its amazing weve gotten this far considering we dont have anything that resembles a half court offense. We either nail jumpers (in bad positions) or we lose. That simple. And this will continue until Brown gets an offensive assistant(or becomes a better coach) and we get a TRUE point guard. And Hughes and his 5 year contract are only hurting this team.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Poor ABC.
Frankly, I’d hire Lenny Wilkens as coach, let him institute an offense…since the guys are already defensive geniuses, heh?
Mike Brown and Larry Hughes will be the utter downfall of Cavs bball, driving LBJ out of town and costing Dan Gilbert hundreds of million$.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:17 pm
Cavs are shooting 26% from the field at the half. What the fock?!?!??!?!?!
June 10th, 2007 at 7:29 pm
This is disappointing. That being said, there is no team in the nba right now that wouldn’t be losing by double digits.
June 10th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
HA! What a BURN! The ABC announcer compares the Cavs to a #16 seed in a first-round game vs. a #1. CLASSIC! Oh, I can’t wait to hear Jim Rome tomorrow! The hapless Cavs and their clueless coach have turned this series into an all-out mockery. Even the commercials are more entertaining.
June 10th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
You didn’t know the term “rope-a-dope?” Really? You really should not admit that, even to yourself.
June 10th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Boobie is the best, but he should never, ever be the one inbounding the ball again. Larry deserves to start when he’s healthy, but its obvious he can’t play right now. Sasha can’t seem to control his body when he gets near the rim - seriously someone should start charting his missed layups. And Duncan gets more calls than anyone in the league.
June 10th, 2007 at 8:53 pm
wow , this game was unreal . i bet the first word out of brown’s mouth will be about the defense , i can promise you that . he will never ever talk about the short comings of that horrible offense . outside of gibson , there is no one on that roster who can consistently hit and open jumper and outside of gibson and james , there is no one who can consistently create their own shot off the dribble(pavolvic misses too much once he gets to the rim) . ferry has to improve this roster this summer . if they come back with this same roster and same coaching staff , they will not make another finals appearance , miami will be better and so will chicago . let’s face it , cleveland had the easiest journey(outside of detroit) to the finals i’ve ever seen and i do not expect them to have that same easy route to the finals next year
June 10th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
hey dc , larry has not been doing anything since the 1st round against a depleted washington team , and that was well before his injury . i do not think he should be starting on no nba team , he would be better suited coming off the bench
June 10th, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Glad to see the Cavs maintaining composure in the midst of that game. I am impressed. They are going to have to get angry but play smart if they want to win the next game.
June 10th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
danny ferry , get on the phone as soon as this series is done and call atlanta and see what they are willing to give up for joe johnson . perfect 2 guard to play alongsode of lebron , can handle the ball , knock down jumpers , and put the ball on the floor and create a shot for him or a teammate , thus not making lebron the sole playmaker for others . boobie , johnson , and lebron all playing together could be something special for years to come . even brown could look like don nelson with those players on offense
June 10th, 2007 at 9:24 pm
I hope that only the loudest fans have tickets to the home games, because the Cavs are going to need all the help they can get from the home crowd.
If anyone asked you at the start of the season: would you take it if the Cavs made the finals, even if they faced a much stronger opponent in the Spurs? I would have.
It doesn’t mean I don’t want a championship, it means that winning the NBA title is often a growing process. Sure it looks like they still have a lot of growing to do, but that’s not news. They’ve had a chance to grow a lot this year, and they will grow a lot more if they can win the next game.
Begone, complainers.
June 10th, 2007 at 9:53 pm
Not much to say about the game that hasn’t been said numerous times throughout the season–Sasha most certainly can’t finish, Roker Brown needs his potato head baked so he’ll finally hire an offensive assistant, Hughes needs to be out of the starting lineup, etc etc. as for the duality of this series–half full/half empty–growing pains vs. simply win now, well both have valid points, but as others have written, if we take this finals for granted, there’s no guarantee we’ll make it here again. Yes we do have LeBron, but there were certainly factors in our favor this year on the way through the playoffs that might not be there next year. Maybe the Reverend pluto and the reverend billy can come up with a sermon to inspire the cavs, or maybe they’ll preach irrelevant and unqualified gospel as usual. In any case, I hope the Cavs come out with more effort and energy in game 3.
June 10th, 2007 at 9:56 pm
Oh after I wrote energy in that last post, I thought of another “unusual” stat that BW could keep track of–how many times commentators say a phrase with the word “energy” when referring to Varejao–be it “high energy guy,” “brings energy off the bench,” “energetic rebounder,” or whatever have you. Brian, what’s the count total on the flop battle in Manu vs. Andy?