The party is almost over
Posted June 13th, 2007 by Brian Windhorst
When this all over, and that time is soon, the Cavs may very well regret they never gave the San Antonio Spurs their best shot. Perhaps it would not have mattered, but it may be easier for them to rest in the off-season that way. It didn’t matter Thursday when the Spurs wrestled the Cavs into submission in the 75-72 win.
Stuff…
–LeBron James probably got fouled on the last play, Bruce Bowen was trying to foul him I believe. Afterward, LeBron didn’t complain as is Cavs policy. But let’s be honest, do you think he would’ve made all three free throws under such pressure? His history of making clutch free throws is spotty. The intangibles have gone the Spurs way this series and Bowen making a move at LeBron probably forced him to take a worse shot.
–Anderson Varejao always wants to shoot, the man has taken 3-pointers in this postseason. This is the last guy you want with the ball in a pressure situation trying to create his own shot. It is a disaster waiting to happen. It happened. This is a experience issue, in that case he’s got to be smarter with the ball. Mike Brown was trying hard to get a timeout there. We all know the play out of the timeout would’ve been an iso play for the LeBron at the top of the key and the Spurs would’ve been ready. Who can say the Cavs would’ve even got a better shot with the timeout. Nonetheless, when the season is on the line there has to be better decisions made. Another lesson.
–I have been blown away watching the Spurs’ execution in these last three games. It seems like they have maybe made four or five defensive mistakes in the entire series. Their rotations are so crisp, it is scary. The way they react to pick-and-roll and postups to neutralize them is downright awe-inspiring. It’s almost like their defense breathes, fluidly collapsing and expanding like it’s a living entity. Gregg Popovich said after the game it is the best defense the Spurs have played all season. It may be the best defense I’ve ever seen in person.
–Now, the Spurs’ offense. It is so smart and well-oiled, everyone knows where to be and the spacing and passing is perfect. Perhaps I am warped from watching the Cavs and their dribblefest for more than 100 games now, but let me give you one play for an example. In the third quarter, Tim Duncan got the ball in the post on the right block. The Cavs doubled and Duncan kicked it to the corner and the Cavs started to recover, spreading out to the shooters. The Spurs passed the ball around the perimeter until it reached Bruce Bowen on the opposite wing. Bowen looked to pass the ball to Brent Barry in the corner, but the Cavs had every option covered in what looked like good defense. So Bowen, seeing the Cavs in full-speed spread and with four 3-pointers already in his pocket, pump-faked and went to the basket. He drew a desperation foul. Now, it was insignificant in the game, but it was the exact correct play to make there. He waits another second and the Cavs have stopped the play. They just make so many proper decisions. It’s just impressive to watch.
–Want to know where the game was really won? The 10-0 run to close the first half and the 7-0 at the end of the third quarter and start of the fourth. Yes, Brown took LeBron out with fouls with six minutes left in the half. He had to, LeBron had three and hadn’t been out of the game yet. Leaving him out the full six minutes, especially when the Spurs started the run is questionable. As usual, the Cavs got a 3-4 minute bounce without LeBron, actually extending the lead. This is a normal for them throughout the playoffs, but it has also been proven that it’s not sustainable. Brown had a free 24-second timeout to use to get LeBron in the game and break the run. He didn’t use it until the final Cavs possession and he didn’t put LeBron in for even that play. Extreme second-guess here, I know, but that run was very penal to the Cavs because it soured the whole first half.
–Moving Daniel Gibson into the starting lineup didn’t work. It was in part because the Spurs were paying more attention and in part because he forced some shots early instead of letting them develop. He might just be better off the bench at this point. Honestly, Eric Snow has played pretty well over the last two games and the offense has responded while he’s been in there. He had five assists tonight. Perhaps that’s an option, to start him Thursday.
–I wrote about the Larry Hughes decision here. Here’s how I can break it down from my viewpoint, having talked to some people close to Larry. After not taking the injection for Game 1, Hughes went ahead and did it for Game 2 hoping it would help even though he thought it was against his best interests. He has a fear that he could completely tear the muscle or break his foot and he wouldn’t know it with it numb. It doesn’t matter what the doctors told him, he hated doing it. Anyway, he got the needle and he got just 20 minutes of playing time in Game 2, which upset him. So he pretty much had enough and the Cavs weren’t getting much from him. He met with the coaches and they came to a mutual decision rather than his foot actually hurting more, which was the story. It is unfortunate that him doing something he should get credit for (playing through the injury) may not be remembered as much as his poor play.
–The Cavs are shooting 42.3 percent for the postseason and now averaging less than 90 points a game. Two things should be remembered about this: 1. It was a miracle in some ways for the Cavs to get to this point with those numbers. 2. There needs to be a major, major overhaul/improvement to the offense before the Cavs can get their hands on the trophy the Spurs are about to win. The Cavs shot a lower percentage than their opponents in the regular season and rebounding and defense somehow got them to 18 games over .500. They are 12-7 in the postseason while shooting worse than their opponents again. The Cavs have world-class defense. But they are miles away on offense and it is an old, old wound.
June 13th, 2007 at 12:28 am
Gibson is going to be alright, he is just a rookie, if he start the next game he will be better. Sasha started off strong then disapear, Z, was glad to get to the finals but his play did not show it. Larry, and donyell is garbage, and boat shoes better find a way to get rid of one or both of them in the off season. Lebron new biggest game of his young career and he sucked. the stars were out to see him and the spotlite was on him and he just did not produce. but it is not all his fault. him teammates as well as his own shot was not falling. I hope the “WHINERS” will not whine this morning it was a awesome ride, and at the beginning of the year if some one said the cavs will be in the finals you would of looked at them like they were crazy. so lets enjoy game 4 hope that they will not get swept on there own floor, and more importantly hope that Ferry could have a better off season then he did in the past.
June 13th, 2007 at 12:51 am
Brian, I agree with most of your points in this post, and the Spurs D is excellent, no doubt. The Spurs O was great in games 1 and 2, but they scored 75 points tonight. Were you watching tonight’s game? Their 3-pt shooters saved the day, otherwise, they might have been held under 70. The Cavs O might stink but their D was great tonight. If the Cavs had just a mediocre offensive performance, they would have won by 10. Give a little credit where credit is due. Obviously, the Cavs D was not enough, but they held their own against a much better offensive team. After all, the Spurs just have to stop the Cavs. The Cavs have to stop the Spurs. Which D has to work harder?
June 13th, 2007 at 4:17 am
Again, Mike Brown benches Lebron because his coaching manual instructed him to do so when star player receives 3 fouls prior to half point of basketball competition. Are you kidding me? The guy is an automaton. He certainly should be praised for the defense his has implemented, but his in-game management is atrocious. He has no feel for the nuances and subtleties that a “great” coach is attuned to and acts on. It’s crucial in that situation that the Cavs go into halftime with a lead. Absolutely essential. And of course the Spurs go on their obligatory 10-0 run as Lebron nibbles his delicious fingernails on the bench. Get him back in there! And this Larry Hughes situation is another example his lack of leadership. So he was afraid of hurting Hughes’ feelings? That’s why he kept starting him? What about doing what’s right for the team? And Hughes complaining about playing time? Wow. It’s going to be an interesting summer.
June 13th, 2007 at 5:21 am
Good analysis, Brian. The Spurs’ defense was great, and accomplished just what they set out to do - keep a lid on LeBron and force the Cavs to shoot from the perimeter.
My two cents: Coach thought that he’d use the formula that enabled them to outscore the Spurs in the 4th period in game 2. It actully would have culminated in a victory - if only they would have made a shot. No, really. ONE SHOT = a tie. Never in my life have I heard such an anvil chorus of bricks clanking off iron. If Boobie or Donyell or Damon finds his stroke, we’re calling Brown a genius today.
C’est la guerre.
My prediction. Win or lose, this team will not curl up and die. I think they’ve got a lot of heart, and that they will show up ready to win one Thursday. Whether they can is another story. The bad news is that they’re very young, and their inexperince shows. The good news is that they’re very young, and will be bringing it for years to come.
June 13th, 2007 at 5:35 am
In today’s NBA, it looks like the ability of teams to play zones and collapse on superstars such as LeBron necessitates having another star to carry the load at times or, in the Cavs’ case, having reliable shooters to pull the defense back to the perimeter. In retrospect, signing the self-proclaimed “World’s Greatest Shooter” and adding a tall forward whose specialty seemed to be hitting threes from the corner weren’t off the wall at the time. Who knew they wouldn’t be able to deliver when needed? Now, Ferry has to find actual shooters who are willing to play a little defense. Kapono doesn’t fill the bill on the latter score, but we could use his offense. Who else is out there who will be able to fill our needs? And can we get a decent point guard for Hughes or has he played himself out of the trade market?
June 13th, 2007 at 6:10 am
I’m a little befuddled by the analysis: The Spurs squeaked out a win because the Cavs went ice cold shooting. If they had hit a third of their outside shots, it would have opened up more driving lanes, Duncan would have fouled out and the Cavs would have won by 15 or 20.
Playing Gibson did work. He missed his shots but there was more room to operate in the paint. Also, Parker and Ginobili didn’t go off like they had been. The same thing happened to Billups when Gibson was in. He’s their best defender.
I can’t see how Hughes is peeved and I’m sick of reading about his heroics. I haven’t seen an article the past two weeks that doesn’t laud him for playing through excruciating pain, for watching needles enter his arm, etc., etc.
It’s a joke: Hughes’ track record suggests quite strongly that he is not tough enough to withstand the rigors of professional basketball. Plus, he stinks.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:20 am
Regardless of whether the Cavs get swept on Thursday or not, I think the experience of making it to the Finals and seeing exactly what they are up against to win a title is valuable.
Should the Cavs make it back to the Finals in the coming years, I doubt you’ll see things like Anderson Varejao receiving the ball in the paint with the game on the line. Lesson (hopefully) learned there.
Hopefully, this series underscores for Ferry and Brown the need to get a better offensive game plan in place, and add a veteran point guard who can run an offense and allow LeBron to move without the ball more often.
Sam Smith of the Chicago Tribune won’t like this comparison, but LeBron is really going through the same education Jordan went through in the late ’80s. The only difference is the East was so good back then, by the time Jordan made it to the Finals, he was ready to win titles.
For LeBron, the East is an inferior conference, and his education is coming from getting drubbed once he reaches the Finals. But it’s true what they say about the NBA: Unlike in other sports, you almost always have to earn your battle stars before you hoist the championship trophy.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:26 am
I’m not sure any of us needed to see Lebron miss a couple of throws to tie a game in that situation. He’s already got the weight of the whole team on his shoulders and I don’t think having a highlight to be shown nationally putting the loss on his shoulders is the “learning experience” we need.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:37 am
Based on your analysis, Brian, you’d have thought the Cavs were blown out. You almost seem to take some over-arching glee when your subjective critiques play forward. This game was about shooting. A poor shooting game. Nervousness. Daniel was trying too hard to be the “classic” point guard instead of instinctive play, and LeBron’s shot was tight as a drum - meaning he was tight - disappointing.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:41 am
Definitely agree with your points Brian (and Erik). But this was an infuriating loss. The Spurs handed them an opportunity on a silver platter to get back in the series and they simply choked. A 2-1 series w/ two more in Cleveland could have become real interesting. I can’t remeber seeing a team of professional athletes miss so badly on so many wide open shots. Not to mention the complete breakdown in basketball IQ (Varejao).
However, as dissapointed as I am, it’s easy to forget that this is a team a few months ago could have easily lossed a best of 5 to the Celtics or Hawks in any given week. They have come a long way in a short amount of time and it has been fun to watch the evolution.
Any thoughts on who they could realistically add in the off season to supplement the core of young talent? They certianly need a second scoring threat, like an Antwan Jamison type player w/ a mid range game.
June 13th, 2007 at 6:52 am
Another excellent analysis by Larry D.. Gibson did a great job on Parker. How come
our big three point free agents Jones and
Marshall choked under pressure? And if LBJ
is our player coach why did he disregard
Browns pleas for a time out. Someone has to
be the ultimate boss and it can,t be LBJ in
that situation. He ran right through Browns
stop signal. And finally the referee made
the right call in that situation. You don,t
call a foul before the shot in that situation. To stop that play before he put
it up in that situation would be ludicrous.
The shot was not affected and Lebron missed it. Need to get rid of Marshall, Hughes,
Wesley and Jones and pick up an enforcer.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:11 am
We’ve seen this clang-clang replay so often, it’s just tiresome. Cavs will never get more wide-open shots; they’re just incapable of making them. Thus, this team (as comprised) will never win it all. And because Ferry signed so many of the brick-throwers to long-term deals, we are stuck with this mess for years to come.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:14 am
Hughes is upset with his minutes?! He’s somehow “heroic” and “courageous?” Get me his P.R. man…stat! Little Larry has given the Cavs some of the worst return-on-investment in the history of pro sports. There’s not one single fan (and probably front-office person) who doesn’t want this loser shipped outta here…like, yesterday.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:34 am
This is a great experience for the Cavs whether they win or lose. BUT, they have to do something this off season or they are going to fall short again next year. We need to get a freaking point gaurd, or another super star to work along with Lebron. Lebron will NEVER win a title on his own, very few players ever do that. Look back at all the world champs and you will normally see atleast 2 superstars on the team…. the Spurs in fact have 3 superstars on their team. Lebron cannot win on his own.
June 13th, 2007 at 7:53 am
I was at the game. The atmosphere was great and the place was real loud. They gave away free t-shirts, which was nice.
Just my quick takes. The 10-0 run by the Spurs to end the half was a killer. LeBron missing two layups late also didn’t help. Anderson should never be put into a position where he can take a shot as big as he did in the final seconds of Game 3. As far as Anderson’s layup gone awry, the replays I see make it appear that he was wide open and just flat out choked and blew the layup. Oh well. Got to suck it up and somehow extend the series one more game. Just like the Red Sox did in 2004 against the Yankees. C’mon Cavs! Gotta make it happen!
June 13th, 2007 at 7:54 am
Look, if Hughes was complaining after last season about the way he was being utilized, I can only imagine he’ll be sobbing in his blue panty hose this time around after getting his feelings hurt because he only played 20 minutes. And if he’d have spared us the heroic “look at me playing through the pain” and simply taken himself out of the lineup at the first sign that he was unable to play with the injury, I think Clevelanders would’ve been much more appreciative. Here’s hoping that his discontent and poor playing collide to make him an ex-Cavs this summer.
June 13th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Brian, I liked this line from your article today: “Gibson immediately suffered a violent market correction and couldn’t make a shot…” Summed it up very nicely. Also, was it just me, or did anyone else hear in the first quarter, after Sasha made a reverse layup, Mark Jackson said, “He’s an excellent finisher!” That had me laughing so hard that I spit out my entire gulp of diet coke.
June 13th, 2007 at 8:15 am
What’s impressed me about the Spurs is that they’ve dominated in a different way in each game:
- Offensive rebounding (36% vs. Cleveland’s 23%) and second chance points (19 to 10) in Game One,
- Interior shots (55% from 2-point range vs. 42%) in Game Two,
- And obviously, outside shooting (53% vs. 16% from 3-point range) in Game Three.
The Cavs are adjusting well, but the Spurs keep switching tactics to stay a step ahead.
To win Game Four, I think the Cavs need to somehow improve mid-range jump shooting. That’s where the Spurs defense showed some weakness during the regular season.
It’s great to see insightful analysis by so many commenters here, rather than vague “everyone is terrible; blow up the team and start from scratch” proclamations.
June 13th, 2007 at 8:40 am
Brian is right. This game was there for the taking. Awesome defensive effort from the Cavs - holding the Big 3 to just 34 combined points.
To me, it’s not really about the coaching or the offensive system. Though it would be nice of those improved, this is about the Cavs players just not quite having the offensive instincts needed, no matter what the play call is.
Yes, the Cavs need better shooters around LeBron. But just as big an issue is getting players who are instinctively better overall on offense. That means guys who understand spacing, flow, tempo, and reading the defense. We need shooters, yes, but also guys who can do more than just stand around and wait to be set up by Lebron.
Sasha is learning this - he slowly is coming around, learning to drive at the right times or spot up at the right times. Many of the rest of the guys are OK stand-still shooters at times. But they are 1-dimensional and lack either the experience, instincts or athleticism to attack the defenses weaknesses. Brian correctly noted the Spurs ball movement, spacing and decision making. Their players know where to position themselves to exploit the openings that come off of Parker’s penetration and Duncan’s post play. Lebron creates both of these for the Cavs single-handedly, which is awesome. His teammates not only miss too many shots, but more importantly do not punish the defense when they inevitably rotate heavily in Lebron’s direction.
The Cavs can probably get away with Boobie as a combo guard - I like his shooting, poise, quickness and even defense. With Lebron we don’t need a great assist-man, necessarily. We still need a 2-guard. I respect Larry. I understand why Ferry got him. Larry thrived playing next to Arenas - a major perimeter threat who garnered all the defensive attention from the point. The Cavs are not going to have that.
We don’t need a superstar at the 2. But we need a very good all-around player in the backcourt - a guy with good shooting range, decent penetrating/creating, solid defense. Joe Johnson would be ideal.
I see Sasha as a good 6th man - a poor man’s Ginobli. We could use another 4-man who could help smooth out Gooden’s inconsistency. A tough guy with decent offense. McDyess is a free agent, someone in that mold. And, it’d be nice to find a developmental center to learn behind the aging Z.
June 13th, 2007 at 11:22 am
Adding an Antawn Jamison type? In what universe? Has anybody actually looked at the Cavs cap situation?
The odds of being able to add anyone useful this off season center entirely around Ferry being able to get another GM drunk enough to take Jones, Marshall, Hughes, or Snow.
Yeah, good luck with that one…
June 13th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Dick
You make a good point, I was referring more to a Jamison-like player, i.e. a veteran/proven mid range scorer. For those who are interested, I’ll post the current Cavs salary situation:
Player 2006/07
Larry Hughes $15,363,012
Zydrunas Ilgauskas $9,442,697
Drew Gooden $6,600,000
Eric Snow $6,090,000
LeBron James $5,828,089
Donyell Marshall $5,183,037
Damon Jones $3,884,678
Ira Newble $3,196,050
Scot Pollard $2,200,000
Aleksandar Pavlovic $1,962,206
David Wesley $1,750,000
Shannon Brown $971,580
Anderson Varejao $945,600
Dwayne Jones $664,209
Daniel Gibson $412,748
TOTALS: $64,493,906
Player 2007/08
Larry Hughes $12,000,084
Zydrunas Ilgauskas $10,142,156
Drew Gooden $6,400,000
Eric Snow $6,700,000
LeBron James $12,455,000
Donyell Marshall $5,566,965
Damon Jones $4,172,432
Ira Newble $3,441,900
Scot Pollard $0
Aleksandar Pavlovic $2,798,106
David Wesley $1,750,000
Shannon Brown $1,044,120
Anderson Varejao $0
Dwayne Jones $0
Daniel Gibson $687,456
TOTALS: $64,360,113
June 13th, 2007 at 12:42 pm
Wow, Daniel Gibson is QUITE the bargain. Larry is a rip off, and Pollard is making good coin for all his bench time!
June 13th, 2007 at 12:49 pm
What do you suppose Varejao will fetch? At least Gooden money no?
Also, Z, Gooden, Snow, Marshall, and Jones are locked in until 2008/09. Hughes, LeBron til 2009/10
June 13th, 2007 at 1:13 pm
As a Spurs fan watching the Cavs up close for the first time, I’m impressed that they’ve gotten as far as they have. Mike Brown may take some heat for a few tactical decisions, but he’s not a seasoned NBA coach yet. Nonetheless, he’s not only installed an impressive defense, he has gotten the team to buy in to a defense first philosophy. Also, let’s face it, he’s trying to put out a forest fire with a garden hose. Overall, he’s accomplished a lot in two years.
What the Cavs need as much as anything is a solid, 35-minute per game point guard. (I disagree that Gibson as a combo guard is the answer. For one thing, he’s incredibly valuable of the bench.) I don’t mean that they need Steve Nash or Tony Parker, either. I’m talk about a Luke Ridnouer (sp?) type who can run an offense, penetrate, pass off, and stick the mid-range jumper when needed. That frees up James to move without the ball, slash to the hole, and post up. Don’t worry, he’d still have plenty of opportunities to take the ball and create a shot.
You could use a low-post scorer too, but that’s another story. And who knows? With a classic PG running the offense, maybe a Drew Gooden steps up. He’s got offensive skills, that’s for sure.
June 13th, 2007 at 1:23 pm
P.S. This blog has the best fan commentary I’ve read in the postseason. It sure beats the bleating and whining from Phoenix and Salt Lake City and the triumphalism from San Antonio. Akron must be known for its stand-up guys.
June 13th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
If the Cavs want to win a game in this series, they have to not only beat the Spurs, they have to beat the Refs. Bob Delaney did everything he could do to control the pace of game 3. The phantom call against LeBron (giving him 3 fouls) in Q2 when the Cavs started to mesh was a key foul call. It was Delaney’s non-call against Bowen (Bowen was trying to get a foul called!!!). This guy shouldn’t be allowed to ref another game.
That said, the Cavs were able to overcome that in Game 5 vs Detroit, but they needed a performance for the ages from LeBron. And they then needed a career high from Gibson in Game 6. How many fouls did they call in Q4 of game 5, anyway??
I’m sick of the national media blaming every other play, and not putting the onus where it belongs - the NBA and their referees. The fact is, the game did come down to a 3 point shot that the referee did not call an obvious foul. Call him out!! Get him on an interview show, replay the clip, and ask him how he misses that call?
I got the feeling that even if the Cavs/LeBron make those bunnies at the end of the game - fouls are called on the other end to let the Spurs stay up in the game. This is the Spurs series to not only lose, but blow. And didn’t Z get that last shot off before the buzzer?
June 13th, 2007 at 6:35 pm
I agree with tb about the way these games are called and believe that refereeing in general is one of the NBA’s biggest problems.
Players, established teams and home teams all get preferential treatment and it’s pretty much accepted by everyone who’s associated with the league, including reporters, players, fans and coaches.
I’ll bet it’s a real turnoff to casual fans who tune into watch a championship series.
June 14th, 2007 at 5:32 am
You know, its funny - we get a Spur fan come on here to compliment the blog and its posters and the very next 2 post are whines about the refs. Perceived poor refereeing happens in every sport, home/away, college/pro. When one of our players gets away with a non-call, we instantly forget about it but 20 seconds later, we gripe about a non-call the opposition got away with. It evens out in the end, the better team will win. Duncan’s 3rd foul was ludicrous as well but since it happened to the opposition, we don’t complain about it.
Are you folks honestly saying referees cost us this years championship? How bout the 35% shooting, the 60% FT shooting, the cringe-worthy offensive moves made by anyone on the team not named Lebron, not rebounding or hustling after loose balls - does any of that have to do with it? The Spurs are making very few fundamental and coaching mistakes - the Cavs have made more than enough.
I’m still glad they got this far - it will be a great learning experience for the future and shows how far there is to go. When they look awful in this series and I can feel my frustration level rise, I think back to the final buzzer in game 6 against Detroit and its allright again. Of course, I would prefer the Cavs win this series too but unless they play an absolutely perfect game, they won’t win a single game. The only complaint I have is how our GM has left the roster an absolute mess. Maybe cut the high-priced scrubs who don’t add any value to the team except for maybe 2-3 games a year, take the one year hit and have more money to work with in 2008, if it can even be done that way in basketball.
June 14th, 2007 at 5:55 am
Saying “everything evens out” is exactly what I’m talking about.
June 14th, 2007 at 6:33 am
I agree with Larry. Could you imagine if in baseball you heard stuff like “Sizemore with a chopper to short, he’s really moving down the line, bang bang play, and he’s out. Wow that was close. He probably gets that call at the Jake.”
But in the NBA it’s accepted and appears to be required if you listen to coaches and players. I’ve never understand this. But the really bad one is “he’ll get that call when he’s been in the league a few more years but not as a rookie” rule. It’s a turn off to most fans.
June 14th, 2007 at 8:11 am
Yeah, we need to lay off the officiating. Star players, established teams and home teams get calls?? Well, LBJ had two of those three for the last play.
The biggest problem with the officiating is veteran guys–those who really have no business based on talent (Delaney, Fryer, Wunderlich, et al)–being forced to work playoff games because of a lack of depth throughout the league.
Even the better officials in the league (Crawford, Javie, Bavetta) all have their flaws. What makes them better than the rest is their ability to recognize when they’ve made a mistake and even things out where they can.
There could be a foul called on every play in the NBA, so complaining about one non-call at the end is pretty pointless.
June 14th, 2007 at 8:16 am
Here is some salary info for this year and next year below my post.
Kind of disgusting that Hughes is going to basically making the same as LeBron next year. They are already over the Cap for next year, but is a soft cap.
Couple of free agent ideas: McDysse from Det. and Ridenour from Seattle (PG). He is not great, but can run the offense, penetrate and dish, and hit the open jumper.
They need to get the ball out of LeBron’s hands so much, part of the reason the offense is so stagnant and offensive.
I am sure they will resign Varejao for similar $ as Gooden. Doubt Dwayne Jones, Pollard, or Wesley will be on the roster. Snow, Hughes, Damon Jones, Marshall have big contracts for two more years, unlikely they will be able to move any of them this offseason, maybe next offseason. Can see them trying to trade Newble. Gooden is their best trade bait, but they have to get a big guy back in return. As inconsistent as Gooden is, he has been their leading rebounder the last 2 seasons, but if they got someone like McDysse then they could trade Gooden for a PG. I think Z is on the books for three more years at 10 million a year. I really like Z, but he is slow and his game is going to get worse the next couple years. Would rather trade Z and hold on to Gooden (only 25) or trade both.
It might be best for Gibson to come off the bench next year (but play a lot of minutes), they are going to need bench scoring, could be a poor man’s Ginobli.
Hughes should definitley be coming off the bench next year too. Wonder how good Shannon Brown is?
Player 2006/07
Larry Hughes $15,363,012
Zydrunas Ilgauskas $9,442,697
Drew Gooden $6,600,000
Eric Snow $6,090,000
LeBron James $5,828,089
Donyell Marshall $5,183,037
Damon Jones $3,884,678
Ira Newble $3,196,050
Scot Pollard $2,200,000
Aleksandar Pavlovic $1,962,206
David Wesley $1,750,000
Shannon Brown $971,580
Anderson Varejao $945,600
Dwayne Jones $664,209
Daniel Gibson $412,748
TOTALS: $64,493,906
Player 2007/08
Larry Hughes $12,000,084
Zydrunas Ilgauskas $10,142,156
Drew Gooden $6,400,000
Eric Snow $6,700,000
LeBron James $12,455,000
Donyell Marshall $5,566,965
Damon Jones $4,172,432
Ira Newble $3,441,900
Scot Pollard $0
Aleksandar Pavlovic $2,798,106
David Wesley $1,750,000
Shannon Brown $1,044,120
Anderson Varejao $0
Dwayne Jones $0
Daniel Gibson $687,456
TOTALS: $64,360,113
June 14th, 2007 at 8:41 am
I wasn’t complaining about the last play of Tuesday’s game at all, but it’s a good example of the hazy nature of NBA refereeing.
I don’t think that the play could have been called as a continuation foul, but sometimes those plays are called that way. Sometimes not. The same kind of inconsistency can be seen in the way refs call, or don’t call, palming/carrying, traveling, hand checking, hooking, flopping, etc., etc.
There’s too much guesswork involved and refs shouldn’t be expected to change the way the game is played by interpreting existing rules differently from year to year. Of course, asking refs to make calls to even out bad calls is a terrible idea too.
June 14th, 2007 at 11:59 am
“The media is making Lebron what he isn’t. He’s not MJ or Magic. He’s an overhyped freak of an athlete.”
Could not agree more. This guy cannot shoot a jump shot if he was left all alone in a Gym. No wonder he is “Thinking” about whether to play in the World Chanpionships. He is scared with the Zone D played by the foreign teams he cannot charge into the lane like a bull in a china shop without drawing Offensive fouls (remember the last Olympics the “King” played in???), sending all the defenders to the flow.
The reason he made it this far in the playoff and has so much hype “the chosen one??? pleeeeeese” is because NBA teams are so dumb or have too big a ego to play a Zone. If Detroit played a zone King James would be a pauper and be exposed as the fake he is.
The spurs are too smart to play this circus clown with his high flying dunks one on one (any NBA player can get a dunk given a free lane to the basket). And so are the international teams -remember BB is a team sport?.
He is as good as his international appearance showed last year at the olympics - VERY AVERAGE AT BEST.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:02 pm
“If Lebron can’t expect his teammates to shoot a open jumper, can’t he at least expect them to pass him back to ball?”
Talk about the pot calling the kettle black:)
LeBrick should learn how to shoot a jumper FIRST before he expects his teammates to do so. Oh wait i forgot most of his teammates ARE better jump shooters that LeBrick. Is not the objective of BB to put the ball in the basket? Does LeBrick get an extra point for his high flying, cartwheeling, acrobatic, one handed, highlight reeling, posterizing, bungee jumping, in your face dunks. Oh wait i thought i was watching(desribing) the Ringling Brothers Circus but it was just LeBrick the King performing his stunts - day at the office for the King. Can someone tell him it takes less energy to make a jump shot and he gets the SAME number of points than if he bulldozes his way into the lane?
June 14th, 2007 at 12:53 pm
starting right after the playoffs, the cavs need to cut donyell marshall, eat that fat contract, and get in a free agent college player who i know can do better, he is a waste on this team. as for “little lame larry”, if they cannot trade him, then he will be one high bench player because he will not start for my team. boat shoes, get you butt in gear, the off season starts now. who by the way. “THERE WILL BE NO SWEEPING 2NITE, THIS SERIES IS GOING TO A 5TH GAME”, so i could go down sunday night and enjoy the festivities with my son had to work the last game and 2nite. RISE UP CAVS FANS, AND HAVE SOME PRIDE, you got to admit this has been on hell of a ride, BASKETBALL IN JUNE, YEEEEEEEAHBAAAAAAABY!!!!!
June 14th, 2007 at 12:54 pm
one thing about alan tucker, u got to admit, most of the time he was right. you know the truth hurts.
June 14th, 2007 at 12:59 pm
Hard to believe NBA execs could hand out such ridiculous contracts to Newble, Wesley, Jones, Hughes, Snow, Marshall, and yes, even Z. That’s more than half of the active roster that’s useless to the cause of “winning,” with no flexibility in sight. Absolutely AMAZING!! Contrast our bench with the intelligent, sharpshooting athletes on San Antonio–there’s “the diff.” Paxson and Ferry have boxed the Cavs into a corner with horrible players and insane long-term contracts. Let’s see ‘em get outta this mess.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:02 pm
ENOUGH, already. Can every Ohioan with internet access please take a break from bashing Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones?
If you all remember, the Cavs were trying to add shooters to the roster. At the time, those guys were both considered excellent outside shooters, especially off the bench.
I understand many people are upset about what they perceive to be unwieldy contracts, but the reality is that the Cavaliers paid market value for those two. If you have to spend money on a player in today’s NBA, chances are good that you’re going to have to “overspend.” (Though, since other teams made competitive offers, it’s actually not overspending at all.)
The bottom line is that you complainers are a bunch of derisive grouches who use hindsight to make yourselves sound intelligent.
When a GM signs a role player, it’s always a gamble. That’s one reason it’s so difficult to win a championship. If you can’t stomach the fact that your GM is going to be wrong about half the time, then don’t watch pro basketball.
PS: It’s easy to forget that Jones and Marshall hit big shots last year in the playoffs. Maybe they’ll hit some big ones next year.
June 14th, 2007 at 3:08 pm
PPS: Lebrick, while I agree that Lebron’s jump shot has been atrocious in the Finals, this point you made is as stupid as your alias:
“Can someone tell him [James] it takes less energy to make a jump shot and he gets the SAME number of points than if he bulldozes his way into the lane?”
Perhaps someone should’ve told you that if James does, indeed, “bulldoze” his way into the lane, he will probably draw a foul. That creates the opportunity for a 3 point play while also adding a foul to opposition’s total.
June 14th, 2007 at 7:23 pm
Better get out the broom, this looks like a sweep. Cavs are playing crappy again, and the Spurs seem to be turning it up.
I wonder if people in the crowd will throw stuff during the trophy presentaiton.
June 14th, 2007 at 7:51 pm
Here we go again. You have got to be kidding me. The lack of focus, desire, and instinct is just shameful. Flat-footed shots, bad decisions, lazy defense, it’s like they have zero desire to win. The Spurs are not physically 4-0 better than the Cavs, but mentally they are 100-0.
June 14th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
I agree. You know you’re in trouble when Lebron James is only the 3rd best player on the court during a game.
I love the kid, but Duncan and Parker are a notch above so far tonight.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Pathetic. There is no way to spin it. This does not bode well for the future of the organization. All the “learning experience” BS aside. This team - LJ included - does not have the fire in the belly, the spirit, the determination to compete, nor the talent to get win a single game? They wont get back for a while, mark my words, the loser mentality prevades.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:04 pm
The Cavs looked like they just didn’t even give a damn. When they showed that timeout when Snow was trying to talk to the team, LeBron was busy tasting his nails, Gibson was looking off in the distance for his shot to come back, and Sasha was wondering what the weather was like in Serbia. No one seemed to care much, and what’s with not fouling when there were like 40 seconds left? If sports writers want their stories about how this finals was a stepping stone for the Cavs, then the Cavs had plenty of mistakes in this series to learn from in the future.
June 14th, 2007 at 9:08 pm
Hats off to the Spurs. They are a solid and worthy NBA Champion! However, the performance of the Cavs in the Finals was nothing short of disgraceful. They embarrassed themselves, their fans, and the Eastern Conference! LeBron was really exposed in this series as a very average shooter. How about all those turnovers late and the bricks. I used to argue that he was the league’s best player. Now, I’d say probably around #4 or #5. Marshall, Hughes, and Jones are killing our chances of improving the team in the offseason. Hughes should be sent to jail for stealing. $13M+ per year. Easily the most overpaid athlete in all of sports. There is no way we can trade him until, at best, there is one year left on his deal. Ughh!!! We have to be the worst shooting team in NBA Finals history. Some of it was good defense, but a lot of it was horrible shooting. Never had my opinion of one of my teams change so quickly in a week. Pathetic effort. Shame on you Cavs players and coaches!
June 15th, 2007 at 4:16 am
geddy that was funny, snow might as well been talking on this blog, it was pathatic, and the ans. to his question was obvious, they wanted to go home. hey jbjb, the talent level is low here, ferry, has a lot of work to do he is going to need a magician to help some of this luggage disappear. It was a fun ride and i am not sorry they lost, i knew they were going to lose i was just hopeing for a good series from lebron, so the national media could get off his back. now it is time to focus on the indians and there run for the world series. and fellas it is looking good, hey do the indians have a sports blog?