Nuggets 113, Cavs 83
–First things first, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Damon Jones should be able to play tomorrow. Z had his back tighten up and Damon tweaked his ankle. Drew Gooden lives in Orlando and has a lot of family and friends there, he may try it as well.
–Second, at the end of the third quarter LeBron James went over and sat my himself on the bench, away from the huddle. The Cavs were down 25 and had just lost Ilgauskas along with the four other players sitting in suits and he was upset. Damon Jones was not happy with his attitude and he spoke to him about it. LeBron ignored him. It was a heat of the moment thing, but because tomorrow is Monday and the news cycle starts and it involves LeBron showing angst I suspect it will be a topic on many shows because it’s nice fodder, especially in trade season. So here is what the parties said:
Damon: “I just think in those situations we have to stick together…Something had to be said at that point. No big thing.”
LeBron: “I didn’t feel like as a team or as an individual we played as hard as we could have. It was just tonight, it hasn’t been an ongoing thing. If it happens again, then you worry.”
–It was a horrible game and the Cavs looked like they knew they were going to get beat before it started. And they were right. The Nuggets looked like they knew they were going to get a blowout win. And they were right.
–One more thing before I go. I have been accused of defending Danny Ferry, especially today because I wrote a realist column in the paper that talks about the $30 million in expiring contracts the Cavs have next year to use in trades. What I attempt to do in stories in the paper and on this blog is to add perspective to the Cavs, which fans don’t have to worry about and that’s fine. When the Cavs made those signings in 2005, I agreed with all of them. I felt Larry Hughes’ contract was an overpay, especially the fact that there were $10 million in incentives on top of the $60 million guaranteed. I felt the contracts given to Jones, Donyell Marshall and Zydrunas Ilgauskas were also each one year longer than they had to be. But that is what the market dictated that summer.
But I didn’t disagree with any of their additions, they each gave the Cavs something they needed. To sit here today and criticize those signings would be hypocritical and not fair. At the time, Hughes was one of the most productive players in the NBA, Marshall was one of the best-shooting big men and Jones just hit 225 3-pointers and was coming to a team that was 29th in 3-point shooting. To help make it happen, as I have said many, many times, Z took a massive pay cut. He then even took less money when the Cavs screwed up his contract and accidentally renounced his rights, meaning he could only get 8 percent raises and not 10.5 percent raises. I didn’t like the David Wesley signing when they made it and therefore I felt I was fair when I ripped it all of last season. Also, before this season I said not getting a point guard, even an average one, was a mistake and it would hold them back. Which I also stand by.
The other signings I cannot in good faith say were terrible. No, they have not worked out as planned and have proven to be mistakes. But when I was covering them I felt they were grounded and I wrote it and said it. And those players helped the Cavs get to the playoffs the next year, which they had not done in eight years.
So rip away on Ferry and then me for not joining you, but I don’t have the luxury of being able to hit-and-run or write without perspective.
Recap:
Pregame
Nuggets: Anthony Carter, Allen Iverson, Carmelo Anthony, Kenyon Martin, Marcus Cambry
Cavs: Eric Snow, Larry Hughes, LeBron James, Ira Newble, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Officials
Joe Crawford, Derrick Stafford, Sean Wright
–Daniel Gibson and Drew Gooden were unable to go. Drew seems close, but he is afraid to risk re-injuring it. He’ll try it again tomorrow.
–The Cavs are terrible against the Nuggets because they can’t play at their speed. The Cavs really need to run to score right now because of the guys they have hurt and that is not good. Just like the other night, other guys besides LeBron will need to have big offensive nights.
–The Cavs are going to have some matchup issues. Obviously Iverson is a handful, but the Cavs have an issue dealing with Martin and Anthony with how they are playing. Also, Linas Kleiza can play inside and outside and is hard to guard off the bench.
Halftime — Nuggets 63, Cavs 45
–The Cavs are living up to their contractual obligation and taking their whipping.
–By rule, Eric Snow’s missed layup when he used the wrong hand and bounced the ball off the left side of the backboard and missed the rim must be put in the David Wesley file.
–The Cavs have accepted they are going to lose this game and you can see it in the body language. The fans know it, too. It is dead here.
Postgame
Stars
Melo, 27 points, eight rebounds
AI, 25 points, 13 assists, ZERO turnovers
LeBron, 30 points
Quotes:
Mike Brown: I thought we could’ve at least played hard or fought back. We didn’t try to embrace who are and try to get stops. If they hit 3s, great. If they score, great. But I’m going to knock somebody’s head off, I’m going to grab somebody, I’m going to set a hard screen, I’m going to knock somebody down. Everybody got an opportunity to play,” he said. “That’s about it.”
Larry Hughes: “Denver is a team we struggle against. They play a lot of freelance basketball, a lot of random basketball. There’s always one team, everybody in the league has one.”
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Biff- that’s the whole point. Minnesota kept adding marginal talent and treading water, never taking the hit and reloading (which is what the Cavs are doing now).
They gave money to guys like Joe Smith, Troy Hudson, Kandi-man, Jaric… a ton of decent guys, but none very good. If they stayed patient, maybe they wouldn’t have blown their wad with Spree and Sam-I-am for one decent year. The Cavs are trying to build long term, they didn’t blink when Gooden, Pavlovic or Varejao came up for free agency, Ferry hasn’t dumped draft picks for mediocre guys…
Maybe I’m weird, but I think Ferry’s done a pretty decent job considering the circumstances (I definitely don’t think he’s been awful). I feel like everyone is mad at him for not being able to turn crap into gold. What? You can’t trade Eric Snow for Andre Miller?! Get off your ass Danny!
“I also believe there is a far greater chance that the late Marion Motley, Marion Jones or Marion from “Happy Days” will wear a Cavaliers uniform long before any guy like Shawn Marion even considers it.”
Alan, what the hell are you talking about? Marion Jones DID sign here in ‘05. She wears #24.
Get your facts straight, dude.
ben, how can you say that we are being to hard on ferry for not turning crap into gold? he orignally had the gold that was turned into this crap. he had 30 mil in space and wasted it on crap.
I admire LeBron’s talents, and I think he is the most dominant player in the league. So please don’t think I’m underestimating him when I say that the last few games have shown that a) he’s not doing it all by himself, and b) the guys he’s playing with might not be all-stars, but they are solid players that provide the things you need to win games.
McInnis…..it is not Maginnis McGinnis or Macginnis…..it is Mcinnis. Jeff McInnis, illiterate fu*ks.
Is it me, or do I not see Damon Jones on the bench tonight? Atleast I didn’t see him out greeting the players during that first timeout. Usually he is the first guy out there to shake the guys hands. Did coach Brown make him stay home?
I think when you use more than three ellipses periods you should capitalize ‘it,’ Wow. More than three and you’re denoting a new sentence. Geesh.
I just want a point guard, not a rebuild. Since Jeff MacGinnnist (LOL) was here like 100 years ago we have not had one. Even he wasn’t that good. Andre Miller was good and I wish we still had him.Eric Snow is a joke, and he makes over 7 mil next year? Damon Jones is like Luke Jackson just probably not as good.
typicall cav fan reaction.Nevermind that the team has lost 4 of it’s 7 players in the rotation.Nevermind that the team has played like 7-8 games in like 10 days.This is the 3rd back to back in like 7 days or something.Depth always counts as the season drags on.People make way to much out of talent.I look at hustle and how much a team wants it.Yes talent is important.But who thought that the Giants would beat the more talented team in the pats!!PLEASE!!take a chill pill.there still is alot games left.we can beat anyone if we want it and play defense and play as a team that is healthy.WOuld a nice trade for some top flight talent help?Yes if they are willing to play defense(a short supply of this in the NBA.)and delve into the team concept.Does anyone remember the bulls bench in all of those title runs they made?Probably not huh?That’s becaues phil jackson got the most out of journeyman players like craig hodges,bill cartright,paxson,scott williams etc.That’s what great teams do!!They maximize there ability as a team and then they are almost unbeatable because they beleive.To bad everyone else has already packed lebron’s bags after his contract was up…….to bad
Cedric – Defensively Hughes is 5x the player J mac is. I mean he’s WAAY Better defensively. He’s slightly better offensively too. The offense didn’t flow any better with Mcinnis, LeBron was running the point most of the time anyway back then.
Wow! For the $5,566,965 Donyell Marshall is making this year to be a terrible shooter, you would think it might cross his mind that he sort of owes it to the Cavs to NOT be 25 lbs overweight. I know he was hurt but good lord. Was he eating McDonalds every day when he was out? I know, I know, I’m hard on these athletes. But if I was Dan Gilbert writing those $67,000 game checks, I might be a little pissed.
Wow – what a way to bounce back from yesterday’s terrible loss. Going into Orlando and beating the Magic on the 2nd day of a back to back. Larry Hughes coming up HUUUUGE.
Bron dominating in the 4th once again!
Tom, I guess Larry Hughes kicked out any leg that I had to stand on about his offense tonight. 40 points! holy crap!
Wow-please excuse us for misspelling the name of NBA H.O.F.er Jeff McInnis. Now, why don’t you find something better to do than correct others on spelling the name of a 4th rate journeyman player.
Hey… wh-at happened?
Couldn’t agree more w/Tom, but BW – how the hell did the Cavs get to tonight’s W from last night’s Least-In-East kind of performance?
Maybe Gooden’s Amish action is the answer!
Anyone know where BW is tonight?
where is the blog at tonight??
My guess is that Windy was snowed in before he even got to the runway. You’d think his bosom buddy Ferry would have let him use his private Varejao B-52 Stealth Bomber in a weather emergency. Maybe take Google Maps military snapshots of players’ parents’ homes as long as he’s up there. It’s got smoking hot stewardesses, too.
Obviously, I meant the far superior Google Earth. The older outdated Google Maps is available only in the Gooden Parents 727 model.
I watched some of the game on delay and was very surprised at the play of Larry Hughes….. My hats off to him…. Keep up the good work….. We need him to play some of his best basketball as the troops are pretty beat up…..
Its the easiest thing in the world to blame and to second guess. I don’t like all the players on this team either. I can’t imagine that a person can be a basketball player full time and shoot as badly as some of our players shoot. But, hey, I’m not in the NBA either…
So, I love watching LeBron play and he does attempt to make it happen and he is playing some defense which is going to be more rewarding as we head into the end of this season.
Its been a difficult season, however, it is still better than not having a team here…. after all… not only the pros teams have a problem with winning the big one… Remember.. OHIO STATE…. anyone…. Ok.. have a good day.
Paul H., my greatest fear is that after James leaves, they indeed won’t have a team in Cleveland. A ridiculously friendly gift of that incredible lease from the taxpayers to an ownership group will only get you so far. Gund was getting so desperate to sell the franchise, he was prepared to move the team anywhere. The sole reason it’s not now the Falkland Islands Cavaliers, or something like that, was that unanticipated ping-pong ball. When James leaves, it will be the equivalent of Ray “Boom Boom” Mancini killing a guy. I don’t know how the franchise, as based in Cleveland, will ever recover.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThQFPJpVtK8
mickey f , bill cartwright and was not a journeyman . he only played for the knicks and the bulls . scott williams also was not a journeyman when he played for the bulls , he was drafted by the bulls . look up the term “journeyman”
Bill Cartwright gets mocked and is sometimes used as evidence that Jordan’s supporting cast wasn’t any better than LeBron’s. Funny thing is, his long career and good but not great abilities seem pretty similar to our own Big Z. He looked funny doing his thing, too.
props where props are due – big ups to larry hughes! would be great to see some more of that and to see the ‘old larry’ we thought we were gettting.
where is the new blog!
Where my blog at. Did Larrys performance stun Windy so
bad that he developed amnesia and forgot to blog the
game. I mean Larry going for 40 just might have put
old Windbag in the trick bag.
when are we going to make a trade to get larry hughes some help???
Not sure why anyone would think Gund was really that cheap, he was willing to give players big contracts (Hot Rod, Kemp), just not always the right ones. And Gund was the guy who SAVED basketball in Cleveland by buying the team from Stepian – remember, they were going to be the Toronto Towers? If it weren’t for Gund and Dick Jacobs, Cleveland would likely have had no major sports teams when the Browns left in the 90’s.
Fresh from yahoo: “G Larry Hughes seems to be playing his way out of his funk. In his last seven outings, he’s averaging 19.7 points and 4.9 rebounds. He’s reached double figures in seven consecutive games.”
Yea, right.
Check out heylarryhughespleasestoptakingsomanybadshots.com they have a Kidd vs. Hughes comparison which is just hilarious. I especially like the mug shot of Kidd against Larry with a rainbow. Priceless.
Chuck, what about the Tribe?
Sorry Chuck I read right past ‘Dick Jacobs’ in your post.
Everyone knows it,s Windy. And Windy has stormy eyes
that flash when Danny Ferry lies. And Windy has wings to
fly, when Larry scores, when Larry scores.
The Association circa 1967
BW did the Daily Dime on ESPN.com today (http://proxy.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dime-080212&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab2pos2)….. how do you expect the lad to write two columns in one day? He’s a journalist dammit. His word counts are precious.
As for Hughes… I don’t even know what to say. He was throwing crap in from all over the court. After three years, i suppose he was due. Gutty win though.
Thoughts on the Cavs win in Orlando:
- It’s funny, but last night’s big win in Orlando made some of the Cavs’ weaknesses more apparent. Larry Hughes was great, but it also showed how much a real secondary scorer would help the team. LeBron facilitating the offense rather than bearing the full scoring burden showed how much the team could benefit from a good point guard. Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled with the win. But my opinion of this team’s ceiling changed a little last night.
- Having Gooden back gave the Cavs another scoring option, especially when they went dead in the second quarter. With Z having a bad night, Drew’s contributions were huge, and still more evidence of the importance of solid big men.
- Hedo Turkoglu has developed an impressive ability to use his long arms to shoot over defenders, even when he’s on the move. He has really come a long way since his days in Sacramento. And he’s making the Rashard Lewis signing look all the more ridiculous.
- Speaking of Lewis, has there ever been a $20 Million player that was this invisible on the court? I know he’s not making $20 Million yet, but he is making $15 Million, and he’ll be making $23 Million by the end of his contract. And even $15 Million for a player who is playing like Ricky Davis seems like you made a big mistake.
- Despite the fact that the Magic currently have a better record than the Cavaliers, would you be happier as a Cavs fan if LeBron had Dwight Howard’s supporting cast? Lots of untested guys on that team, and it sure showed up last night. Van Gundy was trying to get the Magic to look at their current stretch of 7 games, all against probable playoff teams, as a playoff series. And so far they are 1-3, with their only win coming against New Jersey. They are still a young team, but they’ve already decided on their nucleus (Howard, Lewis and Jameer Nelson), and if they chose wrong, they’re going to be in trouble. Just look at the Bulls.
- Speaking of Jameer Nelson, he had a good game last night, and he blew by Hughes more than a few times. But Dwight Howard only had 11 shots last night, in a game where he was being guarded by guys that weren’t nearly strong enough to keep him from going where he wanted. I know that Van Gundy chastised Howard for being too offensive-minded, but I don’t think Nelson did a very good job of making sure the offense ran through Howard.
Go Cavs. How about heading into the All-Star Game with a W?
Mike C.
Mike C. – good post, as always.
I’m don’t think any of the last 5 or so games mean much as far as the Cavaliers ceiling. The Cavaliers literally have 2 teams. They have the defensive minded starting unit that usually works through Illgauskas on set plays where LeBron gets his points on fast breaks. Then there is the 4th quarter team which features Gibson, Varajeo, and Damon Jones. LeBron runs the point on this team. If he’s in iso coverage and hitting jumpers, it’s all over. If he’s in iso and missing jumpers, we go to drive and kick. If he’s getting doubled and tripled, Boobie and Damon are spotting up for 3. We really haven’t been able to see the 4th quarter team at all since Varejao went down, and even our starting unit is thinned out without Pavlovic. I think we haven’t seen the ceiling yet for this Cavs team. Last year, with LeBron’s number down the fate of the team really seemed to be tied into Pavlovic’s contributions. We’ve only seen like 4 good games from pavs this year, so until he’s healthy, I don’t know if we know how good this team is.
-Tom
HAHA!
Nick says “look up the word journeyman”
Nick, YOU’RE the one who should look it up. It doesn’t mean someone who has been on a lot of journeys. It means a mediocre but competent performer.
You doosh!
re: journeyman. also experienced.
Pepe, it’s not spelled “doosh.” Check your mom’s medicine cabinet.
The Mavs got Jason Kidd. This outta piss Lebron off. I bet he plays like a madman tonight. Maybe he will even take a swing at Damon Jones. This outa be fun. I hope somebody in the crowd heckles him. I’d like to see him dive into the stands and start wrestling with somebody. And hopefully Bill Walton will say something negative about him on ESPN too, that will get him even more riled up. And then he will log onto this blog and read some of Alan Tuckers nonsense and get so pissed off that he rips the rim off the backboard while wearing Yankee wristbands! Go Lebron, its your birthday, go Lebron, its your birthday….
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