Spurs 112, Cavs 105
–Another little bit of NBA karma here. Manu Ginobili’s shot in San Antonio very easily could’ve gone in and beaten the Cavs last month. He got even in this one. He was just great. Yes, he made open shots, but he also made stepbacks and fadeaways and shots with guys in his face. Just a great performance.
–The Spurs totally destroyed the Cavs’ defense in the fourth, scoring on 17 of 19 possessions. They spread everything out and then ran pick-and-rolls with Ginobili and Tim Duncan. The Cavs just couldn’t help and recover well enough. They had to double Ginobilli and rotate to deal with Duncan and it left others open. The Spurs were just excellent tonight.
–Cavs were ahead by five points going into the fourth, LeBron scored 18 in the period, and the Cavs scored 30 points as a team. That almost always is enough to win.
–Overall, going 3-3 over the last six games considering the circumstances isn’t bad at all. The problem was they really didn’t have a chance to win two of the games and they lost two at home. Still, it would’ve felt very different to go into the break at 30-22 instead of 29-23.
–Zydrunas Ilgauskas needs the break badly. The back is really bothering him and he’s had to go against Yao Ming, Dwight Howard and now Duncan over the last week. He’s gassed.
–The Cavs let the refs get to them tonight. I agree there were some poor calls, but again it did not directly determine the outcome. The Cavs spent a lot of time complaining and got a couple technicals.
–Seeing LeBron just rip apart the Spurs defense time and time again really makes you wonder. Tonight he really was physical with Bruce Bowen, just attacking him one-on-one. Other times he seemed like he waited for the help to come when actually he could’ve attacked earlier and scored even more if he want. But he was in foul trouble early and didn’t want to pick up charges. With his confidence now, it would be interesting to see them in the playoffs again. Obviously he didn’t put his best foot forward in the Finals and he’s let it motivate him.
Recap:
Pregame
Starting lineups
Spurs: Jacque Vaughn, Manu Ginobili, Bruce Bowen, Tim Duncan, Fabricio Oberto
Cavs: Larry Hughes, Ira Newble, LeBron James, Drew Gooden, Zydrunas Ilgauskas
Officials
Steve Javie, Brian Forte, Derek Richardson
–Daniel Gibson is back and said he’s probably going to take part in All-Star Weekend.
–LeBron was upset about Jason Kidd getting traded to the Mavericks for a package of players including Devin Harris, Jerry Stackhouse, cash and draft picks. Here’s what he said:
“Of course I wanted him to be part of our team but if we couldn’t get him I am glad he is out of the East. I hope he does well for that franchise. I think the (front office) probably been trying to do some things, I don’t know. We all know we need to get better, that is simple. We need to get healthier and we need to get better. To me, I want to win now I don’t want to sit around and wait. Sometimes you have to.”
Halftime — Cavs 47, Spurs 46
–Good news for Cavs is they have held the Spurs to 35 percent shooting and just eight points in the paint. Bad new is they are only up one point. Spurs have stayed in the game at the foul line and gotten the Cavs into foul trouble. The game seemed to change a little after Mike Finley got called for a technical and it seemed to loosen the officials.
–Z got his third foul early in the second period, walked over to the bench, kicked the air and went right to the locker room. I guess he figured he was done for the half and he went to lay down instead sit on the bench with his bad back. Neither he or Gooden have looked good with their injuries tonight.
–Hughes’ hot shooting is continuing. He’s already taken 12 shots, though, and you have to wonder whether the high volume approach will be smart if the scales balance.
–Daniel Gibson is active and he warmed up but he just hasn’t played. Not sure what is going on there.
Postgame
Stars
Ginobili, 46 points, eight assists
Duncan, 23 points, 13 rebounds
James, 39 points, nine assists
Hughes, 26 points, six rebounds
Quotes:
Ginobili: “It was a special game, I was feeling really good from the beginning. I felt every shot I was taking was going in.”
LeBron: “I guess that’s how opposing teams feel when I get it going like that in the fourth. It was a great performance by Manu.”
On a personal note, I am taking All-Star Weekend off. Marla Ridenour will be providing coverage in the Beacon Journal and on Ohio.com. Obviously if there is major Cavs news I will be here to report and respond. Also, the other night in Orlando I (again) had computer problems that prevented me from blogging. Will be working on getting that fixed for the second half.
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Diplomatic and thought out response from Lebron, as usual.
Wow, Oberto may have to make the NBA All-Beard first team…
Does Jacque Vaugn still hold the NBA record for most consectutive missed shots?
I never thought I’d say this but:
“Shoot Larry, Shoot!”
I’ll regret that……….
I thought the hand was a part of the ball, not the other way around…. was that Javie that made that call?
I would certainly hope that Lebron knows a lot more about what the front office is doing than he is letting on. Don’t you think if you were Dan Gilbert and the man representing half the value of your franchise wanted something to happen, you would do everything in your power to make sure that he was kept abreast of what the front office was trying to do to make him happy. Unless Lebron has said point blank that he doesn’t want to be involved in personnel decisions, Ferry should be updating him regularly. Like it or not, the economics of this team dictate that Ferry works for Lebron. I really hope the Cavs aren’t as stupid as Lebron is making them look.
Of course LBJ’s being diplomatic in regards to commenting on the front office. He had to realize, as did everyone else in the league that the Cavs did not have the pieces in place to make the Kidd trade. All of you out there who are going to call out Ferry/Gilbert for not making Kidd a Cav tell me how you would have made it happen.
It had to be a three team deal, and the Cavs would have had to likely traded Gooden and Gibson, and gotten someone to take either Snow or Hughes to make the salaries work.
If Hughes keeps htting those shots, there is no way Jacque Vaughn can guard him. The Spurs (understandably) look like a completely different team without Parker.
The “L Train” – the most overused nickname from a broadcaster in Cleveland sports history?
What a stroke from Manu – HUghes was all over him.
We need to show some toughness down low, tough, we are really missing Varejao in this game.
Don’t know what Austin & Fred & the arena are talking about, Z clearly bumped the elbow…
You call bank, Larry?!?!
If they didn’t make that late call on Horry at the end of the 3rd, the Q should have started chucking batteries. What were they waiting on?
How on earth can Horry argue that call? That’s nauseating.
If only there were a great defender on the market that were big enough and quick enough to cause problems for a guy like Ginobli…If only Ron Artest were available…What was that? He is?
come on brian, the games been over for almost 2 hrs now…can we a get a postgame report for everyone that missed the game baby???
Cavs played well enough to win tonight and got strong performances from LeBron and Larry. Manu was in the ZONE and wasn’t going to miss no matter who guarded him. It’s just one of those games where you have to credit the opponent for a spectacular performance. Luckily, the cavs have been on the winning end of many such performances…
Cavs with a much needed break and they’ll be back next week…
Chuck – I LOVE the nickname “the L-Train”
only brian freakin’ windhorst could say that the horrible refereeing tonight “did not directly determine the outcome (of the game).”
really? on a night when the cavs out shoot, out rebound and out assist their opponent? really? on a night when the cavs shoot 22 3-pointers and make 11. when LBJ scores almost 40 with 9 dimes AND hughes scores 26 and the cavs bench outscores the spurs bench! yet, none of these things matter much, ya see, cuz the spurs TOOK TWICE AS MANY FT’S AS THE CAVS DID ON CLEVELAND’S HOME FLOOR!
oh and it is beyond rich to read windy say the cavs let the refs get to them. the spurs whine like no team i’ve ever seen! they make the pistons seem positively stoic!
this game was BS and it’s because the cavs get no respect league wide from the refs. yet, mr. windhorst wants us to ignore all that…puhleeze…
Whose computer did you use to file that ESPN.com piece, the Orlando Public Library’s?
kj, sorry man, but there are alot of games when you out performed the other team stat wise but still lose (exp. Cavs average horrible FG% last year but out rebound teams). PHO can kill you at the 3pts but lose games because of the paint (mostly when they play the Spurs). Dont rely on stat too much, that’s what so cool about bball. LBJ did a really good job and Hughes was good too but if no other starters step up, dont blame things and just accept a good game that got away.
OH yeah, Manu was just crazy. I swear the left-handers are taking over the league (Larry Bird, Nate Archibald, David Robinson, etc). Cant wait for Micheal Beasley to enter the league.
Although I try to shy away from blaming refs, I agree with kj that we are the most disrespected team in the NBA.
Maybe I’m freakin crazy, but I would say that perhaps Manu Ginobili affected the outcome of the game more than the refs. I don’t know, though. Guys make 9 shots in a row all the time. Why would that determine whether or not a team wins?
Basketball Jesus was a lefty? That’s fascinating news to me. I thought his only quirk was his porn stache/mulletfro combo from the eighties…
Chuck- Let’s leave the running diaries to the professionals. I kept waiting to read a post about how you had to go to the bathroom but the toilet paper was gone. Simmons’ diaries are weak anyway. Here’s a thought: watch the game with some buddies and trade wisecracks with them all night.
Windy’s ABJ Commodore had a snaggled tape problem again, alan. The new Apple is to be used for ESPN Insider business only.
I thought there was no shame whatsoever in how the Cavs played last night. It’s kind of hard to win a game in which starting at the 7 minute mark of the 4th, the other team gets points almost every single possession. Cavs played well, Manu just was unconscious tonight.
Does it bother anybody else here though that as good as the Spurs are, they are the whiniest bunch of ninnies I have ever seen. They never shut up to the refs about anything and it seems like they get rewarded for it by getting tons of questionable calls. I’m sure some of that comes with them being the top dog in the NBA right now but it really gets on my nerves. Maybe LeBron should lay down on the floor in protest after every non-call against him like Duncan was doing last night.
Thoughts on the Cavs loss to the Spurs last night:
- Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you. There was a time late in the game where the Spurs had 17 points on 6 possessions. 5 3-pointers, and a floater by Bruce Bowen of all people, and suddenly the Cavs went from up 2 to down 8. The Cavs managed to score 7 points on the 5 possessions in between, and it still wasn’t enough to withstand the barrage.
- I was at the game, and I watch the game differently when I’m in the stands. That means that I didn’t notice if LeBron guarded Ginobili at any point in the 4th Quarter. I know that he didn’t on the last few Spurs’ possessions. If there was ever a time when it seemed LeBron should have been guarding the opposing scorer, it was last night. But then again, LeBron rarely challenges the 3 on defense, and Ginobili was making all sorts of fadeaway junk, so I don’t think it would have mattered.
- As for the officials, they were terrible all the way around. When there are 4 technicals in the game, and they are all the result of teams complaining to the officials, it means the refs had a rough night. I’m sure they would admit it after the fact. But I will say this: the Cavs were the defensive aggressor throughout the game, and it did them no good. Whenever the Cavs stretched the lead, it seemed like a few questionable calls got the Spurs to the line, where they could cut into the lead without a hand in their face. And it was inconsistent, with LeBron getting whacked on the way to the hoop with no call, only to have a reach in foul called on Bowen on the next possesion. I don’t think it made a difference ultimately (it was all Manu), but I think it benefitted the Spurs by keeping them in the game long enough for Manu to do his thing.
- And the numbers don’t lie, the Cavs don’t get a lot of respect from the refs. The Spurs, the whole whiny lot of them, do.
- On LeBron the GM: Did anyone tell him what the Mavericks were giving up for Kidd? I understand LeBron wanting some help, but if he had to choose between Kidd on one hand, and Devin Harris, DeSagana Diop, Jerry Stackhouse, Maurice Ager, Devean George and 2 first round draft picks on the other, which one do you think he would want? Even with LeBron’s exaggerated opinion of Kidd, there’s no doubt in my mind that he would rather have a quicker point guard, a solid defensive big man, a reliable (if fading) bench scorer, a couple of throw-ins, *and* draft picks. And if he still wants Kidd, that’s even more evidence that he should be kept away from all personnel decisions.
- For all the shots at Danny Ferry, think of what is going on in the West. Three of the top four teams in the West have made a major addition this year, but only one team is going to get to the Finals. No matter what moves a team has made in the last year, there’s not a single team that has guaranteed themselves a Championship. In fact, I would argue that the Suns and now Mavericks have reduced their chance of winning a Championship in the near future. It sounds like some people think they will be satisfied if Danny Ferry just makes a move. And I’m just saying that nothing other than a Championship is going to satisfy Cavs fans. In fact, Cleveland fans are the sort who would allow any kind of trade to get their hopes up way too high, only to make it more depressing if the team falls short.
Go Cavs. Enjoy the Break.
Mike C.
I used to be a huge Duncan fan. But watching him these last couple of years, he has become more and more the whiniest bytch in the NBA. I realize that most superstars (Yes, you too Lebron) complain after calls and non calls, but Duncan takes it to a new nauseating level. The whole team does, but he is the ring leader of whiny bytches. Pistons versus the Spurs would be a whinefest galore.
No shame in that loss, though. Manu was unconscious. Unbelievable game by him tonight. A lot of those long threes were contested. He just buried every single one of them. Just an amazing performance. Oh, he’s a bytch, too. But last night he was an amazing bytch.
nice asessement mike c.
When a team shoots 78% in the fourth quarter, they’re going to win pretty much every time unless they came into the 4th down about 30. LeBron played his usual great fourth quarter, and the D did its best, but Ginobli was just ridiculous
Remember when people were taking predictions on the Cavs’ record for the last 12 games going into the All-Star Break? Some people were saying 7-5, others 8-4. Well the Cavs went 7-5, and that was with all the injuries, plus LeBron sitting out against Seattle. Extremely impressive. The Cavs’ schedule gets much easier now. But trade everybody!
good comments/insights mike, corporate whore, ced and tom…
Check out this morning’s TrueHoop column on ESPN.com called “The Boys of 2010″. It’s the first time I’ve seen someone breakdown the moves the Nets are making now in direct correlation to the inevitable day that Jay-Z signs LeBron in Brooklyn. I’ve been a Cavs fan all my life, and these last five years have been remarkable to witness (sorry – had to), but there is no doubt in my mind that LeBron will be playing for Thorn & Jay-Z as a Brooklyn Net come fall 2010. The irony is that Kidd leaving the Nets is what will start the cycle of LeBron leaving Cleveland in motion…
Cavs need to clear cap space and pick up Josh Smith and Monta Ellis this summer.
Anybody that believes anything that comes from ESPN has serious issues.
Neither Josh Smith or Monta Ellis are going anywhere this summer. They’ll be restricted free agents and their teams will match any offer. We will have to spend enough money re-signing Gibson, anyway. The Cavs will only add new talent through trade or draft (might be able to secure home court in the first round AND draft.
(By the way, I was at the Phoenix/Golden State game last night. Awesome game, and Monta Ellis was pretty much unguardable.)
Assuming the Kidd trade somehow goes through despite George’s block, does anyone else find it annoying that Stackhouse would get bought out and go back to the Mavs? When NBA instituted that rule requiring players to sit out 30 days after being traded before they could re-sign their players, I think they assumed they would put an end to this specific situation. It’s really just a way to circumvent the salary cap.
I don’t see how Kidd leaving starts anything in motion for 2010 and Lebron playing in Brooklyn – Kidds contract would be expired, anyway. It probably means that New Jersey will have more cap space tied up then, because Carter and Jefferson will be on the books for 32M and they’ll have a whole roster to fill. New Jersey frees up 11M of cap room after this season, but that’s really the only cap benefit they gain. They will likely have to use a huge part of it to sign or trade for a big. If they sign one it will almost certainly be at least a three year deal, right? If they are going to keep Devin Harris afetr next year, then their cap room is gone. Lebron is not going to the Nets if they can’t sign him to a significant contract. The only realistic way they do that is dealing Carter or Jefferson for expiring contracts, too (or for Lebron). Then they have cap space, but no team. They might have a real hard time trading VC.
By the Doc, I’ll post however I feel like. If I’m home alone, watching the game in real time, it will likely be a running commentary. Deprived of Cavs fans on the west coast, it happens sometimes. Feel free to ignore such posts if they bother you. Fortunately, so I watch 90% of my games on tivo from League Pass, so it shouldn’t be too big a problem.
I seem to have chopped of a sentence in my post. Is it possible the Cavs will get a top 4 spot in the East and a top 20 draft pick?
The Cavaliers need to trade Gooden Jones and a pick to
the Kings for Artest. If you want a championship you
need to let Lebron play point, Larry at shooting with
Daniel playing significant minutes and Artest,Z, and WT
down low. Next year deal Marshall, Newble, and Simmons
for a decent point guard. Could probably sign Artest to
a 3 year deal at 35-40. So you pay some luxury tax.
Either do it now Boat Shoes or shut up. Next year
there aint nothing available.
I don’t think a lot of you guys really get it. Lebron James is pulling off one of the all-time solo jobs in the history of the NBA. Do you realize how exhausting it is to constantly go one on one when the shot clock is running down? Barreling into the wide bodies, getting hacked, somehow consistently getting and-ones. Boatshoes gets to watch it all front row in his blue devil turtle neck and he smiles and sips some chardonnay, but he does nothing to help our local warrior. How long can the poor kid last? I actually am intrigued by jmoe’s idea of getting Artest. But please let’s not go into May with the team as is.
Some analogies:
The Lebron led 2007-08 Cavs—- Bud White and and Axley in the final scene of LA Confidential (LBJ playing both roles)
Bongyell Marshall actually being employed by an NBA team—- Spicoli inexplicably forming an alliance with Jefferson in Fast Times at Ridgemont High
LHughes regained jump shot——- Your grandpa dashing to Wallmart to fill his Cialis prescription
Mike C bailing on his own blog , only to give his “thoughts” on each game on Windy’s website—– Roger Clemens throwing his own wife to the wolves
Windy’s excuse for not having a blog post for the Orlando game even though he was somehow able to submit 2! articles for ESPN’s daily dime—— Bill Clinton claiming not to have known “that woman”…….
“Two weeks ago when Kidd went public with a trade demand, James went public with a plea for the Cavs to get him. A league source said the Cavs made a serious offer for Kidd, but they could not come close to matching the Mavs’ offer.”
I absolutely loved this paragraph from the paper. Vintage Windy. Classic.
I wonder if the top-secret identity of Windy’s mysterious “league source” will ever be revealed. Who is this international man of mystery? Who is this Deep Throat for the 21st century?
I noticed that Kobe Bryant has what appears to be a pretty major right-hand injury which requires surgery. But he’s going to gut it out for months, probably using Roger Clemens’ lidocaine shots on an hourly basis, or something, and then have the surgery after the playoffs if he can handle the months of what surely will be excrutiating pain until then. That’s gutsy. It’s the same type of injury that would put Larry Hughes in a body cast and traction.
The serious offer was 2 CBA prospects a bag of
popcorn plus 2 pictures of Damona kissing a tree.
I think the unnamed source was that Danny Ferry poster BW’s still got hanging in his bedroom. It talks to the lad at night.
Eric Snow for Mo Williams
Damon Jones for Ron Artest
Donyell Marshall for Dirk Nowitzski
Shannon Brown for Gilbert Arenas
Alan, shut up already.
It looks like Bibby is going to the Hawks, so that conversation can end. The Kings decided they only wanted expiring contracts. Makes me wonder, though, the Hawks were the team that had Rasheed Wallace for 1 game a couple years ago before dealing him to the Pistons.
I’d love to see a deal for Mike Miller, but if all the Grizzlies want are expiring contracts, the best we can do there is Kyle Lowry – they pretty much have to deal him, since the only player they got for Gasol with a contract past this year is inexplicably another point guard.
A couple people here have called for Artest. I can’t see the Cavs as interested, but straight up for Gooden works, contract wise. It would be useless for the Kings to trade him for expiring contracts, since he has said he’ll opt out at the end of the year. We’d likely have Artest for the rest of the season, and that’s it. Is it worth it?
I heard boatshoes is working the phones to try and get Greg Paulus to drop out of college and sign a free agent contract.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0upQDkY-pg If the Paulus gambit fails, league sources have revealed he will try to package all of the expiring contracts to get Mike Dunleavy and Bobby Hurley.
Alan, shut up already.
Way to go Lebron and Boobie… MVP’s of the All Star Games!!!
Oh, and by the way, the record for most 3 pointers in the all star game was Mark Price with 6, but Boobie put 11 thru the other night!!
Four years of writing about how much he despises the cities of Toronto and New Orleans, and then Windy gets his editor to approve vacation days when he’s otherwise scheduled to be there. Pretty slick. I was still holding out hope I’d see him appearing in one of those corny NBA-ESPN-TNT video/photo-ops while wearing an oversized hard hat and banging a hammer and nails for Habitat for Humanity. What says “upscale” more than knowing world-renowned homebuilder Jason Kidd installed your bay windows?
http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/rumors/post/Cavs-upgrade-key-to-keeping-James-may-seek-Arte;_ylt=AnurexTrtg4Jhg7NMeOA48Q5nYcB?urn=nba%2C67286