Post mortem: Cavs 94, Grizzlies 74.
Was anyone able to stay awake during that? Let’s face it; it was over after the first quarter when the Grizzlies looked as if they wanted to hibernate.
LeBron James scores only 15 and the Cavs win? Take it. Cherish it. Yours truly was skeptical as to how the Cavs would look after the masterful performance against the Pistons because Delonte West sat this game out – reportedly as a precaution.
Yet when the starters were in, we saw the same ball movement as the other night and the same number of assists in the stat line.
For the record, West sat out because of soreness in the right wrist that he’d fractured, it had to be a decision made just before game time.
What do you read into it? It’s Tuesday. They played the Grizzlies and it’s February. Besides who knows if or when in the playoffs the experience some of those bench players get now will come in handy.
The Cavs go into a four-game road trip and a span of a couple weeks where 8-of-10 games are on the road. Heading into that storm with a five-game winning streak gives them some momentum.
Game: Cavs (43-11) vs. Memphis Grizzlies (15-40)
Broadcast: TV: FSOhio Radio: WAKR (1590 AM); WTAM (1100 AM), WHBC (1480 AM)
Starters: LeBron James (F), Ben Wallace (F), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (C); Tarence Kinsey(G); Mo Williams (G). Rudy Gay (F); Hakim Warrick (F); Marc Gasol (C); O.J. Mayo (G); Mike Conley G).
Streaking: The Cavaliers have won four consecutive; the Grizzlies have lost four in a row.
This year: The Cavs ran into the Grizzlies while as they endured a 12-game losing streak the last itme and won 107-87, but it wasn’t a piece of cake.
Injuries-inactives: Sasha Pavlovic (high right ankle sprain), Eric Snow (knee). Grizzlies: Mike Wilks (ACL)
Officials: Joey Crawford, Tommy Nunez Jr. and Michael Smith.
Two things to watch:
- The Cavaliers offense and defense looked like they didn’t miss a beat after getting Delonte West back the other night against the Pistons. In fact, they looked a lot like that team that steamrolled everyone in its path back in December. Will it continue? This is the time of year that the Cavs should be driving to the playoffs. In each second half of the past several the team got better after the All-Star break. With this team, there’s no reason to believe that won’t happen again.
- The Grizzlies offense against the Cavs defense: The Grizzlies score fewer points than anyone in the Western Conference. Given their recent struggles, it shouldn’t get much better against the Cavaliers.
Quotable:
From the locker room:
Mo Williams on ESPNRadio’s Tirico & Van Pelt Show telling answering Stephen A. Smith’s question about the Cavs’ post-season prospects.
Oh that’s for sure. That’s a guarantee. We plan on winning it so, to answering your question: yeah.
From the coach’s office:
Mike Brown on Williams’ comments:
Our goal is an NBA championship, that’s nothing something we’re trying to hide from, but you’ve got to respect the Celtics because they’re the NBA champions and if we want to make it there we have to go take it from them.
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Boy, that Memphis team is awful. At least with Jerry West, Hubie Brown and Mike Fratello, they were regular-season good and seemed to be a goal, a purpose. But this is just a joke. At least they always have someplace good to eat after they get blown out of a home game.
Hey, George, Robert Horry was one of the two names you didn’t want to mention? You must have been kidding. Aside from that aborted stint in Phoenix being a complete jerk and throwing a towel in Danny Ainge’s head coaching face, he’s played on just three teams, and Cleveland isn’t one of them. He lives in Texas, but Houston isn’t going anywhere in the playoffs, so forget that. So that leaves San Antonio or Los Angeles, places where he’s comfortable.
Los Angeles only has 14 spots on the roster now, Horry knows the players, he knows the coach, he spent a bunch of years there, it’s a natural fit. But Horry is not coming out of retirement unless he suddenly has the urge to build an addition to his house, so I’m guessing the Lakers are waiting for Joe Smith or somebody like that. Or, they’ll simply leave the roster at 14.
OK, Horry is one guy, who’s the other guy you didn’t want to mention?
No wonder George didn’t want to mention Horry. The other guy is probably Dave Cowens.
the celtics add mikki moore and soon-starbury (who i don’t think is going to suck quite as bad as adrian “lebron is definitely going to new york” wojowhateverski thinks he is). meanwhile, the cavs are waiting for table scraps.
ferry and gilbert are getting schooled.