Comments on: Cavs must weigh Lakers loss the right way

By: itrade

itrade — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:18:45 +0000

I wanted to comment and thank the author, good stuff

By: alan t.

alan t. — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 04:44:00 +0000

Although the Cavs' resident Stevie Wonder gave Embry the order to unload Harper even if took giving him away, you have a point, larry d. Guts or not, Embry gutted himself like a carp on that one.

But think about it. Teams have to double-team James. Teams have to double-team O'Neal. But they can't double-team both at the same time. And unlike the Cavs' resident 7-foot-something giant who wouldn't know an assist if one dropped on his head, O'Neal knows how to pass and pass well. Painfully ordinary players like Gibson would have a field day. And despite Ilgauskas' poor defense, they could occasionally play a zone and have O'Neal and Ilgauskas out there at the same time. O'Neal would barf at having to live around Cleveland, but if it gave him another championship, he'd grin and bear it.

By: larry d.

larry d. — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 01:38:35 +0000

Wayne Embry had guts. That's what got Ferry to Cleveland in the first place!

By: alan t.

alan t. — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 21:08:33 +0000

I still think the Cavaliers can take the Lakers in a seven-game series, but only if Bynum is out for the year. I think it's too dicey taking that risk. At this point who cares how overpaid he is or how dopey long that free agent contract was, but lets face it: Ilgauskas sucks in the paint at both ends of the floor. Even an average dude like Kendrick Perkins treats him like a wet dish rag. And did you see the way a soft post player like Gasol continually posted him up? And Wallace's best days are behind him. There is no way Lamar Odom should be able to toy with the Cavaliers' forwards.

Again, not to say the Cavs couldn't rise above all of these glaring weaknesses and still win it all. James is just too damn good, even a weak 15-foot shooting giant like Ilgauskas can have many of his flaws covered when you have everybody on the opposition worrying about what the hell James is going to do. But the time is now, with that 2010 free agency looming. This isn't time to wonder if Hickson will ever pan out to anything. Make a gutsy move and do it by the trade deadline.

By: Wiley

Wiley — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:55:01 +0000

If the Cavs don't make "a gigantic move this season," that's the same thing as giving up on winning a championship in the next-to-last year they are guaranteed to have James, because the current roster is obviously not good enough. Do Ferry and Gilbert really want to bet all their chips on next year?

By: alan t.

alan t. — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:22:00 +0000

Yes, terje, Steve Kerr has guts. It takes major guts whenever you have to tough decisions, like trading all-stars. Or taking on huge contracts with years remaining, like O'Neal's and Jason Richardson's. Or making owner-forced decisions like trading first-round choices so a team will agree to take Kurt Thomas' salary. I'm not saying every gutsy decision he's had to make has been the right decision, but every move has taken sheer guts.

It doesn't take guts to swap role players and grossly overpaid has-beens or stiffs in exchange for role players and grossly overpaid has-beens or stiffs. That's what Ferry did. Just because those particular role players have meshed well doesn't make it gutsy and/or part and parcel of some invisible master plan. Just happenstance.

By: alan t.

alan t. — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:01:04 +0000

Did I spell his name right? I think it's Farmar.

By: alan t.

alan t. — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:59:54 +0000

First, pointing to the absence of a glorified role player like West is silly. Mitch Kupchak didn't shoot himself in the head after Jordan Farmer was out for months.

Second, since when has Delonte West ever guarded Lamar Odom? All that game irrefutably showed is that Ben Wallace has the outside body of a 24-year-old and the inside body of a 34-year-old. But I guess that's what you have to get in return when a bald GM begs everybody who will listen to take his tattooed terrible turkey off his roster. Wallace's former skills come and go, just like every other guy who's on the slow downslope of life. Besides, the dude has never come clean about stealing "shamockery" from an old beer commercial. Shame, shame, shame.

By: Dave Robisch

Dave Robisch — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 19:12:19 +0000

This is why the playoffs are best of 7. No way Lebron tanks like this in consecutive games in the playoffs. So relax, people. The key is to get Delonte West back. His loss is huge. He is a big defender. A decent three point shooter so helps spread the defense. Allows Mo to spend less time at point. And does a little bit of everything on the court to help keep the Cavs flowing defensively and offensively. If they stand pat, the Cavaliers can still win it all.

By: terje

terje — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:52:58 +0000

steve kerr has guts? it doesn't take guts to shred an entire roster. if so, then frank lane had guts too.

i could go for that shaq trade but only if the suns buy wally out and he comes back. the guy has proven to be a pretty valuable player. with count pavlovic's glass ankles the cavs need someone available to play the forward spot. i wouldn't mind a richard jefferson trade. then keeping wally isn't an issue.

i am leaning towards d isaiah's view that the cavs aren't quite there. but who knows what kind of shape any team will be in for the playoffs. the cavs can certainly win the east as they are now. but it won't be easy.