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Beside the Point: The Blog by Patrick McManamon

From the monthly archives:

May 2009

LeBron James meets the media

May 31, 2009

Some highlights of LeBron James' season-ending session with the media at the team's practice facility: 
On why he didn't speak after the game: "I didn't have much to say. Congratulations to the Orlando Magic. They played an unbelievable series and they deserved it."
Last year in Boston: "What happened in Boston I got better from. I carried [...]

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Another season ends in disappointing fashion for the Cavs

May 30, 2009

The Cavs won 66 games in the regular season, but they couldn't win four against the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference Finals.
They worked all season long to have home-court advantage, but gave it away in the first game against Orlando and never got it back.
They had complementary players who helped in the regular season, [...]

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Tonight's game comes down to …

May 30, 2009

What does tonight's game boil down to? In its essence, its purest form, its DNA, its molecular structure?
Shooting.
Mo Williams took a huge stride toward regaining his form in Game 5 (after he had taken small strides in Game 4). His shooting, along with that of Daniel Gibson, opened things up for LeBron James at "the [...]

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So can the Cavs win, or can't they?

May 30, 2009

I ran into SI's Ian Thomsen last Wednesday as I was leaving the hotel in Orlando. The Cavs were down 3-1, and in typical Cleveland fashion I was starting to wonder how they could ever, ever win the next game. So I asked if he thought the Cavs could win the series.
"Sure," he said.
Really, I [...]

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Cavs remain a confident crew

May 30, 2009

It seems that LeBron James' attitude has become infectious. Many people treat tonight's game like the Cavs should and will win, and many think the series will go the Cavs way.
One thing that was striking about James after the team's Game 4 loss was how composed he was. I made a brief mention that he [...]

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The Cavs made travel plans early

May 30, 2009

Will the Magic use this as motivation? Were the Cavs just confident? Was it easier to make travel plans this way? Or is this just silly extra stuff that really doesn't matter? "The Cavs were so confident they would be back in Orlando to continue the Eastern Conference finals, they packed their bags before Game [...]

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One prediction you'll like

May 30, 2009

Been a hectic couple days with travel, etc. At the moment, I'm waiting to board a plane to Orlando for some event taking place there tonight. Cavs fans will enjoy this prediction column from Scouts Inc., via ESPN. It states: "Despite dominating much of the action and leading the series 3-2, Orlando has not been [...]

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Cavs talk about Game 6

May 29, 2009

Some highlights from the Cavs interview session with eBron James –
On pressure: "I have never been a big believer in pressure.  I don't really believe in it.  So I'm the wrong man to ask about pressure."
On the way to play Dwight Howard: "Dwight is their anchor on defense.  If you attack the anchor, then it is [...]

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Cavs still alive, head to Orlando for Game 6

May 29, 2009

There were two reasons the Cavs beat the Magic in Game 5 Thursday night to keep their hopes of reaching the NBA Finals alive.
The first was the play of LeBron James, who was magnificent in the fourth quarter. James on his own accounted for the Cavs first 29 points of the quarter, 17 on baskets [...]

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Charting the Magic

May 28, 2009

When I heard Zydrunas Ilgauskas point out that the Magic were playing at a peak against the Cavs, that is better than they did in the regular season and better than they did against Philadelphia and Boston, I thought I'd look it up.
Lo and behold, Z is right. The Magic are at peak efficiency in [...]

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The words of a Cavs veteran

May 28, 2009

Highlights from Zydrunas Ilgauskas' interview at the Cavs practice facility on Wednesday:
On the Magic:
They're playing their best basketball of the season right now. They're playing better than they played against Phily and Boston.
Seems like every three you guys miss hurts more than when they miss:
That's what happens when you play from behind, when you try [...]

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Some feel the Cavs chances are better than good

May 27, 2009

There are some people very optimistic about the Cavs chances.
ESPN.com's John Hollinger thinks the law of averages actually favors the Cavs because they will start making their shots. He writes that "this is a feel-good story going forward. If the Cavs get the same kind of looks for their guards in Game 5, they'll almost [...]

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The Cavs go back to Cleveland down 3-1

May 27, 2009

The Cavs are down three games to one in the Eastern Conference Finals because, LeBron James said, "we lost two games on inbounds plays."
That would be Game 1 when Rashard Lewis made a three to win, and Game 4 when Lewis made a three with the Cavs up one. Technically the Cavs did not lose [...]

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Time to return to Wally World?

May 26, 2009

Could Game 4 be the time to go back to Wally Szczerbiak? Perhaps. The negative: Szczerbiak can't really guard anybody. The positive: He can shoot. And he's not afraid to shoot. Boy is he not afraid to shoot.
If the Cavs' other shooters (Mo Williams, Delonte West) continue to struggle, the Cavs need someone to score. [...]

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Putting the "guarantee" in proper perspective

May 26, 2009

Ben Wallace was asked about Mo Williams' purported guarantee that the Cavs would win the Series.
"What you want me to say, we're gonna lose?" Wallace asked. "Come on man, be real. No player in this league feels like they're gonna lose a game."
And that should put that little fable to bed.

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Knocking the King off le throne

May 26, 2009

Peter Vecsey of the New York Post thinks LeBron James has skated from criticism in this series – especially the way he played in the fourth quarter of Game 2 (minus one shot) and in all of Game 3. "I hadn't seen LeBron's court in such disorder since the '07 Finals, when the Spurs' defense [...]

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League rescinds flagrant foul on guy who disfigured Mo Williams' face

May 26, 2009

If the Cavs weren't fuming over losing two of three to Orlando and Mo Williams being hit in the eye and Magic coach Stan Van Gundy labeling some of their key players floppers (see this post) … they should be seething now.
The Associated Press reported that the NBA rescinded the flagrant foul call on Anthony [...]

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Ben to Van Gundy: Shut up

May 26, 2009

Feeling are intensifying, which means Game 4 could get interesting. Very interesting. And it could be more intense than a typical Game 4 of the East Finals if the Cavs adopt the fire of one of their veterans.
Said forward Ben Wallace of a claim about him made by Magic coach Stan Van Gundy: "Unless he's [...]

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Dwight Howard has a blog

May 26, 2009

Dwight Howard has a blog, and he played the disrespect card in the latest edition.

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Another man's view of the Browns

May 26, 2009

We interrupt the Cavs and the NBA playoffs for this Browns moment from Michael Silver of Yahoo. Silver pretty much trashes the way the Browns have operated since Eric Mangini was hired — much (but not all) related to the treatement of Joshua Cribbs. Silver sums things up by asking: "Why would a team do [...]

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Mo Williams makes a guarantee

May 25, 2009

The TV guy took the bag of doo-doo, placed it outside the front door and lit it on fire. Mo Williams opened the door and stepped right into it.
That's what happened Monday during media interviews. Williams entered with a lot of bravado, and that always leads to someone baiting the athlete with a "guarantee" question. [...]

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The Cavs sound perplexed by the Magic — and angry at Anthony Johnson

May 25, 2009

The Cavs fell behind 2-1 in Orlando Sunday night, and there are several things to discuss and ponder:
First …
The Cavs were pretty angry with Anthony Johnson after the game for the elbow he threw that disfigured Mo Williams' face.
Johnson gave Williams two cuts, which needed four stitches, above and below his left eye.
After the game, [...]

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The last and final toughs while fying …and flying … to Orlando

May 24, 2009

–I've about had enough of American Idol.
—Brian Windhorst from the PD broke the story this morning that Dan Gilbert might be welcoming Chinese money into the Cavs. Apparently a gentleman named Hua (Kenny "Smith") Huang has been with Gilbert the first two games, and he's ready to inject some money into Gilbert's operation.
This is interesting. [...]

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Some more thoughts while flying to Orlando

May 24, 2009

—It is imperative that Mo Williams find his shot tonight. At times in Game 2, Williams looked like a mess. He hesitated on shots and looked very uncertain. The Cavs made a concerted effort to get him shots early, and when he didn't make them his shooting struggles (13-for-40 in the series, 57-for-139 in the [...]

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Some thoughts while flying to Orlando

May 24, 2009

Part I …
—I've been hearing a lot about "Le Shot" today, Sunday, May 24. That's all well and good, except  "Le Shot" took place two nights ago.
LeBron James' game-winner was spectacular and memorable and had-to-see-it-to-believe-it worthy, but there's another game to be played in this series. A few more games. Glen Davis made one of [...]

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