Cleveland Cavaliers: It Wasn't a Test But They Passed
Posted March 13th, 2007 by George Thomas
So I arrived at The Q tonight and I'm greeted by one of the Cleveland Cavaliers' public relations staff with the news that LeBron James is out with back spasms for this evening's festivities against the Sacramento Kings. Of course I react with disbelief because James' play has been as close to perfection as you get in recent weeks (33.3 points per game since Feb. 11). He obviously knows what time of year it is.
Most fans would expect that given play like that the Cavs would fall flat tonight. Some could have considered it a test. I considered it more like a quiz. If the team is indeed in full playoff mode than they should have been able to knock of the Kings who owned a record of 28-34 coming in.
It's a quiz they passed with ease and left an impression. Someone needed to step up tonight and instead everyone in the starting line-up did so, as each rang up double figures. Larry Hughes had 25 points, Sasha Pavlovic dropped a career high 25, Z ripped off 19 and 10 boards for a double-double and Drew Gooden also contributed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. But the most impressive job of them all may have come from the guy given the unenviable task of stepping into James' shoes.
Ira Newble, whose named has been associated with the letters D-N-P for much of the season, came up with 12 points (including 3-for-3 shooting on three pointers) and seven rebounds.
Was it a perfect win? Nope. The team looked sluggish for much of the first half and they hoisted treys as if they were soon to be banned by the league. Still, what they accomplished without James bodes well for the continuing run to the playoffs.
