Here is a great article by Michael Wilbon of the Washington Post on the Cleveland Curse. He does a good job talking not only about Cleveland sports misery but how that misery, in some weird metaphysical way, a mirror for the troubles of the city itself.
I have to disagree with the guy Wilbon quotes on "The Fumble" and "The Drive" being the worst sports moments for Cleveland, though. I firmly believe that the Indians losing the '97 World Series was worse. Now, I'll admit that a large part of that sentiment comes from not being alive for The Fumble and The Drive, and for being a massive Indians fan in '97 (back then I was totally obsessed with the Indians--people who knew me in middle school can attest that I wore an Indians hat to school every day, memorized every big stat about the team, and could mimic every player's swing). But we were literally one out away--a couple pitches away--from winning the freaking World Series. It wasn't a semifinal game (which is essentially what the AFC Champion is). Jaret Wright had just thrown an incredible game in the best series of his career. Jose Mesa, Mr. Automatic during those years, was on the mound (I had forgotten just how good this guy was during that stretch--check out his stats from '95 to '97). And, still, we found a way to blow it.
Given the stage and how well things had been going for the Tribe up to that point, it's hard for me to say that anything was worse. This from a guy whose first sports memory is Jordan hitting "The Shot" over Craig Ehlo.
That's why tomorrow night is so exciting for me. Nobody expects the Cavs to beat the Spurs, whereas everyone expected the Indians to beat the Marlins. Hell, even I don't expect us to beat the Spurs. For some reason, I feel strangely zen about the fact that the Cavs are in the NBA Finals--maybe beating Detroit was too satisfying, but I think it comes from the fact that the Cavs are essentially playing with house money. And from the fact that I'd forgotten how exciting it is to have a team in the title hunt. For once, it feels good to be a Cleveland sports fan.
Showing posts with label Cleveland Indians. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cleveland Indians. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Sunday, June 3, 2007
Almost There . . .
What a huge win for the Cavs--and for the city of Cleveland. That trophy presentation, while a bit ostentatious, was a sight to see. The Cavs really grew up in this series--I think the New Jersey series lit a fire under them, and everything finally clicked defensively throughout the last four games of the Detroit series.
The Finals this year are gravy--I expect we'll take a game or two off the Spurs. But it will be a fabulous learning experience. I think the Pistons will be back, but not nearly as strong (no longer the team to beat in the East), and that the Cavs may be able to put together a string of Finals appearances. Who knows, maybe we can win one.
A few thoughts before I go to bed and dream of a title in Cleveland (while also telling myself not to get my hopes up, after watching the Tribe in '95 and '97.)
1.) Tonight showed just how deadly the Cavs can be on a night when we have another legitimate perimeter scorer. Boobie Gibson made me forget about Michael Redd over the past few days. I think he and LeBron can be a great tandem for years to come. LeBron didn't have the jumper tonight, but his presence on the floor opened up lanes and shots for everyone else.
2.) Sasha Pavlovic needs to learn how to pass at the end of a drive--he keeps taking great drives from the top of the key, but when you're starting from that far out someone is going to plant on you and draw the charge. I think this kid is going to be a really good Cavalier--he's got a pretty good outside shot that's getting better, he's stepping it up on defense, and he's deceptively athletic. But he's got to learn to harness that athleticism and make the pass when necessary.
3.) Larry Hughes is a warrior. He played his heart out tonight--some beautiful jump shots and some nice penetration into the lane.
4.) During the second quarter, I believe I got so frustrated that I said out loud: "If Damon Jones takes one more three pointer early in the shot clock, I will scream." We were babysitting a 2-year old, so I'm glad Damon wised up. He actually did a decent job in the third and fourth quarter stretching the floor but not taking too many wild three's. He also had one great pump fake-then-drive in the fourth quarter.
5.) Rasheed Wallace needs to grow up. The two fouls he was complaining about were legit (the latter more than the former). To get yourself ejected with almost 7 minutes left in the game, to put your own temper above your teammates, and to say some of the things it looked like he was saying to the ref . . . come on. You're a grown man.
6.) How sweet was it to see LeBron hug Z after the game? What a huge win for Z--so many years of frustration and injury early in his career, but he never hung it up. Instead, he kept battling to get back on the court and good things eventually came into place.
That's all for now. Stay tuned in the coming days for my Cavs-Spurs series preview.
The Finals this year are gravy--I expect we'll take a game or two off the Spurs. But it will be a fabulous learning experience. I think the Pistons will be back, but not nearly as strong (no longer the team to beat in the East), and that the Cavs may be able to put together a string of Finals appearances. Who knows, maybe we can win one.
A few thoughts before I go to bed and dream of a title in Cleveland (while also telling myself not to get my hopes up, after watching the Tribe in '95 and '97.)
1.) Tonight showed just how deadly the Cavs can be on a night when we have another legitimate perimeter scorer. Boobie Gibson made me forget about Michael Redd over the past few days. I think he and LeBron can be a great tandem for years to come. LeBron didn't have the jumper tonight, but his presence on the floor opened up lanes and shots for everyone else.
2.) Sasha Pavlovic needs to learn how to pass at the end of a drive--he keeps taking great drives from the top of the key, but when you're starting from that far out someone is going to plant on you and draw the charge. I think this kid is going to be a really good Cavalier--he's got a pretty good outside shot that's getting better, he's stepping it up on defense, and he's deceptively athletic. But he's got to learn to harness that athleticism and make the pass when necessary.
3.) Larry Hughes is a warrior. He played his heart out tonight--some beautiful jump shots and some nice penetration into the lane.
4.) During the second quarter, I believe I got so frustrated that I said out loud: "If Damon Jones takes one more three pointer early in the shot clock, I will scream." We were babysitting a 2-year old, so I'm glad Damon wised up. He actually did a decent job in the third and fourth quarter stretching the floor but not taking too many wild three's. He also had one great pump fake-then-drive in the fourth quarter.
5.) Rasheed Wallace needs to grow up. The two fouls he was complaining about were legit (the latter more than the former). To get yourself ejected with almost 7 minutes left in the game, to put your own temper above your teammates, and to say some of the things it looked like he was saying to the ref . . . come on. You're a grown man.
6.) How sweet was it to see LeBron hug Z after the game? What a huge win for Z--so many years of frustration and injury early in his career, but he never hung it up. Instead, he kept battling to get back on the court and good things eventually came into place.
That's all for now. Stay tuned in the coming days for my Cavs-Spurs series preview.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Duck Hunt
Right after tipoff of Game 3 of the Cavs-Pistons series, my friend Scott texted me the following:
"James looks like he's here to kill someone."
The big question for me in watching the Cavs last night was whether LeBron would have that look. We need it to win. The short answer is that he did. The long answer is that he did when he was given a chance to succeed. If we want to win this series, we have to put him in that position for 48 minutes instead of just 30.
Let me explain: even though it made yesterday's Game 4 preview redundant, I thought Mike Brown made the right move in starting Larry Hughes. Sure, he was injured and not particularly explosive, but it provided an emotional lift for the team. Hughes had a nice shot to open scoring for the Cavs, but after that was clearly out of sync.
Enter Daniel Gibson. WOW. This kid played his heart out. He looked like a young Iverson out there--explosive, with a motor that never stops. Like Billups and Hamilton at their best, Gibson was constantly moving on offense and was absolutely fearless. Case in point was the flagrant by Webber--Gibson laughed it off and sank four straight free throws. He also did a good enough job defensively, offering solid coverage on guys much bigger than him. I don't mind him getting beat once or twice because of how damn explosive he is on the other end, but I do wish he would stop committing so many dumb "help" fouls when the Pistons are clearly about to score. There is no need -- NO NEED -- to foul a guy when he's about to dunk or toss in an easy layup unless you are confident you can make him miss the dunk. I wish the Cavs would learn this--they seem to think they're like Death from Family Guy--one touch is fatal. They are wrong.
Anyway, back to my point. The best thing Gibson did for the team was enable LeBron to succeed. Like no other perimeter player on our roster (save maybe Sasha), Gibson made it impossible for the Pistons to completely sag their defense towards LeBron. They always had to account for him at the three point line, and like a savvy veteran, he took advantage of that and drove right to the hoop most of the time they shaded him that way. As a result, LeBron had more room to operate and was able to step up his game (this also happened in Game 3.) Gibson may very well be the explosive running mate LeBron needs.
Which it is why it was so frustrating when Mike Brown pulled Gibson to start the third and put the Cavs (and LeBron) in a position to fail. Again, I'll reiterate--I think Mike Brown is a fantastic defensive coach who has done a great job as coach of the Cleveland Cavs. But I wish he would stop rolling the starters out there in the third instead of going with a lineup that works. By opening the third with a gimpy Hughes, he basically let the Pistons play four on five and get away with triple teaming LeBron. Plus, Hughes's ankle hindered his ability to move off the ball which is what the Cavs offense needs to work in the first place--movement. Mike Brown claims that he understands that the Cavs are best when they're moving the ball, but he doesn't put them in positions to do that. When Gibson was on the floor, everyone could play their best--Z could drift out and hit those face-up jumpers (his most consistent offensive play) instead of awkwardly stumbling through the post and throwing up wild hook shots. Gooden could do the same (he was making it rain out there, though thankfully he didn't do his "rain dance", which rivals only Mark Madsen's jiving with Shaq at the Lakers parade a few years ago for sheer dance futility). LeBron, too, had more space to operate, and Sasha had clearer lanes to the hoop. Why? Because Gibson was moving effectively off the ball and made the Pistons account for his presence at all times. It's a very simple principle--anyone who has played Duck Hunt as a kid should know how it works. Imagine that the ducks just flew out on the screen and then stopped moving. How difficult would it be to shoot them? That's the Cavs offense that Mike Brown seems to prefer. Now, imagine real Duck Hunt, where two ducks fly onto the screen and keep moving, often away from each other, so you don't have a clear shot at both at any given time (on a side note, anyone who played with just one duck was a pansy). Isn't it MUCH more difficult to defend? Here, try it yourself. Better yet, send that link to Mike Brown.
Hopefully, he will see the light and let Gibson start the third quarter in Game 5. I think if he does, and if we can keep it close or maintain a lead, "killer eye" LeBron will get it done (assuming he shows up again).
RANDOM OTHER OBSERVATIONS:
1.) Is there anything more infuriating than watching Damon Jones play defense? He was getting beat more frequently than Charlie Frye behind the Browns' offensive line. Why on earth does this guy get playing time? If you're going to put someone in the game who's a non-factor on offense (which he was), why not put in Eric Snow, who can at least play defense?
2.) Despite the Plain Dealer's protestations to the contrary, LeBron James definitely tipped home Antonio McDyess's flailing shot through the lane to bring the Pistons to 89-87. Henry Abbott of TrueHoop agrees. Can you imagine if he had missed the free throws after that? I'm trying to think of where "The Tip" would fit on the top ten list of Cleveland Sports Catastrophes. It would at least fit well with our current nomenclature for such moments.
3.) Finally, in the "it would be too funny to be true anywhere but Cleveland" column, we have this article from the Detroit News. That's right, the coach of the Cavs taking the "if we don't know what we're doing, then they won't be able to defend it" approach. Even my girlfriend, who tried at all costs to avoid watching the Cavs game last night lest she grow frustrated at my infantile protestations, found this one hilarious.
Game 5 Preview will be up soon--looks like Grady and Pronk are going to have to wait a few days to get more coverage from this corner. I'm sure they're devastated.
"James looks like he's here to kill someone."
The big question for me in watching the Cavs last night was whether LeBron would have that look. We need it to win. The short answer is that he did. The long answer is that he did when he was given a chance to succeed. If we want to win this series, we have to put him in that position for 48 minutes instead of just 30.
Let me explain: even though it made yesterday's Game 4 preview redundant, I thought Mike Brown made the right move in starting Larry Hughes. Sure, he was injured and not particularly explosive, but it provided an emotional lift for the team. Hughes had a nice shot to open scoring for the Cavs, but after that was clearly out of sync.
Enter Daniel Gibson. WOW. This kid played his heart out. He looked like a young Iverson out there--explosive, with a motor that never stops. Like Billups and Hamilton at their best, Gibson was constantly moving on offense and was absolutely fearless. Case in point was the flagrant by Webber--Gibson laughed it off and sank four straight free throws. He also did a good enough job defensively, offering solid coverage on guys much bigger than him. I don't mind him getting beat once or twice because of how damn explosive he is on the other end, but I do wish he would stop committing so many dumb "help" fouls when the Pistons are clearly about to score. There is no need -- NO NEED -- to foul a guy when he's about to dunk or toss in an easy layup unless you are confident you can make him miss the dunk. I wish the Cavs would learn this--they seem to think they're like Death from Family Guy--one touch is fatal. They are wrong.
Anyway, back to my point. The best thing Gibson did for the team was enable LeBron to succeed. Like no other perimeter player on our roster (save maybe Sasha), Gibson made it impossible for the Pistons to completely sag their defense towards LeBron. They always had to account for him at the three point line, and like a savvy veteran, he took advantage of that and drove right to the hoop most of the time they shaded him that way. As a result, LeBron had more room to operate and was able to step up his game (this also happened in Game 3.) Gibson may very well be the explosive running mate LeBron needs.
Which it is why it was so frustrating when Mike Brown pulled Gibson to start the third and put the Cavs (and LeBron) in a position to fail. Again, I'll reiterate--I think Mike Brown is a fantastic defensive coach who has done a great job as coach of the Cleveland Cavs. But I wish he would stop rolling the starters out there in the third instead of going with a lineup that works. By opening the third with a gimpy Hughes, he basically let the Pistons play four on five and get away with triple teaming LeBron. Plus, Hughes's ankle hindered his ability to move off the ball which is what the Cavs offense needs to work in the first place--movement. Mike Brown claims that he understands that the Cavs are best when they're moving the ball, but he doesn't put them in positions to do that. When Gibson was on the floor, everyone could play their best--Z could drift out and hit those face-up jumpers (his most consistent offensive play) instead of awkwardly stumbling through the post and throwing up wild hook shots. Gooden could do the same (he was making it rain out there, though thankfully he didn't do his "rain dance", which rivals only Mark Madsen's jiving with Shaq at the Lakers parade a few years ago for sheer dance futility). LeBron, too, had more space to operate, and Sasha had clearer lanes to the hoop. Why? Because Gibson was moving effectively off the ball and made the Pistons account for his presence at all times. It's a very simple principle--anyone who has played Duck Hunt as a kid should know how it works. Imagine that the ducks just flew out on the screen and then stopped moving. How difficult would it be to shoot them? That's the Cavs offense that Mike Brown seems to prefer. Now, imagine real Duck Hunt, where two ducks fly onto the screen and keep moving, often away from each other, so you don't have a clear shot at both at any given time (on a side note, anyone who played with just one duck was a pansy). Isn't it MUCH more difficult to defend? Here, try it yourself. Better yet, send that link to Mike Brown.
Hopefully, he will see the light and let Gibson start the third quarter in Game 5. I think if he does, and if we can keep it close or maintain a lead, "killer eye" LeBron will get it done (assuming he shows up again).
RANDOM OTHER OBSERVATIONS:
1.) Is there anything more infuriating than watching Damon Jones play defense? He was getting beat more frequently than Charlie Frye behind the Browns' offensive line. Why on earth does this guy get playing time? If you're going to put someone in the game who's a non-factor on offense (which he was), why not put in Eric Snow, who can at least play defense?
2.) Despite the Plain Dealer's protestations to the contrary, LeBron James definitely tipped home Antonio McDyess's flailing shot through the lane to bring the Pistons to 89-87. Henry Abbott of TrueHoop agrees. Can you imagine if he had missed the free throws after that? I'm trying to think of where "The Tip" would fit on the top ten list of Cleveland Sports Catastrophes. It would at least fit well with our current nomenclature for such moments.
3.) Finally, in the "it would be too funny to be true anywhere but Cleveland" column, we have this article from the Detroit News. That's right, the coach of the Cavs taking the "if we don't know what we're doing, then they won't be able to defend it" approach. Even my girlfriend, who tried at all costs to avoid watching the Cavs game last night lest she grow frustrated at my infantile protestations, found this one hilarious.
Game 5 Preview will be up soon--looks like Grady and Pronk are going to have to wait a few days to get more coverage from this corner. I'm sure they're devastated.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Cavs-Pistons Game 4 Preview
Henry Abbott of TrueHoop writes:
"Assuming Larry Hughes really won't be playing hard or long anytime soon, I think the Pistons just won this series -- without Hughes, I don't think there's any chance Chauncey Billups stays in his funk much longer. And getting Billups into a funk was one of the greatest accomplishments of the playoffs, for which Hughes deserves a ton of credit."
I really like Henry's blog (see this great series about Leandro Barbosa's quest to play in the NBA) but I have to disagree with him here. Larry was playing great defense on Billups, no question about it. But my view is that Billups was bothered more by the Cavs' trapping defense than by the individual defense of Hughes (though Hughes is a great defender). If that's the key to the series, then we should be able to accomplish it with Eric Snow (who has played great defense throughout the playoffs, though he's not great on offense) and, believe it or not, Daniel Gibson (who played great defense at the end of Game 3) with Z or Drew popping out to help.
Which raises the question: who should start at PG for the Cavs? Let's look through the options (unfortunately, Mike Bibby is not one of them.)
ERIC SNOW:
One of the best shutdown defenders in the game, Snow is a seasoned playoff veteran. He pretty much won Game 4 of the Nets series with his (and Larry's) D on Vince "Air Mails it In" Canada and he's played similarly well on that side of the floor. The Cavs are a team that's been winning by playing solid defense, and he provides lots of it.
BUT . . .
He's a total liability on offense. He can't shoot very well (though, mercifully, he doesn't try, unlike Larry) and does little more than bring the ball up. Granted, this is a good thing, since it means LeBron isn't running the "pound the ball into the floor" play that Cavs fans know and love (almost as much as the Browns' "Let's Use Lawrence Vickers" offense of old). But, he allows the Pistons to play 5 on 4, meaning they can always put at least two guys on LeBron.
DANIEL GIBSON:
The most explosive option for the spot, Gibson has really grown up in the playoffs. He hit a couple huge threes in the fourth quarter on Sunday and did an overall great job defending Billups and, believe it or not, Tayshaun Prince. (BTW, someone should do a DNA comparison of Tayshaun Prince and Kevin Garnett to prove that they are aliens, given their ability to stand firm in the low block despite looking like they together don't outweigh Paris Hilton.) LeBron loves playing with him, he keeps the offense moving, and he's great in the open floor. He also stretches the defense with his three-point ability.
BUT . . .
He's not as seasoned as you'd like for your playoff PG. Plus, notwithstanding his great job on Billups and Prince, you have to figure that the Pistons have spent a day or two keying on ways to exploit his youthfulness. Flip Murray certainly did the second he came into Game 3, though that was in large part because Damon Jones was also on the floor. But, he's very beatable in transition, and he's not as playoff-tested as the Pistons are--plus he's going to get absolutely no calls going up against them.
ANYONE ELSE:
The only serious candidates are LeBron James and Damon Jones. But as good as LeBron is with the ball in the open floor, the thought of him playing PG the whole game makes my head spin because it's just an invitation to run the "pounding the ball" play every damn time we go down the floor. Is it really any mystery at this point that he's at his best in transition and on the move, before the Pistons get a chance to set up against him? Wasn't it just unfair watching him in the low post given his obvious strength and quickness advantage over anyone (though, admittedly, his lack of an actual post game is troubling--more on this in the future). Why on earth would we let him bring the ball up the floor and risk coming out stale? And, as to Damon Jones, I was kidding when I said he's a serious candidate. He's a fine spot-up shooter, but as a PG? Come on.
At the end of the day, my recommended gameplan is as follows: Let Daniel Gibson start. At home, we'll have the crowd pulling for us, the building will be rocking, and as a result, any chance we can get to run out will be a boon. Gibson is better at facilitating transition and he's better on offense. He seems to be smart enough to play defense without getting quick fouls, and he seems at worst passable on the defensive side such that the benefit of him on offense is comparatively greater in relation to Snow. I do think Mike Brown should have Eric Snow sitting really close in case the Pistons start dominating on the wings, or in case they spring out to a quick lead. In that circumstance, rolling the dice with Snow and slowing the Pistons down a touch would be wise.
That said, what really matters in this game is which LeBron shows up. All Cleveland fans hope that the LeBron of Game 3, who really wanted it and came out ready to do anything for the win, will show up. If he does, I think we take this back to Detroit all square. If the other LeBron comes out--the one who doesn't feel like he has his back to the wall or anything to prove--then we're going to have an early end to our season and a long and hard offseason. Plus, I'll have to start writing about something else (hear that, Grady and Pronk? I may be on my way!!!)
"Assuming Larry Hughes really won't be playing hard or long anytime soon, I think the Pistons just won this series -- without Hughes, I don't think there's any chance Chauncey Billups stays in his funk much longer. And getting Billups into a funk was one of the greatest accomplishments of the playoffs, for which Hughes deserves a ton of credit."
I really like Henry's blog (see this great series about Leandro Barbosa's quest to play in the NBA) but I have to disagree with him here. Larry was playing great defense on Billups, no question about it. But my view is that Billups was bothered more by the Cavs' trapping defense than by the individual defense of Hughes (though Hughes is a great defender). If that's the key to the series, then we should be able to accomplish it with Eric Snow (who has played great defense throughout the playoffs, though he's not great on offense) and, believe it or not, Daniel Gibson (who played great defense at the end of Game 3) with Z or Drew popping out to help.
Which raises the question: who should start at PG for the Cavs? Let's look through the options (unfortunately, Mike Bibby is not one of them.)
ERIC SNOW:
One of the best shutdown defenders in the game, Snow is a seasoned playoff veteran. He pretty much won Game 4 of the Nets series with his (and Larry's) D on Vince "Air Mails it In" Canada and he's played similarly well on that side of the floor. The Cavs are a team that's been winning by playing solid defense, and he provides lots of it.
BUT . . .
He's a total liability on offense. He can't shoot very well (though, mercifully, he doesn't try, unlike Larry) and does little more than bring the ball up. Granted, this is a good thing, since it means LeBron isn't running the "pound the ball into the floor" play that Cavs fans know and love (almost as much as the Browns' "Let's Use Lawrence Vickers" offense of old). But, he allows the Pistons to play 5 on 4, meaning they can always put at least two guys on LeBron.
DANIEL GIBSON:
The most explosive option for the spot, Gibson has really grown up in the playoffs. He hit a couple huge threes in the fourth quarter on Sunday and did an overall great job defending Billups and, believe it or not, Tayshaun Prince. (BTW, someone should do a DNA comparison of Tayshaun Prince and Kevin Garnett to prove that they are aliens, given their ability to stand firm in the low block despite looking like they together don't outweigh Paris Hilton.) LeBron loves playing with him, he keeps the offense moving, and he's great in the open floor. He also stretches the defense with his three-point ability.
BUT . . .
He's not as seasoned as you'd like for your playoff PG. Plus, notwithstanding his great job on Billups and Prince, you have to figure that the Pistons have spent a day or two keying on ways to exploit his youthfulness. Flip Murray certainly did the second he came into Game 3, though that was in large part because Damon Jones was also on the floor. But, he's very beatable in transition, and he's not as playoff-tested as the Pistons are--plus he's going to get absolutely no calls going up against them.
ANYONE ELSE:
The only serious candidates are LeBron James and Damon Jones. But as good as LeBron is with the ball in the open floor, the thought of him playing PG the whole game makes my head spin because it's just an invitation to run the "pounding the ball" play every damn time we go down the floor. Is it really any mystery at this point that he's at his best in transition and on the move, before the Pistons get a chance to set up against him? Wasn't it just unfair watching him in the low post given his obvious strength and quickness advantage over anyone (though, admittedly, his lack of an actual post game is troubling--more on this in the future). Why on earth would we let him bring the ball up the floor and risk coming out stale? And, as to Damon Jones, I was kidding when I said he's a serious candidate. He's a fine spot-up shooter, but as a PG? Come on.
At the end of the day, my recommended gameplan is as follows: Let Daniel Gibson start. At home, we'll have the crowd pulling for us, the building will be rocking, and as a result, any chance we can get to run out will be a boon. Gibson is better at facilitating transition and he's better on offense. He seems to be smart enough to play defense without getting quick fouls, and he seems at worst passable on the defensive side such that the benefit of him on offense is comparatively greater in relation to Snow. I do think Mike Brown should have Eric Snow sitting really close in case the Pistons start dominating on the wings, or in case they spring out to a quick lead. In that circumstance, rolling the dice with Snow and slowing the Pistons down a touch would be wise.
That said, what really matters in this game is which LeBron shows up. All Cleveland fans hope that the LeBron of Game 3, who really wanted it and came out ready to do anything for the win, will show up. If he does, I think we take this back to Detroit all square. If the other LeBron comes out--the one who doesn't feel like he has his back to the wall or anything to prove--then we're going to have an early end to our season and a long and hard offseason. Plus, I'll have to start writing about something else (hear that, Grady and Pronk? I may be on my way!!!)
Ten Thoughts on Game 3
I dedicated yesterday to basking in the glow of the Cavs' first win in many moons in the Eastern Conference Finals, so my apologies for posting a bit late. Without further ado, here are a couple observations from this corner--though I will note that I simply have nothing to add about how incredible LeBron was, so I'll focus on other things that haven't garnered as much attention:
1.) Where the hell was Rip Hamilton during that entire game? During the first game, my buddy Scott and I decided to play a Cavs drinking game (I will post the scoring sheet later, but in the interim, will just let you know that one of the items on our list was Chris Webber trying to dunk but failing since he's no longer explosive--it happened twice) and considered putting "Rip Hamilton hitting improbable jumper" on there, then didn't because we realized we'd be drunk by the end of the first quarter. Seriously, the guy made as many improbable jump shots as Z had awkward offensive possessions. In game 2, Rip was doing his thing (running off screens, catching and shooting) but the shots weren't falling. Game 3, though, was different--it was like he wasn't on the floor at all. I'd be fine with this behavior continuing throughout the series.
2.) Huge game for Daniel Gibson. Hit some big threes, played clutch defense down the stretch--this kid may be the real deal. I could see us trotting out a starting lineup of Gibson, Sasha, LeBron, Gooden, and Ilgauskas next year and being pretty damn happy with it. In the meantime, let's hope that lineup can hold up tonight . . .
3.) . . . because wonder of wonders, Larry Hughes is injured again. Every day seems to provide a new reason for me to be upset that Michael Redd decided to be a fool and re-up with Milwaukee a few years ago. Can you imagine him on our team instead of Hughes? He would have played in twice as many games and he would have been the perfect complement to LeBron. Honestly, what was he thinking? Did he really believe that Andre "the Giant" Bogut had any chance at saving that team from perennial 8-seed, first round elimination-at best territory?
4.) That said, Hughes did look good for the few minutes he was out there. He was taking the ball to the hoop instead of settling for the outside jumper (the reverse layup he sank right before the injury was a work of art). That's the Larry Hughes we signed--that's the Larry Hughes I can get behind. I wish he would play like that all the time, instead of more often than not getting possessed by the ghost of Ricky Davis (no, I know he's not dead, but his career sure seems to be). I wonder if there's any merit to Larry Hughes coming off the bench next year as an energy shooter/slasher--Gibson appears to be the long-term solution at the point, and Hughes and Sasha can't be in the lineup at the same time . . .
5.) When did Sasha Pavlovic become such a great defender? I mean, he's a good enough outside shooter (he hit one three in the first quarter that was pretty unbelievable), he's one of the most deceptively athletic players in the NBA (every time he has the ball he's a threat to take it to the hoop and at worst draw a foul) but now he's also a phenomenal defender. Yeah, Rip didn't have much energy, but Pavs prevented him from getting started in the first place. I really, really, really hope we match any offer for this guy, even if it means letting go of Raggedy Andy.
6.) I think the "Webber Face" has to replace the "Manning Face" for "Most Pathetic look by an athlete". Honestly, the guy always looks like he's a.)about to cry b.) just passed a kidney stone c.) wishing that Kobe had run Shaq out of town a few years sooner so that he could have won a title in Sacramento.
7.) Kudos to Mike Brown for sticking with a lineup that worked from the second quarter to the third quarter (did he read my blog? That must have been it). Gibson's presence in the game made the Cavs much harder to defend--with both Pavlovic and Gibson in the game, the Pistons couldn't swarm LeBron because of the perpetual threat of a kickout (plus, Donyell wasn't in the game, so there was a substantially lower chance of the Cavs missing the resulting shot). I half expected Brown to come out with the starters in the third quarter, even though Hughes was playing on only one leg. But he accomplished the miraculous task of going with what was working before halftime, and as a result kept the Cavs in the game.
8.) Is this the birth of a new LeBron? No, I'm not reneging on my promise in the preface to this post. I'm just curious as to whether the constantly passionate LeBron of Game 3 -- the one calling out his teammates for boneheaded plays, constantly working the referees, talking frequently in the huddle, showing up early for practice to work on his balky jumpshot -- is here to stay. In Game 3, he seemed to finally have that intensity that D-Wade had last year and that Jordan had in his prime. That's LeBron at his finest, the great player who trusts his teammates but expects them to play at the same high level of intensity that he does.
9.) On that note, did anyone else notice LeBron reenacting a great moment in Indians history? It happened in the second half, when LeBron made a sick feed to Drew Gooden under the hoop, and Gooden decided to dribble before dunking and thus got his shot blocked out of bounds. LeBron responded by staring down Gooden, pointing to his flexed bicep, and yelling "it's right (profanity) here," much like Albert Belle did years ago after the White Sox asked to check his bat for cork. Which leads to a good question: does anyone think we can get Jason Grimsley to sneak into the Cavs' locker room tonight and replace Gooden with Carlos Boozer?
10.) I would LOVE to possess a "Beat Detroit" T-shirt. That said, those t-shirts have to go down as one of the least creative fan-inspiration efforts of all time. First, we stole the t-shirt idea from both Golden State and then Utah (honestly, who the hell steals ideas from the Utah Jazz fan base? That's taking Quarter Pounders to a potluck--the best anyone can say about your efforts is "it's the thought that counts" before throwing the sack of burgers in the trash.) More importantly (since it is cool to see an arena of people wearing the same color, lack of creativity aside) Cavs management also came up with the least creative t-shirt slogan ever. Why not just get t-shirts that say "Win" or "Don't Lose?" As my friend Wyatt pointed out, "even 'Defeat Detroit' would have been better, since it's alliterative. No wonder you guys are down two games."
I can't top that, so I'll have to leave you there for now. Stay tuned for my preview of Game 4.
1.) Where the hell was Rip Hamilton during that entire game? During the first game, my buddy Scott and I decided to play a Cavs drinking game (I will post the scoring sheet later, but in the interim, will just let you know that one of the items on our list was Chris Webber trying to dunk but failing since he's no longer explosive--it happened twice) and considered putting "Rip Hamilton hitting improbable jumper" on there, then didn't because we realized we'd be drunk by the end of the first quarter. Seriously, the guy made as many improbable jump shots as Z had awkward offensive possessions. In game 2, Rip was doing his thing (running off screens, catching and shooting) but the shots weren't falling. Game 3, though, was different--it was like he wasn't on the floor at all. I'd be fine with this behavior continuing throughout the series.
2.) Huge game for Daniel Gibson. Hit some big threes, played clutch defense down the stretch--this kid may be the real deal. I could see us trotting out a starting lineup of Gibson, Sasha, LeBron, Gooden, and Ilgauskas next year and being pretty damn happy with it. In the meantime, let's hope that lineup can hold up tonight . . .
3.) . . . because wonder of wonders, Larry Hughes is injured again. Every day seems to provide a new reason for me to be upset that Michael Redd decided to be a fool and re-up with Milwaukee a few years ago. Can you imagine him on our team instead of Hughes? He would have played in twice as many games and he would have been the perfect complement to LeBron. Honestly, what was he thinking? Did he really believe that Andre "the Giant" Bogut had any chance at saving that team from perennial 8-seed, first round elimination-at best territory?
4.) That said, Hughes did look good for the few minutes he was out there. He was taking the ball to the hoop instead of settling for the outside jumper (the reverse layup he sank right before the injury was a work of art). That's the Larry Hughes we signed--that's the Larry Hughes I can get behind. I wish he would play like that all the time, instead of more often than not getting possessed by the ghost of Ricky Davis (no, I know he's not dead, but his career sure seems to be). I wonder if there's any merit to Larry Hughes coming off the bench next year as an energy shooter/slasher--Gibson appears to be the long-term solution at the point, and Hughes and Sasha can't be in the lineup at the same time . . .
5.) When did Sasha Pavlovic become such a great defender? I mean, he's a good enough outside shooter (he hit one three in the first quarter that was pretty unbelievable), he's one of the most deceptively athletic players in the NBA (every time he has the ball he's a threat to take it to the hoop and at worst draw a foul) but now he's also a phenomenal defender. Yeah, Rip didn't have much energy, but Pavs prevented him from getting started in the first place. I really, really, really hope we match any offer for this guy, even if it means letting go of Raggedy Andy.
6.) I think the "Webber Face" has to replace the "Manning Face" for "Most Pathetic look by an athlete". Honestly, the guy always looks like he's a.)about to cry b.) just passed a kidney stone c.) wishing that Kobe had run Shaq out of town a few years sooner so that he could have won a title in Sacramento.
7.) Kudos to Mike Brown for sticking with a lineup that worked from the second quarter to the third quarter (did he read my blog? That must have been it). Gibson's presence in the game made the Cavs much harder to defend--with both Pavlovic and Gibson in the game, the Pistons couldn't swarm LeBron because of the perpetual threat of a kickout (plus, Donyell wasn't in the game, so there was a substantially lower chance of the Cavs missing the resulting shot). I half expected Brown to come out with the starters in the third quarter, even though Hughes was playing on only one leg. But he accomplished the miraculous task of going with what was working before halftime, and as a result kept the Cavs in the game.
8.) Is this the birth of a new LeBron? No, I'm not reneging on my promise in the preface to this post. I'm just curious as to whether the constantly passionate LeBron of Game 3 -- the one calling out his teammates for boneheaded plays, constantly working the referees, talking frequently in the huddle, showing up early for practice to work on his balky jumpshot -- is here to stay. In Game 3, he seemed to finally have that intensity that D-Wade had last year and that Jordan had in his prime. That's LeBron at his finest, the great player who trusts his teammates but expects them to play at the same high level of intensity that he does.
9.) On that note, did anyone else notice LeBron reenacting a great moment in Indians history? It happened in the second half, when LeBron made a sick feed to Drew Gooden under the hoop, and Gooden decided to dribble before dunking and thus got his shot blocked out of bounds. LeBron responded by staring down Gooden, pointing to his flexed bicep, and yelling "it's right (profanity) here," much like Albert Belle did years ago after the White Sox asked to check his bat for cork. Which leads to a good question: does anyone think we can get Jason Grimsley to sneak into the Cavs' locker room tonight and replace Gooden with Carlos Boozer?
10.) I would LOVE to possess a "Beat Detroit" T-shirt. That said, those t-shirts have to go down as one of the least creative fan-inspiration efforts of all time. First, we stole the t-shirt idea from both Golden State and then Utah (honestly, who the hell steals ideas from the Utah Jazz fan base? That's taking Quarter Pounders to a potluck--the best anyone can say about your efforts is "it's the thought that counts" before throwing the sack of burgers in the trash.) More importantly (since it is cool to see an arena of people wearing the same color, lack of creativity aside) Cavs management also came up with the least creative t-shirt slogan ever. Why not just get t-shirts that say "Win" or "Don't Lose?" As my friend Wyatt pointed out, "even 'Defeat Detroit' would have been better, since it's alliterative. No wonder you guys are down two games."
I can't top that, so I'll have to leave you there for now. Stay tuned for my preview of Game 4.
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