Monday, March 30, 2009

The records keep falling

I'm running out of superlatives to use for the Cavaliers. It has truly been a magical season so far and I'm hoping the ride doesn't end until somewhere around June 18th (the last possible day for the Finals to end). They finished up another outstanding weekend with two more easy wins at the Q. The first was on Friday night with a 107-85 dispatching (highlights) of the Timberwolves. Then they followed that up yesterday afternoon with a 102-74 thumping (highlights) of the Dallas Mavericks. In the process they notched their 12th straight victory (yet another franchise record) and their 60th win.

The recipe for the final 9 games: wins & rest for everyone

They were outscored 30-20 by the Mavericks in the first quarter and it honestly would have been worse if not for a buzzer-beating three-pointer by of all people, Joe Smith. After sleepwalking through that slow start, the Cavs really poured it on in fashion that was reminiscent of all the early season drubbings they were handing out at the Q. They outscored the Mavericks 82-44 the rest of the way and sprinted to another fun win. It was almost too fun, aside from a couple of scares in which LeBron was left crumpled in a heap on the floor. The first came on a vicious dunk in the 2nd quarter in which he was slightly undercut and took a hard spill. The second came in the third quarter when he plowed into a referee as he was racing back down the court on defense. These are the type of tense moments we really don't need with just nine games left before the playoffs start.

The goal from here on out should be to protect the #1 overall seed for the playoffs, but to do so with caution. We don't need any injuries to derail such a great season so far. The team now has a firmer grasp of home court advantage throughout the entire playoffs, thanks to the Lakers slipping yesterday in Atlanta. So the margin for error is a little greater, and hopefully so too is the opportunity to rest some key players. Most of the starters were able to rest for almost the entire 4th quarter yesterday afternoon. Let's hope that's a trend that is able to continue. The guys hit the hardwood again tomorrow night when the once-mighty Pistons pay a visit to the Q, in what could possibly be a preview of the 1 vs. 8 matchup in the playoffs. Go Cavs.

Friday, March 27, 2009

Streaking to another record?

The Cavaliers extended their latest winning streak to 10 with a 98-87 win (highlights) over the Nets at the Q on Wednesday night. The win also gave them a franchise-best 58 wins on the year, with still 11 games yet to be played. I've been saying here for some time that the franchise record for wins was just a mere formality this season, but it is nice to officially get that record out of the way. They now hold a five-game lead over both Boston and Orlando and they have quietly crept ahead of Boston in conference record, an important tiebreaker should the wheels fall off down the stretch. Not that I think that will happen, but it seems like only a couple of weeks ago it was a foregone conclusion that we had already lost that tiebreaker to the Celtics.

LBJ flexed his muscles with a 22/8/11 line Wednesday night

Wednesday's win wasn't a thing of beauty by any stretch of the imagination. The Cavs let the Nets hang around for far too long and only finished them off with a 17-5 run in the final four minutes of the game after New Jersey actually took the lead. But I'm not really complaining - at this point of the season, wins are wins. And the Cavs need to keep piling them up because it looks like the Lakers aren't going to cooperate and lose one for us. We still hold a razor-thin one-game lead over LA for the best record in the NBA and home court advantage throughout the playoffs. The good guys take the court again tonight at the Q vs. the Timberwolves and I'll be in attendance. Hopefully this one will be easy and we can look forward to setting yet another franchise record on Sunday when the Mavericks pay a visit to the Q and they notch their 12th consecutive win. Go Cavs.

Monday, March 23, 2009

A record weekend

The Cavs continued their winning ways over the weekend, first on Saturday afternoon with a 102-96 win (highlights) over the Hawks at the Q. Then they extended their latest winning streak to 9 as they knocked off the Nets 96-88 (highlights) last night in New Jersey. In the process the team also set some nice records over the weekend. Yesterday's win brought their season total to 57, equaling the franchise's record set twice before during the 1988-89 and 1991-92 seasons. By my own unofficial count, their current total of 25 road wins also easily sets a franchise record. It's safe to say that both of those win totals will balloon even further with 12 total games, including 4 on the road, still on the schedule.

Zydrunas Ilguaskas also had a nice weekend of milestones. In the game against the Hawks, he became the fourth Cavalier to join the illustrious 10,000-point club for the franchise (with the lone members being LeBron James, Austin Carr, and Brad Daugherty). Then yesterday he collected four blocked shots and passed John "Hot Rod" Williams for the Cavs all-time record. These all are just small records on the way to what hopefully culminates in an NBA championship for the team and its fans... but you can't help but feel happy for Big Z. He has been through so much physical pain and agonizingly bad basketball over the years. I was happy to hear that he got yesterday's game ball to put in his personal trophy case. We can only hope that he gets to look up in the rafters of the Q some day and see his retired number 11 jersey hanging up there (a pretty safe bet) alongside a 2008-09 NBA Champions banner (please, please, please let this happen).

Big Z had himself a nice weekend

Thankfully the Cavs can enjoy a couple days of rest here after what seems to have been a marathon of basketball over the last three weeks. As we catch a breather, consider that the team is now enjoying its third streak of at least nine wins this season. They are also an amazing 17-2 since the All-Star break and an even more astonishing 15-2 on the second night of back-to-backs this season. I could go on and on about how we are now 57-13 (the only team in the league with an .800 winning percentage) or how we now have the inside track for the #1 seed in the East (the magic number is down to just 8), but you know that already. Now is the time to fine-tune things and stay healthy. Go Cavs.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Still rolling at the Q

The Cavs turned over a new leaf last night at the Q in their 97-93 OT win over Portland (highlights). On a night when their outside shots weren't falling they found a way to get their inside game working again. They committed to getting their points in the paint, forcing the ball into Z with his back to the basket, and ran plenty of sets with LeBron planted low in the post. The results were highly favorable with the Cavs getting 42 points in the paint, a welcome change from the frequent jump-shooting that has dominated their games of late.

After an ugly first quarter that saw both teams combine for only 31 points, the Cavs committed to their defense and were patient with their approach. It was a back and forth struggle at times and was tight pretty much throughout, but you never got a sense the Cavs were panicking or that they would lose. Maybe it's the feeling that a 31-1 home record affords us as Cavs fans. But it sure is nice to see the team keep their composure in the midst of all these close games recently. I have a feeling this experience will go a long way in the playoffs.

LBJ was able to notch his 7th triple-double (his 4th in the last 7 games!) with a 26/11/10 line and he unleashed a few rarely-used shots from his bag of tricks. He went to the running hook a couple times and really looked comfortable initiating his offense down on the block with his back to the basket. I really thought Z was a difference-maker as well with his 21 points. So was Joe Smith with his 12 points in 19 minutes off the bench. And Delonte and Mo provided some great defense on Steve Blake and Brandon Roy on a night when neither of the Cavs' guards shots were falling - they combined to only go 8-for-29 from the floor. Thankfully it was 'LeBron to the Rescue' down the stretch in the 4th quarter and overtime. This is a very talented young Blazers team and this was another solid win for the Cavs.

Did I mention how happy I am to have Joe Smith back?

So with just 14 games remaining on the season the Cavs are 55-13 and still hold the NBA's best record by one game over the Lakers. They move on to face another tough opponent tomorrow night at the Q when the Hawks pay a visit. It will be a matchup of two of the East's hottest teams, each sporting a current 7-game winning streak. Go Cavs (and Vikings, and Buckeyes, and Flyers).

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

No St. Patty's Day hangover...

What a night last night for the Cavaliers... I should have known it was special when I made my way towards the Q through the mass of drunken "Irish" Clevelanders amid the balmy 70-degree mid-March weather. It almost felt like playoff time even before entering the doors to the Q. And inside it really felt like the playoffs as the Cavs beat the Magic in a 97-93 thriller (highlights). Much will be made of two calls that seem to have benefited the Cavs down the stretch. The first was a 3-second call on Dwight Howard with 30 seconds remaining. But what will be conveniently left out is the fact that the Magic did miss a three-pointer on the play and the ball was rebounded by the Cavs... and Howard was camped out in the lane pretty much the entire evening.

LBJ and the Cavs came up huge on St. Patty's Day

The second call was with 8 seconds remaining when LeBron got himself "a bird" (for all us A.C. lovers) when Courtney Lee bit on his pump fake and LBJ then jumped into him. Again, it's a big call late in the game but it was a foul. LeBron calmly sank both free throws, even encouraging the raucous crowd to ramp up their "MVP, MVP, MVP!" chants, to which we gladly obliged. It was a signature win for the Cavs and a signature game (again) for LeBron with his 43/12/8 stat line. Mo also chipped in 21, including a huge 3 with 2:00 minutes remaining in the 4th. And I thought Z and Delonte provided some excellent work on the defensive end as the Magic were held to 93 points. Of course there are still some things that need to be cleaned up, but even without Big Ben there still have been major improvements on D since the guys returned home from their West coast trip.

So with their 6th straight win the Cavs move to 30-1 at the Q and 54-13 overall. And to make things even better the Celtics and Lakers decided to do us a huge favor by both losing (the Lakers did so in dramatic fashion). It was a great night all around, with the Cavs now proud owners of the NBA's best record by a full game with just 15 games left on the schedule. They also hold a 5-game lead in the loss column over both Boston and Orlando and their magic number to clinch the coveted #1 seed in the East is down to 11... but really it is smaller than that with Boston playing Orlando once more and the Cavs still with another game against each of them. It will be impossible for both Orlando and Boston to win out with their remaining schedules. But first things first, the Cavs continue their home stand tomorrow night with the young Portland Trailblazers paying a visit to the Q. Go Cavs.


With just 15 games left, I like how the overall picture looks...

Monday, March 16, 2009

Another good weekend...

The Cavaliers continued their winning ways, extending their latest winning streak to 5 games with two more wins over the weekend. The first came on Friday night at the end of their final West coast trip when they beat the Kings in Sacramento 126-123 (highlights) in OT. I'm not gonna lie and say it was pretty. It wasn't, and the Kings are a bad team. But they gave the Cavs all the could handle and it took another valiant comeback and some great defense down the stretch to win that one. Some guy named LeBron ended up with 51 points on the night on 16-of-30 from the field and 15-of-17 from the line. The win also improved the Cavs' mark to 22-4 vs. the Western conference and 7-1 on their two West coast road trips. Wow.

Just one small step on the Cavs' journey...

Then they continued their winning ways at the Q last night, having to play the dreaded trap game after a long road trip vs. the up-tempo (albeit bad) Knicks. The Cavs ground out a much-needed 98-93 win (highights) to improve to a league-best 29-1 at home and stay even with the Lakers at 53-13 overall (40 games over .500!). Coupled with the Celtics embarrassing loss in Milwaukee yesterday, the Cavs' latest win has them in great shape for the top seed in the East with them now holding a 3.5 game lead over Boston and a 4 game lead on Orlando.

And speaking of Orlando, the NBA schedule makers do us no favors this week with the Magic, Trail Blazers, and Hawks all visiting the Q between now and Saturday. With 16 games left the team is in great shape, but they can't let up with still many tough opponents remaining. And I wouldn't be a true fan without acknowledging their one small step on their way to bigger and better things... Friday night's win gave the Cavs their first Central Division crown in 33 years. It is truly a great accomplishment to lock it up so early in the season. How anyone in this town can be talking about the NFL draft and/or free agent signings right now is truly beyond me...

Friday, March 13, 2009

10 years gone

The Cavaliers strolled into Phoenix last night having last won a game there 10 years ago (check out some of the names in that box score). They needed a win badly just to keep pace with the Lakers, who won earlier in the night, and to stretch their lead a bit on Boston who was idle. In a season full of meaningful road wins, the Cavs were able to notch another one as they exited with a hard-fought 119-111 win (highlights). In the process, the team established a new franchise record for road wins in a season with their 23rd in 34 tries. Not too shabby.

And oh by they way, LeBron was stellar again, notching his third consecutive triple-double with a sparkling 34/10/13 line. And the King had some big help from some of his buddies. Mo Williams was again outstanding, chipping in 30 points on 10-of-23 shooting (including 6-for-10 from 3-point range). And Mike Brown even dusted the cobwebs off of Sasha Pavlovic who responded with 16 much-needed points off the bench, including 3-5 from deep in the US Airways Center (in my best AC voice - I hate TNT games). Sasha was needed because Delonte West again went down hard on a drive to the basket and ended up with what the team is describing as "back spasms." Let's hope for the best for Delonte, who has already had a tough road trip.

Brother Red took another hard fall on Thursday night

It wasn't a pretty win by any stretch of the imagination. The Cavs interior defense was shredded again in the absence of Ben Wallace. There were a lot of unnecessary turnovers. They had to fight back from behind on the road again in the 4th quarter. But in the end they got the job done with some timely clutch shooting (again). LeBron had to log heavy minutes (again) and it seems to be showing as he missed two more dunks, which adds up to 4 in his last 3 games by my count. He seems to have some tired legs... but then again, not too tired to make three dazzling blocks, including a tremendous chase-down of a Jason Richardson 360 attempt. In the end, I'll take it. Especially given this was their 9th game in the last 15 days.

The road trip finally comes to an end tonight in Sacramento. This might be a good opportunity to rest Delonte's ailing back. And hopefully the team can jump out to a lead and rest some of the starters. One thing's for certain - we can all finally get back to a normal sleep schedule after tonight. These West coast trips during the week are just brutal. Go Cavs.

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Oh what a night...

These are the kind of nights when you're glad you're an overly-obsessed sports fan. Given the way the Cavs performed in the first three quarters against the Clippers last night, there was really no reason to keep watching. Down 14 at the half I said to myself that if they could get it under 10 heading into the 4th I'd keep watching. They entered the 4th down 17 and thankfully I went against my sleep-deprived judgment and kept on watching even as hope for a comeback dwindled. Then something happened... the team clamped down on defense and started making shots.

It really started around the 10:34 mark of the fourth quarter when Mo Williams made a seemingly harmless jump shot to cut the deficit to 17. Less than 90 seconds later the Clippers were forced to call a timeout as the Cavs had trimmed their lead down to 11. With still 9 minutes left I actually started to get that glimmer of hope that the Cavs might be able to pull it out. After some back-and-forth for the next 4 minutes, the real momentum shift happened - after starting the night 0-for-16 from behind the arc, the Cavs finally made a 3-pointer as Mo calmly drained one. That cut the lead down to 7 and it was the moment when the Clippers switched from trying to win and instead tried not to lose. Other big plays down the stretch included a couple of amazing drives to the basket by LeBron (can he ever get a call?), a big Joe Smith jumper, some clutch free-throw shooting, and two huge threes - one by Boobie to tie it, and the dagger by Mo with 6 seconds left to win it.

Mo celebrates after his game-winner on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning

When the dust settled the Cavs capped off one of the most furious 4th quarter rallies I have ever seen, winning it 87-83 (some GREAT highlights) in LA. It was a game they had no business winning, given how lethargic they looked for the first three quarters. This team has begun to take on a persona similar to the '95 Indians... simply dominant, and at times seemingly almost bored with their own success. They are never really out of a game and for that reason you can never really flip off your TV until the final horn sounds. I was amused by the stunned looks on the faces of the Clippers and how it contrasted with their crowd reaction. Those who were left in the Staples Center when it ended didn't seem surprised in the least. It was another great win in a season of great wins. This season has been special and with 19 games left I have a feeling there are still a lot more great moments to come. Oh, by the way, LeBron had his second consecutive triple-double, notching a 32/13/11 line on this night. Ridiculous. Go Cavs.

Viking Update: I have to mention what a great night it was for Cleveland's other basketball team last night. Cleveland State took advantage of the opportunity in front of them and finally beat a tough #17 Butler in their own gym after coming up just short twice this season. But they won when it really mattered, capturing the Horizon League championship and getting their first NCAA tournament bid in 23 years. I have great memories of the last time they made it into the big dance back in 1986 when I was all of 10 years old. Congratulations to Coach Waters and the team for putting CSU basketball back on the map. It should be fun following them in the tournament and is a proud moment for this city. Now can I get my Falcons from Bowling Green to get a MAC tourney win and an automatic bid???

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Scoreboard watching

I know I shouldn't be doing this to myself (yet), but I can't help it. I'm already scoreboard watching around the NBA on a nightly basis. And last night was a good one for us Cavalier fans. The Lakers were trounced in Portland and may have lost a couple players due to suspension in the midst of a tough road trip. It was their third straight road loss. And the Magic lost in Detroit. So with a win tonight our Cavs will sit tied with the Lakers for the best record in the NBA and they will be a game and a half up on Boston and a full four up on the Magic.

Obviously grabbing the #1 seed in the East is the immediate goal, but getting the #1 overall seed could come in quite handy come June, especially given our dominance at the Q. Just something extra to think about every night the Cavs don't have a game. Thankfully tonight the Cavs are back on the court to start their final big road trip of the season. I hope they aren't looking past the Clippers, as bad as they are. This team did beat Boston just a week ago in LA. I have a feeling the guys won't be taken by surprise tonight. Go Cavs.

Monday, March 9, 2009

It wasn't a total loss...

After all the build-up for the game and huge hopes Cavaliers fans had heading into Friday night's showdown with the Celtics, the 105-94 loss in Boston was a tremendous disappointment. Whether it was watching the Cavs pile up a puzzling 11 missed free throws, seeing Leon Powe destroy us in the paint, having that blubbery whale "Big Baby" Davis clothesline Andy, hearing the obnoxious Boston crowd cheering in delight, or just observing the overall shrinking of the Cavs in another big road game, everything on the night was quite disheartening. It was honestly the most frustrated and upset I've been watching a Cavs game all season. Just a huge emotional letdown.

Thankfully the team played again less than 24 hours later, taking on the Heat on Saturday night in the friendly confines of the Q. And they righted the ship nicely, sprinting out to a 28-14 lead after the first quarter on their way to a 99-89 win (highlights) over Miami. They built a 20-plus point lead at various points midway through the game before the Heat fought back to make a game of it. Mo Williams led the team in scoring for a second night in a row... and even on a night when his shot wasn't falling LBJ still found a way to contribute, piling up a 14-10-12 triple double.

Joe Smith made his return to the Q on Saturday night

Friday's loss was still burning with me yesterday until some better news arrived - the Orlando Magic waltzed into Boston and beat the Celtics. I was following the game online and after a 22-point Magic lead was trimmed to just 3 late in the fourth I was sure the Celtics would find a way to win it... but thankfully Orlando held on. So really from a Cavalier fan perspective we can almost look at it as if the Magic erased our mistake from Friday night. Granted, a 3-1 season series win over Boston would have been nice if we have to come down to a tiebreaker scenario to determine the top seed in the East. But we still have a two-game cushion on the Celtics in the loss column. And it's becoming more apparent that Orlando isn't just going to roll over and die. So in the final 20 games of the season there are still three huge games looming: 3/17 vs. Orlando, 4/3 @ Orlando, and 4/12 vs. Boston. I'm elated that two of those will be at the Q (it seems like every big game we've had has been on the road this year). But first things first - one final trip out West for a three game set beginning tomorrow night in LA. We're still in a great spot as we enter the last quarter of the regular season. Go Cavs.

Thursday, March 5, 2009

Rolling along...

You get the sense that the Cavs barely broke a sweat in dispatching the Bucks 91-73 (highlights) last night at the Q. The game was never really in question and the team seemed to be able to turn it on whenever they wanted to. The defensive pressure is rounding into playoff form, the motion looks much better on offense with Delonte back in the mix, and we are back to beating teams with ease. And that's always a good thing because it allows Mike Brown to rest his starters which will be key down the stretch run of the regular season.

DWest led the way with a career-high 8 steals Wednesday night

The win also clinched a playoff spot for the Cavs, allowing them to be the first team in the league to do so. I know the playoffs were a foregone conclusion before the season even started, but can you believe they clinched a spot with 22 games remaining? Just think about that for a second. I remember four seasons ago watching the scoreboard on the final day of the regular season (mid-April) to see if the Cavs would get some help and sneak in as the 8th seed. I have to say I prefer the way we dominate now with far less drama.

So now the stage is set for a huge showdown tomorrow night in Boston. I can't wait for it to start. I'm almost as pumped as AC right now. Tomorrow night can't arrive fast enough. I want to see if we can take care of business in Boston and really make a statement in our quest for the #1 seed... I find I'm so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the excitement only a Cavs fan can feel, a Cavs fan at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope the guys can play well in Boston. I hope to see my friend Joe Smith back in that wine and gold uniform. I hope the O'Brien trophy is as gold as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

Whoa, sorry to go all Shawshank on you there. Like I said, I'm excited. Go Cavs.

Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Welcome back Joe!

The good news finally came last night with a confirmation from Joe Smith's agent that, "the Cavs are the best fit." Like we didn't already know that. But it's great to have Joe back in the fold and I'm really looking forward to seeing him at the Q tonight, even if he won't be suiting up just yet for the wine and gold. We should get official word sometime today of when we can expect to see Joe in uniform - hopefully by Friday night for the big showdown in Boston.

Joe Smith is pumped to be back with the wine & gold

But first things first, the Cavs need to take care of business at home again tonight versus the Bucks. It should be an easier task than their recent road trip, but I'm hoping we can do it in dominating fashion yet again and get the starters some rest in the 4th quarter before the trip to Beantown. Which reminds me, I heard during Monday night's game in Miami that LeBron has been able to sit on the bench for the entire 4th quarter in a staggering 10 games this season. That's an incredible stat and one that should have everyone else in the East just a little bit more afraid to face the us come playoff time... Go Cavs.

Tuesday, March 3, 2009

What a trip!

The Cavaliers concluded their grueling 4-games-in-5-nights road trip last night with a thrilling 107-100 (highlights) come-from-behind win in Miami. Down 11 points with 8 minutes left in the fourth, the Cavs went on an 18-2 run that may have been the best basketball I've seen a team play in quite some time. They switched to double-teaming Dwyane Wade and completely shut him down, after he had shredded their defense for three quarters. And the offensive execution was nearly flawless when they needed it most. The 18-2 run featured four huge three pointers (two by LeBron and two by Mo) a LeBron dunk, a Z jumper, and a Mo floater. Then LBJ capped things off with a rousing dunk that was reminiscent of the one he threw down late in the fourth quarter of his epic Game 5 performance in the Palace two years ago. Mo and LeBron combined for 72 points on the night, in what was probably their best performance together so far this year.

The L-Train throwin' the hamma down

In a season full of wins this year for the Cavs, this may have been the signature one so far. To cap off such a tough road trip in this fashion was nothing short of brilliant. The win also puts them at 12-2 on the second night of back-to-backs and 10-2 within games played in a 4-in-5-nights set (yes they've had three of those already this year, but thankfully that's the end of them). There is still a lot of season left, but every Cavs fan has to be happy today. At 47-12 they now hold a full one game lead on the Celtics for the coveted #1 seed in the East. Hopefully the team gets some much-needed rest today before maybe getting some help in the form of Joe Smith tomorrow. I'm looking forward to hearing the crowd greeting the team tomorrow at the Q... wish I was going. And then the big showdown in Boston on Friday night is looming on the horizon. Go Cavs.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Another solid weekend

It was another solid weekend for our Cavaliers. On Friday they breezed to an easier-than-expected 97-86 win (highlights) over the Spurs in San Antonio. The final score really isn't indicative of just how easy it was. The Cavs were up by 23 at a couple different points early in the 4th quarter and obviously took advantage of the fact that San Antonio was missing Tim Duncan and Manu Ginobili - not that we should feel bad for any team missing its starters after all of our own injury woes. It was also nice to see the team follow up Thursday night's clunker in Houston with a solid road win against a good team, with or without all its weapons.

So the team followed up Friday's win by moving along on their brutal road trip with a visit to Atlanta last night. They played a great first half, an ugly third quarter and a not-so-tidy first 3 or 4 minutes of the fourth quarter. Facing a 7-point deficit with 4:25 remaining the Cavs had to really dig deep. Anderson Varejao hit one of his patented scary "no-no-no-YES" fallaway jumpers (as only he can), then followed that up with a three-point play to cut the deficit to 2. After a few bad possessions, Delonte West nailed a long jumper to again cut the lead to 3 with 1:24 remaining. Then Mo Williams hit what I viewed as the shot of the night when he drilled a three-pointer from the corner to tie it at 87 with 47 seconds left. Then another great defensive stop set the stage for LeBron to win it. He drew a foul with 1.6 seconds remaining, hit 1-of-2 free throws, then altered a Joe Johnson jumper that clanked off the iron as time expired. Game over, Cavs win 88-87 (highlights) in one of their signature wins of this season - one they really had no business winning, but somehow they found a way to get it done.

LBJ & the Cavs escaped with a win Sunday night in Atlanta

The good news after this one? The Cavs were able to take advantage of both the Celtics and Lakers stumbling yesterday. They now hold a half-game lead for home court advantage over the Celtics with two huge games against them still looming. And only trail the Lakers by a game (now tied in the loss column) for best record in the league. The great news from yesterday? Joe Smith was bought out of his contract with the Oklahoma City Thunder. If all goes as planned he will be set to re-sign with his former team on Wednesday morning after he clears waivers. And the bad news from yesterday? The Cavs had some severe travel problems after the game and didn't even arrive in Miami until 6:00 this morning. So it will be a tough end to a long trip but if they can somehow pull this one off it will have been an amazing trip. Go Cavs.