Monday, April 27, 2009

Cavs sweep away Pistons

With the Cavaliers' two wins this weekend - a 79-68 Game 3 win (highlights) on Friday, and then yesterday's rousing 99-78 victory (highlights) in Game 4 - the Pistons were swept under the rug in stunningly easy fashion. In the four game sweep, the Cavs became just the third team in NBA history to win all four games by double figures. And LeBron became just the third player ever to average at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists for a playoff series - the other two to accomplish that feat being Larry Bird and Oscar Robertson. Not bad company to keep.

The King owned the Palace in this Round 1 sweep

So with their quick work in Round 1, the rest vs. rust argument now comes into play. With the Hawks/Heat series going to Game 4 tonight, it could be a while before the Cavs take the floor again. Miami/Atlanta is scheduled to go tonight, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. So if it goes the full seven games, Round 2 would probably begin next Tuesday at the Q. I personally think the Heat will end it in 6 games, which would mean Round 2 would start on Sunday. And that's fine by me. The Cavs (namely Z, Big Ben, and Joe Smith) can use the rest they are now enjoying. And would you want to face a really rested LeBron after what he just accomplished in Round 1? The Cavs will be fine with all this rest, and I think it should help in the long run. It will just be tough as a fan to go without them playing for so long. I guess it's time to sit back and study the rest of the playoff teams while we wait for the Cavs' next victim to emerge.

And I can't go without mentioning how satisfying it was to see the Pistons' season end like this. They had an impressive 6-year run atop the Eastern Conference. But you could see the changing of the guard in the East start three years ago when an overmatched Cavs team took the Pistons to 7 games in LBJ's playoff debut. Beating them in 6 games in the ECF the following year was one of my finest Cleveland sports memories. And this year the final nail in the Pistons coffin was really hammered home when they traded Chauncey at the beginning of the year. They still had some decent talent, and I thought maybe some pride would help them snag one game this series. But the Cavs are on a mission that is just starting and it was great to see them never take their foot off the gas. And the pro-Cavs crowd at the Palace on Sunday was something I can't ever remember seeing in an NBA playoff game. I'm just pissed I wasn't there to see it firsthand, but I won't get into that. Go Cavs. Enjoy the rest.

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Game 2: The good and bad

The Cavaliers took Game 2 of their opening round series against Detroit with a 94-82 win (highlights) last night at the Q. I'm sure there will be much hand wringing, given the way the 4th quarter went, and I'll get to that in a moment. First I want to focus on the good.

For the first three quarters that Cavs held the Pistons to just 50 points. They utterly dominated Detroit and couldn't even provoke a response from the disinterested Piston starters. It was as if the guys in blue were already envisioning their summer vacation... or maybe they just don't like coach Michael Curry. Whatever it was, this team was beaten. The Cavs did pretty much anything they wanted to offensively and completely shut Detroit down defensively. But then the fourth quarter happened...

Let me preface this by saying I don't think the letdown is a reason to panic. But it was definitely something that no Cavs fan wanted to see. The starters (LeBron/Andy/Z) left with a 27-point lead after the end of three quarters. That lead actually swelled to 29 points on an alley-oop layup to Delonte from Mo on the first play of the 4th. Mo then left the game a minute later, still with a commanding 27-point lead. With four starters out for the Cavs, the Pistons' reserves proceeded to go on a 17-3 run, prompting an eventual return of all the Cavs' starters, in a move that no one (and definitely not the Coach of the Year) wanted to see. The Pistons actually continued to whittle the lead down to just 7 before LeBron and the Cavs regained control down the stretch for the 12-point win.

LBJ & the Cavs will look to end Detroit's season this weekend

So what does it all mean? Hopefully just a bored team having a mental letdown in a game they knew they would win no matter what. We saw something similar from the Lakers last night as well, which makes me feel a little better. I'm sure it's hard to focus when you're absolutely demolishing a team. But there's no reason to give the Pistons any false hopes. Let's hope this things ends quickly. The Cavs have Games 3 and 4 in Detroit on Friday and Sunday, and I hope to make the trip up there on Sunday. But only if I can bring my broom. Go Cavs.

Monday, April 20, 2009

1 down, 15 to go

The Cavaliers took care of playoff win #1 in dominant fashion on Saturday with a 102-84 triumph (highlights) over the Pistons at the Q. The impressive thing to me is that the Pistons played about as well as they could have and still lost by 18 points. The Cavs clamped down on defense, and had a very balanced attack on offense - aside from LeBron's ridiculous 38/8/7 line. Joe Smith was huge with 13 points off the bench. And Mo Williams had an off-day shooting (just 5-for-14) in his return to the playoffs. If I were a fan of the Pistons, I'd be more than concerned. But actually, all of their fans are already looking forward to the offseason anyway, and it will hopefully begin Sunday afternoon for them.

LBJ glides in for 2 of his 38 in Game 1

Rasheed Wallace has vowed that the Pistons will "knuckle down" for Game 2, whatever that means. We'll find out soon enough when things resume tomorrow night at the Q - god I hate these long layoffs between games. But at least the Cavs know how to take care of business at home, unlike the Celtics (lol), Magic (what a meltdown!), and Trailblazers. The next time I post here the Cavs will be up 2-0 and on their way to Detroit for a Pistons funeral. Go Cavs.

Friday, April 17, 2009

One goal


The Cavaliers embark on what we all hope will be a long playoff run beginning tomorrow afternoon at the Q when they take on the Pistons at 3:00. Their new playoff motto is "one goal" and that's fitting when you consider anything less than an NBA title this time around will be considered a failure. So what should we expect from their opening round series against the Pistons? Honestly, I think it will end quickly. I can't see any way this series goes past five games.

That's not meant to be disrespect the Pistons. But they are what they are - a 39-43 team that struggled through this season. They took a gamble with the Billups-for-Iverson trade that many of us saw ending badly. How could it not when they traded away the heart of their team in Chauncey? Piston fans will claim that they are in great shape heading into this offseason with loads of cap room to re-tool and start another run. Whatever. This is the end of an era for this team. They still have guys like Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and the a-hole known as Rasheed. They may still think they can turn it on when they want. But they can't. Not against these Cavs. My prediction is Cavs in 5. I think they may drop one up in Detroit, but if so, they will quickly close it out here in Cleveland.

I can't wait to get to the Q tomorrow. 16 wins to go. Let's go Cavs.

The Q got a playoff makeover on Thursday

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Mission Accomplished

With their three rousing victories over the long holiday weekend - a 102-92 win (highlights) over the 76ers in Philly, an immensely enjoyable 107-76 smackdown (highlights) of the Celtics at the Q, and then yesterday's 117-109 triumph (highlights) in Indiana over the Pacers - the Cavs have finally reached their goal of securing home court advantage throughout the playoffs. This is the first time in franchise history they have achieved that feat and hopefully the start of a long playoff run that will end with this city's first championship in 45 years.

The bench erupts after Wally's epic 4th quarter rejection on Sunday

I took some time off of work to enjoy the long holiday weekend and was as equally impressed with the Cavs' dominant play as I was frustrated with the Tribe's pathetic 1-6 start to the season. I guess things have to balance out in the sports world (unless you live in Boston) and I'll take a horrible Tribe season if it means a championship for the Cavs. They certainly looked ready to wear the NBA crown in their utter dismantling of the Celtics on Easter Sunday. I know the Celtics didn't have much to play for in that one, but they could have shown a little heart and pride. The Cavs absolutely thrashed them from start to finish and had some fun doing it. Just an all-around enjoyable weekend of work from this team. They will get some well-deserved rest on Wednesday in a meaningless season finale at the Q against the 76ers. My only hope is that the Sixers also have nothing to play for and the Cavs bench bunch can squeeze out one more home win to equal the all-time NBA record of 40-1 at home. It's been a magical season, but now it's time for the second season to start. Bring on the Pistons. Go Cavs.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

And then there were 4

Hard to believe that we are down to just four games left in the regular season... and that the playoffs will be starting next weekend! I'm already getting that nervous/sick/excited feeling that only a Cavs fan can feel... a Cavs fan at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncert- sorry, the feeling makes me go all Shawshank. I'm just ready to get these last four games out of the way. The Cavaliers beat the Wizards in ho-hum fashion last night with a 98-86 win (highlights) at the Q. Theu were up by 24 points in the third quarter and the game was never in doubt. The guys are now just two home wins away from equaling the best home NBA record ever. And just one win away from sealing up the #1 spot in the East.

It was great to see Big Ben return to action last night, making his first appearance off the bench in 10 years. We will need all of our bigs ready to go in the postseason and Ben seemed to be his normal self for the most part, after sitting out six weeks with the fractured fibula. And LeBron was able to rest for the entire 4th quarter for the 12th time this season (that would probably scare me if I were a fan of any other team in the playoffs). Five Cavs were in double figures, and three others had at least 7 points to lead a very balanced attack.

LBJ enjoyed another fourth quarter from the bench on Wednesday night

The recipe for the final four games is simple, yet complicated. Avoid injuries, keep everyone from logging too many minutes, but also keep winning in order to claim home court advantage through the Finals. Mike Brown has stated publicly that he won't overtax his team just to get the overall best record. But a little part of him has to be peeking ahead to a possible Game 7 in the Staples Center in June. I'm sure the thought of it makes him cringe as much as it does to me. For that simple reason the team will need to keep the pedal to the floor and just win, starting tomorrow night in Philadelphia. Go Cavs.

Tribe Update: Great start for our Indians, huh? Two games down, two losses, two awful pitching performances. Also, add in some weak hitting for good measure. I'm sort of glad the opener was played while I was at work, and I had the Cavs game to distract me from last night's fun. Let's just hope for some weather that is at least bearable for the home opener tomorrow. Is that really too much to ask?

Monday, April 6, 2009

Back on track

After the Cavaliers' shameful performances on Thursday and Friday nights, which caused me to boycott my own blog, I wasn't sure what to expect yesterday afternoon at the Q. The team was possibly facing their first three-game losing streak of the season, but the guys responded in style with a 101-81 win (highlights) over the Spurs to run their home record to a sparkling 37-1 at the Q. The win drops the magic number to clinch #1 in the East to just 2 and still keeps a one-game lead over the Lakers for #1 overall.

Yesterday's game still featured way too much of Tony Parker waltzing through the lane unchallenged, too reminiscent of the 2007 Finals for my taste. I wish one of our guys at some point would just knock Parker on his ass with a hard foul instead of giving up a layup. But the Cavs did do a great job keeping Ginobili and Duncan in check, with the two of them combining for just 10 points on 4-of-16 shooting.

LBJ & the Cavs had a nice bounce back game Sunday afternoon

Offensively I think it may have been Delonte West's best overall performance of the year. He was aggressive and outstanding, netting 22 points on 10-of-15 shooting. And LeBron was LeBron, with a 38/6/7 line on an efficient 14-of-21 from the field. Add in Mo's 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting and the three combined for 82 points on 33-for-51 (65%) shooting. Not many teams can beat the Cavs when they play like that. It was a nice bounce back performance to right the ship before a payback game with the Wizards this Wednesday at the Q. Rumor has it that Ben Wallace will be suiting up for the good guys. Go Cavs.

Tribe Update: Hard to believe Opening Day 2009 is already here. I've neglected to spend much time on the Indians here due the the Cavs' overwhelming success. But the real games get underway in just over three hours from now when the Tribe takes the field in Texas to face the Rangers. So what to expect from the team this year? The good news is, it's an odd year. If recent Tribe history has taught us anything about that, then we should all be happy. 1995, 1997, 1999, 2001, 2005, 2007, and 2009? Let's hope for another postseason appearance. I think it's very likely with this group of guys.

A lot will hinge on the success of our starting rotation. I don't expect Cliff Lee to enjoy the same dominant Cy Young season he had last year. That's just asking too much. But I think he still will be a solid #1 starter this year. I also expect Fausto Carmona to have a nice comeback year after struggling with control problems and injury last year. The rest of the rotation is more of a question mark with Carl Pavano, Anthony Reyes, and Scott Lewis. But there are plenty of options in the minors with Aaron Laffey, David Huff, and hopefully a healthy return of Jake Westbrook, post-All-Star break.

The bullpen should be more reliable with the addition of Kerry Wood and Joe Smith to go along with the dependable options of the two Raffys (Betancourt and Perez) and Jensen Lewis. I expect this to be the major strength of this team this season and a key to their success.

The batting order should also be fine with the addition of Mark DeRosa at third base and an everyday outfield that now includes Ben Francisco and Shin-Soo Choo. We know what to expect from Grady Sizemore, Victory Martinez, and Jhonny Peralta. Asdrubal Cabrera seems to have found his stroke again after struggling mightily last year. Kelly Shoppach should get more at-bats after last season's success and the ability to move Victor Martinez to first base when needed. Ryan Garko has had a hot spring and should also get plenty of at-bats. The one true question mark is Travis Hafner. How will his shoulder hold up? Will his timing be back? And most importantly, will the power return? If so, then this offense could really put up big numbers this season.

I honestly don't know what to expect. For fun I'll make a prediction. I think this team will go somewhere around 89-73 and it will be just good enough to win the Central. And if we get into the postseason, there's no telling what will happen from there. Hopefully we're in for a fun summer.

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Ugly #13

It was ugly, painful, and at times downright annoying. But the Cavaliers slogged their way through a night when they shot just 38% from the floor and still managed to get their 13th consecutive win, a 79-73 triumph (highlights) over the Pistons. In a game that Mike Fratello would be proud of, the Cavs again turned up their defensive pressure when they needed to, allowing only 29 second half points after giving up 44 before halftime.

LBJ could be eyeing Rasheed in the first round this year

The victory gives the Cavs their 61st win of the season, and is even more meaningful when you factor in the Lakers' loss to the Bobcats. The Cavs are now firmly in the driver's seat for home court advantage throughout the playoffs with a 3-game lead over LA with just 8 games to play. Finally the Lakers' lack of road games has caught up to them as they've had to endure a 7-game East coast trip and have dropped two games when they really couldn't afford to do so. I love it. The win also ties all-time record for a division lead, with the Cavs now 25 games ahead of the second-place Pistons. Wow.

Last night's game was a good reminder why it would be entertaining, yet also annoying to be matched up with the Pistons in the first round of the playoffs. I have no doubts the Cavs would win the series, likely in 5 games at the most. They are just a superior group of talent right now and they can win in a number of ways. Detroit has no answer for LeBron and when they double- and triple-team LeBron he always finds the open man. I just worry that if it does come down to these two teams in the first round, should we be concerned with how dirty things would get? Rasheed is still a ticking time bomb and the once-proud Pistons would certainly not enjoy being dominated by the Cavs. This is one team I want to avoid for that reason alone. Gimme the Bulls or the Bobcats - teams just happy to share the brief stage in the playoffs without any chip on their shoulder. Only 8 games left until we know who it will be. Go Cavs.