Win or go home

"Win or go home." That's TNT's long-running playoff slogan. I see it everywhere. On TV. On the web. It's even on two or three billboards off of I-480 along my commute to and from work. And that's exactly what the Cavaliers need to do either tonight or Sunday afternoon. Win or go home. They go down 3-1 and you can stick a fork in them.

Am I nervous? Yes. I've had four days to stew over the mess of Game 2 and I still feel no differently. I just want to see them on the floor again tonight. No more talk of injured elbows, lack of energy, defensive matchup problems, etc. Let's just play basketball. I already have that sickening dread/excitement feeling in my stomach that only a big playoff game can bring about. The game is still 7 and a half hours away. I'm gonna need some alcohol to help coax me through this one. And in nearly-desperate times, it always helps to modify the famous Shawshank quote:

I find I'm so nervous, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it's the anxiety only a Cleveland fan can feel... a Cleveland fan at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope Mo can get hot again. I hope to see Antawn finally make a difference. I hope LeBron's elbow injury is as irrelevant as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

Pull out your lucky shirts tonight fellow Cavs fans. Sit in your lucky spot on the couch. Yell at the TV. Do whatever you have to do to help the wine and gold pull out at least one win this weekend. Preferably tonight. Go Cavs.

Random Notes:

• Tonight's officiating crew is Bennett Salvatore, Ken Mauer, and Zach Zarba. Food for thought - the Cavs were a combined 11-0 in the regular season with either Salvatore or Mauer on the crew. Let's hope the trend continues. (Update: Thanks to camakazee at www.realcavsfans.com for the updated info - Cavs are a combined 18-1 with any of these three refs working their games this year. 15-1 in the regular season and 3-0 in the playoffs.)
  
• Not sure how to stop Rondo, but his constant waltzing through the paint needs to stop. How about a hard foul or two right from the start?
• I'm begging ESPN to throw us a bone and at least give us Hubie Brown and Mike Tirico tonight. Again, I don't ask for much.
• I remember the Eastern semis back in 1992. The Cavs were down 2-1 going into Game 4 in Boston and they pulled out a double-OT win and eventually won the series in 7 games. My heart really doesn't need that kind of stress again, but I guess I'd take it if it meant we win the series.
• My decision to attend the Pearl Jam show on Sunday night at the Q hinges on whether the Cavs can get the win tonight. C'mon Cavs, do it for Eddie Vedder.