Free agency is about to begin

Here we stand, about 13 hours before NBA free agency is set to begin. This could turn out to be one of the most important nights in Cavalier history, if they decide to go all in right now. The first big development came yesterday when the Bucks declined to give Charlie Villanueva a qualifying offer. So he now becomes an unrestricted free agent, which means he's free to sign wherever he wants. According to Brian Windhorst, he's now firmly in the Cavs' sights.

But Villanueva isn't the only option out there. With the news yesterday about Yao Ming's cloudy future in the NBA (he honestly may never play again, and it certainly looks like he'll miss the entire upcoming season at the very least), Ron Artest may also be available. We already know about Rasheed Wallace and Antonio McDyess. Joe Smith is floating out there. And Portland's Channing Frye also just became an unrestricted free agent. And I'm still hoping for some development with Josh Childress's situation.

It should be a long night following the action tonight, but hopefully a memorable one. Looking forward to updating this space tomorrow with a glowing report of the next piece(s) to our championship puzzle. Go Danny Ferry. Go Dan Gilbert. Go Mo Williams, with your recruiting on Twitter. And go Cavs!

Christmas in July

July 1st is officially the start of something big in Cleveland sports. No, not the annual fire sale at Progressive Field... it's the start of the summer free agent signing period in the NBA. And the Cavaliers will be looking to round out their roster with the hopes that the upcoming season will finally put an end to the championship drought in this city. With the mid-level exception (around $5.6 million), the bi-annual exception (around $2 million), and trades still a possibility, expect the Cavs to be active around midnight Tuesday.

First, they will need to decide what to do with restricted free agent Anderson Varejao. I fully expect him to remain a Cavalier, and he has indicated as much in the past saying that he would love to remain on this team. But his agent is Dan Fegan, and if the price gets too high a sign-and-trade could always be a possibility here.

Another pressing need is a power forward that can score. This would allow the Cavs to send Andy (if he is re-signed) back to his natural role of bringing energy off the bench. There may be some intriguing opportunities out there to fill this spot, but I already have my heart set on Charlie Villanueva of the Bucks. He's young (25), has great size (6' 11"), is athletic, and can stretch the floor with his ability to shoot from the perimeter. And he may already be my favorite Twittering (or is it Tweeting?) athlete out there. The Bucks have till Wednesday to extend him the qualifying offer or else he becomes a restricted free agent, and he can sign anywhere he prefers. Please stay cheap Milwaukee. If CV doesn't become available, other options at the 4 include Rasheed Wallace, Antonio McDyess, and Joe Smith.

The Cavs will also look to secure a bigger, more athletic wing player to lessen the impact of some of the matchup problems that arise with the currently undersized back court of Mo and Delonte. My top choices here are Matt Barnes and Anthony Parker, in that order. Both can probably be had for relatively cheap and both would fill a need. Barnes is a lot younger and certainly has more in the tank. But Parker is still a quality role player and would also do well in that sport for this team. I'm still dreaming of a chance at restricted free agent Josh Childress, but I'm not sure how much of a possibility he will really be.

Tomorrow will be an interesting and probably late night as we follow the proceedings. But it will certainly be more entertaining to watch the off-season exploits of the Cavs than it would be to torture yourself with the daily happenings of the Indians or the annual false hope offered by the guys from Berea. Only about 120 more days until Cavs basketball...

Living to fight another day

The Cavs accomplished part one of their three-step comeback plan last night with their 112-102 (highlights) victory in Game 5 over the Magic. LeBron put up a ridiculous triple-double line of 37/14/12 in 45 minutes. And finally he got some much-needed help from Mo, who chipped in 24 points, including 6 from deeeeeeep in the Q. Other key contributiouns came from Boobie (11 points), Z (16 points), and Andy, who put up a mind-boggling +24 on the night in just 28 minutes of action. Delonte was of course his usual versatile self with 13 points and his constant energy on defense. Of immediate concern with him is the fact that he suffered a hip pointer late in the game. Let's hope that doesn't linger for Game 6, although I have a feeling he'd be playing with a broken leg tomorrow night if he had to...

What bothers me after this game is not so much that the Cavs blew another big lead (this time a 22-point first quarter advantage), but rather the fact that no one seems to remember that they managed to shake off Orlando's comeback and close out the game the right way. A lot of teams that watch a 22-point lead evaporate and become an 8-point deficit would just pack it in, especially down 3-1 in a series. But the Cavs fought back and made this a series again and shifted the pressure back onto the shoulders of the Magic. Orlando makes runs, it's just how they play. But the important thing is having the ability to counter those runs and not panic. The Cavs were able to do that last night.

LBJ and the Cavs look to force Game 7 with a win tomorrow night

There are still some things that need to be tightened up defensively. The way the Magic were able to waltz into the paint for much of the second quarter was troubling. It certainly led to Ben Wallace's staggering -19 for the game (in just 16 minutes). And watching Z and Andy nearly foul out of every game is getting a bit old. I know that Howard is a load in the paint (swinging elbows and all), but the Cavs need to find a way to get Joe Smith on the floor for more than 3 minutes. The fouls need to be spread around among our big guys because having Andy sit for nearly half the game is a recipe for disaster in this Cavs fan's opinion. And maybe the Delonte hip injury will be a blessing in disguise in that it forces Mike Brown to keep LeBron on Turkoglu for the entire game, while switching Delonte onto Alston.

So what can we expect in Game 6? I don't know, but I do know that this is probably the biggest game in the history of this franchise. I know we went to the Finals in 2007, but did anyone realistically expect the Cavs to walk away as champs then? They have a chance to earn real redemption tomorrow night in Orlando. It is basically a must-win for Orlando and already a can't-lose for the Cavs. I expect it to come down to the wire again, I just hope my heart can still take this abuse. Come on Cavs, be ready. I expect to see you again Monday night at the Q.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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???

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.

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.

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.

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.

More adversity...

I know every team goes through this, so there's no use complaining. But add another injury to the long list of annoying setbacks for the Cavaliers roster. Now Ben Wallace is out for at least a month (but likely much longer) with a broken right fibula. It happened in just about the ugliest game I've ever witnessed - a 93-74 pasting of the Cavs, courtesy of the Rockets. Something about playing in Houston seems to bring out the worst in the Cavaliers. I was hopeful that this year would be different, but it wasn't. LeBron was whistled for early fouls, turned his ankle late in the game, and didn't record an assist. The team shot just 33.8% from the field and totaled just 50 points through three quarters. It was that type of night for the wine and gold.

So what next? The good news is that we don't have to sit and stew over this one for long. There's no time for that as the teams heads to San Antonio to take on the Spurs tonight at 9:30. The bad news? There they will face one of the Western Conference's elite teams without a starter (again). So what's the short term solution for the Cavs? With the Wallace injury they desperately need another big body. No matter what happens with any possible roster shuffling, it will mean more minutes for rookie J.J. Hickson. He has shown flashes of ability this year, but honestly the prospects of him logging heavy minutes in the playoffs does not excite me in the least...

Could the injury to Ben Wallace reunite LBJ and Joe?

There are some possibilities out there for the Cavs in terms of available big men. And the timing of the Wallace injury wasn't ideal, but it could have been worse. At least it happened before the March 1 roster deadline. That affords the Cavs the opportunity to pick up anyone who is bought out from their current team in time to sign them before the March 1 and still be eligible for the playoffs. To me that leaves two intriguing possibilities. Number one on my list would be Joe Smith. He hasn't played for Oklahoma City since February 10th, logging 5 straight DNP-CD's. If he is bought out I would think he would love to return here... Another possibility is Drew Gooden. I know, I know, he's not the perfect solution. But again, he's a guy that knows the Cavaliers' system and he was involved in the trade to Sacramento purely as an expiring contract. I would think he would be open to a buyout to play for a contender in the stretch run. Other possibilities include the aging but battle-tested Robert Horry and Alonzo Mourning. It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the weekend, but I'm hoping something does get done. Anderson Varejao is much better suited coming off the bench and not forced into the starting role (again). Go Cavs.

The Cavs are dominating

What more can you say about the Cavaliers at this point? They are 12-3, 2-1/2 games ahead of the Pistons in the Central, their last six wins have all been by at least 11 points, they are outscoring their opponents by 10.6 points per night, and they haven't trailed for one second of their last three games. Just stop and think about that last stat for a second. That's tough to do in basketball regardless of the opposition. Yes, the Cavaliers have feasted on lesser opponents in the last week, but what are they supposed to do? Play down to the competition as they used to? No thanks, and gladly those days seem to be over.

J.J. notched a career-high 14 on Wednesday night

There were a couple of times during Wednesday night's 117-82 drubbing (highlights) of the Oklahoma City Thunder that I actually felt bad for OKC. That's not a feeling I'm used to as a Cleveland fan. But that was one of the worst beatdowns I've seen in the NBA in quite some time. I specifically felt bad for our old friend Joe Smith who is stuck on a terrible 1-14 Thunder roster after the late-summer trade that netted us Mo Williams. I loved Joe Smith's game the short time he was in a Cavalier uniform and I saw the way he interacted with his former teammates before the tipoff on Wednesday night. I'm still holding out hope that the Thunder will agree to buy his contract out sometime soon and allow him to chase a ring.

I think the Cavs would take him back in a heartbeat, especially given our open flirtation with free agent Antonio McDyess... although our frontcourt situation does seem a little rosier with the new and improved healthy back of Ben Wallace coupled with the emergence of rookies J.J. Hickson (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 blocks on Wednesday) and Darnell Jackson (4 points, 5 rebounds). The recent lopsided wins have afforded Mike Brown a chance to really rest his key players and give the younger guys a lot of court time. And that will come in doubly handy with two more games this weekend to complete four games in five nights for the Cavs. It's time to get greedy and take these last two before a three-day rest. The Warriors and their 5-10 record are in town tonight. I hope the Cavs are still hungry the day after Thanksgiving. I know my Tryptophan and pie-induced drowsiness is still wearing off...

Streak ends at five

All good things must eventually come to an end. We knew the Tribe's winning streak couldn't last forever, and it ended at five as the Orioles took them down 6-1 last night at the Prog. The good news is that the Royals continued their losing ways and spared us from last place for another day. The bad news was that another ex-Indian came back to haunt us. This time it was Jeremy Guthrie, our one-time can't-miss prospect that never panned out for us. He went 7 solid innings against his former team last night to win his fourth straight game. I guess we can add Guthrie to the growing list of former Indians that couldn't figure things out here but have gone one to have solid seasons elsewhere (joining Ryan Ludwick, Russell Branyan, Brandon Phillips, Jody Gerut, etc., etc.). And yes those guys really have combined to hit 71 HR's this year...

"I just focused on what I had to do, blocked things out, and the guys got some big hits," said Guthrie, refusing to say he felt that he extracted any revenge on an Indians team that put him on waivers in January 2007.

Anthony Reyes had another decent start for the Indians, who may have just found something in that minor deal with the Cardinals. Reyes went 6 innings, giving up only two earned runs on 96 pitches. The bullpen did not fare so well (again). This time it was Brandon Donnelly's turn to help raise the ERA of the AL's worst bullpen. He entered in the top of the ninth and promptly gave up 5 hits and 4 earned runs in just two-thirds of an inning, turning a manageable 2-1 deficit into a 6-1 hole. The Tribe will look to make it 3 out of 4 from the Orioles tonight when newly-promoted Zach Jackson gets the start.

Reyes had a second straight solid start for the Tribe on Wednesday night

Other Tribe Notes: Victor Martinez and Josh Barfield are set to start rehab assignments soon. And apparently Masa Kobayashi is getting tired. I know the feeling - I'm tired of watching him get lit up on the mound. And Shin-Soo Choo just wants to watch Korea in the Olympics.

Cavs Update: Now onto the big news of the day yesterday. The more I think about it, I just love the trade for Mo Williams. I liked it when I heard about it yesterday, but I love it now. The fact that Ferry pulled this off without having to use our two biggest tradeable assets (Varejao and Szczerbiak) really shows how hard he must have had to work to get this done. Now we still have their expiring deals, along with Eric Snow's $7M, to package in another deal before the deadline in February. I still think that we will work to get another big man, especially given the loss of Joe Smith. It will really come down to how ready rookie J.J. Hickson is to step into the rotation. And it will be interesting to see where this trade leaves Delonte West in his contract negotiations...

Some trade reactions from around the web:

• Bill Livingston of the Plain Dealer
• Bud Shaw of the Plain Dealer
• Brian Windhorst of the Akron Beacon Journal (more on him in a moment)
• Cavs GM Danny Ferry
• John Hollinger of espn.com
• Marty Burns of SI.com
• Damon Jones (and yes, this finally puts my mohawk tribute site to rest)
• Mo Williams himself on WKNR yesterday evening
  

And my favorite piece from yesterday's trade comes from Henry Abbott's Truehoop blog, where he gives some background on Brian Windhorst breaking the news of the trade. It's good to have you back Windy :)

After 55 days in the hospital, dealing with all manner of health trouble that I'll let him tell you about if he's so inclined, today was the day that he got to go home for the first time.

Would you believe he actually dictated this story over the phone, from the car, on the way home from the hospital?

Most sportswriters never get to have a "Willis Reed" moment, but Brian has certainly had his.

Also, as expected this morning, Team USA exacted some revenge on Greece in game #3 of their Olympic run. The Americans won 92-63, with LeBron James chipping in 13 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 blocks.

Browns Update: Nothing big today, just some news of a rough practice yesterday. I can't wait till we can start hitting other teams, instead of each other. The real season is now only 24 days away if you can believe it...

Game 4 Afterthoughts

Wow. It's been about 12 hours and I'm still amazed at LeBron's dunk at the end of the 4th quarter that sealed the win for the Cavaliers. Sometimes he just does things that make you shake your head. For those of you that didn't see it, here it is:



As Brian Windhorst wrote after the game, that one could be remembered as the play that changed the series. Of course the Cavs still need to go into Boston and find a way to win there. But after evening the series 2-2 in resounding fashion last night, today that task doesn't seem like such a tall order. The Cavaliers' team defense has been incredible over the last two games. They have held the Celtics under 80 points two games in a row (something Boston had only done twice in 82 games in the regular season).

And just when I had written off Anderson Varejao for the season, he comes through with a throwback performance. This was the Andy we knew from the last two years - the indispensable hustle player that provided great defense and timely baskets. His defense on Kevin Garnett in the second half was incredible. He made KG fight for position down low and I think he finally figured out that Garnett goes baseline about 95% of the time (something I've been screaming at my TV for four games now).

Also chipping in nice performances were Boobie Gibson, Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, and Delonte West, whose ballhandling this series has really helped take a load off LeBron's broad shoulders. LBJ still is having problems with his outside shot, but his 3-pointer late in the fourth, along with one by Gibson were timely daggers as well. Just a great win tonight and an outstanding crowd at the Q. Now we are guaranteed at least one more home game on Friday night. I will be there in my season tickets (finally!) and I'm hoping that one is the series clincher.

(One final side note about LeBron's dunk - How does Garnett not get a foul called on him there??? He blatantly shoved LeBron with two hands. Maybe the refs were too baffled by the dunk, but Garnett gets away with a lot of this kind of crap. I used to like him as a player. Now I really can't stand him. And him yelling "fucking faggots" to the crowd tonight was really classy.)

Let's call this one "The Series Changer"

Home Cooking in Game 3

Ben Wallace is an overpaid athlete. Everyone who follows the NBA knows this. The Chicago Bulls gave him a ridiculous contract back in 2006 and he could have never possibly lived up to it. He is a garbage man, an energy play, and a player who impacts the game by doing the dirty work. But that doesn't mean the Cavs aren't happy to have him on their roster, especially after games like last night.

Going into Saturday's Game 3, Wallace was listed as doubtful with dizziness from an inner ear infection and allergies. That's why it was quite surprising to see during the Cavalier introductions on the video board when Anderson Varejao's name and picture briefly appeared and then were replaced by Wallace. It seemed that the late decision even took Cavalier PA announcer Olivier Sedra by surprise. And Big Ben immediately impacted the game with his presence, getting 6 points in the first quarter. His final stat line reads like this: 9 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks. Anyone who has followed this team since the big trade knows that when Big Ben is this actively involved, the Cavs rarely lose. His energy and defense set the tone for a big night for the Cavs at home.

And the Cavaliers' 24-point drubbing of the Celtics was especially satisfying when you consider that LeBron James had another off-shooting night. He will not keep misfiring like this. Maybe we just take his greatness for granted, but even on a 5-16 shooting night he still found a way to chip in 21 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 block shots (including one where he pinned Rajon Rondo's layup high against the glass). LeBron did have a lot of help offensively from some of the other newer faces, with Delonte West, Joe Smith, and Wally Szczerbiak all stepping up with very big games.

So now the series sits at 2-1 and the pressure is tilting heavily onto the Celtics after their fourth straight road loss in the postseason. If the Cavaliers can duplicate this effort on Monday, I think we may see a repeat of last year's Eastern Conference Finals. And on a personal note, I'd like to thank the arrogant Boston idiot in Section 219 that was wearing the "Got Banners" t-shirt last night. Thank you for riling up our section and making it the rowdiest I've seen since Game 6 vs. the Pistons last year. Please come back tomorrow for Game 4.

LBJ finds a rare chance to throw one down in Game 3

One final note on Game 3: I know this will probably come off as me being a whiny homer, but I'm sick and tired of guys taking these cheap shots on LeBron. Last night it was James Posey clotheslining LBJ as he drove to the lane, full speed. It may not have been intentional, but the way Posey grabbed him was very dangerous. I personally thought it deserved an ejection. He should at least be fined a pretty penny for that maneuver.

Tribe Update: I'm very pleased with Friday and Saturday's games from our Indians. I was there on Friday night and it looked like they were heading for another ho-hum, no-offense loss when they were down 1-0 in the 6th with only three hits. But the bats came alive for 6 runs and CC Sabathia did more than enough to get the 6-1 win. And I honestly didn't see one pitch from last night's game since I was inside the Q, but I did get to hear Grady's leadoff HR from right outside the Jake, errr, Prog. That set the tone for a 12-0 Tribe beatdown of the Blue Jays, and the rare Cavs/Tribe double-win. Let's hope for a few more of those all the way into June...

Sunday's Mother's Day game has just been postponed so we'll have to wait until Monday to see if the Tribe can climb back over .500 again. They will play a traditional doubleheader vs. the Blue Jays starting at 4:05 tomorrow.

Game 1 Slips Away

Monday night's Game 1 was a brutally ugly slugfest of defense between the Cavaliers and Celtics. Honestly, it reminded me of the days of Fratello-ball for the Cavaliers, which I guess was fitting considering he called the game for TNT. Offensively the Cavaliers were just atrocious shooting the ball, finishing at 30.7% from the field. Considering that and the fact that they only mustered 72 points, you would assume that they got hammered by the Celtics. But they only lost by four, with LeBron having his worst game in quite some time, going just 2-18 from the floor with 10(!) turnovers.

But the Cavs kept things tight all night long with their defense and somehow managed to stay in the game despite their shooting woes and LeBron's meager 12 points. They held Ray Allen scoreless for the first time in 11 years for him. But a loss is a loss. They now find themselves down 1-0 in a game that could have easily been theirs. I'm extremely disappointed in how this one turned out. And I'm still trying to figure out why they decided to not double-team Kevin Garnett when he was isolated against Joe Smith with the score tied and under a minute left in the fourth quarter. Of course he scored and then LeBron missed a layup at the other end. Ball game.

The Cavs will have to dig really deep on Thursday night to pull out Game 2. I don't expect the Celtics to play nearly as bad in that one. But I also expect LeBron to respond after this performance. The Cavaliers have been down 0-2 before and rallied to win the series, but I think that will be a tall order this time around. I just can't wait for Thursday night so I can get rid of the taste of this one. There's really nothing else worth rehashing from Tuesday night so I'm done.

It was a tough night for the King, but he will respond

In less important Cleveland sports news on Tuesday night, the Tribe did pick up a nice win in the opening game of their final series at Yankee Stadium. David Dellucci hit a pinch-hit 3-run home run off of the overhyped Joba Chamberlain to give the Tribe a 5-3 win. It wasn't the win I was really hoping for last night but I'll have to take it. The Tribe currently sits just 1-1/2 games back of the Twins even after their awful start.