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Cavs 06-07 season thread

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Brutus1;686065; said:
When the hell will LBJ stop taking those questionable shots during the last few minutes of close games? He forces some bad shots. There is NO excuse for a guy of his ability to get to the hole, to only shoot 1 free throw in a game, none!!

Why they don't drive to the hoop more is beyond me. 13 team free throws in a game is a joke.

Another nice game by Gibby. He's the only starter to hit a 3 and he was 3-6.

Nice game by Wild Thing, Too.
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I was thinking the same thing about Lebron's FT's. He should never shoot fewer than 10 a game. The Cavs probably deserve to lose any game that he only shoots 1. That tells me he's jacking up too many shots rather than going strong to the hoop.
 
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ABJ

Cavs fail to drive on road, fall short

LeBron and Co. passive on offense in defeat

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

OKLAHOMA CITY - A glimpse at the Cavaliers' talent and then one to their record doesn't equate at this point in the season. The reason is because of nights like Monday when they lost 95-89 to the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets.
Indeed it was a road game, and one in a known hostile environment in the Western Conference. But it was against a wounded and less talented Hornets team, and it was a game that could've and should've been a victory.
The Cavs couldn't find a way to deal with their greatest weakness or take advantage of their greatest strength. The result was another ugly loss.
The memorable and touchstone moment came with two minutes to play, when LeBron James drove to the basket and collided with Hornets center Tyson Chandler. At the moment, the score was tied and the way the play ended surely made it seem like it would affect the outcome of the game.
It did. Chandler and James ended up lying on the floor, and at the other end, Chris Paul scored a basket that gave the Hornets the lead for good.
Cavs' (12-8) supporters would argue James was fouled, and they'd have a strong point. But it wouldn't be the most important point.
That drive to the basket was the only time in the final quarter James went to the basket. It was one of the few times anyone wearing a wine jersey did. And that, more than anything else, was the reason the Cavs had their two-game winning streak snapped.
James didn't score in the fourth quarter. He took just four shots and one of them came in the last desperate seconds. He had just 15 points in the game, tying his low for the season.
To their credit, the Hornets were responsible for much of it. Desmond Mason did a quality job guarding James whenever he got the ball in the post. Other times, as many as three defenders swarmed James when he got the ball.
The night can be summed up by this: James got to the foul line once.
For much of the night, the Cavs survived by getting contributions elsewhere. Zydrunas Ilguaskas had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Anderson Varejao had a career-high 17 points and the bench provided 24 points.
In winning time, though, it was an endless stream of long jump shots. In the fourth quarter, the Cavs went just 6-of-20 from the floor, which is simply not going to get it done on the road. The issue was almost all of the attempts were jumpers.
It seemed there was no interest or no ability to take advantage of one of the game's best scorers or find another way to get easy shots. Moments like these continue to cost the Cavs winnable games.
The Hornets were without three starters, but didn't play like it. They were hot shooting all night, getting a combined 41 points from bench players Jannero Pargo, Marc Jackson and Hilton Armstrong. Many of them came on tough or contested jump shots. They shot 55 percent for the game.
Paul took advantage of the Cavs' inability to stop quick guards, piling up 30 points and handing out 11 assists when the defense imploded. It was an excellent performance by an excellent player. But one that could've probably been survived.
Especially if James was able to get going with his drives. But that moment never came and neither did victory.
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we should either pick up the pace on offense and turn it into an up & down game or get serious about defense. Mike Brown's M.O. is defsne and to be honest, it hasn't been stellar since he's been here. Easy penetration, lazy help D, open jump shots everywhere....Larry should help that some when he gets back, but it won't be completely fixed either......theyve got a team with Gibson on the court that could really put some points on the board....Gibson, LeBron, Larry, Drew, and Anderson...that could be some serious fun to watch if the reigns were loosened a lot
 
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C'mon, Brown. Gibby's been playing well and you reward him by only giving him 11 minutes? I realize Hughes is back but why the heck does Snow deserve 33 minutes ? He's an offensive liability like no other guard in the league. How about a little more time for the pg that will force the opponent to put a body on him instead of the guy that gives the opponent an east option to double team someone else.

Another meltdown against a shitty team. They kick ass for most of the game, but fall asleep in the 4th and blow a couple of 10 point leads. You should not have to rely on a last second steal by Hughes to seal the game against the friggin Bobcats.

At least they got the message and drove to the hoop more and in the process, got to the ft line alot more. LBJ and Wild Thing got 11 attempts each. Thats a nice upgrade from 13 for the team against the Hornets last game.
 
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Brutus1;687485; said:
C'mon, Brown. Gibby's been playing well and you reward him by only giving him 11 minutes? I realize Hughes is back but why the heck does Snow deserve 33 minutes ? He's an offensive liability like no other guard in the league. How about a little more time for the pg that will force the opponent to put a body on him instead of the guy that gives the opponent an east option to double team someone else.
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Exactly. Hopefully this will not be happening in the next few weeks. Gibson needs to be on the floor. He's a playmaker, athletic, can shoot and is not a bad defender. Brown needs to realize that even if he is more experienced, Snow is a BACKUP PG. I cannot think of another team in the NBA that he'd be starting for.

I'm also a bit alarmed with how we've had trouble putting games away so far. I'd like to keep saying "it's still early", but we're a quarter of the way into the season now.
 
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ABJ

Cavs hold on for win

Scrappy Varejao leads the way in ugly victory

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

263549086260.jpg

(Ken Love/Akron Beacon Journal)
Cleveland Cavaliers' Drew Gooden goes up for a shot over Charlotte Bobcats' Emeka Okafor and Brevin Knight at Quicken Loans Arena on Wednesday, Dec 13, 2006, in Cleveland, Ohio.
More photos
CLEVELAND - It took a manic Brazilian, wily veteran retribution, and smoke and mirrors.
In other words, it was hardly neat and tidy, but the Cavaliers survived themselves to hold off the Charlotte Bobcats on Wednesday night.
Anderson Varejao was in his pure primal form and Larry Hughes came up with a clutch defensive play in the 104-101 win.
The Cavs (13-8), who moved into a tie with the Detroit Pistons for the Central Division lead with the win, still looked like novices trying to cinch things up in the final quarter.
There were lots of Cavs' jump shots chucked as the Bobcats (5-16) mounted a late run, including a very forgettable 20-footer by Varejao with 50 seconds left and the Cavs up by just two points.
How it even got to that point was regrettable for the Cavs, who led by 13 at halftime and 10 with nine minutes to play. They were outshot, outrebounded and outexecuted the entire second half at home by a last place team.
LeBron James had another uncharacteristic performance. He finished with 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, but he was just 1-of-10 from the floor in the second half and turned the ball over six times.
But those warts, which are getting to be somewhat familiar, were overcome by Varejao's scrappy play and Hughes' sticky grip.
It was the popular annual Varejao ``Wig Night'' at Quicken Loans Arena. It stands to reason it was for that fake hair that the arena was sold out, not to see the sparse hair on the Bobcats Adam Morrison's upper lip.
Varejao did not disappoint, bouncing all around the gym on his way to 16 points and 10 rebounds. Most importantly, he got six offensive rebounds and the Cavs pulled down 12 in all to minimize the impact of lots of missed jumpers.
He also drew two key fouls on Sean May in the fourth quarter, one offensive and one defensive, that limited the talented youngster's effectiveness down the stretch.
May had 15 points and 13 rebounds but had to play with five fouls for much of the fourth quarter because of Varejao's hijinks.
``I'm not sure what goes on in the wild mind of `Wild Thing,' '' James said. ``But it's helping us a lot.''
So was having Hughes back in the starting lineup for the first time in 12 games. He scored 14 points, but his defense was equally valuable with four steals. The most vital came with 28 seconds left and the Cavs ahead by two as he got his hand out in front of Brevin Knight and robbed an entry pass.
Hughes had to cheat a little to get to it, but who knows what would've happened if Knight had gotten the ball. He had 14 assists in the game and was looking for more. Hughes said he actually learned the maneuver from Knight when both were with the Washington Wizards four years ago.
``I gave him a little grab around the waist to get him closer to me and stuck my hand in there,'' Hughes said. ``That soft ball, once I hit my hand, it stuck. I learned how to steal the ball from Brev, what to grab and where to stick your hands.''
After the steal, Hughes made two free throws to give the Cavs much-needed separation. Although they shot just 38 percent in the second half and had just 10 points in the paint, their ability to get to the foul line did help save the day.
Including Hughes' pair, the Cavs were 11-of-12 from the foul line in the fourth quarter. James went 6-of-6 down the stretch and 10-of-11 in the game.
``It is always important to get a win,'' James said. ``No matter how you get it.''
Dribbles
Drew Gooden had 16 points and seven rebounds in his first game back from a pulled groin.... Damon Jones scored 11 points off the bench, hitting 3-of-4 3-pointers.... The Cavs are 7-0 when they score 100 points and are now 10-2 at home this season... Varejao drew two offensive fouls in the game and has drawn 24 this season.
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Dispatch

CAVALIERS 104 BOBCATS 101
Hughes? clutch steal, free throws seal win
Cleveland survives ?Wild Thing? night scare
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Tom Withers
ASSOCIATED PRESS
20061214-Pc-C2-0700.jpg
</IMG> Emeka Okafor, who had 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Bobcats, passes while being guarded by Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
20061214-Pc-C1-0600.jpg
</IMG> LeBron James, who had 22 points, eight rebounds and seven assists, drives to the basket against Emeka Okafor.


CLEVELAND ? Anderson Varejao was all over the floor ? and all over the arena.
Cleveland?s frizzy-haired and frantic forward, who causes chaos everywhere, had 16 points and 10 rebounds and LeBron James scored 22, leading the Cavaliers to a 104-101 victory over the Charlotte Bobcats last night.
The Cavaliers celebrated Varejao?s crazy, highlighted hairdo by handing out free wigs to their fans, many of whom wore their bushy giveaways during the game to honor Cleveland?s "Wild Thing."
"It?s kind of scary, 18,000 Andys," James said. "I don?t think I could come to the arena if we had wig night all the time."
Larry Hughes had 16 points and delivered a key steal and two free throws in the final minute, and Drew Gooden added 16 points as the Cavaliers improved to 10-2 at home and had their starting lineup back on the floor for the first time in 13 games.
Cleveland, which has had a problem of playing up or down to the level of its competition all season, let a 10-point lead slip to two in the fourth quarter before putting the game away in the final minute.
"We?re a much better team than our record shows," Hughes said. "We?ve just got to prove it. We should have about four more wins. We know where we want to go, we?ve just got to figure out how to get there."
Rookie Adam Morrison led Charlotte with 16 points, Emeka Okafor had 14 points and 11 rebounds and Brevin Knight had 14 assists for the Bobcats, who closed to 98-96 on Knight?s jumper with 1:12 remaining.
But after Varejao missed from the outside, Hughes, in his third game back since missing 10 because of a sprained ankle, stepped in front of a pass by Sean May and was fouled.
Hughes dropped both free throws to make it 100-96, and after Matt Carroll scored for Charlotte, James saved a wild pass by Hughes and fed Varejao underneath for a dunk to give the Cavs a 102-98 lead.
James, who had eight rebounds and seven assists, made two more free throws and Carroll closed the scoring by making a three-pointer as time expired.
Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff thought one of his players had fouled Hughes before he could pass the ball to James.
"I don?t know what the deal was," Bickerstaff said. "We tried to foul. We had him (Hughes) locked up over in the corner. There were three guys, two slapping at him. But I guess we didn?t hit them hard enough."
With the season now more than one-quarter of the way over, the Cavaliers are still searching for consistency. Before last night, they hadn?t had both Gooden and Hughes healthy since Nov. 15. Their up-and-down play has been a troubling trend that has led to some losses to lessertalented teams, including a 92-88 setback to the Bobcats (5-16) on Nov. 4.
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ABJ

Feeling whole, Cavs roll

Hughes, James lower boom on Sonics

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - With all systems go, all weapons deployed and everyone on high alert, the Cavaliers can be a devastatingly effective team.
So far this season has been a patchwork quilt, with a shifting starting lineup and a hodgepodge of effort.
With everyone currently healthy, though, and the general focus sharpening, the Cavs are starting to resemble the team some picked to contend for the Eastern Conference title.
That was the feeling Friday night when the fully-loaded home team blitzed the Seattle SuperSonics 106-84.

Continued....
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ABJ

Cavaliers game day

Schedule-maker turns up the heat

After easy season start, degree of difficulty is about to intensify

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

CLEVELAND - Now, it turns.
For six weeks, the Cavaliers have enjoyed the softest portion of their schedule, playing an abundance of home dates and generally facing weaker competition. They've played only three teams thus far that owned winning records heading into Friday's games.

Continued....
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CPD

LEBRON JAMES
Cavaliers rein in the King's output

LeBron just happy to be winning
Friday, December 15, 2006
Burt Graeff
Plain Dealer Reporter

Yes, we are all witnesses.
Something we have all been witnessing through the quarter pole of the Cavaliers' season is a significant drop in the scoring average of LeBron James, one of the NBA's marquee players.

Continued......
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Well with Hughes back we seem to playing quite a bit better.

Still think that Gibby should be getting some more minutes, but maybe Brown feels like he doesnt want to wear him down to much, which would be understandable with how many rookies hit that rookie wall...
 
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