Cavs 07-08 Season Thread

[osugrad21]

CPD

Ejection of Washington Wizards center Brendan Haywood's spurs Cleveland Cavaliers to 2-0 lead in NBA playoffs series



Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Mary Schmitt Boyer

Plain Dealer Reporter
A half-dozen empty hangers were all that were left of Brendan Haywood in the Wizards locker room after the game.
A security guard escorted Washington's starting center to the team bus before the confetti even hit the floor after the Cavaliers' 116-86 victory Monday night in The Q, the biggest playoff victory in Cavaliers history.
So his teammates were left to talk about the ejection Haywood earned midway through the decisive third quarter. The Cavs were leading, 65-50, when LeBron James went airborne on a drive to the basket. Haywood pushed him, sending James crashing into a row of courtside photographers. James, who scraped his arm in the fall, quickly leaped to his feet.

"It was scary," said James, who broke his wrist after being undercut and falling on a similar play during his junior year in high school. "The only thing I could think of was to hopefully get one foot under me to brace my fall. It was definitely scary being up that high and then getting pushed higher.
"It was not a basketball play at all, in no shape or form."




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[osugrad21]

CPD

Cavs' Szczerbiak makes most of playoff opportunity


Tuesday, April 22, 2008Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
Wally's World, and welcome to it. It took long enough.
For too long, Wally Szczerbiak had all the impact of a welcome mat. That changed Monday.
Cavaliers 116, Washington 86, is the way Danny Ferry, the general manager of the Cavs, thought his team would play once the shooters got their legs under them and LeBron James had fixed where they were likely to pop up on his uncanny inner radar.

This is the team Ferry thought he would have once the "pleased to meetcha's" were over -- Szczerbiak proving that two little z's can be as valuable as one big Z. Zydrunas Ilgauskas owning the big-man matchup with Brendan Haywood. Delonte West pushing the ball and getting in defenders' grills.
Ben Wallace tolling doom in the paint. James getting close to a triple double without hardly trying.
Szczerbiak, who was one of the best college players in the country at the end of the last century at Miami of Ohio, came here as the beneficiary of the Cleveland fans' generosity to players with Ohio pedigrees. He never really exhausted the goodwill, but a flat shot took the air out of the cheers. Through it all, Cavs coach Mike Brown said shooters will shoot and score, now and forever, and Wally will, too.




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[osugrad21]

CPD

Wallace brushes Wizards to and 'fro



Tuesday, April 22, 2008 Jodie Valade

Plain Dealer Reporter
Back when Ben Wallace patroled the paint with authority in Detroit, when the intimidating 6-9 power forward collected four Defensive Player of the Year awards and had a permanent menacing scowl attached to his face, there was a saying about Wallace's power to influence the game.
Fear the 'fro, his old team and teammates said. When Wallace's Afro was out in full fluff, he meant business.
In Saturday's Game 1 victory, Wallace's 'fro made its first appearance since his mid-season arrival in Cleveland, but there was nothing to fear but fear itself. He had little impact on the game, not attempting a shot in 23 minutes while the player he was marking, Antawn Jamison, erupted for 23 points and 19 rebounds.

But in Monday's Game 2, the 'fro was there again - and so was the old Wallace.
"When he brings the 'fro out, I think it's intimidating for the other team," Cavaliers forward Joe Smith said. "They know it's business tonight."
He brought energy from the start, had a dunk about four minutes into the game, and by then he'd recorded more points (four) than LeBron James while the Cavaliers trailed, 8-5. He left the game near the end of the first when smoke from the pregame pyrotechnics bothered his eyes, but his return in the second quarter coincided with Cleveland building its lead.




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[osugrad21]

Canton

Cavs lay a magical whipping on Washington
[FONT=Verdana,Times New Roman,arial,helvetica,sans-serif]LeBron James just misses a triple double[/FONT]
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
BY Chris Beaven
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND If they didn't have 20,000-plus fans ringing in their ears, they might think this is a nightmare that never goes away. Every April, the monster returns.

But for the Washington Wizards, it's no fictional monster hiding under their beds to keep them up nights. They've got a real-life NBA superstar haunting them every season in the playoffs.

Led by a near triple-double by LeBron James, the Cavs enjoyed a record-setting rout to take a 2-0 lead in their first-round NBA Playoffs series with the Wizards. The Cavs destroyed them, 116-86, Monday in front of a sellout crowd of 20,562 at Quicken Loans Arena.

"They've got a monster player. He's taking over the series," Wizards Head Coach Eddie Jordan said.

The 30-point rout is the largest margin of victory by the Cavs in a playoff game. It's also their eighth straight win over the Wizards. They have eliminated Washington the last two seasons.

This season, the Wizards were full of bravado, making bold statements concerning the Cavs. Monday, they were left humbled by James and his teammates.

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[osugrad21]

Canton

Sports Spotlight: Rivalry? Wizards proving to be all talk vs. Cavaliers
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
BY Todd Porter
REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND As a rule of thumb, a rivalry has a winner and a loser, but not the same team playing the same role all the time. What is happening between the Cavaliers and Wizards ? for a third straight season ? isn't a rivalry.

It's polarity.

It's all talk against all action. It's distraction vs. focus. It's losing your cool battling staying poised. It's selfish vs. selfless.

Monday night at Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavaliers wrapped their fists around the necks of the Wizards and squeezed.

Cleveland took control of this first-round NBA playoff series not like a school-yard bully, but rather like the bigger, better kid on the playground. The Cavs outclassed the Wizards, 116-86.

The game was so far gone it managed to bore Cleveland fans watching one of the city's greatest athletes much of the night. You just wanted someone to pull the damn plug already.

"They really handed it to us," Washington Head Coach Eddie Jordan said.

Washington all but admitted a part of its game plan was to get under Cleveland's skin, and make LeBron James lose his composure.

A funny thing happened along the way, though.

The Wizards lost theirs.

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[osugrad21]

Canton

LeBron scores 30 in Cavs' blowout of Wizards
UPDATE: 10:16 PM, Monday, April 21, 2008
BY TOM WITHERS
AP SPORTS WRITER

CLEVELAND Maybe Gilbert Arenas was talking about some other Cavaliers.

The Cleveland team he and the Washington Wizards faced tonight doesn't look so beatable.

LeBron James scored 30 points, Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 16, and the Cavaliers played their best game in months, blowing out Arenas and Co. 116-86 to take a 2-0 lead in an opening-round playoff series oozing with bad blood.

The 30-point margin of victory was the largest in Cleveland's postseason history. The Cavs were playing in their 112th playoff game.

James scored 14 points in the third quarter when the Cavs opened a 25-point lead over the Wizards, whose defensive scheme coming into their third series in as many years with Cleveland was to slow James by roughing him up with hard, clean fouls.

It may be time for Plan B.

The Wizards hardly bothered James, who finished with 12 assists and nine rebounds to barely missed his third career postseason triple-double. James went to the bench with 6:12 left. At that point, the Cavaliers were leading by 24 points and coach Mike Brown inserted seldom-used reserves Dwayne Jones and Damon Jones.

Wally Szczerbiak added 15 points for the defending Eastern Conference champions, who have struggled since a big trade in February changed their roster. As the playoffs neared, Arenas called the Cavs out, saying "I think everybody wants Cleveland in that first round" and "We don't think they can beat us in the playoffs three years straight."


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[osugrad21]

Dispatch

Rob Oller commentary: James makes sure to keep his head as Wizards fall prey to playoff pressures

Tuesday, April 22, 2008 3:25 AM
By Rob Oller


THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH


CLEVELAND -- The indoor fireworks, pizza-coupon giveaways and slick-haired CEOs sitting on their cushy courtside seats -- all staples of the NBA regular season -- seemed out of place in Quicken Loans Arena. Instead, "the Q" felt more like the Y last night, a place better suited for shirts and skins than Armani and scantily clad cheerleaders.
A different vibe pervades the NBA playoffs. Like a steak arriving at the table after the fried cheese sticks, the playoffs are serious business compared to the appetizer that is the regular season.
The Cleveland Cavaliers know that. The Washington Wizards only think they do. The Cavs were prepared for the increased intensity of the playoffs, and it showed last night in a 116-86 win in Game 2 of an Eastern Conference first-round series.
The Cavs, leading 2-0 in the series, kept their heads during several heated exchanges that followed the kind of hard fouls that define the playoffs.



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[exhawg]

I really hope last nights game was a sign of things to come for the Cavs. If they take that effort to Washington on Thursday the Wizards are going to be in a lot of trouble.

 

[Piney]

I really hope last nights game was a sign of things to come for the Cavs. If they take that effort to Washington on Thursday the Wizards are going to be in a lot of trouble.

The great part about the game last night was what seemed like the team finally clicking with its new parts. With so many injuries it has taken longer than expected, but doesn't it look great?

Gibson finally has shaken off the rust to look like the player from the all-star break. Wally now that his family is in Cleveland with him seems to be in the right state of mind and feelin comfortable with the team and hitting open shots. Throw in the confidence of now starting. Mike Brown seems to have finally realized that Wallace and Andy should not be in the game together for long periods of time.

I really hope this is the sign of things to come for the remainder of the playoffs. I really think we are heading for a sweep, but I wouldn't put it past Washington to have a crazy shooting game in Washington so they extend the series to 5 or 6 games. Hopefully they can finish them off quickly so they can give everyone with bumps and bruises a few days off.

 

[LitlBuck]

I really hope this is the sign of things to come for the remainder of the playoffs. I really think we are heading for a sweep, but I wouldn't put it past Washington to have a crazy shooting game in Washington so they extend the series to 5 or 6 games. Hopefully they can finish them off quickly so they can give everyone with bumps and bruises a few days off.

I really don't think the Cavs are headed for a sweep. I think last night was about as good as the Cavs can play. Everybody was hitting their shots and the Wizards did not shoot well at all. I think if Wally keeps on shooting the way he did last night we could go deep into the playoffs but I think he is the key and Not Gibson. I am not saying that I do not like Gibson's game will Wally brings an entirely dimension to the team with his height on defense. Teams can take advantage of Gibson but not of Wally.

 

[Piney]

I really don't think the Cavs are headed for a sweep. I think last night was about as good as the Cavs can play. Everybody was sitting their shots and the Wizards did not shoot well at all.

But that game was really defeating of them. You can tell Arenas is now a one trick pony on offense. His knees don't allow him to drive at all. So Brown's move of having LeBron on him is suberb. LeBron has the length to disturb Arenas' shot and he doesn't have the quicks to get by him. Throw in the wrist injury and Arenas can be contained.

Butler also looks to not be right. I noticed him hobbling at times and while he still has beaten Wally a few times, he should be able to abuse him all the time, which it seems like he can't.

Back to the possibility of the sweep. If both Butler and Arenas aren't 100% the possibility of them going off diminishes. Throw in the fact that they put so much energy into the first 2 games with their talk and bruising play can they get the lift they need to win at home? How defeated are the Wizards right now after getting their doors blown off in Game 2? Their pyschy will determine whether this is a sweep or not.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Washington is going to come out ready to go in game 3...The thinking of any series as the road team is you just have to win one of the road and 3 at home...So they are thinking get the 2 at home and they will still be right where they want to be...

I just hope that the 30 pt win doesn't make us over confident...

Of course i feel we can sweep them if we continue to play like that, but we are not a great road team...If we get one of the two I feel it ends in 5...

 

[BuckeyeMafia]

It's as good as done IMO. 30 point defeats really drain you, especially when you're having tantrums in the middle of the game.

It really reminds me of the Pistons series last year where in game 5 they lost all hope, and then Sheed got thrown out in 6.

Arenas? STFU already dude, you're getting your ass kicked.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

POSTSEASON PILOT Playoffs seem to bring out best in Cavaliers coach Mike Brown
By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter

Published on Wednesday, Apr 23, 2008
INDEPENDENCE: In his three years as coach of the Cavaliers, Mike Brown has shouldered his share of criticism.
But his finest hours always have come in the postseason.
Last year, he became the franchise's winningest postseason coach as he led the Cavs to the NBA Finals for the first time. In January, the organization gave him a contract extension and roughly doubled his salary, even though the Cavs barely stood above .500 at the time. One of the major reasons was his ability to maximize his team in the postseason.
Now, after struggling to find a rhythm with his rotations and offense, along with inconsistency on defense in the weeks leading up to the playoffs, Brown's game plans and in-game decision-making are making a major difference in the Cavs' series against the Washington Wizards.



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[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Cavaliers optimistic, but cautious against Wizards



Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Branson Wright

Plain Dealer Reporter
The Cavaliers played their best game since the midseason trade when they demolished the Washington Wizards in Game 2 of their best-of-seven playoff series on Monday.
The team's intensity for 48 minutes is exactly what coach Mike Brown craved. Several of the new acquisitions espe cially played well.
Ben Wallace re turned to form with a block and some dunks. Wally Szczer biak, who has strug gled recently, may have found his touch with 6-of-9 shooting from the field. And Daniel Gibson contin ued to improve since his high left ankle sprain and was 2-for-2 from 3-point range.

But even more pleasing to Brown was the Cavs' defense that held the explosive Wizards to 37.5 percent shooting from the field.
Everything may have finally come together, and it led to the Cavs' 30-point victory, but none of that will matter in Game 3 in Washington on Thursday night.
Last year, the Cavs were in the Wizards' position when they were down, 0-2, to the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Cavs rallied and sent the Pistons home.
The Cavs are 11-11 all time in Game 3s and their success in Game 3 against the Pistons last season taught them a valuable lesson.




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