Cavs 08-09 Season - Central Div Champs (official thread)

[exhawg]

Sasha Pavlovic out of nowhere... he's reverted back to the Sasha of 2 years ago. He has locked down Redd since he got in, and he's hit 2 clutch threes at the end of the third quarter and one right now in the 4th to answer a Bucks 3. If we see this Sasha on a consistent basis, the Cavs will become even more dangerous.

Redd exposed the Cavs weakness against big 2 guards. For tonight at least Pavs proved to be the answer. If you could trade Wally for Redd you could size the Cavs for rings right now.

 

[crazybuckfan40]

Yep big 2 guards, are our biggest problem...

That is why I like Sasha more than Wally...

Besides the second half against Detroit, we have played awesome since the NO game...

I loved LBJ taking the game over tonight...He didn't just settle, he attacked, then put the game out of reach with his jumper...

 

[OSUBasketballJunkie]

Dispatch

Cavaliers 97Bucks 85
James carries the load in fourth

Sunday, November 30, 2008 3:54 AM



Associated Press
MILWAUKEE -- LeBron James scored 11 straight points for Cleveland late in the fourth quarter and finished with 32 in the Cavaliers' 97-85 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks last night.

James struggled much of the night, going without a field goal for more than 15 minutes in the second half before he led Cleveland on a decisive 11-2 run. He was 12 of 27 from the field, and the Cavs shot a season-low 41.5 percent.
"We tried three or four different coverages on him and, like all the great players do, he has a really good sense of timing of when to take over," Bucks coach Scott Skiles said.

Continued..........

 

[TooTall]

Please tell me someone watched the SportsCenter top 10 plays last night.... LeBron came in at No. 6 with the monster block that left the ball about four rows deep. And when talking about it Buccigross said "Knicks forward, LeBron James with the monster block"

 

[jlb1705]

I'm very disappointed that Knicks forward John Buccigross would say something like that.

Seriously, who in the hell plays forward for the Knicks now anyway?

 

[TooTall]

I'm very disappointed that Knicks forward John Buccigross would say something like that.

Seriously, who in the hell plays forward for the Knicks now anyway?

My guess is he was poking fun at all the talks of LeBron in a Knicks uni in 2010... But still a very, VERY annoying statement to make.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Cavaliers develop into complete team First month of play is revelation for offense, defense
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Monday, Dec 01, 2008
INDEPENDENCE: While many expected a certain other pro team to garner the sports headlines this fall, the Cavaliers have stolen the spotlight.
And why not? They own a 14-3 record and are regarded as the best hope for bringing a championship to a title-starved region. The Cavs have developed into a complete team in less than one-quarter of a season.
Offensively, the Cavaliers rank fourth, averaging more than 103 points per game and third in field goal-percentage, with more than 48 percent per game.
How proficient have they been offensively? Saturday night's 97-85 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks represented the first time that the Cavs had not scored more than 100 points in a game since Nov. 22.
''We aren't just trying to find each other,'' guard Mo Williams said. ''We are trying to help each other at all times.''
Stats are up offensively, ever so slightly, across the board. Turnovers are down; rebounds are up; and the quicker pace that Williams and Delonte West bring to the game cannot be overlooked as one of the reasons for the improvement.
Another: The bench has played an integral part in the offense.
In the two games against the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder, the reserves averaged more than 60 points.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Brown gets his wish: Pavlovic's play earns headline credit for Cavs

by Mary Schmitt Boyer Sunday November 30, 2008, 5:23 PM

Morry Gash/Associated PressSasha Pavlovic keeps a close guard on Milwaukee's Michael Redd in the fourth quarter of the Cavaliers' road win Saturday night over the Bucks. Coach Mike Brown said Pavlovic's performance over the final quarter helped assure the victory.

Next game: Wednesday vs. N.Y. Knicks, 7 p.m.
It was late and deadlines were looming when reporters met with Cavaliers coach Mike Brown after Saturday's 97-85 victory over the Bucks in Milwaukee. So the coach thought he'd provide a little journalistic assistance by suggesting some headlines. "'Sasha Pavlovic pulls Cavs to a win' or 'epitomizes what the Cavs are about,'" Brown offered.
Then he got a tad more emphatic.
"Sasha's name should be in the headline," he insisted.
That didn't happen in Sunday's paper, but how about Monday's?
Though not as flashy as LeBron James' 32 points, including 11 in a row in the fourth quarter, or Zydrunas Ilgauskas' season highs in points (23) and rebounds (17), Pavlovic's 13-minute performance was just as key to the team's fifth straight victory.
He didn't enter the game until there were just 49.5 seconds left in the third quarter. By that time, the Bucks had cut a 16-point deficit to two. But Pavlovic hit a big 3-pointer that gave the Cavs a 72-67 lead and some breathing room heading into the fourth quarter. He did the same thing midway through the fourth quarter to keep the Cavs in front, 82-77.

Just as important was limiting former Ohio State star Michael Redd to just two points in the fourth quarter. Redd, who returned to the lineup on Saturday after missing 14 games with a sprained right ankle, led the Bucks with 20 points, but he didn't make a field goal in the fourth quarter, going 0 for 6.
"Sasha hadn't played big minutes in a while," Brown said. "He hadn't played minutes in a tight ball game. All of a sudden we throw him in there, not even in the first half. But we throw him in there after guys have been loose and playing and we ask him to guard Michael Redd. You're not going to stop Michael Redd, but just try to make him work, which is what he did. His teammates helped out also.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Around the NBA: Cavs rookies making an impact
Sunday, November 30, 2008
BY CHRIS BEAVEN
[email protected]

Pursuing a championship and finding minutes for rookies at the same time is a tough task for any NBA head coach.

Cleveland's Mike Brown is doing his best to make sure rookie forwards J.J. Hickson and Darnell Jackson don't accumulate too much rust early in the season.

"I need to give J.J. and D.J. playing time," Brown said.

With Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao getting the bulk of the frontcourt minutes, Brown doesn't have minutes to just give away. But he's also seen enough from his two young bigs to know they deserve some time.

Hickson, a first-round pick, has been in the rotation much of the season.

An explosive leaper out of North Carolina State, he already is becoming a fan favorite with his dunks and blocked shots. He had several big-time swats of Oklahoma City shots and scored a career-high 14 points.

"He had some good blocks, some good finishes and some patience with his moves," Brown said. "But then, there were times where he made the right play initially, but he didn't play with maximum effort throughout the whole 24-second clock. There are just some more things that J.J. has to continue to learn."

Cavs All-Star LeBron James appreciates Hickson's willingness to learn.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Cavs offense hot with last 4 wins Ilgauskas has shot above 60 percent in last week
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Tuesday, Dec 02, 2008

INDEPENDENCE: Coach Mike Brown couldn't have scripted it better for the Cavaliers last week.
Going into their toughest part of the young season thus far, they faced two sets of back-to-back games. Worse still, they alternated between home and on the road. Yet they managed to come out of the week with a 4-0 record and looking like a team on a path to challenge for an NBA championship.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas had an even better week. During those four games, he averaged 17 points per game and nine rebounds. What many thought would happen with the addition of Mo Williams and the presence of Delonte West from the beginning of camp and, of course, LeBron James, came to fruition during that span.
''He's getting more looks because now he has the opportunity to get more pick-and-pop shots, not just from LeBron but Delonte, Gib [Daniel Gibson] and Mo,'' Coach Mike Brown said. ''Our spacing has been real good, so when a guy drives a ball, he's the beneficiary of us having multiple ball handlers or multiple guys
penetrate, get into the teeth of that defense and find Z for good looks.''
Good looks might be an understatement. In the past four games, Ilgauskas is shooting at a better than 60 percent clip, with 32-of-50 from the field.
''I've been shooting the ball well, getting some good looks, really not forcing it, but the ball seems to find me at the right time,'' Ilgauskas said.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

A good first impression: Cavaliers rookie Hickson winning praise in debut season

by Mary Schmitt Boyer/Plain Dealer Reporter Monday December 01, 2008, 7:28 PM

Roadell Hickman/The Plain DealerJ.J. Hickson blocks the shot of Oklahoma City's Jeff Green during the second quarter of last week's game at The Q. Getting a chance to play in lopsided victories, Hickson has shown potential on both the offensive and defensive ends of the court.

Next game: Wednesday vs. N.Y. Knicks, 7 p.m., The Q
Timing is one of rookie J.J. Hickson's strengths on the basketball court. Unfortunately for him, his timing was off just a tad before Saturday's game at Milwaukee. A reporter had just asked Cavs coach Mike Brown about the young forward when Hickson had the misfortune to walk out of the locker room. With the television cameras rolling, the coach called the player over, threw his arm around him and took advantage of what he would no doubt call a teachable moment.
"They just asked me a question," Brown said, nodding at reporters. "They asked me if I'm pleased with what I'm getting from you when I play. What do you think?"
Hickson, not entirely sure this wasn't some sort of prank, thought for a moment before replying.
"I think you're pleased with my effort but sometimes I have mental lapses that you have to get on me sometimes," he said. "But I know it's out of love so I just keep playing."

The coach beamed, no doubt displaying the same look he'd give one of his two sons for coming up with the right answer to a question. Hickson hasn't gotten everything right so far this season -- his biggest transgression was missing the bus to a preseason shootaround -- but his progress has been such that Brown has been rewarding him with increasing minutes. Hickson did not play in Saturday's victory at Milwaukee, but it was just his third DNP of the season.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Cavaliers star James named an NBA Player of the Month

by Staff reports Monday December 01, 2008, 4:25 PM



CLEVELAND -- Cavaliers forward LeBron James today was named today the NBA's Eastern Conference Player of the Month for November. James has now won the award eight times in his career.
Cont..

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Ilgauskas is Cavs' center of attention during recent streak
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
BY CHRIS BEAVEN
[email protected]

Playing alongside perhaps the world's best player, it's easy enough to get overlooked ? even at 7-foot-3.

Just life in the NBA with LeBron James as a teammate.

But even with James and a number of other Cavaliers playing well, it's been hard to ignore Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who put together a strong opening month.

"I've been shooting the ball well and I've been getting good looks," Ilgauskas said after practice Monday.

The Cavs are off until Wednesday's 7 p.m. home game with the Knicks. Ilgauskas enters it playing his best basketball.

"I'm really not forcing anything," he said. "It seems like the ball's finding me at the right time."

The ball found Ilgauskas to the tune of 23 points and 17 rebounds, both season highs, in a 97-85 win at Milwaukee on Saturday.

That wrapped up an impressive three-game stretch by Ilgauskas in a span of four days. He hit 27-of-39 shots from the floor to score 61 points in 65 minutes.

Ilgauskas said he hasn't been doing anything different.

"The teams that we've played have played a lot of small ball ... so I was able to get good looks around the basket and took advantage of that," he said.

True enough, the Cavs' last three opponents ? Oklahoma City, Golden State and Milwaukee ? didn't exactly send out Russell, Chamberlain and Olajuwon. Ilgauskas had his way with a variety of undersized young and journeymen centers, digging into his vast bag of tricks for flip shots, hook shots and up-and-under moves.

"... GETTING MORE LOOKS"

For the season, Ilgauskas is averaging 15.6 points and 7.4 rebounds in 26.6 minutes. He's shooting 54.1 percent from the floor and 85.2 percent from the line, marks that would be career highs if he can sustain them. He's even made three 3-pointers.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

For the Cavaliers, The Q earning an A for the passion from hometown fans

by Mary Schmitt Boyer/Plain Dealer Reporter Tuesday December 02, 2008, 7:31 PM

John Kuntz/The Plain DealerWith LeBron James and the Cavaliers dominating their opponents, The Q has been a rocking place for Cleveland fans.

CAVALIERS VS. KNICKS
Tipoff: Wednesday, 7 p.m. at The Q.
TV/radio: FSN Ohio; WTAM AM/1100.
Notable: Cavs have won five straight and 13 of 14. ... Second meeting of these teams in nine days. ... Cavs won the first game, 119-101, in New York on Nov. 25. ... Knicks are playing second night of a back-to-back after hosting Portland on Tuesday. ... It's LeBron James Bobblehead Night. All fans will receive the sixth edition of the collectible. Also 23 fans will be selected at random to win limited edition Golden Bobbleheads to commemorate the gold medal James won with Team USA in the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. ... Fans 18 and older in attendance also can register to participate in an on-court contest at halftime for a chance to win up to $2,300, courtesy of KeyBank. ... It's also the first of six Hardwood Classics Nights, with the Cavs wearing their retro gold uniforms from their first seasons.
-- Mary Schmitt Boyer



CLEVELAND -- What constitutes a home-court advantage? For coach Mike Brown, it was the clanging cowbells in Sacramento.
For forward Ben Wallace, it was the aura of intimidation in Madison Square Garden.
For veteran Lorenzen Wright, it was the guy holding up signs behind the bench in Philadelphia.
A home-court advantage is whatever distracts an opponent and makes it tough for a visiting team to win.
In Cleveland, there are no cowbells or signs, but a sense of intimidation may be growing. When the Cavaliers host the New York Knicks Wednesday night, they have a chance to run their record at The Q to 10-0, which would be the best start in franchise history. (The 1976-77 and 1991-92 teams started 9-0.)
The Cavs and Portland (7-0) are the only two NBA teams undefeated at home.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cavaliers Insider: Wright worrying about ex-teammate Rogers after accident

by Mary Schmitt Boyer/Plain Dealer Reporter Tuesday December 02, 2008, 7:56 PM


CLEVELAND --- An accident with an all-terrain vehicle that has reportedly left former NBA player Rodney Rogers partially paralyzed has shocked and saddened one of Rogers' former teammates, Cavaliers forward Lorenzen Wright.
Wright and Rogers played together for three seasons. Not only did they become friends, but Rogers also became close to Wright's father, Herb Wright, who was paralyzed from the waist down after a shooting accident 23 years ago.
"It happened when I was 10 years old," Wright said of his father's paralysis. "He was playing professional basketball overseas. After that, he was able to spend more time with me and concentrate on my basketball career. Look where it got us."
Wright said he would pray for Rogers and he hoped his friend would take a lesson from his father.

"He can still have a full life," Wright said. "My father still carried on his life and did everything he wanted to do -- working on cars, riding jet skis. He still lives an active life."
New York, New York: Here we go again. A visit from the Knicks undoubtedly will bring out more questions about LeBron James in 2010.
"It's not a big deal for me," James said after practice on Tuesday. "What have I been saying? I'm happy with the fans here. I'm happy with the organization. There's nothing more for me to say."
James said not answering the questions would fuel even more rumors.
"I just answer them and move on," he said.

Cont...