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

[NFBuck]

84-65 going into the 4th. This is only the 3rd full game I've got to watch this season out here due to work and other things, and I gotta tell ya, for the first time in the LeBron era, I feel like this is an elite team. They're sound fundamentaly, can score inside and out, play excellent defense and the depth is ridiculous. That trade back in February may end up being the turning point for the franchise.

I have tickets December 19th to see them in Denver vs. the Nuggets. Cannot wait.

 

[NFBuck]

Z landed awkwardly on his foot in the 4th, gone for the game. They say an ankle sprain. Crap.

Sixers trying to make a game of this now...

 

[NFBuck]

101-93 Final. Ten in a row, 19-3.

 

[BuckeyeMafia]

Broke the ugly win streak, but hey, they deserve it wearing those threads.

Great win tonight though, I love this team. Chemistry, defense, it's all there. When LeBron hits the playoffs, I'd really be afraid for the rest of the league. Bill Walton still won't admit we're better than Boston. It'll come when their old asses are worn out in May.

 

[billmac91]

they won by 8, and with exception to the third period, it didn't seem like they played all that well.

How nice is that?

Hope Z just has a sprain....hes had such good luck with his feet over the last 5 years it'd be a shame to something that lingers or is serious. And Z is a huge piece for this team.

 

[TooTall]

Broke the ugly win streak, but hey, they deserve it wearing those threads.

Great win tonight though, I love this team. Chemistry, defense, it's all there. When LeBron hits the playoffs, I'd really be afraid for the rest of the league. Bill Walton still won't admit we're better than Boston. It'll come when their old asses are worn out in May.

And you KNOW he won't admit he's better than "His son's Lakers"

Oh well... I absolutely can't stand his voice...

 

[Unleded]

does anyone have any more information on Z's ankle? or did anyone see the play happen? did it look bad?

 

[NFBuck]

does anyone have any more information on Z's ankle? or did anyone see the play happen? did it look bad?

All that's come out is it's a "sprain". I saw it, he went up to block a shot, landed awkwardly on someone's foot and rolled his ankle. Didn't look any worse than any others I've seen, but you never know with big men.

 

[Unleded]

All that's come out is it's a "sprain". I saw it, he went up to block a shot, landed awkwardly on someone's foot and rolled his ankle. Didn't look any worse than any others I've seen, but you never know with big men.

well hopefully he is okay, and that this is the last instance of the injury bug bitting the cavs.

 

[osugrad21]

ABJ

Cavs win 10th game in a row LeBron scores 29, Williams hits for 27 as 76ers' rally fails
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer

Published on Thursday, Dec 11, 2008
PHILADELPHIA: The Cavaliers have led a charmed life in the early part of the season.
No unwarranted chatter ? unless you want to count the noise from the New York media. Complete team harmony.
And more important, there had been no injuries.
Notice the past tense.
With Daniel ''Boobie'' Gibson, a key cog in the machine that is the Cavs' offense, out for two weeks with a sprained left toe, the team arrived in Philadelphia to play the 76ers in an unfamiliar position ? facing adversity.
The key to Wednesday's meeting: How would they respond?
Given that they beat the 76ers 101-93, they met the challenge for now and won their 10th consecutive game.
At one point in the third quarter, the Cavs held a 21-point advantage only to watch much of it slip away.
The scrappy Sixers pecked and pecked until they came within six points at 95-89.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

It's not a beauty, but it's 10: Cavaliers outlast 76ers to extend win streak to double-digits

by Terry Pluto/Plain Dealer Columnist Wednesday December 10, 2008, 11:21 PM

Tom Mihalek/Associated PressLeBron James soars past a startled Samuel Dalembert during a first-half drive to the basket around the 76ers' center Wednesday night.
PHILADELPHIA -- For the Cavaliers, the winning steak is now 10 games, but there was no celebrating in the dressing room following Wednesday night's 101-93 victory at Philadelphia. Zydrunas Ilgauskas came limping out of the shower, his left ankle looking like an over-ripe tomato thanks to lots of swelling. He came down on Donyell Marshall's foot in the fourth quarter.
"It's a sprain, and I have sprained my ankle before," he said. "That's what I get for trying to jump. At least I didn't break any bones."
The 7-foot-3 center who is the Cavs' all-time leading rebounder then shrugged. He thinks he will be OK, but is not sure how long he'll be out. He will be examined by team doctors today.
"This is the foot where I had the reconstructive surgery, so I want to be careful," said Ilgauskas, who has had five operations on both feet.
He has been healthy the last seven seasons, but he could miss some time with this injury.

For the Cavs, the good news is they won a relatively close game. The previous nine margins of victory had been by an average of 21, the tightest being 12 points. They also did it with LeBron James not scoring in the final 4:17.

Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cavaliers stretch streak to 10, outlast 76ers

by Staff reports Wednesday December 10, 2008, 10:40 PM

Tom Mihalek/Associated PressLeBron James blocks this layup attempt by Philadelphia's Andre Miller, but was called for goaltending in the first quarter Wednesday night.
A dominating third quarter pushed the Cavaliers from a two-point lead to 20 and LeBron James and Mo Williams controlled matters the rest of the way as Cleveland claimed its 10th consecutive win, 101-93, over the 76ers in Philadelphia on Wednesday night. James scored 29 points and Williams added 27 as the Cavaliers turned a 48-46 lead at halftime to a 84-65 cushion entering the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers, who played without Daniel Gibson (sprained toe), lost Zydrunas Ilgauskas to a sprained ankle early in the fourth quarter.
Cavs 101, 76ers 93
Game No. 22 at the Wachovia Center
What happened: The Cavs didn't play great defense all night, but held the 76ers scoreless for a seven-minute stretch in the second quarter and a six-minute stretch in the third. It allowed a cushion for the stretch run, which they needed to get their 10th consecutive win.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cavaliers Insider: Gibson injury will test bench

by Terry Pluto/Plain Dealer Columnist Wednesday December 10, 2008, 10:07 PM

Mark Duncan/Associated PressDaniel Gibson limped off the floor and into the locker room after injuring his left big toe Tuesday night against Toronto. The sprain will sideline the guard for at least two weeks.
PHILADELPHIA -- For the first time this season, the Cavaliers' depth will be tested as backup guard Daniel Gibson will be out for at least two weeks because of a sprained big toe in Tuesday's victory over Toronto. It's much like the injury he had in 2006-2007, his rookie season, when he missed eight games. Gibson had been playing well lately, averaging 13.8 points and shooting 61 percent from the field in four games in December. That came after a frustrating November (7.5 points, 33 percent).
Gibson's toe problem is the first significant injury of the season for the team. In the fourth quarter Wednesday night, Zydrunas Ilgauskas left the floor after spraining his ankle and did not return.
While the Cavs call Gibson a shooting guard, many of his 24 minutes per game were spent at the point where he handled the ball often, especially when starting point guard Mo Williams was on the bench.
Now, the Cavs will use starting shooting guard Delonte West at the point, a position he played most of his first four years in the NBA -- including the final three months of last season when he arrived as part of a 3-way deal that included Seattle and Chicago.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

CPD

Windhorst Beat Blog: Z update, some tests ahead

by Brian Windhorst/Plain Dealer Reporter Wednesday December 10, 2008, 7:38 PM


Cavs 101, 76ers 93
? The Cavs are getting way too much use out of the MRI machine at Cleveland Clinic Sports Health this week. Zydrunas Ilgauskas will be on the table on Thursday to get one on his sprained left ankle. First the good news, it is not broken which is a serious concern when dealing with Z's left foot because that is the one that had reconstructive surgery. Also, this appears to be a low-ankle sprain, which is less severe. Now what is important is whether or not he has a Grade I or Grade II sprain, which the MRI will confirm. The fact that he was able to walk on it indicates it may just be a bad Grade I but the doctors will know more after the tests.
Watching Ilgauskas come down on on Donyell Marshall's ankle reminded me of how Sasha Pavlovic turned his ankle on the same floor against the 76ers last April. That injury cost Sasha about two and a half weeks. I would guess Ilgauskas is looking at about the same unless there is a surprise on the MRI.
? This means two things, one the Cavs are going to have to play Anderson Varejao and Ben Wallace together quite a bit. This has been an issue in the past because neither are good offensive players. However, Andy's offensive game has developed quite a bit and he's done well offensively in extended minutes during his career. For example, in 33 minutes against the Sixers he had 15 points. Second, either J.J. Hickson or Darnell Jackson have a golden chance. They are going to get the first crack at minutes with Lorenzen Wright there in reserve. They have both gotten some playing time and now someone is going to get meaningful minutes.
Cont...

 

[osugrad21]

Canton

Cavs on cruise control: James leads Cleveland to 10th straight win


The Associated Press
Posted Dec 10, 2008 @ 11:22 PM
Last update Dec 11, 2008 @ 01:52 AM
CLEVELAND ?
LeBron James had to sweat out the fourth quarter for once.

The result was still the same: another Cleveland victory.

James scored 29 points, Mo Williams added a season-high 27 and the Cavaliers cruised to their 10th consecutive victory, beating the Philadelphia 76ers 101-93 on Wednesday night.

?This one, you had to earn,? James said.

James hadn?t had to sweat late too much over the last nine games, as the Cavaliers have won by a whopping average of 21.6 points.

James ? who didn?t play in the fourth quarter in six of the last seven games ? was needed in the final quarter this time.

Anderson Varejao added 15 points, and Ben Wallace had 10 rebounds for the Central Division-leading Cavaliers, 18-1 in their last 19 games, 19-3 overall and 7-3 on the road.

They are one win shy of tying the franchise record of 11 straight wins set during the 1988-89 season.

James said he hadn?t paid too much attention to the streak.

?I had to ask somebody a couple of games ago how long (the streak) was,? he said.

The Cavaliers played without guard Daniel Gibson, who will miss at least two weeks because of a toe injury, the team?s first significant setback of the season.

The second may have come against the 76ers. Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas limped to the locker room with 9:39 left in the fourth with a sprained left ankle. He did not return.

X-rays were negative.
Cont...