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Cavs Regular Season

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ABJ

4/20/06

Cavaliers' 50th win reason to celebrate

Focus quickly will shift to Wizards in playoffs

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - There was a game that really mattered to the Cavaliers players Wednesday night, just not at Quicken Loans Arena.
That was in Detroit, where the Washington Wizards bested the Pistons to clinch the No. 5 playoff spot. The No. 4 Cavs eased their way to the finish line mostly resting for that next battle.
The Cavs edged the Atlanta Hawks 100-99, affixing a bow to their prolific regular season as LeBron James and Larry Hughes watched in suits and other frontline players unlaced their shoes for the second half.
The finish ended up giving some excitement to the sellout crowd on Fan Appreciation Night, but the Wizards settled the real business.
The Cavs will host the opener with the Wizards in their best-of-seven first-round playoff series at 3 p.m. Saturday. It will be televised on ABC. The dates and times for the rest of the games will be announced today.
For a moment, that date was pushed to the back burner as the Cavs (50-32) celebrated their 50th victory, a feat accomplished only four times in franchise history and not since the 1992-93 campaign.
They did it with one of the best finishes in team history, winning 14 of their last 17.
``It's a big accomplishment for us,'' Cavs forward Drew Gooden said. ``Especially with a new coach and a lot of new pieces put together.''
That new coach, Mike Brown, became the first to win 50 games his rookie season since his former boss, Rick Carlisle, in Detroit in 2001-02. New players Hughes, Flip Murray, Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones combined to average 45 points a game. And of course there's James, who became just the fourth player in NBA history to average 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a season.
``I'm happy for the organization and for the guys in the locker room,'' Brown said. ``I wish we could've won more.''
They will need to win more to advance as they are now favored to do in the first round. However, after losing the season series to the Wizards 3-1, many believe that the Cavs are an underdog to advance. Wizards players and coaches have openly said they prefer to face the Cavs.
``That's good they want to play us. I'd want to play us, too,'' Brown said. ``It will be tough, I don't care who we're playing.''
The Cavs haven't beaten the Wizards since November, which was also the last time they played them with their full roster in a meaningful game. Last week, Brown pulled the starters in the second half in a loss at Washington. The Cavs' injury report is clear for the first time all year.
``If we take care of what we need to take care of, it doesn't matter who you play,'' Jones said. ``Especially the way we've been playing the last month, we've gained some confidence in our game.''
The Cavs took care of business Wednesday. Anderson Varejao took advantage of his extended minutes by scoring 14 points and grabbing a career-high 18 rebounds. Murray added 19 points, and Marshall scored 16 off the bench.
The Hawks (26-56) led by 15 points early but lost the lead against the Cavs' zone as they were content to chuck up jumpers. They missed 12 in a row at one point with a heave-and-leave for vacation mentality. They made it tight at the end behind excellent play from Josh Smith, who had 21 points, but his potential game-winning 3-pointer missed at the buzzer.
Dribbles
Gooden played the first 10 minutes of the game and was then lifted as a pulled left groin muscle, which he hurt Monday in Boston, tightened. He said he should be able to play Saturday.... The Cavs will have to submit their 13-name playoff roster before Saturday's game. Martynas Andriuskevicius will be left off as the last spot comes down to rookie Stephen Graham or Luke Jackson with Graham appearing to have the edge.... If the Cavs and New Jersey Nets somehow reach the Eastern Conference Finals, the Cavs will have homecourt advantage. The Nets lost to the New York Knicks Wednesday and finished 49-33.... The Cavs finished the season with 17 sellouts and ranked fifth in attendance, averaging 19,326.... It was the Cavs' 11 consecutive home victory.
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Dispatch

4/20/06

NBA PLAYOFFS

James will need support in postseason

Wizards will place emphasis on stopping Cavaliers star

Thursday, April 20, 2006

James Walker
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

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CLEVELAND — Even a King needs help from his royal court.
That will be vital Saturday when LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers begin the NBA playoffs against the Washington Wizards. James, averaging 31.4 points, accounted for nearly a third of the team’s scoring during the season and averaged twice as many points as Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the next highest scorer (15.7).
But historically, scoring decreases in the playoffs as teams slow down the pace and reduce possessions. There’s also planning and adjustments over the course of a sevengame series. In this case, the Wizards’ plans will be geared specifically to stop James.
Players such as Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes (15.5 points), Flip Murray (11.1) and Drew Gooden (10.8 points, 8.5 rebounds) will need to play at their peak for the Cavaliers to advance in the playoffs. James’ running mates are going to be tested to see whether they can produce.
"It’s definitely important," reserve forward Ira Newble said before last night’s 100-99 win over the Atlanta. "Not just if LeBron has an off night, but because guys will double-team him. Everybody else is going to have to step up their game. But you’re talking about an All-Star when you’re talking about (Ilgauskas). You’re talking about a double-double guy when you talk about Drew, and Larry puts up numbers. Those are good players."
Hughes and Ilgauskas have shared the role as the team’s second scoring option. Hughes returned recently from a finger injury and has scored 21 and 28 points in two of his past three games. Both of those totals came in games when the Cavaliers rested James.
"During the course of these last couple of months, he has been at 35 (points) a game," Hughes said of James. (There’s) just not a lot of room for other guys to put up big numbers, so everyone pitches in their little 10 to 15 points. But any given night, any one of us can have big nights."
James averages 23 shots, but teams will try to force him to pass more.
Shooters such as Damon Jones (6.7 points) and Donyell Marshall (9.2) should get more outside opportunities. Murray also could be an X-factor with his ability to score in bunches. He filled in well for Hughes and now will be one of the first players off the bench.
Although many Cavaliers players have playoff experience, it will be the first time in eight seasons that the team has qualified. Coach Mike Brown emphasized last night that he doesn’t want any of his players, James included, trying to do too much with so much on the line.
"With everybody under the microscope like that, everybody wants to (step up), especially if you’re on this level," Brown said. "With the crowd, the emphasis on the media, to have consecutive games on national TV, the intensity and the pressure level goes up with every level that you advance.
"The one thing you’ve got to do is stay composed."
[email protected]
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ABJ

4/21/06

Live, learn credo for Cavs

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter


<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers' first practice was in the first week of October. They've played 90 games since, eight preseason and 82 regular season. They've spent countless hours practicing and watching film. They are experts on each other.
Like in every NBA season, the journey has taught lessons. Here's an in-depth look at four things the Cavs learned and will apply in the upcoming series against the Washington Wizards:
Don't ever give up
Nearly half of the Cavs' wins this season -- 22 of the 50 -- came after they found themselves trailing in the fourth quarter.
That comeback total led the NBA and included numerous double-digit recoveries. Playing that style of basketball leads to a lot of close games and, after struggling with such contests around midseason, the Cavs ended up earning confidence in such games. Coming down the stretch, they were 13-2 in games decided by four points or fewer and 4-0 in games decided by a single point.
Play at your
own tempo
With players like LeBron James, Larry Hughes and Flip Murray, it is easy to understand why the Cavs like to push the ball and take shots in transition. However, getting into up-tempo games does not benefit them. The Cavs gave up an average of 95 points, because most of the time they work the ball in the halfcourt and take their time to run their offense. When they start getting into fast games, their success rate drops. Excluding the team's five overtime games, when the Cavs held their opponent to that 95-point average or less, they were 32-10. Meanwhile, 22 of their 32 losses came when they gave up 96 points or more and they were 14-15 against the top 11 scoring teams in the league.
James is
a clutch player
Sure, James made two game-winning shots recently, and it made everyone say he's clutch. But over the course of the season, he proved the fourth quarter was always when he was at his best. James shot 49 percent in fourth quarters during the season, his highest average in any quarter. Of the top 10 scorers in the NBA, James had the highest fourth-quarter field-goal percentage. He also averaged 7.3 points in the fourth, the second-highest total in the league behind Kobe Bryant. That is not to mention the two game-winning assists he provided and two more in the final seconds that tied games the Cavs won in overtime.
Most valuable bench
player: Anderson Varejao
Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall got the most money and the most minutes during the season. Now that Hughes is back in the starting lineup, adding Murray to that mix only makes the Cavs' reserves more formidable. However, it has been Varejao who often makes the most impact. Out of the first 34 games due to injury and still only at half strength until February, Varejao's impact after getting healthy has been profound. He has the highest plus/minus ranking of any of the Cavs' bench players. In other words, when he's on the floor, the Cavs outscore the opponent at a higher rate than any reserve. He also averages nearly 15 rebounds per 48 minutes on the floor, one of the highest rates for a reserve in the league. Finally, he takes smart and effective shots, leading the Cavs by shooting 54 percent from the field.
Graham makes cut
The Cavs submitted their final playoff roster to the NBA Thursday and decided to keep rookie Stephen Graham with the 13th spot ahead of Luke Jackson. The roster cannot be changed for the rest of the playoffs, and only 12 players are active per game. Rookie Martynas Andriuskevicius was also left off, an expected move. Cavs coach Mike Brown said the decision was based on Jackson basically missing the last two months (wrist injury).
From the Wiz
Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said Thursday that forward Etan Thomas, who missed the final three games of the regular season with a sore lower back, will be available on Saturday.
Also from Washington
Gilbert Arenas on friend and former teammate Larry Hughes:
``I don't want to say that he has any regrets... but I'll just say that he misses here.''... Antawn Jamison on the Cavs: ``Larry's going to try to have the greatest series of all time. Drew Gooden is trying to get a payday so he's going to come out well. LeBron's trying to show people that he's the MVP of the league.... Those guys are going to come in fired up. They feel like we have their number and they are going to do everything they can to change that. We know it's not going to be an easy series but I like the toughness we have and the way we match up.''
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ABJ

4/22/06

Golden chance for Cavs' Gooden

With free agency approaching, playoffs a good time to show what he can do

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Drew Gooden already has learned to live NBA life with as few regrets as possible.
Given up on twice before his third season in the league, Gooden has molded himself into a near double-double man in two years as the Cavaliers' starting power forward and has put himself in line for a major payday when his contract expires this summer.
Yet when it comes this time of year, there's something he hasn't been able to get out of his head: the memory of his rookie season with the Orlando Magic in 2003, when he played some of the best basketball of his career in a first-round playoff series against the Detroit Pistons.
Gooden averaged 14 points and nearly 13 rebounds in those seven games, but after the Magic jumped to a 3-1 series lead, the Pistons came back to win the final three games and take the series.
What Gooden can't forget is how things might have been different if he and the Magic had squeezed out one more win. The Pistons went on to win another series, then narrowly lost to the New Jersey Nets in the Eastern Conference Finals. That became the staging ground for the Pistons' run to a title in 2004 and current elite status.
The next season in Orlando, Gooden lost his starting job. The Magic proved to be the worst team in the NBA, and he was shipped out.
``It is something that has always stuck with me and was mind-boggling,'' said Gooden, who averaged 10.7 points and 8.4 rebounds this season.
``I've always wondered what maybe would've happened to the Pistons or the Magic had it gone the other way.''
So Gooden, like some of his teammates, is raw when it comes to dealing with the realities of playoff basketball. There's no doubt, however, that he fully grasps the potential of each game and its effect.
With that mentality and the realization that his postseason play is a major showcase for his upcoming free agency, Gooden has a golden chance to make up for it.
In Game 1 of the Cavs-Wizards series today, all the attention will be on stars like Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, LeBron James and Larry Hughes, but role players like Gooden often can make the difference with spurts of well-timed great play.
He delivered last time as a rookie and hopes to do it again in a key spot opposite Jamison, who has averaged 23.8 points and 10 rebounds in four games against the Cavs this year.
``I think I played well in that other series, but we didn't win,'' Gooden said. ``I've experienced some of these battles, the early afternoon big TV games, so I have a little taste. I've been looking forward to my second chance.''
James doesn't speak
James chose not to talk to the media the day before his first playoff game. He skipped a media huddle after practice and said his reason was that a Cleveland beat writer picked the Wizards to win the playoff series in six games.
Cavs officials said James, who answered questions for an extended period Thursday, was feeling a little under the weather.
Traffic web
The Cavs are asking fans to arrive early for today's 3 p.m. tip, because several streets in downtown will be closed because of the filming of Spider-Man 3. Both sides of Euclid Avenue from East 18th Street to Public Square and both sides of East Ninth Street from Prospect Avenue to St. Clair will be closed. Traffic will be detoured.
Also, fans picking up tickets at the will-call window should allow extra time due to the huge number of seats bought over the Internet and by phone.
Tickets can be picked up early. The box office today opens at 9:30 a.m. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
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ABJ

4/22/06

`Z' traveling in lane of love

Cavs center Ilgauskas makes wife, Jennifer, his center, too

By Tom Reed

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - They have known each other from almost the day Zydrunas Ilgauskas arrived here in 1996, a time when the only thing more suspect than his English and fragile feet was his command of interior design.
The former Jennifer Shafer and Ilgauskas lived across the hall from each other in the downtown Reserve Square Apartments. She was 23J. He was 23D.
The Cavaliers' 7-foot-3 Lithuanian center appreciated the little things she did to acclimate him to a new culture. Jennifer taught him how to write out bills; she gave him directions to the post office.
They were friends, nothing more. She was engaged. He was muddling through an injury-filled rookie season.
She knew him to be shy and badly in need of dishes, household items and, yes, doors. Ilgauskas had removed most of them for reasons he cannot recall.
``They probably turned that (apartment) into a museum,'' Ilgauskas said. ``The guys from Animal House would have given second thought to moving in there.''
Ten years later, Ilgauskas has a beautiful suburban lakefront home with ample amenities. None offers him more pleasure, however, than the partner with whom he shares them.
The woman from across the hall is now his wife. It's no coincidence that the four best seasons of his Cavs career have come with Jennifer as a part of them.
Yeah, LeBron James has been instrumental in Ilgauskas' resurgence, but The Chosen One can't cook like Jennifer, can't make him happy the way she does.
As the Cavs open their playoff run today against the Washington Wizards, Ilgauskas' life has never been better or more complete. It has never, in the words of Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry, had as much depth.
``You always hear about how people find someone they want to spend the rest of their life with,'' said Ilgauskas, 31. ``Or you see it in the movies and you figure it's more or less fiction.
``Ever since she has come into my life, basketball has been so much easier. The pressures that come with the game are so much easier to handle.''
Playing in pain
Rarely do pro athletes make such intimate thoughts a matter of public record. The NBA is a macho league where ``street cred'' is almost as coveted as an All-Star Game invitation.
Ilgauskas will spend this afternoon exchanging forearms with 7-footer Brendan Haywood and words with tough guy Caron Butler, who confronted Z a week ago in Washington after a hard foul sent Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas sprawling to the floor.
Despite his lumbering appearance, Ilgauskas is temperamental enough to square up on an opponent. After being bloodied by a Rasheed Wallace elbow Feb. 26, he was the only Cavalier to seek retaliation against the Detroit Pistons' power forward the following night in a game at Quicken Loans Arena.
A center who endured five foot surgeries -- costing him nearly four full seasons -- Ilgauskas has demonstrated a willingness to play in pain. He also is a sensitive individual, one who concedes it took the friendship and support of a woman to make him whole again.
Breaking down walls
She stands 5-foot-5 and gives away 20 inches and more than 120 pounds. Jennifer Ilgauskas is not a soft touch, however, and she certainly isn't anyone's trophy wife.
The Wilkes-Barre, Pa., native is independent and a woman with her own career. She has worked for years as a professional in the health-care field. Jennifer also takes care of her 82-year-old grandmother, who lives a mile from the couple's home.
``Basketball is a big part of his life, but not a huge part of ours,'' Jennifer said.
She worries about Ilgauskas. She worried even when they were friends living across the hall. There were times during the injury-plagued late '90s, when his career appeared to be in jeopardy, that he wouldn't return her calls because he was depressed.
Ilgauskas might have removed doors from their hinges, but he was good at erecting walls. He moved to the suburbs in 2000 and never took the time to meet his new neighbors. He lived in a huge house overlooking Lake Erie, but probably never had more than five guests at a time.
``It was like I had jail restrictions. You had to sign in at the door,'' said Ilgauskas, who also previously had been engaged. ``It takes a long time for me to warm up to somebody.''
From neighbor to wife
Ilgauskas never lost contact with Jennifer, though. She was drawn to his quiet nature and honesty. He appreciated her sincerity and the fact she was a fellow homebody.
They began dating in 2002. Ilgauskas earned his first of two All-Star Game nominations. The Cavs also won just 17 games.
``It was a year not very conducive to a relationship,'' Jennifer said.
James arrived the following season, and the Cavs' fortunes dramatically improved. Ilgauskas averaged 15.3 points and 8.1 rebounds as the team won 35 games. His career was on the upswing. So were his prospects of settling down.
``As a basketball player, you know you're in love when you don't want to go on the road even though you have been home for two or three weeks,'' Ilgauskas said.
The couple wed in September, 2004. Ilgauskas is one of five married Cavs.
Ferry playfully rolled his eyes when asked for a comment on the Ilgauskases (or, is it Ilgauski?). He planned to give Z grief regarding the subject but acknowledged the importance Jennifer plays.
``It's apparent to anyone who knows them how happy she makes him,'' Ferry said. ``Jennifer brings a depth to his life, a perspective away from basketball.''
Ferry and Ilgauskas were teammates on the last Cavs team to reach the playoffs in 1997-98. Ilgauskas is the lone holdover from that squad. Ferry's arrival as general manager was seen as integral in allowing the franchise to re-sign Z this past offseason.
Ilgauskas averaged 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds to rank 12th among NBA players in the league's player efficiency ratings.
``I always will consider myself a Cavalier,'' Ilgauskas said. ``If I would have left, I would have watched SportsCenter wondering what might have been if I had stayed. Cleveland is my home.''
Naked facts
The couple plans to have kids, but for now is content with a 125-pound black Newfoundland named Beckham. (Ilgauskas is an avid soccer fan.) Jennifer surprised Z with tickets to the World Cup in Germany this June. The trip would be scrubbed if the Cavs were to reach the NBA Finals.
``With the team being so much better, it's hard to plan vacations,'' Ilgauskas said. ``In the old days, you could start planning around Thanksgiving.''
Ilgauskas' sense of humor is one of the things Jennifer has drawn out. He is becoming a bona fide extrovert, taking the opportunity to meet neighbors and having 30 people, including teammate Anderson Varejao, at his home for Christmas.
``He stayed upstairs for a while, but after a few beers he was down with everyone else,'' Jennifer said.
The home is stylishly appointed, complete with dishes and doors. Perhaps the most intriguing item is a framed black-and-white photo of a nude baby Z that sits in the living room.
He smiles when questioned about it.
Thanks to an old neighbor, the walls have come down in the life of Zydrunas Ilgauskas.
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Canton

4/22/06

LeBron begins answering questions today

Saturday, April 22, 2006


<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]SPORTS SPOTLIGHT TODD PORTER[/FONT]


CLEVELAND - When LeBron James last attended a postseason game, he paid his way in. OK, when you’re LeBron, you don’t buy many tickets to a NBA playoff game. They find room for you.
James was there last year, like a kid at the carnival. He looked. He smelled. He noticed.
Most of all, though, he hungered to be there.
This afternoon, for the first time in nine seasons, King James will be on the big stage for all to see if he really is worthy. James will be the NBA’s first-round star in Cleveland’s playoff series against Washington.
“It,” James said referring to playoff basketball, “is a different ball game. The crowd is into it 48 minutes strong. The lights in the arena seem like they are brighter. It’s a different feeling. To sit on the sideline and feel the way I felt (last year), and now to be a part of it will be a great feeling.”
This is what made James a special pick for the Cavaliers. Hype without action is wasted money.
James can ascend to a new level if he plays a special brand of basketball and leads his team to a second-round series.
“You know what they say,” Cavs forward Drew Gooden said. “In the regular season, you get your name. In the playoffs, you earn your fame.”
James turned 21 in December. This is his third NBA season, and the comparisons to Michael Jordan at this point in his career are unfair.
To Jordan.
Jordan was a 21-year rookie in 1984. The Bulls didn’t win 40 games. In Jordan’s third year, Chicago went 40-42.
By his fourth season, the Bulls wised up and began to surround His Airness with a supporting cast. Still, it took Chicago six years with Jordan before Horace Grant and Scott Pippen came aboard. Phil Jackson hopped on in 1989, and a year later, the Bulls had a championship.
We have all been witness to what James has done. We have all — OK, some of us — questioned his ability to hit the big shot when the game is on the line. James has improved, but has not completely erased those doubts. It will be interesting to see him rise to the challenge in the postseason.
Can James raise his game to another level the way Jordan did the impossible?
“Oh yeah,” Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown said. “I’m not comparing him to Michael Jordan, but in my opinion, LeBron is a very good player who will be a great player some day.”
Some day.
Like next week?
Possibly.
“He has the necessary talents to take his game to the next level,” Brown said. “On a stage like this, it would be a great time to do it.
“When people bring up the great ones like Michael Jordan, I don’t know if any of them got it done right away. It will be interesting to see if LeBron can. Magic did it, but he had veterans around him.”
James has players who are learning to be role players the way Pippen did in Chicago. Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Zydrunas Ilgauskas are James’ cast.
It isn’t their responsibility to hit the game-winner.
It’s LeBron’s.
None of them are the face of the NBA. King James is the Chosen One.
Today is what Cleveland has been waiting three years to see. James rarely disappoints. He often takes his game to a new level and takes the game over.
Endorsements gave him his fame.
Today, he begins to earn it — or bring more questions to just how good he really is. We will all be witnesses. The jury is seated. Reach Repository sports writer Todd Porter at (330) 580-8340 or e-mail: [email protected]
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ABJ

5/7/06

Underdogs on a high

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter


<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers' celebration following their first playoff series victory in 13 years took place during a 30-minute bus ride and an hour-long plane ride early Saturday morning.
The task suddenly in front of them was sobering: Beating the two-time defending Eastern Conference champion Detroit Pistons.
Unlike in their 4-2 series victory over the Washington Wizards, the Cavs won't have the homecourt advantage.
They will also be significant underdogs when they begin their series with the Pistons this afternoon at 3:30 at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The Pistons, who dumped the Milwaukee Bucks 4-1 in the first round, beat the Cavs three out of the four times they matched up this season and belittled them in doing so.
The highest profile was Rasheed Wallace's hit on Zydrunas Ilgauskas in February that ripped a gash in his head.
It led to numerous questions about the Cavs' toughness and some relatively weak retribution attempts in following games from Anderson Varejao and Ilgauskas himself.
But if the Cavs are to have any shot at being competitive, they have to accomplish three major objectives:
Play good offense
It sounds rather simplistic, yet it is anything but. It goes beyond the recognition that the Pistons are one of the NBA's best defensive teams, one that held the Cavs to less than 36 percent shooting in their last two regular-season games and didn't allow them to crack the 80-point barrier in the three losses.
The Cavs' worst tendency is to stand around on offense with the ball still on the perimeter.
It has been an issue against even the worst defensive teams and leads to low-percentage shots as the shot clock runs down and turnovers. The Cavs will have a tough enough time scoring on the Pistons, who held LeBron James to six points below his season average in the earlier meetings, when they're running an efficient offense.
``We have to stay sharp and not let down because we can't afford to give them anything easy,'' Cavs guard Eric Snow said Saturday. ``Any kind of slippage and they take advantage of it.''
Getting Ilgauskas out of his slump would be a major help. He averaged just 9.8 points in the Wizards series and struggled with his usually trusty mid-range jumper. He stayed after practice Saturday to work on it. He plans to focus on his offense instead of his issues with Wallace.
``You have to keep your head because the league is keeping an extra eye on that, suspending guys left and right,'' Ilgauskas said. ``One mistake can change the complexion of the series.''
Handle the brutality
James said during the Wizards series that the playoffs weren't as physical as he'd envisioned them. That was against one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Now he's going to face perhaps the most physical team.
The Pistons have demonstrated they are not afraid to foul the Cavs hard when they come near the basket, and with it now being the playoffs, that will be increased. They don't have a terrific bench, but they are deep at the center and forward positions, which means those guys won't be afraid to give up fouls instead of layups.
``It is going to be a physical series,'' James said. ``We know they're going to be ready for us but we're not intimidated. We're all grown men.''
Manage emotions
This has been a strong point for the Cavs down the stretch of the season, but the Palace of Auburn Hills is perhaps the toughest building in the NBA in which to play. The Cavs have not won there in the past two seasons. It is the largest arena in the NBA and one of the loudest, as well. The Cavs, like most NBA teams, have a history of getting a little unnerved there.
Having won 16 of 18 games of late decided by four points or less and seven consecutive games decided by a point, a major goal is to keep the game within reach in the fourth quarter, so they can try to steal a game on the road.
``We have to play as close to perfect basketball as possible,'' Cavs guard Damon Jones said. ``Going in there it is going to be a dogfight and we're going to have to play through a lot of adversity.''
More than anything, the Cavs will need to use the entire exercise as a learning experience. They are one of the NBA's up-and-coming teams after a 50-win season and playoff series victory, but getting the top spot in the East will have to go through Detroit sooner or later.
``In order to get to the promised land, Detroit is a team we're going to have to beat,'' James said. ``They're going to be around for a while, especially early in my career.''
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ABJ

5/7/06

Don't sell Cavs short vs. Pistons

By Terry Pluto


<!-- begin body-content -->Here's a prediction: The Detroit Pistons will not sweep the Cavaliers.
Maybe that doesn't sound very bold to you, but just listen to the experts who give the Cavs absolutely, positively zero chance to win this best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal.
That's a single game, not just the series, which opens at 3:30 p.m. today at the Palace of Auburn Hills.
The prevailing NBA wisdom is the Pistons are the NBA's class of the Eastern Conference, the winners of 64 games who have been to the Finals the past two years.
The Cavaliers should be nothing more than a nice workout for the Pistons, as they motor down the road to another matchup in the NBA Finals with the San Antonio Spurs.
This is not to pick the Cavs to win the series.
But do you have any doubts that the Cavs will make Pistons coach Flip Saunders sweat a little?
Count on it right now: The Cavs will win two games.
The first probably won't be today. The Cavs are coming off an emotional series to advance and take the court about 39 hours after winning a heart-stopping, feet-stomping, emotion-sapping 114-113 decision in overtime. Now, the first game of the next series is the road against a rested, experienced team. That could be a nightmare for the Cavs and their fans.
If it is, don't panic.
Just know that these are not your father's Cavaliers. In fact, they are so new, doing things so unexpected, they still don't feel quite like your Cavaliers.
Different Cavs
Consider what you just witnessed in the six-game series triumph over the Washington Wizards.
Start with the fact that the last time the Cavs won a playoff series, LeBron James was in the third grade. That was in the spring of 1993.
Since then, they were 2-12 in the playoffs. Swept twice, booted out by a 3-1 count the other two seasons.
Right now, their postseason record is 4-2.
Or how about this: Heading into Friday night, the Cavaliers had been in Game 6 of the playoffs four times before -- and lost them all!
Here's something Cavaliers fans are still digesting: They have a legitimate, prime-time, comes-through-in-the-clutch superstar.
James won two of the games against the Wizards with shots in the final seconds.
In the past, Cavs teams seemed to always lose those kind of games to another No. 23, that one wearing Chicago Bulls red and black.
The Cavaliers won Friday's series-deciding Game 6 when Damon Jones came off the bench and out of basketball oblivion to toss in a jumper from the corner with 4.8 seconds seconds left in overtime.
Jones hadn't taken his
warmups off all night. He had played only 23 minutes and taken but two shots in the entire playoffs.
But it was Jones who delivered ``The Shot'' for the Cavaliers in this series.
In the past, it would be some guy off the bench -- a guy like Jones who has been with eight teams in six years -- who would pierce the hearts of Cavaliers fans. Instead, it was Jones, who in the words of James, ``He hit a dagger.''
Handling pressure
There's more, so much more to relish about this postseason.
For all the ridiculous early season discussion about James' failure to make game-winning shots...
Then the celebration when he began to deliver this spring and in the playoffs...
Just remember that James simply wants to make the right basketball play. He's not about to force a bad shot just to prove he has the guts to try it when the game is on the line. Nor is he interested in appeasing his critics.
He just wants to win the game, as he demonstrated Friday.
In the final 14 seconds against the Wizards, the play was designed for James to shoot. But the Wizards swarmed him. He passed to Larry Hughes, who was covered. Hughes passed to Jones, who was alone in the corner.
Jones was on the court simply because coach Mike Brown had a ``gut feeling'' someone would have to be open when James was double-teamed, and Jones can wake up in the middle of the night, roll out of bed, and drop in a 20-footer, if given enough room to get a good look at the rim.
He had that with just under five seconds left on the clock, and his shot was so good, so perfect, so true, it didn't touch the rim as it nestled softly in the net.
Two points. Ballgame.
What the Cavs did in those final, frenzied seconds was stay calm, share the ball, play like an experienced team.
Don't forget how Wizards superstar Gilbert Arenas missed two free throws with 15 seconds left, putting the Cavaliers in position to win.
Yes, pros do choke. Yes, they feel the pressure. Yes, they notice the crowd. Yes, Arenas heard James say something.
``I said if you miss both free throws, the game is over,'' James said.
Arenas later said James told him, ``If you miss them, you know who will win the game.''
Of course, you do. His name is Damon Jones.
Valuable experience
The Pistons will be far superior and more demanding opponents than the run-and-gun, let's-have-some-fun Wizards.
The Pistons give up 90 points a game, compared with 100 for the Wizards. They value defense as much as offense. On TNT, Charles Barkley works at saying the outrageous, but he might not have been far wrong when he insisted, ``If I played for Washington, I'd be their best defensive player.''
He meant now, when he's a sportscaster, not when he was in power forward shape -- and he also might be right.
The Cavaliers need to measure themselves against the Pistons in a series like this, so James & Co. begin to experience what the games are like deep in the playoffs against elite teams.
It also will give General Manager Danny Ferry and the coaching staff a chance to evaluate their current roster against the Pistons, then see what changes must be made in the offseason.
You can learn as much from losing a series to the Pistons as winning the first round over the Wizards.
In their history, the Cavaliers had never won more than one road game in any playoff series -- until this season, when they took two games in Washington.
So just watch the games with the Pistons, and don't be shocked if the Cavaliers win a few.
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Canton

5/7/06

No rest, no problem for Cavs

Sunday, May 7, 2006

<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>[FONT=Verdana, Times New Roman, arial, helvetica, sans-serif]BY Mike Popovich REPOSITORY SPORTS WRITER[/FONT]


Cavaliers
at Pistons
Game 1
3:30 p.m. today
The Palace at Auburn Hills
TV WEWS


CLEVELAND - There is no time for the Cavaliers to sit back and enjoy their playoff series win over Washington. They went back to business Saturday to prepare for a much tougher obstacle.
The Cavs and Detroit Pistons will tip off their best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series this afternoon at The Palace. Head Coach Mike Brown’s team won a wild six-game series against the Wizards. The Pistons had an easier time with Milwaukee and dispatched the Bucks in five.
Cleveland will enter as the underdog. The Cavaliers beat Detroit on New Year’s Eve, but the Pistons won the final three games with ease. They held the Cavs under 80 points in all three wins.
The Cavaliers know what is coming their way. After going through an offensive shootout with Washington, they must now face a defensive-minded Detroit team which will play physical.
“The Pistons are going to be a different animal,” Brown said.
A close, edge-of-your seat first-round series with the Wizards may be what the Cavs needed to prepare themselves for a matchup with Detroit.
The Cavaliers won their final three games by just 1 point and needed last-second shots to win all three. LeBron James hit two game-winners. Damon Jones, after sitting the entire game, hit the series clincher with 4.8 seconds left Friday.
“We have been put in a lot of different situations against this Wizards team and learned a lot,” Brown said after Friday’s win. “I believe that no matter what we go through and what we face, we learn and grow as a team. This team has fought all year, and we have never given up.”
The Cavs will carry the same approach into their series with the Pistons.
“We are a confident team,” James said. “We know we are about to face former world champs. We are going to bring the intensity we did in (the Washington) series and just try to go up there and get some wins.”
As soon as the Cavaliers have time to reflect on the Washington series, they will fully comprehend how special it was.
Cleveland last made the postseason in 1998 and had not won a series since 1993. After struggling on the road against playoff teams, the Cavaliers won two games at Washington. They rallied from double-digit deficits in both road wins.
For James, his three-year wait to reach the playoffs and win a series is finally over.
“To not be seasoned in the playoffs and to come into an environment where (the Wizards) won a playoff series last year and win two games is big,” James said. “It shows how far we’ve grown. “This is probably one of the best feelings I’ve had in a long time. ... I didn’t want to just come in here and be happy just to be in the playoffs. I wanted to try and win a playoff series. We did a great job of doing that.” Reach Repository sports writer Mike Popovich at (330) 580-8341 or e-mail: [email protected]


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