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Cavs Regular Season

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ABJ

4/7/06

Focus zeroes in on James for MVP

Brown doubles media availability in efforts to hype forward's chances

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->NEW YORK - The schedule has put the Cavaliers in the media capital of the world for four days in the season's stretch run, and they're looking to take advantage.
With the playoffs locked up and homecourt advantage within reach, the team is starting a blitz to get LeBron James consideration for the 2006 Most Valuable Player award.
Before Wednesday's game against the Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Cavs coach Mike Brown doubled his usual media availability and made his case for James becoming the youngest player to claim the honor.
``I've coached Most Valuable Players (Tim Duncan in San Antonio) and I've been around other MVP candidates in my career,'' Brown said.
``LeBron is having an MVP season, no doubt.''
In the coming days, the Cavs will compile a resume for James and will send it to MVP voters. There are 127 of them, with three votes going to newspaper beat writers and broadcasters who cover each of the 30 individual teams. The remaining 37 go to national newspaper, magazine and prominent Web site writers.
Various national broadcasters are also included in the voting.
The NBA league office sent the ballots to media members last week.
The Cavs will put together a list of James' season highlights. It will focus on where his statistics rank in history and his performance in the clutch.
The most salient statistical point is that he has become the fourth player in history to average 31 points, seven rebounds and six assists in a season. The others are Michael Jordan, Oscar Robertson and Jerry West. He is also just the third player in 36 years to score 35 points or more in eight consecutive games.
James has led his team to the playoffs for the first time in eight years -- despite playing 45 games without the injured Larry Hughes. Nine times, he has put his team ahead for good in the fourth quarter. He also has several assists that have led to game-winning baskets.
James has won Eastern Conference Player of the Week four times this season and Player of the Month twice.
Aside from those breakdowns, the Cavs will attempt to buttress all the numbers with comments from high-profile players and coaches endorsing James for the award. From the Cavs, Eric Snow will become front-and-center spokesman on James' behalf. The veteran-statesman Snow played alongside Allen Iverson in 2001, when Iverson won the MVP award.
James will let the Cavs and others do the talking for him. Privately, he wants to win the award; publicly, he'll stay neutral.
``I've always said that I don't care about individual accolades,'' James said. ``I just care about us playing well and getting wins.''
Ilgauskas update
The Cavs took Thursday off in New York and will practice in the city today in preparation for Saturday's game at New Jersey. The Cavs should know today if Zydrunas Ilgauskas' sprained left ankle, which caused him to miss the Knicks game, will allow him to return to the lineup. There is some hope he could return, but it doesn't appear likely.
``I would like to play, but I don't know,'' Ilgauskas said. ``I don't want to go out and make it worse and have it linger through the playoffs.''
Jones All-Access
Cavs guard Damon Jones will be featured on NBA Access with Ahmad Rashad this Saturday in a segment about his relationship with stars like James and Shaquille O'Neal. It was filmed several weeks ago and includes a high-stakes, post-practice shooting game in which Jones came out on the losing end.
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Dispatch

4/7/06

Rumblings......

Since he returned from

a finger injury Tuesday, Larry Hughes has been backing up Flip Murray. But he is likely to slide back into the Cavaliers’ starting lineup by the time the playoffs begin in two weeks. Coach Mike Brown loves Hughes’ height, scoring and ability to shut down the opposing team’s best player.


Still, how this plays out will be interesting. Murray has been hot in Hughes’ absence (he has missed the past three months) and one reason the Cavs were able to acquire Murray from Seattle is that he was having chemistry problems there with Ray Allen. Presumably, Murray was looking for more of an opportunity to showcase his talents with free agency looming.
Murray is saying he will accept whatever role Brown gives him. Whether he does, and the Cavs are the better for the changes, remains to be seen.
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crazybuckfan40 said:
I woud sit Z for a couple more games. Might as well get Varejao some time.

There is too much to lose and not enough to gain if he comes back b4 he is fully healthy. It doesnt sound like the ankle is too bad tho.
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I agree. I really hope Z is back to 100% for the Pistons game Wednesday, but the Cavs don't really have anything to lose if Z doesn't play for a while. It will be good for them to figure out how to get the most out of everyone when Z isn't in the game. The Cavs have all but locked up the 4 spot in the playoffs, but they need Z completely healthy to do anything in the playoffs.
 
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Big Game today against the Nets. The Nets and us are easily the hottest two teams in the Eastern conference right now.

It should be a good one to watch. I don't think Z is going to play, so we are not goign to have the inside presence, so we are going to need to beat them from the outside. Hopefully our 3's are falling.
 
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ABJ

4/8/06

James' confidence increases

Cavaliers star becoming more comfortable in fourth quarter as team reaches hot streak

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->NEW YORK - When this Cavaliers season is finally done, there will be tangible progress: an impressive win total, a playoff bid and an as-yet unfolding postseason performance.
It's the stuff you can't put into numbers that has excited the signature star, however.
Reflecting on his regular season after practice Friday, LeBron James said he has undergone a metamorphosis in his confidence and understanding over the last few months. This realization has surpassed any achievement of his young career.
Leading his team on a crucial hot streak was one thing, doing it by delivering in various ways in the all-important fourth quarter has been another.
``I feel like these last few months were a turning point for my career,'' James said as the Cavs prepared to face the New Jersey Nets and their 14-game win streak this afternoon.
``I don't feel like it is ever going to leave me. It's night and day. I'm 10 times better than my rookie season and five times better than last year. I'm a different player and it's showing.''
Since March 5, James is averaging 10.5 points in the fourth quarter. Nine times in the 16 games, he has scored 10 points or more and four times, he has scored 18 points or more in those games. The Cavs have gone 12-4.
Wednesday night in the Cavs' loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, television cameras caught James telling opponents the game was over despite his team's two-point deficit. His 21 fourth-quarter points carried the Cavs back from a 19-point deficit. Larry Hughes' game-winning 3-point try missed and the Cavs' nine-game win streak was snapped, but James' confidence in the situation represented his mood shift.
It was in contrast to earlier this season, when a series of faulty fourth quarters earned him sharp criticism. Yes, there were those three games in January when he was unable to perform last-second heroics, but there also was a series of games around midseason in which James didn't make a basket in the fourth quarter.
``I realized in order to become one of the greats in this game today you have to be clutch down the stretch,'' James said. ``I want to be of those greats.''
James still hears it from critics who think he shouldn't be passing late in games. But the attitude plus the numbers continue to support his path.
``I'm just being more aggressive. I have a lot more confidence and I've gotten better,'' he said. ``I want the ball in my hands. I feel like I can make plays.''
Ilgauskas to sit
Zydrunas Ilgauskas did not practice with the Cavs on Friday and won't play today against the Nets, although the team still has him listed as ``doubtful,'' not ``out.'' He said the swelling in his sprained left ankle was down and he was out of the plastic protective boot, but that the ankle was still sore. Ilgauskas will next test the ankle during the team's workout Sunday in Oklahoma City and hasn't ruled out playing Monday against the Hornets.
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buckeyeboy said:
100% agreed. I am admittedly ridiculously biased, but especially considering the way that LeBron's stepped up his game lately, he should be a shoe-in for MVP.
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That was amazing how he made that 3 point play with like 50 seconds left.

He had 3 freaking guys holding and grabbing him and he still made it...amazing...

Lebron got pissed because the officials missed a foul call when he took it to the basket at the beginning of the fourth, after that he just took over...

Hughes also looks like he is improving. We just beat the hottest team in the league at their homecourt without Z.
 
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I was unable to see the game as I was at the jersey scrimmage and then had other stuff to do, but I am really happy that they beat the Nets. I am just curious how the D was today. These are the types of teams we need to be able to D up in the playoffs.
 
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crazybuckfan40 said:
I was unable to see the game as I was at the jersey scrimmage and then had other stuff to do, but I am really happy that they beat the Nets. I am just curious how the D was today. These are the types of teams we need to be able to D up in the playoffs.
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Our defense in the first half was awful. Every single nets guard was able to easily get penetration and kick it out. There were times when it looked like all five nets players were open and any one of them could shoot a wide open jump shot.

In the second half, mostly the fourth quarter we stepped it up, even though Hughes and Lebron had 5 fouls.

Lebron also made all four of his free throws at the end of the game. The play of the game though was when we were down by three with 50 seconds left, and Hughes made a steal and Lebron had 3 guys grabbing him and he flipped it up and still made it in and made the foul shot to tie it.
 
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Wow, talk about a statement game. To be honest, I gave them little chance on the road against the hottest team in the league without Big Z. These guys are starting to really gel and seem like they EXPECT to win every game. I think at this point we may be the most dangerous team in the league heading into the playoffs. Lastly...with the way he has played in the last month or so, LeBron should get some SERIOUS consideration for MVP.
 
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