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Cavs-Wizards 1st round playoff series

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Tough loss, but for once I will agree that officiating had an affect in this game. LBJ picking up his 4th in the 3rd forced the Cavs to change the gameplan. Washington is a good but not great home team so I think we can hang with them until coming back home. Tough loss, not devestating though. LeBron had a bad game and this still went down to the wire.

Right now the way the Tribe is playing is more frustrating than this.:pissed:
 
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IMO the only real bad call was when Arenas drove down the lane and clearly pushed off with his off arm and they called the block. But I can't be too mad, b/c I am guessing if that is in the other direction and LBJ drives it goes in our favor.

IMO I think Brown needs to take full responsability for this loss. He didnt use his timeouts and substitutions well at all in this game. He didnt play DJ and Marshall enough to stretch the D and when Gooden was playing well he took him out. As for the timeouts it was a tough spot there at the end b/c they wanted to go for a quick shot and then foul and then be able to call the timeout the next time, but if Brown doesnt piss away his timeouts we have 2 at the time and I honestly think we would of won the game.

Another bonehead play was Hughes with about 40 sec. left, when he was set on taking the shot, and he should of given it up to LBJ. I know it is hard for a superstar to play that second fiddle at times, but with him not being there all season and not being fully back in his rhythm yet, I think that ball has to go to LBJ.

This is a tough one to swallow in the playoffs b/c you hate to lose at home, but there is no way that LBJ plays that horribly again and I think we can take at least one in Washington if not 2. If we come back home down in the series, I don't think that will be a good thing.
 
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I said I thought the officiating was bad. Not that I thought the Cavs were getting screwed. The Cavs screwed themselves. The officials were inconsistent in all directions tonight. Hell, LeBron got an 3-point play opportunity on a play where he wasn't even touched.
 
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ABJ

4/26/06

Cavs turn over advantage

James struggles, Wizards get even in series

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - The Cavaliers were hoping for a Game 1 carryover Tuesday night. Instead, they got a hangover.
As was expected, the Washington Wizards ratcheted up their intensity in an effort to even the series in Game 2. What was not expected was the Cavs' inability to match it, especially their superstar.
The Wizards' leaders came with renewed vigor, and LeBron James played one of his worst games of the season as the Wizards beat the Cavs 89-84 to tie the series at 1-1.
In one swoop, the Wizards grasped the homecourt advantage. Now the series is really on, and the Cavs will have to win one at the Verizon Center if they want to advance.
After the Wizards' trio of scorers -- Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, and Caron Butler -- were off their game in the series opener, going just 15-of-47, they all came ready Tuesday. Arenas scored 30 points, Butler and Jamison both had 21.
On this night, the Cavs were the ones looking clumsy and sluggish. After an initial early burst that saw the Cavs jump out to a 15-point first-quarter lead, the Wizards were the aggressors and the executors. Considering the Cavs' recent play, having won 12 in a row at home and 15 of 18 while being dominant in the fourth quarters, it was surprising.
Look no further than James to get the explanation. After owning Game 1 with his smooth decision-making and cool attitude, James was wild and confused. Instead of double-teaming him constantly, the Wizards played him straight up and looked to keep bodies in his usual passing lanes. Usually very adaptive, James struggled to make the right decisions and deliver passes on time and on target.
He constantly turned the ball over, 10 times in all, which tied a career high and was his most this season. The Cavs had 17 turnovers in all, leading to 26 Wizards points.
When the Wizards' big three are scoring, it usually means they are forcing turnovers.
``We withstood their run early and the energy in the building,'' Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said. ``We made LeBron beat us one-on-one and tried to take care of the other four guys.''
The Cavs might have been able to survive those miscues as they have with James' runs of turnovers for three years had he been more effective at the offensive end. Jared Jefferies did a good job making James work to get position, twice drawing charges. Butler and the other Wizards were also very physical with him, pounding him whenever he got near the hoop.
Yet James missed a handful of what are usually routine layups for him and even, gulp, an open-floor two-handed dunk. He did find a way to get 26 points, but he was just 7-of-25 from the floor.
``They did a great job of not letting me get up to the rim,'' James said. ``They were very physical.''
James' supporting cast was mostly absent as well. Larry Hughes had 16 points, but it took him 16 shots. Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Donyell Marshall and Flip Murray, a trio that combined for 39 points in the opener, collectively were a miserable 5-of-24 for just 14 points in Game 2.
Only Drew Gooden raised his level of play and kept the Cavs in the game for the most part. He scored 24 points on 11-of-12 shooting and had 16 rebounds. Despite Gooden's sharpshooting, the Cavs shot just 36 percent.
Still, the Cavs were behind by just three and had the ball with 18 seconds to play. Appropriately on this night, Anderson Varejao turned it over.
``It is going to be a dogfight now,'' James said. ``No series is won in two games.''
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ABJ

4/26/06

Have faith in Cavs, James for Game 3

By Terry Pluto

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - Cavaliers fans, no reason to panic.
You've just been re-introduced to the playoffs.
As you stare at the box score of the Cavs' 89-84 loss to the Washington Wizards on Tuesday night at Quicken Loans Arena, ask yourself a few questions.
Have you seen LeBron James more confused, more frustrated in a big game?
Before answering that question, just remember that just as easily as the Cavs lost this Game 2 of the best-of-seven first-round series, they can win Game 3 on Friday night in Washington.
Because of James, the Cavaliers can do that.
How many times have we seen James at his best after a game where he was at a low point?
This was the kind of game after which James will bite those fingernails down to his knuckles. He also had a statistical shocker -- 26 points, nine rebounds and, yes, 10 turnovers.
Even more disturbing was James having only two assists, shooting a rim-bending 7-of-25 and missing a wide-open two-handed reverse slam.
James stared at the rim as if someone had moved it as he soared to slam.
He then looked at the floor, as if something was wrong with his shoes.
He shook his head, probably trying to remember when was the last time something like that happened.
Probably in the third grade for this basketball prodigy.
That's right, James missed an uncontested dunk.
That's right, 10 turnovers to two assists.
That's right, 28 percent shooting from the field.
Actually, none of that is right if you know James.
This is not meant to put down the Cavs' 21-year-old star. It is simply to point out that he had a miserable performance, especially coming off Game 1.
He had 32 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in the Cavs' impressive 97-86 victory in the series opener Saturday.
And the Cavs nearly won, anyway.
The problem wasn't just James.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas seemed like a man lost in an airport, unsure of where to stand in line, where to find his luggage, how to flag down a cab.
In 30 minutes, the 7-foot-3 center had only nine points (3-of-13 shooting), with seven rebounds.
And the Cavs' reserves who were so effective in Game 1?
Give them five points, 2-of-11 shooting in 51 invisible minutes. Anderson Varejao had more fouls (four) than rebounds (three).
The only Cavalier who really distinguished himself was the relentless Drew Gooden, who had 24 points, 16 rebounds and missed only one shot.
Washington's Big Three of Caron Butler (21 points), Antawn Jamison (21 points) and Gilbert Arenas (30 points) all had good games.
There are reasons that emphasis is given to a team having the homecourt advantage, which the Cavs do in this series. That's because in any series, if each team wins a road game, that sets up a Game 7 -- and the home court really counts.
There's something else for Cavs fans to realize.
They've never had a superstar like James in the playoffs. Just as Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and other greats have been able to neutralize much of the homecourt impact for the opposition, James can do the same in Washington this weekend.
It's just human nature in the NBA, but stars often receive favorable treatment from officials regardless of where they play. James also can silence an opposing crowd with a dunk, a pass, a slice-and-dice drive.
James is a bright player. He'll look at the game tapes. He'll study what the Wizards did to defend him -- which was basic double teams, nothing especially complicated.
What the Cavs need to do is find a way for James and his teammates to get the ball to Ilgauskas near the basket. They need to play with the same defensive determination that they showed in Game 1.
What was this game?
Just one loss, nothing more.
Except perhaps a chance for James and his teammates to grow a little more.
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ABJ

4/26/06

Rooting for the home team

Fans at The Q finally have a team they can -- and do -- cheer for

By Tom Reed

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->CLEVELAND - LeBron James recalls coming to Quicken Loans Arena as a high school student and cheering for star players opposing the Cavaliers.
He wasn't alone. When Kobe Bryant hit town as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers or Allen Iverson arrived with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Cavs needed an early lead just to take the crowd out of games.
As a St. Vincent-St. Mary senior in the 2002-03 season, James played before as many sellouts (two) in the arena as the Cavs. ``More people were clapping for the opponent than the home team,'' James said of the Cavs' games.
Those days are gone. It has taken more than a decade, but the Cavs finally have established a legitimate home-court advantage. Unfortunately for a sellout crowd of 20,562 fans Tuesday night, the Cavaliers fell to the Washington Wizards 89-84 at The Q.
The Cavs had a 12-game home winning streak snapped. The series is tied at 1-1 and shifts to Washington for the next two games, beginning Friday night.
Gilbert Arenas led the Wizards with 30 points. James had 26 points for the Cavaliers. The series will return to Cleveland next Wednesday night; another sellout crowd is expected.
``The difference here is amazing,'' Cavaliers guard Ira Newble said. ``I used to come in here and there would be, like, 1,000 people in the stands. It was depressing. It was like a (recreational) league game. The crowd Saturday (for Game 1) was unbelievable. It had the same atmosphere you find in Detroit for Pistons playoff games.''
It was no different Tuesday.
Despite the gloomy conditions, the Gateway Plaza hummed with excitement and possibility. The Indians were hosting the Boston Red Sox across the street in a game that drew 18,438 fans. City streets were choked with traffic. The only major accidents were fictional. Camera crews are in town filming scenes for Spider-Man 3.
``It's a pretty exciting time around here right now,'' said Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry, whose team had the NBA's fourth-best home record (31-10) in the regular season.
Ferry played on what was the most recent Cavs team to reach the playoffs -- 1997-98. He has marveled at the region's support of this team down the stretch and into the playoffs. The Cavs have sold out their last four games and 19 overall. The season's average attendance (19,327) is the second highest since the arena opened in 1994.
``The fans had a lot stored up, and they let it go,'' Ferry said. ``The place was ready to explode'' Saturday.
It was that way again in the first quarter Tuesday night as the hosts raced to a 15-point lead. It looked for a while as if the Cavs and their fans would enjoy another relatively stress-free game. The Wizards never seriously threatened in Game 1.
Cavs fans, however, were re-acquainted with the emotional ebb and flow of postseason basketball. They cheered a thunderous third-quarter alley-oop dunk by James only to groan later over a rare botched dunk from him.
The Wizards played with a greater sense of urgency. They gradually took control of the game in the fourth quarter.
Few in the sellout crowd left even as the Wizards built their lead to eight points. The loyalty looked as if it might be rewarded as the Cavaliers cut the lead to 87-84 with less than a minute left.
But the Wizards were able to hold off the late rally.
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scarletngrey77 said:
Well Lebron got fouled hard, and after that he couldnt make a lay-up to save his life....

Gee...I wonder if he gets the shit knocked out of him again in Washington? He showed that he was scared.
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Eddie Jordan made it pretty clear in his post-game comments that anytime Lebron brings it to the paint, he's going to get fouled hard. He tried to gloss over it and say that it wouldn't be anything intentionally flagrant, but by admitting that he's instructing his players to commit hard fouls, that's what he's saying.

I'd be scared too to take it to the rack if I knew the other team was going to foul me hard, possibly ending my playoffs or seriously damaging my career. Implied threats of injury to intimidate the opposing team is gutless. Basketball is a physical game. But intent is not supposed to be part of the equation. I didn't like it when the Bad Boys did it to Jordan, and I like it even less now. Any old no-talent hack like a Brendan Haywood can fuck up a player going to the basket if he nails him intentionally.
 
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