NBA’s Best Three-Man Unit: Williams, West, and James
January 15, 2009Delonte West Injury: Bad News. But How Bad?
January 15, 2009
Cleveland Cavaliers (30-6) vs
Chicago Bulls (17-22)
United Center, Chicago, IL
Thursday, January 15, 2009
8:00 PM EST
TNT/FSNOH/WTAM
Despite Rick’s urgent pleas earlier this week, Ben Wallace is still suffering with the flu and will be out for tonight’s game against the Bulls. So once again the shorthanded Cavaliers will have to try to find a way to win on the road without some key players. The Cavaliers and Bulls have split their last 10 matchups right down the middle at 5 a piece. However, the Cavs have had the recent momentum on their side, as they’ve won 3 straight against them. We’ll see if the Cavaliers can make it 4 in a row against their division rivals tonight.
Projected Starting Lineups
Cleveland Cavaliers:
-G Mo Williams (15.7 ppg, 3.9 apg, 0.8 spg, 16.10 PER)
-G Delonte West (12.3 ppg, 3.5 apg, .405 3P%, 15.46 PER)
-F LeBron James (27.7 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 6.7 apg, 32.74 PER)
-F Lorenzen Wright (1.1 ppg, 1.1 rpg, 0.1 bpg, 2.63 PER)
-C Anderson Varejao (9.4 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 0.7 bpg, 16.46 PER)
Key Reserves: Daniel Gibson, Wally Szczerbiak, JJ Hickson, Sasha Pavlovic
Injuries: Ben Wallace (out), Zydrunas Ilgauskas (out), Eric Snow (out)
Chicago Bulls:
-G Derrick Rose (16.9 ppg, 6.3 apg, 0.8 spg, 15.80 PER)
-G Ben Gordon (20.6 ppg, 3.7 apg, .414 3P%, 16.86 PER)
-F Luol Deng (13.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 1.8 apg, 14.19 PER)
-F Tyrus Thomas (8.1 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 1.6 bpg, 14.42 PER)
-C Joakim Noah (4.5 ppg, 5.9 rpg, 1.2 bpg, 15.25 PER)
Key Reserves: Larry Hughes, Kirk Hinrich, Andres Nocioni, Thabo Sefolosha
Injuries: Drew Gooden (day-to-day), Michael Ruffin (out)
Team Efficiency Stats
Cleveland Cavaliers:
-Off (101.4 ppg, 41.5 rpg, .481 FG%, .759 FT%, 20.4 apg, Eff-110.5, Rank-2)
-Def (88.9 ppg, 38.1 rpg, .420 FG%, Eff-96.2, Rank-1)
Chicago Bulls:
-Off (99.3 ppg, 41.6 rpg, .441 FG%, .798 FT%, 20.2 apg, Eff-101.9, Rank-22)
-Def (102.9 ppg, 43.9 rpg, .456 FG%, Eff-105.4, Rank-18)
Previous Matchups
- Chicago 93 at Cleveland 107 (11/05/08) [box]
- Cleveland 106 at Chicago 97 (11/08/08) [box]
- Chicago 92 at Cleveland 117 (01/02/09) [box]
Game Notes
It’s hard to believe, but unless the Bulls get into the playoffs, this is already the last time the Cavaliers and Bulls will play this season. The Cavaliers have won all 3 games so far this season, and LeBron has been outstanding in all 3 of those games. Not that that’s saying much, he’s pretty outstanding against most teams, but he has really seemed to elevate his game this year whenever the Bulls have stood in his way.
The key for the Cavaliers is simply going to be similar to the way they played against Memphis. Glide through the first half as much as possible without exerting too much energy or committing too many fouls, and then trying to step on it in the 2nd half. The Bulls pull down a lot of rebounds (granted, they shoot and miss an awful lot, too, thus creating a lot of rebounding opportunities….their opponents still get more rebounds per game than they do), and that’s going to be something to watch with the Cavaliers’ depleted front court. I’m not sure I buy into Mike Brown’s philosophy that Hickson shouldn’t start because he’s used to coming off the bench right now. I appreciate the sentiment, and obviously Mike Brown is much, much, much smarter than I am, but Lorenzen Wright just doesn’t have anything to offer on the basketball court. Ideally, we’ll see Hickson getting a ton of minutes again this game as he continues to steadily improve. I’d imagine we’ll see more of Darnell Jackson as well.
Offensively, I want to see the Cavaliers find a rhythm without Z and stick with it. In the game against Memphis, the Cavaliers were moving the ball well on the first possession and Delonte got AV setup underneath for an easy uncontested layup. On the second possession, LeBron stood around and held the ball until he finally gave it up to Mo Williams with 2 on the shot clock. Mo had to chuck up a 3 that he happened to make, but it was not in the flow of good offense. In that possession, LeBron seemed to completely change the focus and identity of the offense, and they spent much of the rest of the first half trying to figure out what they were doing. They have to break out of that habit.
Furthermore, as much as it sounds like I’m just blaming LeBron, I think Mo Williams deserves some of the blame for it as well. He is not being assertive enough offensively. And by that, I don’t mean he’s not shooting enough. No, what I mean is, he’s not running the offense. His assists are down to 3.9 per game. That is unacceptable for a starting PG. He needs to start running the ball and not just handing it off to LeBron every time down the court. I’m sure it’s not easy to say no to LeBron, but at some point Mo needs to get those assist numbers back up.
If it sounds like this is a lot of complaining, I don’t intend it to come across that way. There are just some trends that still bother me a little bit and I would love nothing more than to see the Cavaliers clean them up a bit. Their offense is now 2nd in efficiency in the NBA after being in first for almost 2 months. I realize Z is out, and the Cavaliers still managed to beat the Celtics, but come playoff time, you have to have your bad habits corrected. You cannot win an NBA title when your offense is one guy holding onto the ball until there are 5 seconds left on the shot clock. That’s just bad form, and when playing mediocre defensive teams like the Bulls, you should be trying to take advantage and figuring some of these things out.
Vegas Line
Chicago +8
Over/Under 196.5
From The Outside Looking In
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Thank You Isiah
Bull Riding
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Next Game For The Cavaliers
Friday, January 16, 2009
8:00 PM EST
New Orleans Hornets at Cleveland Cavaliers
ESPN/FSNOH/WTAM
37 Comments
Don’t expect too much Larry Hughes in tonight’s game. Apparently, he’s out of Vinny Del Negro’s rotation.
After having the schedule loaded with Bulls and Pistons matchups at the end of last season, the Cavs are done with the Bulls before the all-star bank. As much as i hate the Bulls, i would prefer the games be scheduled evenly. The Cavs are nearly done with the Bucks as well if i remember right (anybody got an idea?). With division rivals you’ve got to save some of the flavor for the end of the season. Even though the Bulls were out of the playoff picture last year i still felt the hatrid and intensity in the rivalry. C’mon NBA, lets allow the division rivals to play evenly throughout the year!
edit: all-star break…i need to stop posting at work.
As weird as it is, LeBron looks better at the four than at the three. His numbers over the last three years prove that he has played more efficiently on both sides of the floor. This is why I am thinking a trade for Camby might not really help that much…
Is it me, or does it look like Mike Brown has put on a few pounds? They making him eat a couple donuts for every win?
The arena sounds silent. Weird, especially after hearing the Q rock against the Celtics.
west has a nasty cut above his eye, that’s gonna need stitches.
First, I hope Delonte is ok. Hopefully he just needs stitches and doesn’t have a concussion. Second, the Cavs cannot afford to lose Delonte. Hopefully everything’s fine and he’ll be back tomorrow.
Mo Williams, Daniel Gibson, Wally Szczerbiak, JJ Hickson, Anderson Varejao isn’t a very good lineup. Huh….who knew? Man, the Cavs are all kinds of banged up right now.
Ben Wallace was recently voted 3rd in NBA poll for “Player you’d least like to mess with”. Notice KG is mysteriously missing from the list…
http://www.fannation.com/si_blogs/staff/posts/40601-si-players-nba-poll-which-nba-player-would-you-least-like-to-mess-with
The text poll of the night “what is your favorite Austin Carr play call?”
Get that weak stuff outta here
From deep in the Q
L-train to the hoop
Throwing the hammer down
HAHAHAHA, even Fox Sports realizes how ridiculous AC is
Damn Delonte with a fractured wrist!!!!
Oh no…
Delonte West has stitches over his left eye and a fractured right wrist. Not good. Not good at all. At least he’s a lefty, I guess.
Damn it, broken wrist has got to be at least a month…
injuries were the thing i worried about most. no west no z heading out west. not looking too good. it’s the cleveland curse.
Fractured wrist. I am no doctor, but that sounds like three weeks at LEAST.
I’m at the bar without audio… I like that I can turn to you guys for D West updates!
And yes, I know its only Thursday.
better to happen now than in april/may/etc (how long do the playoffs last? good lord…)
Dang it, depending on the severity its a month to 5 weeks at the worst, 2 weeks MAYBE if its hairline and not too horrible. This is bad for our West coast trip. very bad, Williams and Gibson and Varejao will all have to play amazingly over the next 5 and to the All-Star Break it seems in order for us to be able to at least finish this trip .500. Cleveland Curse again!
Reggie Miller just said that the Cavs gain three point shooting with Pavlovic in rather than Delonte. Incorrect.
Bad little run here from the Cavs, offense looks turrible.
Mo Strokin’
I hate Reggie Miller. I really do. He is absolutely clueless.
Mo strokes it to the north, Mo strokes it to the South…
I didn’t recognize Gooden w/o the ducktail
Lebron looks terrible tonight.
Ever notice how Reggie always says LeBron should have been called for an offensive foul. Did I mention how worthless Reggie Miller is as a broadcaster.
i have to watch the rest of the game muted. or i will throw my remote through my tv. i hate reggie miller.
Mo in the corner again…
Ouch. 7/20 FG, 6/10 FT, 0/4 3pt… not one of those shooting nights for LeBron.
@DCBucks – so does Spike Lee.
I hope the refs don’t decide this game.
why the hell does lebron take the last shot. he hasn’t hit crap all night. let mo take it. i know this will end badly.
Jesus, Rose just ran through the whole team. Sasha with his fifth foul. Easier to tweet this game – Rock and I back and forth. @dennymayo
Done.
good thing we’re up 8 games on Detroit. We’re going to need everyone of them over the next 2-3 weeks. First home loss tomorrow night. We may win 1 game out west. I hate to be so pessimistic, but without Delonte’s D we are screwed.
so the bulls beat us in OT without 3 of our starters and LeBron struggling mightily from the field. the bulls really suck.
DCBucks – You sure you’re not redirecting your hatred for Reggie Miller?
reggie, bulls, steelers, ravens, yankees, pistons… what’s the difference?