While We’re Waiting aims to be the round-up of the recent WFNY-esque information for your morning viewing. Have something you think we should see? Send it to our tips email in the sidebar.
“So give Cleveland credit. A lot of it. It forced the Magic to play a lot of individual basketball tonight, with only 10 assists on their 28 field goals. Nothing came easy for them, particularly for Rashard Lewis and Rafer Alston. Those two players were the heroes in Game 4 for their timely three-point shooting. Tonight? Not so much. Not at all, in fact. Lewis hoisted 13 shots–the first time he’s managed double-figure shot attempts since Game 2–and made just 4. Compounding the issue was his inaccuracy at the foul line. Orlando went 28-of-41 at the line tonight, so it was a team-wide malaise, but Lewis’ 4-of-7 showing there did not help the Magic’s cause.” [Ben Q Rock/Third Quarter Collapse]
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“They can beat the Orlando Magic, a concept that has seemed doubtful at times during this rocky Eastern Conference finals. They can do it playing their own way, even if it means having to absorb body blows and intense and sometimes unrelenting pressure. [...] If the Cavs are to steal one in Central Florida, it will probably take the same sort of effort they put forth in Game 5. Not only was it the deepest performance of the five games but it also saw some of the Magic’s unsungs stop playing like such heroes.” [Brian Windhorst/Plain Dealer]
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“The Cavs probably got some favorable calls to do it, but they sent Dwight Howard to the bench early, fouling him out late in the fourth quarter for the second time in three games. Without saying anything that would get him fined or in trouble with the league, Howard lamented his inability to play his nature, physical style underneath the basket. But it didn’t change the fact that he was spectator late in a game that the Magic still nearly stole. It will be interesting to see what kind of treatment Howard gets in Game 6.” [Kyle Hightower/Magic Basketblog]
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“Ben Wallace had no points and finished with a -19 in 16 minutes. Joe Smith needs his minutes. Like, right now.” [John Krolik/Cavs the Blog]
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“This is an ongoing thing, but why is the last minute of every quarter some kind of “LeBron goes one-on-one while everyone stands around” zone? If you’ve been scoring running “A” for eleven minutes, what is it about minute number twelve that makes you run “B”?” [Brian Spaeth/BTAA]
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“Mike Brown was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year and he proved it Thursday, not necessarily for what he did do, but what he didn’t. “Nothing tricky,” he noted. Why bother? Give it to LeBron, he told his team. Then get out of the way. So the Cavs did as they were told and LeBron James(notes), possession after possession, time after time, trip after trip, figured out what to do next.” [Dan Wetzel/Yahoo!]
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“Great game from Mo Williams. Too bad he’s shown himself to be a total toolbag in this series. [...] It’ll be interesting to see if James has ANOTHER monster game in him. I mean, he’s young, so the exhaustion shouldn’t be a big deal. Then you realize he’s the absolute ONLY thing they had for the last seven minutes, and I mean, damn, even Achilles needed a nap now and then.” [Matt Moore/Hardwood Paroxysm]
Other Cleveland Related News and Notes:
“Many thought DeRosa was the MVP of a Cubs team that won 97 games last year, with his best offensive year of his career, and the ability to play all over the diamond. Nobody was really quite sure why the trade was made, as the three pitching prospects in return were considered average prospects that might one day find a bullpen spot.” [The Blog Fines]
On Joe Posnanski, Native Americans and Witch Doctory [Cleveland Frowns]
“Heiden is missing out on what all – or, at least the vast majority – of his teammates are doing, and that’s impressing the new coaching staff. All new coaches like to bring in their own players, and head coach Eric Mangini has already sent a lot of familiar names packing. He’s using these practices in short pants and no pads to see how many others may be dispatched before the start of training camp in about two months.” [Steve King/The OBR]
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(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
