Never Say Die – Cavs Extend Series
May 29, 2009Indians Sweeps Rays, Pull Within Seven Games
May 29, 2009While 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]
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vj6xy4jqr1s]
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(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
16 Comments
Man I am sick of hearing about how Dwight is getting bad fouls called against him. The guy is a hacker who loves to throw elbows. If a guy is driving the lane you need to beat him to the spot, set yourself and take a charge. Running to a spot and jumping at someone is a fuld plain and simple. It’s not ‘good physical play’ it is a foul
I am done listening to the Magic and there fans whine. If you look at each one of their players after a foul is called they always have there hands up and pained look on their face. Apparently they havent committed a single foul this entire series. They can keep whining all they want.
@1 i can’t think of a better example of a foul then Howard’s sixth. He was late getting over, didnt jump straight up, and clobbered LeBron. What does he have to do to be convinced he committed a foul?
I’m just getting sick of Van Gubdy running around with his hands on his head screaming like he can’t believe what he’s seeing. I’m glad Mike Brown doesn’t act like just a jack@ss everytime the Cavs get called for a foul.
Orlando is a team full of Andy Varejaos when it comes to reacting to foul calls.
“No kudos to Dwight for continuing to chirp and toss that sarcastic smile after every call that doesn’t go his way. Just cut it out, please. And the clapping? Dennis Rodman used to get a dozen technicals a year for clapping alone. ” – Kelly Dwyer
Orlando attempted 7 more free throws than Cleveland, and fouls were about even 25-27. I just don’t see how the officiating is so “one-sided”.
For the series- Cleveland has committed 127 fouls while taking 148 free throws. Orlando has been whistled 116 times and shot 158 freebies.
I know that Cleveland has intentionally fouled Dwight often, but LeBron gets fouled intentionally too, either to keep him out of the open court, or a hard foul so a good shot can’t be made.
Every phantom call against Howard only cancels out the 14 billion hip checks on screens that don’t get called in every game he plays.
@ # 4 Denny. I think Turkoglu might be a card-carrying member of the Screen Actors Guild. Did you see him flailing his arms about like a hibachi chef when Delonte got his hand near the ball that Turk had lost control of? Granted, this kind of thing is part of the sport. It doesn’t make sense to knock guys for doing it. It is comical at times, though.
That’s a great photo of … leadership.
I doubt any coach commands the respect of the players the way LeBron does.
How many points does Mo Williams have to score in order to avoid hearing that LeBron ‘had no help’? I thought they were looking for 20 from Mo, but I guess that isn’t the number. Mo goes for 24 and three others besides LeBron are in double figures. But he got no help.
@ Rick,
That’s what I’m so perplexed about today. Oh, “LeBron did it all” last night in the fourth quarter. OK, game five against Detroit was all LeBron, but last night LeBron didn’t score all the points nor did he didn’t defend all the outside shooters.
It was a team effort led by LeBron. It was what gave the Cavs 66 regular season wins and it is what gives them a chance Saturday night.
The biggest thing I liked during the Cavs performance was the way they were able to get on the break. It had Orlando worn down and created an incredible amount of opportunities for points – whether that be foul shots, lebron driving, or lebron penetrating and dishing. If they continue to run the cavs offense the way we are used to seeing it, then I feel extremely confident in their ability to push a game 7.
Those numbers about Wallace don’t really tell the true story. He may have been -19, but I felt he contributed greatly to the game. He battled with Howard and kept a couple loose balls alive. He did miss a couple shots, but atleast he went strong.
But the point on Smith is valid. Where is he? He can guard Lewis just as well as Wally, probably better. And he’d give us another inside option, especially when Z is floating on the outside.
Achilles may have needed a nap now and then, but his ankles and feet weren’t dipped into the River Styx, so he was vulnerable there. LeBron was completely submerged in it, and he was conceived from the Force, so we can expect a little bit more out of him than Achilles.
I think LeBron just listens to Styx before every game and immerses himself in awesome, thereby becoming invincible.