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February 22, 2010
OK Cavs fans. I’m only going to say this once. Listen carefully.
This three game losing streak is not a big deal. Step away from the ledge, take a deep breath, and calm down.
After yesterday’s 101-95 loss in Orlando, many of you are ready to jump. Who can blame you? After all, you are a Cleveland fan and it is in our DNA to assume the worst and attempt to prepare for it. But please consider the following:
The three game losing streak came on the heels of a 13 game winning streak. If the Cavs had a 16-game run where they went 13-3, would any of you be worried? Nope. But since the three games came in a row, all of a sudden the sky is falling. Also, you cannot forget that the winning streak featured the longest home-stand the Cavs had had in five years.
Consider the opponents. The first loss came Thursday night at The Q to the Denver Nuggets by two points in OT. This was their first game without Zydrunas Ilgauskas, and with Mo Williams back. It took 17 missed free throws and a Carmelo Anthony jumper with 1.1 seconds left to end the streak. There is certainly no shame in losing to the Nuggets, who are currently second in the Western Conference and are generally thought of as one of the five best teams in the NBA. Oh, and after yesterday’s beat down of Boston, Denver is now 5-0 against the Lakers, Cavs, and Celtics this season.
The next loss came on the heels of a back to backer – their first in a month – in Charlotte, a team that seems to have the Cavs number this season. The Bobcats have taken down the Wine and Gold three of the four times the teams have met. In this one, Antawn Jamison made his debut for a weary group of Cavaliers, who played an overtime game that didn’t end until 11 pm EST and had to get geared back up for a 7 pm EST start in Charlotte. The grogginess showed. Mike Brown’s bunch never seemed into it from the opening tip and were blown out 110-93. Worst of all, Jamison, the one player who was fresh, produced a horrific debut, going 0-12 from the field.
Yesterday’s loss, the third in a row, was a tough road spot against another of the NBA’s top five teams and their current rival, the Orlando Magic. In this one, the Magic came out absolutely smokin’, peaking at 62% late in the second quarter. The Cavs led late in the fourth quarter, but were again done in by the hot-shooting Magic, who nailed their last eight field goals to close out the game. Just like with the Nuggets, there is absolutely no shame in losing to Orlando. Did you all forget that the Cavs had already beaten them twice this year?
(side note – is there any team that you dislike more, right this second, than the Magic? Between Dwight Howard and the extremely unlikeable dog Vince Carter, I just despise them.)
The Jamison acquisition and the return of Mo Williams changes the rotation completely. Mo Williams is back. Delonte West is back. Antwan Jamison is in. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is out. So what does Mike Brown do now? Just like he had to at the beginning of the season, the Cavs head man is trying to figure out roles for so many talented players.
Prime example: On Thursday night, Jawad Williams played 16 minutes, while Jamario Moon got his first DNP-CD in weeks. The next night in Charlotte, Moon played 17 while Jawad played three. Yesterday, Moon never got off the bench while Jawad played 13 minutes, including some of the fourth quarter.
Boobie Gibson played so well as a starter during the 13 game winning streak, yet he will now struggle to find a role (why wasn’t he out there late in the game yesterday rather than the ice cold Mo Williams?). Not having Z on the roster now put more minutes on Shaq at the five, as well as moving Anderson Varejao to the role of backup Center, which he has rarely done this season. Also consider J.J. Hickson’s reduced role, getting Mo back into the flow, and the entire team needing to see how they work with Jamison, who still has yet to participate in a full practice with the team.
Do not forget how the team struggled early on under these same set of circumstances with Shaq, Anthony Parker, and Moon. It’s up to Mike Brown to figure out a shortened rotation and go with it. It will take some time, but by the time the playoffs come around, the Cavs should be hitting their stride again.
——
Don’t worry, this team will be fine. They are veteran laden, smart, and will re-focus once things settle down. Listen to your captain, Lebron James: “We’re going through a transition period right now. Coach is trying to figure out lineups, we’re trying to figure out certain sets but ‘Tawn is going to help us out a lot for the rest of the season.”
This is a tough stretch of their schedule (after a home tilt with New Orleans on Tuesday, they have back to back road games Thursday and Friday at Boston and at Toronto) and more losses may come. But again, they still have a five game lead over Orlando in the East and have plenty of time to get their groove back. In the end, its all about the ring anyways. And that wouldn’t come until June.
AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack
49 Comments
You could save this title for every losing streak, nothing new really it’s in the DNA of fans to react in this manner.
Great post!
It seems like Cavaliers (or Cleveland fans in general) overreact more than any other.
Also don’t forget that Leon Powe is going to take some adjusting to when he comes back tomorrow.
A perfect storm has hit the Cavaliers: The All-Star break, Mo and Delonte returning from injury, a trade, the fact that the Cavaliers ended the first half on a 13 game win streak due in large part to a predominantly home schedule and opponents played during this streak not being NBA powerhouses.
The Cavaliers developed bad habits many of which people have discussed here whether it’s LeBron wanting to demonstrate his 3 point abilities or the fact that opponents have been able to attempt shots whenever they like without much defense being put on them it just takes Mike Brown more then a game to get them back to playing his way. I personally would like to see a quicker response by the Coach of the Year but it is what it is given the perfect storm Brown has work to do. Hopefully we see a difference in the next game.
I’ll second that distain for the Magic. Fans in Orlando were world class jerks to me when I was there for the ECF’s last year (minding my own business, but wearing a Cavs jersey).
Sidebar: loved some solid, workmanlike minutes from Jawad in Orlando.
It truely was a perfect storm because we got hit with all of this right as we start a very tough stretch in our schedule. I anticipate Jamison to start soon (maybe tomorrow) and us to get back on track very soon. My only concern is the minute distribution at the big spots. I dont think Andy should lose any minutes, but if Z comes back (I’m hopeful that he will) that is a big logjam there.
“It was the Best of Times… It was the Worst of Times”
@4 Also agree.
They have been worse than us in recent years and still they act like they’re classes above us. Many of them claiming it was a David Stern conspiracy that got us Jamison. How can a hole teams fan base be so arrogant?
I agree, although…
In the end, its all about the ring anyways. And that wouldnât come until June.
If the unimaginable happens I think we can blame you for jinxing us first.
“Is there any team that you dislike more, right this second, than the Magic? Between Dwight Howard and the extremely unlikeable dog Vince Carter, I just despise them.”
Not to mention the absolutely contemptible Stan van Gundy. I remember watching the playoffs last year, and he was ALWAYS miked up, as if he couldn’t turn down the chance to be the center of attention AGAIN. Not only that, on every moment where they looped what he was saying in the huddle, he was telling his players the exact same thing EVERY TIME. I realize that if it works, go with it, but by the same token, he repeatedly demonstrated how he was anything BUT a genius. If there’s a more “me-me-me” coach (besides perhaps Phil Jackson) in the NBA, I can’t think of who it is.
@jo, people claimed it was a conspiracy when P-Gasol went to the Lakers. So standard…
in addition to hating d-howard and vince….micheal pietrus. cant stand the guy. and he always kills us.
In the playoffs, the best thing we have against the Magic is Vince Carter. He is sure to fail. (An enemy of my enemy is my friend).
@Swig Yeah this is true i suppose. But no offense to Jamison but he is no Gasol (but make no mistake Jamison was a steal). It just seems like around the league there is a hatred for Cleveland no matter what. But for what reason? When I saw Phil Jackson and Doc Rivers say that they disliked the whole trade and buyout thing I laughed out loud because they both did that (At least Rivers did with Garnett) didn’t they? I just get sick of this Cleveland hatred that has no reason
@7 jo if Magic fans believe that they aren’t arrogant they are misinformed or worse just not very bright because it’s clear the league led by Stern doesn’t do Cleveland any favors. More importantly if they were I would have liked to have seen them get us an Amare Stoudemire or maybe Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood which is no slight to Antawn Jamison who if people read my posts know I’m a big fan of, I’m just saying.
I do think Jamison is better suited to start and if you want to know the truth I think it’s time Delonte West starts again. I hate to jump on the Bash Parker bandwagon but this guy was never as great as Cavaliers fans wanted to think he was, he just wasn’t, isn’t. It’s time for Brown to put his best 5 players in the starting lineup, you don’t see Orlando benching Pietrus because the Magic want to strengthen their bench do you? A bench is a bench for a reason.
I gotta say, I’m surprised at myself for how little I am panicking right now. Yes, I was/am very upset with the loss, but I am with any loss. But normally I would be on the ledge panicking, and yet, I find myself calm and collected. While the Magic have ascended into my top 3 most hated teams in the league in 8 short months (more on that in a sec), this was a 6 point loss on the road when we were not at full strength and did not play our best game. Last year, we were lucky to win 1 of 3 against the Magic. This year, I would consider them somewhat lucky to win yesterday. This is not the same matchup that it was last year. While the Bobcats scare me slightly, I don’t think they could beat us in a 7 game series with us having home court advantage. Denver on the other hand…I would almost rather see the Lakers in the Championship Series. But still, I like where we are now, and things can only go up from here (hopefully).
As for the Magic (ranting whine warning!), if there is a player and/or team in the league that complains as much or more about CORRECT calls than LBJ, itâs Howard and the Magic. Has Dwight EVER sucked it up and admitted to committing a foul? Every single time the whistle is called against him, he stands there with his hands in the air with that big stupid grin on his face as if to say âYou just called a foul on me? But look, Iâm smiling really big! How could you call a foul on this face?â I’ve never seen someone so surprised every single time they get called for a foul. Man I wanna smack that smirk right off him⊠And as for the rest of his team, the best example that I can remember from yesterday is the fast break that LBJ had when Carter gave him a small body check as Bron went up for the layup. Was it small? Yes. Was it a foul? YES! You could actually read his lips saying âI didnât touch himâ when the foul was called. No, Vince, you DID touch him. You could have gotten completely out of the way if you had wanted to be completely soft and not just 95% soft, but you intentionally tried to shake him a little hoping that he would miss the layup, and you got caught. Suck it the eff up. God I hate the Magic.
@Swig I don’t know about that Gasol deal being a conspiracy but it was most definitely a bad trade for Memphis. That being said the Grizzles as I refer to them aren’t exactly a bad team these days so who really knows. I think it’s just fans reacting immediately as opposed to waiting to make a judgment you know like basically how everyone acts these days?
@14 I do agree we should start West, but I also think that having a strong bench is important. I think that move will help both, we can get Parker coming off the bench for his threes (much like Gibson) and West can run D especially on the other teams starters. Parker isn’t the gunner that he was made out to be but he does a decent job, i certainly wouldn’t call for his head because he does play his heart out every game. (I have noticed that he gets beat up a lot but the refs never seem to notice)
the NBA schedule is a great equalizer. i know they stunk against Charlotte and nobody wants to make excuses, like they were playing the second night of a back to back on the road against a pretty good team. however, the Denver game the night before in OT killed them for charlotte. anyone that thinks otherwise can just look at Denver’s game at Washington the same night as Cle v. Char. Denver put up a clunker against the wizards, losing by 10 including a 34-15 thumping in the 4th quarter.
@15 Were you as satisfied as I was when Shaq threw it down over Howard at the start of that game? I had a joyous laugh right there. Also Howard and his fXckin elbows…. Uses those things way too much.
Marc Stein has really softened on the Cavs. While he drops them to #2 in his Power Rankings (deserved), he basically says, “No worries, they’ll be fine”. I’ve pegged him as a hater for a long time, so that was refreshing.
Once Mo starts playing well again this rough patch will be an unpleasant memory. With Jamison getting on track, the Cavs don’t even need Mo to score 20 a game anymore, 12-15 would be great. I think it is important to realize that Jamison wasn’t brought in to take pressure off LeBron to score (he thrives on pressure), it was to create a larger margin for the secondary players like Mo to have off games. Last year if Mo didn’t get his 20 the Cavs were in for a fight. Now, if Jamison does what he showed in the second half yesterday on a regular basis, Mo can concentrate on setting up offense and waiting for good shots. He had plenty of good looks yesterday, just didn’t hit them. You know that won’t last once he knocks the rust off.
Still ecstatic about this team. This adjustment period won’t last long.
@boogeyman
I’d love to see Delonte starting, but honestly it’d be a shame for the team to get into a real groove and feel for his game just to see him get suspended and have the team searching for a rhythm again. Especially since there’s no telling when the suspension is going to happen.
re: the losing streak
In addition to Mo coming back from injury, remember it took 1-2 months for not only Brown to figure out rotations with Shaq but for the team to find a way to still get Mo going in the offense around Shaq. Adding more scoring options is certainly going to affect Mo’s game in the short term until the coaching staff figures out where to place everyone and how to use everyone together.
@jo the bench is important but based I still believe you start your best 5 period and let the bench shake out. Parker was never better then Delonte West it was only because of West’s multiple issues that Parker started. The only advantage Parker has is height and that is nullified by his lack of an offensive presence. He’s basically a taller Daniel Gibson. I would have been interested to see how Delonte West on Vince Carter at the end would have worked. Instead Brown had to go to who else but LeBron James because that is all he ever does.
Btw I cracked up when Jeff Van Gundy commented how he’d run out on the court and give LeBron mouth to mouth after Howard clobbered him with that elbow. That was an indirect shot at the Coach of the Year.
Honestly, I feel that this tough stretch may be a blessing in disguise. Last season, we continued to win right up until the end and hence, may have peaked too early. We all know what happened from there.
I anticipate and hope that the Cavs will once again start peaking closer to the beginning of the playoffs. And there will be no deeper team heading into the playoffs (come home Z!).
Finally, yes I absolutely despise the Magic.
@Colin – I totally agree with you about Stan Van Gundy. Every frickin’ time I see him on national TV, against the Cavs or someone else, the guy is mic’d up. What, do he and Doc Rivers have a side bet on who can ruin their voices sooner?
Great post! I’m no where near the panic button yet this stretch was to be expected after the trade. I am willing to admit I am close to the concerned button if we have to play the bobcats in the first round. Considering we’ve played them so poorly and Mike Brown seems slow to counter moves made by opposing offenses. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get there. GO CAVS!
I thought it was hilarious that Shaq greeted the Magic players as they walked on the court and ignored Howard. Of course the idiot Van Gundy said Howard ignored Shaq. By the way Vince Carter has always been soft and will forever be soft. I would love to see him guard LBJ in a series, it would be funny to watch.
it is not so much the 3 losses in a row that should have anyone panicking…..it is the manner in which the 3 losses have come that should be raising concerns.
1. FEAR the Thuggets. They are pretty much last years Magic and i do not want to see them in the Finals. PG’s that can tear us apart on the pick and roll and role players like Swish and Afflalo that can heat up at anytime. Oh and they have that Melo guy.
2. The Bobcats, really..again?
3. LeMVP’s shot selection being noticed. Not that its anything new, he has done this since his entrance to the league. Nobody minds it when he is going nuclear against the Pistons in the playoffs or dropping 40 on the Knicks but when he is off, he is OFF. The blame for this (in my opinion) rest solely on Brown’s shoulders. I like Mikey, he knows his current role. Let Bron Bron and Shaq run the show, preach defense and wear spiffy glasses for the camera. You just have to wonder what a coach with some clout would be telling LBJ in the locker room or huddle after jacking up 35 foot 3’s from the wing with 20 ticks on the clock.
@ Swig… how is “not winning a title” = “unimaginable”? I would think we can imagine it very well. After all, we have had just a little practice…
I guess I picked the wrong week to quit smoking!
@27 Jason Amen if anything it’s winning a title that is unimaginable!
How can you not expect us to hit the Panic button on a site called WFNY? And can someone tell me what it’s like to win a title?
The half court offense… still after a handful of seasons with Mike Brown as HC, there are far too many trips of Lebron pounding the ball into the floor and everyone else watching.
@ JPS3 – no doubt.
We have heard every explanation under the sun for this to.
– LeBron doesn’t trust Brown’s offense so he breaks off the plays.
– Brown doesn’t have an offensive game plan.
– LeBron doesn’t have viable second or third scorer options.
– Lebron doesn’t trust the second or third scoring options.
@28 I just watched Independence Day on Saturday night, haha. And I know it’s from Airplane too.
I don’t know how we lost 3 games in a row despite all the circumstances. We’re coming out of the fog though, we’ll be rolling again in no time at all.
Very seriously, why don’t the Cavs do things almost like hockey, with ‘lines’ (particularly as we get closer to the playoffs when the rotation is shorter) –
28 minutes or so: O’Neal, Hickson, James, Williams, Parker
20 minutes or so: Varajeo, Jamison, James/Moon/Williams*, West, Gibson
* When LeBron takes his rests, Moon or Jawad Williams could fill in.
That second team of the Cavs is seriously good enough to take on many teams’ starting lineups, and to have that play together as a unit consistently would be ridiculously difficult for opponents, especially if they play with a different style than the first team. Meanwhile, each unit would be completely cohesive, it would be unlikely that anyone would ever be worrying about foul trouble (if someone gets into trouble, you could honestly just switch units for a few minutes), and everyone would have tons of energy.
Figure, with the set quarterly timeouts anyway –
Q1-12:00 – Q1-3:00 – First team
Q1-3:00 – Q2-6:00 – Second team (3 minutes Lebron)
Q2-6:00 – Half – First team
Q3-12:00 – Q3-6:00 – First team
Q3-6:00 – Q4-6:00 – Second team (6 minutes Lebron)
Q4-6:00 – End of game – First team
TOTAL MINUTES:
LeBron – 36 minutes
First Team – 27 minutes
Second Team – 21 minutes
Moon/Williams – 12 minutes
@Christopher – I think we can put the other viable scoring options to rest. Delonte, Shaq, and Tawn can all get their own shot. So could Mo if he wasn’t hamstrung by LeBron. These are just as legitimate second scoring options as any other star has (other than maybe Melo).
Also, Christopher, I don’t think the way we are losing games is a concern at all–except to the Bobcats. In our lass 5 losses, we’ve only gotten BEAT twice, both by the Cats. The other 3? Sundiata D-League Gaines’ buzzer beater. Melo in OT out of the break. And a tight game against an Orlando team who needed the game a hell of a lot more than we did and played like that. Mental lapses down the stretch can be fixed. Intensity will be turned up. Now is not the time for that. It’s time for transition. Relax.
@Ezzie, the whole point of having Jamison is play pick and roll with LeBron with our shooters in the corners.
Consider the opponents.
Well then, losing in the playoffs should be no big deal then. I mean, we’ll lose to a good team, so no sweat.
One thing I can say about the Cavs is that they have personality.
The characters we have on our team could inspire another sports television series drama for ESPN like they did with the NFL for PlayMakers, instead this could be for the NBA.
Characters:
-Dancing Hometown Prima donna Superstar, that virtually owns the league
-Aging Center that says what he wants trying to chase another ring
-Silly Brazilian “Wild-Thing” Guy with a Trademark Flop move
-Coach with no Authority
-Troubled, yet funny and likable Gun Wielding Manic-Depressant
-GM who’s job is on the line
-Billionaire Owner willing to make every move to keep the franchise successful
-Slumping 1 time allstar sidekick
-Guard with a pregnant R&B girlfriend
Setting: Struggling Midwest City of Cleveland
Mission: NBA Championship or Bust
Perhaps I should pitch this to ESPN, I’d watch just to see the drama unfold.
@ jack
i totally agree with you on the other viable scoring options. In fact with everyone playing their role (shaq in the post, JJ and Andy on pick and rolls, West and Jamison on screen and rolls, Mo doing his thing and AP waiting on the wing to drop 3’s) i would go toe to toe with any other team on 2nd, 3rd and even 4th scoring options. They are there.
and it is not so much a panick or concern as it is a frustration i guess with the manner of the past 3 losses.
i definitely hear you on it taking Melo at the buzzer to beat us in OT on the other side it took LBJ needing a ridiculous line of 43 points, 15 assists, 13 rebounds, 2 steals and 4 blocked shots to get us to OT.
in 5 losses to get beat twice by the Bobcats is also a frustration. Chip teams do not let 8 seeds beat them two times.
Magic, not so much. They know we have the matchup advantage and gaining the physcological advantage on them as well.
Jack – I’m not so sure that would be the best use of him for most of most games – the Cavs first squad does great as is, let him lead the second squad and really pound team’s benches. Late in the game, perhaps, merge the best squad as one if necessary.
If you are correct, however, switch Jamison and Hickson.
I just want to know what Moon did to get on Coach Brown’s bad side. I really would like to see what Moon can do at the 2 gaurd spot coming off the bench. With Delonte starting. If he could handle the position he would be a great 2 gaurd.
@gren I think it’s more that Brown is toying with different line-ups not that he’s on anyone’s bad side. I would really have liked to see him in that orlando game though đ
The fact that Brown went with Jamison at the 3 for a game and half tells me that Mike Brown is a horrible coach. Everyone (fans and analysts) even said Jamison is stricly a PF at this point in his career and questioned Brown even questioning where to play him.
Jamison had been playing stricly the 4 ever since Caron Butler was inserted into the starting lineup for the Wizards a couple months into the 2005-2006 season.
Just because these games aren’t an indication of the future success of the team doesn’t mean they aren’t infuriating, considering the ways we lost. It is NEVER ok to give away victories at the charity stripe.
@Ezzie – That starting unit is a -32 on the season.
TS 2 DB – I like that show……pitch it.
Living in a high rise with roof access isn’t a good thing for a Cleveland fan on a 3 game losing streak….just sayin.
I have to say it, Mo Williams came back too soon. Trying to adjust Jamison and Mo trying to find the shot he seems to lose from time to time is aggravating. I thought it was supposed to be March when he came back. Where is Gibson? Moon? Can Brown answer these questions?
Jack – Really? Ouch.
Character-wise, I’m happy to hear Jamison say some of the things he said in this interview on Cavs.com
He commends the Cavs Coaching and the team saying that he had to catch himself to stop from smiling after the loss in Charlotte because the teammates were sick to their stomach after a two game skid… In so many words he was happy to be a part of a team that is determined to win and isn’t going to settle for losing.
He also goes on to admit the defensive schemes are a little difficult for him to catch on to right now.
Hopefully he settles in tonight and gets in gear. Im looking forward to a win!