February 22, 2012

On Kyrie Irving and the Comeback Kids

February 22, 2012 By 7 Comments

A three-ball from the top of the key. A cross-over move from the left elbow that found fellow rookie guard Brandon Knight wondering what the heck just happened as the ball fell through the nylon. And an Alonzo Gee steal turned into a 360-degree, over-the-shoulder, no-look pass back to the athletic wing for the unabated dunk.

The entire sequence took roughly one game minute, but it was just the momentum the Cleveland Cavaliers needed to extend a lead against the Detroit Pistons, a lead they would never relinquish thanks to consistent defensive efforts across the board coupled with timely conversions on the offensive end. A lead that would ultimately end in a one-point win at home — their second consecutive win by the narrowest of margins. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , , , ,

Cavaliers’ Rematch with Pistons An Important One

February 21, 2012 By 5 Comments

Samardo punished the Pistons frontcourt last game

Welcome back Manny Harris!

Forget all the other story lines, the big news in this game is the return of Manny Harris to the wine and gold, right? Right?

Basketball is funny. I don’t know why, but there always marginal players out there who become my guys. They come in different shapes and sizes, but there are always certain players that catch my eye and capture my basketball heart.

Manny Harris is one of those players. I’m well aware of his limitations and I know how measured his upside is. I know he’s a Wolverine and I’m a Buckeye. But I like the guy. I like his story, I like his game, I like his attitude, I like his heart. I’m glad to see him back in uniform tonight, and I hope he can have his own Jeremy Lin type story. Well, ok, let’s set the bar a little lower. I’d be pretty happy just to see Manny get some minutes and prove effective enough to earn a permanent roster spot.

So with that out of the way, let’s get down to business discussing tonight’s game between the Cleveland Cavaliers (12-17, 9th in the East) and the Detroit Pistons (11-22, 11th in the East) at the Q. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

Welcome Back, Tristan Thompson

February 20, 2012 By 68 Comments

It seems like just last week when we were rolling out the red carpeted box score for first-overall selection Kyrie Irving. Missing three games thanks to a wayward Dwyane Wade kneecap, Irving returned with the vengence and consistency we have come to appreciate over the first two months of his rookie campaign.

The juxtaposition between he and fellow freshman Tristan Thompson — aside from the obvious polar opposite approach to on-court difference-making — had multiple folds. Irving’s injury didn’t exactly occur within the flow of the game; his head collided with Wade’s knee after a foul on the point guard’s way to the basket.  Once medically cleared, he was able to pick right up where he left off. Thompson had to take things at a slightly slower pace. His game, rooted in the two springboards which you or I would call “legs,” relies on one of the body parts he injured through the course of a contest. “Bouncey,” as he says.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , ,

Trying To Move On After Cavaliers Get Smashed By Heat Again

February 18, 2012 By 10 Comments

The game itself was a complete let-down. It was boring, there was no real effort coming from the Cleveland side, and as soon as it started it was over. After Dwyane Wade made a free throw six minutes in, the Heat led 21-2. It ended 111-87, with the Cavaliers down 24, and the loudest cheers of the night from the home crowd came following each time the Cavs battled back to momentarily cut “the diff” to under twenty.  Super exciting stuff.

Kyrie Irving and the Cavs get smashed by Heat

I’m not sure there’s too much deeper meaning to found in this Cavaliers loss either. Other than the fact that they had no real chance at all to compete heading in without Anderson Varejao I guess. Maybe they collectively knew that too I suppose, and maybe that had something to do with them not actually competing also. Who knows, who cares. Even if they did play a collectively perfect game last night, they probably would’ve lost anyways. So on to the next one.

But before I can get to that next game on Sunday at home against the Sacramento Kings, there’s a few things I have to first admit. Or mention, or just tell you here because I felt like I needed to tell somebody. I found myself reading Woj’s article last night as the Heat lead ballooned to twenty and then thirty points multiple times. I actually read every word in the report three times to be honestly specific.  I’m not sure if that’s a weird thing to do, it probably is, but I did it.

The reason was because the whole thing completely just blew my mind. Not just Woj’s report, but that report as an exclamation mark after the events that proceeded it. Fox Sports Ohio’s Sam Amico reported this first a month ago. Then LeBron James opens his mouth, backs up every word, and even adds more to the already bizarre narrative. Then Woj comes in does what he did. LeBron denied it, nobody believes him, things got weird. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With:

Familiar Faces Return to Cleveland as Cavaliers Host the Miami Heat

February 17, 2012 By 1 Comment

Cavs have one last chance to stop LeBron and the Heat this season

The LeBron James circus is in town Friday as the Miami Heat (23-7, 2nd in the East) and the Cleveland Cavaliers (11-16, 10th in the East) square off for the final time this season.

In each of the first two matchups between these two teams, the Cavaliers played tough, hanging in there with Miami through 3+ quarters. But just as an older brother sometimes lets his younger brother hang around before ultimately playing hard at the end to beat him, so too did the Miami Heat manage to play hard in the final minutes and put the Cavaliers away. We’ll see if the 3rd time is the charge for Cleveland or if the injuries and talent deficiency will just be too much to overcome yet again.

Cleveland will once again be without Anderson Varejao, Anthony Parker, and Daniel Gibson. With their only two true SGs on the team out, the Cavaliers will turn to Alonzo Gee to start at SG, leaving Ramon Sessions and Ben Uzoh as the only guards on the bench, and both of them are PGs. I’d expect to see a lot of Sessions at PG with Irving sliding over to SG when Gee is needed either at SF or on the bench. It’s not an ideal situation to move guys around when playing a team as tough as the Heat, but this is part of why the Cavaliers’ flexibility was listed as a team strength before the season. There are a lot of interchangeable combo players on this roster, and it should make things a little easier to adjust. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

LeBron James’ Comments on Returning to Cleveland Well- and Curiously-Timed

February 17, 2012 By 40 Comments

Did LeBron just attempt to put out the fire?

There is a relative opportunity cost to having two days of rest amidst an otherwise condensed schedule of NBA fervor. At least this is what I thought when initial discussions surrounding a potential LeBron James return to Cleveland started swirling.

Since James’ departure, there had always been grumblings surrounding the relative lack of accouterments down in Biscayne Bay; no longer did James — or anyone close to him — have the ability to just come and go as desired, to use, or even abuse, team facilities and airborne amenities. Things just were not as cushy as they were during his seven seasons in Cleveland and Miami’s franhise curio cabinet still only held one Commissioner’s Trophy. Perhaps the honeymoon was over.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , ,

WFNY’s 2012 NBA Draft Not-so-Big Board 2.0

February 16, 2012 By 20 Comments

With the All-Star break approaching and the dust beginning to settle, we will start to change up our Not-so-Big board to cater to where the Cleveland Cavaliers can be anticipated to make their selection. No longer can we just anticipate top-three or top-five as the Wine and Gold find themselves 2.5 games behind the eight-seed New York Knicks.

We will be operating under the assumption that, as of now, the Cavs will not be drafting in the top-five this summer.  Sure, the lottery can work wonders — it did just that this past year.  That said, you’ve seen enough of these Boards to know which players we prefer in the event luck bounces Cleveland’s way once again.

If anything, this updated format will lend insight into any relative drop-off between the top-five and the top-10.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , ,

Welcome Back, Kyrie Irving

February 16, 2012 By 13 Comments

It’s like riding a bike.  You know, if feverishly peddling a Sonic 6 was akin to rolling left off of a ball screen only to dribble-drive full speed in to the elevated body of a 7-foot-2-inch, 280-pound center. As Kyrie Irving lunged toward the rim, his 190-pound frame bounced off of Roy Hibbert’s body as if the All-Star big man were made of cinder block; Irving responded with a left-handed lay-in over the former Hoya’s ready-and-waiting hands.

It was only two points and the play occurred with a mere four minutes having run off of the game clock, but the sequence rang loud. The first-overall pick, on the cusp of what many had considered to be an All-Star campaign of his own, coming back from the first injury sustained in his diaper and similac-young NBA career — a concussion, the injury du jour of all contemporary sports-related medical studies and a diagnosis which ultimately sealed the public relations fate of the 2011 Cleveland Browns. Missing three games following severe headache and sensitivity, Irving returned to the hardwood to not only take part in the team’s 11-point win over the Indiana Pacers, but he played his typically integral role, scoring and facilitating and spinning off of countless would-be defenders. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , , ,

Well-Rested Cavaliers Face Tired and Beaten-Down Pacers

February 15, 2012 By 10 Comments

Kyrie Irving will look for redemption vs Indiana

The Cleveland Cavaliers (10-16, 10th in the East) will welcome Kyrie Irving back to the lineup Wednesday when they take on the reeling Indiana Pacers (17-11, 6th in the East).

The Pacers come in on a 4 game losing streak, the last loss coming in a complete annihilation at the hands of the Miami Heat, a game in which the Pacers lost Danny Granger to injury. So yeah, they come into Cleveland licking their wounds and looking for a bounce back win.

For Kyrie Irving, this is a shot at redemption, going against the very team which he missed his potential game winning layup. That was our first glimpse of what Irving could be, now he comes into this game a more fully realized version of himself. The question for the Cavalier coaches (and fans) is just how well can Kyrie hold up coming off the scary concussion injury.

The Cavaliers will be without Anderson Varejao and Anthony Parker again. Daniel Gibson will likely get the nod at SG while, I don’t know, probably Semih Erden will get the starting nod at center again (maybe?). Without Varejao to match up with all the size Indiana has, this game is going to be a tough one for the Cavaliers to win. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Varejao’s Injury Changes Cavs Outlook

February 12, 2012 By 12 Comments

Well, I didn’t want to watch the Cavs lose to the Heat in the first round anyways.

Whatever playoff hopes the Cavaliers had, losing Anderson Varejao to a wrist injury has dashed them considerably. It’s such a shame, as Anderson was having his best season and was finally getting some recognition for his invaluable contributions. But even in their best-case-scenario, these young Cavaliers had such a slim margin for error. Cleveland is a top heavy team with a decent, if unspectacular, bench and some aging pieces. For the Cavs to make the playoffs, a lot of things would’ve had to gone right and broke their way.

Things have not gone right.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers

Cavs fall to Sixers 99-84, Injuries Adding Up

February 12, 2012 By 2 Comments

Missing three starters, the Cavs put up a valiant effort against the Atlantic Division leading Philadelphia 76s. Well, for the first quarter, anyway. The final three periods were practically garbage time.  Antawn Jamison led the Cavs with 20 points and 8 boards, Ramon Sessions scored 19 points and dished out 8 assists and Alonzo Gee added 17 points off the bench but it wasn’t nearly enough. Jrue Holiday torched the Cavs for 20 points and Lou Williams had 19 points off the bench for Philly, who had six players finish in double figures.

Philadelphia’s depth and Cleveland’s lack thereof were a stark contrast throughout the game. The Cavs were down just 21-19 after the first period but less than two minutes into the second period the Sixers built a commanding 30-19 lead and never looked back.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers

Cavs Blow Multiple leads, Fall to Bucks in OT. Varejao Sprains Wrist

February 11, 2012 By 5 Comments

It’s common to say that the NBA is a league of runs but Friday was pretty ridiculous.

The first quarter set the tone for the rest of the night. The Cavs jumped out to a 17-2 in the first five minutes (Omri Casspi had 9 early points!) but ended up trailing after the first period.  They gave away 5 points in the final four seconds of the first half (turning a 9 point lead to just four). Thanks to Antawn Jamison’s 18 point third period, the Cavs built a 10 point advantage and led by 8 heading into the fourth.  The lead slowly slipped away over the course of the fourth period (who knew that a five of Sessions-Gibson-Eyenga-Samuels-Thompson isn’t that good defensively?). But even without Irving and Varejao, the Cavs still had a chance to win the game in regulation. With three seconds left and the game tied at 102, Jamison (who’s season high 34 point kept the Cavs in the game without Kyrie Irving and Anderson Varejao) missed two free throws that could’ve (and should’ve) ended it.

Former Cavalier Drew Gooden scored 6 points in overtime (including the two free throws to seal it), finishing with 19 points and 6 boards (plus it was Gooden’s foul that knocked out Varejao early in the third), Brandon Jennings had 24 points and 8 assists and Bucks sneaked out of Cleveland with a 113-112 victory.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers, Featured

Kyrie-less Cavaliers Play Milwaukee In Battle of Could-be 8-seeds

February 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Jackson and Jennings, the Odd Couple?

The Cleveland Cavaliers (10-14, 10th in the East) will once again try to win without the services of Kyrie Irving. The rookie PG and growing team leader and developing impact player will miss all of this weekend’s games as he tries to recover from his concussion.

Friday night, it will be the Milwaukee Bucks (11-14, 8th in the East) who will visit The Q to try to do what the LA Clippers could not. The Cavaliers will once again be without Irving and starting SG Anthony Parker, but they will certainly be relieved to welcome Tristan Thompson back into the lineup. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

NBA All-Star Reserves: Milwaukee’s Scott Skiles Voted for Anderson Varejao

February 10, 2012 By Leave a Comment

With the NBA’s 2012 All-Star reserves being announced on Thursday evening, the biggest omission to most Cleveland fans is in center Anderson Varejao who is in the midst of a career year and leads the entire league in offensive rebounding.  While which coach voted for whom may never be completely revealed, Milwaukee’s Scott Skiles gave his center nod to the Cavaliers’ big man.

“Varejao’s a different kind of cat,” Skiles told WFNY on Friday morning. “He’s unreal. I voted for him for the All-Star game, I thought he should have been an All-Star. He’s involved in every possession, he’s all over the glass. He does a bunch of other things too, it’s not just that. He can also make a shot, but just his energy – he gives the team and the building energy. I’m a big fan.”

Varejao is averaging career-highs in points (11.0) and rebounds (11.8). He will square off against Milwaukee’s Drew Gooden, a player with whom he was traded to Cleveland in 2004, on Friday night.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , ,

NBA All-Star Reserves Announced Tonight

February 9, 2012 By 18 Comments

Tonight on TNT the NBA All-Star reserves will be announced. Cleveland fans have been hoping to see Anderson Varejao get a shot to represent the CLE in Orlando, and possibly even rookie Kyrie Irving. I’m sorry to have to say it, but it isn’t happening.

Clevelanders weren’t so crazy as to insist that Varejao should be voted in as an All-Star starter at center. Clearly, Howard is the more talented player. As the season has worn on however, Andy has held his own with the second tier of players at the position. His 11.0 points per game put him 8th in the Eastern Conference for centers. He is second in overall rebounding, and first in offensive rebounds. Stats have long been Anderson’s foe when it comes to making an All-Star roster, so why not this year when his numbers are comparable?

His primary competition for an All-Star spot are Roy Hibbert and Tyson Chandler. Hibbert will likely get the back-up center spot. He is averaging a couple more points than Andy and he plays for 17-8 Indiana. Chandler also has the points edge on Varejao and plays for the Knicks.

So much of what Varejao brings night in and night out are immeasurable. His energy, hustle and heart not to mention his defensive skill set make him “invaluable” as Austin Carr would say. Those characteristics, along with his great attitude make me wish we could somehow vote him onto the All-Star team if for nothing else than a reward. But it is highly unlikely to happen this year for Varejao.  [Read more...]

Filed Under: Cavaliers Tagged With: , , , ,
« Older Posts