The Cavaliers have a virus that has infiltrated nearly the entire team. It has caused nausea, heartburn, indigestion, upset stomach, diarrhea, a veritable Pepto-Bismol antagonist that has plagued the team for some time now.
No, I’m not talking about the flu that has stricken Tyler Zeller, Dion Waiters, Daniel Gibson, and trainer Max Benton among others. The sickness that I’m recalling is the third quarter basketball from the wine and gold.
For the third straight game, the young Cavaliers came out of the locker room at half utterly disinterested and nearly catatonic. The Grizzlies sprung a 10-0 run to open the half on the Cavs, and it gave them the lead for good in this game as a 3-point halftime lead was erased and replaced by a Memphis-controlled second half where the Cavs’ fourth quarter magic wasn’t enough this time to pardon their third quarter crimes.



The Cavaliers tied the NBA’s consecutive loss record last night in Memphis with their 23rd straight defeat. It felt like this was the one to break the streak, but, as has been a trend, they squandered their opportunity with a horrendous fourth quarter to lose by 7. Over the course of about a quarter, from the 9 minute mark in the third to midway through the fourth, the Cavaliers went from winning by 11 to losing by 12. These Cavaliers have achieved a number of things never seen before but their mastery of the 20 point differential quarter this season is astounding.
Get the joke, everyone? The Cavaliers continue their home stand hosting the Miami Heat tonight at the Q. Shaq used to play for Miami and even won a title with that team several years ago. Their nickname is the Heat and has been so since they entered the league in 1988.
It’s actually harder to write a recap after a game like this. They Cavs played so well, and the Grizzlies looked so out of it that there is hardly anything to discuss. It would be nit-picking to try and find negatives . Let’s look at a few numbers-
During last night’s 111-109 overtime loss in Memphis, something was made abundantly clear to me: The Cavaliers under the radar signing of PF Leon Powe will pay big dividends later in the season and into the playoffs.
“Every eight games or so the Cavaliers have one of these games.” Austin Carr


Memphis Grizzlies (15-40) vs

