Cavs' Biggest Game Ever
Every game the Cavaliers play from here on out becomes the biggest in franchise history. A game #5 win in Detroit tonight would be surprising although possible. The Pistons are good but not the team that won the title several years ago.
Tribe at the 1/3 Mark
The Indians sit at 32-19 after 51 games played. After playing approximately 1/3 of the season, some patterns are forming.
The Tribe has a solid baseball team capable of contending in a fairly balanced division.
Offensively, this team is very good at working pitchers deep into count and should again be among the top 1/3 in the sport in scoring.
Peralta's start at the plate and Garko's early-season production are key elements to the team's early success at the plate.
The starting pitching is very good, and if Sabathia continues at this pace, he should finally emerge as a true #1 - someone you expect to win upwards of 20 games a season on a regular basis. Paul Byrd's bounce back season to date has also been a huge lift for the rotation.
The relief pitching is a work in progress, especially the back end of the bullpen where a lack of power arms is worrisome.
I still prefer Wickman over Borowski.
The team is adequate at best defensively and still lacks overall team speed. That has been the case for several years now.
A run producing right handed hitter to offset lefty starters and a back-end of the bullpen power arm should be on Shapiro's shopping list come July.
Here's food for thought - a reporter recently put out the possibility of a Sabathia for A-Rod trade based on New York's problems and Sabathia's contract expiring in '08. The answer is YES if you are the Indians and you can get the Yankees to pick up part of A-Rod's contract.
With every win CC accumulates, his asking price, already likely too high for the Tribe, rises even more. A-Rod is one of the game's five best players of ALL-TIME based on current stats alone. It's simple - if you can't sign him (CC), you can't let him walk away and not get quality in return (see Ramirez, Thome, etc...).
Management's inclination will be to get prospects in return. I would rather have a first ballot Hall of Famer in his prime - especially if the Tribe expects to contend with this core for several more years.
Of course, if the Tribe looks like it will reach the post-season in '07, management will hold on to CC through the season and revisit his situation in '08. It would take huge #@#@ to deal CC for A-Rod this summer if the big fella is on pace to win 20 and October baseball is in sight in Cleveland.
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Sunday, May 27, 2007
Cavs -Pistons Heading Into Game #3
The change of venue heading back to Cleveland should do wonders for the role players on the Cavaliers' squad - which we have pointed out time and time again includes everyone short of #23.
Role players simply are more comfortable and play better at home. That's one of the NBA's 10 commandments. I expect the Cavaliers to tie the series up against the Pistons and make it a best of three - as they did in '06.
I have to admit however there is a small part of me that wouldn't mind the Pistons closing this out in four or five. That might convince Cavs' management to make major moves in the off-season - something we have been advocating for two years - rather than tinker.
After watching Carlos Boozer play in this post-season, I am reminded again of what this corner suggested several years ago when he skipped out on the Cavaliers for that fat contract in Utah. I wanted the organization to MATCH THE OFFER AND KEEP HIM.
I screamed aloud that Boozer should be James' sidekick in Cleveland for the next 10 years. They were a perfect match. He was a 20/10 machine waiting to happen and someone #23 could depend on most evey night. The logic was simple - keep Boozer and let Z go when his contract expired. Boozer was simply younger and better.
Yea, I know. That's old news. But that was a franchise turning point that went wrong. They have been paying for that mistake ever since.
Speaking of Z - the Cavaliers wasted what I thought was his best playoff performance in game #1 on the Pistons' series. Give credit where credit is due. The big fella was on in that conference championship opener. Unfortunately, game #2 was a different story.
Role players simply are more comfortable and play better at home. That's one of the NBA's 10 commandments. I expect the Cavaliers to tie the series up against the Pistons and make it a best of three - as they did in '06.
I have to admit however there is a small part of me that wouldn't mind the Pistons closing this out in four or five. That might convince Cavs' management to make major moves in the off-season - something we have been advocating for two years - rather than tinker.
After watching Carlos Boozer play in this post-season, I am reminded again of what this corner suggested several years ago when he skipped out on the Cavaliers for that fat contract in Utah. I wanted the organization to MATCH THE OFFER AND KEEP HIM.
I screamed aloud that Boozer should be James' sidekick in Cleveland for the next 10 years. They were a perfect match. He was a 20/10 machine waiting to happen and someone #23 could depend on most evey night. The logic was simple - keep Boozer and let Z go when his contract expired. Boozer was simply younger and better.
Yea, I know. That's old news. But that was a franchise turning point that went wrong. They have been paying for that mistake ever since.
Speaking of Z - the Cavaliers wasted what I thought was his best playoff performance in game #1 on the Pistons' series. Give credit where credit is due. The big fella was on in that conference championship opener. Unfortunately, game #2 was a different story.
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Athleticism & Platooning
Watching the Cavaliers and Nets miss wide open look after wide open look the past couple weeks reinforces my belief that the NBA, for the most part, has the best athletes in the world who unfortunately can't shoot straight.
Regardless, congratulations to the Cavaliers for advancing to the conference finals.
Now we will find out if the Cavaliers are any better than a year ago when Detroit took them out in seven. I have said all along this is where the season ends - either in six or seven games.
Why? The answer is simple.
Did anyone notice who was not on the floor in the fourth quarter against the Nets in game #6? The team's starting center (Z), starting power forward (Gooden) and starting point guard (Hughes), all high priced talents, were sitting on the bench in crunch time.
That's the problem. With the exception of James, the Cavaliers cannot depend on anyone else to be there EVERY night in crunh time. It's James and 11 platoon players/role players on many nights.
Coach Brown has to juggle line-ups in the final frame based on who is hot and who is not. Detroit doesn't have that problem, nor does San Antonio. And both of those teams play better defense than the Cavaliers.
To advance past the Pistons, who are beatable, the Cavaliers will need a big series from two other starters besides James.
If the Cavaliers fall short, look for management to spend the off-season in search of another player with broad shoulders the team can consistently lean on besides James.
We suggested Kevin Garnett a year ago.
Better late than never.
Regardless, congratulations to the Cavaliers for advancing to the conference finals.
Now we will find out if the Cavaliers are any better than a year ago when Detroit took them out in seven. I have said all along this is where the season ends - either in six or seven games.
Why? The answer is simple.
Did anyone notice who was not on the floor in the fourth quarter against the Nets in game #6? The team's starting center (Z), starting power forward (Gooden) and starting point guard (Hughes), all high priced talents, were sitting on the bench in crunch time.
That's the problem. With the exception of James, the Cavaliers cannot depend on anyone else to be there EVERY night in crunh time. It's James and 11 platoon players/role players on many nights.
Coach Brown has to juggle line-ups in the final frame based on who is hot and who is not. Detroit doesn't have that problem, nor does San Antonio. And both of those teams play better defense than the Cavaliers.
To advance past the Pistons, who are beatable, the Cavaliers will need a big series from two other starters besides James.
If the Cavaliers fall short, look for management to spend the off-season in search of another player with broad shoulders the team can consistently lean on besides James.
We suggested Kevin Garnett a year ago.
Better late than never.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
NBA Playoffs
Before the playoffs began, we predicted San Antonio and Detroit would meet in the 2007 NBA Finals. We actually felt that way back in October. As the remaining teams battle it out in round #2, we see no reason to change our view. The post-season in the NBA is all about experience and stopping people. The games slow down, execution, and mental/physical toughness become paramount, and weaknesses are exposed.
That's why Dallas was ousted by Golden State. The Mavs were a jump shooting team that didn't knock down enough shots in round #1, didn't defend at all and generally played "soft" against the Warriors. How many times did we see Warrior players finish around the basket at will without any interference - or a body check for that matter?
It is the same reason we do not see the Suns winning a title with that style of play - although they have one piece of the puzzle the Mavs lacked - a strong inside presence in Amari Stoudamire. We still like San Antonio out west until proven wrong even though the Suns put on a better show.
Nothing that has taken place in the playoffs to date has surprised this observer - except for one thing. Folks around the league are finally starting to figure out how good LeBron James REALLY is. It has taken some media types the fact that James has scored 20 points or more in all 19 playoff games he has appeared in, seven shy of Kareem's record (26), to get noticed. These are some of the same people that continue to put the likes of Carmelo Anthony and James in the same sentence when referring to the NBA's young stars. Hopefully, that nonsense will soon stop. Unfortunately, it won't until James wins championship(s).
Here's something 95% of basketball fans and media types don't understand - LeBron James, Jason Kidd and Steven Nash are in the same league when it comes to making everyone around them better. The difference is James does it with less touches. That is amazing!
As for what is to come - unfortunately, I see the a repeat of last year taking place, just one round farther up the line than in 2006. The Pistons have too much experience and should edge the Cavaliers again in a hard-fought series. They will, as Rasheed Wallace has said time and time again, "Make those other guys beat us," in reference to the Cavaliers.
I hope I am wrong and "those other guys" step up and give James enough help to overcome the Pistons. They will get their opportunities because the Pistons will NOT allow James to beat them in a seven-game series. They have too high a basketball IQ as a team to let that happen.
Had the Cavaliers added another quality piece of the puzzle before the trading deadline, I would feel better about round #3. But we've been there before. The Cavaliers will hopefully address that issue in the off-season if they fall short.
Heck, who knows, this isn't an exact science. For all we know, Chicago and/or New Jersey could come back from 0-2 and reach the conference finals. The teams are that close in talent these days. Ask the Miami Heat - last year's champs oustet in round #1.
But as a basketball purist, I continue to marvel at James' brilliance at age 22. He is truly a once in a generation player. He doesn't need to catch Kareem. He's already sold me.
That's why Dallas was ousted by Golden State. The Mavs were a jump shooting team that didn't knock down enough shots in round #1, didn't defend at all and generally played "soft" against the Warriors. How many times did we see Warrior players finish around the basket at will without any interference - or a body check for that matter?
It is the same reason we do not see the Suns winning a title with that style of play - although they have one piece of the puzzle the Mavs lacked - a strong inside presence in Amari Stoudamire. We still like San Antonio out west until proven wrong even though the Suns put on a better show.
Nothing that has taken place in the playoffs to date has surprised this observer - except for one thing. Folks around the league are finally starting to figure out how good LeBron James REALLY is. It has taken some media types the fact that James has scored 20 points or more in all 19 playoff games he has appeared in, seven shy of Kareem's record (26), to get noticed. These are some of the same people that continue to put the likes of Carmelo Anthony and James in the same sentence when referring to the NBA's young stars. Hopefully, that nonsense will soon stop. Unfortunately, it won't until James wins championship(s).
Here's something 95% of basketball fans and media types don't understand - LeBron James, Jason Kidd and Steven Nash are in the same league when it comes to making everyone around them better. The difference is James does it with less touches. That is amazing!
As for what is to come - unfortunately, I see the a repeat of last year taking place, just one round farther up the line than in 2006. The Pistons have too much experience and should edge the Cavaliers again in a hard-fought series. They will, as Rasheed Wallace has said time and time again, "Make those other guys beat us," in reference to the Cavaliers.
I hope I am wrong and "those other guys" step up and give James enough help to overcome the Pistons. They will get their opportunities because the Pistons will NOT allow James to beat them in a seven-game series. They have too high a basketball IQ as a team to let that happen.
Had the Cavaliers added another quality piece of the puzzle before the trading deadline, I would feel better about round #3. But we've been there before. The Cavaliers will hopefully address that issue in the off-season if they fall short.
Heck, who knows, this isn't an exact science. For all we know, Chicago and/or New Jersey could come back from 0-2 and reach the conference finals. The teams are that close in talent these days. Ask the Miami Heat - last year's champs oustet in round #1.
But as a basketball purist, I continue to marvel at James' brilliance at age 22. He is truly a once in a generation player. He doesn't need to catch Kareem. He's already sold me.
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