Short & Quick

We noted in our last entry that Cleveland’s game #4 effort – especially in the fourth quarter – was embarrassing. Well, it got worse.

What follows are some simple observations that should shed some light on the basketball abortion we are seeing take place in Cleveland.

This team will be ripped apart if they can’t advance beyond the second round after back-to-back 60+ win campaigns.

The Cavaliers are simply soft. If they lose this series, they will join the Sacramento Kings, the Phoenix Suns and the Dallas Mavericks, as regular season juggernauts that don’t have the heart to win in the post-season.

Someone told LBJ July has arrived early. How else do you explain him being completely MIA in arguably the most important game in franchise history (game #5)?

Two of my favorite players – Mo Williams and A. Jamison are poor on-ball defenders & the Celtics’ coaching staff is taking full advantage of those mismatches.

In Mo’s case, he simply can’t be on the floor in this series if he’s not scoring the basketball. We’ve said this already, but it needs re-stated.

Mike Brown and his staff have committed coaching malpractice once again (see ’09 Orlando series) by not having LBJ post up ONCE in game #5, when it was obvious 23's jumper wasn’t falling. Putting his ass in the torcher chamber would have forced 23 to engage, and thus demanded a Celtic double-team – opening up good perimeter looks for others.

Shaq’s inability to consistently finish inside has allowed the Celtics to play him straight up – closing off many of Cleveland’s perimeter looks.

The Celtics are wisely not covering Andy V. unless he is rolling to the basketball. This is forcing Cleveland to play 5-on-4 at the offensive end. Anytime AV takes a shot not considered a layup/dunk, the Celtics win that possession.

Once again, not one player not named James on Cleveland’s roster, has played consistently well throughout this series. This has made this mediocre coaching staff’s job that much harder trying to find the right combinations to play.

I’d be pissed too if I’m Dan Gilbert. He’s about to see the value of his team drop by 50% or more in a couple months when James walks, citing his inability to win in Cleveland. Talk about a stock market crash.

Some advice for this organization before game #6 - post James early and often, give Mo’s minutes to J. Moon if Williams has that “deer in a headlight look” early, run, run and run some more to avoid allowing the Celtics to clamp down in the half-court, put a body on Rondo and Allen on occasion (it’s okay to knock them down), show some physical and mental toughness, and PLEASE, stop with the silly pre-game & in-game sideline antics – save the energy this time for floor burns.

No, I have no idea what will happen in game #6 tonight, but I wouldn’t bet the mortgage the Cavaliers will man up – they haven’t yet. Here’s hoping I am wrong.