---

---

It had to happen sometime, right?  The Cavaliers had been toog ood, too dynaic on offense, too stout on defense, for too long for it to continue.  Last night many of the same things that have gotten the Cavaliers into trouble in past seasons reared their ugly heads just long enough for the Pistons to overcome a 10-point 3rd quarter deficit and beat the streaking Cavaliers 96-89.

The Cavaliers looked like a tired bunch, on the second half of a road back-to-back.  LeBron couldn't get his jumpshot going and the bench that had been so good during the 8-straight victories was virtually non-existent. 

The Cavaliers had dominated the 4th quarter all season, and in the past three games that domination had extended to the 3rd quarter with the Cavaliers outscoring their opponents by a combined 36 points .  Last night all that went away.  It was the Cavs who got out to the early lead, turning a 7-0 deficit into a 25-16 lead after 1.  They continued to stretch the lead, leading by 11 at the break with a combination of solid defense and consistent offense.

Continue reading this post »

This is in today's edition of Sporting News Today, an on-line daily.  I highly recommend it to any sports fan.  Solid content delivered to your inbox every morning. 

Enjoy!

In mid-August, the Cavaliers brought in what they hope is the final piece that can get them back to the NBA Finals, trading for point guard Mo Williams from Milwaukee. Cleveland already is one of the top defensive teams in the league, but the hope was that Williams' ability to score and push the tempo would boost the Cavaliers' often dull offense. So far, Cleveland is off to a 6-2 start and is averaging 99.5 points per game, which would be the most the Cavs have scored since 1993-94. Sporting News Today's Sean Deveney talked with Williams about his new role.

SN: You've gone through training camp, through the first few games of this season. Are you feeling like a Cleveland Cavalier yet?

MW: Definitely. I am past the introduction stage now. I just have to play with these guys a little more, and the more I do, the more comfortable we'll all be.

SN: It seems like you were brought here to give the offense a boost. You're not scoring as much now, but the team is up around 100 points per game.

MW: My scoring is probably going to go down, but in this situation, that is not a bad thing. This team has a lot of weapons. If we can keep scoring and keep playing defense the way we can play it, good things are going to happen.

SN: Helps to have LeBron James on your side, too.

MW: He takes a lot of pressure off you. If someone is not having a good night, he can step in and take over when he needs to. For those of us around him, our job is just to go out and keep playing hard on both ends of the floor.

SN: You've got to be ready to settle down a lot. Seems like you have played for a lot of coaches.

MW: Six years in the league, six coaches. Six different systems. Just about every year, it's been something new.

SN: Yeah, it's six if you count Scott Skiles before the trade. That's a lot of adjustments.

MW: It is hard to explain how tough that is in this league because it means a different playbook every year. Being with a coach who is stable, that would be good for me. I am pretty sure Mike (Brown) will be around here for a while. I am pretty sure the core of this team will be together for a while.

SN: You're an Alabama guy, of course. How excited are you about the football team?

MW: How excited? We're No. 1. Hell yeah, I am excited. This is going to be a national championship team.

Mo Williams has been a huge addition to the Cavaliers. Even though the jump-shot hasn't started to fall the way I am sure it will Mo has brought stability to the offense, especially when LeBron is off the floor.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS
STARTERS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
LeBron James, SF	34	8-20	0-2	13-15	2	6	8	3	2	1	1	1	29
Ben Wallace, PF	22	0-4	0-0	0-0	8	5	13	0	1	1	3	3	0
Zydrunas Ilgauskas, C	32	8-15	0-0	1-2	3	8	11	2	0	2	1	2	17
Delonte West, SG	34	4-5	3-4	3-4	0	4	4	5	3	0	1	2	14
Mo Williams, PG	34	6-12	1-2	1-1	1	3	4	6	0	0	2	3	14
BENCH	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
Wally Szczerbiak, SG	20	4-6	0-1	2-2	1	2	3	0	0	1	0	5	10
Daniel Gibson, PG	25	3-10	1-4	0-0	1	1	2	2	1	0	0	0	7
Anderson Varejao, PF	25	1-3	0-0	0-2	2	4	6	1	4	1	1	4	2
Sasha Pavlovic, SG	3	0-1	0-1	0-0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Lorenzen Wright, PF	5	0-1	0-0	0-0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0
J.J. Hickson, PF	3	1-1	0-0	1-2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	3
Tarence Kinsey, SG	3	0-1	0-0	4-4	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4
TOTALS		FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	OREB	DREB	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	PF	PTS
		35-79	5-14	25-32	18	34	52	19	11	6	10	23	100
		44.3%	35.7%	78.1%	Team TO (pts off): 11 (18)

CAVALIERS NOTES

• The statline won't really indicate it, but Mo Williams finally showed the Cavaliers, and the League, wahat he can do, hitting big shot after big shot in an early 4th quarter run that put the game away.  More importantly, perhaps, was the fact that Williams carries to offense in the 4th quarter while LeBron was getting his typical rest after the 3rd quarter.  Most times, that rest only last a couple minutes before Mike Brown is forced to get LeBron back in the game.  Last night, Brown was able to keep James on the bench an extended period of time while Williams and Co. put the game on ice.
• Speaking of James, it was his energy level, especially at the end of the 3rd quarter, that was the difference.  After a subpar performance in New Orleans on Saturday, James came out looking to attack the basket and get to the line.  The Cavs fed off the energy and raced to a 16 point advantage that sat at 9 at halftime.  The Cavs extended the lead at the beginning of the 3rd quarter before the Mavericks made the run every team makes against Cleveland in the 3rd quarter.  All of a sudden the game was tied at 63, and the Cavs had been outscored 21-12 in the period.  3:36 remained.  The Mavericks had gotten the Cavs to play their style and it was starting to show.  The next 3 minutes decided the outcome, and it was LeBron that led the way.  LeBron scored 7 straight, including 3 from the free throw line and the Cavs finished the quarter on a 9-3 run.
• The best move Danny Ferry made all summer was keeping Delonte West in a Cavaliers uniform.  West is doing a little bit of everything for the Cavaliers, and is playing the best ball of his career.  I have a feeling the $3.5 million the Cavs are paying him this year is going to look like cump change compared to the production the team is going to get each and every night -- 14 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals -- solid performance from the starting two guard.  Think about it.  What West is providing the Cavaliers is all the Cavs wanted from Larry Hughes, and they paid him ALOT more money and got none of it.
• Ben Wallace is back.  he has been a force defensively this year and last night was no exception.  Matched up with Dirk Nowitzki, Wallace grabbed 13 boards while holding Nowitzki to 8 points on 3/11 shooting.  Even more impressive when considering Nowitzki likes to play away form the basket.  Ben isn't playing the huge minutes he once did, but 13 boards(8 offensive) in just 22 minutes is efficient if you ask me.
• Cavaliers once again did a good job protecting the 3-point line.  The Mavericks were held to 20%(3-15)  shooting from deep, while the Cavaliers shot 35.7%(5/14).
• Every game the Cavaliers can play, and win, with LeBron playing less than 35 minutes is like buying time later in the season.  LeBron has played alot of basketball the past 3 years, and the Cavs need to get himas much rest as they can, especially early in the season when the team endures alot of road trips.

NEXT UP -- Home game Vs. Chicago (11/5)

Continue reading this post »

At 1-2, the Cavaliers have admittedly gotten off to a slow start.  I can't blame them, looking at who and where they have played.  3 games, three home openers, 2 of them on the road against elite teams in the NBA would be a tall task for any team.  Start with Boston on the night they celebrate their 17 World Championship, then on to New Orleans, a team that had the 2nd best record is the Western Conference last season. 

Not easy.

That doesn't mean the Cavs are without fault and disappointment.  Heading into another tough road game tonight, this time in Dallas, the Cavaliers committed turnovers are an alarming rate, starting with LeBron James, whose 13 giveaways in 3 games are tied for the most in the League.  The Cavaliers also fell apart in the final minutes against the Hornets, allowing over 100 points to a team playing without two of starting 5. 

That leads the Cavaliers to Dallas, and a tough week overall for the Wine and Gold.  After the Mavericks, the Cavaliers come home to face Chicago on Wednesday and Indiana on Friday before a return trip to Chicago Saturday Night.  4 games in 6 nights, 2 of which are on the road, isn't easy for anyone.

Luckily, the Cavaliers appear healthy.  Delonte West did bang his wrist during Saturday's game and was sent for precautionary X-Rays that were negative.  He is in line to start tonight against the Mavericks.

The Cavaliers also need to get Mo Williams going.  Williams has been putting alot of pressure on himself, most likely due to the fact that he was labeled the "missing piece" when the Cavaliers acquired him.  Coming off of off-season hernia surgery, Williams has yet to reach 100% and that has affected his play.  The Cavs acquired Williams becuase he was a good ball-handler, could hit the open shot, and run the floor.  So far, Williams has struggled with all three and the Cavaliers offense has grown stagnant at times, much like it has the previous few seasons under Mike Brown.

There are no panic buttons to press yet.  The season is young and the Cavaliers have done nothing but lose to two premier teams on the road.  Nothing to be ashamed of in Novemeber.  At some point, however, the Cavaliers need to turn 'it' up a notch.  No time like the present.

A new feature here at FearTheSword, the daily look around the web at what others are saying about the Cavaliers.  I'll add a short snippet from the article and give a few of my thoughts as well.  Let's start, shall we?

LeBron and Jay-Z stump for Obama at The Q -- I'll let the following video say it all for me.  Regardless of my own political affiliation, I'm not sure about how I feel when athletes, or the Cavaliers for that matter, openly support a political candidate.  While LeBron can surely do what he wants, I feel it is in bad taste to get "Cavs Insider" e-mails promoting what was a political rally.  That's just me.  Here's some video --

LeBron James and Jay-Z at The Q

Continue reading this post »

---

---

 

			FIELD GOALS				REBOUNDS
	POS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	+/-	OFF	DEF	TOT	AST	PF	ST	TO	BS	BA	PTS
D.West	G	35:29	2-4	0-1	2-2	-10	0	2	2	2	0	0	1	0	0	6
M.Williams	G	31:18	4-10	3-5	1-1	+3	0	3	3	2	5	1	4	0	0	12
L.James	F	36:00	9-21	0-4	4-8	-3	1	6	7	6	4	2	3	1	0	22
B.Wallace	F	19:03	1-1	0-0	0-0	-1	0	4	4	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
Z.Ilgauskas	C	30:24	3-5	0-0	9-10	+7	3	5	8	1	3	0	4	0	0	15
A.Varejao		26:09	3-6	0-0	3-5	-7	4	5	9	1	2	3	2	0	0	9
D.Gibson		22:38	2-8	0-2	2-3	-8	0	3	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	6
W.Szczerbiak		15:56	1-4	0-1	2-2	-3	0	0	0	0	4	1	2	0	0	4
A.Pavlovic		12:34	3-6	0-2	1-2	-3	0	3	3	0	1	0	3	0	0	7
L.Wright		10:29	1-3	0-0	0-0	0	0	2	2	1	4	1	1	0	0	2
J.Hickson			-	-	-
T.Kinsey			-	-	-
TOTAL		240	29-68	3-15	24-33		8	33	41	16	26	8	21	2	0	85
			42.6%	20.0%	72.7%	TEAM REBS: 14				TOTAL TO: 22

CAVALIERS THOUGHTS

• The Cavs went with a 10-man rotation, and all 10 players scored.  That was nice to see from a team that all too often saw little production after the top 6 or 7 lat season.
  
• After hittin 9 of their first 10 free throws, the Cavaliers struggled from the line, going 15/23 the rest of the way.  The Celtics weren't much better, but Cleveland has been poor from the stripe the past several years and teams know it.  They are going to send the Cavs to the line in the 4th quarter and force the Cavaliers to earn it.  Last night was no exception as the Cavs were in the bonus with 8 minutes to go in the game.  The result?  The Cavaliers go 5/11 from the line in the 4th quarter.
  
• Mo Williams showed flashes of what fans are so excited about, but he also looked a bit lost at times.  His turnover midway through the 4th quarter, when Rajon Rondo simply poked the ball away, was a huge moment and one that Williams has to avoid.  He knows it, and he will get more comfortable as time goes on.  Williams did miss several open jump shots he will make as the season goes on, so that isn't much of a concern.  One concern is Williams' defense, which left a little to be desired and was perhaps the reason Williams saw only 31 minutes.
  
• Hats off to Anderson Varejao, who what the only one that seemed to match the intensity of the Celtics i the second half.  He kept numerous possessions alive after perimeter misses, and was extremely active at both sides of the floor.  Time will tell if Andy is on the team come February, but if he gives this type of effort every night with will quickly endear himself to Cavaliers once again.
  
• I'll be keeping track of just how the Cavaliers play in 3rd quarters this season and last night was not a good start.  After leading by 7 at halftime, the Cavaliers came out flat and were outscored by 11 in the 3rd quarter.  What took the Cavaliers 24 minutes to build, the Celtics tore down in just over 2.  This has been a disturbing trend in the Mike Brown/LeBron James era, and demonstrates what many of us already know - Mike Brown does not do a good job of making in game adjustments.
  
• 22 Turnovers.....Enough said

Continue reading this post »

Last Years Record: 45-37
Key Losses: Joe Smith, Damon Jones
Key Additions: Mo Williams, J.J. Hickson

1. What significant moves were made during the offseason?

This one is easy.  The Cavaliers finally made a move to get a premier point guard when they traded Joe Smith and Damon Jones in a three team deal to get Williams.  What Larry Hughes wasn't, the Cavaliers hope Mo Williams will be - a good compliment to LeBron James on the floor.  Unlike Hughes, Williams is a point guard and wants to bring the ball up the floor.  More importantly, Williams can also create his own shot and hit the open J, something that is extremely important with a player like James who demands so much attention from the defense.  Not to be understated is Williams' ability to hit free throws.  A career 85% shooter from the line, the Cavaliers have long been one of the worst teams in the NBA from the stripe and adding Williams should improve that statisitc.

One move that shouldn't get overlooked was the Cavaliers' ability to get their Restricted Free Agents signed.  Last season got of to a tumultuous start when Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao held out most of training camp.  Neither seemed to get into the flow and the team struggled a bit because of it.  This season, the Cavaliers were able to get deals done with Daniel 'Boobie' Gibson and Delonte West before the start of camp allowing the team to have it's full contingent of players right from the start.

2. What are the team's biggest strengths?

LeBron James.  Is there a bigger strength than that?  LeBron is still only 23 years old.  That means he will likely get better.  Scary.  Put James down for 30/7/7 every night and go from there.

If I had to look another direction, defense would be a strength as well.  Perhaps Mike Brown's greatest acheivement as coach of the Cavaliers has been getting James and Co. to buy into a defense-first philosophy.  Part of the reason was the Cavaliers just didn't have the talent to compete with better teams without playing strong defense.  Now with a roster that seems on the brink of greatness it will likely be a challenge to keep up the defensive intensity.  It all starts with James, however, and if he puts forth effort on the defensive end the rest of the team should follow.

3. What are the team's biggest weaknesses?

The Cavaliers are still a reletively young basketball team still trying to learn how to win, and win big.  People forget that GM Danny Ferry overturned over half the roster at the trade deadline last season and the Cavaliers were still able to push Boston to the brink.  With a full summer and training camp to get better, the sky is the limit.  That said, the Cavaliers need to show that they possess the tenacity of a champion, to put forth 100% effort, on a Wednesday Night, on the second night of a back-to-back, regardless of the opponent.  Much of that falls on James, who haas been known to take quarters, or complete games, off.  With more talent around him, and coming off a "Golden" performance in the Olympics I expect renewed leadership from James.

4. What are the goals for this team?

A Divisional Title, a top-2 seed in the playoffs and a trip back to the Finals.  The Cavaliers have the best player in the game and a decent set of pieces around him to make that happen.  The Cavaliers also possess a $13.5 million bullet in the form of Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contract.  Should the need arise come February for the Cavaliers to make a move to bring in an impact player, Danny Ferry has the tools at his disposal to make that happen.  There is no reason to think a trip to the Finals is out of reach for this team, and who has the stones to ever bet against Lebron James in a 7-game series?  Yea, me neither. 


Predicted Record: 53-29

Feel free to give your own answers to the questions posed to me above in the comments!

Man, it sure was good to have basketball back in Cleveland.  The Indians were a disappointment this summer and the Browns, well, we won't talk about that.  The Cavaliers have high hopes for 2008-09 and they got to show off their shiny, new toy last night at The Q.  The score may lead one to believe the Cavs didn't play very well, but that would be a bit misleading.

My post-game reports are a work in progress, so feel free to let me know what you like, what you don't, and how I can change it up a bit.

After the jump, the BoxScore and reaction --

Continue reading this post »

It all gets started today, unofficially at least.  The Cavaliers will open the 2008 NBA Pre-Season tonight at the Q against the Toronto Raptors(7PM, WTAM, No TV).  Like the Cavs, the Raptors revamped thier roster, bringing in Jermaine O'Neal, among others, in an effort to get Chris Bosh some help.

For the Cavs, the season kicks off with a renewed optimism and welcomed stability within the organization.  Last season, despite coming off the team's first trip to the NBA Finals, the Cavs were in a bit of dissarray.  Larry Hughes was unhappy, Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao were battling the front office over contract issues, and Damon Jones was demanding a trade.  This season, the Cavaliers took care of contract issues during the summer, getting Delonte West and Daniel Gibson signed, sealed and delivered well before Training Camp.  Instead of Hughes, the Cavs brought in Mo Williams to be the offensive side-kick of LeBron James, and the attitude difference has been uplifting and refreshing to say the least.

Continue reading this post »

It all gets started today, unofficially at least.  The Cavaliers will open the 2008 NBA Pre-Season tonight at the Q against the Toronto Raptors(7PM, WTAM, No TV).  Like the Cavs, the Raptors revamped thier roster, bringing in Jermaine O'Neal, among others, in an effort to get Chris Bosh some help.

For the Cavs, the season kicks off with a renewed optimism and welcomed stability within the organization.  Last season, despite coming off the team's first trip to the NBA Finals, the Cavs were in a bit of dissarray.  Larry Hughes was unhappy, Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao were battling the front office over contract issues, and Damon Jones was demanding a trade.  This season, the Cavaliers took care of contract issues during the summer, getting Delonte West and Daniel Gibson signed, sealed and delivered well before Training Camp.  Instead of Hughes, the Cavs brought in Mo Williams to be the offensive side-kick of LeBron James, and the attitude difference has been uplifting and refreshing to say the least.

Continue reading this post »