2009 Post Game Recap
Cavs toy with Knicks 100-91
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Nov 6, 2009 9:48 PM CST
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LeBron James travels to Madison Square Garden just once this season. Ever the showman, LeBron wanted to make sure he gave the fans of the home-town Knicks something to remember - and something to hope for. James was nearly flawless - as were his Cavaliers teammates - in a 40-point first quarter pacing the Cavaliers to a 100-91 beating of the New York Knicks.
James 19 point start to the game was filled with everything that makes LeBron so special - drives to the basket, long-range jumpshots, no-look passes and lock down defense. The Cavs shot over 75% for the quarter and the games was never really in doubt again. James finished with 33 on 12-17 shooting. He added 8 rebounds and 9 assists as well.
Mike Brown, in an effort to revitalize the Cavaliers bench, started J.J. Hickson alongside Shaq. Hickson played just 6 minutes, however, scoring 6 points. By having Anderson Varejao coming off the bench, the Cavaliers were able to maintain their energy level. In fact, Delonte West, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Varejao all came in at teh same time around the 6-minute mark of the first quarter. All 5 started for the Cavaliers in 2008-09 and it was amazing how quickly the team seemed to pick up right where it left off.
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Potent Quotables - Bulls 86 - Cavaliers 85
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Nov 6, 2009 11:38 AM CST
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(On tonight’s game): "You have to give Chicago credit. They came in here and gutted it out. They were very gritty tonight. They got to a lot of loose balls, especially a couple of them late. We didn’t shoot the ball well. In a one-point game, we shot 60 percent from the free throw line. We had our chances and we didn’t pull it out. That’s why every night, no matter who you play, it’s going to be a dog fight."
(On the last call): "I thought LeBron drove the ball and Noah came across the paint. As he came across the paint, he jumped. I understand the rule of verticality, but if you’re going across the paint or the lane and you meet somebody on the other side, I don’t know."
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Cavaliers sleepwalk to 86-85 loss to Bulls
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Nov 5, 2009 10:17 PM CST
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Maybe this is the new motivation for the Cavaliers this season. Last year, the Cavaliers seemed to be on a mission the entire regular season to get the 1 seed in the East, to win every game they played. The result was 66 wins, 39 of those at The Q. It also ended in a loss in the Eastern Conference Finals.
No need to worry about that this season - at least through 6 games.
In a game that the Cavaliers seemed disinterested in playing for large parts of the final 3 quarters, a late LeBron James energy boost was not enough to beat a young Chicago Bulls team. First of, credit the Bulls. There were several times a young team could have folded - they didn't. Instead it was the Cavs that played poor perimeter defense. It was the Cavs that turned the ball over at key times and it was the Cavs that couldn't hit the big shot when needed.
Even the final play was flawed - especially in design. With 4.3 seconds remaining and the Cavaliers trailing by one, Mo Williams inbounded the ball to LeBron, with Shaq setting the pick to clear him. Nothing wrong there - except for the one guy I would imaging Shaq was supposed to get to - Joakim Noah - was the weakside help that caused LeBron to lose the ball out of bounds, ending any hopes the Cavs had of winning.
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Potent Quotables - Cavs 102 -- Wizards 90
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Nov 4, 2009 11:28 AM CST
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HEAD COACH MIKE BROWN
(On tonight's game):
"We had a lot of solid performances after we got out of our little funk early on. We came out and we were flat to begin the game, especially defensively. I thought we had some decent looks that did not go in, but we weren't the defensive aggressors and we have to be. We have to force our will upon people on that end of the floor for as close to 48 minutes as possible and we're not doing that all the time...In the second half, we were the aggressors and I thought we stepped it up a notch. It was also phenomenal to only have seven turnovers for the game."
(On the second quarter):
"I thought us getting to the line was a huge turn of the table in the second quarter. I think we had only (three) free throws in the first quarter, but increased that dramatically in the second. Our aggression defensively also turned up our aggression on the offensive end of the floor."
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Delonte West, Mo Williams pace Cavaliers to 90-79 win
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Oct 31, 2009 9:09 PM CDT
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It's Halloween and there is quite a fright going through the NBA. Delonte West returned to the Cavaliers tonight and the results were immediate and ultra-effective. Delonte plays with an edge and attitude that the Cavs were missing the first 3 games of the season. It was back tonight and the Cavs looked much more comfortable - especially in the 2nd half.
West played 22 minutes in his return to the floor - scoring 13 points on 5-7 shooting. So much of what West does, however, isn't found on a stat sheet. His tenacious defense, constantly getting a hand on the ball, deflecting passes - all of it is what West brings to the floor. He did so tonight - and the Cavs followed his lead.
West came off the bench tonight, but to be honest it seemed the team looked at its best when West was on the floor with the other starters - Shaq, LeBron, Mo and Andy - in the 4th quarter. It's a role that fits West better and I'd imagine he will get back his starting spot soon.
Tonight was one of those rare nights when LeBron James took a backseat to his teammates. LeBron scored just 14 points on 5-11 shooting. James added 7 rebounds and 9 assists. Mo Williams was once again hot - scoring 24 points on 9-14 shooting, including 5-8 from deep. Williams, after struggling through the first 2 games of the season, has rediscovered his All-Star form that past couple of nights.
It wasn't anything spectacular - both teams were coming off games last night - but it was the type of win the Cavaliers of 2008-09 were accustomed to.
The Wine and Gold now sit at 2-2. Interestingly enough, the Cavaliers were 2-2 after 4 games last season. We move on to November feeling pretty good about the Cavaliers and where they are headed.
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Cavaliers notch first win, beat T-Wolves 104-87
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Oct 30, 2009 10:00 PM CDT
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Rest assured, Cavaliers fans - this year's edition of the Wine and Gold still know how to win basketball games. In an effort reminiscent of many of the 66 wins from last season, the Cavaliers slowly, methodically beat down on a young, talented - but overmatched - Minnesota Timberwolves team 104-87. For the Cavaliers it was a job well done - mission accomplished. Sometimes the hardest win is the first even when you know there will be more to come.
Tonight the Cavaliers looked like a team - and it goes deeper than the level of opposition. The Cavaliers looked much more comfortable in their own skin - finding the roles that will take them where they are going to go this season.
I'll start with the obvious - Shaquille O'Neal. It was obvious that Shaq was trying to do too much - and perhaps the Cavaliers were trying too hard to feed him the ball. Through the first two games, Shaq was averaging 27 minutes and about 12 shots per game. Tonight, Shaq played 19 minutes, and took 6 shots - scoring 6 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. That is more of how I thought Shaq would be used. He was open to passing out of the post - often to open players. Often the Cavs - Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson - were hitting those shots. If they didn't, Shaq was there to grab the rebound. That is how I thought this Shaq-deal would work
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Struggles Continue - Raptors dump Cavaliers to 0-2
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Oct 28, 2009 9:03 PM CDT
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The Cavaliers are going to win a lot of games this season. It might not be 66(remember they started 1-2 last season) but there will be plenty to cheer. In the mean time, as this Cavaliers crew figures out how to play with each other, there are going to be some growing pains. Tonight was one of those.
Looking tired at times, disinterested at others, the Cavaliers dropped to 0-2, losing to the Raptors in Toronto's opener 101-91. For the Cavs the issues through the first two games are too numerous to talk about, but I'll try.
LeBron - Can't really say anything bad about the MVP. 38 points last night, a Triple-Double tonight(23-12-11). He can't do it all but the Cavaliers are forcing him to.
Shaq - The Cavaliers slow start has little to do with Shaq - other than his inability to hit easy shots. That is what Shaq was brought here for. Tonight Shaq missed no fewer than 6 shots inside of 5 feet. That can't happen - especially against a team like the Raptors that lack a true center. If Shaq plays that way he simply isn't helping the Cavaliers.
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Potent Quotables - Celtics 95 - Cavs 89; Mike Brown, LeBron, Shaq
by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Oct 28, 2009 10:39 AM CDT
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HEAD COACH MIKE BROWN(On tonight's game):
"You have to give Boston a lot of credit. They did an outstanding job in the first half of withstanding the punch that we threw. They bounced back the right way by defending the strong side of the court very well. For a stretch in the first half, we didn't get the ball across the floor and took too many jump shots. Defensively, one of our staples is to contest shots and for a stretch in the first half, we didn't contest shots, especially transition three-pointers. We have to do a better job on that."
(On Shaq's performance tonight):
"He is going to help us a lot. At the beginning of the game, he was going good and we were going good. It's going to be a feel by me as to how many minutes we are going to play him."
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