Last night's loss was soul-crushing, devastating, heartbreaking, and 1000 other negative superlatives. After a first half that saw nearly everything go our way -- offensive fouls on Howard, a 67-foot buzzer beater by Mo -- the second half left us wondering why our blog isn't called Third Quarter Collapse. And our luck ran out. A three-point attempt by Delonte in the final seconds was no good, and Mo's last-ditch effort off the tip missed by inches, proving he had spent whatever was left in his bank of good karma.
107-106.
Devastating.
I may not have grown up during the "heyday" of Cleveland sports awfulness, but I know all too well the suffering. I spent twenty minutes throwing things around my house, waking my roommate and scaring the neighbors. Thousands of questions raced through my head. I know a lot of you had similar thoughts running through your heads last night and still do today..
How could we blow such a good start? How could we let ourselves revert back to the "LeBron dribbles for 20 seconds then takes an ill-advised jumper" offense? How much would we have lost by had LBJ not put the weight of the world on his shoulders? Should LBJ have taken the last shot?
Perhaps more metaphysical...
Is this team going to be like the '95 Indians? Dominate the entire year only to lose out on perhaps its best chance ever at a title? Does an Eastern Conference Finals exit mean that LeBron is gone for sure?
Well get that nonsense out of your head!
Listen:
There is no way our Cavaliers could dominate their first two opponents so badly and lose this series. I don't care if we played the Washington Generals; we dominated the first two rounds so handily, I'm surprised they didn't give us a bye into the Finals. You're gonna tell me that this ragged bunch of Disney Darlings -- a team that struggled to beat a weak Philly team and barely beat that injury-riddled joke from Beantown -- is gonna come into our house and take us down? I don't think so.
Mo and Delonte have nowhere to go but up from here, and we know what they're capable of. I don't care who you are, you're not going to shoot the lights out all series long, especially playing against our smothering D. That's the downfall of teams that rely on three-point shooters. And for those still questioning LeBron's "clutch..." Remember the last time people complained about LeBron dishing rather than going to the hoop in the final seconds? I think that series worked out OK for us.
Fear not, Cavs faithful, for Friday will bring vengeance. We will hunt down these Evil Wizards with no mercy, and strike them down with the swords of all that is right and true.
The Horsemen of the Basketball Apocalypse will ride on.
And now, a little something to prepare you...
All Nightmare Long - Metallica (with lyrics) (via TwoWithNoMind)