Recorded the first 20-point game of his career with 20 points, five rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes at Indiana on Dec.30.

Against New Jersey on Jan. 27, scored 21 of his season-high 32 points in the fourth quarter, including 17 in the last 2:58 becoming the first rookie to score at least 21 points in the fourth quarter of a game since Marcus Williams of New Jersey (November 24, 2006) and first player to score 17 or more points in the final three minutes of a game since Vince Carter, who did it with the Nets (April 11, 2006).

At Boston on Jan 29, scored the game-winning layup with 2.6 seconds remaining. He finished with game highs in points (23) and assists (6).

Notched a game-high tying 23 points, including shooting 5-5 from the foul line, in 39 minutes against Sacramento on Feb. 19. Trailing by one with 2.9 seconds remaining, Irving knocked down two free throws to win the game.

Dished out eight assists, to go along with 25 points on 8-15 (.533) shooting in 39 minutes of work against the Pistons on Feb. 21. In the fourth quarter, he scored 17 points on 6-9 (.667) shooting, including 3-3 from three-point range.

Scored or assisted on the Cavs’ final 12 points in the last 2:36 of the game, including making the game-winning layup with 4.0 seconds remaining, in a 100-99 win at Denver on Mar 7.

Had a career-high 12 assists, to go along with nine points in 31 minutes against the Thunder on Mar. 9, including scoring the go-ahead basket in the fourth quarter to help the Cavs to a 96-90 road victory, snapping Oklahoma City’s 14-game home winning streak.

Scored 28 points on 11-16 (.688) shooting and added three rebounds and five assists in 29 minutes at Milwaukee on Mar. 14.

Recorded his first career double-double with 19 points and 10 assists in 37 minutes against Atlanta on Mar. 18.

Finished with 29 points, a career-high nine rebounds and nine assists in a career-high 42 minutes at Atlanta on Mar. 21, becoming the only rookie this season to reach totals of at least 29 points, nine rebounds and nine assists in a game.

Went 6-6 from three-point range and finished with a game-high 29 points on 11-20 (.550) shooting, to go along with a team-high five assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes against Milwaukee on Mar. 30. By shooting a perfect 6-6 from three-point range, he became the first rookie in the NBA to make at least six three’s in a game without a miss since Stephen Curry for Golden State on Jan. 5, 2010. Irving also set the Cavalier rookie record for the most three-pointers made in a game and most three-pointers made in a game without a miss.

Scored a game-high 25 points on 10-16 (.625) shooting in only 29 minutes at Memphis on April 23. He also added four assists and three steals.

Irving received a total of 592 points, including 117 first-place votes out of a possible 120, from a panel of sportswriters and broadcasters throughout the United States and Canada. Players were awarded five points for each first-place vote, three points for each second-place vote and one point for each third-place vote received.

The 6-foot-3 point guard averaged 18.5 points on .469 shooting, 3.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists and 1.1 steals in 30.5 minutes per game. He also shot .399 from three-point range and .872 from the free throw line. Among all rookies, he ranked first in points per game (by a margin of 5.7 points) and free throw percentage, second in three-point percentage, assists per game and player efficiency rating (21.5) and fifth in field goal percentage. Irving swept the NBA’s Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month award each month this season (Dec./Jan., Feb. and March) with the exception of April, in which he only played in six of a possible 16 games due to injury. He was also named MVP of the BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend after posting game highs of 34 points and nine assists and shooting a perfect 8-8 from three-point range.

In receiving the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award this season, he becomes just the second player in franchise history to receive the award (LeBron James) and the third No. 1 overall pick in the past four seasons to win the award, joining Chicago’s Derrick Rose (2008-09) and the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin (2010-11). He also joins Oscar Robertson, Magic Johnson, Allen Iverson and James as the only No. 1 overall draft picks to average at least 18.0 points and 5.0 assists and is one of just six rookies in league history to post averages of at least 18.0 points, 5.0 assists, 1.0 steal and .450 shooting along with Alvan Adams, Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan, Grant Hill and Tyreke Evans. He and Larry Bird are the only rookies in NBA history to average over 18.0 points and shoot at least .399 from three-point range.

In the fourth quarter this season, the 20-year-old led all rookies in scoring (6.4) while ranking fifth overall (behind only NBA All-Stars Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Derrick Rose and Kevin Love). He also led all rookies in scoring in the final three minutes of games (3.2) and trailed only Chris Paul for the league lead. On three occasions, Irving scored the game-winning basket or made the go-ahead free throws to lead the Cavaliers to victory: at Boston on Jan. 29, against Sacramento on Feb. 19 and at Denver on March 7. His game-winning layup at Boston made him the third-youngest player (19 years, 312 days) to make a game-winning shot (field goal or free throw) since 2002-03, behind only Kevin Durant (19 years, 48 days) and Shaun Livingston (19 years, 206 days).

The 2011 NBA Draft Lottery result are:

1. Cleveland Cavaliers (from L.A. Clippers)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves
3. Utah Jazz (from New Jersey)
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Toronto Raptors
6. Washington Wizards
7. Sacramento Kings
8. Detroit Pistons
9. Charlotte Bobcats
10. Milwaukee Bucks
11. Golden State Warriors
12. Utah Jazz
13. Phoenix Suns
14. Houston Rockets

Because I was reading an otherwise decent article by Bill Simmons when I came across this delightful piece of revisionist thought;

“EVERYONE WHO CLAIMS THE NBA IS BEING RUINED BECAUSE SUPERSTARS WANT TO CONTROL WHERE THEY PLAY: D-minus

….

As Kenny Smith said last night, “If [a small-market team] builds the right pieces around the right guy, he will stay.” Period. Duncan stayed in San Antonio because it built the right team around him. Stockton and Malone stayed in Utah because they had each other. Durant will stay in Oklahoma City because of Westbrook and everyone else. LeBron left Cleveland mainly because it made bad trades and signed the wrong guys. And Utah never would have thought it might lose Deron Williams if it hadn’t screwed up the roster around him. Besides, why is it such a bad thing to have six or seven loaded teams and six or seven terrible ones? Oh crap, I hate seeing the Finals with all these elite players! Give me a break.”

The two main problems with this paragraph are both the individual player examples he uses as well as the overarching message.  Let’s start with the players.

Using Duncan as an example is horrible; does Simmons really think he is wired anything like Anthony, LeBron, or even Kobe?  Unlike those last three, Duncan was not a nationally recognized megastar ever since he was a teenager, and thus, never developed the natural entitlement complex and craving for the limelight of that trio. Duncan cares very little about the spotlight, and only about being around guys he is comfortable with.

Furthermore, he loves San Antonio, something that couldn’t be said about Melo in Denver or LeBron in Cleveland.

However, using Stockton and Malone as an example is even worse, and shows a complete lack of understanding of either guy’s personality.

Stockton was painfully introverted; he despised the spotlight. He hated it so much, that when the Miami Heat offered him a crazy record contract for 8 figures a year in the 90s, playing with Mourning and Pat Riley (legitimate title contenders at the time), he turned them down without a second thought.

Why? Way too much attention in that market. As such, the Jazz were actually the perfect franchise for him, because he could play elite basketball with the minimum of national attention.

Hell, we’re talking about a guy so reticent, that after his playing days were over, he immediately moved back to his small plot of land in Spokane, Washington.  Zero interest in ever becoming a television analyst, coach, or GM.

Comparing his situation to that of someone like Melo is so bizarre it genuinely makes me laugh.

But Malone is also a poor example. For those who don’t follow the Jazz, “Malone might leave Utah for a bigger franchise” and “Malone not happy with contract talks” was a constant storyline throughout his 20 years there.

Hell, a 68 year-old Sloan probably wouldn’t have had the energy to manage Karl back then anymore than he could deal with Deron Williams.

In the end, it wasn’t just the quality of the team around him (which frequently got bounced in the first or second round of the play-offs) that convinced him to stay, but Malone’s personal friendship with Jerry Sloan and deceased former owner Larry Miller (an almost father and son relationship).

Not only that, but Malone also appreciated Salt Lake City the place more than most NBA superstars would; we’re talking about a self-described “black redneck” who loved the great outdoors, mountain climbing, etc.

As for current guys, moving into why the overarching message is wrong, I can buy the “team built around him sucked” excuse for LeBron, but certainly not for either Melo or Deron.

Both guys played on perennial 50-55 win ballclubs, both made the Conference Finals, and had fellow All-Stars or elite players on their rosters. (Chauncey Billups, Allen Iverson, Carlos Boozer, Al Jefferson, Kirilenko for a short while, Kenyon Martin for a short while, Nene, Paul Millsap)

The city and franchise did everything they could for them, made consistently good moves, and put up with their mercurial attitudes.

Outside of winning the freaking jackpot by sheer dumb luck and landing another amazing piece that would make them serious championship contenders, what does Bill Simmons think those small-market teams could do? Nothing.

And yes, things have changed.

In the mid 80s, Ewing made history by signing for $2 million a year, the entire roster of the Pacers cost $6 million, and Larry H Miller bought the Utah Jazz for $14 million, which people thought was way too much. (Nowadays, the franchise is valued at $350 million)

This was before the game became a global sport, and the amount a superstar could make in a big market, and enjoy his celebrity and fame tripled.

Yes Bill, certain elite players forced their way out of smaller markets then too, but they were the exception, and were permanently vilified for it. Think of all the superstars on smaller franchises who didn’t force any exits, or leave in free agency; Moncrief, Gervin, David Thompson, Oscar Robertson, Moses Malone, etc. (I know Simmons considers the last two guys who forced their way out, but that is just patently wrong, and even he seems to admit this in his book)

And keep in mind, these were not necessarily guys for whom loyalty meant a big deal; many were selfish egotists too, and at least two guys I named above were known coke fiends.

Now that we recognize that there is in fact a problem, and a growing shift, the question becomes why?  What chain of events have made big markets so much more attractive?  We will tackle this question in Part 2…

Eyenga was assigned to Erie on Nov. 18 and played in 15 games (13 starts) with the BayHawks, averaging 12.3 points on .531 shooting, 4.7 rebounds, 1.0 assist and 1.0 block in 26.0 minutes per game. Over his last three games with the BayHawks, he averaged 17.0 points on .537 shooting, 7.3 rebounds and 1.7 steals in 31.7 minutes per game.

The BayHawks are the D-League affiliate of the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors.

Samuels has played in four games for the Cavaliers this season and has averages of 3.3 points on .571 shooting and 1.0 rebound in 4.5 minutes per game.

The 6-foot-9 rookie from Louisville will be available to play for the BayHawks in their game versus the Dakota Wizards tonight at 7 p.m. at the Tullio Arena in Erie. The BayHawks are the D-League affiliate of the Cavaliers and the Toronto Raptors.

As the Heat were introduced before the start of the game the entire team were jeered and booed apart from Zydrunas Ilgauskas who was greeted with cheers. LeBron rubbed salt in the wounds and threw his chalk up in the air ritual he does before every game.

Cavalier fans continued to boo every time he touched the ball, scored a basket in fact anything he did. James was unfazed and scored a season high of 38 points, 24 in a third quarter to lead the Miami Heat in a 118-90 white wash over the Cavaliers. Dwyane Wade added 22 points, James Jones hit 18 and Chris Bosh 15 for the Heat.,

Daniel Gibson scored 21 for the Cavaliers, who have lost six of eight and now play seven of their next eight on the road.

Scott spoke out after Cleveland’s 110-100 loss at Orlando on Friday. He criticised officials Ed Malloy, Bennie Adams and Kevin Fehr. He complained about having to play a team where “there’s five white jerseys and three with stripes. … It’s hard when you’re playing against eight people.”

This is the first time Scott has been fined by the NBA.

Eyenga has yet to make an appearance with the Cavaliers during the regular season. He played in six games during the pre-season, averaging 4.3 points on .625 shooting and 0.8 rebounds in 11.3 minutes per game.