Fear The Sword

Cleveland Cavaliers - 2010 Central Division Champions

2010-03-18T02:30:26Z

Mark Duncan - AP

1 day ago: Indiana Pacers' Solomon Jones (44) flings a pass past Cleveland Cavaliers' Anderson Varejao, from Brazil, in the second quarter of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 17, 2010, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

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The Cavaliers have locked up their 2nd straight Central Division Championship with a hard fought 99-94 win over the Indiana Pacers. The 20,592 in attendance tonight wouldn't know that - the team made no mention of the 'accomplishment' at The Q. I understand - the division crown is hardly what the Cavaliers are after - but it's good to stop and smell the roses, to appreciate every step in the journey.

Not that I will criticize the Cavaliers too much - at 54-15 the team is steamrolling towards the post-season. Tonight's win was the Wine and Gold's 24th straight against teams under-.500. The Cavs haven't lost to a team with a losing record since dropping one to the Wizards on November 18th.

The Pacers made it difficult, however, despite missing 4 of their regular contributors. The Cavaliers were sleepwalking through most o the first half, eventually taking a 2 point lead into the locker room(50-48). They came out looking like a team ready to finish the game off early, starting the 3rd quarter on a 11-2 run to take a 61-50 lead. The Cavs continued to add to the lead stretching it to 16 heading into the 4th quarter. Down 18(83-65) early in the 4th Quarter, and with LeBron on the bench ready to take the rest of the evening, the Pacers mounted a furious comeback.

Behind Troy Murphy and A.J. Price, the Pacers out-scored the Cavaliers 22-5 to close within 1 at 88-87 with 4:03 to go. That's when Anderson Varejao and LeBron James do what they do best - make all the plays to take over the game. In the final 4 minutes, LeBron scored or assisted on all 11 Cavalier points. He also forced 2 steals and had two monster blocks. People say Kobe is the ultimate closer - well, I'll take LeBron James, not because he'll bury buzzer-beater after buzzer-beater but because he makes plays in the final 5 minutes of games - on both ends of the floor - to close out opponents.

The Cavaliers continue to win games, despite being at a size disadvantage almost every night. Tonight was no exception with Roy Hibbert having his way inside with 20 points on 8-12 shooting. Murphy was solid too, scoring 19 points and grabbing 15 rebounds - giving the Cavaliers a glimpse of what could have been if the deal for Antawn Jamison wasn't made.

It was a lot of LeBron James for the Cavaliers. James scored 32 points to go along with 9 rebounds and 9 assists. Jamison had 17-9 while J.J. Hickson was a spark early on with 13 points.

Mike Brown had little to say after the game, visibly annoyed with how his team was dominated for the first half of the 4th quarter. The Cavaliers are winning, but they aren't winning the way Brown would like them to win. Division Champs or not, there is plenty of work to be done - the playoffs start one month from today.

Game #69 - Indiana Pacers at Cleveland Cavaliers Game Night Open Thread

2010-03-17T21:07:14Z

2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
	VS
22-45		53-15
March 17, 2010
Quicken Loans Arena
7:00PM
Radio - WTAM 1100 / FSOhio
Probable starters:
Earl Watson	PG	Mo Williams
Brandon Rush	SG	Anthony Parker
Dahntay Jones	SF	LeBron James
Troy Murphy	PF	Antawn Jamison
Roy Hibbert	C	J.J. Hickson

The Cavaliers can inch closer to clinching their 2nd straight Central Division Championship tonight with a win over the Indiana Pacers at the Q. The Cavaliers and Pacer both played last night - the Cavaliers winning in Detroit while the Pacer won at home over the Bobcats, ending Charlotte's 6 game winning streak.

The win came at a price, however, with the Pacers losing Danny Granger for an undetermined amount of time with an injury to his cheekbone. Troy Murphy scored 16 points and added 13 rebounds for the Pacers.

The Cavaliers were once again sluggish to start against the Pistons before outscoring Detroit 38-25 in the 4th Q at the Palace. LeBron James notched his 32nd career triple-double(29-12-12) while Mo Williams came alive with 20 points in the win. It was the Cavaliers 4th straight win and 10th straight over Detroit - including a 4-game sweep in the playoffs last season.

As for tonight's game - at The Q, with a division title on the line - you have to like the Cavaliers chances. Cleveland has not lost to a team under-.500 since mid November, and the Cavaliers have beaten Indiana 9 straight times at The Q. In a weird scheduling quirk, it has been a while since the Cavaliers have faced Indiana at The Q - December 5, 2008 - a 97-73 win for the Cavaliers.

The Cavaliers are playing at home for the 2nd consecutive St. Patrick's Day. Last season, the Cavaliers beat Orlando at The Q 97-93. LeBron James went off for 43-12-8 in the win.

3-in the Key

1. At 53-15 (.779), Cleveland owns the NBA's best record and leads the league with highest point differential at +7.3. The Cavaliers are one of only two teams with 50 wins (Los Angeles Lakers have 50), have won 10 of their last 11 games and is 27-7 (.794) in 2010, which is the best mark in that span. After going a league-best 66-16 (.805) last season, the Cavaliers could become the first team since the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 (72-10) and 1996-97 (69-13) to have sole possession of the best record in the regular season in consecutive years.

2. With a win tonight versus the Indiana Pacers or a Milwaukee loss to the Los Angeles Clippers, the Cavaliers will clinch the Central Division title. It would mark the 3rd time in franchise history that Cleveland has won the division (1975-76 and 2008-09) and the first time they will have won back-to-back division titles. Tonight's game will mark the second of four straight games against Central Division opponents (113-101 win at DET, vs. IND, @CHI, vs. DET) and Cleveland currently stands at 8-2 (.778) against their division this season while holding a commanding 15.5 game lead over Milwaukee, the largest division lead in the NBA.

3. With his 35th point, LeBron James will score the 15,000th point of his career. James would become the youngest player in the NBA to reach 15,000 points (Kobe Bryant - 27 years, 136 days old). He has scored at least 20 points in each of his last 18 games, which leads the league as the longest active streak (2nd is eight games). James (3,785 rebs) will also move up in the Cavs franchise record books for total rebounds as he is only six rebounds away from moving into 4th place, ahead of Jim Chones' 3,790

Game #68 - Cleveland Cavaliers at Detroit Pistons Game Night Open Thread

2010-03-16T23:06:28Z

2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
	VS
23-43		52-15
March 16, 2010
The Palace of Auburn Hills
7:30PM
Radio - WTAM 1100 / FSOhio
Probable starters:
Will Bynum	PG	Mo Williams
Richard Hamilton	SG	Anthony Parker
Teyshaun Prince	SF	LeBron James
Jonas Jerebko	PF	Antawn Jamison
Jason Maxiell	C	J.J. Hickson

The Cavaliers and Pistons went several months without playing each other. They are following that up with 3 games in 16 days. Back on March 5, the Cavaliers came back from over 20 points down to beat the Pistons at the Q. It was a win tempered by a scary incident involving Rodney Stuckey, who collapsed during a timeout and was rushed to the hospital. Stuckey appears to be ok, thankfully, though he will not play tonight.

For the Cavaliers, the countdown continues until the return of Zydrunas Ilgauskas. The Cavaliers can begin negotiations with him on March 22nd and I expect something to get done that day. As for tonight, Delonte West will take a breather with what the team is calling a sprained left knee. It is considered precuationary, however, and the team expect West to play tomorrow night against the Pacers.

While the Cavs are on the front end of a back-to-back, Detroit had the mis-fortune of playing the Celtics one day after their defeat against the Cavaliers. Boston made short order of the Pistons - on ESPN no less, up over 30 points for large parts of the game. For that reason, at least in part, Sunday's rematch between the Cavs and Pistons at the Q has been moved from 8PM to 6PM and will no longer be broadcast on ESPN.

3-in the Key

1. At 52-15 (.776), Cleveland owns the NBA's best record and leads the league with highest point differential at +7.1. The Cavaliers are the only team with 50 wins, has won nine of their last 10 games and is 26-7 (.788) in 2010, which is the best mark in that span. After going a league-best 66-16 (.805) last season, the Cavaliers could become the first team since the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 (72-10) and 1996-97 (69-13) to have sole possession of the best record in the regular season in consecutive years. After defeating Boston 104-93 on Sunday, the Cavs are now 28-9 (.757) against teams with a .500- record or better.

2. As the Cavaliers head to Detroit, the team's magic number to clinch their second straight Central Division crown is two. Cleveland will face four consecutive Central Division opponents and stands at 7-2 (.778) against their division this season while holding a commanding 15.0 game lead over Milwaukee, the largest division lead in the NBA. The Cavs have won five straight over the Pistons, including two consecutive contests at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

3. Anderson Varejao notched his 11th double-double of the season with 17 points on 6-8 (.750) shooting, 10 rebounds (six offensive) and one block to lead Cleveland's bench, which outscored the Celtics' reserves 27-15. Varejao has now scored in double figures in nine of his last 10 contests and is averaging a near double-double with 12.5 points on .707 shooting and 8.8 rebounds over that span. Varejao ranks second in reserves in total rebounding at 7.9 rpg in 58 games (Lamar Odom - 8.3 rpg in 41 games). The Cavs entered tonight's game allowing a league-low 25.9 points from the opponent reserves, and over the last four games, the bench has outscored their opponents' reserves 33.5-16.5.

Fred McLeod talks with Anderson Varejao after today's shoot-around in Detroit

2010-03-16T22:52:54Z

Fred McLeod talks with Anderson Varejao after today's shoot-around in Detroit

Sunday's Home Game against Pistons Rescheduled

2010-03-16T18:28:39Z

If you are planning on going to Sunday's Cavaliers game against the Pistons, mark your calendars for a new start time. The game will now start at 6PM, likely to accommodate a better game on TV that night. Taking a peek at the schedule, the Spurs contest against the Hawks is now scheduled to be on ESPN at 8PM et, when the Cavaliers were to be televised.

I guess another LeBron beatdown of Motown is not interesting enough for ESPN.

Looking at the defense from the championship year, when we won it, it doesn't look the same. It...

2010-03-15T13:34:55Z

Looking at the defense from the championship year, when we won it, it doesn't look the same. It looks like the rotation is slower and they ain't getting to the shooters and closing out like they did before. I don't know if it's effort or maybe they're a little older.

Leon Powe, former Celtic, current Cavalier

Cavaliers Pull Away, Beat Boston 104-93

2010-03-14T22:41:27Z

Thank Heaven this game didn't come down to free throws. Cleveland missed 17 free throws Sunday afternoon, but the Cavaliers' hustle and desire made them unneccesary in a big win over the Boston Celtics, 104-93.

LeBron James dominated the game, scoring 30 points, dishing out 7 assists, and pulling down 8 rebounds. The stat sheet was filled with stars for Cleveland, which included;

Antawn Jamison, 15 points and 12 rebounds
Anderson Varejao, 17 points and 10 rebounds
Mo Williams, 14 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists
J.J. Hickson, 12 points

The Cavs won this game by outhustling Boston and wearing down the Celtics. By midway through the fourth quarter, they had taken a close game and blown it open to a 17-point margin. The aging Celtics couldn't keep up and their shooting suffered as a result of being tired. Boston missed their first 9 shots from the floor to start the fourth and never recovered.

Cleveland has now gone 22-4 in their last 26 games and have seemingly shaken their bad record against quality opponents. Last season, their biggest weakness was their sub-par record against Boston, Orlando and the Lakers. this year, they are now 6-2 against those same three teams.

Boston is now 10 games behind the Cavs in the playoff hunt, and is the 4th seed. They have played below-.500 ball since Christmas and are struggling with their chemistry as the season rolls on.

Early on, the Cavaliers decided that they would win this game through sheer hustle. The Celtics were unable to keep up with the younger, quicker Cavs. Excellent snap-passes were key as Cleveland burst out to a 9-4 lead. Cold shooting in a very physical contest allowed the Celtics to get back in the game, but a late 8-0 run gave the Cavs a 24-18 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter began with sloppy play at both ends, but Cleveland was able to extend their modest lead when Mo Williams caught fire from behind the three-point stripe. The first half was well-rounded, as seven different players scored, but the hero of the first 24 minutes was Anderson Varejao. Varejao had 15 points, 6 rebounds in the half, and was clearly in the heads of Boston's big men. Kevin Garnett and Glen Davis both retreated to the bench with three fouls trying to contain him.

Cleveland led 54-48 at the half despite LeBron James only taking four total shots in the half, totalling 6 points. One of those shots was vintage King James.

With one minute to play in the first quarter, the shot clock began winding down as the ball slipped from James' grip. He gathered it on the left wing, dribbled out around Rasheeed Wallace and launched a 26-foot three-pointer, fading away as the shot clock expired. Nothing but net.

LeBron's low shot count changed drastically in the third quarter. James scored 13 points in the stanza and took over the game at several points. Boston had tied the game up, but James and Mo Williams wouldn't let them stay tied. A 12-4 run to close out the quarter gave Cleveland an 80-72 lead.

Then came the 4th quarter, and defense carried the day for the Cavs.

NOTES

The Cavs magic number to win the division is now 2

The Cavs magic number to win the #1 Eastern seed is now 10

The Cavs magic number to win home court advantage throughout the playoffs is now 12

Rasheed Wallace shot 1-for-8 from the floor. I just like typing that.

Game #67 - Boston Celtics at Cleveland Cavaliers Game Day Thread

2010-03-14T18:30:31Z

2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
	VS
41-23		51-15
March 14, 2010
Quicken Loans Arena
3:30PM
Radio - WTAM 1100 / ABC
Probable starters:
Rajon Rondo	PG	Mo Williams
Ray Allen	SG	Anthony Parker
Paul Pierce	SF	LeBron James
Kevin Garnett	PF	Antawn Jamison
Kendrick Perkins	C	J.J. Hickson

The Cavaliers and Celtics. National TV. Sunday Afternoon. Mid-March. Does it really get any better than that? The Celtics and Cavaliers renew their rivalry this afternoon at the Q. Both teams have won a game this season - on the other team's home court - after the home teams dominated this series over the past 3 or 4 years. The Celtics will likely have a bit of revenge on their mind after Cleveland turned an early 13 point deficit into a commanding 20-point win in Boston a couple weeks ago. Since then, the Celtics have played better basketball, despite an embarrassing home loss to the New Jersey Nets.

For Cleveland, I'm going to go ahead and guess the Antawn Jamison plays. Jamison was brought in to help the Cavaliers beat Boston and Orlando - if he has to sit against a team like the Pistons in order to play against the Celtics I am all for it. If Jamison doesn't go, Leon Powe will get his second start. Powe will likely have a little extra pep in his step going against his former team in a big game.

Some how, some way, the Cavaliers have to find a way to get in front of Rajon Rondo. Mo Williams struggled against Rondo big time in Boston which helped the Celtics get out to a big lead. The Cavaliers have to prove they can defend smaller guards or they will keep getting eaten up.

Cleveland has won 8 of their last 10, while the Celtics have gone 6-4 in the same span.

3-in the Key

1. At 51-15 (.773), Cleveland owns the NBA's best record and leads the league with highest point differential at +7.1. The team has won eight of their last nine games and is 25-7 (.781) in 2010, which is the best mark in that span. After going a league-best 66-16(.805) last season, the Cavaliers could become the first team since the Chicago Bulls in 1995-96 (72-10) and 1996-97 (69-13) to have sole possession of the best record in the regular season in consecutive years.

2. Cleveland owns the best home and road records in the NBA. At home, the Cavaliers are 28-4 (.875) and play nine of its remaining 16 games at The Q. The Cavs have won 26 of their last 28 home games and are averaging 105.4 points on .513 shooting, while holding their opponents to just 95.1 points on .438 shooting during that span. Since the start of the 2008-09 season, the Cavaliers are 67-6 (.918) at home, which is also an NBA-best. After being tied for the third best home record in league history last season at 39-2 (.951), the team is trying to hold the best home record in consecutive seasons for only the 14th time in NBA history and seventh time (five teams) in the last 35 years. The team's 100-95 victory on Friday over Philadelphia was the 14th road win in its last 19 road games, taking them to a league-leading 23-11 (.676) record away from The Q.

3. At Boston, LeBron James scored a game-high 36 points on 11-23 shooting (.478), seven rebounds and nine assists. James has averaged 37.0 points on .511 shooting, 5.5 rebounds and 8.5 assists in two games against Boston this season and his career average against the Celtics is 30.4 points. Only one player in NBA history has a higher mark against the Celtics: Michael Jordan at 30.7. Since 2003-04, no player in the NBA has recorded more 30+ point games against the Boston than James with 13.

Peripheral Vision - The Games To Watch for Sunday

2010-03-14T15:48:05Z

Today's a big day for the Cavaliers. Not only do we have a high-profile game against the Boston Celtics at The Q, but there's other action that could directly benefit (or damage) us. That's what "Peripheral Vision" is all about - keeping an eye on the games and opposition that could most directly affect the wine and gold as we head down the stretch.

First, we'll take a look at the Eastern Conference Standings - only 8 of these 9 teams can advance to the postseason;

TEAM	W	L	GB
Cleveland	51	15	---
Orlando	47	20	4.5
Atlanta	42	23	8.5
Boston	41	23	9.0
Milwaukee	35	29	15.0
Charlotte	33	31	17.0
Miami	34	32	17.0
Toronto	32	32	18.0
Chicago	31	34	19.5

There are only a few pertinent races left to pay attention to. Atlanta and Boston for third and fourth. Toronto and Chicago for 8th. The rest of the above teams are just jockeying for position. But if the day goes badly, the Cavs might still be in a scary race for first.

Take a jump below the fold, and we'll get into today's games.

Charlotte Bobcats at Orlando Magic, 6pm EST
When you're done watching Selection Sunday, tune in to this game. Two surging teams that will play one hell of a game. Charlotte has won 5 straight, Orlando has won 8 in a row. Something's gotta give. Orlando is expected to win this one, but Charlotte has clawed their way into the thick of the race....now they're anxious to prove they belong.

Indiana Pacers at Milwaukee Bucks, 1pm EST
Milwaukee is for real. They're playing what could be the best basketball in the NBA right now, and they've climbed the charts into a solid 5th position. They won't crack the top 4, but they might not have to. They're good enough to beat the #4 Celtics right now in a best-of-7 series. Indiana is riding out the season and checking out the draft for next season.

Philadelphia 76ers at Miami Heat, 6pm EST
Miami will limp into the playoffs, but they'll still likely qualify. They're tied for 6th, but with the 8/9 teams (Toronto/Chicago) fading fast, the Heat should be safe for the postseason. But we should watch them carefully, they could be our first-round opponent. They've suspended Rafer Alston for the rest of the year, and various injuries will test their mettle. Despite the effort we saw Friday night, Philly is falling apart, dropping 8 of their last 9 games. Another team hoping for a good lottery pick.

Toronto Raptors at Portland Trail Blazers, 9pm EST
Oh, Toronto - what have you become? Just three weeks ago, the Raptors were the fifth seed, 7 games over .500 and looking strong. They are 1-8 since then and if not for the miserable basketball being played in Chicago, Toronto would be on the outside of the playoff chase. As it stands, the Raptors and Bulls are trying to see which is better - a lottery pick, or losing to the Cavaliers in the first round. Meanwhile, Portland can secure a playoff berth soon, so they will be fighting hard at home today.

Peripheral Vision - Saturday's games to watch

2010-03-13T20:00:25Z

There's one month remaining in the NBA regular season, and there are precious few chances to make up any significant ground for the teams left in the chase.

The Eastern Conference has 9 teams with any prayer left to make the playoffs, so most teams are simply jockeying for position now. Here's what's left to watch for today in our region;

Orlando Magic at Washington Wizards, 7pm EST
Orlando has been unstoppable for the last three weeks, having won 7 games in a row. Their problem is that they haven't been able to gain ground on the Cavaliers, as they still sit five games out of first place in the East. The Magic needs all the stars to align to win the East, so they're probably content with capturing the 2nd seed. Washington should be no challenge for Orlando today.

Detroit Pistons at Atlanta Hawks,7pm EST
The Hawks are playing great basketball right now and are tied with Boston for the third seed in the East. They are probably content with allowing Orlando to win the division and focus their energy on holding off the Celtics, and with the way the Magic are playing, that's a wise thought. They are 4 games behind Orlando and 6 games ahead of 5th-seed Milwaukee. All that's left for Atlanta to fight for is whether they'll be third or fourth in the East. The Pistons should be dispatched easily today if they want that third slot.

Toronto Raptors at Golden State Warriors, 1030pm EST
Raptor fans, here's the bad news. You've lost 7 of 10 and slipped from the fifth seed to the 8th seed in just three weeks time. The good news? Chicago sucks worse than you are have fallen deeper, occupying the 9th slot in the East and a ticket home. Toronto has a two-game lead for the final playoff position, and they have to turn it around immediately. Their reward if they continue to flounder? Either a ticket home for the playoffs, or a date with the Cavaliers. Playing Golden State will show whether or not they're serious about their commitment.

Former Cavalier Larry Hughes signs with Charlotte Bobcats

2010-03-13T16:55:40Z

More photos » Kathy Kmonicek - AP

(AP Photo/Kathy Kmonicek)

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The Charlotte Bobcats are currently tied for 6th in the Eastern Conference playoff picture. They added what they hope to be some help in order to finish the deal. The Bobcats came to terms with former Cavalier Larry Hughes on a contract.

Hughes was traded from the Knicks to Sacramento prior to the trade deadline. The Kings released Hughes after the trade. Hughes was suffering from a broken finger at the time, which prevented the Bobcats from signing him earlier. Hughes is expected to help the Bobcats make up for the loss of Flip Murray, who was traded to Chicago last month.

The Cavaliers lost 3 of 4 games to the Bobcats this season and the two teams could meet in the 1st Round of the NBA Playoffs this season.

Cavs escape Philadelphia with 100-95 win

2010-03-13T02:46:41Z

More photos » Matt Slocum - AP

6 days ago: Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, center, goes up to the basket as Philadelphia 76ers' Samuel Dalembert, left, and Andre Iguodala defend in the first half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, March 12, 2010, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

Browse more photos »

Sometimes you win games that you should have lost. Tonight was one of those games.

Andre Iguodala scored 30 points for Philadelphia and Elton Brand added 24 to lead all scorers, but it wasn't enough as the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Sixers 100-95 at Wachovia Center Friday night. Philly did a lot of damage inside as they scored 66 points in the paint against one of the NBA's best defenses, but late shots would not fall as the Sixers dropped their 8th game out of their last 9.

LeBron James led the Cavs with 23 points and 10 assists, while Mo Williams added 21 points as Cleveland moved to 51-15 on the year, 5 games up on the rest of the Eastern Conference.

James had one of his worst shooting nights of the season after taking a six-day rest from action. James went 7-for-18 from the floor, 3-for-10 from 3-point range and 6-for-12 from the free throw line, but his 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots made the difference.

Mo Williams, by contrast, had an excellent night with the ball, shooting 8-for-13 from the field, including 4-for-8 from long range.

Philadelphia refused to go away all night long and stayed close from start to finish. The Sixers scored on every one of their first 10 possessions, rattling off 34 points in the first quarter, mostly from close range.

"We just had to get some pressure on defense. They were getting to the basket too much, and I think we took it to them late in the game and got the win."

- Jamario Moon

Cleveland had consistent trouble stopping Philly's inside game until Samuel Dalembert fouled out with 4 and a half minutes left in the game. With Dalembert on the sidelines, the Cavs defense was able to concentrate more on Iguodala instead of collapsing down on the Sixers' big man in the middle. Philly only had two field goals the rest of the night after Dalembert's exit, and neither of them were inside the paint.

"We weren't good in transition in that first half. I think we did a better job with the transition game in the second half. LeBron had some big plays defensively for us in the second half, especially on the weak side."

- Head Coach Mike Brown

Bench heroes of the night - Delonte West, who had 17 points and a crucial steal in the final minute, and Anderson Varejao who had a double/double of 12 points and 12 rebounds.

The Cavaliers return home Sunday afternoon for a key matchup with the Boston Celtics at 330pm. The game will be on ABC

Game #66 - Cleveland Cavaliers at Philadelphia 76ers Game Night Open Thread

2010-03-12T23:32:50Z

2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
	VS
23-40		50-15
March 12, 2010
Wachovia Center
7:00 PM et
Radio - WTAM 1100 / FSOhio
Probable starters:
Louis Williams	PG	Mo Williams
Jrue Holiday	SG	Anthony Parker
Andre Iguodala	SF	LeBron James
Elton Brand	PF	Leon Powe
Samuel Dalembert	C	J.J. Hickson

It seems like forever since the Cavaliers played a basketball game. In NBA circles, getting 4 days off in mid-March is forever. The rest came at the perfect time. LeBron James was able to take a week off and only miss 2 games. Antawn Jamson will sit tonight, giving him 6 days off between games. He hopes to play Sunday against the Celtics. All the bumps, bruises and finger injuries - Mo Williams and Anthony Parker -should be feeling much better. Oh yea, #23 returns to the lineup and he should be filled with energy.

The Cavaliers, undermanned from top to bottom, beat the Spurs on Monday night. It was the type of win that can give everyone on the roster, from #1 to #15, the confidence necessary to finish the season and head into the playoffs. It was the 50th win of the year for the Cavaliers - the first team in the NBA to win 50 games this season. That is significant too. The past two years, the team that got to 50 wins first has won the NBA Championship. Boston did it in 2008, the Lakers did in 2009. Can the Cavs make it 3 straight years?

3-in the Key

1. At 50-15 (.769), Cleveland owns the NBA's best record and leads the league with highest point differential at +7.2 and has won seven of their last eight games and is 24-7 (.774) in 2010, which is the best mark in that span. With Monday's win over San Antonio, the Cavaliers became the NBA's first team to win 50 games this season and a playoff spot. It's the first time in franchise history that Cleveland has been the first NBA team to reach 50 wins in a season and the fourth time in the last five seasons they have reached the 50-win mark: (2005-06, 2006-07, 2008-09, 2009-10).

2. The Cavaliers have won 13 of its last 18 road games and at 22-11 (.667), their road record is tied for the best (Boston) in the NBA. LeBron James leads the league this season in scoring on the road at 31.0 ppg.

3. Cleveland has defeated Philadelphia six consecutive times at the Wachovia Center, outscoring the 76ers 100.8-94.2 and outshooting them .478-.458 in those games. In the Cavs win on Dec. 16, LeBron James tallied 36 points, six rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block. With Philadelphia leading 94-90 midway through the fourth, the Cavaliers held the 76ers to one field goal in the final five minutes to close out the game.

Antawn Jamison out tonight, Leon Powe gets the start

2010-03-12T18:58:39Z

Cavaliers F Antawn Jamison is out of tonight's game against the 76'ers after not travelling with the team. Leon Powe will get his first start at PF. The Cavaliers are still listing Jamison as Day-to-Day with left knee stiffness. Jamison had hoped to play tonight, but has stated he would be ready to go for Sunday's afternoon game against the Celtics at The Q.

If I had to play, if it were the playoffs, I could have played. The ankle wasn't that bad. ...

2010-03-12T15:17:20Z

If I had to play, if it were the playoffs, I could have played. The ankle wasn't that bad. Looking back on it, it was the right decision to give the injuries I had some rest. I needed to take some time off to help my body. It's not often you can look at the schedule and get a week off and miss only two games. We took advantage of it. I got a lot of treatment and exercise to where I can definitely close out the season. It's a blessing at this point in the season. We had only two games in a week. I took advantage of it, and Coach allowed me to do it.

LeBron James endorses Mike Brown's decision to give him some rest

Peripheral Vision - Friday's NBA games to watch

2010-03-12T14:08:47Z

Finally, the Cavaliers are back in action. Tonight we head to Philadelphia and take on a Sixers team that is either flailing or simply surrendered. Philly has lost 7 of their last 8 games, and none of those losses were even close. Meanwhile, the Cavs have won 20 of their last 24 games.

LeBron James is expected to return to action tonight....and one has to ask, if it was truly rest that James needed, then his status would not be in question, would it? No word yet on whether or not Antawn Jamison will be back, but all signs point to a Sunday start for AJ.

Aside from the obvious Cavs game to watch tonight, there's a full slate of games that will have some impact on us. Let's take a look;

Los Angeles Lakers at Phoenix Suns, 9pm EST
The Lakers needed a last-second shot to prevent a four-game losing streak in their most recent game, and they didn't look at all like the defending champs in doing so. Will they rebound properly in time to grab home court advantage from the Cavs? They're 3 games back of us....but maybe they should focus more on how to hold off the Dallas Mavericks, who are only 2.5 games back in the race for the West. Phoenix is 24-8 at home, and the Lakers have their hands full in a game they desperately need.

Indiana Pacers at Boston Celtics, 730pm EST
Boston is still falling apart, and it's grown into a long-term issue. Since Christmas Day, the Celtics are 17-18. That's nearly a half-season of below-.500 basketball. At this point, they're testing the theory of a division champion NOT having home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. They're in fourth place, but are only six games ahead of fifth-seed Milwaukee. Normally, that's a safe lead, but the Bucks have gained four games on Boston in the last two weeks. If both teams continue their respective levels of play, the Celtics might find themselves atop the Atlantic Division, but playing on the road the first series in the Eastern Playoffs. Meanwhile, Indiana sucks. If Boston loses at home to them.....well, you know.

Chicago Bulls at Miami Heat News, 730pm EST
The Bulls have lost 6 in a row, and their lineup is depleted. Last night, they were destroyed by Orlando and cannot be looking forward to playing again tonight. If Miami wins this game, they'll have a 2.5 game lead for that final spot in the playoffs. It could be over for Chicago if they drop this one, and the rest of the season will be about lining up the seeds.

Utah Jazz at Milwaukee Bucks, 830pm EST
This is the big test for the Bucks. They've been kicking butt for the better part of three weeks and are tightening their grip on the 5th seed (and possibly climbing). Are they for real? Utah will help us find out. The Jazz are only 4.5 games out of first place in the West and have won four straight. This might be the best game of the entire night.

Los Angeles Clippers at Charlotte Bobcats, 7pm EST
Charlotte is winning games at the right time of the season, having pulled four straight together. They are tied for 6th place in the East (a 3-way tie with Toronto and Miami) and are in position to make the postseason for the first time since who really knows. With the Clippers playing like they normally do in March, expect a fifth straight win for the Bobcats.

Peripheral Vision - Thursday's NBA Action

2010-03-11T15:37:59Z

OK, I know that the rest is good for LeBron and Antawn, but three days without Cavalier basketball is killing me!

Keeping an eye on our closest competition tonight....only two games worth noting.

Chicago at Orlando Magic, 8pm EST
Two teams headed in opposite directions. The Magic have won 6 in a row and are solidifying their #2 seed in the playoffs. Meanwhile, Chicago has dropped their last 5 games and are a full game out of the playoffs. If they don't turn it around fast, they're finished. They won't turn it around tonight. Maybe Sunday against Miami?

Atlanta at Washington, 7pm EST
Atlanta has been an afterthought all season, despite posting an excellent record. A win tonight puts them in sole possession of the 3 seed in the East. Boston's failures will be Atlanta's bonus, if they can beat the new-look Wizards.

I don't expect to see an upset in either of these games. In fact, I think Atlanta and Orlando are on a collision course for the second round of the playoffs.

Peripheral Vision - Wednesday's NBA Action

2010-03-10T17:01:06Z

There are only a small handful of games that even remotely impact the Cavaliers today. Our lead in the pertinent races are safe tonight, as no team within several fathoms of us will be playing. But there's still something to focus on, especially regarding our initial opposition in the NBA Eastern Conference Playoffs.

Memphis at Boston, 730pm EST - The Celtics are reeling and there's little hope in sight for the time being. They're coming off a hard loss in Milwaukee last night, and now they have to face a Memphis team that is battling hard for a playoff berth in the West. The Grizzlies are four games behind Portland for the 8th spot in the West, and they know every game is crucial at this point. Playing a tired and aging Boston team on the 2nd night of a back-to-back might just be helpful to them.

Charlotte at Philadelphia, 7pm EST - Charlotte's win last night boosted them up into the 7th spot in the East, but they are aware that a loss tonight might drop them right back into 9th. They have their eyes on the #5 spot and they just might get it. The Sixers have dropped six of their last seven games and appear to be running out their season...five of those 6 losses were double-digit defeats.

L.A. Clippers at Miami, 730pm EST - The Clippers lost by 26 points, then fired their head coach last night. Miami slipped into the 8th spot last night and have lost Rafer Alston for an undetermined period of time (for personal reasons). This game might come down to "who wants to win it less".

Toronto at Sacramento, 10pm EST - The Raptors used to have a firm grip on a playoff spot. 6 losses in 7 games have loosened that grip. They're falling apart and need a boost immediately. Playing the Kings might be that boost. Toronto is in the 6th slot in the East, but they're only 1.5 games ahead of 9th place Chicago. By the time their west coast road trip is over, they might find themselves on the outside in this race.

Cavs Players to Exchange Autographs for Children's Books

2010-03-10T14:06:07Z

Cavaliers players Daniel Gibson, J.J. Hickson, Leon Powe and Cavs Legend Austin Carr will sign autographs for fans who donate a new children's book to benefit the Cavs Read to Achieve program this Saturday, March 13^th at Dick's Sporting Goods in Legacy Village. Through Read to Achieve, the Cleveland Cavaliers will distribute over 5,000 donated books to schools and students in the northeast Ohio community throughout the 2009-10 school year.

There will be TWO autograph sessions located in front of the store's rock wall -

Gibson and Hickson will sign from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Powe and Carr will sign from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m.

Dick's Sporting Goods is located at 24545 Cedar Rd., Lyndhurst, OH 44124.

Clippers dump Dunleavy, Hope for LeBron

2010-03-10T13:20:27Z

Clippers dump Dunleavy, Hope for LeBron

The Clippers, according to another source within the organization, are hoping to persuade James to come if he also can pick his coach, and possibly his general manager.