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Cavs Regular Season

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ABJ

4/11/06

Cavs' James delivers

Shot wins it with half-second to go

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLA. - Just call LeBron James Mr. Clutch.
The Cavaliers superstar just keeps delivering, night after night. His latest dagger came Monday, when he drained a 22-foot jumper with half a second remaining to bury the New Orleans-Oklahoma City Hornets 103-101. It was his second game-winning shot in less than a month and yet another file for his Most Valuable Player resume.
It came against a team clinging to its last bit of postseason hope Monday and enjoying a raucous standing-room only crowd. They were playing a short-handed team with essentially nothing to win for.
It was the Cavs' 11th win in their last 12 tries, which of course led to a positive mood in the locker room. However, no one was more pleased with the outcome than Larry Hughes, who reached a big incentive in his contract with the Cavs' 47th overall win. It triggered a cash bonus of just under $2 million, which meant he was probably buying.
The Cavs played without Zydrunas Ilgauskas (ankle) and, even as it pained coach Mike Brown, without LeBron James during a key stretch in the fourth quarter as he tired to give him extra rest.
The Hornets, conversely, got their full starting lineup back for the first time in nearly a month as forward P.J. Brown and guard Desmond Mason both returned from injury.
From the Cavs' perspective, it was more of a night of tinkering as they begin their run toward the playoffs. In addition to giving James a few extra minutes of rest, Brown used James, Hughes and Flip Murray together on the floor for the longest stretches since Hughes returned from a finger injury.
James was his usual self, getting to the basket whenever he wanted, especially against a team like the Hornets that is devoid of any true shot-blockers. He scored 32 points, but his streak of games with 35 points or more ended at nine.
Murray continued to show his offensive talent, mostly in the second half. He scored 17 of his 25 points after halftime and continued his laser-accurate shooting. He made 9-of-15 shots and is 29-of-42 over the last four games.
Hughes wasn't awe-inspiring, scoring six points with six rebounds, but he was mostly solid at the defensive end.
That trio combined to help the Cavs outscore the Hornets 29-12 in the third quarter, as they erased an 11-point halftime deficit.
The Cavs are one of the best in the NBA at keeping their opponents off the offensive boards, giving up the second fewest in the league coming in. But the Hornets were more active from the outset when chasing just about any loose ball.
They piled up 19 offensive rebounds, the most the Cavs have given up all season, and won the overall rebounding battle 49-35. Which is a big reason why they were able to take 10 more shots and stay in the game despite the Cavs shooting 54 percent and making 10-of-16 3-pointers. Donyell Marshall made four of them for 16 points.
Likely Rookie of the Year Chris Paul led the Hornets with 22 points, and he also pulled down eight rebounds as six different Hornets scored in double figures.
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Bayless gets paid to be an idiot. He's a left coast lover and lets everyone know it.

Speedy Claxton had a good game for the Hornets last night. He's quick, passes well, plays good D and can score a little. Most importantly, he's a free agent at the end of the season. He'd be a decent pg that we could afford in the offseason and would be a good fit.
 
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Brutus1 said:
Speedy Claxton had a good game for the Hornets last night. He's quick, passes well, plays good D and can score a little. Most importantly, he's a free agent at the end of the season. He'd be a decent pg that we could afford in the offseason and would be a good fit.
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I was thinking the same thing. Obviously PG will be a need, and Claxton is somebody I'd love to see Ferry go after.
 
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I've heard that Larry Brown is still intested in Snow. None of his guards are 1's
and most of them don't play the way he demands. Snow plays the exact way he loves.

I've learned to appreciate Snow's game, even if it doesn't include scoring.

I don't know what level of pg we'll be able to get in the bottom third of the draft, but I trust Ferry will find a decent one.
 
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Brutus1 said:
I've heard that Larry Brown is still intested in Snow. None of his guards are 1's
and most of them don't play the way he demands. Snow plays the exact way he loves.

I've learned to appreciate Snow's game, even if it doesn't include scoring.

I don't know what level of pg we'll be able to get in the bottom third of the draft, but I trust Ferry will find a decent one.
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NY is capped out and I don't think I'd trade any of their players for Snow. The Cavs do have a $5 mil mid level exception that they could use to sign another PG. Of course the way Murray has been playing I wouldn't mind seeing them keep him, but if they did that Hughes or Murray would have to play PG.
 
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I think I'd rather have a true point. I'm not sure why.

It all depends on how the playoffs proceed. Long term, they need a true pg.

It's really hard to argue against the current rotation.
 
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I have no problem if they want to keep the current lineup and draft a pg in round 1 and a pf in round 2. That would allow them to get rid of Gooden, and have 2 pgs on their team

I want to keep Murray, b/c he has really helped this team go, and if anyone goes down you have one of the best backups at the guard position in the league.

Now I don't know if all this is possible, but that is what I would like to see happen.
 
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crazybuckfan40 said:
I have no problem if they want to keep the current lineup and draft a pg in round 1 and a pf in round 2. That would allow them to get rid of Gooden, and have 2 pgs on their team

I want to keep Murray, b/c he has really helped this team go, and if anyone goes down you have one of the best backups at the guard position in the league.

Now I don't know if all this is possible, but that is what I would like to see happen.
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The only way Murray will stay is if they make him a starter. I wouldn't really have a problem with Snow, and Jones as backup guards as long as they draft the best PG available this year. Having at least 2 of Murray, Hughes, and Lebron on the court at all times would be good for the Cavs.
 
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What do you guys think of Rajon Rondo as a Cavs draft pick? He's being projected at 14-15 - which would have him off the board by the time the Cavs pick. I'm a UK homer, and I hope he slips to the Cavs.

I think that he's the best defender at the guard position in the draft - he'd be a great compliment to Larry Hughes. He can pass, penetrate, and he's an exceptional rebounder for a PG. His jumper is suspect, but he's dangerous off the dribble.
 
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jlb1705 said:
What do you guys think of Rajon Rondo as a Cavs draft pick? He's being projected at 14-15 - which would have him off the board by the time the Cavs pick. I'm a UK homer, and I hope he slips to the Cavs.

I think that he's the best defender at the guard position in the draft - he'd be a great compliment to Larry Hughes. He can pass, penetrate, and he's an exceptional rebounder for a PG. His jumper is suspect, but he's dangerous off the dribble.
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No No No No No. I refuse to take a player that struggled to meet his potential under Tubby Smith. He's quite possibly the best coach in college basketball. That tells me this kid has some serious motivational issues.
 
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I agree, Rando is a great defender b/c he is long, and he is pretty good at running an offense, but he has no jumper at all, and that is what I want in the pg that we draft.

Tonite is the big one against the Pistons. Lets see if Brown or Carlisle play all their guys full minutes or they give guys more rest than normal.
 
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ABJ

4/12/06

Big play for James flattens a few foes

Lately, Cavs enjoying last-possession success

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->OKLAHOMA CITY - The Cavaliers call it ``Flat.'' You can just call it The LeBron Special.
There's no industry secret being given up here: ``Flat'' is the play the Cavs go to when they've got the last possession in a close game. It's basic bread and butter, and with a player like LeBron James at the wheel, it has been pure gold.
The Cavs have won five games on that play over the last month -- and lost one, too. It worked again in the 103-101 win over the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets on Monday, with its leader choosing one of his many options.
Here are the basics:
Usually Flip Murray inbounds the ball from the sideline after a timeout. James starts on the baseline and gets a pick -- from either Drew Gooden or Anderson Varejao, depending on the lineup -- in the lane to be freed to receive the pass at the top of the key. The rest of the team lines up along the baseline or far wings to isolate James with his defender.
If the Cavs are down two points, they usually will have extra 3-point shooters, like Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall, in the game standing in the corners, though Larry Hughes can be there as well as Murray after he inbounds. If it is a tie score or if the Cavs are down a point, like Monday, they might opt for extra rebounders who can tip in a missed shot.
James has four options:
• He can drive and look to score or to get fouled.
• He can drive and draw extra defenders, then pass the ball to an open shooter on the outside.
• He can drive and pass to an open big man off one of the low blocks.
• He can pull up for a jumper.
``I don't predetermine what I do,'' James said. ``I just read my defender.''
The Hornets and Charlotte Bobcats were victims of option No. 4, as James faked a drive to create space and pulled up for jumpers that became the first two buzzer-beating game-winners in his career. These were calculated; James knew he was taking long shots in games that were tied, so the lower-percentage attempt wasn't as risky to the outcome.
The Houston Rockets tasted the problem with option No. 3, when they double-teamed James on a late drive to the basket in overtime last month. He fed Zydrunas Ilgauskas for a wide-open dunk that proved to be the winning points.
The Toronto Raptors suffered the results of option No. 2, as James drove and drew extra defenders before kicking it to Jones in the corner for a wide-open 3-pointer that won a game in Toronto last month. The same decision did not pay off last week in New York, when the Knicks survived a wide-open 3-point try by Larry Hughes at the buzzer after James drove and drew a triple team.
Option No. 1 hasn't happened in last-second situations recently, but James' drives on the ``Flat'' play got the Cavs game-winning baskets earlier this season against the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves.
There also was the game against the Los Angeles Lakers last month, when Kobe Bryant tried to stop the play from even developing by trying to deny the entry pass to James. So his man, Murray, went back door behind Bryant, got fouled and made the winning free throw off the same set.
``In the timeouts, everybody knows what we're going to do, we've been doing it game after game,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ``We've been in the situation a gazillion times it seems like.''
The play is in every playbook in the league. Sometimes teams call it ``iso'' (pronounced eye-so) or ``spread,'' but almost none has a versatile player like James to run it. Perhaps most importantly, he can drive and score with both hands, which makes it difficult to shade him to one side. Also, with the Cavs' wealth of spot-up shooters, James is confident in passing the ball.
``He has won plenty of games for us with shots or passes in the fourth quarter,'' Brown said. ``He's absolutely amazing.''
Tickets on sale
Individual tickets for the Cavs' first two playoffs game will go on sale 10 a.m. Monday. In the best-of-seven series, presumably against the Washington Wizards, there are four possible home games to be designated as Games A-D, with Game A either April 22 or 23.
The first-round schedule will be announced at the end of the regular season next week.
Tickets will be $44, $31 or $12 apiece with an eight-ticket limit per person per game.
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ABJ

4/12/06

SCOUTING REPORT

<!-- begin body-content -->Cavaliers at Pistons
When: 8 tonight.
Broadcast: ESPN, WUAB (Ch. 43); WMMS (100.1-FM).
Records: The Cavs are 47-30; the Pistons are 62-15.
This season: The Pistons lead the series 2-1, having won the last two meetings.
Notebook: After missing three games, Zydrunas Ilgauskas (ankle) is expected to return tonight.... The Cavs (No. 4) and Pistons (No. 1) are locked into their playoff slots and would meet in the second round if they both advance.... This is the Cavs' final game against a division opponent this season. They are 11-4 in division games.
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