Category: Cleveland Cavaliers (Page 87 of 88)

Here we go, Cavs fans. This one, as they say, is for all the marbles. Well, tonight’s game against Boston (7:00, FSN) may not decide the Cavaliers’ fate, but if they lose to the Celtics you can pretty much kiss the playoffs goodbye. If you haven’t already, of course. The Nets and Cavs are currently tied for the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The bad news is that the Nets own the tie-breaker, meaning the Cavs have to make up a game on New Jersey before the end of the season. A loss tonight makes that highly unlikely, even though Cleveland closes the season against Toronto. Sure, the 32-48 Raptors are a team the Cavs should beat but so were the Knicks. In fact, the Cavs have dropped plenty of games this year to teams that, on paper, they should’ve beaten.

The sad thing about all of this is that up until the collapse against the Pistons Sunday, the Cavaliers, despite playing some absolutely terrible basketball, still controlled their own fate. Win and you’re in, as simple as that. But now the Nets hold all the cards — win and they’re in. The only thing the Cavs can do at this point is win their final two games and then pray for a miracle. The only problem is, the way they’re playing they’ll need a miracle just to win their final two games.

With today’s 90-87 loss to the Pistons, the Cavs are close to finishing another late-season collapse. Surprisingly, the Cavs played great in the first half, but then they fell apart in the third quarter. Lebron was obviously trying too hard, and his shooting percentage suffered in the third quarter. They had chances at the end of the game, but he fired up two airballs in the face of tough defense. The Cavs have to win their last two games and hope that the Nets lose at least one of their last three games.

Honestly, at this point I’m not even sure I want the Cavs to make the playoffs. Following Friday’s 111-119 loss to Washington, a loss that dropped the Cavaliers to eighth in the East and just one game ahead of the Nets, I seriously wonder if this team could even squeeze off one measly win in an opening-round playoff series with someone like Miami or Detroit. Tonight’s boxscore looks all too familiar, with LeBron stuffing the stat sheet in a full 48 minutes (38 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) while guys like Jeff McInnis, Ira Newble and Eric Snow failed to contribute anything of significance and Z delivered an overwhelmingly mediocre performance, fouling out in 19 minutes with just eight points and one rebound. Who did Zydrunas have so much trouble with? Brendan Friggin’ Haywood.

This is getting absolutely ridiculous. Where’s this team’s sense of urgency, its kill-or-be-killed mentality? Three games left, two of those against Detroit and Boston. It ain’t looking good, Cavs fans.

Kenny Roda is in rare form today on WKNR. He’s ripping Z and the Cavs for last night’s loss, pointing out how Z’s limitations on defense were exploited by the Knicks. Comments from the Knicks after the game support Kenny’s argument, and it raises the issue of whether the Cavs should resign Z for top dollar, or whether they would be better off acquiring an athletic center that can rebound, run the floor and play good defense (assuming, of course, that they also get a shooting guard).

Tired of answering questions about LeBron James’ future in Cleveland, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert told reporters Thursday, “We hope (James is) here for his whole career and we’re going to do what we can to make that happen. We’re very optimistic.” Gilbert also said that he’s confused by all the rumors, adding, “You don’t hear people say, ‘When is Carmelo (Anthony) leaving Denver? Or when is Dwyane Wade leaving Miami?’ It seems to be, ‘What is going to happen with LeBron?'” That’s because Carmelo and Wade aren’t LeBron, and the Nuggets and Heat aren’t the Cavaliers. If the Cavs ever lost James, the franchise would collapse. Denver and Miami, on the other hand, would eventually recover from losing ‘Melo and Wade.

Maybe Gilbert wasn’t paying attention to the Cavs before LeBron fell into their laps. Nobody gave a crap about the team (in Cleveland or anywhere else), nobody went to any of the games, nobody bought any merchandise. The Cavaliers may very well have been the sorriest franchise in the NBA throughout the ’90s and, if not for LeBron, they probably would be making an inspired run for this decade’s crown.

So what would happen if, when he’s first eligible for free agency, James bolts for LA or New York or Chicago? Not only would the Cavaliers plummet back to the bottom of the basketball world, but the disappointment over losing LeBron would be so great that the franchise would probably be in even worse shape than it was before he was drafted. It’d be like having the hottest girl in school ask you to prom only to get dumped the night before. Would you still go to the dance? I know I wouldn’t, not after a letdown like that.

You think anybody will come to the Gund after losing LeBron James? Hell no. LeBron is the franchise, pure and simple, and if he goes the franchise will sink.

So Cavs fans better hope that Gilbert’s making all the right moves, and that he fully recognizes how imperative it is for him to keep James in Cleveland for a long, long time. Of course, any moron can see just how important a guy like LeBron James would be to his team, so now you’ve got to question whether or not the decisions Gilbert’s made since taking over will ultimately help keep LeBron in the wine and gold.

At least until he brings a championship or two to Cleveland, anyway.