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Ben Wallace has broken leg

February 27, 2009 / Gerardo Orlando

This is a tough break for the Cavs.

Cleveland Cavaliers forward Ben Wallace will miss four to six weeks after breaking his right leg in Thursday’s 93-74 loss to Houston.

Wallace said Yao Ming kicked him as the two were running down the court in the second quarter. The 6-foot-9 Wallace managed to play midway into the third quarter before leaving for good with 6:19 left.

“I thought it was like a calf bruise or something, that would probably let up eventually,” Wallace said. “But it didn’t. It was one of those freak accidents that happen in basketball.”

Wallace saw the X-rays taken at the Toyota Center that showed the broken fibula.

“I know what that little white line means,” he said.

Wallace, who guarded Yao for most of his 17 minutes, was playing his fourth game since missing Cleveland’s Feb. 18 win over Toronto with a right arm laceration that required 14 stitches.

Wallace was averaging 6.6 rebounds and 3.0 points in 53 games this season. His loss could be devastating and continues a run of bad injury luck for Cavs, who have played without Zydrunas Ilgauskas (left ankle) and Delonte West (broken wrist) for extended periods.

“It’s a tough blow for us,” said Cleveland coach Mike Brown.

This isn’t good news, but it’s not “devastating.” It’s time for J.J. Hickson to step up.

Ben Wallace Ben Wallace breaks leg Ben Wallace has broken leg J.J. Hickson

Malcolm Jenkins runs sub-par 40 times at combine

February 24, 2009 / Gerardo Orlando

Malcolm Jenkins is a terrific player and he should be a solid choice in the first round for most teams, but he didn’t help himself today with his performance at the NFL combine.

Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins may have cost himself a top 10 spot in the NFL draft with a disappointing 40-time and sub-par ball drills at Scouting Combine Tuesday.

He may have also revealed himself as a safety instead of the shutdown cornerback he wants to be.

Jenkins, mentioned as a possible selection of the Browns at No. 5, ran unofficial times of between 4.53 and 4.58 at Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium. He also dropped some passes in the ball drills, prompting Deion Sanders of the NFL Network to proclaim that Jenkins and a couple of the other DBs were “killing themselves.”

Fellow NFL Network draft analyst Mike Mayock concluded that “the damage has been done” with the underwhelming 40.

“His value will be affected by his time, like it or not,” said Mayock. “But there’s a lot of good tape on him and a lot of Cover 2 teams are going to love him at corner.”

Or perhaps at another position.

“Some people think day one he’s a Pro Bowl free safety,” said Mayock. “He’s got the size and the strength and the physicality to play the position.”

Jenkins is not a burner, and that will affect him in the NFL. He has great instincts, so I can see why some teams would look at him as a safety, though Mayock’s point makes sense. He can do well at corner in a Cover 2 scheme.

I don’t think the Browns will burn their #5 pick with Jenkins. My guess is that they go with a linebacker.

Cleveland Browns

Malcolm Jenkins Malcolm Jenkins 40 time Malcolm Jenkins combine Ohio State cornerback Malcolm Jenkins shutdown corner

Bill Simmons on Lebron and other Cavs players

February 24, 2009 / Gerardo Orlando

John Paulsen from our national site, The Scores Report, dug up another great column from Bill Simmons where he discusses the “trade value” of 40 NBA players. His take on LeBron is awesome.

1. LeBron James
Last February, I wrote that he didn’t have a ceiling. This year? I figured out his ceiling. At least for right now. At age 24, he’s a cross between ABA Dr. J (unstoppable in the open court, breathtaking in traffic, has the rare ability to galvanize teammates and crowds with one “Wow” play, even handles himself as well off the court) and 1992 Scottie Pippen (the freaky athletic ability on both ends, especially when he’s cutting pass lines or flying in from the weak side for a block), with a little MJ (his overcompetitiveness and sense of The Moment), Magic (the unselfishness, which isn’t where I thought it would be back in 2003, but at least it’s in there a little) and Bo Jackson (how he can occasionally just overpower the other team in a way that doesn’t seem human) mixed in … only if all of that Molotov Superstar Cocktail was mixed together in Karl Malone’s body. This is crazy. This is insane. This is unlike anything we’ve ever seen. And to think, LeBron doesn’t even have a reliable 20-footer or a post-up game yet. See, this is only going to get better. And it’s already historic.

As a Celtics fan, I shudder for the future. As an NBA fan, I am pinching myself.

Until next year.

Great stuff. He also has an interesting take on another Cavs player.

J.J. Hickson: My favorite under-the-radar rookie and a legitimate 2009 Playoff X Factor. If he played for the Lakers, L.A. fans would be comparing him to a young Karl Malone right now.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Bill Simmons comparing Lebron James to Dr J comparing LeBron James to Magic Johnson comparing LeBron James to Scottie Pippen J.J. Hickson Karl Malone LeBron James

Delonte drops 25 in his return

February 23, 2009 / Gerardo Orlando

The Cavs rolled over the Pistons tonight as Delonte West returned and scored 25 points.

Cleveland Cavaliers

Delonte West Delonte West returns Delonte West scores 25 points

Dump Sean Jones

February 17, 2009 / Gerardo Orlando

Tony Grossi is speculating that the Browns might be considering placing a franchise tag on Sean Jones, but I would be shocked if Kokinis goes in that direction.

The Browns have not negotiated with any of their 13 potential free agents and don’t appear willing to use the franchise tag on Sean Jones to protect themselves from losing the safety.

NFL teams have until Thursday to apply the franchise designation to one potential free agent. Doing so would guarantee the player the average of the five highest-paid players at his position and restrict his movement. The franchise number for safeties is $6.342 million. Jones had a base salary in 2008 of $2.145 million.

The Browns have not used the franchise tag since they were reborn in expansion in 1999.

Browns General Manager George Kokinis declined to totally rule out tagging Jones, saying, “Some things in this league are done in the 11th hour.”

Sean Jones was a disaster last season. Maybe his knee was still bothering him, or perhaps Mel Tucker was completely clueless, but there’s no way Jones merits a franchise tag. Next to linebacker, safety is the biggest need on this defense. We hear lots of talk about the corners, but the Browns desperately need an impact safety. It’s time to let Jones go.