The Wine and Gold Rush

The Cavs' Stellar Record While *Not* At Full-Strength Is About to Be Tested

You never wish injury on an opponent.

On Thursday night, the Boston Celtics were without Paul Pierce due to a right thumb injury.  Paul, of course, has served as the linchpin of Boston's "Big Three" (copyright 2007, 2008).

You also never wish injury on yourself.

For fans in other cities, that's an obvious joke.

For fans in the success-starved city of Cleveland . . . it's often a temptation, especially when it seems as though an injury is the only way to banish an overpaid, under-performing veteran who was brought in, almost inexplicably, to block the ascent of the younger, potential-filled kid waiting in the wings.

If an injury does not occur, the stubborn Cleveland coaches / front office may never unseat the fading vet to get a good enough look at the prospect.  Then, undoubtedly, that kid leaves or is traded to have an opportunity elsewhere.  And with uncanny frequency, a star is born and Cleveland is burned.

It's the modus operandi of the Cleveland Indians . . . but it's happened to the Cavaliers and the Browns as well.

Relax.

This is not an anti-Shaquille O'Neal / pro-J.J. Hickson (with a slice of Anderson Varejao) article, but if the Cavaliers weren't being run by a smart coach and an elite front office . . . it could've been.

Mike Brown Shrinks the Rotation . . . and the New Cavs Grind Out a Win

If you were Mike Brown, what would be harder:

Taking minutes away from one of your Top Seven guys (LeBron James, Anderson Varejao, Shaquille O'Neal, Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams, Delonte West and Anthony Parker) . . . or allowing your team to play through periods of turbulence and ineffectiveness while the talents of your B-team (Daniel Gibson, J.J. Hickson, Jamario Moon, Jawad Williams, (soon) Leon Powe, and maybe Danny Green) . . . waste away on the bench?

Prior to the playoffs, the challenge might be finding enough minutes for everyone (or the Top 13, at least) to keep them in a rhythm, and to give them an opportunity to build on-court chemistry with each other, so that in the event they are needed in the playoffs, they can be plugged in without appearing disconnected from both their individual and team play.

Once the playoffs hit, Mike Brown's tendency (like a lot of coaches) will be to shrink the rotation down to seven or eight players . . . and barring any injuries or severe lop-sidedness, that's it.  That's the team.

If Zydrunas Ilguaskas comes back, he gets the final spot in that Top Eight.  That sure leaves a lot of talent on the bench.  This deep, deep depth is a good problem to have, but it doesn't exactly output easy answers.  The nagging question will always be:  Are my Top Eight really my Top Eight . . . right now?

Wednesday's game against the New Orleans Hornets was a "must win."

Not in a playoff, do-or-die way, of course.  And actually, not in any sort of real, necessary way either.  But it was nonetheless, and Mike Brown celebrated that fact by using a tight, playoff rotation.

Antawn Jamison Will Be Fine, and So Will the Cavaliers . . . Eventually

The Cleveland Cavaliers took care of business during their ridiculous seven-game, 20-day home-stand earlier this month.  They extended a 13-game winning streak, and won 11 of those without Mo Williams, and nine of them without Mo and Delonte West.

Even though 10 of the games were held at home, more than half (seven) were against teams with winning records . . . and with the loss of two of their top ball-handlers, the Cavaliers seemed primed to pick up a few disappointing losses. 

That didn't happen.

But while the All-Star Break was a fun and exasperating time for fans . . . because of the impending trade deadline, not because of the actual All-Star Game festivities, of course . . . the Cavs had the cards stacked against them on the other side.

And that was before they made a move.  

#1.)  The first condition was clear the moment the schedule was released:  Cleveland was going to go from spending 20 days at home . . . to a tough schedule, with lots of traveling and back-to-backs.

Last weekend featured the home Denver / at Charlotte back-to-back.  Denver is an elite team, and Charlotte presents one of Cleveland's toughest match-ups.  The Cavs had already lost to Denver once and Charlotte twice (before falling to them again last week).

Sunday they had Orlando for the second time in 10 days.  This one was away . . . and it ended in the Cavs' first loss (in three games) to the Magic this season, by a score of 95-101.

That gave Cleveland their first three-game losing streak in almost two full years.  Their last back-to-back-to-back losses came in March of 2008.

An Epic Game Lost at the Line(s)

Allow me to be cute for a moment.

If the Washington Wizards buy out Zydrunas Ilguaskas, the Cleveland Cavaliers picked up Antawn Jamison for free on Wednesday.  On Thursday night, the Cavs weren't getting anything for free.

Yes, this is yet another recap of the Cavaliers' 118-116 overtime loss to the Denver Nuggets that hinges on missed free throws.  If you read a lot of Cavs blogs . . . like you should be doing during a special season like this . . . you've probably heard this before:

This was an epic game . . . and the Cavs could have won it, if they'd hit their free throws.

[If you missed it, first:  Shame on you.  You should at least be DVRing these games.  This is an exciting season, kids.  If you did record the game, but haven't watched it yet:  Oops.  Well, since it's already spoiled, the game came down to Carmelo Anthony nailing a tough shot with one-point-something seconds left in overtime . . . and Cleveland half-court inbounding to James, where he slipped and missed a three.]

But it shouldn't have got to that point.

The Cavs as a whole shot a very Shaq-like 57.5% (23-of-40) from the stripe.  (Actually, Shaq is at 50% for the season.)  And they would have been OK, if Shaq was Shaq-like.

Here are the missed free throw culprits:

Shaquille O'Neal . . . 0-for-6  (0%)

Daniel Gibson . . . 1-for-3  (33%)

Anthony Parker . . . 3-for-5  (60%)

LeBron James . . . 12-for-17  (71%)

Meanwhile, Mo Williams went 2-for-2 and J.J. Hickson went 4-for-5 from the stripe.

The Cavs also had twice as many turnovers as the Nuggets . . . but it was just 10-to-5.  Denver only had five turnovers in an overtime game.  That's pretty impressive.  (The Cavs average 14.5 a game.)

Trade Deadline Update #2: Some Random Links on Cleveland and Amar'e

Nothing is official yet (at least, as of early this morning) but it's looking more and more like the Phoenix Suns will trade Amar'e Stoudemire to the Cleveland Cavaliers for . . . whatever it is that they're getting.

(We're assuming that is Zydrunas Ilgauskas, J.J. Hickson and possibly a first round draft pick.)

That would be quite a colossal move by Danny Ferry . . . one that comes with both big-time risks and big-time rewards.  It's the kind of game-changing, over-the-top move that Cleveland is not used to seeing from their GMs when their teams are on the brink of a championship.

But again, since there isn't anything definite to report . . . and we're all a little exasperated with the good-fit / bad-fit speculation . . . here's a rundown of some of the interesting things we found when we tore up Google early this morning.

 

#1.)  ESPN's Chris Broussard says that Phoenix is still holding out hope that the Philadelphia 76ers will offer them a package including Andre Iguodala for Amar'e . . . but Philly isn't too sure they want to trade their best player for Amar'e.

That's definitely understandable.  A lot of Cavaliers fans aren't too thrilled about trading our least important rotation player, J.J. Hickson, for Amar'e.

Sources also tell Broussard that while Amar'e is cool with LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal, he'd prefer to play in Miami where he lives in the offseason . . . but since Phoenix isn't interested in Michael Beasley, the Heat have nothing to build a deal around, at least without another team being involved.

Naturally, it's hard to characterize and contextualize what "sources" say . . . and there's a good chance that they're not accurate anyway . . . but I'd question the mind-set of any player that would turn down the chance to join the Cavaliers right now, in February of 2010.  I mean, seriously.  [Full Story]

W&GR's Midseason Follow-Up with Comedian and Lifelong Cavs Fan Sam Greenspan

[In October, The Wine and Gold Rush conducted a comprehensive interview with our friend, Sam Greenspan . . . an L.A.-based, Cleveland-rooted comedian, who writes the brilliant comedy website 11points.com.]

[We asked Sam for his thoughts on the Cavs, the new acquisitions, the Delonte West situation, the possibility of trading Zydrunas Ilgauskas' contract, and the landscape in the Eastern Conference.]

[And since we're at the halfway point . . . at least, with regards to the All-Star Break . . . we decided to do a follow-up, to revisit some of Sam's projections and predictions from the preseason.  And again, as is his nature, Sam took our questions and re-worked them into 11 points.  He can't help it.]

W&GR:  Before the season, you said you were happy with what Danny Ferry did in the offseason, because it addressed specific weaknesses that were exposed by the Orlando Magic in the playoffs last year.  We haven't seen Leon Powe yet (although his arrival is imminent), but what is your take on how the other new Cavaliers have performed in the first three months of the season?  Any surprises or disappointments?

Sam:  1.)  The new Cavs have all done about what I expected (although for one of them it took a long time to get there).

Anthony Parker has fit in well in the Shane Battier role -- and I'm not just saying that because he's a super intelligent light-skinned black guy. What I mean: Thanklessly guard the other team's superstar and knock down threes when the ball gets swung to you. Brian Windhorst gave him a lower grade during his midseason review -- I think it was a C+ -- so I think I'm a little higher on him. But, come playoff time, he's going to be great to throw at Kobe or Carmelo or Wade or Paul Pierce or Joe Johnson. (Or, I guess, Vince Carter -- although I feel like they could just pick a random fan out of the stands and he or she could shut down Vince Carter at this point. I'm so disappointed that I'm writing this shortly after Carter had his first good game in three years. Don't let his entire disastrous season be obfuscated by one recent game. It's the exception and not the rule. That 5-16 he put up against the Cavs? That is the real Vince Carter.)

It felt like Jamario Moon was out forever with his injury, so I haven't seen quite enough of him to make a full evaluation. But he's making athletic plays, earning minutes defensively -- and, most importantly, is a great defensive asset to have coming off the bench in the playoffs. I'd say he's ranked third out of the three new guys in terms of impact, but he's still an asset.

Shaq has been a wild ride. At first it was tough to watch -- I thought he'd fit in faster. But finally, with the injuries to the guards and the continued maturity of the team and the offense, he's settled into his rightful place. However -- that's not what matters. The reason the Shaq addition makes me confident: Orlando and the Lakers. Last year, both of those teams would've killed us with skilled big men. This year, that opportunity isn't so available. Like he said after the Orlando game: He doesn't need or want double team help. He can keep Howard out of position and in foul trouble on his own. And that is the main reason I don't think the Magic will upset the Cavs in the playoffs again.

The common thread in all three guys: Stopping the teams that we'll inevitably see in the playoffs. As long as Shaq stays healthy enough to bang with Howard and then Gasol/Bynum, I feel good.

In terms of surprises, the emergence out of nowhere of Jawad Williams is pretty good -- though I don't really see him getting too many minutes in the playoff rotation. J.J. Hickson tends to frustrate me more often than any other Cav -- I love the athletic plays and flashes of brilliance, hate that he often makes Braylon Edwards look sure-handed and Drew Gooden look defensively attentive.

A Pseudo-Accurate Layman's Guide to the Cavaliers' 2010 Salary Cap Situation

The trade deadline is exactly one week away . . . assuming you are reading this at 3:00 P.M. Eastern on February 11th, 2010.  (If you're not, please adjust accordingly.)

As usual, there are factions developing among fans: 

There are those that would like to make a trade because they see weaknesses on the team, and strength on the current trade landscape.  There are those that don't want to make a trade because they see strength on the team, and weaknesses in the trade landscape. 

There are those that want to make a trade because trades are cool and exciting . . . and there are those who don't know what the hell they think.  (And I'm a proud member of that last group.)

So, without getting into all the positives and negatives of potential deals that may or may not be currently (or have ever been) on the table, I thought I'd take a look at our flexibility for the Summer of 2010 . . . assuming we don't make a trade.

I'm not necessarily advocating that here . . . although one-half of me could . . . I'm just doing this for your information.

And also because it's hard to factor in the addition of Player X, and the loss of Players Y and Z, if you have no idea who Players X, Y and Z are.  My hope would be that Player X is better than Players Y and Z together:  Right now, in the playoffs, and next year . . . because I'm assuming LeBron's staying until I hear otherwise.

[As a quick aside, I'm just a Cavs fan.  I am not an insider (Assistant GM Lance Blanks is not my father), and I am not a salary cap expert (CBA stud Larry Coon is not sitting here, sharing a beer with me while I write this).  So, this is a rough outline.  If you have any information that would be more accurate, feel free to send it over.  I'll send you Necco Wafers as a 'thank you.']

W&GR Cavaliers Stat Check [2/10] . . . The Minus-Mo, Minus-Delonte Edition

The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the New Jersey Nets at The Q on Tuesday night, 104-97.

That was expected . . . although, I was sort of expecting it to be a little easier than it was.

[After all, the Nets have won four games all season.  The Cavs have won four games in the past week.]

But Cleveland's play in the last 10 games, all things considered, has definitely not been expected.

In a good way.

[I'm an optimistic guy, but I dare you to try to convince me that you saw the Cavaliers starting out 10-0 when you first heard Mo was going to be out for four-to-six weeks.]

The Cavs are in the middle of arguably their longest stretch of goodness this season . . . and it's happening without Mo Williams (sprained shoulder), Delonte West (fractured ring finger), and for a while, Jamario Moon (abdominal strain).

Tomorrow night's game at The Q  against the Orlando Magic will be another big test . . . but for now, let's take a step back and appreciate how the Cavs have been getting the job done over the last three-and-a-half weeks. 

Soak in these numbers:

#1.)  The win makes the Cavaliers 42-11, which matches their record after 53 games last year.  Mathematically, the Cavs are on pace to go 65-17.  Last year's team finished 66-16.

#2.)  The win against the Nets pushes the Cavs' (short-handed) win streak to an incredible 12 games.  It's the longest winning streak in the NBA this season, and it's the second longest in Cavalier history, behind only last year's 13-game run.

The Cavs last loss was their heartbreaking fall in Utah all the way back on January 14th.  That was the game that rookie Sundiata Gaines . . . playing in his fifth NBA game . . . nailed his first career 3-pointer at the buzzer to thwart an absolutely brilliant fourth quarter comeback by LeBron James.

LeBron's Solo Act Was Breathtaking . . . the Following 30 Minutes Were Not

The Cleveland Cavaliers have played the New York Knicks twice this season . . . and they've won them both . . . but they've been two of the Cavs' most superficial games of the season.

In both games, Cleveland has played solid first quarters, and both times, they were capped by  unconscious LeBron James shooting sprees. 

But in both games, the Cavs completely opened up for the final three quarters . . . rarely playing defense, rarely running plays on offense, and barely looking like they could hold on for the win.

In last night's game . . . like the first one in New York back in November . . . the Cavs didn't seem to respect the Knicks enough to bother wasting any energy on the defensive end.  Since the Knicks don't play defense either, that's OK, I guess . . . until you stop working on the offensive end.

The Knicks played some zone "defense" in the second half, which appeared effective . . . but in reality, the Cavs were tripping over themselves.  In the second half, the majority of the Cavs' possessions featured a static offense, with no ball movement, and a lot of careless turnovers.

Here's a look at just how similar these games were:

Back in November, the Cavs outscored the Knicks 40-21 in the first quarter.  In Saturday night's 113-106 win over the Knicks at home, the Cavs opened with a 44-24 opening quarter.

Back in November, the Cavs were outscored 37-51 in the second half.  In Saturday night's game, the Cavaliers were outscored 39-52 in the second half.

Gold Nuggets: Shaq Loves Cleveland and LeBron, the "CEO" of the Cavs

[Every weekend, we'll go prospecting for some of the week's most fun quotes . . . because it's the weekend, and weekends are supposed to be fun.  It's all very rational, really.]

Shaq Is Loving Cleveland . . . and his new CEO, LeBron.

If you've been watching the Cleveland Cavaliers this season, you've seen LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal having a great time together both on the court . . . and on the bench.

And in an interview on NBA TV, Shaq says that chemistry extends off the court as well.  In fact, he thinks the chemistry on the Cavs, at least personality-wise, is the best of his career.  He said:

"This right here is the funniest team I've ever been on in my entire life, and I've been on a lot of teams.  This is a funny team.  I mean, I always tell the guys, 'If we had a show that was called "Cavs:  Uncut", we'd be the #1 reality show in the world.'  This is a funny team.  I can't tell you, but this is the funniest team ever, I promise you."

When asked who was the funniest guy, Shaq responded:

"LeBron.  Ah, funny.  I'm going to go with LeBron, me, J.J., Mo, Gib and my main man Delonte.  Oh, Delonte is a star.  I'm telling you."

Gotta love the Delonte bit.  (Dang, I miss him being available to the media.  He is a star.)

Speaking of J.J., who made Shaq's "funny" short-list, he's the guy who (like it or not) has been popping up in essentially every trade rumor involving Zydrunas Ilgauskas' expiring contract.  But in another interview, Shaq said:

"We're a close-knit group.  Everything is going perfect.  Even though we lost 11 games, you guys know we gave away eight of those games.  We're playing good, playing excellent and I don't think we need to make a move."

And regarding the city, Shaq recently said: 

"[I'm] chillin . . . [Cleveland has been] perfect.  It's actually good that I chose to come here.  Because the night life in Cleveland is so-so.  Which is good for a guy like me.  When I was in Miami the night life was great.  When I was in LA . . . you know what I'm saying?  Now, there ain't nothing to do but stay home.  So I get a lot of rest at home.''