While We’re Waiting… The LBJ/NYC News Cycle, A Letter to Gilbert and Indians Make New Hire
November 7, 2009Preview of the 2010 Indians Starting Rotation
November 7, 2009
It was over by the end of the first quarter as LeBron James lit up the scoreboard at the Garden en route to a 100-91 Cleveland Cavaliers (4-3) victory. It will always be difficult to follow up a disappointing loss to one of Cleveland’s most bitter rivals. The Bulls are a team we all love to hate because of those epic match-ups in the 90s and last night’s loss had to sting a little bit. James and company aimed to build back some of the optimism of their earlier three-game winning streak, but it collectively ended in a meh as the team held on at the end to salvage their nine-point victory.
For those following along with the open thread, you noticed a bizarre trend where individuals were ranting more about the ESPN commentators than the game itself. Well I think we are all used to it by now, but that is the annual spectacle that is the Cavs against the New York Knicks (1-5) at Madison Square Garden these days.
It was the 11th time in LeBron’s career that his Cavs took on New York at the famous arena, and will be the last occurrence for at least another calendar year. Fortunately, the scheduling gods provided us with this winnable game following last night’s disaster and enabled us to get this whole New York news cycle over with early in the season.
Back to the game itself, LBJ scored 19 points and was on cruise control in the first quarter alone. It seemed like he was well on pace to become the first opponent ever to score 50+ points three times at the Garden, but it was just not meant to be this evening. Fans witnessed (ha, irony) the first ever start of J.J. Hickson’s career and were enthralled by his six points within the first six minutes of the ball game. That would actually be the only playing time for the 21-year-old all evening although the Cavaliers did manage to glide to an easy 63-40 half time advantage.
Coming back for the third quarter, the team regressed back into a traditional Mike Brown-era funk as the lead steadily dropped down to just 18 after a quick seven-point run by the Knicks. The energy, enthusiasm, hustle and excitement of the first half melted away in the abyss that is the New York atmosphere, and the Cavaliers seemed quite uninterested at all in those first few minutes. All told, the Cavs scored only 14 points in that mediocre quarter while committing an unofficial count of 10 turnovers against one of the worst defenses in the league. It was not a pretty sight although the Knicks managed to score only 18 in the period as well.
When the New York offense finally awoke in the fourth, the Cavs seemed absolutely stunned to have their lead dwindled down to single digits with four minutes left to play. Between Danilo Gallinari, David Lee and Al Harrington, the Knickerbockers were the team with the most fire power as the LBJ-slowdown offense came into effect. It was all a depressing scene as the 2008-2009 version of this team never let up towards the end of epic blow-outs against below average teams. Three fortunate long jump shots later, including a dagger-three by struggling Anthony Parker, and the lead somehow made the way back into comfortable territory for the road team.
So are there any lessons to learn from this game? Not really I don’t think so. Any time the Cavs travel to a stage like Madison Square Garden, everything will be more about the glamor and the show while moving away from the actual product on the court. LeBron was an offensive star yet again at MSG, finishing with 33 points in 36 minutes despite seven turnovers. In his career at the “mecca of the basketball world,” he now is averaging 30.4 points per game on 48.7% shooting including 45.8% from threes. Just in case you were wondering, in every other game in his career his averages are a meager 27.4/47.1%/32.5%.
What can we look forward to in the next game? Hopefully more minutes from J.J. Hickson. The switch to bring Andy Varejao off the bench along with Zydrunas Ilgauskas was a refereshing switch from the normal rotations that were not working earlier this season. Andy brings more energy to the entire team when he comes off the bench and had another solid game with eight points, 14 rebounds and two blocks on just four field goal attempts in 35 minutes played.
Who is up next on the schedule? Our quirky schedule throws another odd funk to the table as we now have three days off before facing off against the unfriendly Orlando Magic on Wednesday night again on ESPN. Against teams like Orlando, we won’t be able to consistently rely upon Varejao out-hustling everyone throughout the contest. Last year in the playoffs we had serious issues guarding the combination of Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howards as the bigs, and I can’t see Varejao functioning well defensively as a four against that team when Lewis returns from his suspension. We will need more Hickson as a change of pace and as a more traditional scoring option, providing a nice breather from the lineups with Z, Shaquille O’Neal and/or Andy.
(LeBron met with some of his favorite New York buddies Jay-Z, A-Rod and CC after the game on the court. The above picture was found here and is via AP Photo/Kathy Kminocek.)
14 Comments
Won’t Lewis still be out for that game? I thought his suspension was 10 games.
I like that Mike Brown changed up his rotations. I don’t know how I feel about JJ starting, but I do like giving Andy more minutes off the bench.
@1 yes, his suspension is for 10 games, we will be orlando’s 9th game
Hix starting is perfect. Starting squad from last year is then the second rotational unit. Let the kid develop. You know Lebron told him to do this. He didn’t (reportedly) work with him all summer and spend that time only to watch Mike Brown jerk the kid around and cut his minutes to nigh nada.
In other news, CC Sabathia is now my second most hated Cleveland sports figure ever…only Art is more of a back-stabbing ass.
From the other thread: wondered what people thought…
I don’t know why JVG and Co. expected the Knicks to play hard. Pretty tough to play hard when every fan there is wearing a Cavs jersey or a doctored Knicks jersey and cheers every time Bron would abuse Hughes.
The Cavs can win a championship without a true point guard. Maybe, Mo should come off the bench though and Delonte should play the 1. That will never happen. But it should. Let West hound Rondo, Rose, and Co. from minute one. Mo is much better when he isn’t worried about Lebron and making plays.
He’s a Bobby Jackson. The undersized scoring guard. Delonte has much more discipline. Runs the offense. Waves off Lebron when he’s being stupid. Trade Z for Jax and start West-Jax-Bron-Hix-Shaq with a second squad of Mo-Parker-Moon-Powe-Andy. Very strong. Can match up with anybody.
From May 29, 2009 (Game 5, Cavs/Magics)
With the Yankees in town to play the Tribe, the New York Post had this to say:
He’s a New Yorker now, but Sabathia doesn’t sound willing to help
the Knicks recruit James when he can become a free agent at the
end of the 2009-10 season.
“Nah,” Sabathia said with a smile. “I don’t want no part of that.”
What happened CC??? You no longer “don’t want no part of that?”
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/2009/05/30/2009-05-30_on_lebron_cc_nixes_knick_assist.html#ixzz0WCEbzONh
-I propose Boobie’s new nickname should be Zombie, because he was dead to me last year, but he’s slowly but surely rising from the dead this season. I really hope he can keep it up.
-I think I liked JJ starting/Andy coming off the bench, but as stated multiple times, you really can’t draw any conclusions from this game. Shaq/JJ and Z/Andy make better pairs than the other way around, but I still think the latter pair should be the starting pair.
-NEEDS MORE LAST YEAR’S STARTING 5 ON THE FLOOR TOGETHER!
-Overall, I really get the sense that the Cavs don’t care about the regular season. They realized last year that the best regular season record and $3 can get you homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs and a small coffee at Starsucks, but doesn’t guarantee even making the finals. I think they are just coasting and experimenting, throwing spaghetti at the wall to see what sticks (I don’t think spaghetti is the right word there, but I had a college roommate come home one night bombed out of his mind and tape newspaper to the wall and throw wet spaghetti at it and make “spaghetti art.” Ah college…). Unfortunately, MB hasn’t realized that Twin Towers does not make for good spaghetti art.
Did Mike Brown talk to Pop? Did Pop share with him the coast, draft, and pass approach to the regular season?
JJ starting with Shaq will be good because it gives Andy more minutes and puts someone out there in the second unit who can take pressure off Z and West when the 2nd unit is on the floor.
The offense works best, as we saw last year, when it truly ran though Mo. When Mo is getting his points in the first quarter and getting going the offense is best. We haven’t really seen that this year and I think that’s why our offense is struggling. Shaq needs to be the 3rd option.
Z’s contract needs to be traded by the deadline. Without a doubt. Also, more Jamario moon please.
I think Pop told Mike Brown to stop using the stupid Two Towers look… I think Mike listened.
Not thrilled with the second half and how they played. Regardless, they beat an inferior team.
I hate to keep regurgitating the LeBron-to-NY thing, but this morning on ESPNNews, one of the anchors said in his intro to the highlights said, “Where else can LeBron play in front of Jay-Z, A-Rod and CC?”
I wanted to scream at the TV and tell him, LeBron does that in Cleveland ALL THE TIME. Jay Z has been to the Q, so, too has A-Rod and CC. Ugh. Makes me sick.
I can’t wait until July 2010 comes so Cleveland can shove those rumors in the face of that city and national media.
/rant over
S-Dub is right. Which is why Mo needs to be a Bobby Jackson off the bench. Let defense, Delonte, and the Diesel define the first quarter.
@ Don – I don’t think it’s possible to claim the Knicks are inferior. They do, in fact, play in Manhattan.
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