Game 23 | Cleveland vs Portland | December 11th, 2009 | 8pm EST

[JJ Smooth]

VS.

TUNE IN ON:

OR CATCH THE ACTION YOURSELF:
http://www.ticketcity.com/nba-tickets/nba-east/cleveland-cavaliers-tickets/trail-blazers-at-cavaliers-tickets-quicken-loans-arena-december-11-800pm.html

Hardwood Classic Night (Record: 1-0)

STARTING LINEUPS:

LEBRON JAMES (SF)

MO WILLIAMS (PG)

ANTHONY PARKER (SG)

J.J. HICKSON (PF)

SHAQUILLE O'NEAL (C)

HEAD COACH: MIKE BROWN

Anderson Varajao / Zyndrunas Ilgauskas / Jamario Moon / Daniel Gibson / Delonte West / Danny Green / Jawad Williams / Darnell Jackson


MARTELL WEBSTER (SF)

STEVE BLAKE (PG)

BRANDON ROY (SG)

LAMARCUS ALRIDGE (PF)

JOEL PRZYBILLA (C)

(ASSISTANT) COACH: Dean Demopoulos

Juwan Howard / Andre Miller / Dante Cunningham / Jerryd Bayless

CAVALIERS: Coby Karl, Leon Powe

BLAZERS: Jeff Pendergraph, Greg Oden, Rudy Fernandez, Travis Outlaw (day to day), Coach Nate McMillan​

Notes, thoughts, strategy...​

(1) Good to be home again... After two embarrassing losses on the road the Cavs will surely appreciate a little pick-me-up courtesy of the home crowd. The energy should keep them active, or at least lull them out of any droughts their having. Give them energy, I'm hoping they respond.

(2) Go get 'em tiger... This Blazer team is beat up, badly. Their depth chart is a skeleton crew and they only have one true center in Joel Przybilla. Be aggressive, go for paint scoring and do not settle for jump shots. Force the refs to make calls and put as many Blazer starters in foul trouble as well. Take advantage of the obvious disadvantage of the opponents. Teams have applied pressure to us and we haven't responded well, time to do the reverse and be the aggressors here. Initiate, not react.

(3) Run on Diesel fuel... Going with point #2 I'd like to see a lot of feeds to Shaq and make Joel P. work in the paint, hopefully giving him some quick fouls. If Joel's out that gives a serious height advantage to the Cavaliers; not a gimme outcome (see: Houston Rockets) but still one more thing to use to our favor if we play correctly. I'd also like to see a variation in how we get Shaq the ball, not an over the top lob as we usually do, but a pass within the paint or something with a little creativity.

(4) I see red... Brandon Roy is a stud and I see him burning AP in this match-up scenario. Delonte has played well in his last few games to earn some trust back, so I say give him the assignment. I have faith that a D. West defensive contribution will severely inhibit Roy's playmaking and shooting. Cut him off and let's force the other Blazers to try and beat us.

(5) Remember the basics... Ball movement, heck, movement in general with or without the rock, not forgetting your teammates, low turnovers, the transition game, talk on the court, and always maintaining focus and effort. The prior two games lacked all of these at times, championship teams never forget the fundamentals.

(6) Bring your family... I had an extra ticket and decided to treat my Step-Dad for his first game of the season. Every game he's been to has resulted in a Cavalier victory, including the Game 2 ECF win over the Magic. Maybe I can do my part to will the team out of this recent slump... Also, let it be noted that this is a "hardwood classics" game, meaning the retro jersey will be pulled out again. Here's hoping some good mojo lies there too.

Lest we forget...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61dRAp0voaM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWviddh6wNI
(annoying announcer...low volume or mute recommended)

 

[Surge]

Will be flying up for this game, my plane get's into Akron around noon, hang with the family for a while, then my wife and I are coming. First Cav's game at the Q. Got good seats, about 11 rows behind the bench, I CANT WAIT!

 

[Chris]

So we just lost to two mediocre squads and now get to face a team that is actually good. Oh well. Just win, please. just win.

 

[Splitz]

So we just lost to two mediocre squads and now get to face a team that is actually good. Oh well. Just win, please. just win.

Which means it's a win since it's hard to get motivated enough to beat inferior teams :thumbdown.

 

[Powerslave]

Dear Mike Brown,

If it's not too much trouble, would you mind leaving Shaq in when LeBron is not on the floor? He can take anyone 1-on-1, let alone Ghostface Pryzbilla. Also, if it's not too much to ask, can you not take out LeBron for a minute rest when the team is down 7 in the 4th?
Lastly, when Gibson nearly can't miss from 3, how about keeping him in?

Sincerely,

Common Sense

 

[theSTEREO.]

Dear Mike Brown,

If it's not too much trouble, would you mind leaving Shaq in when LeBron is not on the floor? He can take anyone 1-on-1, let alone Ghostface Pryzbilla. Also, if it's not too much to ask, can you not take out LeBron for a minute rest when the team is down 7 in the 4th?
Lastly, when Gibson nearly can't miss from 3, how about keeping him in?

Sincerely,

Common Sense

1) That was Mike Malone, not Mike Brown. Brown was spittin' in his cup in the locker room 2 quarters before that.

2) Lebron had played 17 straight minutes with no break (where he usually gets one) after playing and looking dog-tired the night before in overtime and not sleeping until 4am then waking up early and going to Gibson's number retirement.

The rest was needed.

Edit: Dead on about the other stuff though.

 

[udilicious42584]

Great game preview!

I like how instead of just copying and pasting some stats or facts about these two teams, you made 6 well thought out personal observations and thoughts, all which I happened to agree with.

Cavs VS Blazers will be a great game to get back to the basics with. Let's get the home crowd involved and keep Aldridge and Roy as unproductive as possible. I'm a little leary that Parker and Hickson will have the toughest covers, but hopefully Mike Brown does not give those two guys that long of a leash if they are not able to contribute positively to the team.

 

[LeBrawn]

Im feeling blowout loss, Portland is going to get going now when they don´t have to tend to Odens needs. Aldridge will have a huge game, Roy will lead them with vengeance. Even Miller shows up with some pg-stuff. Its going to be a long night, even when Portland is injury plagued.

 

[eatofmyflesh]

Looking forward to watching this with the lady tomorrow night in HD!

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

So we just lost to two mediocre squads and now get to face a team that is actually good. Oh well. Just win, please. just win.

FWIW, I'd take that Houston squad over this Blazers squad without Oden, Rudy, and Outlaw.

 

[Creamy]

Cavs in a blowout win. Portland has no depth. Shaq should have a good game.

 

[Obawan12]

This somewhat reminds me of those 2 losses in Washington and Orlando that were back-to-back last year. I suspect this team comes out fired up at home, has one of their patented 1st quarters, and never looks back.

I expect Mo to light it up.

 

[eatofmyflesh]

Cavs in a blowout win. Portland has no depth. Shaq should have a good game.

My thoughts exactly. Especially now that Oden is out.

 

[lars]

Gonna need you guys to do us a favor and go ahead and beat Portland.

Thank you in advance!

 

[di0p]

Gonna need you guys to do us a favor and go ahead and beat Portland.

Thank you in advance!

That Shane Battier avatar is creeping me out...

Cavs 102
Blazers 95

Big Night for Mo Gotti.