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Will Anyone Step Up?
- Thread starter Karma
- Start date
Weary, dreary road for Cavs
Portland -- I don't have a lot of time, but I felt I needed to express some thoughts following the Cavs fourth straight loss last night.
As I've been saying since the Cavs lost Larry Hughes seven games ago, there are in for a market correction. In other words, without Hughes they were an overvalued team at 20-11. With Drew Gooden now gone for a few games, I'd be a little surprised if he tried to play in Denver on Wednesday, the team is even further devalued. The losses are going to keep coming.
What will mark this Cavs spell is how the roster parts step up. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and LeBron James have raised the level of their games since Hughes went down. But with those two around, the Cavs missed the playoffs the last two seasons. They need help, they're begging for it. All teams have injuries, it cannot be an excuse to losing to last-place teams.
Donyell Marshall has been in a form a slump for a month and we've all seen how Damon Jones has been shooting. Those two must contribute more effective immediately if the Cavs are going to have a chance to weather this storm. Also, no matter if it is Luke Jackson or Anderson Varejao or Sasha Pavlovic, someone is going to have to give consistnet minutes off the bench. They're capable, it has been seen in flashes, they've got to do it.
Mike Brown also has to step up. The Cavs defense has been good enough to keep them in these games for the most part. Their offense has been mostly a failure. They forget about Z when they need him most, James too often settles for jumpers, and he's hasn't shown that he can draw up and get his players to execute a play when they really need it.
This is a defining time, even if there are continued losses. The Cavs have to better themselves so when they come through it they are a better team. Right now, it seems it could go either way.
Windhorst Blog
Portland -- I don't have a lot of time, but I felt I needed to express some thoughts following the Cavs fourth straight loss last night.
As I've been saying since the Cavs lost Larry Hughes seven games ago, there are in for a market correction. In other words, without Hughes they were an overvalued team at 20-11. With Drew Gooden now gone for a few games, I'd be a little surprised if he tried to play in Denver on Wednesday, the team is even further devalued. The losses are going to keep coming.
What will mark this Cavs spell is how the roster parts step up. Zydrunas Ilgauskas and LeBron James have raised the level of their games since Hughes went down. But with those two around, the Cavs missed the playoffs the last two seasons. They need help, they're begging for it. All teams have injuries, it cannot be an excuse to losing to last-place teams.
Donyell Marshall has been in a form a slump for a month and we've all seen how Damon Jones has been shooting. Those two must contribute more effective immediately if the Cavs are going to have a chance to weather this storm. Also, no matter if it is Luke Jackson or Anderson Varejao or Sasha Pavlovic, someone is going to have to give consistnet minutes off the bench. They're capable, it has been seen in flashes, they've got to do it.
Mike Brown also has to step up. The Cavs defense has been good enough to keep them in these games for the most part. Their offense has been mostly a failure. They forget about Z when they need him most, James too often settles for jumpers, and he's hasn't shown that he can draw up and get his players to execute a play when they really need it.
This is a defining time, even if there are continued losses. The Cavs have to better themselves so when they come through it they are a better team. Right now, it seems it could go either way.
Windhorst Blog
Excellent points by Windhorst. I think Brown and the coaching staff are the ones who need to step up the most. The offense can no longer be ignored. Players have to be put in positions where they can best succeed. As soon as Z starts being ignored Brown has to call a timeout and stop it. The huge number of 3 point attempts need to be cut down too. Jones and Marshall are relying way too much on that shot. If you're in a slump move a little closer for easier shots. Lebron also needs to limit his deep perimeter shots at those times where he seems to fall in love with it and forgets to take it inside.
Run a pick and roll with Z more often. It's the most effective play in basketball and with Z's shooting ability should be very effective for the Cavs.
No more standing around on offense. Too often LeBron and Z get the ball and the other 4 players stand there and watch them. Brown has to encourage the movement to keep going.
If Jackson or Pavlovic are going to get minutes then plays need to be run for them so their chances of success improve. Run them off some screens. They've just been left on their own when they've gotten minutes. Try to put them in some situations where their chances of success increase.
The defense has been ok enough to win. The offense needs something to happen so it improves.
Run a pick and roll with Z more often. It's the most effective play in basketball and with Z's shooting ability should be very effective for the Cavs.
No more standing around on offense. Too often LeBron and Z get the ball and the other 4 players stand there and watch them. Brown has to encourage the movement to keep going.
If Jackson or Pavlovic are going to get minutes then plays need to be run for them so their chances of success improve. Run them off some screens. They've just been left on their own when they've gotten minutes. Try to put them in some situations where their chances of success increase.
The defense has been ok enough to win. The offense needs something to happen so it improves.