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2007-08 TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW
2007-08 TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW: Guards
The Cavaliers are less than a week away from tipping off Training Camp and have a tough act to follow after last year's exhilarating postseason run to the Finals. Today, cavs.com will focus on the Wine and Gold's diverse backcourt ...
Larry Hughes – For the first time since the 2001-02 season, Hughes played 70 or more games last year. But once again he was dealt a blow late in the postseason, and a foot injury kept him out of the last two games of the NBA Finals.
Still, the lithe guard’s performance in the first two rounds of the postseason was vintage Hughes and his transition to the point keyed the Cavaliers late-season push, as they won eight straight in early March. Last year, when Hughes posted five or more assists, the Wine and Gold were a jaw-dropping 21-3.
Last year, Hughes averaged nearly 15 points per game in the regular season and just over a dozen in the playoffs. But Hughes’ contribution can’t be solely measured by scoring totals. He is most effective – as are the Cavaliers – when he does a little bit of everything. Quietly, he is the key to Cleveland’s success. Since he arrived on the North Coast two years ago, the Cavs are 63-36 when he starts, 36-15 when he scores more than 15 points, 34-5 when he notches five or more assists and 21-5 when he sinks two or more three-pointers.
How Hughes is used this upcoming season will shake out during Training Camp and (probably) beyond. Much depends on the play of Daniel Gibson and, of course, the Pavlovic contract scenario. When the season opens, he will be starting at one of Cleveland’s guard positions – the only question is which one.
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Daniel Gibson – No player’s stock rose more throughout the 2007 Playoffs than Daniel Gibson – who seemed to get better (and more comfortable) with each successive Round, culminating with his seminal 31-point effort against the Pistons in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. By the third game of the NBA Finals, Gibson had gone from a second-round Draft pick (44th overall) to the Wine and Gold’s starting point guard on the league’s biggest stage.
Boobie’s meteoric ascent began the minute he left the Earth for a massive dunk against the Pacers on November 24, and he didn’t come down until the clock ran out on Cleveland in Game 4 against San Antonio. He was 12-of-24 from three-point range and 33-of-37 from the line against Detroit and tallied 15 and 16 points, respectively, in the first two games against the stingy Spurs. When the calendar turned to June, Gibson was easily the Cavaliers’ second-best player.
But the Finals seem like a long time ago, and with Cleveland still seeking the right fit at point guard, Gibson will be given the opportunity to take the reigns. Depending on the (currently) tenuous contract status of Sasha Pavlovic, the precocious former Longhorn could be starting alongside Larry Hughes when the ball goes up against Dallas on opening night.
He’ll have to improve on his decision-making and some feel he’s a shooting guard in a point guard’s body. But there was a time that that was the rap on Chauncey Billups, and he turned out pretty well in Detroit. The future is bright for Gibson in Cleveland – it’s just a matter of how, where and when Mike Brown decides to use him.
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Sasha Pavlovic – As of the publication of this article, the Cavaliers and Pavlovic are still jousting over his contract situation, with the tug-of-war now pressing up against Training Camp less than one week away. Overtures have been lobbed from Pavlovic’s camp that he might eschew the Cavs qualifying offer and play in Europe.
Of course, this could be all leverage and posturing and odds are that Pavlovic will return to the Cleveland, even if it’s for a single season before becoming an unrestricted free agent after the year.
For the sake of this preview and contract talk aside, Pavlovic will not be handed the starting spot heading into Camp. Although the Cavaliers performed well with the Serbian swingman in the starting lineup – (20-8) – and he turned around the postseason with his block on Jason Kidd, the brass is determined to foster the growth of Daniel Gibson and begin the process with Shannon Brown.
Still, Pavlovic gives the Cavaliers size, experience, three-point shooting and athleticism. LeBron James loves running with him and his postseason defense had to please Mike Brown. The postseason also exposed his ball-handling and decision-making shortcomings, but it’s important to remember that he’s only 11 months older than LeBron.
Assuming Pavlovic inks a deal to stay in Cleveland, he should be considered the starting two-guard alongside Larry Hughes, but that could change between next Monday – when Camp tips off – and Oct. 31 – when the regular season does.
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Eric Snow – The Rodney Dangerfield of the Cavaliers’ backcourt, Eric Snow takes as much heat as anyone wearing the wine and gold. But the Cavaliers’ co-captain just keeps on keeping on – playing in 245 of the 246 games (including all 82 last year) since he returned to his hometown team.
Snow won’t be averaging 18 ppg anytime soon, but what he will do is play dogged defense, continue to be a coach on the floor and safeguard the ball in crunch time. The Canton Bulldog had a difficult time with Tony Parker’s speed in the Finals, but his relentless D on Chauncey Billups – especially in the final minutes of the epic Game 5 win at The Palace – or against New Jersey’s Vince Carter is one of the major reasons the Cavaliers were able to punch their ticket to San Antonio.
After 139 straight starts for Cleveland, Snow relinquished his spot in the lineup to Daniel Gibson. But he never made waves, instead focusing on other ways to help the club. Plus, the Cavaliers were actually 5-2 in games where Snow played 35 or more minutes.
Snow is the Cavaliers constant in an ever-changing universe and will contribute the same way this season as he has in the previous 12 as a pro: a solid presence on and off the court.
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Damon Jones – It’s been a long, strange trip for the DJ in Cleveland since he signed here before the 2005-06 season. He’s had moments of greatness – punctuated by his game-winner in Washington two summers ago. And he’s had moments of frustration – punctuated by his nine DNP-CDs in the first three rounds of the playoffs this year.
Jones has never re-discovered the magic from his final year in Miami, but continues to be an asset coming off the bench. Sometimes Mike Brown needs a closer out of the bullpen (E-Snow) and sometimes he needs a home run hitter (Damon Jones). And when Jones gets hot – like he did on Nov. 13 in New York when he drilled seven three pointers en route to 29 points – he can be scorching.
But Jones has self-admittedly never been a defensive stopper and doesn’t have the same burst at 31 as he did even a few seasons ago in South Beach. He averaged only 1.1 ppg through the Eastern Conference playoffs, but was one of the few Cavaliers who picked it up during the Finals, averaging 16.3 minutes per game and netting 4.5 points per contest in the four-game sweep.
Like Snow, the DJ heads in Training Camp essentially where he finished last season – a valuable bench guy and vocal veteran team leader.
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Shannon Brown – The No. 25 pick overall in the 2006 NBA Draft, Brown simply could not get untracked last season – battling injuries, inexperience and a numbers game as he struggled to carve out his NBA niche like his classmate, Daniel Gibson, did.
But the uber-athletic former Spartan did show glimpses of brilliance, most notably in the March 3 blowout of the Raptors at The Q. In that contest, Brown canned all three three-pointers he attempted and was 4-for-6 from the floor for 14 points. Unfortunately, more often than not, he was inactive – 43 games in all – and didn’t see any action during the Cavaliers’ 2007 postseason run. A nagging left leg injury just added to his difficult rookie campaign.
Brown went back to the drawing board during Summer League in Vegas and was very productive for the Wine and Gold. In five games, Brown averaged 17.2 points per contest – including a 26-point effort against the Chinese squad. Despite shooting just 39 percent from the floor, Brown netted double figures in every outing and added 2.4 boards and 3.2 assists per game.
Cleveland will give Brown every opportunity to have a breakout sophomore season, beginning when Training Camp tips off on Monday night. Brown had a nice pre-season last year, but couldn’t translate that into regular season success. He and the Cavaliers hope that – like his close friend, Gibson – he explodes onto the scene when the time is right.
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/camp_guards_070924.html
2007-08 TRAINING CAMP PREVIEW: Guards
The Cavaliers are less than a week away from tipping off Training Camp and have a tough act to follow after last year's exhilarating postseason run to the Finals. Today, cavs.com will focus on the Wine and Gold's diverse backcourt ...
Larry Hughes – For the first time since the 2001-02 season, Hughes played 70 or more games last year. But once again he was dealt a blow late in the postseason, and a foot injury kept him out of the last two games of the NBA Finals.
Still, the lithe guard’s performance in the first two rounds of the postseason was vintage Hughes and his transition to the point keyed the Cavaliers late-season push, as they won eight straight in early March. Last year, when Hughes posted five or more assists, the Wine and Gold were a jaw-dropping 21-3.
Last year, Hughes averaged nearly 15 points per game in the regular season and just over a dozen in the playoffs. But Hughes’ contribution can’t be solely measured by scoring totals. He is most effective – as are the Cavaliers – when he does a little bit of everything. Quietly, he is the key to Cleveland’s success. Since he arrived on the North Coast two years ago, the Cavs are 63-36 when he starts, 36-15 when he scores more than 15 points, 34-5 when he notches five or more assists and 21-5 when he sinks two or more three-pointers.
How Hughes is used this upcoming season will shake out during Training Camp and (probably) beyond. Much depends on the play of Daniel Gibson and, of course, the Pavlovic contract scenario. When the season opens, he will be starting at one of Cleveland’s guard positions – the only question is which one.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel Gibson – No player’s stock rose more throughout the 2007 Playoffs than Daniel Gibson – who seemed to get better (and more comfortable) with each successive Round, culminating with his seminal 31-point effort against the Pistons in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. By the third game of the NBA Finals, Gibson had gone from a second-round Draft pick (44th overall) to the Wine and Gold’s starting point guard on the league’s biggest stage.
Boobie’s meteoric ascent began the minute he left the Earth for a massive dunk against the Pacers on November 24, and he didn’t come down until the clock ran out on Cleveland in Game 4 against San Antonio. He was 12-of-24 from three-point range and 33-of-37 from the line against Detroit and tallied 15 and 16 points, respectively, in the first two games against the stingy Spurs. When the calendar turned to June, Gibson was easily the Cavaliers’ second-best player.
But the Finals seem like a long time ago, and with Cleveland still seeking the right fit at point guard, Gibson will be given the opportunity to take the reigns. Depending on the (currently) tenuous contract status of Sasha Pavlovic, the precocious former Longhorn could be starting alongside Larry Hughes when the ball goes up against Dallas on opening night.
He’ll have to improve on his decision-making and some feel he’s a shooting guard in a point guard’s body. But there was a time that that was the rap on Chauncey Billups, and he turned out pretty well in Detroit. The future is bright for Gibson in Cleveland – it’s just a matter of how, where and when Mike Brown decides to use him.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sasha Pavlovic – As of the publication of this article, the Cavaliers and Pavlovic are still jousting over his contract situation, with the tug-of-war now pressing up against Training Camp less than one week away. Overtures have been lobbed from Pavlovic’s camp that he might eschew the Cavs qualifying offer and play in Europe.
Of course, this could be all leverage and posturing and odds are that Pavlovic will return to the Cleveland, even if it’s for a single season before becoming an unrestricted free agent after the year.
For the sake of this preview and contract talk aside, Pavlovic will not be handed the starting spot heading into Camp. Although the Cavaliers performed well with the Serbian swingman in the starting lineup – (20-8) – and he turned around the postseason with his block on Jason Kidd, the brass is determined to foster the growth of Daniel Gibson and begin the process with Shannon Brown.
Still, Pavlovic gives the Cavaliers size, experience, three-point shooting and athleticism. LeBron James loves running with him and his postseason defense had to please Mike Brown. The postseason also exposed his ball-handling and decision-making shortcomings, but it’s important to remember that he’s only 11 months older than LeBron.
Assuming Pavlovic inks a deal to stay in Cleveland, he should be considered the starting two-guard alongside Larry Hughes, but that could change between next Monday – when Camp tips off – and Oct. 31 – when the regular season does.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Eric Snow – The Rodney Dangerfield of the Cavaliers’ backcourt, Eric Snow takes as much heat as anyone wearing the wine and gold. But the Cavaliers’ co-captain just keeps on keeping on – playing in 245 of the 246 games (including all 82 last year) since he returned to his hometown team.
Snow won’t be averaging 18 ppg anytime soon, but what he will do is play dogged defense, continue to be a coach on the floor and safeguard the ball in crunch time. The Canton Bulldog had a difficult time with Tony Parker’s speed in the Finals, but his relentless D on Chauncey Billups – especially in the final minutes of the epic Game 5 win at The Palace – or against New Jersey’s Vince Carter is one of the major reasons the Cavaliers were able to punch their ticket to San Antonio.
After 139 straight starts for Cleveland, Snow relinquished his spot in the lineup to Daniel Gibson. But he never made waves, instead focusing on other ways to help the club. Plus, the Cavaliers were actually 5-2 in games where Snow played 35 or more minutes.
Snow is the Cavaliers constant in an ever-changing universe and will contribute the same way this season as he has in the previous 12 as a pro: a solid presence on and off the court.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Damon Jones – It’s been a long, strange trip for the DJ in Cleveland since he signed here before the 2005-06 season. He’s had moments of greatness – punctuated by his game-winner in Washington two summers ago. And he’s had moments of frustration – punctuated by his nine DNP-CDs in the first three rounds of the playoffs this year.
Jones has never re-discovered the magic from his final year in Miami, but continues to be an asset coming off the bench. Sometimes Mike Brown needs a closer out of the bullpen (E-Snow) and sometimes he needs a home run hitter (Damon Jones). And when Jones gets hot – like he did on Nov. 13 in New York when he drilled seven three pointers en route to 29 points – he can be scorching.
But Jones has self-admittedly never been a defensive stopper and doesn’t have the same burst at 31 as he did even a few seasons ago in South Beach. He averaged only 1.1 ppg through the Eastern Conference playoffs, but was one of the few Cavaliers who picked it up during the Finals, averaging 16.3 minutes per game and netting 4.5 points per contest in the four-game sweep.
Like Snow, the DJ heads in Training Camp essentially where he finished last season – a valuable bench guy and vocal veteran team leader.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Shannon Brown – The No. 25 pick overall in the 2006 NBA Draft, Brown simply could not get untracked last season – battling injuries, inexperience and a numbers game as he struggled to carve out his NBA niche like his classmate, Daniel Gibson, did.
But the uber-athletic former Spartan did show glimpses of brilliance, most notably in the March 3 blowout of the Raptors at The Q. In that contest, Brown canned all three three-pointers he attempted and was 4-for-6 from the floor for 14 points. Unfortunately, more often than not, he was inactive – 43 games in all – and didn’t see any action during the Cavaliers’ 2007 postseason run. A nagging left leg injury just added to his difficult rookie campaign.
Brown went back to the drawing board during Summer League in Vegas and was very productive for the Wine and Gold. In five games, Brown averaged 17.2 points per contest – including a 26-point effort against the Chinese squad. Despite shooting just 39 percent from the floor, Brown netted double figures in every outing and added 2.4 boards and 3.2 assists per game.
Cleveland will give Brown every opportunity to have a breakout sophomore season, beginning when Training Camp tips off on Monday night. Brown had a nice pre-season last year, but couldn’t translate that into regular season success. He and the Cavaliers hope that – like his close friend, Gibson – he explodes onto the scene when the time is right.
http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/camp_guards_070924.html
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