Cavs @ Philly 4/14/08

[Numbers Guy]

They don't watch Cavs game, but they are convinced that refs are giving us all the calls. No matter what happens against them in the playoffs they are going to crying conspiracy any time we get a call.

Yeah, theres been a couple calls we didn't get this year.. the Michael Redd traveling game winner.. or how bout early in the year when we were playing the Magic and LeBron was driving and someone just grabbed the ball and tore it away and they called a jump ball.

 

[cav jvl]

Didn't the Wiz people see the replay? LBJ fouled 2-3 times...no call. Devin body checked...obvious foul. They are just preparing for when Lebron has Deshawn doing a Tayshaun and Gil choking again. Already looking for excuses! The truth is the Cavs will beat down the big talking Wizs in 5. Time to sit the King until then.

 

[NarlCavs]

Big win but it never should have come to a late foul call. Looked like the Cavs were on the verge of putting away the 76ers then they let them back in the game.

There were positive signs tonight until the 4th qtr collapse. Ball moved better and most of the time even when LeBron was out there.
LeBron once again with a - +/- tonight though.

That foul call is huge and will be discussed about a lot. It had a major impact on playoff seedings for 4 teams.

Please get rid of 70's game show host Fred McLeod before next season. He was annoying as hell at the end of the game.
I can imagine his whining if the situation was reversed on the foul call.

 

[Splitz]

I was disappointed that my game feed was FSN. In usual fashion they missed a play coming out a timeout because they overplayed video on a Mike Brown interview. Austin Carr is very difficult to listen to. I couldn't even fit on a whole page how many dumb comments he made.

 

[Splitz]

One other thing that I forgot to mention was that Lebron James was absolutely spectacular defensively tonight. He made a handful of amazing defensive plays.

 

[chiefwahoo]

In November, if you would have told me that home court would come down to a Devin Brown free throw against the Sixers in Game #81, I would have said you were nuts. But all things considered, I'll take it. Now we have the rematch I wanted with the ****ing Wizards. Can't wait for this weekend

 

[TheAdmin]

Sasha is likely done for the year. He had to be pushed out of the stadium in a wheelchair.

 

[Jon]

At least Sasha went down shooting. <img>

On a side note, the reason Dwayne Jones went in the game is because they called a shooting foul on Evans for undercutting Sasha, but when he couldn't take the shots, Cheeks got to choose whoever he wanted to come and take the shots. With the Wisdom of Solomon and access to advanced NBA stats ... he selected none other than Dwayne (Hey Dude. I'm hitting 52% of My Free-Throws, Why didn't you pick Ben?) Jones who obliged by missing a pair.

As for LeBron, I just think the team is more focused on what they need to do when he's off the floor. They're aggressive because they realize they have to get it done and can't just flip the ball back to LeBron. They know they need to play inside out through Z or at least drive and cut to try to create something. I think the defense also relaxes in to 1v1 coverage which allows the plays to actually develop the way they're supposed to.

Keep in mind, LeBron's mere existence makes everything tougher for this team. Road stadiums are packed. Games are on national TV. The opponents for the most part get up for the game and the chance to beat LeBron. But just like the Cavs have lapses where they stop focusing and let the other team back in, so do our opponents. Of course they're going to happen when LeBron leaves the floor.

 

[Numbers Guy]

MB believe in Wally and he will not get out of rotation tonight....HE is good player and we need him in playoffs.....Sasha can only back-up LBJ....

 

[chiefwahoo]

I just read this from Windhorst's blog:

You want to talk about a bad moment, this was fan appreciation night in Philly. Off probably the worst loss of the season, the PR folks had to pull the players out of the locker room and get them to give away their uniforms and shoes. Lots of faked enthusiasm by the public address announcer.

:chuckles:

 

[Rick Astley]

^^ That was sad and funny at the same time. I sure don't to be the bad end of that fan appreciation night.

 

[James]

After seeing the highlights from this, you cant say the Refs ever screwed the Cavs....

 

[chiefwahoo]

After seeing the highlights from this, you cant say the Refs ever screwed the Cavs....

They got the call right finally. So I guess this is one game we did not get screwed.

 

[Green Lantern]

Wow..after I saw the Browns/Ravens field goal redo...I didn't think I would see one in the NBA..only in Cleveland..

 

[Jon]

After seeing the highlights from this, you cant say the Refs ever screwed the Cavs....

If Devin Brown had attempted and missed a fade-away jumper on the put back attempt like Hughes once did, then we sure would have been since the refs completely ignored the contact LeBron took driving in to the lane.

Heck, the whole reason Dalembert ended up undercutting Brown was because as he blocked LeBron's shot, he made contact with James that pushed him back in to Z, as Z cleared him off, it shoved him back in to Brown.

James ended up taking 3 steps on his drive because of the initial contact that also went uncalled.

Basically they could have potentially 7 different offensive or defensive fouls on either team all before Brown ever saw the ball:

Block Williams
Charging LeBron
Travel LeBron
Block Dalembert
Push off LeBron
Looseball foul Dalembert
Clearout foul Z

But gee, thankfully they called Dalembert for torpedoing Brown - that never would have happened if not for all the other contact that went uncalled.