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CAVALIERS' STRETCH RUN
MOST VALUABLE POINTS
After the break, Cavaliers need more of LeBron
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Dennis Manoloff
Plain Dealer Reporter
LeBron James has dealt with high expectations and the accompanying pressure virtually since he stepped onto a basketball court to play for keeps. He repeatedly has met or exceeded all of it.
James will need to call on experience in the coming weeks, because a franchise and its fan base are depending on him. All that will be asked of the third-year pro James is to maintain his MVP-candidate performance level and lead the Cavaliers to the postseason for the first time since 1998.
With 30 games remaining in the regular season, the Cavaliers are 31-21, fourth in the Eastern Conference's eight-team playoff pool. They face Orlando tonight at The Q.
Nobody needs to tell James what is at stake. Asked Monday afternoon if it would be inexcusable for the Cavaliers not to make the playoffs, he said, "Yeah . . . It's time to make a run, to try to secure home-court advantage and get to the playoffs strong."
The Cavaliers' flameout last season has jacked up the pressure in the cooker exponentially. If 31-21 sounds eerily familiar, it should. Even casual observers of the club remember.
On Feb. 23, 2005, in their first game after the break, the Cavaliers defeated Chicago, 100-91. They improved to 31-21, third-best in the conference behind Miami and Detroit. They led New Jersey by 9½ games.
The question was not whether Cleveland would make the playoffs, but how long it would last.
Then came game No. 53, a no-show loss at Indiana, 106-82. Instead of being an isolated incident, it mushroomed into serious trouble. The Cavaliers eventually lost six in a row, which was part of 4-11 and 7-16 slides. The spiral downward continued through game No. 80, when a loss at Detroit dropped them to 40-40.
Coach Paul Silas had long since been sacked.
Two victories to close proved futile, failing to prevent a seventh consecutive season sans playoffs. New Jersey tied the Cavaliers at 42-40 but gained the conference's eighth and final seed by winning the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Page 2 of 3
James knows the comparisons are inevitable until the outcome changes. He is confident it will happen for several reasons, beginning with the most important:
"Our team is better," he said.
Tangible evidence includes success away from home. The Cavaliers won 13 road games last season; they are 12-14 this season. The players also point to having done just as well, record-wise, against what appears to be a considerably tougher first-half schedule.
And then there are the intangibles.
"We have a different chemistry and a different mind-set," James said.
"We're more stable than last year," Zydrunas Ilgauskas said.
No names needed. If nothing else, the absence of the sideshow that was Silas vs. Jeff "He plays for the name on the back" McInnis should continue to have a calming effect. The tank of point guard McInnis, capped by a sit-down in the finale against Toronto because of a mysterious "viral syndrome," made for a fitting symbol of the team's demise.
Of course, all the perceived upgrades/improvements from last season do not mean squat absent the fulcrum, James. Coming off a monster season in 2004-2005 (27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists), he has managed to upgrade, particularly in the scoring department.
James entered the break ranked third in the NBA at 31.2 points per game, supplemented by 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists. The points are coming more efficiently, and they are coming more and more when the game is being decided, no matter the quarter or overtime.
"I feel a lot better than I did [last year at this time], because I know what it takes down the stretch of games," he said. "I know when to attack, when not to attack. That comes from my teammates, who are giving me a lot of confidence."
Page 3 of 3
The most recent example occurred Sunday at the All-Star Game in Houston, when he helped the East rally from 21 points down in the third quarter to win, 122-120. James scored 13 of his 29 in the third en route to being named MVP.
"We didn't want to get embarrassed on national TV," James said. "When they got up by 21, it was time to lock in."
His terrific All-Star Game followed two spectacular performances in games that counted for the Cavaliers. James scored 44 in a 101-87 victory over San Antonio at home Feb. 13, ahead of a triple double (43 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists) in a 113-109 victory Wednesday in double overtime at Boston.
"I'm still on Cloud Nine, but Sunday is over and done with," he said. "I'm focused on getting ready for Orlando."
James spoke with reporters Monday after receiving a full therapeutic massage, which is the norm on game days. He needed to catch up because he did not receive one Sunday.
"I'm a little tired," he said. "I'm going home to take a nap."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
dmanoloff@plaind.com; 216-999-4677
MOST VALUABLE POINTS
After the break, Cavaliers need more of LeBron
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Dennis Manoloff
Plain Dealer Reporter
LeBron James has dealt with high expectations and the accompanying pressure virtually since he stepped onto a basketball court to play for keeps. He repeatedly has met or exceeded all of it.
James will need to call on experience in the coming weeks, because a franchise and its fan base are depending on him. All that will be asked of the third-year pro James is to maintain his MVP-candidate performance level and lead the Cavaliers to the postseason for the first time since 1998.
With 30 games remaining in the regular season, the Cavaliers are 31-21, fourth in the Eastern Conference's eight-team playoff pool. They face Orlando tonight at The Q.
Nobody needs to tell James what is at stake. Asked Monday afternoon if it would be inexcusable for the Cavaliers not to make the playoffs, he said, "Yeah . . . It's time to make a run, to try to secure home-court advantage and get to the playoffs strong."
The Cavaliers' flameout last season has jacked up the pressure in the cooker exponentially. If 31-21 sounds eerily familiar, it should. Even casual observers of the club remember.
On Feb. 23, 2005, in their first game after the break, the Cavaliers defeated Chicago, 100-91. They improved to 31-21, third-best in the conference behind Miami and Detroit. They led New Jersey by 9½ games.
The question was not whether Cleveland would make the playoffs, but how long it would last.
Then came game No. 53, a no-show loss at Indiana, 106-82. Instead of being an isolated incident, it mushroomed into serious trouble. The Cavaliers eventually lost six in a row, which was part of 4-11 and 7-16 slides. The spiral downward continued through game No. 80, when a loss at Detroit dropped them to 40-40.
Coach Paul Silas had long since been sacked.
Two victories to close proved futile, failing to prevent a seventh consecutive season sans playoffs. New Jersey tied the Cavaliers at 42-40 but gained the conference's eighth and final seed by winning the head-to-head tiebreaker.
Page 2 of 3
James knows the comparisons are inevitable until the outcome changes. He is confident it will happen for several reasons, beginning with the most important:
"Our team is better," he said.
Tangible evidence includes success away from home. The Cavaliers won 13 road games last season; they are 12-14 this season. The players also point to having done just as well, record-wise, against what appears to be a considerably tougher first-half schedule.
And then there are the intangibles.
"We have a different chemistry and a different mind-set," James said.
"We're more stable than last year," Zydrunas Ilgauskas said.
No names needed. If nothing else, the absence of the sideshow that was Silas vs. Jeff "He plays for the name on the back" McInnis should continue to have a calming effect. The tank of point guard McInnis, capped by a sit-down in the finale against Toronto because of a mysterious "viral syndrome," made for a fitting symbol of the team's demise.
Of course, all the perceived upgrades/improvements from last season do not mean squat absent the fulcrum, James. Coming off a monster season in 2004-2005 (27.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists), he has managed to upgrade, particularly in the scoring department.
James entered the break ranked third in the NBA at 31.2 points per game, supplemented by 7.0 rebounds and 6.6 assists. The points are coming more efficiently, and they are coming more and more when the game is being decided, no matter the quarter or overtime.
"I feel a lot better than I did [last year at this time], because I know what it takes down the stretch of games," he said. "I know when to attack, when not to attack. That comes from my teammates, who are giving me a lot of confidence."
Page 3 of 3
The most recent example occurred Sunday at the All-Star Game in Houston, when he helped the East rally from 21 points down in the third quarter to win, 122-120. James scored 13 of his 29 in the third en route to being named MVP.
"We didn't want to get embarrassed on national TV," James said. "When they got up by 21, it was time to lock in."
His terrific All-Star Game followed two spectacular performances in games that counted for the Cavaliers. James scored 44 in a 101-87 victory over San Antonio at home Feb. 13, ahead of a triple double (43 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists) in a 113-109 victory Wednesday in double overtime at Boston.
"I'm still on Cloud Nine, but Sunday is over and done with," he said. "I'm focused on getting ready for Orlando."
James spoke with reporters Monday after receiving a full therapeutic massage, which is the norm on game days. He needed to catch up because he did not receive one Sunday.
"I'm a little tired," he said. "I'm going home to take a nap."
To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:
dmanoloff@plaind.com; 216-999-4677
