Preseason Game #5 | 76ers @ Cavaliers, 7:30 PM (ET)

[Mdog1]

It's good to see that we finally have a line up that can score without LBJ putting up 1000000000 points. I know it is preseason but i'm still happy with the result. To bad it didn't count for a win though.

Just noticed DW almost had a triple double off of the bench. Damn that makes me excited for the season.

 

[Numbers Guy]

17 10 and 7 for Delonte!

 

[Rick Astley]

An almost triple double for a guy who came from a depression is just too good. Good job butterfingers.

 

[Numbers Guy]

You can say what you want about Z.. but he still has a lot left in the tank. I was worried how he would be this season and I know its just preseason but he seems to be fine.

 

[Karma]

Regular season rotation:
pg mo-boobie-west
sg west-wally
sf lbj-wally-sasha
pf andy-ben-jj
c z-wright-ben



i am so far impressed with our bench plays....Sasha is the only minus in this team....

Sasha +24
Wally -16

So there is a +40 differential when Sasha is on the court compared to Wally. :chuckles:

In all seriousness though West certainly put his hand up. I still like him as the 6th man, but if he starts I'm still quite happy.

Certainly nice to get the monkey off our back with a win.

 

[Walter White]

Sasha +24
Wally -16

So there is a +40 differential when Sasha is on the court compared to Wally. :chuckles:

In all seriousness though West certainly put his hand up. I still like him as the 6th man, but if he starts I'm still quite happy.

Certainly nice to get the monkey off our back with a win.

Its kindof funny that 5 seconds ago on nfl network they said get the monkey off their back on the top 10 thing. kinda wierd lol.

 

[Mdog1]

Does anyone else thinkLBJ could average 20ppg, 10rb, 9ast this season?

 

[Karma]

Does anyone else thinkLBJ could average 20ppg, 10rb, 9ast this season?

First off he will score more then that as I'm sure you meant anyway, but I doubt he can average more boards and assists then last season. We have a very good rebounding squad and now we have more creative guards from the get go. I'm sure he'll get a few triple doubles and the like, but our more balanced squad will reduce our dependence on him getting ridiculous numbers.

Anyways, the only numbers I care about is the win tally.

 

[Karma]

Late rally leads Cavs past Philadelphia, 100-93

CLEVELAND (AP) Daniel Gibson made the go-ahead basket with 1:22 left, and the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for their first preseason victory, 100-93 over the Philadelphia 76ers on Saturday night.

Trailing 91-80 with 4:14 left, the Cavaliers finished the game on a 20-2 run.

Sasha Pavlovic's 3-pointer cut the lead to 93-92 to go. Gibson drove to the basket on Cleveland's next possession, made the shot and was fouled. He missed the free throw, leaving the lead at one.

After a turnover, Anderson Varejao's basket in the lane gave Cleveland a 96-93 lead with 46 seconds left. The 76ers missed a 3-pointer, which led to a fast-break basket by J.J. Hickson with 29 seconds left. Delonte West's two free throws capped the comeback.

Cleveland is 1-4 while Philadelphia fell to 3-2.

Andre Iguodala scored 17 points for Philadelphia and Donyell Marshall added 15 on 5-of-6 3-pointers.

LeBron James scored 16 points in 26 minutes.

The game was played with an intensity usually reserved for the regular season. Cleveland's Mo Williams and Philadelphia's Andre Miller were assessed double technicals midway through the first quarter. Williams was given a second technical and ejected by referee Sean Corbin 19 seconds later.

Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who had 17 points, was given a technical in the third quarter. West was assessed a flagrant foul in the second quarter and players from both sides dove to the floor several times to grab loose balls.

Williams' ejection brought a quick end to coach Mike Brown's plan to play his starting five into the second half. Williams, a key offseason acquisition from Milwaukee, is expected to provide vital help for James.

James played 17 minutes in the first half and nine in the third quarter. Brown had Ilgauskas, Ben Wallace and Pavlovic, who all started, on the floor in the fourth quarter.

West was away from the team Oct. 4-15. He said Friday he had been dealing with depression and a mood disorder. He scored 17 points.

Philadelphia played without forward Elton Brand, whose wife gave birth to a baby Thursday, and center Samuel Dalembert (sprained right knee).

Cavaliers rookie forward Darnell Jackson, who helped Kansas to the national title last season, is out indefinitely with a fractured left wrist.

Link

 

[Splitz]

I love Delonte West!

 

[Mdog1]

I definately meant for him to average more than 20, but if he is playing that dominant who cares what the points are. I do agree though that wins are most important, and it's even more important that we get off to a good start this season. I'm thinking 10-4 to start, and 56-26.

 

[Thunder]

And with Kinsey being better at D and overall more athletic and having a better jumper than Pav, Pavvy could soon be the odd man out a month or two into the season....since Snow's obviously not going to be traded, I see Pav on his way out for some one who can contribute for sure.

 

[flamez]

Actually I think he can get better stats. He will play some power forward this season, which should increase his rebounding numbers. As far as assists go, I think it will atleast remain the same like it did last year. Although I could see them improving as well, since Mo, delonte, boobie, Z and even AV (apparently) can knock down shots.

 

[Ren]

BW and his usual wrap up:

Nice comeback, Delonte: West leads fourth-quarter rally as Cavs top 76ers
by Brian Windhorst
Saturday October 18, 2008, 11:11 PM

When he publicly revealed the emotional battles he's been fighting for years this week, Delonte West admitted the basketball court has always been his refuge.

The game took that role again on Saturday as the Cavaliers guard showed he's feeling just as good immersed in the game as he currently is away from it. West scored 17 points and added seven rebounds and 10 assists to lead the Cavs to their first preseason win, 100-93, over the Philadelphia 76ers at The Q.

West missed nearly two weeks of training camp to get treatment for a mood disorder and when he returned looked very rusty Thursday, shooting just 2-of-12 in a loss to San Antonio.

After getting a few more practices in and getting support from coaches and teammates after his return, West appeared much more comfortable and more effective. He led a 20-2 run over the game's last four minutes to led a comeback to victory.

"This was just my second live competition since Game 7 last year," West said. "It was a good win for us, it was good for our confidence."

West didn't play almost any 5-on-5 basketball over the summer because he was in the middle of contract talks and didn't want to risk injury. Then he had to leave camp before the Cavs even had their intrasquad scrimmage, which put him a little behind physically.

His efforts were needed against the 76ers because starting point guard Mo Williams lasted less than six minutes into the first quarter. Williams was ejected after picking up two technical fouls for jousting with 76ers guard Andre Miller. Williams drew a charge on Miller, crashing to the floor, with 6:27 left in the first quarter.

An angry Miller responded by throwing the ball at Williams and the two got into each other's faces and drew technicals. A few moments later at the other end of the court, Williams drew another foul on Miller on a drive to the basket. More words were exchanged and official Sean Corbin kicked Williams out.

"[Miller] picked the wrong guy for that," a still fired-up Williams said after the game. "I came here to play basketball, if you don't want to play basketball then let me know."

Coach Mike Brown defended Williams' actions and questioned why Miller wasn't ejected as well.

"The intensity was up," Brown said. "I'm OK with guys standing up for themselves. I was a little shocked he got booted that quickly."

Though the Cavs still aren't playing to win just yet, Brown took this game more seriously than any other thus far. He played most of the starters, with the exception of LeBron James and Williams, in the fourth quarter to extend their stamina a little.

James looked strong in three quarters, playing 26 minutes and scoring 16 points with 10 rebounds and four assists. Zydrunas Ilgauskas also played his best game of the preseason with 17 points and eight rebounds.

It was the bench, though, that really won the game. With Brown tightening his rotation like it was a regular-season game, West led a strong reserve effort by making 6 of 8 shots. Anderson Varejao also contributed with 15 points off the bench, making all seven of his shots.

The Cavs also played their best defense of the preseason, holding Philadelphia to 40 percent shooting. The 76ers were led by Andre Iguodala's 17 points and former Cav Donyell Marshall. Playing on a one-year contract after he was bought out by the Oklahoma City Thunder, Marshall nailed five 3-pointers for 15 points.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2008/10/nice_comeback_delonte_west_lea.html

 

[abethespartan]

It concerns me that we were down by so many points in the fourth with Brand and Dalambert not playing. I'm not nearly as excited by this win as i was five minutes ago before i read the summary. It is easy to play well against a team that has two of its best players on the bench.