NBA.com's got their series preview up:
http://www.nba.com/2009/playoffs2009/seriesEast7/05/18/cavs.magic.preview/index.html?cid=playoff1
http://www.nba.com/2009/playoffs2009/seriesEast7/05/18/cavs.magic.preview/index.html?cid=playoff1
-
Changing RCF's index page, please click on "Forums" to access the forums.
Round 3, Game 1 | Cavaliers vs. Magic | May 20, 2009 | 8:30PM (EST) TNT
- Thread starter Silky Smooth
- Start date
Cavaliers Have Been Dominant but Not Intriguing
Howard Beck/New York Times
Shirtless and smirking, LeBron James whipped a looping, two-handed shot from the corner baseline seats — behind the court, at least 25 feet away — and watched it sail, over the backboard and through the net.
Satisfied with his work, James strutted away, hands in the air, biceps bulging. The self-proclaimed King never looked more relaxed.
While the N.B.A.’s other contenders were sweating through overtimes and seven-game series, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were in virtual hibernation. They cruised through two rounds of playoffs without an ounce of anxiety, or a loss. They played their last game eight days ago, leaving them to kill time with light practices and trick-shot competitions.
James’s remarkable shot was captured on film Sunday afternoon, sometime before the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 7 victory over Houston and Orlando’s Game 7 victory over Boston. It signaled the end of the Cavaliers’ extended recess. They open the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night against the Magic.
“The hard part is ahead of us,” Danny Ferry, the Cavaliers’ general manager, said during the lull last week.
The Magic was 2-1 against the Cavaliers this season and should provide much stiffer resistance than the Detroit Pistons or the Atlanta Hawks could muster.
Orlando has the East’s most imposing center, Dwight Howard; and two lengthy, sweet-shooting forwards, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis. Those three combined for 56 points, 26 rebounds and 17 assists on Sunday as Orlando eliminated the defending champion Celtics.
The Cavaliers counter with James, the N.B.A.’s most valuable player, and his usual assortment of underrated sidekicks, including Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao.
For the Cavaliers, this has been a spectacular and oddly quiet postseason. They set a franchise record by sweeping the first two rounds and an N.B.A. record by winning all eight games by double digits. Their average margin of victory: 16.8 points.
Yet despite their dominance, or perhaps because of it, the Cavaliers have been almost an afterthought.
The Celtics and the Chicago Bulls thrilled fans with an epic seven-game series in the first round. The Houston Rockets won their first playoff series in 12 years, and the Hawks won their first in 10 years. The once-mighty San Antonio Spurs were bounced in the first round. A referee’s blown call marred a game between Dallas and Denver and indirectly sparked a feud between the Mavericks’ owner, Mark Cuban, and the Nuggets’ Kenyon Martin. The playoff intrigue peaked again Sunday as last year’s finals teams each played a Game 7, just hours apart.
TNT and ESPN have attracted record audiences, no thanks to the ratings-busting Cavaliers, whose dominance borders on boring.
James may be the N.B.A.’s most riveting player, but his puppet likeness has enjoyed more air time in recent weeks than James has.
“We just want to win the next game, man,” Ferry said with a chuckle. “It’s fine if we are under the radar, because I think we need to stay humble. We haven’t accomplished anything yet.”
The Cavaliers are gunning for their first championship and trying to end the city’s 45-year title drought. They have raised expectations almost daily. They went 26-5 in the first two months of the season, won their first 23 home games and finished with the league’s best record, 66-16.
For an encore, the Cavaliers dismantled the fading Pistons, their onetime rivals, then blasted the rising Hawks. While the Lakers have been criticized for a lack of intensity and for giving away games, the Cavaliers have been relentless and efficient.
“I don’t think it shows their dominance as much as it shows their sense of urgency is high,” said the NBA TV analyst Eric Snow, a former Cavaliers guard. “It shows the maturity of the team.”
Experience, talent and depth set this Cavaliers team apart from the one James led into the 2007 finals, when they were swept by the Spurs.
“You have a better LeBron James and you have a better Mike Brown,” Snow said, referring to the Cavaliers’ coach. “That right there in essence is the main key to their success.”
The 2007 squad had little scoring punch after James and was overly reliant on its defense. In Williams, who is averaging 14.8 points in the playoffs, the Cavaliers now have a reliable second option. They have also been strengthened by the additions of Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Ben Wallace.
“This is the best team we’ve had,” Ferry said. “I think our coaching staff has done as good a job as they’ve ever done. And we’re talented. We fit together. The chemistry’s real strong. Our players are all better.”
They have to be. Perhaps no franchise in the N.B.A. feels as much pressure to win a championship now as the Cavaliers. James can become a free agent in 2010, and every move is seen through that prism.
James coyly navigates the questions without ever dismissing them outright, leaving Cavaliers fans to fidget and fret. The debate has produced two opposing schools of thought on the meaning of a Cavaliers championship.
One theory holds that James will surely stay because no star player would walk away from a championship team. The other theory holds that James will surely leave because delivering a title to his hometown (he grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio) would ease any guilt over defecting.
“We’re focused on building the best team and organization we can,” Ferry said. “I’ll let you guys enjoy that debate.”
The Cavaliers long ago wearied of this discussion. Given their ho-hum ride through the playoffs, the 2010 debate may be the most interesting thing about them.
Howard Beck/New York Times
Shirtless and smirking, LeBron James whipped a looping, two-handed shot from the corner baseline seats — behind the court, at least 25 feet away — and watched it sail, over the backboard and through the net.
Satisfied with his work, James strutted away, hands in the air, biceps bulging. The self-proclaimed King never looked more relaxed.
While the N.B.A.’s other contenders were sweating through overtimes and seven-game series, James and the Cleveland Cavaliers were in virtual hibernation. They cruised through two rounds of playoffs without an ounce of anxiety, or a loss. They played their last game eight days ago, leaving them to kill time with light practices and trick-shot competitions.
James’s remarkable shot was captured on film Sunday afternoon, sometime before the Los Angeles Lakers’ Game 7 victory over Houston and Orlando’s Game 7 victory over Boston. It signaled the end of the Cavaliers’ extended recess. They open the Eastern Conference finals Wednesday night against the Magic.
“The hard part is ahead of us,” Danny Ferry, the Cavaliers’ general manager, said during the lull last week.
The Magic was 2-1 against the Cavaliers this season and should provide much stiffer resistance than the Detroit Pistons or the Atlanta Hawks could muster.
Orlando has the East’s most imposing center, Dwight Howard; and two lengthy, sweet-shooting forwards, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis. Those three combined for 56 points, 26 rebounds and 17 assists on Sunday as Orlando eliminated the defending champion Celtics.
The Cavaliers counter with James, the N.B.A.’s most valuable player, and his usual assortment of underrated sidekicks, including Mo Williams, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Anderson Varejao.
For the Cavaliers, this has been a spectacular and oddly quiet postseason. They set a franchise record by sweeping the first two rounds and an N.B.A. record by winning all eight games by double digits. Their average margin of victory: 16.8 points.
Yet despite their dominance, or perhaps because of it, the Cavaliers have been almost an afterthought.
The Celtics and the Chicago Bulls thrilled fans with an epic seven-game series in the first round. The Houston Rockets won their first playoff series in 12 years, and the Hawks won their first in 10 years. The once-mighty San Antonio Spurs were bounced in the first round. A referee’s blown call marred a game between Dallas and Denver and indirectly sparked a feud between the Mavericks’ owner, Mark Cuban, and the Nuggets’ Kenyon Martin. The playoff intrigue peaked again Sunday as last year’s finals teams each played a Game 7, just hours apart.
TNT and ESPN have attracted record audiences, no thanks to the ratings-busting Cavaliers, whose dominance borders on boring.
James may be the N.B.A.’s most riveting player, but his puppet likeness has enjoyed more air time in recent weeks than James has.
“We just want to win the next game, man,” Ferry said with a chuckle. “It’s fine if we are under the radar, because I think we need to stay humble. We haven’t accomplished anything yet.”
The Cavaliers are gunning for their first championship and trying to end the city’s 45-year title drought. They have raised expectations almost daily. They went 26-5 in the first two months of the season, won their first 23 home games and finished with the league’s best record, 66-16.
For an encore, the Cavaliers dismantled the fading Pistons, their onetime rivals, then blasted the rising Hawks. While the Lakers have been criticized for a lack of intensity and for giving away games, the Cavaliers have been relentless and efficient.
“I don’t think it shows their dominance as much as it shows their sense of urgency is high,” said the NBA TV analyst Eric Snow, a former Cavaliers guard. “It shows the maturity of the team.”
Experience, talent and depth set this Cavaliers team apart from the one James led into the 2007 finals, when they were swept by the Spurs.
“You have a better LeBron James and you have a better Mike Brown,” Snow said, referring to the Cavaliers’ coach. “That right there in essence is the main key to their success.”
The 2007 squad had little scoring punch after James and was overly reliant on its defense. In Williams, who is averaging 14.8 points in the playoffs, the Cavaliers now have a reliable second option. They have also been strengthened by the additions of Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Ben Wallace.
“This is the best team we’ve had,” Ferry said. “I think our coaching staff has done as good a job as they’ve ever done. And we’re talented. We fit together. The chemistry’s real strong. Our players are all better.”
They have to be. Perhaps no franchise in the N.B.A. feels as much pressure to win a championship now as the Cavaliers. James can become a free agent in 2010, and every move is seen through that prism.
James coyly navigates the questions without ever dismissing them outright, leaving Cavaliers fans to fidget and fret. The debate has produced two opposing schools of thought on the meaning of a Cavaliers championship.
One theory holds that James will surely stay because no star player would walk away from a championship team. The other theory holds that James will surely leave because delivering a title to his hometown (he grew up in nearby Akron, Ohio) would ease any guilt over defecting.
“We’re focused on building the best team and organization we can,” Ferry said. “I’ll let you guys enjoy that debate.”
The Cavaliers long ago wearied of this discussion. Given their ho-hum ride through the playoffs, the 2010 debate may be the most interesting thing about them.
SanduskyCav
Hall-of-Famer
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2008
- Messages
- 9,536
- Reaction score
- 13,311
- Points
- 123
please don't let Dwight do this to us :shocked:
Time to screw our courage to the sticking place...we had a nice vacation, but its time to go back to work, what happened in the regular season happened in the regular season. This is the ECF, either show up or go home. I don't expect it to be a cake walk, but like we have been doing, come out strong, play CLEVELAND basketball and take these guys out!
davedugan43
Jarrett Allen's Friend
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2008
- Messages
- 2,480
- Reaction score
- 1,487
- Points
- 113
cavs in 6:
1- cavs
2- cavs
3- magic
4- cavs
5- magic
6- cavs
finals: vs. the los angeles lakers who defeat denver in 6 as well
JUNE 4th the dream comes to fruition
1- cavs
2- cavs
3- magic
4- cavs
5- magic
6- cavs
finals: vs. the los angeles lakers who defeat denver in 6 as well
JUNE 4th the dream comes to fruition
Silky Smooth
All-Star
- Joined
- Jun 15, 2008
- Messages
- 8,577
- Reaction score
- 5,531
- Points
- 113
I added Courtney Lee in the starting lineup and thanks to Chief for the ECF logo.
JJ Smooth
I never sleep
- Joined
- Aug 19, 2008
- Messages
- 995
- Reaction score
- 1,855
- Points
- 93
Cavs got this game, they've had enough rest and plenty of time to work out the strategies. I'm thinking we will see Dwight have a 20/20 game, but watch for the three point lockdown with our defensive efforts. We've discussed that strategy ad nauseum on this board, but I'm thinking we'll see it as a reality tomorrow.
I'm more interested in Game 2 as both teams work out any kinks and get more familiar with the styles of play. I've seen the Cavs adapt, meanwhile the Magic stick with their 3-ball/ Dwight game plan and hope for the best. I'm thinking the winners of game 2 will win the series, but seeing as its at the Q and with a flexible Cavaliers squad we should have this in the bag and a nice 2-0 lead.
I'm more interested in Game 2 as both teams work out any kinks and get more familiar with the styles of play. I've seen the Cavs adapt, meanwhile the Magic stick with their 3-ball/ Dwight game plan and hope for the best. I'm thinking the winners of game 2 will win the series, but seeing as its at the Q and with a flexible Cavaliers squad we should have this in the bag and a nice 2-0 lead.
patport21
Rookie
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2009
- Messages
- 225
- Reaction score
- 83
- Points
- 28
I have two guesses for this series
First the most likely scenerio I see
Game 1: Cavs
Game 2: Cavs
Game 3: Magic
Game 4: Magic
Game 5: Cavs
Game 6: Magic
Game 7: Cavs
So basically the series you guys had with Boston last year
Second Scenerio
Game 1: Cavs
Game 2: Magic
Game 3: Magic
Game 4: Magic
Game 5: Cavs
Game 6: Magic
as you can see my second guess is alittle less likely but hey, I gotta believe haha
First the most likely scenerio I see
Game 1: Cavs
Game 2: Cavs
Game 3: Magic
Game 4: Magic
Game 5: Cavs
Game 6: Magic
Game 7: Cavs
So basically the series you guys had with Boston last year
Second Scenerio
Game 1: Cavs
Game 2: Magic
Game 3: Magic
Game 4: Magic
Game 5: Cavs
Game 6: Magic
as you can see my second guess is alittle less likely but hey, I gotta believe haha
camakazee
RealCavsFans.com
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2008
- Messages
- 7,377
- Reaction score
- 16,827
- Points
- 123
At least you didn't disrespect us by having us lose two home games this series (like the hard-on fans that have us losing in 5 do). For that you have at least some sort of added realism
col63onel
Brad Daugherty Fan Club
- Joined
- May 3, 2008
- Messages
- 20,136
- Reaction score
- 26,533
- Points
- 235
I almost agree, but I think that if you guys take a game at the Q, game 1 is far more likely. It'd be a scenario where you guys were still hot from game 7, and came out firing, while the Cavs needed a quarter or 2 to shake off the rust.
I just have a hard time seeing the Cavs lose game 2, regardless of the outcome of game 1 (barring injuries, of course). One thing Coach Brown has been usually been good at during playoff time is adjusting his defense to the other team as the series progresses. That + home crowd should equal a win in game 2.
Da_James_Gang
NBA Starter
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2008
- Messages
- 5,659
- Reaction score
- 4,200
- Points
- 113
Not trying to knock your prediction, i just can't see the Cavs losing 2 games in a row let alone 3.
Last edited:
camakazee
RealCavsFans.com
- Joined
- Feb 20, 2008
- Messages
- 7,377
- Reaction score
- 16,827
- Points
- 123
Think you got those two confused :chuckles:
"I don't see them losing [smaller amount] let alone [bigger amount]."
Walter White
Hall-of-Famer
- Joined
- Aug 11, 2008
- Messages
- 25,548
- Reaction score
- 19,211
- Points
- 123
I am really excited to see how this all plays out and how good we really are against the Magic. How all the theoretical matchups and game plan we dicuss will play out. I cant wait to see how it unfolds.