Cavs vs Celtics II

Well, wtf happened there? Quite the step back.. However - it really was just a lot of missed shots. Shaq has to figure out how to hit the 3 footer. I don't understand how some nights he can hit it every time and how some nights he's not even close? Antawn stopped taking his crazy shots and LeBron was looking for the pass too many times when the teammate was expecting him to take the shot himself. If LeBron's elbow is killing him, he's gotta give some of his minutes to Hickson or someone. Mo, Delonte, Hickson, Jamison, and Shaq should be able to get them through some minutes if his elbow has him limited to the point where all he can do is dribble and pass to the nearest guy. Then if the rest of the team is playing lazy and not stepping up, we're screwed. We've got the best player in the league and his elbow is killing him at the worst possible time. Cavs - step up, help him out.

Another thing to note - the referees were NOT calling reach in fouls all game. Celtics realized this early and caused countless turnovers. If you smack the guy's forearm and the ball comes loose, that's a reach in foul. Not in game 2, and it took the Cavs into the fourth quarter to realize this. Maybe Dick Bavetta is just OLD AS F*CK and can't see what's going on anymore. I got excited when LeBron smacked Pierce's arm and knocked the ball loose in the fourth quarter and got a fast break... but it was too late since Boston had been doing that all game.

Also - even funnier...

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/post/_/id/11341/tim-donaghys-tale-of-dick-bavetta

Tim Donaghy, Referee/Gambler, tells the story of how Dick Bavetta changes how he calls a game as to not allow many blowouts...... Oh, so that's what happened last night. Got it. How is this not painfully obvious to anyone in the NBA? You've got Donaghy blowing the whistle on the shitty officiating, and the shitty officiating CONTINUES, EVEN AFTER HE POINTS IT OUT???? Anyways, whatever. Game 3. Hopefully LeBron can keep resting the elbow and the rest of the team can step up. We need everybody. If Shaq's missing his shots stop giving him the ball, let him just clear a lane.. If Mo can't handle the ball, let Delonte do it.. If LeBron can't play, give Hickson more minutes.. Let Antawn take more shots.. Something.. Anything.

Cavs go up 2-0. Other Playoff Ramblings..

LeBron after the game told the reporter that the most important thing now is Game 3 against The Bulls. I get the feeling that last year, at no point did they say "Alright, the most important thing right now is Game 1 against The Magic." They were saying "We've got this locked up, bring on L.A." Resulting in too much of this:



Last year in the first two rounds the Cavs were not tested whatsoever. Hopefully the Bulls and the Celtics/Heat put up a fight for us to keep us on our toes. And this time around we should be more than prepared for the Magic. And if it's not the Magic, it will either be the Hawks, the Bucks, or the Grizzles. Mike Brown better not overlook ANY of those teams. The Bucks have Darnell Jackson - they could know our entire playbook by now.

Actually, I bet every team in the NBA knows our playbook.

Play #1: Wing Pick LeBron Option/Dunk - LeBron stands at the top of the key dribbling. Shaq takes up a body under the hoop. Delonte and Mo pop out to opposite wings. Varejao sets a screen. LeBron drives and 1) Dunks on some poor bastard. 2) Dunks on some poor bastard and draws a foul. 3) Is held and draws a foul. 4) Kicks it out to either Delonte or Mo for an open three. 5) Shoots his own long jumper or three. 6) Fires it to "Out of Control" Varejao for a layup/crash into photographers.

Play #2: Mo Running Decoy Option - LeBron outside, waiting for a 3. Mo dribbles and runs in a giant circle under the hoop and back out. Pass to whoever is open for a jumper.

Play #3: Play #2, but substitute Delonte for Mo.

Play #4: That LeBron/Varejao/LeBron/Varejao pass that almost always results in Varejao getting a layup.

There's a play that lets Antawn hit that floater he always makes. There's that new play where they kick it out to Moon for an open three. There's the play where Parker hits the open three. And really that's about it. They just run Play #1 75 times per game and it usually works since LeBron isn't human.


This is alright, because the Magic only have one play:

Play #1: Superman Four Pass Option - Howard has the ball, he posts up. He has an option: 1) Get Double Covered, pass to Lee, Lee passes to Rashard, Rashard passes to Nelson, Nelson passes to Turkaloo for an open three. 2) Don't get Double Covered, Dunk on poor bastard and draw a foul.

Play #1 has since been modified, since the disappearance of Turkaloo and Lee. Instead of Lee, there is now Vince Carter, who modifies the play for himself, and instead of just continuing the pass, he dribbles around and bricks a jumper. This makes the pizza guy do this:



And they also lost Turkaloo, who decided it would be a better career move to play for the Toronto Raptors instead of Orlando; and a bunch of midcarders in that Vince Carter trade.. And now the Cavs have players of their own who can just drain open threes all game, so it's looking like they have a better chance.

And also - back to Orlando's Play #1, now that poor bastard that Dwight Howard will be posting up against is Shaq....



But first thing's first. Chicago Bulls - Game 3.