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Find out the scoop on the CAVS from award-winning sports writer Bob Finnan.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Cavs' injury report

The following is the injury report just announced by the Cavs on Friday afternoon:

Mo Williams: Left hip flexor strain. Will travel with team to Chicago. Questionable for game Saturday vs. Bulls.

Daniel Gibson: Left inner thigh contusion. Will travel with team to Chicago. Questionable for game Saturday vs. Bulls.

Anderson Varejao: Non-displaced maxilla (cheek) fracture. Will be fitted for protective mask. Will not travel to Chicago. Out for Chicago and Dallas games this weekend.

Joey Graham: Continues treatment and rehab for his right quad strain. Out.

Samardo Samuels: Recalled from Erie BayHawks. Practiced with team at Cleveland Clinic Courts today and will travel with team to Chicago

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Game 32: Cavs at Bobcats

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS (11-19) 101, CAVS (8-24) 92
at Time Warner Cable Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: By halftime, the Cavs’ starting backcourt was knocked out of the game.

Point guard Mo Williams missed the game with a left hip flexor. In the first half, shooting guard Daniel Gibson suffered a left thigh contusion.

That forced the erratic Ramon Sessions to play 31 minutes. He responded with a season-high 22 points, four assists and five rebounds. He turned the ball over just once. He played his best game of the season, but it couldn't prevent the Cavs' fifth consecutive loss.

Rookie Manny Harris made his first NBA start and had eight points and two steals. He needs to stay in the rotation. The Cavs must live with his mistakes and see just what they've got with the undrafted rookie.

The Cavs fell to 8-24 on the season. They’ve lost 14 in a row on the road. They’ve also stumbled 15 times in their last 16 contests.

Bobcats guard Stephen Jackson had 38 points and six rebounds, while D.J. Augustin added 28 points and six assists.

The Bobcats are now 2-0 under new coach Paul Silas. He posted a 69-77 record (.473) from 2003-05 in Cleveland. The Cavs have just one player remaining on the team - Anderson Varejao - from the Silas era.

That player is operating at a high level right now. He had nine points, 10 rebounds and five blocks against the Bobcats.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Gerald Wallace (6-7, 220)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Boris Diaw (6-8, 245)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Nazr Mohammed (6-10, 250)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Stephen Jackson (6-8, 230)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. D.J. Augustin (6-0, 180)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Christian Eyenga, F/C Samardo Samuels, F Joey Graham.
Bobcats – F Tyrus Thomas, G Sherron Collins, F Eduardo Najera.
OFFICIALS
Bennett Salvatore, Nick Buchert, Courtney Kirkland

Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Game 31: Magic at Cavs

ORLANDO MAGIC (20-12) 110, CAVS (8-23) 95
at Quicken Loans Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Magic totally reshaped their team on Dec. 18 with two trades with Washington and Phoenix. One of their new players, showed his value on Tuesday.

Guard Gilbert Arenas led all scorers with 22 points and 11 assists to power the Magic.

The Cavs played inspired basketball for much of the night. They trailed by just one point, 75-74, after three quarters.

Then the Magic started doing what they do best: Make 3-point goals. They made 7 of 10 from behind the arc in the fourth quarter. For the game, they were 19 of 31 from the 3-point line. It was the most 3-pointers the Cavs have ever given up since their inception in 1970.

But that's kind of abuse has been going on all season. They are last in the NBA in 3-point percentage. Coming into the game, their opponents were shooting 41.1 percent.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Hedo Turkoglu (6-10, 220)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Brandon Bass (6-8, 250)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Dwight Howard (6-11, 275)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Jason Richardson (6-6, 225)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Jameer Nelson (6-0, 190)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Christian Eyenga, F/C Samardo Samuels, F Joey Graham.
Magic – F Malik Allen, C Daniel Orton.
OFFICIALS
Michael Smith, Brian Forte, Eric Lewis

Sunday, December 26, 2010

Game 30: Timberwolves at Cavs

MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES (7-24) 98, CAVS (8-22) 97
at Quicken Loans Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs missed guard Daniel Gibson, out with the flu, but still let the game slip away on Sunday.

They led by 10 points with 5 1/2 minutes to play. Their execution down the stretch was inexcusable. That starts with point guard Mo Williams, who allowed a 24-second violation and lost his dribble in the last minute of play.

They had a one-point lead with 10.6 seconds left after Antawn Jamison's floater.

In the huddle, the Cavs coaches figured Timberwolves forward Michael Beasley would drive left to his dominant hand. But the T-Wolves foiled their defensive strategy and he drove right - all the way to the hole for the game-winner.

They needed a stop on that drive to earn the win and didn't get the job done. Jamison and Beasley scored on each other all night. Neither is a strong defender. Both are potent offensive players. Jamison ended with a team-high 24 points, while Beasley had a game-high 28.

Again, there was no quit in the Cavs. Just not enough talent. It's about time for General Manager Chris Grant to start making a few moves. He's working the phones hard right now.

He might not be able to get everything done before the trade deadline. But he can add a piece or two to this team.

The Timberwolves pounded the Cavs in their last meeting at the Target Center on Dec. 4, 129-95. It was by far the Cavs' worst loss of the season. The Timberwolves did whatever they wanted and whatever they wanted.

It was a lot different on Sunday, but the Cavs still were swept by one of the worst teams in the league.

Make no bones about it, the Cavs belong in that category. One could make a case they are the worse. The team with the worst record, Sacramento, beat the Cavs at The Q.

They've lost 13 of the last 14 games.

STARTERS
SF Jamario Moon (6-8, 200) vs. Michael Beasley (6-9, 230)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Kevin Love (6-10, 260)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Darko Milicic (7-0, 275)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Wes Johnson (6-7, 215)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Luke Ridnour (6-2, 175)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Joey Graham, G Christian Eyenga, G Daniel Gibson.
Timberwolves – G Sundiata Gaines, C Nikola Pekovic, F Anthony Toliver.
OFFICIALS
Bill Spooner, Tony Brothers, Kevin Cutler.

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Game 29: Cavs at Hawks

ATLANTA HAWKS (19-12) 98, CAVS (8-21) 84
at Philips Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Hawks have now won eight in a row at home. This is a team that has always given the Cavs fits with its athleticism. Wednesday wasn't any different.

They had to work hard for the victory, however, and it took some timely 3-point shots to do it. The Hawks made 8 of 22 from the 3-point line. Both Joe Johnson and Marvin Williams were 3 of 6 from behind the arc.

They dished out 29 assists, compared to 22 for the Cavs. They also outrebounded the Cavs, 40-35.

The 6-7, 240-pound Johnson made some big plays en route to his 23 points. The Cavs don't have anyone like him. They certainly don't have any All-Stars or any elite athletes.

It's getting harder and harder to watch this team play. They need to make some moves to keep their fans interested.

They could end up just dumping salary for draft picks. But no one knows what the draft is going to look like with a work stoppage possibly in store.

The Cavs have lost 12 of their last 13 games, as well as 12 in a row on the road.

It's getting bad.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Marvin Williams (6-9, 240)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Josh Smith (6-9, 234)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Al Horford (6-10, 246)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Joe Johnson (6-7, 240)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Mike Bibby (6-2, 195)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Joey Graham, G Christian Eyenga, F/C Samardo Samuels
Hawks – G Jamal Crawford, G/F Pape Sy, C Etan Thomas.
OFFICIALS
Bennett Salvatore, Brent Barnaky, Zach Zarba

Monday, December 20, 2010

Game 28: Jazz at Cavs

UTAH JAZZ (20-9) 101, CAVS (8-20) 90
at Quicken Loans Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: If one has any questions about the validity of the Jazz's record, take a look at them perched atop the Northwest Division. It's one of the league's top divisions and they are all alone in first place.

The Cavs, meanwhile, have fallen to the Central Division basement. Losing 11 of their last 12 games has a way of tearing the heart out of any competitive season.

A lot of things have to go right in order for them to win. They have to continue to get big nights out of their "star" players: Mo Williams, Antawn Jamison and Anderson Varejao. When that happens, they've been competitive.

If they don't play extremely well - like on Monday - they're going to struggle.

I have to tell you, I love watching Coach Jerry Sloan's Jazz play. The Cavs always talk about "playing the right way." The Jazz don't talk about it. They do it.

They are so efficient on the offensive end.

They have several players who can put the ball in the basket, starting with center Al Jefferson and guard Deron Williams.

The one that really impressed me was forward C.J. Miles, a player the Jazz drafted out of high school. Remember, Oklahoma City signed him to an offer sheet when he was a restricted free agent, which the Jazz quickly matched.

He had a team-high 22 points. The lefty scores so easily from the perimeter. He's 6-6 and shoots from distance. He gets his shot off quickly. I love the guy.

HOLIDAY CHEER: Mo Williams' image is depicted in a Christmas card the NBA sent out all across the world. Mo is riding on a sled with Thunder forward Kevin Durant. It's kind of neat.

http://www.nba.com/holidaycard/video.html

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Andrei Kirilenko (6-9, 225)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Paul Millsap (6-8, 250)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Al Jefferson (6-10, 265)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Raja Bell (6-5, 206)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Deron Williams (6-3, 207)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Joey Graham, G Christian Eyenga, F/C Leon Powe
Jazz – C Mehmet Okur.
OFFICIALS
James Capers, Mark Lindsay, Tom Washington

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Game 27: Knicks at Cavs

CAVS (8-19) 109, NEW YORK KNICKS (16-12) 102 (OT)
at Quicken Loans Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: It's about damn time!

The Cavs snapped a 10-game losing streak with their overtime win over the Knicks.

Let's get this out of the way: The Knicks are talented and look like they are headed for an Eastern Conference playoff spot.

They came into the game second in the NBA in scoring at 108.1 points per game.

They have several very talented offensive players, headed by center Amar's Stoudemire and guard Raymond Felton.

They aren't great defensively, but should have a decent season under Coach Mike D'Antoni.

The key to the game was the defense by the Cavs. They held the Knicks to 41.1 percent shooting. Cavs center Anderson Varejao hounded Stoudemire to an 8-for-19 shooting night and eight turnovers (that wasn't a season high, by the way. He had 11 vs. Washington).

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Wilson Chandler (6-8, 225)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Danilo Gallinari (6-10, 225)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Amar'e Stoudemire (6-10, 240)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Landry Fields (6-7, 210)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Raymond Felton (6-1, 205)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Joey Graham, G Christian Eyenga, F/C Leon Powe
Knicks – C Eddy Curry, G/F Kelenna Azubuike, G Andy Rautins
OFFICIALS
David Jones, Ken Mauer, Mark Ayotte

Friday, December 17, 2010

Game 26: Cavs at Pacers

INDIANA PACERS (12-13) 108, CAVS (7-19) 99
at Conseco Fieldhouse
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: Both teams came into the contest stumbling a bit, but, of course, the Pacers found their way against the Cavs.

They snapped a three-game losing streak, as forward Danny Granger once again destroyed the Cavs' defense. He was just locked in on the night and finished with 30 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks.

It's hard to say that Anthony Parker played poorly against him. AP is getting a lot of tough defensive assignments as of late, including Granger and LeBron James, among others.

The Cavs ran their losing streak to 10 in a row, 11 on the road.

They played hard, once again, but not necessarily very well.

As well as Mo Williams played - 22 points, 11 assists and six rebounds - he turned the ball over five times.

Boobie Gibson, coming off that monster performance in Miami when he had 26 points, didn't score his first point until the fourth quarter. Where's the consistency?

Gibson, though, has been one of the Cavs' best players all season. He finished with four points on 1 of 7 shooting.

Forward Antawn Jamison was also off a bit in the shooting department by making 7 of 19 attempts.

Perhaps the losing streak will end Saturday at home against New York. But thoughts of Amar'e Stoudemire going off on the Cavs are dancing in my head.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Danny Granger (6-8, 228)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Josh McRoberts (6-10, 240)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Roy Hibbert (7-2, 278)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Mike Dunleavy (6-9, 230)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Darren Collison (6-0, 160)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Joey Graham, G Christian Eyenga, F/C Leon Powe
Pacers – G Lance Stephenson, F Paul George, G A.J. Price
OFFICIALS
Bill Kennedy Nick Buchert Leroy Richardson

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Game 25: Cavs at Heat

MIAMI HEAT (19-8) 101, CAVS (7-18) 95
at AmericanAirlines Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs didn't get the revenge they were after. After losing by 28 points to the Heat on Dec. 2 at Quicken Loans Arena, they showed up to play on Wednesday.

They had a 10-point lead in the first half and were hanging tough entering the fourth quarter. Heat guard Dwyane Wade got hot in the fourth and it was too much to handle.

He had 17 of his game-high 28 points in the fourth quarter.

His sidekick, LeBron James, had 21 points and 13 rebounds. It was a far cry from his 38 points on Dec. 2.

Cavs coach Byron Scott once again changed his rotation. As expected, he benched rookie guard Manny Harris, who has looked completely lost in the previous two games.

Also, forward Jawad Williams earned a DNP-CD, as did center Ryan Hollins and forward Leon Powe.

That really put the onus on the Cavs' starters. None played fewer than Anthony Parker's 38 minutes, while center Anderson Varejao played almost 40 minutes.

The Cavs played with passion and fire, something that hasn't been seen for quite some time. That has to be a constant on this team - and should have been there all along.

The Cavs shot 40.2 percent from the field. They made nine of a season-high 33 3-point attempts.

“When you look at the stat sheet, how were we in that game?” Parker asked. “They shot 41 free throws. We shot 40 percent from the field and 27 percent from 3. Then you look at the final score.”

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. LeBron James (6-8, 250)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Chris Bosh (6-11, 235)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (7-3, 260)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Mario Chalmers (6-2, 190)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – F Jamario Moon, G Christian Eyenga, F/C Samardo Samuels
Heat – F Udonis Haslem, G Mike Miller, G Carlos Arroyo
OFFICIALS
Bob Delaney, Derrick Collins, Scott Wall

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Game 24: Cavs at Thunder

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER (17-8) 106, CAVS (7-17) 77
at Oklahoma City Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: A black cloud continues to hang over the Cavs, who have lost eight in a row. It's their worst losing streak since 2004.

The law of averages say the Cavs will eventually break their losing streak. But it probably won't happen on Wednesday when the Cavs travel to Miami.

The Cavs have lost nine in a row on the road, including 0-5 in December.

They compiled season lows in points (77), field-goal percentage (33.8) and points in a quarter (13) against the Thunder. They were somewhat competitive in that game toward the end of the first half when they narrowed their deficit to nine points.

Then they came out and didn't score a point in the first 4 minutes of the second half. The Thunder closed the third quarter on a 19-1 run to blow the game wide open.

Oklahoma City Arena is like being at a Duke game. The fans are raucous and really get into the games. They root on their Thunder, and Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook do the rest.

Durant is leading the league in scoring at 27.5 points per game. He won his first of what will probably be many scoring titles last year. He scores so effortlessly from all areas of the court.

He had a game-high 25 points on Sunday.

The Cavs are 3-6 on the tail end of a back-to-back this season.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Kevin Durant (6-9, 230)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Jeff Green (6-9, 235)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Serge Ibaka (6-10, 235)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Thabo Sefolosha (6-7, 215)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Russell Westbrook (6-3, 187)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - F Jamario Moon, F/C Samardo Samuels, G Christian Eyenga.
Thunder - C Nenad Krstic, C Cole Aldrich, G Daequan Cook.
OFFICIALS
Mike Callahan, Kevin Fehr, JT Orr

Saturday, December 11, 2010

Game 23: Cavs at Rockets

HOUSTON ROCKETS (9-14) 110, CAVS (7-16) 95
at Toyota Center
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs' seven-game losing streak is their longest since 2004. They've also lost eight in a row on the road, including 0-4 in December.

The schedule on the road doesn't let up, either, as they are in Oklahoma City on Sunday, Miami on Wednesday and Indiana on Friday.

They are scoring plenty of points. They just can't stop anyone. Maybe it's time for Coach Byron Scott to tweak his defensive system. The Cavs have taken a major step back on the defensive end.

The Cavs, who have lost five in a row at the Toyota Center, hung around for a while against the Yao Ming-less Rockets. But Kevin Martin tore them a new one on Saturday with 40 points, the highest scoring total against the Cavs this year.

The Cavs are now 0-2 since the big lineup change.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Shane Battier (6-8, 220)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Chuck Hayes (6-6, 238)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Luis Scola (6-9, 245)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Kevin Martin (6-7, 185)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Kyle Lowry (6-0, 205)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - F Jamario Moon, F/C Samardo Samuels, G Christian Eyenga.
Rockets - F Patrick Patterson, C Yao Ming, G Aaron Brooks.
OFFICIALS
Ken Mauer, Brent Barnaky, David Jones

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Game 22: Bulls at Cavs

CHICAGO BULLS (12-8) 88, CAVS (7-15) 83
at Quicken Loans Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: Cavs coach Byron Scott unloaded his changes on the team before the game. He had to wait, however, after many of the players showed up late because of the snow.

The Cavs actually remembled a team for the first time in two weeks. They played hard, hustled, played to win. It was refreshing to see.

Now, where the hell has that been in the five-game losing streak? Scott had to do something drastic to shake up these guys. It came in the form of a lineup change, the biggest being Antawn Jamison replacing J.J. Hickson at power forward.

It was probably a long time coming. Jamison has been playing very well for a couple weeks. He competes every night, something Hickson can't say.

Starting Boobie Gibson at shooting guard will definitely weaken the bench, but if it means they win a few games, so be it. The other change came when Anthony Parker shifted from shooting guard to small forward.

Sitting down Hickson is a big move for the organization. The team was thought to be building around J.J., but evidently that's no longer the case.

Joey Graham, Leon Powe and Ramon Sessions all were active, but were slapped with a DNP-CD.

Forward Jamario Moon was inactive for the first time this season. The man with the perpetual smile might need to take things more seriously to get back in the team's good graces.

TICKET EXCHANGE: Starting at 9 a.m. this morning, fans that couldn’t make it to Wednesday’s game against the Bulls can call 1-800-820-CAVS (2287) or email snowgame@cavs.com for details on how to exchange their unused tickets for another upcoming game. Some restrictions will apply.

STARTERS
SF Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Luol Deng (6-9, 220)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Carlos Boozer (6-9, 266)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Joakim Noah (6-11, 232)
SG Daniel Gibson (6-2, 200) vs. Keith Bogans (6-5, 215)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Derrick Rose (6-3, 190)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - F Jamario Moon, F/C Samardo Samuels, G Christian Eyenga.
Bulls - F Brian Scalabrine, G John Lucas.
OFFICIALS
Bill Spooner, Matt Boland, Kevin Scott.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Game 21: Cavs at 76ers

PHILADELPHIA 76ERS (7-14) 117, CAVS (7-14) 97
at Wells Fargo Center
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: It's deja vu all over again for the Cavs. It's like a bad nightmare. They've now lost five in a row. After their home game on Wednesday against Chicago, they embark on a four-game road trip.

All four are quality teams, too: Oklahoma City, Houston, Miami and Indiana. Unless things turn around quickly, how does 7-19 sound?

It sounds terrible to me. Not that I thought this was a playoff team, but I thought they'd be competitive. That's not been the case in the last five games. Ever since LeBron James came to The Q and kicked their behind, it's like the players have quit on Coach Byron Scott.

Very few of them are acting like they want to be on the team. The front office can't get rid of all of them like a recent caller to my voice mail suggested. But, believe me, some of these guys won't be here past the trade deadline.

It's definitely time to play the rookies, even Christian Eyenga, because all the guys on the "varsity" aren't keepers. Don't expect Manny Harris and Samardo Samuels on the inactive list tonight. Expect to see them playing. Expect to see Jamario Moon on the inactive list and maybe a few more surprises.

How many of these guys do you want to be on the team next year? Wow, if I must say so myself, that's a good question. Let me think about that: Boobie Gibson, Anderson Varejao and maybe a few more.

Memo to GM Chris Grant: It's time to explore cleaning house.

If you were playing D-League guys, it wouldn't be much worse than this.

I wouldn't want to be in Grant's shoes. He has a major overhaul on his hands. I think it's time to start the firesale.

I could probably go on for another hour. But it's time to sign off. I have an early flight in the morning.

STARTERS
SF Joey Graham (6-7, 230) vs. Andre Iguodala (6-6, 207)
PF J.J. Hickson (6-9, 242) vs. Elton Brand (6-9, 254)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Spencer Hawes (7-1, 245)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Jodie Meeks (6-4, 208)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Jrue Holiday (6-4, 180)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - G Manny Harris, F/C Samardo Samuels, G Christian Eyenga.
76ers - F Craig Brackins, F Darius Songaila.
OFFICIALS
Dan Crawford, Curtis Blair, Tony Brothers.

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Game 20: Cavs at Pistons

DETROIT PISTONS (7-14) 102, CAVS (7-13) 92
at The Palace of Auburn Hills
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs are going to try to salvage the final game on the three-game road trip in Philadelphia. It might be a miracle if they are able to get past the Sixers.

The Pistons snapped their four-game losing streak on Sunday against the Cavs. They recorded three 20-point scorers on the night: Rip Hamilton (27), Rodney Stuckey (24) and Tayshaun Prince (20).

The Cavs are trying to fight off going belly-up 20 games into the season. They've lost four in a row - all by double digits. However, they did compete on Sunday, which hasn't been the case in the previous three.

I'm not smart enough to tell you what needs to happen for this team to snap out of it. It might be something drastic like a trade or a lineup change.

It's definitely time to start playing youngsters like Manny Harris and Samardo Samuels. But they were on the inactive list on Sunday.

PROBABLE STARTERS
SF Joey Graham (6-7, 230) vs. Tayshaun Prince (6-9, 215)
PF J.J. Hickson (6-9, 242) vs. Jason Maxiell (6-7, 260)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Ben Wallace (6-9, 240)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Rip Hamilton (6-7, 193)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Rodney Stuckey (6-5, 205)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - G Manny Harris, F/C Samardo Samuels, G Christian Eyenga.
Pistons - F Jonas Jerebko, G Terrico White, F DaJuan Summers.
OFFICIALS
Marc Davis, Tony Brown, Derek Richardson

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Game 19: Cavs at Timberwolves

TIMBERWOLVES (5-15) 129, CAVS (7-12) 95
at Target Center
RADIO/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio


WHAT HAPPENED: The Cavs have hit rock bottom. They are at the crossroads to their season. They can either go completely into the tank and give up or fight back.

After their performance in Minnesota, perhaps they've given up.

This was the first leg of a three-game road trip. All three games are winnable, assuming the Cavs show up. This team that has been on the court wearing the Cavs jerseys aren't anyone I even recognize.

Something drastic has to happen for the Cavs to snap out of this funk. This team is in desperate need of leaders. Right now, there is none.

Antawn Jamison might say something once in a while, but not on a consistent basis.

Oh, there's another desperate need: Talent. Right this minute, the Cavs might be the worst team in the league. They don't have the worst record, but could in the next couple weeks.

The schedule gets a lot tougher. They are not only not playing well, but they look like they are totally without confidence.

Some might think I'm overreacting. That's not the case. They need to be snapped out of this. Maybe a trade is needed. Something. If they stand pat and insist nothing is wrong, this whole thing could go down the dumper.

The Timberwolves came into the game riding a six-game losing streak and tied for the worst record in the league. They pounded the Cavs and handed them their worst loss of the season.

Of course, when a team makes 18 3s, they usually don't lose. The Timberwolves outscored the Cavs from behind the arc, 54-15.

This was a homecoming for Cavs guard Ramon Sessions, who led the Cavs with 18 points.

The Cavs had a nine-game winning streak snapped by the T-Wolves, who hadn't defeated Cleveland since Nov. 26, 2005.

VISITING SIOUX FALLS: The Timberwolves' starting point guard, Jonny Flynn, was in the D-League on Friday on a rehab assignment. He could be in Sioux Falls as many as three games.

He had hip surgery in July. Luke Ridnour has started in his place.

“I’m excited just to get back out there,” Flynn told Minnesota writers. "I just want to get a game feel. Go out there and just play as long as I can play, as hard as I can play and see how I respond to that.”

STARTERS
SF Jawad Williams (6-9, 218) vs. Michael Beasley (6-9, 230)
PF Leon Powe (6-8, 240) vs. Kevin Love (6-10, 260)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Darko Milicic (7-0, 275)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Wes Johnson (6-7, 215)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Luke Ridnour (6-2, 175)
PROJECTED INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - F J.J. Hickson, F Joey Graham, G Christian Eyenga.
Timberwolves - G Jonny Flynn, F Martell Webster.
OFFICIALS
James Capers, Derrick Collins, Violet Palmer.

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Game 18: Heat at Cavs

MIAMI HEAT (12-8) 118, CAVS (7-11) 90
at Quicken Loans Arena
RADIO/TV: WTAM/ESPN Radio; TNT


WHAT HAPPENED: This was the most anticipated game of the season. The fans came out in droves to boo superstar LeBron James, who left the Cavs at the altar in free agency.

But the Cavs laid a major egg on their biggest night of the season. To top it off, Cavs coach Byron Scott was not a bit miffed at his team's performance.

"We're still keeping the faith," Scott said.

The way his team performed in that game was a travesty. They got beat down and just took it. There was no fight at all.

When James came over to the Cavs bench in the third quarter, he should have been shooed away. Instead, he joked around with some of the Cavs players, including Daniel Gibson.

Gibson was involved in another controversy. After Eddie House earned a technical, after the game, he wanted a piece of Boobie. He wanted to fight him. I don't know how serious he was.

The Heat hadn't won in Cleveland since April 5, 2007 - a span of five games. They've played well against under .500 teams this year, as their 11-1 record attests. The Heat's only loss to a sub-.500 team was at Memphis on Nov. 20.

UNRULY FAN: One fan was using too much profanity late in the game. One police officer asked him to refrain. He didn't.

Finally, they decided to escort him out of the building. The fan decided he wanted to go back in and a skirmish ensued. During that wrestling match, he tried to grab one of the policemen's gun. Police don't like that one bit.

The fan was kicked out and probably arrested after the incident.

STARTERS
SF Joey Graham (6-7, 230) vs. LeBron James (6-8, 250)
PF J.J. Hickson (6-9, 242) vs. Chris Bosh (6-11, 235)
C Anderson Varejao (6-11, 260) vs. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (7-3, 260)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
PG Mo Williams (6-1, 195) vs. Carlos Arroyo (6-2, 200)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - F/C Samardo Samuels, G Christian Eyenga, G Manny Harris.
Heat - F Udonis Haslem, G Mike Miller, C Dexter Pittman.
OFFICIALS
Greg Willard, Kane Fitzgerald, Zach Zarba.