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

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Game 51: Spurs at Cavs

SAN ANTONIO SPURS (37-14) 125, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (17-34) 90

Quicken Loans Arena
Tuesday
Radio/TV: WTAM/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: Less than a month ago, the Cavs were competing for the No. 8 playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Where has that team gone?

Are these guys tuning out Coach Byron Scott and his coaching staff? I hope that's not the case, but that's the way it appears on the court.

Sure, this team has turned into the Fort Wayne Mad Ants (one of my favorite D-League teams). There are guys playing prominent roles that shouldn't be in the league.

They have some major housecleaning to do in the offseason. But you can't get rid of 75 percent of the team. One or two nice draft picks aren't going to make much difference on this team. This team needs some grizzled vets who won't put up with anything like this.

Tonight's loss was one of the worst in team history. Teams don't lose by 35 points at home often in this league, even a team as bad as the Cavs through the years.

They ran into a very good team tonight. But that has nothing to do with how the Cavs played tonight: No fire, no intensity, no grit.

This team was fun to watch earlier this season. That's not the case any longer. In fact, it's almost unbearable to watch now.

The Spurs are the league's hottest team, having won eight in a row.

They have vaulted up to the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference behind Oklahoma City.

The Cavs? They've crumbled like a five-day-old cookie. Their offense has gone in the dumper, largely because they don't have anyone making shots.

NOTES: Antawn Jamison moved past Dale Ellis and Reggie Theus for 46th on the NBA's all-time scoring list with 19,017 points. Strangely enough, they were all the same type of player - major chuckers.

-- The Cavs shot a season-high 86.7 percent from the foul line (13 of 15).

-- Future Hall of Famer Tim Duncan is still going strong. The 6-11, 255-pounder has 17 double-doubles this season. He's 16th in the NBA with 9.0 rebounds per game. He's averaging 15.2 points.

-- The Spurs had 23 layups or dunks on the night. When Tiago Splitter was in the game, it was like a layup drill.

--The Spurs have a former Cavs draft pick starting at shooting guard in Danny Green. He was a second-round pick in 2009. Some think the Cavs should have drafted DeJuan Blair with their first-round pick that year instead of draft bust Christian Eyenga. Blair's knees scared off many teams, one of them being the Cavs. Eyenga was included in the Ramon Sessions trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Milwaukee at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Bradley Center.

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Kawhi Leonard (6-6, 225)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Tim Duncan (6-11, 255)
C Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. DeJuan Blair (6-7, 270)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Danny Green (6-6, 210)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. Tony Parker (6-2, 180) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – C Anderson Varejao, F Luke Harangody
Spurs - G Cory Joseph

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