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Not So Fast Orlando: LeBron Drops a Triple-Double in Cavs Game 5 Win

The message was quickly scribbled on the dry-erase board in Cleveland’s locker room. It said little and said it all: 1:00 AM FLY.

The Cavaliers are heading back to Florida, their wondrous season still alive.

LeBron James wouldn’t let it end.

James, showing off every dimension of his unstoppable game, had 37 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists, and Mo Williams, who boldly predicted the Cavs would come back and win this tight-as-can-be series, added 24 points in a 112-102 victory over the Orlando Magic in Game 5 on Thursday night.

For Cleveland, a city banking on James to deliver a championship after a 45-year drought, the MVP was again in a league of his own.

“His intensity and his passion are out of this world,” Cavs guard Daniel Gibson said. “We will follow him. When he gets it going, there is nothing you can do.”

James scored 21 points in the second half—17 in the fourth quarter—and had a hand in Cleveland’s first 29 points in the final 12 minutes. The last player to post at least 37-14-12 in a playoff game was Oscar Robertson in 1963.

“It was win or go home,” James said.

Instead, it’s back to amped-up Amway Arena for Game 6 on Saturday night.

If the Cavs can finally win a game in Orlando this Saturday, and force a Game 7 back in Cleveland, they WILL become the 9th team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit to win!

Drama and suspenseful thrills a-plenty for sure!

You expected anything else?

RECAP:

The Fat Lady Hasn't Sang Her Final Note Just Yet...

But she is getting close.

The Cavs are up against it now. Every game left in this series is Game seven for the Cavs.

Lose and they're done!

If any team this year has the ability to become only the ninth team in NBA history to come back from a 3-1 series deficit, it's this Cavs team, mainly because of, you guessed it, LeBron James.

Notice I said mainly....

What that means is Mo WIlliams and Delonte West have to make shots and a lot of them, and Ilgauskas and Varejao can't really stop Howard but they must grab more boards when Howard and the rest of the Magic miss shots.

And for God sakes, will somebody guard the 3-point shooters, especially Alston?

How many wide-open uncontested 3's are you going to let that guy drain before you put somebody inside of his face???

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Cool Video of LeBron talking about his mindset in the playoffs!



LET'S GO CAVS!

Game 4—Tonight is Do or Die For the Cavs

If the Cavaliers have any hope of still bringing an elusive title to Cleveland, the 1st since 1964, they MUST win game four in Orlando tonight and tie the series at 2-2.

The series then shifts back to Cleveland on Thursday for game five which is also a must win game.

No way do I want to see this team down 3-2 in the series and having to win game six in Orlando on Saturday. I'm not 100% sure they can do it if it comes to that....

Here's the Game 4 preview
Video courtesy of NBA.com

Cavs Backed Into a Corner—Down 2-1 to Magic

Once again LeBron nearly outscored his teammates and once again, the team struggled and were handed their worst defeat of these playoffs, 99-89 Sunday Night in Orlando.

LBJ is averaging almost 43 PPG, but the team as a whole has not played up to par.

Game four is Tuesday night at Amway Arena at 8:30 on TNT. If the Cavs go down 3-1, I fear this series is all but over.

Here's the Game 3 recap:
Video courtesy of NBA.com

LeBron Saves the Cavs Season—Game Two: Where Amazing HAPPENED!

Once again, the Cavs built a huge lead and proved they are the better team, but for some reason, they let Orlando back in this game, just like they did in game one....

The Magic took a 1-point lead with one second left in the game and only an unlikely and amazing miracle could save them from going down 0-2 in this series....



LeBron ='s Amazing

LeBron ='s Miracle

LeBron ='s Game Winning Buzzer Beating 3-Point-making Hero!

WITNESS
"THE SHOT"



LeBron's version all but erases the sour memory of Jordan's version from 20 years ago...

It doesn't pain me to watch it at all anymore after last night!

Game One Recap and a Look Ahead to Game Two - It's Time to Get Fired Up Cavs Fans—Let's Do This!

Video courtesy of NBA.com

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The 24-second shot clock has been fixed. The Cleveland Cavaliers are next on the repairs-to-do list.

The Orlando Magic caused some extensive collateral damage with their stunning win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals.

They exposed Cleveland’s depth, shredded its defense, snatched home-court advantage and put the NBA’s top-seeded team in an unfamiliar position—behind in a series and desperate for a win heading into Game 2 on Friday night.

“We’re looking at it as a must win,” MVP LeBron James(notes) said before practice on Thursday.

“It’s obvious,” Cavs guard Mo Williams(notes) said, echoing the must-win sentiment. “My grandma knows that. Yeah, it’s a must win. Hell yeah.”

Behind a torrent of clutch 3-pointers—the winner by Rashard Lewis(notes) with 14.7 seconds left—and Dwight Howard’s(notes) broad shoulders, the Magic muscled their way into Cleveland’s noisy arena and rallied for a stunning 107-106 victory that may have altered the perception that the Cavaliers are the team to beat in the postseason.

This is no smoke-and-mirrors Magic act. Orlando is the real deal.

The Cavs are supposed to be the real deal, and they better resume that form tonight or they could be in real trouble!

Game One: LeBron Showed Up But Rest of the Cavs Showed Signs of Rust in First Playoff Loss, 107-106

Video courtesy of NBA.com

It's Finally Here: Eastern Conference Finals—Game One Preview

Image & Video courtesy of NBA.com

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With the best-of-seven series set to open on Wednesday night, the younger Malone made an obvious prediction on the outcome.

“There will be a Malone in the NBA finals,” he said.

May the best Malone win.

After sitting around for the second time in these playoffs, the series-sweeping Cavaliers, who broomed Detroit and Atlanta into early summer vacations, are expecting a much stiffer challenge from the Magic. Orlando won both of their matchups at home against Cleveland during the regular season, including a 116-87 thrashing on April 3—the Cavaliers’ worst loss in 90 games.

Cleveland has lost just once since that mauling by the Magic, and that setback came in overtime in the April 15 season finale against Philadelphia, a game James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas(notes) and Mo Williams(notes) sat out to get extra rest for the playoffs.

Coming off a second-round upset of the defending champion Celtics, the Magic, who won Game 7 on Boston’s parquet floor, are a confident bunch heading into Game 1.

“We’re not satisfied,” Orlando center Dwight Howard(notes) said Tuesday. “Yeah, we are happy we got past the second round. But we’re not satisfied. We don’t want to just be happy and hand them the series. We have enough talent to win a championship, and we don’t want to let an opportunity slip by.”

Same goes for the Cavaliers, who don’t seem too concerned about the Magic despite last month’s lopsided loss in Florida.

“Hopefully, they’re comfortable and feeling themselves right now,” Williams said. “We’re a different team—trust me. We’re motivated to play. We’re focused.”

For the opener, Van Gundy will return rookie guard Courtney Lee(notes) to the starting lineup, replacing J.J. Redick(notes), who started every game against the Celtics and did a nice defensive job on Ray Allen(notes). Lee has been coming off the bench since fracturing his sinus in the Philadelphia series.

“We figured they would do that,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said.

Devising a defensive strategy to slow Howard and the Magic’s talented troop of outside shooters will fall partly on Mike Malone, Cleveland’s unofficial defensive coordinator. Since joining Brown’s staff, Malone has helped the Cavs become one of the league’s stingiest teams.

Cleveland was the top defensive unit during the regular season and is limiting opponents to 40 percent shooting (31 percent on 3s) and just 78.1 points so far in the playoffs. The Magic, averaging 96.1 points in the postseason, shot 54 percent in the April 3 win over Cleveland, making 13 of 27 3-pointers.

“This team poses so many problems with Dwight and the shooters around him,” Mike Malone said. “You have to make sure you guard Dwight first, and get out to their shooters. They’ve got a bunch of guys who can knock it down. That’s who they are.”

And while the Cavaliers are balanced, they have something the Magic can’t match: James.

The league MVP has taken his game to an even higher level in the playoffs. He’s averaging 32.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, 6.8 assists and seems more determined than ever to deliver a title to a city that hasn’t celebrated a championship since the Browns won it all in 1964.

In three games against Orlando, James averaged 30.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 7.0 assists. On March 17, he dropped 43 points on the Magic in a 97-93 win.

Howard feels there’s only one approach to take in guarding James.

“You can’t be afraid,” said the league’s defensive player of the year. “When he comes down the lane, you have to stand in the lane. You have sacrifice your body for the betterment of the team. We understand that. We have to keep him out of the lane. He’s going to get in there sometimes, but we have to be able to force him out.”

James and his teammates should have fresher legs than the Magic, who have played 13 games in the postseason to Cleveland’s eight. During the layoff, James invited the Cavaliers over to his house to grill out, watch playoff games on TV and bowl. (Yes, King James has customized lanes in his 35,000-square foot mansion).

James was flattered to hear Hall of Famer Jerry West said the 24-year-old has surpassed Kobe Bryant(notes) as the league’s best player.

“That’s great,” James said following practice. “That’s the man who is the logo of the NBA. You can’t play basketball without seeing Jerry West every single day. For him to say something like that is humbling.”

James was then asked if only he could stop himself.

“Um,” he said, pausing. “I don’t want to say that.”

He then reconsidered.

“Yeah, I will say that. You’re right.”

Clean Sweep: Cavs Dispose of Hawks—Await Eastern Conference Finals Opponent

LeBron James scored 27 points, Delonte West chipped in 21, including two big-time highlight reel dunks, and Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Mo Williams added 14 and 12 respectively, as the Cavs beat the Hawks on Monday night for their second straight 4-game series-sweep.

They are now 8-0 this postseason, and will not play again until May 20 in the opening game of the Eastern Conference Finals against either the Celtics or the Magic.

Boston and Orlando are tied 2-2 thanks to the last-second heroics of Glen "Big Baby" Davis Sunday night.

The Celtics were literally just a couple seconds away from being down 3-1 in this series, when Davis (who was the third or fourth option) hit the game winning 16-foot jumper that guarantees the series will go on until at least Thursday and possibly Sunday if all seven games are needed.

They will be rested and ready to go while their opponent, whomever it may be, will only have a couple days in between the end of their current series and the start of the ECF series vs. the Cavs.

The Cavaliers will be fresh and obviously, this should bode very well for them!


Photo Copyright: Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images

Cavs vs. Hawks Game 4: My Two-Cents For What It's Worth

The Cavaliers are one game away from a perfect 8-0 record, and their second series-sweep this postseason.

It has to be considered a forgone conclusion that Cleveland will win this series (afterall, no team has ever came back from 3-0 to win an NBA playoff series—sorry Hawks fans).

The only question is will it end tonight in Atlanta with the sweep, or Wednesday back in Cleveland in a potential Game 5?

Although the Hawks did play the Cavs much tougher on Saturday in Game 3, I'm still inclined to believe they just don't have enough defensive man-power to stop LeBron or enough offense to outscore LBJ and company.

Therefore, I'm 99.999999% sure this series ends tonight so I've got my broom ready!



GO CAVS!

LeBron Puts on Yet Another MVP Show—Cavs Roll Over Hawks

ATLANTA (AP)—The Cleveland Cavaliers were actually being challenged.

Finally, LeBron James had seen enough.

James scored 47 points in his best game yet of these playoffs, leading the Cavaliers to the brink of their second straight postseason sweep with a 97-82 victory over the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday night.

“He took the ball, put it in his hands and said he was going to score for us, so I told him, ‘OK,”’ Cleveland coach Mike Brown said. “I just told everybody else, ‘Let’s defend.”’

Back home after two blowout losses in Cleveland, the Hawks put up their best fight of the series. It didn’t matter, not against King James. They now find themselves just one defeat away from calling it a season, the Cavaliers pushing out to another 3-0 lead after breezing past Detroit in the opening round.

Cleveland kept up its dominating run through the playoffs, setting an NBA record with its seventh straight double-figure win to eclipse the mark set by the 2004 Indiana Pacers. The only solace for the Hawks: They stopped Cleveland’s streak of 20-point playoff wins at three.

The Hawks were only down 47-46 at the half, and they surged back into their first second-half lead of the series with a 13-0 run in the third quarter. But Zaza Pachulia was ejected for arguing a foul call—acting as though he might attack the officials—and Atlanta faded away down the stretch.

James eclipsed his previous high in these playoffs of 38 points vs. the Pistons, and finished just one off his best playoff performance ever, a 48-point night against Detroit while leading Cleveland to its first trip ever to the NBA finals.

They appear to be on the way again, especially with the league’s MVP leading the way.

Cavs @ Hawks: Game 3 Preview

Video Preview Courtesy of NBA.com


ATLANTA (AP)—If this was a heavyweight fight, the referee might have already stepped in to stop it.

LeBron James(notes) and the Cleveland Cavaliers are on a record roll and throwing nothing but haymakers. The Atlanta Hawks are all banged up and on the ropes.

Of course, it takes four wins to advance in the NBA playoffs, so the Cavaliers’ work is only half done. But it’s hard to see any way the team with the league’s MVP and best record of anyone during the regular season could possibly let this one slip away, not after those first two games in Cleveland.

The Cavs took Game 1 by 27 points. Game 2 was a 20-point blowout (and not really that close).

Compounding Atlanta’s problems: Three starters—leading scorer Joe Johnson(notes), center Al Horford(notes) and forward Marvin Williams(notes)—are hurting. Horford (sprained ankle) and Williams (sprained wrist) sat out Game 2, while Johnson twisted his right ankle after the contest already had gotten out of hand and left the arena in a walking boot.

They’re all questionable for Game 3 Saturday night. Even if they play, none will be at full strength.

“It’s a little frustrating not to have a full deck,” Hawks coach Mike Woodson said after practice Friday. “No one wants to go through a playoff series all beat up. We’ve got some key guys on the sideline.”

Horford and Williams took part in the off-day practice at Philips Arena, though it really was more of a walkthrough. Johnson stayed in the back, getting treatment.

“Injuries happen. They’re part of the game,” said Zaza Pachulia(notes), who would start at center if Horford can’t go. “Unfortunately, it’s happened to us in the playoffs. That’s not a good time. But we’re still going to have five guys on the court.”

Don’t expect any sympathy from the Cavaliers, who have won all six of their playoff games by double figures—matching the record streak set by the 2004 Indiana Pacers—and also became just the second team to win three straight postseason games by at least 20 points. The 1986 Los Angeles Lakers, led by Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, were the first.

“I’ve seen a lot of teams come up with some big-time efforts when starters are out,” Wally Szczerbiak(notes) said. “Look at the playoffs this year. Dwight Howard(notes) was out and the Magic won Game 6 on the road in Philly to close out that series. So we’ve got to be ready for their guys to step up. There are professional basketball players in this league who are hungry and ready to play. We have to go out and do our jobs and continue to play the way we have, no matter who is out there for them.”

The Hawks can look back to last year’s playoffs in their search for inspiration.

Atlanta was blown out in its first two games of its opening-round series against Boston, and just about everyone predicted the eventual champion Celtics would win in a sweep.

Instead, the Hawks won all three on their home court, forcing an improbable seventh game in Boston. OK, so they were routed in the decisive contest, but Atlanta would surely take a winner-take-all game in Cleveland if it was offered.

“It’s a tough task, but anything is possible,” Atlanta forward Josh Smith(notes) said. “If we step up, we can make a series out of this.”

Pachulia was more realistic when someone brought up the Celtics-Hawks series.

“It kind of reminds me of last year,” he said. “But this is different, because we didn’t have all the injuries last year. Three guys are injured. That’s kind of tough, especially when they are guys who started all year.”

Woodson spent the day focusing on defense. The Cavaliers shot 50 percent from the field and averaged 102 points in the first two games, led by James at 30.5.

“They have a great player and a great supporting cast, but we’re not playing defense nowhere near as good as we did during the season and during the Miami series,” the Atlanta coach said, referring to the opening round. “There were too many gaps, too many holes. We tried to simplify things today. We have been good at protecting the paint. That’s something they’re doing right now, but we’re not. We gave up something like 20 layups in Game 2. And 102 points a game? That’s not going to cut it.”

The Cavaliers’ main concern is Delonte West(notes), who got poked in the right eye in Game 2. He didn’t practice before the team left for Atlanta, but coach Mike Brown expects him to start Saturday.

There was a lingering buzz in Cleveland about James’ step-back, 36-foot jumper at the halftime horn to give the Cavaliers a 24-point lead.

“I still don’t know how you can shoot a jump shot from that far out,” Brown said. “That’s amazing to me. And not only a jump shot, but a step-back jump shot, which is even harder.

“My son plays NBA Live,” the coach added, “and that’s the only time I’ve seen that happen.”

Skip Bayless Should Change His Name to Skip CLUEless

Here we go again with Skip Bayless on the "LeBron Hatetrain."

Today on Espn's 1st Take, Bayless was saying Lebron was showboating and muggin' for the camera after every shot last night. He even went as far as to say that "Lebron will get his payback soon", implying that someone will hard foul him as revenge.

I just see it as Lebron being on fire and giving the Cavs fans more show and entertainment for their money! He said Michael Jordan, nor any of the other greats have ever did or does the showboating that Lebron does.

That's an insane and unfounded claim! I really thought that for as great as he is, our beloved #23 was more modest than most.

I remember the Jordan "fist-pump" mid-air, after burying that winning shot in Craig Ehlo's face over the Cavs 20 years ago. I never once considered that to be classless, because it wasn't.

I'm pretty sure that I have never seen LBJ yelling up and down the court "YOU CAN'T GUARD ME" like a certain big-market media darling that plays in L.A. (cough—Kobe Bryant).

What's your 1st Take on Kobe doing that there Skippy, because I've yet to hear you speak out about him or his egotistical antics...

Like I said, change your last name to Clueless. It's a much better fit!

Cavs - Hawks Game 2 Highlights

LeBron James didn't have to play much in Game 2, but when he was on the floor, he made some amazing plays!

What's new though?

Poor Atlanta....

Maybe they'll play better at home, but I'm smelling another series sweep for LBJ and company!

Here are the highlights!



Game 2: Where Amazing Happens