Relevant Statistics:
Pace: Indiana 99.9 (2nd) vs. Cleveland 93.3 (25th)
Offensive Efficiency: Indiana 99.6 (28th) vs. Cleveland 109.3 (3rd)
Defensive Efficiency: Indiana 104.6 (17th) vs. Cleveland 101. (7th)
Notes:
-The Pacers like to run but aren’t particularly good at it — this should be a fun one for the small-ball Cavs, although they can’t fall asleep and give up wide-open opportunities in transition.
-I wish Telfair was active for this one.
-The Pacers are playing the second game of a back-to-back, and had the Bobcats last night. Hopefully the Bobcats wore them out a bit.
Recommended Reading:
Do we have to hear ‘throws the hammer down’ EVERY time…
Just wanna say: Leon Powe is my Tarence Kinsey. I like his game and want to see him on the court way more than he has any reason whatsoever to be on it. I hope Leon doesn’t go to Fenerbahçe Ülker.
Not having Shaq or Z hurt the Cavs tonight. They had no answer for Roy Hibbert in the post.
The Cavs sure do give sporadic energy. I hope it doesn’t come back to bite them in the playoffs. Haven’t seen a complete game from them in a while.
Boy, for having the best record there seem to be a lot of people that think there about 25 things that can come back and bite the cavs in the playoffs. Just gonna say, if the Cavs have sporadic energy, then every other team in the league has VERY sporadic energy. The Cavs play harder on a consistent basis than any other team in the league, and that includes the Thunder.
Did you see LBJ out there like a freaking attack dog in the 4th? The guy is a straight up beast.
Jawad: -19. YIKES. WTF is with the constantly changing rotation? Please cut Jawad when Z comes back, Mr. Ferry. That way MB can’t play him any more.
But then there is good Jawad. No Leon Powe tonight from what I saw (only 2nd half) and AGAIN no Gibson. PLEASE GIVE JAWADS MINUTES TO DANIEL!!!PLEASE!!!!!
Tom Pestak, I agree about the energy. I said something similar yesterday. I hope that the Cavs work that out.
Rick, “if the Cavs have sporadic energy, then every other team in the league has VERY sporadic energy” is an untrue statement. The Cavs are getting by with their “lack of effort until clutch time” approach because when they DO apply effort no one can touch them. That’s fine for now, and they can even get through the first two rounds this way… but playing that way Will Not beat Orlando, Dallas or LA. (I mention Dallas because I think they’re going to beat LA and go to the Finals).
Complacency is a killer in the playoffs… it let Shaq’s Lakers lose to an inferior Pistons team and it stopped the Spurs from ever having back-to-back titles. You want to go into the playoffs playing your best basketball of the season and throttle people. The Mavs and Magic are playing their best ball right now… the Cavs aren’t. Maybe Z and Shaq coming back will provide that spark… or maybe the Cavs are talented enough to float through. I just hope and pray that it doesn’t bite us in the rear because we NEED the Cavs to win the title this year.
I just can’t take all of the “frightened” comments fans make. The Magic just got beat, at home, by the Bobcats w/o Gerald Wallace…and yet we say they are playing great ball. If that were to happen to the cavs, you know what you’d be saying “Well, hopefully this isn’t the cavs team that goes to the playoffs or else we are in trouble,” or something of that nature. Apply the same thoughts you do with the cavs to other teams in the league plz. Mavericks get CRUSHED at home by the Knicks…again, if that happened to the cavs we’d be saying something like “Wow, idc about the 13 game win streak that wasn’t good and could be a problem.” This actually happened, we lose the Nuggets after winning 13 and what do I see everywhere “ZOMG TRADING FOR JAMISON BROUGHT ABOUT THE CURSE OF Z!!!” Stop over-reacting.