Living on the fence between Cleveland and Cincinnati, I guess I have my pick of teams in football and baseball. Naturally, all four choices basically suck so at least I can't be counted as a bandwagon jumper rooting for an Indians/Bengals combination like I do. So, in an attempt to avoid narrowing my reading population to only people exactly like myself, I'm including The Browns in this addition eventually. It won't be too difficult because I live amongst the anguish of that team as well as my own. My father is a Browns fan so I guess you could say I have "feelings" for the Browns, I just came of age as a football fan when they did not exist or were basically a fake team. In all honesty, they are still generally an unlikable team, but we'll get to that.
(By the way, I still haven't decided if I'm going to include the Reds in my life. Rooting for an American League team, Cincinnati feels farther away during baseball season than Oakland.)
We're starting with what I'm happiest about because that's what I get to do here.
Cleveland Cavaliers (5-2)
This team is legitimately good for the first time since the LeBron Era began. Every other year, fans had to suffer through day after day in the regular season looking up Mark Stein's Power Rankings and finding the Cavs at somewhere around 14, ranked under the elite as well as a small selection of under .500 teams. Though Cleveland fans knew in their hearts things would get better come playoff time, the Cavaliers have been so extremely unimpressive in the regular season that 5 out of 10 analysts on ESPN.com picked the Washington Wizards, who I consider a fake team, to win the first round series last year in the Eastern Confernce Playoffs. How embarassing!! Luckily, those days are gone.
Starting with the back court, this 3-headed monster of small whatever guards (consisting of Mo Williams, Delonte West and Boobie Gibson) must be so annoying to other teams, it sure is a pleasure to watch. All of these guys are mediocre to decent on defense, but they can all get to the hole when LeBron is triple covered and they are all MONEY from 3 (undoubtedly the most annoying thing about them). While we are all waiting to trade Wally, he is playing such unnattractive basketball but is still strangely effective. Getting production out of Wally is like sleeping in a cardboard box for a month and it hasn't rained. Sometimes you feel like sleeping outside in this good weather isn't too bad, maybe even pleasant. Still, you know if you plan on living through the year, you're gonna have to trade that box in for at least a trailor, hopefully a real house. You also can't understate how great of a coaching move it was to stop playing Sasha Pavlovic. A good man would say, "He just doesn't fit in with this group of versatile players we have in the back court." I would say that he is a lump of crap. If he were included in a trade deadline deal...Merry Christmas. Now the front court:
On paper, this is the biggest weakness the Cavs have, and the fact that it's not is probably where Mike Brown makes his money. (I choose to believe this too because I don't want to have conflicted feelings about this team. Picture this...Coach of the Year: Mike Brown). Big Z's game shouldn't fit in with this team but Ilgauskas, as a man, just belongs. He has the attitude of a hot-headed Lithuanian point guard with the body of a dinosaur. He also a grandfather (not father) figure to this team and on a personal note, I love him. The thing that keeps him so helpful is the fact that he is probably the second best passer on the team next to LeBron. He is a perfect example of the uniquely talented, occasionally and oddly productive players LeBron is used to playing with. The other starting big, Ben Wallace, has had a few double digit rebounding games with no points, which is probably what he has always wanted. At the beginning of every game, you usually know if he has it or not, and if he doesn't, you see a whole lot my roommate's least favorite player, Anderson Varejao.
I have gone from loving to hating and then back to loving Varejao in the past two years, and what's weird is that I'm probably going to hate him again after this season. He is playing so well and is so important to the Cavs, they might actually have to pay him real money next summer, which is really the only thing about this season I'm worried about. Is it ok to pay a guy $8 million and have him come off the bench? I guess...whatever.
The last relevant front court character is J.J. Hickson. He has played only a few meaningful minutes, reportedly because Mike Brown doesn't play people unless they know EXACTLY what to do on defense (I'm so sold on Mike Brown). Anyway, this Hickson character is a legitimate reason (to me) to keep watching games in which Cleveland is blowing out the Bobcats. First of all, I like watching rookies, especially ones who are younger than me. Second, this kid will be starting, or at least playing a lot, in a year or two, so it's actually kind of important to the future of the team (his development MIGHT have at least a LITTLE to do with whether or not LeBron stays...somethin' to think about). Third, the kid dunks a lot, and I mean...dunks are fun.
Speaking of dunks, LeBron is still awesome. He is figuring out how to play the post a little and how to play with good players which is probably fun for him. Mr. Bron is running that play where he comes off a pick and catches the ball just below the free throw line a lot...let me repeat that. LeBron is catching the ball on the move below the free throw line. If that play isn't called "automatic points," It should be.
The rest of the reports will be coming shortly. Good day.
No comments:
Post a Comment