Cavaliers End Losing Streak

After jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first quarter, the Cavaliers never looked back and beat the Charlotte Hornets 97-88.

(Photo from: Gus Chan, The Plain Dealer)

It's always interesting to see what Lebron comes out to start the game. Will it be the attacking, aggressive Lebron or the facilitating Lebron who lets the game come to him?  Monday night it was the facilitating Lebron who came to play as he had six of his 13 assists in the first quarter. His teammates would follow suite as the Cavs ended the quarter with 11 assists on 11 made shots.

The ball would continue moving the entire night and while Charlotte remained in the game, the Cavs remained in control on their way to victory.

In addition to his 11 assists, Lebron James would finish the night with 27 points and seven rebounds. Helping lead the way for the Cavs was Kevin Love who finished the game with 22 points and 18 rebounds. Kemba Walker would pace the Hornets with a team-high 24 points.

Three Things:

1. Lebron on the decline?

Coming into the game, Lebron was only averaging 5.5 rebounds per game, his lowest since his rookie year. While some may look at this as a sign of concern, it is better to look at it as a sacrifice. The reality is, playing with Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson, and Anderson Varejao not too many rebounds are going to be available. Anybody looking at Lebron's rebounding numbers as a reason he is on the decline would be sadly mistaken given the circumstances.  

2. Magic Jordan

Lebron can score, that's a fact. After scoring 41 points against the Pelicans last game and a career high 61 points against Charlotte last year, Lebron decided to this time dominate the game with his passing.  Even though he finished the game with 27 points, his assists seemed to be much louder than his points scored. Lebron can always channel his best Michael Jordan impression but thats not what this team needs with scoring threats like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love. Instead the Cavs seem to be at their best when Lebron decides to do his best Magic Johnson impression, evident by tonight's game versus the game against the Pelicans.

3. The Hornets who have no Buzz

Coming into the season, I picked the Hornets as the team I thought would give the Cavs most trouble come postseason, and boy I could not have been more wrong. While the talent is there, this team struggles to space the floor and score effectively. The organization reportedly is ready to move on from the Lance Stephenson experiment and if he is traded, the experiment becomes another chapter added to Michaael Jordan's failures as a GM. 

Statline of the night: 

Lebron James: 27 points, 13 assists, 7 rebounds.

While Kevin Love's monster double-double was a candidate, Lebron takes the honor of having the best stats because of how his passing became contagious to the entire team. With Lebron setting the style of play, the team would finish with 28 assists on 38 field goals. 

What's next:

Cavs take on the Atlanta Hawks at the Q, Wednesday Dec. 17 at 7 p.m. EST.

Cavs Continue Winning Ways

(Photo from: ftw.usatoday.com)

It was a complete team effort by the Cavaliers which saw them cruise to a 110-88 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on the road.

With the royal couple watching sideline and Lebron James calling it a "huge honor" to play before the royal couple, signs were pointing to a king size performance from one King James but the Cavs didn't need it.

After going into the half only up one, the Cavs would turn it on in the third quarter outscoring the Nets by 17 and remaining in control from that point on.

The Cavs as a team got off to a slow start in the Barclays Center. Lebron and Kevin Love were the only two to score for the Cavs in the first period. Kevin Love carried most of the load, scoring 15 of the 22 points the Cavs would end up with at the end of the period.

Anderson Varejao would end up as the lone Cavs starter with a field goal in the second quarter. While this would usually be problematic for the Cavs most nights, tonight was different. Led by Dion Waiters' 13 points, the Cavs bench would end up scoring 26 points in the quarter, beating their season average. James Jones was a marksman from downtown, connecting on all three of his three-point attempts in the quarter, and hitting four of five for the game.

Three Things
1. Good Dion
For Cavs fans, Dion Waiters serves as one of the most polarizing players on the teams. The talent has always been there for Waiters, the patience, poise, and level-headness it takes to be a consistent player in the league is not always there. Tonight, he put all those things together and was the best player on the court.

2. James Jones
The veteran came in for the second game in a row making it rain from downtown. For the season he is 8-for-12 from deep making the loss of Mike Miller who has only connected on five threes out of 20 for year, a little bit easier to swallow.

3. Welcome back Delly
Monday night saw the the return of Matthew Dellavedova back into the lineup. While he only scored two points tonight, anybody who watches the Cavs know that his real impact can't be found in the box score. Always proving toughness and playing his heart out, his return gives coach Blatt another permitter option to close the game and allows Dion Waiters to focus solely on scoring when the second unit comes in the game.

Statline of the night:
Dion Waiters: 26 points, 4 assists, 2 steals

Dion stole the show Monday and was in a grove all night. This was the Dion, Lebron envisioned when he said that Dion would be best suited for the team coming off the bench. If Dion can serve as a Jamal Crawford type off the bench, look out!

What's next:
Dec. 9 against the Toronto Raptors in the Q

Cavs End Losing Streak, Dominate Orlando Magic

(Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)

Now that's more like it. 

After losing the previous four games, the Cleveland Cavaliers (6-7) easily dispatched the Orlando Magic (6-10) by a final score of 106-74.

Coming into the night, several players, including LeBron James and Kevin Love, called this game a "must-win," something you usually don't hear great players say this early in the season.  Whether or not that label means anything in November is debatable but there is no question that the Cavs players backed up their words.

Cleveland came out of the locker room locked in, dominating from the opening tip.  James started particularly fast, scoring 11 points in the first six minutes of the game.  In the first quarter, James had 16 points and four assists, pacing the Cavs to a 10-point lead after one.

The Cavs would not look back from there, increasing their lead to 18, 23 and 32 at halftime, the end of the third quarter and the end of the game, respectively.  James finished the game with 29 points, four boards and 11 assists in only three quarters of play.

While the Cleveland offense was on full display tonight, the defense also deserves credit for the win.  Orlando shot 36.3 percent from the floor and were only 5-17 on 3-point attempts.  Coming into this game, the Magic were fourth in the league in 3-point shooting percentage at 38.8 percent.  The Magic also committed 18 turnovers.

Three Things

1. Offense Finds Balance

For the first time in a long time, the Cavs offense looked like the complete unit we all expected to see.  The level of offensive chemistry visible tonight was much more consistent than in recent games, with the Cavs assisting on 30 of their 42 made field goals.  James led that charge with the 11 assists mentioned above, Kevin Love chipped in five dimes and Kyrie Irving had four.  Other than LeBron, none of the other players had eye-popping numbers, but great individual performances weren't needed.  Seven different players for Cleveland attempted at least seven shots, and the team shot 51.9 percent from the field.  Love, who has spoken recently about getting more shots in the paint, attempted only one of his 11 shots from beyond the 3-point arc.

2. Defense Steps Up

What a difference two days makes.  On Saturday versus Toronto, the Cavaliers were outscored 89-59 in the final three quarters.  On Monday, the roles were reversed and the Cleveland defense was the unit blanketing the opposition.  The Magic were forced into 18 turnovers, which turned into 25 Cavalier points.  The Cavaliers allowed 42 points in the paint, not a bad number at all considering how porous the interior defense has been this season.  Young Magic center Nikola Vucevic had a good game with 18 points and 13 rebounds, but he was the only Orlando player who was able to operate at a high level near the rim.  Veteran center Brendan Haywood had three blocks in only 6 minutes played, and the Cavs had nine blocks as a team.

3. Blatt Able to Experiment with Lineups

One of the other positives that can be taken away from this game is that coach David Blatt was able to rest his star players while seeing what other players work well together.  James, Irving and Love played only 31, 31 and 32 minutes respectively, which is good news for those three, who continue to be near the top of the list for most minutes played per game.  Twelve different players played against the Magic; Mike Miller being the only active player who did not leave the bench.  Little-used center Lou Amundson, who had played only 14 minutes total this season entering tonight played 16 minutes.  Joe Harris, once thought to be in line for a promotion to the starting lineup, played only 10 minutes.  Nights like these will be vitally important for a team full of new players to get experience playing with each other, and the sooner that chemistry can be established the better. 

Statline of the Night:  LeBron James.  29 points, 11 assists, three steals, 9-11 FTs

James said before this game that he needed to step up in order for this team to get where they want to be and he certainly delivered.  This was a vintage LeBron performance, who did all of his work in the first three quarters.

What's Next: Nov. 26, home against the Washington Wizards. 7 p.m.

Cleveland Cavaliers use fast start to rout Atlanta Hawks, 127-94

The Cleveland Cavaliers struggled to get anything going for much of their last game against the Celtics on Friday night, but on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks, it was a completely different story.

The Cavs (5-3) made their first 11 three-point attempts of the night, including nine in the first quarter (the first team in history to make their first nine threes, according to the Elias Sports Bureau), and used the hot hands of LeBron James and Kyrie Irving to dispatch the Hawks (5-4) for their fourth straight win of the season. James had 32 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists on the night, while Irving contributed 20 points, 5 assists, and three steals.

After a rough start to the season, it seems like the team and its stars are starting to gel more and more, which is bad news for the rest of the NBA. The 33-point win over Atlanta on Saturday should help bring momentum for the next seven games, six of which are at home.

Three Things

1. LeBron is back to being LeBron
It was only a matter of time, right? LeBron James has been playing at his other-worldly level for the past couple of games, and the Cavaliers are taking advantage of it. In his past three games, James has averaged no less than 30 points each contest and no less than 7 assists. After opening the season extremely passive, it seems James has had enough and has gone full MVP mode. He's narrowly missed a triple-double a few times this year already and is already back to dunking and sending Kent Bazemore shots away with authority.

2. First complete game by the Cavaliers
The offense can be the best in the league, but if David Blatt's squad doesn't defend anyone, they most likely won't be the team holding up the hardware at the end of the season. Saturday, the Cavs turned in their first complete game of the season, lighting up the scoreboard but also shutting down the Hawks' offense for much of the night, holding Atlanta to 94 points en route to a 33-point victory. With much of the criticism coming at Cleveland for their lackadaisical defense, it was nice to see that it is, in fact, possible for this team to turn it up defensively.

3. Smokin' Joe better than advertised.
Could Joe Harris be the steal of the 2014 NBA Draft? The rookie shooting guard has performed exceptionally well (dare I say...Delly-esque?) in his filling in for the injured Matthew Dellavedova, and has even been playing over Dion Waiters in crunch time. Harris was at his best on Saturday, putting up 12 points (4-5 from three-point range) and 4 rebounds, along with 4 assists.

Statline of the night: LeBron James. 32 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 block.

Could it have been anyone else? LeBron played great once again and deserves the honors, though point guard Kyrie Irving helped dismantle the Hawks as well (hi Jeff Teague).

What's next: Nov. 17, at home against the Denver Nuggets, 7 p.m.

Cavs Leave Fans Happy

(AP Photo/Mark Duncan)

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up their first home win of the season, beating the New Orleans Pelicans 118-111, marking the team’s first win streak of the season.

The key matchup of this game featured the NBA’s best player in Lebron James versus the player who many see as the next best player in the league, Anthony Davis. While both these all-stars put up their typical all-star numbers, it was the teammates of these two that made the most noise in the Quicken Loans Arena.

The first half belonged to Ryan Anderson. Coming off the bench, he came in the game shooting lights out knocking down five three-pointers. The Pelicans entered halftime up 56-51 in large due to Anderson’s 23 first half points.

Second half, it was all about the Cavaliers Big Three. While Lebron went on to mess around and get a triple double, it was Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love who seemed to make all the shots that got fans up out their seat Monday evening.

For the game, Irving and Love combined to go 10-for-16 from deep and connected on seven treys in the second half. Coupled with Lebron’s 17 free throw attempts for the game, the Cavs were just too much for the Pelicans at home.

Three Things

1. Lebron lead and Kyrie Irving followed suite

Lebron was in attack mode the entire night, evident by his 17 free throw attempts. By attacking the basket, he got his teammates involved and made the game easier for others. Also in attack mode was Kyrie Irving. Criticized against Utah for his lack of passing, Irving played with poise, getting his teammates involved and while taking shots within the rhythm of the game, finishing the game shooting over 50 percent from the field.

2. In David Blatt we trust?

While it’s early and the Cavs are still trying to figure things out, keep an eye out on how many minutes the Big Three play down the road. Lebron James and Kyrie Irving are leading the league in minutes played per game, with Kevin Love rounding out the top five in that statistic. Not an encouraging sign after many media members pointed out last year Lebron looked gassed for the first time in his life. And while Irving and Love both have youth on their side, neither have played into the months of May and June, so all the mileage could eventually play a factor. Blatt and Cavs fans must remember the season is a marathon and not a sprint.

3. Cavs must address bench play

So far this Cavs bench stinks, no other way to put it. Coming into the game they ranked 29^th in the league in bench points scored and on average get outscored by 13.8 points per game. Against the Pelicans, the Cavs bench was outscored 44-16. Now while a team with Love, Irving, and James shouldn’t have to rely on its bench to outscore teams, it can use a boost, particularly on the nights one or two the stars are struggling. Hopefully Dion Waiters and Matthew Dellavedova can provide that spark once back healthy, and the bench as a whole can cut down into some of the minutes the Big Three are playing.

Statline of the night: Lebron James. 32 points, 12 rebounds, 10 assists, 9-for-17 from the field and 13-for-17 from the free throw line.

While other players may have made bigger noise Monday night, make no mistake that James was still the best player on the floor. Lebron looked at ease on the court, letting the game come to him all while posting a monster statline relatively quietly.

What is next: November 14, on the road against the Boston Celtics, 7:30 p.m. EST.

Cavs end road trip with a win over Denver

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

With panic flying around the NBA about the Cleveland Cavaliers and their 1-3 start, they erased some doubt with their most defining win of this young season, defeating the Denver Nuggets 110-101.

The score seemed closer than what it was, but the Cavs dominated both ends of the court tonight. At one point in the game, the Cavaliers had a demanding 20-point lead, with the offense looking head and shoulders better than it has all season. Ball movement, which was essentially non-existent all season, was as solid as it could get. After having six assists against the Jazz, they had 21 assists on 30 field goals. Also, seven guys were in double figures, by far the most this season.

LeBron James, shooting 41 percent from the field on the season, had an all-around performance tonight, which included a near triple-double. James had 22 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds, but it was his leadership that seemed to have the biggest impact. Whether it was directing guys on offense or coaching from the sideline to guys on defense, he led people know that he was doing everything in his power to return this franchise to the one they had before LeBron left.

Defensively, the Cavs looked a lot better (albeit against a Nuggets team that is 22nd in offensive rating) than they have compared to the first four games. After allowing opponents to shoot 49.5 percent from the floor, the Cavs held the Nuggets to 43 percent shooting tonight. The effort, most importantly, seemed to be at a higher pace than it was against the Jazz and Trail Blazers. If the Cavs can continue to get just enough stops on defensive, this will be a good sign for future.

With the win tonight, the Cavs end their road trip going 2-2. Lucky for the Cavs, nine of the next 11 games are at home, which will help get the Cavs back on track.

Three Things
1. This is a better example of what the Cavs will look.
Fans around the NBA have waited for the Cavs to play up to their potential, and tonight was the first sign in that direction. This team tonight looked head and shoulder different than the team that played in the first four games. The ball movement was splendid, the defense made stops when it needed to and they blew out a team they were supposed to beat. There was a Spurs-esque style of offense tonight, with the team totaling (( assists on (( field goals, including a number of extra passes that would make Gregg Popovich crack a smile. This is the game the Cavs needed to get their season going and I expect this only to be the beginning of a hot streak.

2. LeBron leadership is having an effect.
LeBron's attitude and effort has been shoddy for most of this young season, and his play has been equally as unimpressive. Tonight, however, LeBron looked like a guy who was disappointed in what he has seen this year and wanted to make a change. His numbers were so-so, but his leadership showed throughout the entire game. He was constantly pointing at guys to get in the right place and communicated with his teammates nonstop. This team needs LeBron to be more than just the best player in the world. He needs to help these learn how to win and play like a team. Tonight, he did exactly that, and the team effort and final score showed.

3. Hey there, Dion Waiters.
You saw the good Dion Waiters, aaaaaaand you saw the bad Dion Waiters. The good thing about tonight, the good heavily out-weighed the bad and his big plays down the stretch helped eliminate a Nuggets comeback that was putting some threats into Cavs fans. Waiters has STRUGGLED the first four games, including being played in favor of Matthew Dellavedova. If the Cavs want to go far, they need Waiters to have games like he did tonight. He seems to be adjusting better to his role, and this is extremely positive for the Cavs.

Statline of the night: LeBron James. 22 points, 11 assists, seven rebounds. 8-18 from the field.

Who better to look to when your team needs a spark? After having only six assists as a TEAM last night, LeBron nearly doubled that himself tonight with his 11 assists. This might be the game that gets LeBron going, which will be scary for the NBA.

What's next: Nov. 10, home against the New Orleans Pelicans. 7 p.m.

Cavaliers still going through growing pains

(Photo by Craig Mitchelldyer-USA TODAY Sports)

Following the theme of ruined homecoming, Kevin Love returned to the city he grew up in Tuesday with his new team, only to suffer a 101-82 defeat at the hands of the Portland Trail Blazers.

Unlike Lebron James who played poorly in his homecoming, Love shined for the Cavs connecting on five shots from deep and getting his accustomed double-double, ending the game with 22 points and 10 rebounds.

While Love continued to be a bright spot and the most consistent Cavalier of the season so far, that was about the only positive thing to take away from this game.

Starting the game 10-for-10 from the field, the Cavaliers’ offense was a thing of beauty early on, but then the rest of the game happened.

After the sizzling start, the Cavaliers would connect on only 21 of its next 75 shots, finishing the game with a lowly 36.5 percent from the field. As for the Cavs defense, they didn’t do too much better allowing the Blazers to shoot nearly 50 percent from the field.

One thing is clear: For the Cavaliers to enter the conversation of elite, this team still has much work to do on both ends of the floor.

Three Things:

1. Lebron must lead

Let’s be clear about one thing, this team will only meet its potential and go as far as Lebron leads them. Now in Cleveland as a two-time champion, Lebron is the clear leader of the team. While it’s encouraging to see Kevin Love play well, Kevin Love will not lead the Cavs deep come spring, he’s already had that chance several times and failed. Lebron James ended the game with only 11 points but more disheartening was the second half he had, where he failed to score and only took four shots.

2. The backcourt must step up

Dion Waiters said in the offseason that he thought himself and Kyrie Irving posed the best young backcourt in the league, but so far they aren’t proving that statement to be correct. Against Portland, they combined to go 6-for-28 from the field and through three games are a combined 27-for- 79 from the field. That’s 34 percent and quite frankly will not cut it.

3. Rebounds equal wins?

Through three games, the Cavs have lost each game that they were outrebounded in. With rebounding forces such as Love, Anderson Varejao, and Tristan Thompson, this team should not be losing the battles of the boards often but it is interesting to know that they have been beaten twice already this young season. Keep an eye out on this statistic as the season goes on.

Statline of the night: Damian Lillard. 27 points, 6 rebounds, 7 assists.

Three seasons in, Damian Lillard has already established himself as a big-time playmaker. Coming into the game averaging 13.7 points on 26 percent shooting, Lillard shaped back into form and was a problem for the Cavs on the defensive end all night. Quite ironic that the player cut from Team USA Basketball this summer was the best player on the floor, beating out Team USA members Lebron, Kyrie, and Love.

What is next: Nov. 5, on the road in Utah against the Jazz, 9:00 p.m. EST.