Archive for the ‘Cleveland Cavaliers’ Category

For the Rings…& a little less $$!

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Posted 08 Jul 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Cleveland Cavaliers, Miami Heat, NBA

LeBron James made a choice Thursday night to turn his back on his hometown and leave for a warmer climate and a much better opportunity. After 7 seasons in Cleveland, he is taken his back-to-back MVP trophies to Miami and joining Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh. Cleveland a city rich with sports scorn, gets dealt another sports blow by James departure.

The Cleveland Cavaliers and owner Dan Gilbert released a letter earlier tonight that criticized LeBron for being a coward. After 7 years of turning the Cavs from nobody’s to one of the leagues top 3 teams, this is the reaction LeBron receives. The Cavaliers went from last to first in the NBA in merchandise and ticket sales during LeBron’s era. The Cavs in return gave Lebron the necessary pieces he needed to get a ring. Delonte West, Shaq, Antwan Jamison, and Anderson Varejao were all overpaid and not up to the challenge. For Cavs owner Dan Gilbert to speak in such a way to a person that has financially done the most any person can do for a franchise is disrespectful and out right WRONG. The fans of the Cavaliers should be upset with the ownership, and the Cavs organization itself, by failing to bring in the pieces to assist LeBron’s quest for a ring. Because they have overspent while trying to please James and win the first title by any of Cleveland’s three pro sports teams since 1964, the Cavs are strapped with a few big contracts that have eaten up salary-cap space and prevented them from making roster moves to improve the team. Is LeBron to blame for the contracts the team gave out as well?

Two years ago, Kobe Bryant complained on television and radio, that he was unhappy with the Lakers and wanted them to trade Andrew Bynum. The Lakers magically got Pau Gasol, kept Bynum, and then brought in Ron Artest. Great management and great coaching trumps skill, just ask the San Antonio Spurs how they won so many rings. Kobe bitched and got what he needed. In many ways the Cavs failed the city and LeBron. Many will critize LeBron for not sticking with Cleveland, but with a limited amount of years left the Miami oppurtunity was too much to pass up.

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Cavs Owner Dan Gilbert’s Letter to Fans

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Posted 08 Jul 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA

Dear Cleveland, All Of Northeast Ohio and Cleveland Cavaliers Supporters Wherever You May Be Tonight;

As you now know, our former hero, who grew up in the very region that he deserted this evening, is no longer a Cleveland Cavalier. This was announced with a several day, narcissistic, self-promotional build-up culminating with a national TV special of his “decision” unlike anything ever “witnessed” in the history of sports and probably the history of entertainment.

Clearly, this is bitterly disappointing to all of us.

The good news is that the ownership team and the rest of the hard-working, loyal, and driven staff over here at your hometown Cavaliers have not betrayed you nor NEVER will betray you.

There is so much more to tell you about the events of the recent past and our more than exciting future. Over the next several days and weeks, we will be communicating much of that to you.

You simply don’t deserve this kind of cowardly betrayal.

You have given so much and deserve so much more.

In the meantime, I want to make one statement to you tonight:

“I PERSONALLY GUARANTEE THAT THE CLEVELAND CAVALIERS WILL WIN AN NBA CHAMPIONSHIP BEFORE THE SELF-TITLED FORMER ‘KING’ WINS ONE”

You can take it to the bank.

If you thought we were motivated before tonight to bring the hardware to Cleveland, I can tell you that this shameful display of selfishness and betrayal by one of our very own has shifted our “motivation” to previously unknown and previously never experienced levels.

Some people think they should go to heaven but NOT have to die to get there.

Sorry, but that’s simply not how it works.

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NBA Free Agency: Day 8

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Posted 08 Jul 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden St. Warriors, Miami Heat, NBA

After weeks of speculation and TMZ-like reporting, LeBron James chose to join Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, in Miami.

“I can’t say it was always in my plans, because I never thought it was possible,” James said on a made-for-LeBron live show on ESPN. “But the things that the Miami Heat franchise have done, to free up cap space and be able to put themselves in a position this summer to have all three of us, it was hard to turn down. Those are two great players, two of the greatest players that we have in this game today.”

LeBron leaves behind Cleveland , a city rich with sport let downs. Many Cavalier fans will make LeBron into the enemy, but the organization itself should be blamed for failing to put together a better team over the past seven years.

Pat Riley is the true star this off-season. He was able to convince two(James, Bosh) of the top ten players in the NBA to join his All-Star Wade. Now Riley will convince other players to join them for a cheap.

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The Boston Celtics agreed to a deal with Jermaine O’Neal. O’Neal’s contract is reportedly for the midlevel exception, about $5.76 million in the first year of a two-year deal. A six-time All-Star, O’Neal has averaged 14 points and 7.5 rebounds in a 14-year career for Portland, Indiana, Toronto and Miami. With the Heat last year, he averaged 13.6 points and 6.9 rebounds in 28 minutes.

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Cavs Introduce Byron Scott!

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Posted 02 Jul 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA

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For the Love of LeBron James.

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Posted 28 Jun 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Detroit Pistons, Los Angeles Clippers, Miami Heat, NBA, New Jersey Nets, New York Knicks

With the start of the NBA’s free-agent period just three days away, details are starting to emerge about the meetings LeBron James will hold with potential suitors Thursday, when all parties can begin talking.

According to sources and media reports, the meetings with James will take place in northeast Ohio near — but not at — his suburban Akron home. The Bulls, New York Knicks, Miami Heat, New Jersey Nets and Los Angeles Clippers are expected to make pitches to James. There also was talk Sunday that the Dallas Mavericks, who are over the salary cap and only could acquire James through a sign-and-trade, want to make a presentation as well.

The Knicks have the most cap space of all the teams. They can get $34.15 million under the projected cap of $56.1 million. Next up are the Bulls, who can get roughly $29.1 million under the salary cap, followed by the Heat ($27.6 million) and the Nets ($27 million).

Just think if LeBron was to have cameras present, he could turn the entire process into a critically acclaimed reality show. Or LeBron could have each team compete in challenges (VH1 style) and prove which one really is up to the task of aiding James to a championship. Each team that proved its worth, would stepped down and receive a game ball, meaning they were still in the running towards~proving their love to LeBron. Teams that failed would be told by LeBron “You have fouled out, please return to the locker room and collect your things”. ” I have no love for you”.

This show would squash the entire Summer lineup on ABC by the way!

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Cavs Update Logo

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Posted 21 Jun 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA

The Cleveland Cavaliers announced today that they have updated their primary and secondary logos and wordmarks to now represent an “original expression” of the team’s wine and gold colors. The logo and wordmark designs will remain the same, but the color changes, to a deeper wine and brighter gold, are truer to the hues that were a part of the team’s history from 1970-1983. I surely hope LeBron was consulted on this update, Cavs wouldn’t want him indifferent with any changes.

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NBA Summer League 2010 Schedule

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Posted 15 Jun 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden St. Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, NBA, New York Knicks, Portland Trailblazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors, Washington Wizards

Twenty-two NBA teams, including 11 that appeared in the 2010 NBA Playoffs, will compete in this year’s NBA Summer League. For the second consecutive year, a team of NBA Development League Select players will also participate in the action taking place at the Thomas & Mack Center and the COX Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada Las Vegas. Marketing partners included in the event are adidas, EA SPORTS, Gatorade and T-Mobile.

This year’s event will feature the Washington Wizards, who won the top overall pick in the 2010 NBA Draft. Other participating teams with top five selections in this year’s draft include the Minnesota Timberwolves(fourth overall pick) and the Sacramento Kings (fifth overall).

Additionally, 10 of the top 14 picks are expected to participate in Las Vegas this summer.

Joining the above-mentioned teams scheduled to appear in Vegas this summer are the Dallas Mavericks,Denver Nuggets, Detroit Pistons, Golden State Warriors, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, New Orleans Hornets, Phoenix Suns, Atlanta Hawks, Chicago Bulls, Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Clippers,Memphis Grizzlies, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks, Minnesota Timberwolves, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, San Antonio Spurs, Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards.

Tickets for the 2010 NBA Summer League are on sale and can be purchased by calling 702-739-FANS, through UNLVtickets.com or by visiting the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office and UNLV Ticket Outlets. All general admission tickets are $25 for the day; seniors and children (3-12) are $15 for the day; and children two years and under are admitted free of charge.

A complete broadcast schedule will be released at a later date.

Schedule after the jump.

Continue reading “NBA Summer League 2010 Schedule” »

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The Truth Sports: A Cavalier Reproach

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Posted 15 May 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA

After a few days to reflect, and juxtapose the Cleveland Cavaliers season and playoffs and like many in the sports world I can’t help but to point a finger at Cavs head coach Mike Brown. Finishing with the best record in the NBA two years in a row is an extreme accomplishment, but not making it to the Finals shows very large weaknesses in either the coaching, or players, or both.

In last years Playoffs, Cleveland steamrolled the competition until they ran into the much taller Orlando Magic. This season they added taller players(Jamison, Parker) to help on perimeter defense and also to lift some of the weight of the team off of LeBron’s shoulders. From the beginning of this years Playoffs something wasn’t the same about the Cavs. Eliminating the Bulls in five games seemed to show how good the Bulls could be in the future and less how the Cavs looked like champs. Aside from LeBron(this is an understatement) the Cavs had an aura of nervousness surrounding them, and they carried it into the series with Boston. Majority of the news was about LeBron’s elbow, and you would think alleviating the focus off of the Cavs other players would help them to fully contribute, it didn’t work.

A full season of pre-game extreme hi-five routines, staged photos, and talcum showers, was simply hiding the inner struggles of the Cavaliers. They are a team that relies heavily  on the impact that LeBron James has on the game. When LeBron shot poorly in Game 5 against the Celtics scoring only 15 points, the Cavs were blown out at home. When LeBron had 21 points in the first quarter in Game 3 in Boston, the Cavs won in a blowout. Of course throughout the years their have been teams that rely solely on one player to hit clutch baskets, and to dominate games. Maybe doing it for an entire season was too much for LeBron to contend with once Playoff time rolled around.

I’m 100% sure Mike Brown is not going to be in Cleveland next season. How does a player like J.J. Hickson play 81 games during the season averaging 20 minutes a game, get zero minutes in an elimination game. MAKES NO SENSE. Putting Shaq on KG in Game 6 MAKES NO SENSE. Playing Zydrunas Ilgauskas 14 minutes in Game 5, and 15 minutes in Game 6, after not playing him the since Game 2 of the first round MAKES NO SENSE. Mike Brown was Coach of the Year last year, and in hindsight that was a major mistake.

James is eligible to opt out of his contract this summer, a move that would make the two-time MVP — and zero-time NBA champion — a free agent and set off a scramble for his services from New York to Miami to Los Angeles and, of course, back in Cleveland. Here’s hoping he does whats best for him and his family, not whats best for whichever cities budget.

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NBA Playoffs: (Day 26 Recap) Celtics-Cavs

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Posted 14 May 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA

(AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

After finishing with the best record for the second year in a row, the Cavalier result is the same. Following a 94-85 Celtics win in Game 6 the Cavaliers once again fail to make the Finals. LeBron James scored 27 points with 10 assists, and his 19 rebounds, his 6th career triple double, but also matched a career-high and were the most he’s ever had in a playoff game. Mo Williams finished with 22 points, but only two int the second half, and Antwan Jamison was nowhere to be found finishing with 5 points on 2 of 10 shooting.

Boston was able to out hustle the Cavs despite the majority of claims about their age. “Winning is gratifying,” Garnett said. “You’re playing the best team in basketball; the challenge is there; you don’t have to dress it up. One thing we don’t lack is confidence. We’re a veteran team and we understand when it’s time to lock in as a group. I think we did just that. I think the experience is taking over.” Kevin Garnett scored 22 points and added 12 boards, and Rajon Rondo had 21 points and 12 dimes.

The sold-out Boston crowd taunted James’ every free throw with a chant of “New York Knicks!” and fans wore Knicks jerseys with his name on them. The only “M-V-P!” cheers were not for James, who was the league’s best player in the regular season, but for Rondo, who was the best player in this series.

Celtics won three straight to eliminate the Cavs, and played far superior to the Cavs throughout the series. Celtics now travel to Orlando for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Sunday.

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NBA Playoffs: (Day 25 Recap) Celtics-Cavs

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Posted 11 May 2010 — by Phillip Pyle
Category Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, NBA

(Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)

LeBron James took on the task of gaurding Rajon Rondo in Game 5. The plan seemed successfull in the first half holding Rondo to zero everything. Unfortunately their was a side effect to the task, as LeBron’s shooting was a horrible 3 of 14 for 15 points. Without LeBron carrying them the Cavs were helpless to defend losing in a blowout, 120-88. The worst lost in Cavalier playoff history.(Michael Jordan is upset that he didn’t get that record, I’m sure)

LeBron had his 4th worst scoring output in the playoffs and his 2nd worst shooting output.(70 games)

Rondo finished with 16 points and 7 dimes, but was the decoy for the BIG 3 to shine together. Kevin Garnett had 18 points, Ray Allen was 6 of 9 from deep with 25 points. Paul Pierce also got going in Game 5, with his best performances this series with 21 points, 11 boards , and 7 dimes.  “We cannot come back here,” Garnett said. “We have to think this is our Game 7 coming up and we cannot afford to have the best team in the league have a Game 7 on their floor. Just not possible.”

Shaquille O’Neal played his best game of the series also, finishing with 21 points, and 4 blocks. He went 7-10 from the free throw line, but the non existence of the back to back MVP, LeBron James was largely to blame. “When you have three bad games in a seven-year career, it’s easy to point them out.” LeBron said. Mike Brown’s job security is in extreme question after another lackluster output from the team with the best record. Also troubling is the unkown future of the Akron Hammer, LeBron James who may have played his last game in Cleveland in Game 5.

Game 6 is Thursday in Boston! Celtics lead series 3-2

Game 6

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