Cavaliers-Spurs Preview

[m33p0]

http://www.nba.com/games/20080117/CLESAS/preview.html

Cavaliers-Spurs Preview
By ANTHONY GIORNALISTA, STATS Senior Writer
Posted Jan 16 2008 4:01PM

2006-07 Stats at a Glance

Nobody has been better late in games this season than LeBron James. Perhaps the superstar learned a lesson from his poor fourth-quarter play versus the San Antonio Spurs in last year's NBA finals.

James, coming off another clutch performance for the Cleveland Cavaliers, faces the Spurs for the first time since a subpar showing in the 2007 NBA finals as the teams meet at AT&T Center on Thursday night.

San Antonio cemented itself among the league's greatest franchises with a sweep of Cleveland in June, earning its fourth title in nine years. James gave Cavaliers fans hope, but Cleveland averaged just 80.5 points per game in the series and its star failed to figure out how to beat the Spurs' defensive schemes.

James averaged 22.0 points in the series, but shot just 35.6 percent from the field and had some costly miscues in the fourth quarter of the Cavs' 83-82 loss on June 14 in the series finale. He had six turnovers in that game, finishing the series with 23.

Games 1 and 2 were never really close enough for James to take over in the second half as Cleveland lost by a total of 20 points. Game 3 was close, but James missed consecutive shots with the Cavs trailing by four, and later didn't get a foul call when he appeared to draw contact while trying to shoot a potential game-tying 3-pointer in a 75-72 loss.

The closing minutes of games in this season have gone much differently for James, who is averaging a league-best 9.4 points in the fourth quarter. On Tuesday night, James scored a season-high 51 points, including a combined 25 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to lead Cleveland (20-18) to a 132-124 win over Memphis.

It was the fourth time the league's leading scorer has reached 50 points in his career.

"We have a fourth-quarter team right now that's playing really good basketball," said James, who is averaging 29.8 points a contest. "We didn't get stops like we usually get, but for some odd reason, we know how to execute on the offensive end. We make plays, and we make big plays."

Tuesday's contest started a stretch in which the Cavs will play six of eight games on the road. James is averaging 40.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists in his last three road games.

San Antonio (25-11), though, is a league-best 19-3 at home, holding opponents to 89.4 points per game. The Spurs have won three of their last five games overall, but were held under 90 points in three of those contests.

"You have to hope that people will keep shooting their shots and we keep getting open shots," San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich. "Sometimes they don't go in but you can't let that make your defense go sour."

Manu Ginobili hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter - his only baskets of the game - to lead the Spurs to an 89-82 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night.

Ginobili scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth after going 0-for-6 from the field through the first three quarters. He had 27 points in last year's NBA finals clincher, and shot 43.5 percent (10-for-23) from beyond the arc in the series.

Tony Parker was the 2007 NBA finals MVP, averaging 24.5 points per game, and tops San Antonio this season with 20.1 points per game.

San Antonio lost both of its regular-season meetings with Cleveland in 2006-07.

[m33p0]

lets see if bronbron posterizes duncan and have the guts to hang it in the locker room again.

[101A]

I don't see any reason why this game won't be like last year's regular season games against the Cavs.

[SAGambler]

and later didn't get a foul call when he appeared to draw contact while trying to shoot a potential game-tying 3-pointer in a 75-72 loss.

* again. :downspin: :downspin:

[duncan228]

Spurs.com

http://www.nba.com/spurs/gameday/080117.html

Spurs vs. Cavaliers Preview

Probable Starters

T. Parker
Guard
20.1 PPG
M. Finley
Guard
10.6 PPG
B. Bowen
Forward
5.9 PPG
T. Duncan
Forward
18.6 PPG
F. Oberto
Center
5.2 PPG

Injury/Inactive Report
Brent Barry (torn plantaris muscle, left calf) is probable.

LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers face the Spurs for the first time the 2007 NBA finals as the teams meet at AT&T Center on Thursday night.

San Antonio cemented itself among the league's greatest franchises with a sweep of Cleveland in June, earning its fourth title in nine years. James gave Cavaliers fans hope, but Cleveland averaged just 80.5 points per game in the series and its star failed to figure out how to beat the Spurs' defensive schemes.

James averaged 22.0 points in the series, but shot just 35.6 percent from the field and had some costly miscues in the fourth quarter of the Cavs' 83-82 loss on June 14 in the series finale. He had six turnovers in that game, finishing the series with 23.

Games 1 and 2 were never really close enough for James to take over in the second half as Cleveland lost by a total of 20 points. Game 3 was close, but James missed consecutive shots with the Cavs trailing by four, and later didn't get a foul call when he appeared to draw contact while trying to shoot a potential game-tying 3-pointer in a 75-72 loss.

The closing minutes of games in this season have gone much differently for James, who is averaging a league-best 9.4 points in the fourth quarter. On Tuesday night, James scored a season-high 51 points, including a combined 25 in the fourth quarter and overtime, to lead Cleveland (20-18) to a 132-124 win over Memphis.

It was the fourth time the league's leading scorer has reached 50 points in his career.

Tuesday's contest started a stretch in which the Cavs will play six of eight games on the road. James is averaging 40.3 points, 9.6 rebounds and 7.6 assists in his last three road games.

San Antonio (25-11), though, is a league-best 19-3 at home, holding opponents to 89.4 points per game. The Spurs have won three of their last five games overall, but were held under 90 points in three of those contests.

Manu Ginobili hit four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter - his only baskets of the game - to lead the Spurs to an 89-82 victory over Philadelphia on Monday night.

Ginobili scored 14 of his 20 points in the fourth after going 0-for-6 from the field through the first three quarters. He had 27 points in last year's NBA finals clincher, and shot 43.5 percent (10-for-23) from beyond the arc in the series.

Tony Parker was the 2007 NBA finals MVP, averaging 24.5 points per game, and tops San Antonio this season with 20.1 points per game.

San Antonio lost both of its regular-season meetings with Cleveland in 2006-07.

Spur in the Spotlight
Manu Ginobili
Manu Ginobili hit four three pointers and two free throws in the fourth quarter enroute to tallying 14 points on Monday night and leading the Spurs to victory.

Did You Know...

The Spurs swept the Cavaliers 4-0 in the 2007 NBA Finals, claiming San Antonio is fourth championship … Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry spent five seasons in San Antonio … he spent his final three seasons as a player on the Silver and Black, including the Spurs 2003 championship squad, and the last two seasons as Director of Basketball Operations … Cavaliers head coach Mike Brown and assistant coach Hank Egan both spent time as assistants to Gregg Popovich … Brown spent three seasons as an assistant for Pop, including the 2003 championship team … Cavaliers assistant general manager Lance Blanks spent five seasons in the Spurs front office, ascending to the Director of Scouting role … Ira Newble played for the Spurs in ’00-’01 averaging 2.0 points and 1.3 rebounds in 27 games … LeBron James and Tim Duncan were teammates on the 2004 USA Basketball Olympic team in Athens.

[duncan228]

Cavs.com

Apparantly the LeBron dunk on Duncan photo is still in their locker room. :)

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/optimist_spurs_080117.html

The Optimist

L’chayim, y’all. I am the Optimist – you are Cavalier fans. Welcome to gameday.
Friends – if I seem like I’m All-Business today, it’s because I am. I owe you that.

Today’s column comes from the Association’s Flavor Country – San Antonio, Texas – unlikely home of the NBA’s New Dynasty. The Model Franchise. The franchise we’re modeled after. It’s all here, the blueprint for success in the home of the Alamo.

Despite this fact, at the conclusion of today’s column, I’m going to explain how the Cavaliers are going to leave San Antonio with a four-point victory tonight; TheBron netting 41, 12 and seven, his young ward – Daniel Gibson – tallying 21.

But why should you believe me? Aren’t I the same guy who lied to you last June?

I am.

On four occasions, the dark, dark arts of Math and Science called for the Wine and Gold to win a ballgame in the NBA Finals. And on four occasions, the Spurs clobbered our Cleveland Cavaliers. And I stood helplessly watching the final two at The Q in the tunnel alongside the Cleveland Current’s Larry Durstin.

In last year’s Finals, the stingy, selfless Spurs held our young King to 14 points in Game 1 and lured him into his second foul three minutes into Game 2. By the time the smoke from the Detroit series cleared, our beloved Cavaliers were getting run out of Texas faster than you could say “Major Applewhite.”

In support of the squad, several Cavalier Operating Company LLC employees made the trip to San Antonio to cheer on our Cavaliers. Employees like Cavaliers Graphics Hoo-Ha, Mark Podolak.

In a microcosm of the series, here’s the guy who’s supposed to be our company’s toughest hombre. And look at him in this photo (left): prancing around Davy Crockett Country like a real fancy-pants Kansas City sissy-Mary – what, with his Playoff Beard and little pink cowboy hat.

Thank God for the people of San Antone that they didn’t have to battle General Antonio López de Santa Anna with guys like Podes. But all of us North-Eastern Ohioans aren’t like that!

We’re normally a rough and rugged bunch – like me and TheBron and the Canton Bulldog. And we don’t like being pushed around on the NBA’s biggest stage. We don’t like Tony Parker French-kissing the Championship Trophy in our gym or calling our superstar “Le” Bron in his postgame interviews. And we certainly don’t like being swept.

It still hurts.

But nothing can change what happened last June. All the Cavaliers can do is focus on Thursday night’s nationally-televised brouhaha on Thursday night at the AT&T Center.

The Wine and Gold may have left Texas empty-handed in the Finals, but they did snap an extended regular season skein when they won in San Antonio last November, getting their first victory here since 1988. In the win, TheBron dunked one home in Tim Duncan’s grill – the photo is still taped above the trainer’s door in the Cavaliers locker room.

So it can be done. And what’s more – it shall be done.

TheBron nets only 14 of his 41 in the first half and the Spurs lead throughout the first 24 minutes of play. All-Optimist Second Teamer, Manu Ginobili, scores the first five points of the second half and the Spurs are in total control through three.

But Boobie and TheBron blow up in the fourth, but it’s Ira Newble’s layup-and-1 with 55 seconds to play that gives the Cavaliers their first lead of the night. On the next possession, Damon Jones picks Tony Parker’s pocket and cans a pair of free throws to secure the dramatic 88-84 win on Thursday night in San Antonio.

Thursday’s win won’t give the Cavaliers vindication or guarantee another shot at the Title. But it will make them feel better about the off-season indignation of being called one-hit wonders.

Trust me, Second Place is no picnic. The Spurs got to make out with the Larry O’Brien Trophy, whose bulbous head that’s bigger than most humans’. Compare that to the Runner-Up Trophy the NBA mailed us in July (pictured). Just for scale, I placed it next to my Los Angeles Lakers championship ring, a peanut, and this Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Clone Trooper action figure.

The Cavaliers win the Eastern Conference and this is the hardware they get?! What a total gyp! We use it to smack pickle jars open and drive nails back at The Q.

Settle in for a good one in Texas tonight, folks. It’ll make your Friday so much nicer. TheBron will do most of the heavy lifting. All you have to do is …

Keep the faith, Cleveland

Your pal,
The Optimist

Probable Starters:

Gooden

James

Ilgauskas

Pavlovic

Hughes

[duncan228]

I wonder if Duncan ever signed that pic like he offered to. :lol

[Budkin]

I have a feeling the Cavs win this one tonight. They have the revenge factor going and the Spurs are still playing poorly.

[Dex]

Cavs.com

Apparantly the LeBron dunk on Duncan photo is still in their locker room. :)

http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/features/optimist_spurs_080117.html

The Optimist

L’chayim, y’all. I am the Optimist – you are Cavalier fans. Welcome to gameday.
Friends – if I seem like I’m All-Business today, it’s because I am. I owe you that.

Today’s column comes from the Association’s Flavor Country – San Antonio, Texas – unlikely home of the NBA’s New Dynasty. The Model Franchise. The franchise we’re modeled after. It’s all here, the blueprint for success in the home of the Alamo.

Despite this fact, at the conclusion of today’s column, I’m going to explain how the Cavaliers are going to leave San Antonio with a four-point victory tonight; TheBron netting 41, 12 and seven, his young ward – Daniel Gibson – tallying 21.

But why should you believe me? Aren’t I the same guy who lied to you last June?

I am.

On four occasions, the dark, dark arts of Math and Science called for the Wine and Gold to win a ballgame in the NBA Finals. And on four occasions, the Spurs clobbered our Cleveland Cavaliers. And I stood helplessly watching the final two at The Q in the tunnel alongside the Cleveland Current’s Larry Durstin.

In last year’s Finals, the stingy, selfless Spurs held our young King to 14 points in Game 1 and lured him into his second foul three minutes into Game 2. By the time the smoke from the Detroit series cleared, our beloved Cavaliers were getting run out of Texas faster than you could say “Major Applewhite.”

In support of the squad, several Cavalier Operating Company LLC employees made the trip to San Antonio to cheer on our Cavaliers. Employees like Cavaliers Graphics Hoo-Ha, Mark Podolak.

In a microcosm of the series, here’s the guy who’s supposed to be our company’s toughest hombre. And look at him in this photo (left): prancing around Davy Crockett Country like a real fancy-pants Kansas City sissy-Mary – what, with his Playoff Beard and little pink cowboy hat.

Thank God for the people of San Antone that they didn’t have to battle General Antonio López de Santa Anna with guys like Podes. But all of us North-Eastern Ohioans aren’t like that!

We’re normally a rough and rugged bunch – like me and TheBron and the Canton Bulldog. And we don’t like being pushed around on the NBA’s biggest stage. We don’t like Tony Parker French-kissing the Championship Trophy in our gym or calling our superstar “Le” Bron in his postgame interviews. And we certainly don’t like being swept.

It still hurts.

But nothing can change what happened last June. All the Cavaliers can do is focus on Thursday night’s nationally-televised brouhaha on Thursday night at the AT&T Center.

The Wine and Gold may have left Texas empty-handed in the Finals, but they did snap an extended regular season skein when they won in San Antonio last November, getting their first victory here since 1988. In the win, TheBron dunked one home in Tim Duncan’s grill – the photo is still taped above the trainer’s door in the Cavaliers locker room.

So it can be done. And what’s more – it shall be done.

TheBron nets only 14 of his 41 in the first half and the Spurs lead throughout the first 24 minutes of play. All-Optimist Second Teamer, Manu Ginobili, scores the first five points of the second half and the Spurs are in total control through three.

But Boobie and TheBron blow up in the fourth, but it’s Ira Newble’s layup-and-1 with 55 seconds to play that gives the Cavaliers their first lead of the night. On the next possession, Damon Jones picks Tony Parker’s pocket and cans a pair of free throws to secure the dramatic 88-84 win on Thursday night in San Antonio.

Thursday’s win won’t give the Cavaliers vindication or guarantee another shot at the Title. But it will make them feel better about the off-season indignation of being called one-hit wonders.

Trust me, Second Place is no picnic. The Spurs got to make out with the Larry O’Brien Trophy, whose bulbous head that’s bigger than most humans’. Compare that to the Runner-Up Trophy the NBA mailed us in July (pictured). Just for scale, I placed it next to my Los Angeles Lakers championship ring, a peanut, and this Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Clone Trooper action figure.

The Cavaliers win the Eastern Conference and this is the hardware they get?! What a total gyp! We use it to smack pickle jars open and drive nails back at The Q.

Settle in for a good one in Texas tonight, folks. It’ll make your Friday so much nicer. TheBron will do most of the heavy lifting. All you have to do is …

Keep the faith, Cleveland

Your pal,
The Optimist

Probable Starters:

Gooden

James

Ilgauskas

Pavlovic

Hughes

For a guy who couldn't even call the series last year, these sure are some awfully specific predictions. :lol

[boutons_]

On national TV, again, yet another chance to prove how un-boring and dominant the Spurs are.

Hard to feel good about this one, esp if James has a big game, or just a big 4th qtr.

Even if the Spurs find the motivation, I don't think they're gonna do it. It's January, the Spurs don't care about playing Spurs basketball.

Playing the Pistons on TNT should have been motivation enough, but the Spurs got blown out, coming out stone cold and passive, losing the game in the first qtr.

Something's not right with Tony.

[duncan228]

For a guy who couldn't even call the series last year, these sure are some awfully specific predictions. :lol

:lol

He's an optimist, he's just keepin' the faith!

[duncan228]

I miss Ludden.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=jy-lebron011708&prov=yhoo&type=lgns

LeBron's improvement plan takes root

By Johnny Ludden, Yahoo! Sports

SAN ANTONIO – The NBA Finals came and went last June, whisking away the Cleveland Cavaliers nearly as fast as they had arrived. LeBron James watched the San Antonio Spurs dance on his court for a moment, then turned and headed to the locker room. The Spurs had yet to pop the cork on a single bottle of champagne and James already knew what needed to come next.

He had to get better.

Seven months have passed since James last saw the Spurs and he has yet to watch any film from the Finals. The NBA doesn't make celebratory DVDs for its runners-up and James wouldn't want one even if it did. He’ll see the Spurs’ 2007 championship banner hanging in the AT&T Center Thursday night and that will be reminder enough.

The Finals taught James this much: The Cavaliers were beaten by a better team. “Much better,” he now says, “and they treated us that way.”

James also knew for the Cavs to improve, he had to do the same. While James’ talent goes unquestioned, he isn’t in Kobe Bryant’s class as a closer because he has yet to develop Bryant’s arsenal of weapons. The Spurs, given more than enough time to game plan, took advantage of his shortcomings during the Finals. Bruce Bowen chased him wherever he went, and when James did penetrate, he usually found a four-man wall waiting for him.

The Spurs’ goal: If James wanted to drive, he was going to have to plow through a crowd of them to do so. Instead, they dared James to fire pick-and-roll jumpers, and he didn’t make nearly enough, shooting just 32 percent in the four-game sweep.

The experience, James said, was a “wakeup check.”

“It bothered me because I wasn’t able to dominate the way I know I can. …I really took this summer as the last summer for me to get better.”

So James brought Cleveland’s shooting coach, Chris Jent, with him nearly everywhere he went last summer. Jent was in Las Vegas working with James as he trained with Team USA. He accompanied him to Los Angeles for the ESPYs. To New England for a working vacation.

The results aren’t hard to see. Just ask the Memphis Grizzlies, whom James hung 51 points on Tuesday. He’s leading the league in scoring, averaging 29.8 points per game while shooting a career-best 48.7 percent. James’ three-point percentage has dropped slightly, but his midrange game has never been better.

James had always been a fairly dedicated worker in the offseason. But his commitment level last summer “went way up here,” Cavs GM Danny Ferry said, raising his hand above his head. Ferry and coach Mike Brown attended some of Team USA’s practices and came away impressed.

“He was phenomenal shooting the basketball,” Brown said. “His balance was great; he just looked really good.”

James’ form again needed some work last month after a sprained finger forced him to miss five games and Brown thinks his star still has plenty of room for improvement, whether it be his jump shot, post-up game or defense.

“The sky’s the limit with him,” Brown said.

The question that continues to hang over Cleveland is whether James is too limited by his supporting cast. Hurt by the contract holdouts of Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao, as well as James’ injury, the Cavs endured a six-game losing streak that left them struggling to gain any traction.

“I was worried about the whole team’s frustration level,” Ferry said. “LeBron, the coaches, all the guys on the team – everyone. But you want to put your guys in a position to succeed both short term and long term, whether that’s being patient and letting guys heal or handling contract situations.”

With Varejao having returned, Brown has gone back to using the player rotation that pushed Cleveland to the Finals. The Cavaliers have responded by winning 10 of their past 14 games and six of their past seven. That most recent stretch of success, however, hasn’t exactly come against a string of title contenders and two of Cleveland’s starters, Pavlovic and Larry Hughes, are shooting below 35 percent.

“They have to get LeBron more help,” one scout said recently.

Cleveland has twice unsuccessfully tried to acquire Sacramento point guard Mike Bibby, and a Cavs source wouldn’t rule out the team making another run at him if he stays healthy. The problem: The Cavs don’t want to take back much more money in total contract value than they give up in the deal.

Some high-ranking members of the organization think Philadelphia’s Andre Miller would be a better fit given Bibby’s lax defense. So far, however, the Cavaliers don’t have anything that interests the Sixers, who, for now at least, don’t seem to feel any particular need to deal Miller. The same goes for New Jersey and Jason Kidd. Kidd, despite his public denials, has made it known he would like to play with James, but the Cavs would have a hard time putting together an enticing-enough package to satisfy the Nets.

James’ frustration has shown at times, but the team’s recent play has strengthened his optimism. Yes, he’s seen Boston’s remarkable record. But the Cavs have also beaten those same Celtics once. And Cleveland, he is quick to remind, remains the defending Eastern Conference champion.

“You have to come get that title from us,” James said. “It’s still our title and it doesn’t matter what you do in the regular season. It’s what you do in the playoffs.”

If last June taught James anything, it’s that there’s always time to get better.