The Cleveland Cavaliers draft Kyrie Irving #1 overall, miss out on Derrick Williams

The 2011 NBA Draft came and went, without any major surprises.

In my (highly esteemed and well-regarded) opinion, the Cavaliers did not make the best selection to benefit the franchise moving forward.

Sure, Kyrie Irving has potential to be a great point guard in the NBA. Many draft experts saw him as the consensus overall #1, and Derrick Williams the obvious #2 pick in this year's meager version of the draft.

While I knew the Cavs front office would fall prey to the Irving hype and speculation, I still held out hope that they would take the more talented player in Derrick Williams. 

For some reason I can't explain, I thought Chris Grant might go against the grain, and surprise people by taking the Arizona stud.  As I sat and pondered what had happened, I felt a mix of disappointment and frustration. 

Kyrie Irving is going to be a good player, there's no question about it.  But how do you take the Duke Disappearing Act #1 overall when he played in 11 games last season, and missed 26?  Whether or not his toe issue lingers on moving forward is a serious concern.  Irving and his team would like you to believe that it's a thing of the past, and it won't affect him throughout his NBA career.  If that is the case, then why does he need a specialized shoe made to prevent future injury?

Derrick Williams is the player the Cavaliers should have drafted, and I stand by that statement.  Cavs fans need somebody who can provide the excitement that left this team when the Choke Artist left for his "not 1, not 2, not 7 or 8 rings" in South Beach.  How'd that work out for you LeBron?

Williams has many things Irving does not: Size, leaping ability, dunking prowess, and a resume to back it up.  D-Will was one of the best players in this year's NCAA Tournament, where was Kyrie Irving?   

While I will eventually embrace Kyrie Irving and hope to be proven wrong in the next few years, I am not overly thrilled with the selection and don't feel like we took the most talented player on the board.

All I'm saying is, if I'm spending a #1 lottery pick on a player, I need to be sure about him and feel he's going to make my team better immediately.  The sad truth is, that Irving might be backing Baron Davis this season. 

All that being said, I feel that Kyrie will be a good player, and I hope he surpasses my expectations in the upcoming season. 

That is, if there is a season.

            

Cavaliers win the NBA Draft lottery, Will select 1st and 4th overall

Cleveland needed a miracle, and they got one last night.  The ping-pong balls bounced the Cavaliers' way, and we won the NBA draft lottery.  Thanks to the pick from the Clippers, we also secured the #4 overall pick.

Talk about the kind of night we needed.  The last time an NBA team had two picks in the top 4 goes all the way back to the 1982 Houston Rockets.

Duke guard Kyrie Irving is now within the Cavaliers' sights, but no one really knows how GM Chris Grant will choose to use these picks.  Other contenders are Derrick Williams, Enes Kanter, Kemba Walker, and Kentucky point guard Brandon Knight. 

This gives the Cleveland faithful a reason to cheer.  Things have been going the city's way since the NBA regular season ended.  The Indians are in first place, the Browns had a great draft, Peyton Hillis on the cover of Madden 12 and now the Cavaliers winning the NBA draft lottery.

When rebuilding an NBA franchise, you need a rapid infusion of young talent.  With two of the top 4 picks, the Cavaliers will have exactly that as we move into the future. If this is a sign of things to come, things look good for the state of our franchise.  This will surely motivate Dan Gilbert to continue to back his promise of turning this team into a contender again.      

       

Baron Davis makes successful debut against the Knicks: Cavs 119, Knicks 115

NEW YORK - Looks like payback is going to have to wait.

Carmelo Anthony vowed revenge after the New York Knicks lost at Cleveland on Feb. 25.

Maybe next time.

Baron Davis made his Cavaliers debut a memorable one by scoring 18 points, including a key 3-pointer with 10.6 seconds left, as the Cavs shocked the Knicks for the third time this season, 119-115, on Friday night in Madison Square Garden.

Amar'e Stoudemire had 41 points and Anthony added 29, but it wasn't enough for the Knicks, now 31-29. In fact, the Cavs (12-49) have 25 percent of their victories against the Knicks.

"It always feels good to win in the Garden," said Davis, who scored 12 of his points in the fourth quarter as the Cavs erased a 12-point deficit with 6:58 left. "As a kid, you dream of playing here on the big stage, the bright lights.

"They're one of the top teams in the league. Now that they're a powerhouse team, it's good for . . . these young guys to get that experience playing on that prime-time stage. This was a lot of rookies' first chance playing here. It was definitely a big confidence boost."

J.J. Hickson had 23 points and eight rebounds to lead the Cavs, and two rookies came up huge -- Luke Harangody and Samardo Samuels. Harangody wasn't even supposed to play because of a painful right hip pointer, but he finished with 18 points, including two free throws with 1.2 seconds left.

Samuels had 15 points and six rebounds and drew two charges from Anthony in the final 1:32, including the game-saver as Anthony drove for what would have been a game-tying basket with 1.8 seconds left.
Anthony also got a technical after whacking Samuels early in the third quarter.

"We were talking the whole game," said Samuels, the 2008 USA Today high school player of the year at St. Benedict's prep in nearby Newark, N.J. "It's basketball. Guys get under each other's skin. My teammates were telling me, 'Don't take it too far.' I was like, 'I'm good.' I know my limits.

"At the end of the day, I'm a big dude. Ain't too much going to hurt me out there. I was just confident and having fun."

Asked if he thought he was getting under Anthony's skin, Samuels smiled and said: "A little bit. He was like, 'Who is this guy? He's out here pestering us.' "

Anthony admitted after the game that, in fact, he did not know who Samuels was.

"I don't even know his name," Anthony said when asked about the technical. "Samar, Sam, I don't even know his name, the guy who took the charge. I just pushed him. He flopped a little bit. It is what it is. No hard feelings."

After Davis hit his 3-pointer, Stoudemire hit one with 7.5 seconds left to get New York back to 116-115.

Ramon Sessions made one of two free throws with seven seconds left before Anthony charged into Samuels.
"I guess it was an offensive foul," Anthony said after the game. "I didn't want to settle for a jump shot."

The Cavs didn't want to settle for just coming close. But after beating the Knicks twice at home, beating them in Madison Square Garden was something else all together.

"I don't think the guys let the bright lights get to them tonight, which is big," Cavs coach Byron Scott said.

"We were down 12 points with [seven] minutes left in the game and we never quit. Guys kept fighting. It says a lot about our character. We were down, we weren't playing our best, we were playing against a team that's been playing pretty well and we just kept fighting till we got the victory."

- Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer

Preview - Cavs. vs. 76ers

Today at 5 p.m the Cavs host the Philadelphia 76ers.

Everyone wants to know if the newest members of our franchise will be in uniform, but it's still unknown at this point.

Baron Davis, Luke Harangody, and Semih Erden all missed practice while taking physicals and getting settled in.

In the last meeting with the 76ers, the Cavaliers were blown out 117-97. 

Earlier in the season however, the Cavs won two contests against Philadelphia, in games where the entire team looked impressive.

Ramon Sessions and Antawn Jamison will look to continue their strong play as of late.

Speaking of Sessions, Coach Scott declared that it's not out of the question for both Sessions and the newly acquired Baron Davis to start in the backcourt together.  That would be a tough offensive tandem to deal with.

Whether or not Baron will see any playing time tonight is highly questionable, as he has yet to learn any of the plays or even attend a single practice with his new team.

Slowing down Andre Igoudala will be the first defensive priority. 

Also important will be containing Thaddeus young, who scored 26 points on 92% percent shooting in the last meeting vs. the Cavaliers.

Hickson must rebound effectively for us to win this game, and we need production out of all our players. 

We very well could be short-handed if Byron decides to have the new guys sit and watch this one.

In our last 4 games, the Cavs are 3-1.  Those 3 wins came against the Lakers, Knicks, and Clippers, all solid basketball teams right now. 

Will we finally be able to say the Cavaliers are on a winning streak?

The Aftermath of the Epic Win: post All-Star Break Implications

The Cavaliers knocked the defending World Champs into further disarray last night, in a game that brought momentary appeasement to a fanbase in desperate need of a meaningful victory.

Cleveland is 2-1 in its last 3 games.  It feels great to say that.  In the month of February, Cavs are 2-0 against teams from Los Angeles.

Of course, the headlines on ESPN are all too easily predictable:  What is wrong with the Lakers?  Losing to Orlando is one thing, but the Cavs? 

Really ESPN?  How about giving us some credit when it's clear we outplayed our opponent?  Why does it always have to be about the other team? 

The Lakers didn't come to play; the Cavs were hungry for a big win heading into the All-Star break.  In front of 20,000+ roaring fans at Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavs played maybe their most complete game of the season

Ramon Sessions led all players with 32 points, 8 assists, and 3 steals off the bench.  Mo Williams aggravated his injured ankle, and did not return after 3 minutes of action.

Sessions has been playing excellent as of late.  Earlier in the season, he often forgot about his teammates and drove every chance he got.  Now, he seems to be finding that invaluable skill of knowing when to get others involved. 

Ramon has significantly reduced the amount of careless turnovers, and is making his presence felt on the court.  In the first half he finished with 16 points, partly because he got to the free throw line 7 times and made them all count. 

Sessions is the driving force behind the Cavaliers right now.  He even made his first 3 pointer of the season. 

If the Cavs weren't in last place, one could make a strong case for Ramon to be named 6th man of the year.

Christian Eyenga also came to play last night; Number 8 has dramatically improved his offensive game and court awareness throughout the 1st half of the season.

He also managed to school Kobe Bryant, and dunk in the face of Pau Gasol all in one play.  Speaking of Gasol, is there ever a time where he doesn't make an overdramatic yell for a foul as he bricks another lay-up?

Eyenga has the potential to be an impact player for the Cavs.  His defensive intensity alone warrants the playing time he's been receiving.

For all the losses we incurred during the 1st half of the season, its undeniable that the win over the Lakers will help this team's confidence going forward. 

We need to play with the same defensive effort we showed last night, and we could be competitive night-in and night-out.  The Cavaliers haven't had a problem scoring the basketball this season, we're averaging right around 100 points a night.  The problem is consistent defense. 

Granted, we don't have the pieces in the frontcourt to stop the likes of Dwight Howard and pretty much any other legitimate center in the league right now.  The injury to Anderon Varejao for the season hurt this team in a multitude of ways, including but not limited to: defending in the post, rebounding, and energy. 

Jamison attempting to defend Gasol just isn't going to work out well most nights. 

That being said, Jamison did play a great game defensively and the Cavs worked as a team to out-will the Lakers for our 10th victory of the season.

Improving throughout the rest of the season is the main goal for Coach Byron Scott; we have to change the atmosphere of losing and develop our players to bring A+ effort on a nightly basis.

This victory was a step in the right direction.  Hopefully this will propel the Cavs to a strong finish for the rest of the season. 

Classic Cavs Commercials: Darius Miles

During a season filled with such disappointment, I deem it only fitting to distract the focus from the current losing streak, and look back at a little piece of Cavaliers history. 

Here's a classic Cavs commercial, to remember the good times we had with the 2002-03 Cavaliers. 

"We're the Cavaliers"   

 Exhibit A:  Darius Miles 


Cleveland Cavaliers "We're the Cavaliers" from Fiend Inc on Vimeo.

Former Wolverine Manny Harris continues to impress in Cleveland

Is Manny Harris the future starting shooting guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers?

At least for right now, he is the starter.

An undrafted rookie who wasn't supposed to make the team, Manny is making a strong case as to why he should be included in the franchise's future plans. 

During the last few games, Manny has found a rhythm offensively and is starting to grasp his role in our offense. 

Clearly an emerging talent, the numbers provide a better glimpse of the potential:

Over the last four games, Manny is averaging 14 points and is shooting 50 percent from the field.

The last two losses, in which we faced title contenders Orlando and Miami, Harris scored 20 points in each game.

Whether or not he remains the starter beyond this season is questionable.  It depends on whether or not we take a guard early first-round in the draft. 

One thing is for certain:  Manny Harris is not lacking confidence.  He is a lightning fast guard who makes impact plays defensively, and can finish strong at the rim.

Manny on his twitter account, 313MannyHarris , January 23rd:

"Im great at figuring things out and becoming good at it, i PROMISE once i figure more out on both ends of the floor i'll be VERY CONSISTENT!"

Believe it.  Once Manny figures out how to minimize the turnovers and attack regularly, he could easily average 20 a game.  Give him one summer in the weightroom and he's going to be solid.

Who would have thought a former Michigan Wolverine would have found a home in Cleveland, Ohio?

Big Shoutout to UMHoops.com and Michigan.Rivals.com

Magic 103, Cavs 87: And so the trend continues - 20 . Straight . Losses

It's like a bad dream you can't wake up from, except in this dream you've been sleeping for 42 days.

The Cavaliers lost their 20th game in a row to the Orlando Magic, who took advantage of our lack of size and defense.

As we've seen recently, our rookies played well but it was never going to be enough to beat one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.

Manny Harris led the Cavaliers with 20 points on 7/12 shooting.  More more shots please?  He shot 60% from behind the 3 point line, nailing 3 of 5 deep balls he attempted.  His 6 rebounds and 3 assists only added to his growing legend. 

We here at Cavaliers United applaud Manny in his effort to restore greatness to what was once a proud NBA franchise.

Samardo Samuels played well enough to score a career-high 16 points on 6/8 shooting, and really found a rhythm offensively during his time on the court.

Christian Eyenga started off the game 4/5 from the field with 9 points, impressing with his offensive ability and defensive intensity.  He even had the audacity to block Dwight Howard during the early portion of the game. 

Speaking of blocks, the Cavs had 4 in the 5 minutes of the game.  J.J. Hickson finished with 3 rejections, but somehow managed to score exactly 0 points in 21 minutes on the floor.

When your starting "Center" doesn't score, it's going to be tough to hang with the elite teams in this league.  J.J. had been playing well coming into tonight but just didn't have it offensively.  His 11 rebounds were appreciated, but you can't make an excuse for his scoreless night.

Dwight Howard finished the 1st quarter with 8 points and 9 rebounds, and the Cavs were down 33-17 after the 1st.

Superman would finish with 20 points in the game, and added 20 rebounds in a heroic effort.  But there was another Orlando player who would put more points up on the board. 

So who led the Magic in scoring?  You guessed it.. Ryan Anderson.

Not exactly who you expected, but Anderson hit 5/10 three pointers;  he wasn't afraid to shoot the ball.  With newcomer Gilbert Arenas sidelined for the night, Ryan gladly took center stage.

I tried to figure out why the Cavs lost tonight, other than the obvious.  We had a better shooting percentage than the Magic, 43% to 41%.  Was it turnovers?  Nope, both teams turned the ball over 18 times.

And then I looked at total rebounds.  The Cavaliers were out-boarded 61-35, which would explain the lopsided loss.  Clearly we're missing Anderson Varejao.

Then you also factor in the minor detail that Gibson, Jamison and Hickson all combined to go 4/25 from the floor, and it all adds up - to what would be the 20th consecutive loss in this mildly disappointing season.  The last time the Cavaliers won a game, most people hadn't even finished their Christmas shopping.

It doesn't get easier, with the Cavs heading to Miami for a back-to-back tomorrow night.  Although we did play the Heat close last time we were there, it looks very possible that the team that won 60+ games last season finishes the month of January winless.

Nets 103, Cavs 101: One Gibson 3-ball away from a win

Ahh.. New Jersey.  Just what the doctor ordered.  Or so we thought.

In all reality, we really should have won this game.

There were some positives to take away from this one; almost every Cavalier played effectively. 

Antawn Jamison led the way for the Cavaliers, finishing with 26 points.

J.J. Hickson also played well.

He seems to be committed to rebounding, which this team desperately needs minus Anderson Varejao.

"Right now I'd rather get 20 rebounds than 20 points."

I'ts definitely good to hear that coming from him.

Ramon Sessions went anti-Jay Cutler, and decided to play through an injury to his hamstring.  It's nice to see a player sacrifice for his team.

Daniel Gibson looked for his shot, and played pretty well.  Although his game-winning attempt failed to drop, he still had a good game.

As Austin Carr kept saying during the broadcast, "The Cavaliers finally started playing their style of game." 

Let's not forget who our competition was, but even in defeat this game still felt like progress.

Joey Graham's 3-pointer to tie the game with 7 seconds made you think we had a chance.

When New Jersey posted up Brooks Lopez for what would be the game-winner, the Cavaliers still had a foul to give.  Ryan Hollins attempted to foul but the referees allowed play to go on.

At some point soon, this streak will come to an end.

With Hickson playing more effectively and rebounding consistently, this team looks better.

There were even two dunks that made the ESPN highlight, who seem to have caught on to the Cavaliers lack of success in the last couple months.

Ryan Hollins' fastbreak throwdown was a thing of beauty.  He jumped from what seemed like the free throw line, and threw down a two-handed dunk that would have made Darius Miles proud.

Ramon Sessions' dunk over Brooks Lopez late in the 4th quarter was arguably even more impressive.

Dunks are great, but the losses are piling up.  Can the Cavaliers regain their confidence and will start consistently winning games?

I wouldn't bank on it, but the last few games have showed promise.

The Cavaliers controlled the tempo of the game for about 42 minutes, and really should have beaten New Jersey.

We came close to beating the Bulls in Chicago; the effort has seemed to pick up.

The defensive intensity has also improved, and maybe this team can start building some momentum as we look to the future.

Bulls 92, Cavs 79: No light at the end of the tunnel

There isn't a whole lot to cheer for right now.

In the latest episode of "We will find a way to lose", the Cavaliers dropped their 16th straight to the Bulls in Chicago.

Putting things in perspective:

The last time the Cavs won a game was December 18th vs. the Knicks.  Its January 23rd.

Had Amare Stoudemire hit a 15 footer to win that game, the Cavaliers would be in the midst of a 26 game losing streak.

In case you were wondering, the franchise "record" (if you can call it that) for consecutive games lost is 24 games.  That record is also the NBA mark for futility.  Do we have what it takes to set the record?

The answer is quite simply, yes. 

Assuming we drop our 17th in a row in New Jersey tomorrow night, the streak will without question reach 21 games.  Following Monday night, we play Boston, Denver, Orlando, and then Miami. 

See a win in that group?  Neither do I. 

After that, we will struggle with Indiana, Memphis, and then Portland to tie the record.  If we can somehow find the courage to lose 24 straight, Dwight Howard and the Orlando Magic will deliver the Cavs into the NBA record books.

Even when the Cavs muster a comeback late in these games, as they did last night in Chicago, the chances of us actually winning the game are slim to none.

The Bulls did provide us with a ray of hope when we closed within a few points in the 4th quarter, but it wasn't meant to be.  It's kind of like when a shark lets its victim flail around in the water for a few seconds before it closes in for the kill.

Antawn Jamison did finish last night's game with 31 points, which could be viewed as a major milestone in a season with little to get excited about.

Dan Gilbert returned to the Twittersphere recently, thanking fans for support and promising changes.  Gilbert has become uncharacteristically silent during the dark days in Cleveland.

"You don't panic when things get tough.  You think. You examine. You calculate. THEN you strike. And we will strike." - CavsDan

That sounds good in theory, but how much longer will we have to wait for the "strike" part Dan?

You can't really blame Gilbert for the team's struggles.  LeBron left the franchise in a shameful way, leaving us no chance for immediate success after his departure.   

The one thing you don't want to do is make the wrong trade to appease the fan-base.  Sure, it would be nice to see management do something with this inferior roster, but this season is already one to forget.

That being said, maybe now would be the time to unload Antawn Jamison.  He's playing pretty well, and there should be some interest in his offensive abilities.  He can help a contending team right now. 

He's not going to be in the Cavs long-term plans as he's nearing the end of his playing days, and we shouldn't want to keep his big contract through next season.

Let's just hope our owner is serious about making this team a contender.

The one thing that Gilbert should be thankful for is the loyal fans of Cleveland sports.  You don't see this kind of support anywhere else.

Like a broken record: Cavaliers' 11th loss in a row sets team marks in futility

LOS ANGELES — For Antawn Jamison, this was rock bottom.

"It can't get any worse than this," he said after the Cavaliers suffered the worst loss in team history, 112-57, to the Lakers on Tuesday night in Staples Center. "If it is, y'all going to have to help me. I don't know how much of this I can take. This, by far, is the bottom.

"Fifty-five points? That's, like, impossible," Jamison said. "We're professional athletes. How do you lose by 55 points? I don't care who you're playing against. I mean, if this doesn't hurt . . . I don't understand how we're able to have conversations in the locker room. There's nothing to talk about.

"We have to do some soul searching quick because no matter who we play, right now they feel like they can beat us. If we don't have a sense of pride and just play for yourself or something . . . this might be one of the worst teams to go through a season. The frustrating part about it is I know we're better than this. I don't know. Something has to change."

But nothing changes for these Cavaliers. Another game, another loss, another injury.

In setting club records for margin of defeat and fewest points in a game, they lost their 11th straight, their 21st in 22 overall, and their 17th straight on the road to fall to 8-30. The previous record loss came in the Cavs' first season when they lost, 141-87, on Nov. 2, 1970. The previous record for fewest points in a game was 59 at San Antonio on March 25, 1997. The 57 points also was a Lakers' record low for an opponent, and this was the third-largest margin of victory in Lakers history.

Meanwhile, Christian Eyenga, who wasn't even supposed to play because of a sprained right ankle, played six minutes before tweaking it in the third quarter. About the same time, Cavs guard Daniel Gibson arrived behind the bench after rehabbing his sprained left ankle in Cleveland for a week. He hopes to be able to take part in practice on Thursday.

But the Cavs sure could have used him on Tuesday -- along with the Marines.

"I thought that was embarrassing," said Cavs coach Byron Scott, who won three championships as a player with the Lakers. "We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but to come out and not compete? There's no excuse for that. I'm embarrassed because of the way we performed. I'm a Cleveland Cavalier right now and the way we performed last night, that's embarrassing to me.

"I had one other team [New Jersey] come in and I thought we looked a little nervous. But that was the NBA Finals. I haven't had another team come in and look that scared."

Cavs players seemed as embarrassed as their coach.

An hour after the game, guard Mo Williams tweeted: "This [expletive] is embarrassing. I feel like I can't even show my face in Cleve."

The loquacious Jamison was running out of words to express himself.

"In 13 years, I can honestly say I never felt that embarrassed to be on a basketball court," he said. "We knew what we were up against -- the defending champions, playing at home. I don't know. I guess as soon as we saw the 'Lakers' on their jerseys we just . . . I don't know. But it was definitely, by far, one of the most embarrassing moments that I've been a part of affiliated with the game of basketball. There's nothing else you can really say."

This article, written by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer, can be found at Cleveland.com

Preview - Cavs at Lakers: Manny Harris vs. Kobe Bryant

The Cavaliers continue their tough stretch on the road tonight as they face the defending NBA champions, the Los Angeles Lakers.

Manny Harris is likely to be matched up against arguably the best player in the Association, Kobe Bryant.

This got me to thinking, how do Manny Harris' rookie numbers stack up with Bryant's so far?

Let's take a look at the numbers.

Kobe Bryant was drafted in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets, who traded the would-be legend to Los Angeles.  During his rookie campaign, Kobe appeared in 71 games, starting 6 of those. 

The Black Mamba averaged 15 minutes per game during the 1997 season.  He never scored more than 24 points in a single game, in what was a tough rookie year for him.

Manny Harris has appeared in 17 games this season, starting 5 times.  He's averaging 15 minutes per game, although with recent injuries, that number is surely to sky-rocket.  In the last game alone, he played 41 minutes because Byron Scott believed he was the best player on the floor.

In the game vs. Phoenix, Manny finished with 27 points and only took 13 shots to do it. 

He's far more aggressive than Kobe was in his rookie season, and definitely more important to the team.

At this point in their rookie seasons, they were both shooting 40% from the field, and 81% from the free throw line.  The resemblances are strikingly similar.  Both are scoring shooting guards who play tenacious defense.

The difference is that in their rookie season, Manny looks more ready to contribute on a nightly basis than Bryant did at the same point. 

The main reason?  Kobe went straight from high school to the NBA and Manny decided to spend two years at polishing his skills at the University of Michigan.  (Shoutout to Dylan of UMHoops.com, we appreciate the love)

Surprisingly, the Cavaliers are the underdog in tonight's matchup.  Might have something to do with the fact that Pau Gasol and Andrew Bynum could potentially score 40 points each against our non-existent interior defense.

Byron Scott will hopefully play #6 big minutes tonight to see if the game in Phoenix was a fluke. I'm convinced it wasn't.

I'm not saying Manny Harris is better than Kobe Bryant right now.

I am saying that Manny will outplay Kobe Bryant tonight at the Staples Center.

Suns 108, Cavaliers 100: The Manny Harris Show

Just for the record, I've been right about Manny Harris all along.

The most talented player on the Cavs roster turned his game up to another level, and led the Cavaliers to a close defeat in Phoenix.

Manny Harris finished with a career-high 27 points on 7/13 shooting in his coming-out party, and surely solidifed his spot in the rotation (if not the starting lineup).  He also added 8 rebounds, and 3 assists in 41 minutes on the floor. 

He would have had even more assists if Jamison and Mo Williams weren't busy wasting his dimes, by bricking 3 pointers.  Antawn and Mo finished with a combined 1/10 from beyond the perimeter. Mo made 2 of the 11 shots he attempted.  Jamison finished with 23 points, but took 23 shots to get there.  In a perfect world, all 34 of those shots get redistributed to #6.  They lost us the game, not Manny Harris.

Manny took the right shots, drove when the opportunity presented itself, and was all over the floor. 

Manny even drew a huge charge with 3 minutes left in the game.

Right now, he is our best offensive option.  When he drives to the lane, he has an unbelieveable ability to change hands last second and finish lay-ups in a highlight-reel manner.

 It was the first game where Manny didn't think twice about shooting the basketball, and he played with an aggressive mindset for almost the entire game.  He has the offensive skills to create and make his own shot, he just needs the green light.  And it seems like at least for now, he has it.

Byron Scott, your thoughts?

"Manny Harris is playing with a lot of confidence right now."

This entire season, Manny was saying all the right things.  An undrafted rookie who wasn't even supposed to make the team has worked hard in practice, and proven he belongs in this league.  He stays late to shoot jump shots, and his hard work is paying off.

He consistently gave 100% effort on the defensive end.  Anyone who has seen him practice would know he's an unparalleled offensive talent, who has just been waiting for this exact moment to unleash his deadly offensive swagger. 

Campy Russell might have said it best during the postgame show, "I thought Manny Harris had the hot hand, and I think we should have gone to him more."

Oh yeah, the Cavaliers also lost their 10th game in a row, the second such streak of the season.  At this point, who really cares?  We're not making the playoffs, and I'm trying to just focus on enjoying watching this team compete on a nightly basis.

Byron Scott was pleased with the effort, but still doesn't want to watch losing basketball.

“I am extremely happy with the effort. I thought our guys played their butts off and played extremely hard. I’m really proud of our young guys, Manny, Christian and Samardo, I thought they really did an excellent job. It was that fourth quarter, the last few minutes we just seemed to, I wouldn’t say fall apart but we seem to do something we just can’t do. I addressed that with Christian, you know three fouls that sent them to the free throw line and gave them some easy points instead of making them earn them. That’s lack of experience from young guys but other than that I’m very proud and very happy with how hard we played.”

J.J. Hickson played excellent basketball as well.  He rebounding was picked up and he was rewarded with more playing time.  He finished with 23 points and 17 rebounds, almost Kevin Love-esque numbers. 

If J.J. can get us 9 offensive rebounds every night, we have a chance at winning most of those games.

Christian Eyenga continued his strong play and played productive minutes while displaying his world-class athleticism yet again.  He might have injured his ankle, but returned to the game and hopefully it was nothing serious.

Ramon Sessions continued his impressive streak of dunking out-of-nowhere.  To be honest, I think Ramon is a better option than Mo Williams right now. 

All this on the day the Cavaliers find out Anderson Varejao is likely done for the season.  That one hurts.

At least we can sit back and enjoy the Manny Harris show.

Undermanned Cavaliers get overwhelmed yet again as Golden State cruises

"The thing about this right now, when we turn this all around, it's going to be so much more gratifying. That's how I look at it." - Byron Scott

OAKLAND, Calif. — What was left of the Cavaliers was simply not enough to stop Golden State on Friday night as the Warriors ran off with a testy 116-98 victory in Oracle Arena.

Cleveland's Mo Williams and Golden State's David Lee were called for flagrant fouls in the second half, and Williams got a technical as the Cavs suffered their ninth straight loss, their 19th in 20 games, and dropped to 8-29 despite 21 points from former Warrior Antawn Jamison.

Monte Ellis had 32 points, and Lee had 22 points and 14 rebounds for the Warriors, who improved to 15-21.

The game capped a long, frustrating day for the Cavs and coach Byron Scott. Reporters approached Scott cautiously before the team's pregame shootaround.

"Is it still appropriate to say good morning?" one of them asked.

Across the floor, Anderson Varejao had taken the walking boot off his sprained right ankle and was getting treatment next to Joey Graham, who remains out with a strained right quad.

Behind Scott, Anthony Parker was telling the media how his back had tightened up in the second half of the Dallas game and still wasn't loose enough for him to play.

Back in Cleveland, Leon Powe was having surgery on a torn meniscus in his right knee, while Daniel Gibson was rehabbing his sprained left ankle.

But Scott remained almost defiantly optimistic.

"It's still appropriate to say good morning," he said.

With losses mounting along with the injuries, he dismissed any talk of a Cleveland curse.

Scott also dismissed the notion his former employer, the New Jersey Nets, was cursed for selling Julius Erving to the Sixers in 1976.

And yet, he admitted this season was close to getting beyond what he had envisioned as the worst-case scenario.

"I didn't envision these types of injuries," he said, calling the loss of Varejao and Gibson "devastating."

"But you know what? I'm equipped for this. I understand this.

"I'm able to deal with it."

"Every morning I wake up with a smile knowing I'm going to work to get better as a coach and get these guys better as players. That's how I approach it. In the long run, it's going to be something that's going to really benefit not only the players but the whole organization."

"The biggest thing I think that's in me is that I always look at the glass as being half full. I have a positive spin on everything. The thing about this right now, when we turn this all around, it's going to be so much more gratifying. That's how I look at it."

And when will that be?

"Sooner rather than later," he said. "Nobody knows what's happening next year with this [possible] lockout and all that going on.

"But I truly believe next year we'll be a much better basketball team . . . if there is a year."

He was asked if it's too late to save this year.

"I don't think it's too late but, obviously, time is running out," he said, "and when you have the guys injured that we have injured, it really makes it doubly hard.

"I never give up on the season. That's just not in me. I'm going to fight until it's game 82. I want these guys to be the same way. That's just my makeup. I don't care. So I would say right now, no it's not too late. And I'll say that until game 81 or 82 of the season."

This story, written by Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer, can be found at Cleveland.com

Preseason Game #3: Cavaliers 99, Rockets 93 (Houston we have liftoff)

I can't remember the last time I've had this much fun watching a preseason game.

The Cleveland Cavaliers went into Houston to face the Rockets, just a few days after getting owned by the Washington Wizards.  With Mo Williams and Anderson Varejao not making the trip, no one gave the Cavaliers a chance to win this game. Going up against the likes of Kevin Martin, Aaron Brooks, and the rest of the Rockets, it should have been a blow out.

But that's why they play the game.  Luckily Jake sent me the link of the online stream with a couple minutes to go in the 2nd quarter.  The Cavs were up 37-35, with 2:43 to go.  What's the first thing I see in the game?  A nasty throwdown by J.J. Hickson?  Yes Sir.

I listened to Joe Tait call the first quarter, and it was a back and forth battle between the two teams.  Samardo Samuels was playing great, and Hickson looked dominant.  Fast forward about 30 seconds, where JJ decides to pull a rebound out of the air on a missed layup by Sessions, and completes the nasty tip-slam.  For some reason the refs called a ridiculous technical foul for apparently hanging on the rim for 2 seconds.  That's what I call Cavaliers swag in my book, definitely worth the unjustified technical.

The Rockets have to call a timeout and the Cavs are up 41-39.  What do we see when we return from the break?  You guessed it, another JJ dunk.. this time a demoralizing alley-oop.  This is what Cavaliers basketball is all about.  There was 1:21 left in the half and Hickson already had 16 points and 10 rebounds.  Meanwhile, we're trading baskets with the Rockets but I could honestly care less. 

There was one thing that was bothering me;  Antawn Jamison kept bricking 3's and he was really holding the Cavaliers back.  I've seen him shoot 3's in practice, and he always seems to be money.  Apparently he forgot to bring his A-game last night. 

Let's get back to the important things, like when Hickson emphatically blocked a shot which led to a Sessions layup to give the Cavaliers a 47-45 lead going into the half.  They say preseason doesn't matter, but several things were clear after 2 quarter of play;  Hickson is going to be a beast this season, Samardo Samuels is legit, and the Cavs offense looked like it's supposed to.  Not to mention the Cavaliers road jersey's are sick.  Get used to it.  While we did miss all 7 three pointers we attempted, we shot 48% on the half and things were going our way.  Gibson and Sessions led the way with 7 points each. 

Jared Jeffries started the scoring off in the 2nd half with a ridiculously deep 3.  Sessions returns with a basket, and another after that when Antawn made himself useful with a great assist to Sessions.  This is some seriously fun-to-watch basketball, and I"m starting to gain confidence in the new team.

Unfortunately Jamison continued his ice-cold shooting, and bricked another three.  At the same time, I couldn't help but wonder how Byron Scott can pull off a short-sleeve polo under a blazer.  I digress.

Jawad Williams finally drills a 3 halfway through the 3rd quarter, after attempting quite a few.  And the Cavaliers just.keep.rolling.  A no look pass on the fast break from Hickson to Parker, and it's 63-60 Cavs. 

At this point in the game, another blatently ridiculous call on J.J. occurs when he went up for a tip-slam.  Apparently referees in the association blow their whistle when someone jumps over Jordan Hill to dunk the basketball.  Must be a new rule this year.  He literally jumped over him and apparently someone felt bad.  Next time they call over-the-back on Hickson we're going to have some serious issues.

And Jamison is still the weak link.  Not to pick on him, but he simply just was not having a good night.  Sessions keeps up the pressure, and the Cavs just keep scoring. 

The 4th quarter starts and the Cavaliers trail by 5.  Much to my delight, rookie stud Manny Harris starts off the quarter in the game, just as he should.  Jawad drills a 3 to start things off right, and the Cavs cut the lead to 2.  It was right about then that Manny Harris decided to take things into his own hands.  His first display of greatness came when he drove to the hole and finished an And-1 lay-up, and it's Rockets 74, Cavs 73.  Harris comes down the floor and proceeds to knock down another jumper, destroying Houston's confidence in their ability to play the game of basketball.  Next things up, Manny feels the need to steal the ball.. and proceeds with a fast-break dunk that would have made Ricky Davis proud.  Harris definitely wants to make this team, and was making quite a case to do so. 

Samardo Samuels resumes his presence on the offensive post and a spinning hook gives the Cavs a commanding 81-78 lead.  Meanwhile, Jawad loves shooting 3 pointers. 

Manny Harris is still in the game, and for good reason.  Yet again he makes more magic happen, and drew contact on a 3 pointer.. swishing all three free-throws that followed.  It was about time for Eyenga to show up to the party;  His entrance was nothing short of grand.  Christian pulls up on consecutive possessions with deep 3's and rainbows both of them in to the bottom of the net.  The lead has now ballooned to 88-80 Cavaliers, with 6 minutes remaining.  After some Manny free throws put us up 97-91, the game was all but over.  Other than Hickson, Eyenga and Harris are officially the best players on the Cavaliers roster. 

This win truly showed what the new look Cavs are capable of, and certainly gave the team a new feeling of confidence heading into the future. 

The Cleveland Cavaliers are now 2-1 in the preseason, and will likely defeat the Dallas Mavericks tonight to cement their legacy.  I can't remember ever having this much fun watching the Cavs.  16 days until Boston?  Sign me up.

Preseason Game #2 Preview and the "John Wall effect"

Much like the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Washington Wizards are a new team with some fresh faces. 

First you have Gilbert Arenas, the recently-troubled veteran member of the team who has represented the franchise in the past.  The Wizards are turning a new page over from the Arenas-era, to effectively hand the team over to John Wall.  Washington was fortunate enough to lock up the #1 draft pick, and thus were handed the keys to the best college player in recent memory.

John Wall has an explosive first-step, and will likely be the favorite to win the Rookie of the Year award. 

In my opinion, Arenas is still a formidable option at the Point, but he will see a reduced role this year as the team will want to get Wall the experience he needs to lead this team in the future.  Along with Chris Paul, John marks a player who represents the new generation of stud point guards in the Association. 

Don't forget about another off-season acquistion, the underrated Kirk Hinrich.  As a member of the Bulls last year, he saw significant minutes and was simultaneously expected to mentor the young but talented Derrick Rose.  While he knows he will be be expected to mentor Wall in a similar fashion, he still expects to get a fair share of minutes with Washington this season. 

"That comes with the territory of being a veteran in this league," Hinrich said before his first preseason game with the Washington Wizards.  "When you're a veteran on a team that's got a lot of young guys, I feel like it's your responsibility to help bring them up right.  But I'm here to play as well."

Don't count him out either.  Head Coach Flip Saunders has already made it clear that Hinrich will at least begin the season starting at the 2 position, with Wall at the point.  That means Arenas will be coming off the bench, and at least for now, he said he's more than okay with that.

However, with 3 talented players who all originally played point guard, one might anticipate Washington making a move that would send Arenas out of town, effectively removing his long-time stamp on the franchise.  Like the Cavaliers, the Wizards want to get their new players into the mix and create a new feel for the team.

It should be interesting to see the dynamic John Wall in action tonight at Quicken Loans Arena, in a matchup with our Cleveland Cavaliers.  Byron has declared that players who didn't see as much action in Tuesday's game will see more time on the floor tonight.  That should bode well for Christian Eyenga, Jawad Williams, and maybe even Manny Harris. 

The season is quickly approaching, with only 20 more days until the opener against Boston.  Byron needs to see what exactly he has, and what lineups work best.  Wall's explosiveness should be a good test for a Cavaliers defense who has had trouble stopping quick guards such as Rajon Rondo in the past.  Maybe if we're lucky, we'll even get to see him do the John Wall Dance. 

The Cavaliers could use some help at the Center position

On Friday night, the Cavaliers previewed the new team and offense in the annual Wine & Gold Scrimmage.  By all accounts, the game was a constant fastbreak, and it seemed like the Cavs were not completely adjusted to the new system under Coach Byron Scott.  Take this with a grain of salt, because there were several key players missing;  Antawn Jamison, Mo Williams, and Anderson Varejao did not participate.

There were several bright spots, most notably the play of Ramon Sessions as well as Cavs veteran Daniel "Boobie" Gibson.  Ramon seemed to have the best grasp of the new, uptempo offense, and it translated in the scorer's books;  Sessions finished with a game-high 13 points to go along with 4 assists, as he led the "Wine" team to a 47-41 victory (for what it's worth.)  Ramon has made it clear that he feels very comfortable in the "Princeton" style of offense Scott employs, and enjoys the seemingly unlimited amount of freedom afforded to him. 

Gibson started at the point for the "Gold" team, and was thus matched up against Sessions in what turned out to be a fun battle to watch.  With Mo Williams penciled in as the starter, it appears that Ramon and Boobie will be fighting for playing time, although you might see Boobie as well as Williams get some minutes at the 2 guard.  Byron obviously wants this team to press the ball, and he likes what Sessions is doing with the team so far.  He has the ability to see the floor very well, and often took advantage of open lanes and nicely utilizing pick-and-rolls.

There was however, a glaring issue that shouldn't really come as much of a surprise.  With Anderson Varejao in Brazil tending to family matters, the Cavaliers looked almost pathetically thin at the Center position.  Varejao undoubtedly will be the starter when the season opens, but he's not really accustomed to that role.  Our other only legitimate option at center is Ryan Hollins, who will be a work-in-progress this season.

The only other possibility the Cavaliers have at center as of right now is to slide one of our Power Forwards over, but that could prove to haunt us when we're matched up against the legitimate Centers in the east.  Don't get me wrong, I love J.J. Hickson, but he probably would get demolished against Dwight Howard.  Leon Powe could also play the Center, but he's still recovering from a serious knee surgery. 

That leaves Varejao and Hollins as our two options, and it's clear that the Cavs will be in the market for another big man.  Other teams know how limited we are with the departure of O'Neal as well as Ilgauskas, and they will exploit that weakness.  Sure, playing small can also have it's benefits.. but just ask the Phoenix Suns how far that got them.

Can the Cavaliers make the playoffs with our current predicament at center?  It's not out of the question.  Will we have a chance against the likes of Boston, Orlando, and Miami?  Nope.  I'm not sure who the Cavs will go after, but don't believe Byron Scott when he says that he's "not sure" if we'll need to add another Center.  This team has some good pieces right now, but its obvious we're missing another 7 footer.  Defending and rebounding in the paint might be the biggest weakness of this team right now.  Hopefully we'll get Varejao back soon, as well as Williams and Jamison.  Tomorrow we open up the preseason against the Bobcats, and only 23 more days until Boston rolls into town for the season opener.  The season is less than a month away, and the clock is ticking.

Will Manny Harris lead the Cavs to the promised land?

"Don't talk to me about aesthetics or tradition.  Talk to me about what sells and what's good right now.  And what the American people like is to think that the underdog still has a chance."  The late George Steinbrenner was once quoted as saying that, obviously talking about this year's Cleveland Cavaliers, and more specifically Manny Harris as a training camp invitee.

You might have several questions, all of which clearly demonstrate your lack of Association-related expertise.  Who exactly is Manny Harris, why are we talking about him, and what does this have to do with the Cavaliers?  I would like to reiterate, that all of the aforementioned inquiries clearly demonstrate your lack of basketball knowledge. 

Manny Harris was a legendary college basketball player celebrated for his memorable offensive-juggernaut status as a member of the Michigan Wolverines.  Manny was such a stud that he chose to declare himself for the 2010 NBA draft, after a promising junior campaign.  There were some who would question this decision, declaring him a raw product and unworthy of a draft at any position.  Really?  Sadly, the heroic Wolverine did just that, going undrafted in an unfathomable shock to his ego and basketball aptitude. 

Why would every team in the Association pass up the opportunity to draft who was essentially Clark Kent disguised in a Maize and Blue uniform?  I'll throw you some statistics;  Mull over each of them in amazement as we consider the utter ignorance of the front office executives who chose to waste their draft picks elsewhere.  Now we're all aware of the national powerhouse Redford High School in Detroit, so I won't bother explaining their mascot is affectionally known as a "Huskie."  Tell me more you say?

In High School alone, Manny became the first player to start for three consecutive Detroit Public School League championship teams since the feat had been accomplished by the sensational Jalen Rose.  In a single game, Harris recorded 52 points and 15 rebounds, a mere 48 shy of the mark Dajuan Wagner dropped during High School in New Jersey.  Okay, so he had one good game.. so what?  Let's also remember in that same season, Manny would go on to average 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 assists per game.  I'll also have you remember I selected him in my HS Detroit League fantasy team that same year.  Talk about a steal in the 2nd round.

It would make sense then that Manny would be named 2007's Mr. Basketball in the great state of Michigan.  He received offers from Tennessee, UCLA, and Indiana just to name a few.. but he was always going to be a Wolverine.  He would not disappoint, and came into his freshman year ready to make the impact that was clearly expected of him.  He led Michigan in scoring with 16 points per game, set the record for free throws made in a season as a Wolverine, and also took home Big 10 Player of the Week honors. 

As a result of his efforts, the next year Manny was named a Big 10 preseason All-First team player.  Really?  They give out preseason All-1st team player awards?  Obviously, this award is coveted amongst the college ranks as it marks a significant achievement yet to occur.  Robbie Hummel was named Preseason Big 10 player of the year.  In a shocking revelation, some have pointed out that being named a Preseason All Big 10 nominee doesn't necessary translate to the actual season.  Fascinating, I know.  In both 2005 and 2007, only 2 players on the Preseason team would actually make the Regular season All Big 10 team.  I love those kinds of awards, (Preseason "Blogger of the Year") I'll take two please.

Manny actually did hold on to that award however, and impressed during his sophmore campaign.  So much so, that he became widely regarded as the top rated player in the Big 10.  Manny was content with garnering the recognition he deserved, and felt the need to open the season with a Triple Double just to confirm the hype.  Try to forget that came against Division II Northern Michigan, that's beside the point. 

There are several prominent theories, of which few are considered logical or even sensible, as to why Manny eventually went undrafted in this year's NBA Draft.  For starters, Manny has dealt with a serious injury issue regarding his ankle.  Apparently such a minor flaw can prove to be too big of a concern for the NBA scouts and talent development.  I still question their evaluation.  Depending on who you ask, Manny was fueled with rage and decided to unleash his anger in a domination of the NBA summer league with the Cleveland Cavaliers.  He would only see limited action however, due to the same nagging ankle injury and additionally he developed an issue with his hamstring.

The Cavaliers made the obvious move to allow Manny to try out with the team during this year's training camp, which began yesterday.  I believe I've convinced myself he deserves an opportunity to show what he can do, although he's what George Steinbrenner would consider "an Underdog." 

Byron Scott will likely fall in love with Manny's ability to run in an uptempo system, his smooth jumper, and offense-first mentality.  However, with Ramon Sessions, Mo Williams, and Daniel Gibson already fighting for playing time, there seems to be a log-jam at the guard position and Harris is likely the odd man out.  But my question still stands.  Will Manny Harris lead the Cavaliers to the promised land?  It's a strong possibilty.  That is, if he makes the team.

                   

The Wine & Gold Scrimmage - Friday, October 1st

This year’s edition of the wine and gold scrimmage will again be held at the University of Akron’s Rhode Arena, this Friday at 7:00 pm.   This will be a great opportunity to watch an entertaining intra-squad scrimmage.   The scrimmage is free with an entrance voucher. 

If you are interested in seeing the overlooked, underrated players on the Cavaliers' roster for the upcoming season, this is the best opportunity to do so.  It will also be an exclusive opportunity to see head coach Byron Scott take control of this team in the first public appearance of the season.  Unlike other teams that claim their goal and mindset will be to “run the ball,” Byron actually makes it happen.  This year’s team will be exciting to watch, as an uptempo pace is exactly what is needed.  No more watching an overrated player dribble the ball at the top of the key while the shot clock winds down.  Scott will have this team in shape and ready to run at every chance.  At the very least, this team will be fun to watch.

It will be interesting to see who can step up and take ownership of this team.  Obviously with the injury, Mo Williams will not be playing;  This will give Ramon Sessions an opportunity to show why he should be starting.  Will Jawad Williams make the proverbial leap to become the starting SF, or will Jamario Moon cement his starting position?  Does Ryan Hollins have the skillset to start at center in the NBA?  And will Anderson Varejao be able to create offense essentially on his own? 

This scrimmage will go a long way in determining who can play and who will be watching the games on the bench.  Personally, I’m excited to see Samardo Samuels perform either against or alongside JJ Hickson, both of which are talented but raw forwards in the Association.  I’m not sure if Eyenga will start the season on the roster or whether they will send him to the D-league to start out, but either way he has the talent and athleticism to become a special player in this league.

At this point with Williams out, everyone expects Jamison to take the role as veteran leader of the team.  Will he return to his All-Star form and average 20 points a game?  Looking at our roster, it certainly might be required of him.  The main question for Jamison will be whether or not he is coming off the bench.  The combination of Hickson, Varejao, Hollins, and Jamison will mean someone is not on the floor for the opening tip.  I’d like to at least see Scott try to play Jamison at the 4 and start Hickson at Center, with Varejao coming off the bench for his much needed spark.  I’m excited to see what the Cavaliers will be able to do this season; I don’t agree with anyone that says we won’t be able to compete. 

Like most people in this great city of Cleveland, I already have December 2^nd circled on my calendar.  But first things first, let’s have a good showing at the Wine and Gold scrimmage and set the bar high for the season.  We might be missing a superstar, but we gained a great coach and a new offensive philosophy.  We won’t have to worry about pleasing a self-absorbed primadonna.  I’m convinced we’re a playoff team, and you won’t be able to tell me otherwise.  Preseason starts in 8 days.   Is there anything better than Cavaliers basketball?

Cavaliers Update (Oh no Mo?)

In less than a few days the Cavaliers will open training camp without former leader LeBron James. Unfortunately, the Cavaliers will also open training camp without current leader, Mo Williams.

* According to Brian Windhorst's Twitter Page Mo Williams will be out until mid-October. “G Mo Williams suffered groin muscle injury in workouts. Had an MRI, which showed no tear. Expected to be out until mid-October.”

* Mo Williams experienced a right groin pain while working out at the Cleveland Clinic Courts located in Independence, Ohio. After examination from Dr. Richard Parker and an MRI results found inflammation. He is expected to participate in low-impact drills at training camp while also going through periods of treatment and rehab.

* More Mo—Mo Williams apparently was “misquoted” about considering retirement.

“Just need to put this out there to all my fans about the yahoo story about me retiring, since it's getting a little out of hand. I was misquoted or misunderstood however u want to put it. I will clear everything up Monday on media day. I was never considering walking away right now. And especially because LBJ left. It made a good story though. Though you know I will never walk away prematurely before my contract is up. That's absurd."

* The Cavaliers also just released their promotional schedule. Some promotions include: T-Shirt giveaways, McFamily Nights, Cavalier sweater vest night, Kids Day, CavFanatic night, Anderson Varejao Booblehead and many more. So make sure to check out the promotional schedule.

All for One. One for All.

Keep your heads up Cleveland