A month of basketball can say a lot about a team. A month brings injuries, road trips, and both winning and losing streaks.
On January 2nd, the Cleveland Cavaliers were 15-12 and in a virtual deadlock with the Detroit Pistons for the lead in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
On February 3rd, the Cavs stood at 26-19 and 1.5 games back of the Pistons.
Undoubtedly, the month in between has provided the Cavs with turmoil, stress, and obstacles that have prevented them from jumping out to a commanding lead in the standings.
That's certainly one way of looking at it. The other way is to say that any shortcomings apparent in Cleveland's play the last month have little to do with temporary setbacks and more to do with deep-seated concerns about their gameplan, strategy, and personnel decisions.
Over the last month, Dan Gilbert has bought the team from previous owner Gordon Gund. Clearly, Gund and his team will try to make the transition as smooth as possible, but Gilbert still has a lot to learn about the organization and the business of basketball.
One of Gilbert's early concerns seems to be the impending free agency of center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Z, perhaps one of the least recognized yet most productive centers inthe league, has recently been the talk of numerous trade rumors. Gilbert has questioned the practicality of paying the Lithuanian center an expected salary of close to $20 million a year should he remain in Cleveland.
While Gilbert may have genuine concerns of spending that much money on a set of gigantic feet that have been surgically repaired multiple times and reconstructed with metal and bolts, GM Jim Paxon and LeBron James realize how important Z is to the Cavs' future.
Ilgauskas has played over 250 games since missing almost two complete seasons because of foot injuries. This season, Z is averaging 16.8 points per game (fifth highest among centers,) and has shown a versatility not many would expected from his less than elegant movement. James has openly stated that he needs Z and has guaranteed that Ilgauskas gets his contract. Of all the things Dan Gilbert should learn in his new endeavors, ways to keep LeBron happy and in Cleveland should be chief among them.
The last month has also brought a slew of injuries to the squad, forcing coach Paul Silas to constantly retune his starting lineup. First, LeBron James went down with a broken ocular bone, forcing him to wear a protective mask until it completely heals. Jeff McGinnis went down for a couple of games after spraining his ankle in a game against Sacramento. Ira Newble and fan favorite Anderson "American Idol" Varejao also suffered similar fates, but the high-ankle variety of their injuries are expected to keep them out at least a couple of more weeks. Also, Lucious Harris injured his chest and now wears a protective vest that looks like something out of Training Day.
Not to mention the ongoing saga of Dajuan Wagner, who has encountered every ailment known to man in the last year. From the flu to colitis, you name it, Dajuan has missed games because of it.
Note to Dan Gilbert: notice the absence of Ilgauskas' name on that list.
Perhaps the only good thing to come out of the injuries is the emerging role of Sasha Pavlovic. Not given much playing time early in the season, and watching Ira Newble start in front of him, Pavlovic hasn't had much of a chance to make his mark. However, in the last four games that he's started, Sasha (which of course sounds more like a stripper at the Crazy Horse than a basketball player) has shown an ability to run the floor with LeBron, drive the lane on his own, make opportunities for himself off the dribble, and robotically nail open jump shots. I wouldn't be surprised if Ira, after returning from the ankle injury, returns to being a role-player and we continue to see the rise of Sasha.
Pavlovic is providing something that the Cavaliers have been desperately short of lately. Perimeter shooting. As a team, they rank near last in both three point attempts, and three-point percentage. Jeff McGinnis leads the team with a .368 average, but LeBron is right behind him at .362 with 69 less attempts. Lucious Harris, the organization's answer to these concerns, has only 46 attempts for a .304 average.
Why are the Cavs happy that they have the cap room to go after a Michael Redd or Baron Davis in the offseason? Because their lack of an outside presence has caused them problems against strong zone defenses so far. Teams huddle around Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden because they know that is where the ball is going because no one on the outside has a decent chance of converting.
This brings up two personal complaints:
1. Eric Snow, whatever his qualifications and experience, has no business taking deep jump shots, especially when the game is on the line. That is why you have LeBron James. All-star. 25.2 points per game.
2. When Carlos Boozer jumped ship to Utah, my immediate next thought was, "The Cavs are going to sign Tractor Traylor." Of course, a couple of days later, this is exactly what happened. While the Tractor has proved to be a great addition for his hustle, rebounding, and inside presence during the frequent periods when Ilgauskas is on the bench with 3,459 personal fouls, if I see him take another 23-foot jump shot, miss, and then run down court patting his chest as to indicate, "My bad," I'm going to curse loudly.
Once again, this is why you have LeBron James.
Starting January 3rd, the Cavs amassed a four-game win streak at home against such powerhouses as Charlotte, New York, and Atlanta. Then the schedule took them on a eight-game West Coast swing that was sure to test the then leader of the Central Division.
They ended the road trip 4-4, a record that coach Paul Silas called a "success," and kept the Cavs in first place. The trip should have been referred to as the trip of missed opportunities.
On the first game of the swing, a bill that featured LeBron vs. Kobe and the Cavs vs Lakers, Cleveland managed a lackluster effort against the star-less Lakers after Kobe went down with an ankle injury.
In a game that the Cavs led by nine points in the fourth quarter, Seattle came back to win by double-digits led by an apparently unstoppable Ray Allen.
The crowning jewel came in an embarrassing loss to Sacramento in an effort that can only be described as pathetic. Tired legs are not an acceptable excuse when going against a premier Western Conference team. The Kings dominated the glass, the perimeter, and simply ran laps around the Cavaliers, and when they weren't running in circles, they were passing around Cleveland defenders that looked less than helpless.
What's interesting is that even with a 4-4 trip to the coast, the Cavaliers still have a 11-7 record against the Western Conference. Only three other teams in the East have comparable numbers, including Orlando at 11-8, Miami at 10-10, and Detroit at 9-7.
So, how have the Cavs maintained such a stretch of mediocrity? The Eastern Conference is considerably less tough than the West, and Cleveland is 17-4 at home at Gund Arena.
In the last month, 16 games, the Cavaliers wins have come against teams with a combined winning percentage of .337. Take away their win against an ever-improving Memphis team and that number drops to .309. In fact, with the exception of the Grizzlies, the Cavaliers haven't beaten a team with a winning percentage greater than .422 in that stretch.
Certainly, you have to beat the teams that you should beat, but there is also something to be said for coming up big in games that demand it. The Seattle, Orlando, and Los Angeles games were all winnable. Plus, Cleveland has had to fight and claw to put up a "W" against the Bobcats, Knicks, and Bucks. Not exactly a sign of confidence for a team that will be one of the highest seeds in the East.
Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, after being called out by Silas, are starting to respond with better rebounding, scoring, and defensive efforts. Gooden has recently cracked the top ten in rebounding with 9.7 per game. But the consensus is still that both are soft in the paint on the defensive end, a feeling that is not going to change by watching Shaq treat Z like his little brother.
During All-Star Weekend, LeBron James will be busy displaying his dizzying array of skills on an international stage, an arena where he thrives (obviously something Larry Brown should know by now). In the meantime, Cleveland will hope that some of their wounds heal, and their legs will be rejuvenated enough to make a strong run in the second half.
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