I've always been an avid reader of eyes and faces....and was last night, ever a great night for introspective gazing...From LeBron's piercing concentration, saying this is the most focused he has been in his life....to Daniel "no fear" Gibson, to the other DG, Drew Gooden, whose eyes are the windows to his world of fun...to Mike Brown, who like LB, belies his age of 37, with a calm and assurance that feeds right through his locker room...to you fans at the Q, who displayed the utter joy of not so much beating Detroit, but watching your team again deliver in crunch time...

Tayshaun Prince said it best in today's Detroit Free Press..."they did what we do"...and that is keep games close when necessary, and then take over when it matters most...it's a sign your Cavaliers are growing into title contenders before your very eyes...

The Free Press is also the master of the sports headline double entendre...today's "EERIE FEELING" is right on, since we have another Lake Erie standoff after four games....but while last year, I think the Pistons perhaps viewed the Cavs as more of a nuisance...this time, they know these Clevelanders are legit...that being said, I know those guys in that Piston locker room...they come from the "if it ain't rough, it ain't right" school...so, no fear in their eyes...they will carry their usual swagger into Game-5...the Cavs will have to continue to match it...

Finally, part of the Cavs growth has been something Mike Brown has talked to his team about since training camp, and that is ability to handle success...again, the Cavs have to handle it with care after two stare downs of the Pistons....it all makes for fascinating theatre...

Talk to you tomorrow before Game-5...

The Cavs and Pistons spent the day, mixing in some work with a pause for a little Memorial Day reflection...especially with the daily news from Iraq...

Larry Hughes drew much of the media attention, revealing he has plantar fasciitis in his left heel...remember, that's the arch/heel injury which for some feels like you are running with a golf ball, or a marble in your shoe...Mark Price had it, late in his final NBA season...it was an injury which was prevalent during that time period...Grant Hill suffered from it early in his career, among others...but eventually, better shoes and stretching techniques cut down the incidents of it...

Larry admits it's a partial tear and is doubtful for tonight...assuming he can't go, Daniel Gibson will likely get the start, coming off perhaps his most impressive game as a rookie in Game-3...not only did he hit big shots, but he was the target of 9 back downs and or post-ups by Chauncey Billups and Tayshaun Prince (on switches) and all he allowed was a free throw...certainly Boobie knew defensive help was coming in each case, so, he was never left on an island...Daniel feels he is a better, more experienced player than when he started 13 games at the point in February...

Boobie took part in shooting drills today, as the Cavs used this day to rest and view tape...The Texas Longhorn is very comfortable in this media setting...he was surrounded by reporters again today, just like last night, and answered every question with the cool and calm of a veteran...you can just tell he was made for this, and is having the time of his life...I loved LeBron's comment, that he wants the rook on the floor with him...Daniel helps space the floor, and is fearless when it comes to taking big shots...more on that tomorrow...

By the way...I saw one of my all time favorite license plates today...actually it would be perfect for LeBron...3VOM Y3H...when you check out the rear view mirror, it's perfect for the L-train...

See you tonight Cavaliers Live on FSN...

Gameday!

We will see tonight, how much confidence the Cavaliers bring home, following two narrow losses at The Palace...the problem is, no team in the NBA has more road swagger than these Pistons...they relish the challenge of winning playoff games on the road...

Tempo will again be a barometer for me...can the Cavs get transition and early offense tonight, to take pressure off the half court offense..

Funniest site, aside from LeBron's 92 footer yesterday at practice...little David Wesley Jr, who will soon be 3 years old...he by the way, wants his hair cut like Sasha's...not all the way like Dad's...his favorite Cav? Drew Gooden...in fact...at home, he likes to wear a headband like #90, and wants to be called "Drew"...so, I tested the little guy, (who is incredibly cute by the way)...

He, Dad, and two sisters were leaving the Q...I was walking behind them, and said..."hey Drew"....sure enough, little David turned around and looked at me...hilarious!!!! Dad and I cracked up...See you tonight on Cavaliers Live pregame starting at 8pm on FSN...and then Cavaliers Live post game, immediately after the game...

Eve of Game 3

It's the eve of a critical Game-3 for the Cavaliers....we'll all be watching the first half of the 3rd quarter intently.......that stretch has cost the Wine and Gold a 2-0 series lead....

It's the first 8 and a half minutes of the 2nd half....consider this....the other 39 and a half minutes of both games have been owned by the Cavs.....Game-1, 70-62...Game-2,72-64...

During that series defining stretch of 8 and a half minutes the Pistons went on a 17-6 rampage in the series opener, holding the Cavs to 3 scores in 14 possessions...

In Game-2, the Pistons came out of the locker room with a 15-4 binge...holding the Cavs to 2 Sasha hoops over another 14 possessions....

Donyell Marshall feels the Pistons turn up their physical play at that stage, and the Cavs haven't matched it...Donyell says the Pistons' experience plays into that...and the Cavs will be better prepared for it tomorrow night...

See you tomorrow night on FSN Ohio for Cavaliers Live pre and post game from the Q...

The Game-2 wait is nearly over...when told that Rasheed Wallace said the Pistons feel like they lost Game-1, based on how they played, Larry Hughes smiled and said..."if they want to give us the win instead we'll take it"...The bottom line is both teams know the intensity meter will be turned up tonight...meaning open scoring looks may go down...

I asked Z if he noticed a difference between the feel of the ECF versus the semi's...he said...no doubt...it sort of surprised him...he said he felt like he drank too much coffee, as he listened to the national anthem...he felt the jitters, and added, the guys were probably too hyped...Z feels that led to some second half mistakes...so, settling down will be a key for the Cavs against a team on it's 5th straight appearance in the ECF...

Two signs we may be infiltrating motown...a truck, with Michigan plates, driving up I-75, through the heart of downtown today had scribbled on the back in chalk..."GO CAVS"...yes, with Michigan plates...and right in the middle of an eastside Detroit neighborhood, a lawn cutting service with a worker wearing....a LeBron home white uniform...

See you tonight on FSN Ohio for Cavaliers Live Post game, followed by Cleveland Rants..

The Cavs are back at the scene of the crime...still as confident as ever, despite the coast to coast dissection of the final few seconds of Game-1...every one of the guys feels LeBron made the right play Wednesday night, and LB himself basically said the same thing again today, knowing he came up with the right play...Donyell himself, says look...if I do my job and hit that 3, the entire world is talking about how unselfish that pass was...

He is right...that's the razor thin difference of being the hero or taking the fall, when an ECF game comes down to the final ticks...but frankly, this will just make LeBron stronger...Isiah Thomas had to live with that infamous "Bird stole the ball" highlight in 1987, in game-5 of the ECF...The Pistons wound up losing game-7, but the killer pain of that mistake drove Thomas and his team to the NBA finals the following year...

LeBron knows he is being heavily criticized, but said today, he doesn't care...because in his mind, it's about the team, and he can live with that decision...The Pistons, from Chauncey Billups to Rip Hamilton have taken up LB's defense for that pass...So, one way to remedy that kick in the gut is to come out and attack in game-2...he admitted he can't hold the ball as much as he sometimes does...not against this elite Pistons D, because that's what they want him to do...

By the way at today's light workout, with just over :02 left on the shot clock, Donyell did nail a 3-ball from the same right corner...and the guys then ran over and mobbed him, showing their sense of humor is still in tact...I think they're still loose...they feel certain they will play better in game-2...but you know so do the Pistons...that's why I think this will be intriguing theatre...

Don't forget to flip over from TNT immediately following the game for our Cavaliers Live Postgame coverage from the Palace...

It's too early to say if the Cavs let a golden opportunity slip away, or did Detroit simply "find a way to win"...

Here's my point....If in Game-2 the Pistons win handily, yes, the Game-1 loss will sting even more....But if the Cavs even the series, then last night's closely contested game was another stepping stone, and worth the pain...

I really sensed the latter from the Cavs confidence wise in the locker room....no losses are good ones, but sometimes you learn more about yourself in the white hot lights of the ECF that you couldn't have known before...and maybe you also learn something else about your opponent...Let's see how this series plays out...but I think the Cavs have gotten the attention of Pistons nation.....

This will be a duel of wills between two premier defensive teams...

Join us on FSN as soon as TNT leaves the Palace for Cavaliers Live...Campy is here for his expert analysis...see you then....

Are you ready for game 1? The Cavs certainly are...I think the guys will be loose, knowing very few this side of Bill Livingston are giving the Wine and Gold a chance...Daniel Gibson says his Dad told him to smile and have fun...we've seen that approach from Boobie all year including when he drained those two triples in New Jersey...he remains very calm inside in this, the biggest stage of his basketball life...

Detroit is awash in Stanley Cup disappointment after their beloved Red Wings fell behind, 3 games to 2 against Anaheim yesterday in the Western Conference finals...Slightly off the radar screen, come the Pistons whom everyone here, assumes, will move on...The problem is the Pistons players will not make that assumption and will take the Cavs very seriously...especially after last year's 7 game showdown...

My key in this series will be how much early offense the Cavs can generate...fast breaks or easy hoops...The Pistons will try and make it as uncomfortable as possible for LeBron to get to the rim...so, like in the Jersey series, LB will be looking at four and five defenders every time he tries to get into the paint...The ability to run is an area where the Cavs could have an advantage...but the 5 time Eastern Conference finalists are so good in the set half court defense, they will try and control tempo, as they usually do...

Eric Snow will be important too...no one in the NBA challenges Chauncey Billups physically, the way the Canton Bulldog does...he'll take away Billups' back down game, which sets up the rest of his attack...

The deciding match-up though will be at the 3...LeBron is not only facing a long armed premier defender, in Tayshaun Prince, but an offensive player who is now a triple threat...he will put pressure on LB when he has the ball, so staying out of foul trouble will be critical for LeBron...But usually a King pulls rank against a Prince...

Join us all series long for Cavaliers Live Post Game immediately following each game, on FSN Ohio....

It's on Cleveland!

It's on Cleveland!....let the ECF begin against the team you all want to beat the most...just like the Pistons wanted to topple the Celtics in the '80's, and the Bulls wanted to dethrone the Pistons in the early '90's...The fact these teams are separated only by a lake and a turnpike makes this all the more juicy...

All of Pistons nation is supremely confident...they would only admit to having Cedar Point envy...they point to three NBA championship parades, and a thirst for a fourth....we just want our first....I'm old enough to remember Frank Ryan to a wide open Gary Collins to help beat the Colts in '64...so, I'm just as hungry as you are...

That being said, this series is personally as good as it gets for me...I have so much respect for the Pistons organization and what Joe Dumars represents, going into detail would make it sound like I want them to win another title...all I can tell you is this....like Danny Ferry experienced first hand what made the Spurs a model championship to emulate, I have observed on a much lower level, a similar blue print in the motor city...two different generations, with Dumars being the common denominator...

All of his Pistons have a tough mindedness and single focus that he had as a player...the intangible things you don't see as a fan...the culture breeds it...Mark Aguirre never had it before he became a Piston...neither did Richard Hamilton...soon, they did...

This all brings us back to the Cavs, and why Dan Gilbert on down are trying to institute their own recipe for success...yes, a few borrowed basketball traits from Detroit and San Antonio, but primarily mixed with a tried and true business model promoting teamwork that Dan has brought to the Cavs organization...In the end, no guarantees of a title, but success does breed success...

And part of that winding road means experiencing growing pains....LeBron and the James gang felt the kick in the gut last year, when Flip Murray's one-handed rebound got away...now, the Wine and Gold will run into the Pistons on a whole different level...because this is the NBA's final-4...They'll have to match the intensity and ruggedness on every single possession...

More tomorrow...as we get set for Game-1...don't forget to flip over to FSN Ohio immediately following the game for Cavaliers Live postgame coverage...

What a night....what a wild ride to the Eastern Finals....congrats to every fan, who has stuck it through the tough times...it really reminds me so much of the Pistons years of the mid-late '80's, building from obscurity with a mega star, as they had with Isiah Thomas...

Tonight, LeBron started it, andDonyell Marshall helped finish it...Another hurdle cleared, another building block for King James and this franchise...

I loved how he attacked in Game-6, and how he demanded the ball on the block....This will truly be the next phase of LB's game...and I'd love to see him do the same thing at the Palace...

The guys were happy in the lockeroom, but nothing giddy, just satisfaction of knowing they are good enough to be a Final-4 team, and here they are....

But why stop now...the pressure will be on the guys up north, because no one will be giving the Cavs a chance..They can go there and play loose....

Enjoy the moment Cleveland...you've earned it!!!

We're back in New Jersey where LeBron and Sasha are good to go for Game-6....LB's right knee took a hit and a cut on that 3-way collision with Jason Kidd and that chair...Sasha's right wrist underwent an MRI and it came up negative....

Mike Brown viewed the tape and goes back to what he's always felt....trusting each other and the system at both ends of the floor...Mike expects Larry Hughes to bounce back from his 3 for 17 shooting effort in Game-5 and says you can't tell Larry not to shoot it because he was by and large taking open shots, but simply wasn't making them...

Scorers always believe the next shot is going in, so Larry will not stray from that course....he's the first one to tell you that....But he also knows he has to knock down those shots...

See you for Game-6 on FSN Ohio beginning with Cavaliers Live at 6:30..

Tonight should be a memorable night in franchise history....the chance to not only open the door to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in 15 years, but just the third time in Wine and Gold history...to win titles, you have to raise the bar...and that's what the Cavs have been doing the past 12 months...and part of that growth is gaining the ability to close out teams amidst high expectation....which brings us to tonight...

I'm sure a lesson from Game 6 against the Pistons last May can be called upon...playing at The Q is no guarantee...the unwavering focus has to be there from beginning to end...exhibit A, the Pistons' Palace loss to the Bulls last night...now Deroit could find themselves in a seven-game dogfight...the mental toughness it takes to close out the likes of Kidd, Carter and Jefferson would be another part of the Cavs maturation process...and I'm talking about the young core group...LeBron, Sasha, Drew, Andy, and Boobie...heck, even Larry and Z, who have never been to the conference finals before...only E-Snow, Scot Pollard and Damon Jones have felt those burning lights...

On another front, the galvanizing effect of Mikki Moore's flagrant foul on Sasha Monday night was significant in its symbolism as much as its second-half emotional value.....coming to the aid of a teammate in a hostile environment only bonds a team even more in a watershed moment...you see, Mikki is one of those guys whose bark is far worse than his bite...so is Vince Carter's for that matter...some guys act like they want to be physical, when in reality, they don't...Sasha Pavlovic is a lot more rugged than his quiet demeanor would suggest...so is Varejao...Andy says he loves it when the game gets physical...

My frame of reference for rugged folks are the Pistons' three title teams, all built on mental and physical toughness...I saw a major step in that direction by the Cavs on Monday night...this is why Mike Brown's defense-must-be-there-every-night pays dividends in May and June...Danny Ferry has said all along, it's a growth process....and he's right...the next growth step is to lay down the hammer tonight...and this time, 20,562 will be there to help drive the nail...

Please join us for Cavaliers Live pre- and post-game on FSN Ohio...see you then...

Pride is what you felt in that visitors' lockeroom last night....Not only winning a grind out game, but doing it with toughness....and this again shows Eric Snow's value on this team....as hard nosed as they come, taking on the challenge of Vince Carter, down the stretch, helping hold him to 1-7 shooting in the 4th....Carter is now shooting 34 percent in the series...

Happy 70th to a guy who is still as good as there is in our play-by-play business....Joe Tait....A hall of famer, who never lets ego get in the way of who he truly is...Joe taught me a lot in my first go round in Cleveland, at a time when he was just establishing himself as the "Voice of the Cavaliers" and didn't need to take time out to help a rookie....Some of Joe's principles I still find myself using to this day...

He's been a mentor to many over the years, because giving back is Joe's way....one of the reasons why he is a Cleveland treasure....

May we all have the drive for excellence in our jobs at 70 years young....Here's to many, many more "Whams with the right hand"....

Happy Birthday Joe...

I think we'll see the best game yet in this series in Game-4.....It figures to be the most physical game yet, as both teams will flock to those rebounds which have been the difference in all 3 games....

Richard Jefferson appeared on a Sunday night sports show last night and said all the right things about the Cavs, backing off his earlier tone that everyone wants to talk about LeBron....his duel tonight against LB should be huge....

It is funny....the Nets play 15:00 from Manhattan, but there is little evidence the Nets are still playing...This will always be a Knicks kind of town...although the Nets move to Brooklyn will spice up the rivalry...

Walked through the NBA store today.....it really is a fan's dream world....Jumped at an old school warm-up top of wine and old gold, with "CLEVELAND" across the front....The playoff teams T-shirts were on display, including the Warriors' "We Believe" yellow ones...
The Cavs "Rise Up" Wine were down to a precious few....

Saw Donyell Marshall junior in the store.....he was lovin' it....

See you tonight on Cavaliers Live postgame on FSN after the game...

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's day to all you Wine and Gold Moms...

The guys paused today to make sure their Moms were on top of the phone call list....Eric Snow among them...who said it best...Moms keep you stable and accountable...And that also goes for wife, DeShawn with their 3 boys...

LeBron said his Mom requested no gifts again....but LB says this is his favorite day of the year, so I have a feeling he'll find a way to surprise Gloria with a show of thanks...

As for the business at hand....Drew Gooden was asked if the momentum has shifted to the Nets. He said...no...we're still up 2-1...

One final note....it doesn't take much to get NBA players to compete against each other at anything.....like at the end of today's practice at a local college in Manhattan, one of the baskets in the tiny gym was in the "fold up" position, meaning the rim and backboard were about 18 feet off the floor...so, LeBron, Boobie, Shannon, and coaches Hunt and Jent couldn't resist a game of P-I-G...a shorter version of H-O-R-S-E...

LB hit a pair of 25 footers, going bottom in that sky high rim...I missed it, but someone said he also dunked one (Take that New Jersey)...

But truthfully, Melvin Hunt went Tim Duncan on them and banked some close-out buckets to eliminate the field...If ever an 18 foot rim league is born, Melvin will be a lottery pick!!!

See you tomorrow night following Game-4...switch over to FSN Ohio for our lockerroom coverage on Cavaliers Live..

Arrived in N.J.

We've arrived in NJ....a light, but extremely focused practice today at The Q...These guys are really locked in...

As I watch these short scrimmages, I continue to see more and more from Shannon Brown....his ability to get off the floor is extraordinary...today in an offensive weave, he one handed a lob above the square and threw it down...then. during a 5 on 5, he rose above everyone and spiked home a miss with one hand! If he continues to grow his game in the Vegas Summer League. I think he'll force his way into the rotation next season...

A lot is being made here of Vince Carter's struggles....I wonder if he'll make it a personal duel with Sasha tomorrow.....that could play right into the hands of the Cavs...

Join us for Cavaliers Live at 4:30, then Game-3 on FSN Ohio at 5pm...A.C. is stoked for this one...See you then...

Net Expenditures

After a day off, the Cavs had a pretty focused practice today, in advance of game-3 in NJ...too bad LeBron can't include it in his bag of useable tricks, but he knocked down a 30-footer while sitting on the bench, as he was lacing on his shoes...and he did it on the 4th try!!

LB was voted to the all-NBA 2nd team after making the first five a year ago...there is no true small forward on the team, as Dirk Nowitzki, Tim Duncan and Amare Stoudemire comprise the first team front court, with Steve Nash and Kobe Bryant voted in as guards....LeBron blew it off, saying he doesn't worry about individual honors like these...he's just happy to be included among the top players in the game...and I believe him...his game says the same thing too...

His teammates all feel LeBron is a top-5 player, and acknowledge this could be perceived as a slight show of national respect...but Larry Hughes says the time to use this as a motivational tool is in the off season...now, it's all about playoffs and all the motivation comes from wanting to win a title...Mike Brown has all the respect in the world for the five who made first team, but added, while he may be biased when looking at LeBron, don't forget he and Oscar Robertson are the only two players in NBA history to average 26, 6 and 6, three years in a row...so, that speaks for itself...

Join us on FSN Ohio for Game-3, Saturday at 4:30, beginning with Cavaliers Live...

A well-deserved day off for the guys today, with two practices coming up prior to game 3 on Saturday on FSN...

All season long the Nets have been trying to keep the Cavs off the boards in their 5 meetings (including 3 regular season games)...the Cavs have won 4 of the games...and digest these numbers...The Cavs have out boarded the Nets, 227-174...a difference of 53 over 5 games...On the offensive glass...78-30...a difference of 48 over those 5 duals...as a result the Cavs have taken 59 more shots....59!!! That's nearly a disparity of 12 a game..

The point is this...the Cavs are too big and too strong for the Nets...they can talk about gang rebounding, and boxing out, all they want, but the Cleveland bigs are too big for them...can NJ win a game or two in this series? Of course...but it will take a turnover-prone, poor shooting effort by the Cavs for that to happen...

How about Sasha Pavlovic rising to the challenge of playing Vince Carter head-to-head...Vinsanity is still capable of taking over games, and still may do so in this series, but right now, Sasha is staying in front of Carter, and with help from the Cavs'
everyone-on-a-chain defense, Carter can not get to the hole...he's being forced to take jump shots...and at the other end, Sasha is being aggressive...Carter has games of 21 and 26 points...but he is 17 for 49 shooting...that's 35%...Sasha has had games of 17 and 15 points...on 54% shooting...this is more than a case of Carter just missing open looks...

One other observation...the crowd last night was the best one I've heard at The Q since game-6 of the Pistons series last spring...it was a hungry crowd...one that was proactive instead of waiting for something to cheer about...it may sound corny, but 20,562 made a difference....especially in hustle areas of defense and rebounding...two bedrock components for winning a championship...

See you Saturday at 4:30 on FSN Ohio, with Cavaliers Live pre game, followed by Game-3 at 5 on FSN, and Cavaliers Live post game...

NBA commissioner David Stern will be in the house tonight for game-2...The boss is beaming about how competitive the west has been...The East? Three sweeps so far with Detroit threatening another...

The Cavs feel they will be sharper tonight while the Nets feel they almost stole game-1 dealing with a short turnaround...look for NJ to try and gang rebound since they have been glass hammered the last two trips in here...that usually means Jason Kidd, still the best in the business at rebounding and starting his own fastbreak...another big test for Larry Hughes to try and contain him as he did on Sunday...

See you FSN Ohio for pre and post game..

LeBron still sounds stuffed up from his head cold....Dr Drew Gooden thinks it's allergies (he may have a point--I know).

LB ran through his normal practice paces feeling good in advance of Game 2...good enough to sing a few bars of O-H-I-O during an idle moment...maybe motivation came from his own designed scarlet and gray Buckeye basketball shorts....

Sasha's solo smash of J Kidd's lay-up was still a hot topic today...Sasha was asked if the label of being not physical is unfair for European players....without smiling, Sasha said "whoever says that never saw me play in Europe."

Well said!! LeBron says Sasha is a lot stronger than he looks...

Join us for Cavaliers Live pre game and post game on FSN Ohio beginning tomorrow night at 7:30...

Mike Brown usually takes one play from a game and uses it as a video teaching tool, calling it "the winning play" and often it is not a scoring play, but one of all out guts and hustle...guess which one was the winning play?

Yep...Sasha's come-from-behind snuff out of Jason Kidd's seemingly breakaway lay-up...the Cavs led, 77-73 at the time...Sasha said he just tried to time it, and boy did he....Kidd says he didn't realize that Pavlovic was thundering behind him....(did you see how high Sasha got? Are you kidding me???) Kidd says he normally takes a peek behind him for a potential drop off, but he didn't, and #3 made him pay...the crowd went crazy...and how about Sasha's stay-in-front defense on Carter, as Vince went 0 for 5 in the 4th against him...knowing Vinsanity, he'll take this as a challenge, and go at Sasha even harder in game-2...

The crowd really helped down the stretch of this one...Mike Brown acknowledged that...not only do the players need to dig down deeper and deeper the farther you go into the playoffs, but so does a home court crowd...Golden State's on-their-feet-the-entire-2nd half crowd performance has set the standard for these playoffs of '07...

LeBron is fighting a cold, and admitted it's been coming on for three days....but he did not use it as an excuse...

The Cavs hammered the Nets on the glass....20 offensive rebounds is a huge number!!! I think the Cavs will exploit the Nets inside as this series wears on....getting to the line just 11 times today is a number that will need to go up...

Joe Thomas, Brady Quinn and Eric Wright got a huge ovation at halftime and welcome to Cleveland, as the Cavs gave them game jerseys with their Browns' numbers on them...great moment...Love it when athletes in the same town come to support each other....that stuff does rub off....

See you tomorrow...

Time to rise up for the Eastern Semi's...Drew Gooden admits he was a fan of the NJ Nets during round-1 because of the way the Nets stepped up and beat Chicago on the final day of the season...but he won't be a fan anymore, starting at 1:00 today...

I see the Cavs winning this series in 6...the reason is rebounding and size inside...yes, the big 3 of Kidd, Carter and Jefferson will be a major handful, and RJ won't have another 2-13 as he did here the final week of the season...but this is only the 2nd time the Nets are seeing the Cavs with Larry Hughes at the one and Sasha at the 2...E Snow will get plenty of playing time and I think will be a key component for the Cavs in defending Carter, who averaged 27 points a game against the Cavs in the three regular season meetings...

And don't forget the April 13th game was the one when LeBron posted up deep for three scores against Nets when they switched Kidd on him...look for more of the same...tough turnaround game-1 for NJ after playing Friday night...Remember, the Cavs had the identical scenario going to Detroit for a matinee in that series opener a year ago, after beating the Wizards on a Friday night...

Join us for Cavaliers Live at 12:30 and again after the game, as we'll be live in the locker room on FSN Ohio...

Hurry Up and Wait

Still hurry up and wait for the Cavs…(I would be shocked if NJ loses tonight) with a possible Game-1 Sunday….Most of the fellas will be watching the Nets and Raptors, although Donyell Marshall says the kids want to go see Spider Man III so, the Toronto/Jersey viewing may lose out…

The guys just worked on themselves again today…another scrimmage…this time the white team (2nd unit) beat the reds…Anderson Varejao loved it…after two fast break buckets by his team, Andy yelled into a timeout, "way to go Golden State"...

Speaking of Andy...a lot of his family has come to town, including one of his brothers, and sister, and her daughter, Isabella...they bought some #17 jerseys...and of course some wigs...Angelo, two years older, is a dead ringer for Anderson...natural hair and all…in fact, when they had their sunglasses on, you couldn’t tell them apart, except for one thing…Angelo’s hair is sun bleached, from being in Brazil, where the Varejao family lives…Andy is just now seeing some sun after an NBA winter…Small price to pay when you are in the playoff hunt…plenty of time for Wild Thing to get back his tan in the off-season...

Drew Gooden says his hometown of Oakland is going nuts with the Warriors upset of Dallas….Drew says he has gotten a flood of e-mails about the shocker…

A good scrimmage today as the Cavs are still in the fine-tune-themselves mode as they await the survivor of the Nets-Raptors series...

Shannon Brown had the best move in a scrimmage tie today...he split the defense at the top of the key, ala Mark Price...then in the lane went behind the back on the bounce and finished with the right hand...sweet move!!!

All the guys are intrigued by the Mavs-Warriors game-6.....I disagree with Avery Johnson....the pressure is surely on HIS team not Golden State...this would be one of the shocking upsets in NBA playoff history...

Talk to you tomorrow..

I know the knee jerk reaction is to wonder is this really happening to us on the first of May? Cavs first ever sweep....Indians in first place, and the Browns, seemingly with a pair of draft home runs...enjoy! enjoy!

The guys were enjoying the moment last night in DC...but in a business like fashion...They expect a lot more of themselves in the ensuing weeks...

You have to be happy for Z...it's been an emotional season for him...but he had a sensational series...and there is no reason to believe he won't continue...he will be a problem for the Nets, Raptors, Bulls and or Pistons...Those teams will have to seriously game plan for him....There is no hesitation in his game, and his length around the basket killed the Wizards...don't forget last year, Brendan Haywood was a problem for Z...this time, Haywood barely saw the light of day...

The free throwing was remarkable in the series....nearly 83%, compared with 69% during the regular season....and the Cavs got to the line 30 times a game which is a healthy number...the top four free throwers in attempts, LeBron, Larry, Z and Drew...81%, 94%, 84% and 90% respectively...that says total focus...yes, they have worked on it for months...but it's concentration when it is needed most...

Larry's numbers at the line really dipped upon his return from the finger fracture last season...if you go back to when he came back last April, through the '06 playoffs, and through the end of March this season...he shot 67% from the line over that time...this is a career 75% shooter...

But he told me he has been fiddling with his grip because of the finger, and finally found a comfort zone...(he's not using it as an excuse...I had to dig this out of him...) Since the adjustment was found, Larry is shooting 82%...that's 72 of his last 88...

And with Larry at the point, the Cavs went 4-1 against the other four teams still alive in the East...the Pistons, Bulls, Nets and Raptors...

Gotta watch Nets and Raptors tonight...(Toronto will stay alive)