Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Victim of beating in Kent last week is declared dead at Akron hospital
Akron man killed in crash on his street
Can DNA tests free ex-Akron captain?
Browns find another way to lose
After 30 years at the helm of Akron Children's, Considine still looks to future
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
Akron Circle K store robbed for second time this month
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Sunday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
Browns sick after sick loss in Detroit
Akron Zips:
No. 1 Akron to play Stanford next
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Post-game defensive quotes
Kent State Sports:
Kent State defeats Rochester College, 63-44
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs vs. Philadelphia 76ers
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Four area football teams play tonight
All Da King's Men:
The Onion, By Any Other Name…
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (70) Savings in Medicare Advantage
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Faye Dunaway to be Evicted?
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Monique asks how to get tickets for the Polar Express.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – You are All Wrong About Jobs, or the Lack of Jobs, Being the Reason People Do Not Live in NEO
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Loose defense, sloppy offense lead to Celtics' rout and 1-6 record
By Brian Windhorst Beacon Journal sportswriter
Published on Saturday, Oct 27, 2007
BOSTON: The Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are polar opposites on more than transaction-wire frequency.
After watching Friday night, one team looks ready for the start of the regular season, and one looks like it could use another extended training camp.
The Celtics have their new ''Big 3'' to be sure, but they seem to have a lot more polish than the team they're gunning to unseat as Eastern Conference champion.
The Celtics smoothly and cunningly hit the Cavs with another blowout at TD Banknorth Garden, 114-89 in the preseason finale for both teams. It's the last game that doesn't count for the Cavs, but the completion of a 1-6 preseason in which the Cavs were outscored by an average of 17 points in their losses certainly makes them want to forget.
In back-to-back games, with the team's starters playing very close to regular-season minutes, the Cavs got hammered twice with startlingly similar pockmarks. Just like Thursday, in a 33-point humbling in Toronto to the Raptors, the Cavs played loose and effort-challenged defense and sloppy offense.
Which left LeBron James staring at a box score that was floating in the water as he iced his ankles after the game that
showed 14 second-half turnovers and no less than, brace yourself, 62 points in the paint for the Celtics able to sum things up rather tightly.
''The season starts next Wednesday. We either get it together or get blown out some more,'' James said. ''It's as simple as that.''
The Celtics shot 59 percent and had more assists (34) than the Cavs had baskets (31). Kevin Garnett, operating like a point power forward in the new scheme, tore the Cavs apart from the low block with post moves and tremendous passes to talented teammates. He put up a triple-double with 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists in just 33 minutes. Ray Allen added 20 points, and Paul Pierce had 12 points and six assists.
''We gave up the middle (on defense) a million times, and that's a cardinal sin for us,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ''When we do that, we pay for it.''
James scored 17 points but needed 18 shots to get there. Larry Hughes had 18 points but needed 17 shots to get there and committed five turnovers. It took the Cavs more than 11 minutes to get their first assist.
Despite all that, they were down just two points early in the third quarter by scrapping. But it ended abruptly as they were outclassed down the stretch, a common happenstance of late.
Roster moves afoot
The Cavs will probably make cuts today or Sunday, bringing their roster down to 13. The only training-camp invitee who seems a lock to make the team is Dwayne Jones, who is the backup center for the moment. With two extra roster spots, though, the Cavs might be active in looking to pick up new players.
Sources said the roster flexibility has the Cavs involved in some trade talks with other teams with too many guaranteed contracts. In addition to the roster spots, the Cavs also have a trade exception of $1.75 million if they find something they like. Also, the Cavs might be active on the waiver wire with a number of teams being forced to make hard cuts over the weekend. The team's scouts have been heavily deployed during the preseason looking at potential cuts.
Dribbles
Damon Jones played another good game, scoring 12 points. He shot 46 percent in the preseason on 3-pointers. . . . It appears Mike Brown has gone away from Shannon Brown, who has struggled with turnovers, as part of the rotation. Starting in the second half Thursday, Shannon Brown's minutes started going to Ira Newble. Newble scored 10 points off the bench Friday.
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
BOSTON: The Cavaliers and Boston Celtics are polar opposites on more than transaction-wire frequency.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
