Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Suitcase causes bomb scare at Akron bus terminal
Akron City Council OKs higher speed on I-77
Chapel Hill isn't rolling right along
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
New eateries expand menu of options
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Patrick McManamon: Here's what the Browns should try the rest of the season
Louisville athlete commits to play for Boston College
Family found dead in Ohio home
Blogs:
Pets:
It Takes All Kinds
The Heldenfiles:
Tuesday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
An interesting thought from a reader
Akron Zips:
Akron vs. Mount Union — Liveblog
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
Flashes interested in another Cincinnati player
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes Roll 100-60 / Season Outlook
Varsity Letters:
Report: Walsh baseball player commits
All Da King's Men:
More On The Fort Hood Jihadist
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Simply Incapable of Telling The Truth
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
Aeromsith looking for new singer as Steven Tyler contemplates solo career
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
Video: 'Modern Warfare 2' hits the streets
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal sports columnist
POSTED: 11:28 p.m. EDT, May 10, 2008
CLEVELAND:One number screamed loudest Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
The Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics for the first time in the Eastern Conference semifinals because they rediscovered their offense and their shot.
And the number 11 was the giveaway.
That's the number of assists the Cavs had in the first quarter.
And it's an exceptional amount indicative of a near-perfect 12 minutes.
The Cavs had 13 baskets in the first quarter. Eleven 85 percent were set up by ball movement.
This was not any kind of frenetic pace or action, either. It was simply the Cavs running their offense, moving the ball and moving themselves.
They played offense the way they should, the way they did not in the first two games (aside from the first quarter of Game 2).
It really is amazing what a little ball movement can do.
And if the ball is moving, the offense is moving.
And if the offense is moving, a team is getting good shots.
Which is probably a large reason the Cavs shot 53.6 percent for the game.
Ben Wallace set up Delonte West for an open 3.
Wally Szczerbiak and Zydrunas Ilgauskas took turns setting up baskets for each other.
West gave LeBron James the ball on the break, and James made a flying dunk when he was peering right at the rim.
Wallace made a jump hook off a pass from West and a dunk off a pass from James.
On and on it went, until the quarter ended with West setting up Anderson Varejao for a jump shot.
Yes, Varejao made a jump shot.
It was that kind of night for the Cavs, who shot 65.5 percent in the first half.
Time and again, the Cavs have told us that when they shoot and play defense well, they can compete with anyone. That's what they did.
And because they did, hope has returned to the series. The Cavs are one home win from tying things up at two games each.
Note, too, that there were a number of guys doing the work. Instead of standing around and watching James, the other guys contributed.
Wallace wasn't even supposed to play because of an inner-ear infection, but he started and provided a huge lift with his rebounding, hustle and (shock of shocks) scoring.
West had one of those games when he looked like a point guard, with 21 points and seven assists. Included were two drives to the basket that resulted in scores, one on Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett.
Szczerbiak contributed, especially in the first half (14 points), and Joe Smith (17 points) had an outstanding game off the bench.
James had another off night shooting (5-for-15), but he played a very patient, careful, thoughtful game. Let's call it smart. A smart game.
James did not force shots, passed well and generally made sure the offense worked especially early, when the Cavs took their big lead.
If there was one adjustment the Cavs seemed to make, it was to understand how the Celtics were playing James off the ball.
One man would guard him, and two or three would zone up behind the defender.
The Cavs seemed to recognize where the open spots would be away from the ball, and James seemed to find them.
That had to come from between-game work, from the coaching staff. And it helped as the Cavs took a 19-point lead and cruised the rest of the way.
Another good sign for the Cavs came with about 6:30 left in the fourth quarter.
At that point, James took a pass about 4 feet right of the free-throw line. He dribbled, then rose up over James Posey to launch a high-arcing 18-foot jump shot.
It went right in.
This was probably the first time this series that James looked confident and certain taking a jump shot.
And when that jump shot went in, it gave the Cavs a 90-74 lead and it showed that James might be back to himself.
James got untracked a bit, the offense worked and a lot of players contributed.
Most important, the Cavs won.
It's hard to figure how this night could have gone better.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
CLEVELAND:One number screamed loudest Saturday night at Quicken Loans Arena.
The Cavaliers beat the Boston Celtics for the first time in the Eastern Conference semifinals because they rediscovered their offense and their shot.
And the number 11 was the giveaway.
That's the number of assists the Cavs had in the first quarter.
And it's an exceptional amount indicative of a near-perfect 12 minutes.
The Cavs had 13 baskets in the first quarter. Eleven 85 percent were set up by ball movement.
This was not any kind of frenetic pace or action, either. It was simply the Cavs running their offense, moving the ball and moving themselves.
They played offense the way they should, the way they did not in the first two games (aside from the first quarter of Game 2).
It really is amazing what a little ball movement can do.
And if the ball is moving, the offense is moving.
And if the offense is moving, a team is getting good shots.
Which is probably a large reason the Cavs shot 53.6 percent for the game.
Ben Wallace set up Delonte West for an open 3.
Wally Szczerbiak and Zydrunas Ilgauskas took turns setting up baskets for each other.
West gave LeBron James the ball on the break, and James made a flying dunk when he was peering right at the rim.
Wallace made a jump hook off a pass from West and a dunk off a pass from James.
On and on it went, until the quarter ended with West setting up Anderson Varejao for a jump shot.
Yes, Varejao made a jump shot.
It was that kind of night for the Cavs, who shot 65.5 percent in the first half.
Time and again, the Cavs have told us that when they shoot and play defense well, they can compete with anyone. That's what they did.
And because they did, hope has returned to the series. The Cavs are one home win from tying things up at two games each.
Note, too, that there were a number of guys doing the work. Instead of standing around and watching James, the other guys contributed.
Wallace wasn't even supposed to play because of an inner-ear infection, but he started and provided a huge lift with his rebounding, hustle and (shock of shocks) scoring.
West had one of those games when he looked like a point guard, with 21 points and seven assists. Included were two drives to the basket that resulted in scores, one on Defensive Player of the Year Kevin Garnett.
Szczerbiak contributed, especially in the first half (14 points), and Joe Smith (17 points) had an outstanding game off the bench.
James had another off night shooting (5-for-15), but he played a very patient, careful, thoughtful game. Let's call it smart. A smart game.
James did not force shots, passed well and generally made sure the offense worked especially early, when the Cavs took their big lead.
If there was one adjustment the Cavs seemed to make, it was to understand how the Celtics were playing James off the ball.
One man would guard him, and two or three would zone up behind the defender.
The Cavs seemed to recognize where the open spots would be away from the ball, and James seemed to find them.
That had to come from between-game work, from the coaching staff. And it helped as the Cavs took a 19-point lead and cruised the rest of the way.
Another good sign for the Cavs came with about 6:30 left in the fourth quarter.
At that point, James took a pass about 4 feet right of the free-throw line. He dribbled, then rose up over James Posey to launch a high-arcing 18-foot jump shot.
It went right in.
This was probably the first time this series that James looked confident and certain taking a jump shot.
And when that jump shot went in, it gave the Cavs a 90-74 lead and it showed that James might be back to himself.
James got untracked a bit, the offense worked and a lot of players contributed.
Most important, the Cavs won.
It's hard to figure how this night could have gone better.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
