Events Calendar
In This Section
Most Read Stories
Police accuse bank robbery suspect of gobbling up note (with dashcam video)
Man found dead in North Akron home is identified
Dad accused of forcing son into field, killing him
NFL star Chris Spielman's wife loses cancer battle
Coventry man killed in crash at I-77 ramp
College student mistaken for deer, shot to death
Man allegedly paid teens to spit in his face
Retired firefighter who broke color barrier among those being honored
Angel Food Ministries helps stretch grocery dollars
Blogs:
Pets:
Cat-loving chihuahua suckles seven abandoned kittens
The Heldenfiles:
Friday Night Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
For your Saturday entertainment …
Akron Zips:
Two blowouts, one night
Tribe Matters:
Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
Cleveland Browns:
Holmgren expresses interest in Browns position
Kent State Sports:
Singletary update
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Gameblog: Cavs at Indiana Pacers – Here’s to LBJ and Free Throws
Buckeye Blogging:
OSU – Michigan college football rivals meet in Baghdad
Varsity Letters:
Bowling season starts today
All Da King's Men:
Headed For Disaster
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Will Health Care Reform Pass?
Akron Law Café:
Federal Judge Declares DOMA Unconstitutional
See Jane Style:
Vintage Chic
Car Chase:
TIME TO GET YOUR COLLECTOR CARS WINTERIZED
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
Ohio Travels with Betty:
George is looking for a Thanksgiving buffet in Akron.
Sound Check:
Steely Dan Plays "The Royal Scam" at E.J. Thomas Hall
HRLite House:
Colloquium at University of Akron
Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Cavs shake off sleepy start to shut down Golden State behind LeBron rally
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Saturday, Nov 29, 2008
CLEVELAND: For a brief span during their game with the Golden State Warriors (5-11), it might have looked to the Cavaliers (13-3) as though they'd taken a visit to the Twilight Zone.
The scoreboard read 12-2 in favor of Golden State in the game's opening minutes, but it didn't take the Cavs long to awaken from their self-induced funk and go on to slay the Warriors 112-97.
The Warriors opened the game hitting 11 of their first 13 shots, setting a torrid pace. It didn't last, however, as the Cavs hunkered down on defense and Golden State then hit just eight of its next 31 shots.
Golden State came into the game on a three-game road losing streak (four in a row overall). The Cavs had to be confident about their chances. But it didn't show on the court, as they opened the game hitting just one of their first five shots. The Warriors led by as many as 11 before the Cavaliers woke up. In the first quarter, they
battled to tie the game at 29 before going into the second down by three at 32-29.
They made their move in the second courtesy of Mo Williams and LeBron James; James made plays on two successive possessions to give his team a jolt and ignite a crowd that often reacted as if recovering from a tryptophan overdose from too much Thanksgiving turkey.
James stole the ball from the Warriors' Stephen Jackson and glided the length of the court for a one-handed, running dunk.
On the next possession, he drove to the basket for a forceful layup.
From that moment on, it felt as if the Cavaliers knew that time and talent were on their side. Playtime was over, and the rout was on.
After scrapping to take a 58-52 lead at the half, the Cavs opened the third quarter with a 14-5 run to go up 72-57 and erased all doubt as to whether the Warriors had an answer.
''They play a funky style of basketball that we're not used to and because of that, it gives us a ton of problems,'' coach Mike Brown said. ''I thought that in the third quarter we locked down defensively and tried to make them work for everything they had.''
Again, behind the scoring of James, the Cavaliers broke the game open.
With the Cavaliers up 78-62, he made the first of two consecutive 3-point shots. The second made the score 84-64, giving the Cavs a nice cushion.
The Cavs outscored the Warriors 36-16 in the third quarter and even James seemed a bit surprised by the level of offensive efficiency the team possesses.
''We're flowing the same way — every game. It's that same constant flow offensively and defensively. It never changes. It never changes when we make a substitution,'' he said. ''It never changes in the second half. In the past we've been a bad third-quarter team, but lately we've just been taking care of business.''
Once again, the Cavs had their defense to thank, as the team forced seven turnovers in the quarter and outrebounded the Warriors 12-8.
James knew heading into the game that the Warriors like to run a fast-paced, high-possession attack. Taking them out of that gave them the key to victory.
''It's just all about defense. Against these run-and-gun teams — it's teams that want to run. They use their fast-break points and their transition to really get them going,'' he said. ''We have to take care of that and make them execute in the half court. Once we did that, we were able to take control of the game.''
But there was more to it as the Cavs scored more than 50 points in the paint for the third consecutive game and eventually inflicted their will on the Warriors who are now 0-4 on their road trip and must be itching for the perceived safe confines of home by now.
James led all scorers with 23 points, followed by Zydrunas Ilgauskas' 21 points. Daniel Gibson poured in 16.
The score shouldn't have been as close as the game ended, but with the way the Cavs' starters played, Brown had the luxury of sending his stars to the bench early.
Ultimately, Brown said that could be beneficial to the team should someone go down to injury. If nothing else, it gives the starters plenty of rest heading into tonight's road game against the Milwaukee Bucks, as the team finishes its second back-to-back set this week.
Quick shots
The Cavaliers are 9-0 for the season at home, tying the best start to the season. . . . The 13-3 start overall will go down as the best in team history.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read the Cavs blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
CLEVELAND: For a brief span during their game with the Golden State Warriors (5-11), it might have looked to the Cavaliers (13-3) as though they'd taken a visit to the Twilight Zone.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
Tallmadge, OH
Posted 09:22 AM, 11/29/2008
LeBoob is headed to NYC in 2010. He as much as said so in his recent interview. He's all about money and doesn't give a flip about NE Ohio.
Posted 09:31 AM, 11/29/2008
Not alot of comments? Team must be doing very well!
Cleveland fans = Bizarro fans. Motto seems to be "If you don't have anything insulting to say, then don't say anything at all!"
Posted 09:58 AM, 11/29/2008
Dan Gilbert will NEVER allow LB to leave. Hold on to your pants Grump.
Posted 10:50 AM, 11/29/2008
Wow, they are playing well, fun to watch! Don't panic about LeBron yet, the Cavs, if they want to stick around, will do everything possible to keep LeBron in Cleveland!
Akron, OH
Posted 11:12 AM, 11/29/2008
Old man grump strikes again. SHUT UP YOU FOOL!!!!!! Lets just enjoy him while we have we have him. We can worry about 2010 when the time comes.
Posted 11:53 AM, 11/29/2008
Precisely what is "will do everything possible to keep LeBron in Cleveland" and "Dan Gilbert will NEVER allow LB to leave." What does any of that even mean? Does Gilbert intend to order his goons to hold Gloria hostage, or what?
