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Seven players added to Tribe’s 40-man roster
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Gameblog: Cavs at Indiana Pacers – Here’s to LBJ and Free Throws
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Silverdome Potentially SOLD!
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Akron Gamer:
Nintendo's Mario endures even as games come and go
Home win tonight would break record, perhaps tie another; players taking it one game at a time
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Tuesday, Feb 03, 2009
INDEPENDENCE: The Cavaliers will continue their assault on the team record books when they take on the Toronto Raptors (19-30) tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.
With a win, the Cavs (37-9) would break the club record for consecutive home wins in a season with 23. The current mark, which they tied against the Los Angeles Clippers last Friday, was set by the 1988-89 team.
They also could tie a record set by the Rochester Royals for consecutive home wins by a margin of four points or more, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
The Cavs have been low-key about the prospect of reaching the milestone, often preferring to adopt coach Mike Brown's attitude.
''It's not something we talk about, but it would be great if it happened,'' guard Daniel Gibson said. ''I think we're just trying to continue to go one game at a time.''
Playing at home has offered the Cavs a certain invincibility.
''It's great to know that at home when teams come in here, they have to come with a little extra if they think they're going to win here,'' center Zydrunas Ilgauskas said.
They might have to come with more than a little extra. While remaining the only undefeated team at home this season, the Cavs have beaten opponents by 352 points, for an average margin of victory of 16 points. The Cavs are scoring 105.3 points per home game.
Defensively, the Cavs have held their opponents to an average of 89.3 points and under 42 percent shooting.
All stellar numbers, but do not ask any member of the team to explain how they got there.
''It kind of just happened,'' Gibson said. ''It's always tough to play on the road, but when teams come here to play us, the
way we're playing basketball, it makes it that much tougher to win because we're making shots and you've got the crowd.''
They are, however, under few illusions.
The NBA record for home dominance is held by the 1985-86 Boston Celtics, who were 40-1 at Boston Garden.
The most consecutive regular-season home wins over the course of two seasons is 44, held by the Chicago Bulls (seven games in 1994-95 and 37 in 1995-96).
''We just treat everybody the right way, don't take anyone lightly, no matter what their record is,'' Ilgauskas said. ''We know that it's impossible to go undefeated at home. At some point, it's going to happen, but it won't be because we took someone lightly. Somebody's going to have to come in and have a really good game to beat us.''
Williams not re-signed
The Cavs elected not to re-sign rookie and native Clevelander Jawad Williams to a contract. Williams' second 10-day contract expired Sunday, and if the Cavs' re-signed him, it would have had to be a guaranteed contract for the remainder of the season.
Judging from the locker room, Williams was well-liked, respected and a generally good guy. But his roster spot gives the Cavs flexibility should they be able to make some sort of deal before the trading deadline this month.
Williams is not necessarily done with the Cavs, but he isn't likely to be around unless the Cavs decide not to make any moves.
James honored again
LeBron James earned his second Eastern Conference Player of the Month Award of the season and the eighth of his career.
In 14 games in January, James averaged 27.5 points on 45.6 percent shooting, 9.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game. The last player to put up those numbers for points, rebounds and assists was the Celtics' Larry Bird, in 1987.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read the Cavs blog at http://www.ohio.com/thomas.
INDEPENDENCE: The Cavaliers will continue their assault on the team record books when they take on the Toronto Raptors (19-30) tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.
Get the full article here.
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