Recap: Cavs 92, Heat 91 (Or, That Was Awesome! Please Make It Stop!)
2010-01-25Overview: In a game that featured spectacular bursts of scoring in between long stretches of offensive ineptitude, the Cavaliers were able to escape from Miani with a 92-91 win. LeBron James made the game-winning steal and free throws with four seconds remaining.
Cavs-Related Bullets:
This is just getting ridiculous. Five of the Cavs’ past six games have come right down to the wire. The Cavs seem to have packed all of their bad breaks into the Sundiata Gaines game, and are 4-1 in those five games. It’s been fun to watch at times, there have been some agonizing moments, and I think all the stress has made me come down with a fever. The Cardiac Cavs are back.
Under the bad column, the offense. Not good. Boobie doesn’t look comfortable running anything, there’s no spacing to speak of, and the Cavs can’t get any sort of motion happening when somebody drives to the rim. Nobody was working well in tandem, and very few good things happened on the offensive end. The worst part is that there’s no clear solution to this problem in sight, other than getting Delonte and/or Mo back into playing shape.
-LeBron didn’t have his best all-around game. He struggled to find room to operate, turned the ball over, couldn’t find many lanes to drive or pass to. He also got baited into deuling with Wade late in the second quarter, and while he made a few jumpers, he took quite a few bad ones. 10 points on 17 shots from outside of the paint for LeBron tonight, which is not a good number. LeBron got forced into some of his bad looks, but he can probably find better ones if he’s really determined to.
Where LeBron was most effective in the game against the Heat was in the open floor, where the Heat had nothing resembling a chance of stopping him. At one point, the Heat had three defenders back in position, and LeBron just powered through all three of them for a layup. Transition opportunities were definitely what kept LeBron on track as he struggled to get good looks from the field.
Late in the game, LeBron shone. If there’s one thing I’ve tried to express about these types of situations, it’s that more often than not there is absolutely no rhyme or reason to why these things happen. With the Cavs down one and 41 seconds left, LeBron let the offense stagnate, fired up a three, and bricked it. Wade got fouled on a loose ball, and had two free throws to put the Cavs in serious trouble. He missed them both. What a break for the Cavs. On the ensuing a two-for-one opportunity, LeBron made just about the worst possible play, getting his eight-footer blocked and giving the ball to the Heat with 26 seconds left to play.
Then another lucky break came, and LeBron took advantage. With LeBron providing intense pressure on Wade, Wade inexplicably tried to make a cute behind-the-back pass to Udonis Haslem instead of calling time-out or waiting for an easier pass to present itself. LeBron made a fantastic steal, flew down the court, and got hammered by Wade going to the rim. (As many people on the Daily Dime Live pointed out, Wade grabbed the rim as he blocked the shot, which should have made the shot count automatically.) LeBron shook out the cobwebs, got himself ready, and knocked down the clutch free throws. On the Heat’s final shot, LeBron took the assignment on Wade, sniffed out his favorite step-back jumper going to his left, and forced him into a high-arcing, low-percentage heave. Game over. Cavs win.
LeBron got lucky, and he also submitted an incredible clutch performance. The two things aren’t mutually exclusive. In fact, clutch performances are almost enabled by at least one lucky break. LeBron was almost the goat tonight. But Wade made some fluky mistakes, and LeBron was able to capitalize on them. Everyone gets lucky breaks sometimes. The difference is what they do with them.
-The Cavs have made it a signature of theirs to shut teams down late in games, especially their superstars. After a 30-point first half, Wade only managed two points in the entire second half. The Cavs threw traps at him up high, used their length, didn’t give cheap fouls, and made sure that Wade never had space to work. The only time the Cavs really got burned was when Udonis Haslem made three straight mid-range jumpers thanks to traps on Wade, and the Cavs even closed off that safety valve later on in the quarter. Mike Brown’s gotta be giddy about the way the Cavs played D down the stretch.
-Shaq served as an offensive safety net on Monday night. He was rarely given the ball in deep position, rarely put on the move, and rarely given good cutters to feed for easy baskets. He was tossed the ball on the left block 10-15 feet away from the rim and told to make the best of it. For the first half of the season, this strategy was a recipe for disaster. Against the Heat, however, Shaq found some of that old swagger. He put air under the hook shots he had previously leaving flat all season. He made strong moves to the basket. He punished the Heat every time they put him in single coverage. Even though the offense did get stagnant at times with Shaq simply sitting on the left block, it was a vital failsafe plan for the Cavs.
-Boobie Gibson, clutch assassin. Early in the chat, somebody said that Boobie would not be getting a shirt tonight. I told him to wait until the fourth quarter. Daniel Gibson may not be a point guard, but he’s won the Cavs two straight games with big shots. Two threes in the final quarter for Boobie, who went 4-6 from beyond the arc overall.
-JJ Hickson, on the other hand, had a bit of a setback game. 0-4 from the field, 1 rebound, and a -15 in 13 minutes. Not good stuff from JJ.
-Andy was his old self, making some clutch cuts, finishing around the basket, and swarming the Heat on the perimeter. He also made some great hustle plays, and got four gritty offensive rebounds.
-In games without ball movement, Anthony Parker does not look like much of a player on offense.
Alright, that’s it for me. I think I’m getting really sick. Fun game, see you guys tomorrow.
This comment section made my head explode.
@Kyle. Would you like me to rip apart your many mistakes you just had? For instance, you have the brilliant double a. You might say that is just a typo and not a grammatical error. Ok then, what about your last sentence? You have two commas in that sentence. The last one should be a period therefore starting a new sentence. Imagine, you made multiple mistakes when you only typed two lines.
If you were being sarcastic, so was I. :)
Just woke up. I am indeed sick. Two quick things: 1. When I said “worst possible play,” which is part of what got linked by Henry today, I didn’t mean it was a bad idea to try and drive, I was talking about the timing. It was a two-for-one situation, and the Heat got it back with about 26 seconds to play. If they were smart, the Cavs would’ve had no chance for a final shot. 2. This post just got tweeted with the following description: “Even though this is so annoyingly pro-Lebron it is true…” http://twitter.com/KevBaz/status/8250979289 This stuff is… Read more »
Mental errors sometimes abound in games. People make mistakes. This game will probably not become a larger issue unless the Heat meet the Cavs in the playoffs. That being said, this is one the Cavs definitely got away with. They seem to have built a nasty habit recently of starting rather slow and then playing from behind until the fourth quarter, when they lock down the opposing team. I don’t like it at all – it’s not going to work in a seven-game series against a team as good as the Hawks or the Celts or any potential West team.… Read more »
Oh yeah, Kristia I think you’re pretty much spot on. Lebron’s stroke (most of the time) seems much more fluid and controlled when he’s focused. Also I think Mike Brown is at the point where he’s very comfortable with all of our new acquisitions (Shaq, Parker, Moon, Green) and he’s figured out how to match them up the best against other teams. However, I think the league is as good, but the Cavs don’t look as pretty as they did last year. Last season they just looked so unstoppable and fluid and good, but this year they haven’t looked like… Read more »
I know I’m far from impartial, but Lebron also takes some nasty hits that don’t get called when they should. Yes, he is always clamoring for calls, but have you seen how many times he’s going to the hole and gets hacked and there’s no call because he muscled right through it? There’s a reason Lebron cradles the ball and looks like a fullback going through the lane sometimes. It’s because he basically needs to stiff arm and break tackles just to get there some of the time. Colin, I wish I had your calmness. I felt sure the Cavs… Read more »
LeBron Shone? i stopped reading this article at that point because it shows how dumb and in-credible you are a a writer. Shone may be a word, but only in Britain, we say shined in America.
(Re-posting — not sure this comment went through before)
Nathan, I remember the differential being 4 seconds, not 2, which is a pretty big difference as far as being able to realistically get a shot off. Still a questionable decision, but not obviously wrong in hindsight. But while watching it, I was thinking the same thinig as you — as badly as D-Wade was shooting FTs, and only being down one, why not put him back on the line? Gutsy call by Mike Brown — glad he didn’t get burned.
Jonathan,
Yeah, Lebron probably gets more than his share of calls — like every NBA superstar at least since the ’80s (my frame of reference) — but seriously: nobody gets “protected” like D-Wade. Ask Mark Cuban about that.
“Hello Kettle, we’re Cleveland fans, you seem to be colored black.”
Seriously, you have Lebron James, the best player in the league this year, and by far the most “protected” by the officials and the league and you’re complaining about the officiating? Insane.
I’m not sure what the exact differential between game and shot clock was on the last Heat possession, but i’m pretty sure it was around 2 seconds. In that situation, if the Cavs choose not to foul, all the Heat have to do it take a shot clock violation and the Cavs can get maybe 1 dribble and a shot. Better yet, Wade could have dribbled around halfcourt and then flung a wild shot at the end of the shot clock. Even if it airballs (hell…even if he flings it in the opposite direction), physics tells me that he can… Read more »
In general, I don’t think Krolik is over-critical of Lebron. I think he holds him to a higher standard, which is appropriate since Lebron is the best player on the planet. However, in this particular post, he was most definitely contradictory, in that he frequently laments Lebron’s unwillingness to take it to the hole at the end of games, yet calls it “the worst possible decision” here. I’m fine with criticism, but don’t make it such that no matter what decision he makes, it’s incorrect if it doesn’t work. Imagine if he takes it to the hole and hits the… Read more »
Man, Tsunami, that post was epic. One of the best I’ve ever read as a fan response. Excellent work.
I actually disagree John. I think there may be a few lineups that we can run that might not be too offensively stagnant, but i think they require using LeBron at the pg position. Such as: PG) LBJ SG) Boobie SF) Moon PF) Varejao C) Shaq or PG) LBJ SG) AP SF) Jawad PF) Varejao C) Z i will admit, i feel much better once Delonte gets back. Running him at the point, or him at the 2 and lebron as the point, makes a pretty nasty backcourt, and can really get going if theyre on their games. The Cavs… Read more »
look, i have had the same criticism of krolik as many others of you had i’ve been saying it for a while. but realize he’s really young and he wants to work at ESPN. so, he’s gonna try be as much as an “objective” observer as possible. that’s why his game recaps NEVER mention horrible officiating, even when it occurs and effects the game, as it most surely did in last night’s game. i mean, he *barely* mentions the obvious goal-tending no-call. while i like this blog, mainly for the info that can be gleaned, there is no doubt it… Read more »
I actually think John isn’t overly critical at all. You can still be a fan and want more from your superstars. In my opinion, LeBron is the best player in the planet right now and even if…err I mean when he wins his first championship I will expect him to make the perfect pass and take the right shots at the right time. John does a good job of being in between Fred Mcleod and Skip Bayless in his assessment of LeBron. That said, question time. Does anyone notice how much better LeBron’s shot looks this year compared to years… Read more »
Sorry, Tsunami. Not sure exactly went on there, but looks like it got flagged for length. Your original comment is above.
Nothing I am submitting is being posted. It keeps saying “duplicate post” but it’s not showing up.
What is going on?
Jeez guys, talk about impossible to please. :) I kind of believe that everyone who reads me assumes that I love watching the Cavs and LeBron, so I don’t really feel the need to re-state those things, and assume that that would put a kind of disclaimer on any LeBron criticism I do. Also, I generally don’t judge players against zero. I judge them against my expectations for them. My expectations for LeBron are obviously insanely high. I’m going to write about him differently than I do about someone like Danny Green or Jawad Williams.
Its amazing what winning can do for a team/fanbase. As I sat there watching the second half, I kept thinking they would win this game. Even as the Heat were jumping out to an 11-point lead, I still felt the Cavs were going to pull it off. I don’t know if its confidence, cockiness, or just extreme optimism, but I never get the feeling that the Cavs are going to lose, no matter what the score. Even after Haslem banged those three jumpers in a row to make it a 6 point game late, I was still confident that the… Read more »
Why wont this post? About the game – this recent streak of close wins sheds light on a few TRUTHS of the NBA. 1.) As John said, it’s takes luck to win close games. The Cavs have had their share of bounces in these games, and in the utah game, the Jazz had about 7 minor miracles happen in a ROW for them to win a close game. Hollinger talks about this all the time, how winning close games is more a matter of luck and there is almost no correlation between winning close games and being “good” and taht… Read more »
I hate NBA TV. I can’t see those games since League Pass blocks them out. I saw the highlights and it look fantastic. So glad the Cavs won.
About the game – this recent streak of close wins sheds light on a few TRUTHS of the NBA. 1.) As John said, it’s takes luck to win close games. The Cavs have had their share of bounces in these games, and in the utah game, the Jazz had about 7 minor miracles happen in a ROW for them to win a close game. Hollinger talks about this all the time, how winning close games is more a matter of luck and there is almost no correlation between winning close games and being “good” and taht winning games by a… Read more »
I like Krolik’s work. Sometimes, I think he plays the part of the “pessimist” or the “critic” or whatever to try and justify his writing. Much like how Kirk Herbstreit covers OSU and the big ten. He does everything possible to NOT seem like a homer that he’s OVERLY critical. whatever. There is so much visceral hatred for Lebron (esp from the incredibly large and passionate laker/celtic nation) that anyone that writes ANYTHING positive about LeBron (ie Hollinger) is seen as “on his nutz” It’s nauseating, but I’ve just learned to sniff it out and deal with it. Windhorst does… Read more »
I agree with Rich. Although, Krolic himself says he is a pessimist in his blog posts so I think it comes with the territory. I lebron should establish legitmate three point shot every game. It opens up the lane and although not efficient it is the best way to the rim without an assist from mo or west. He’s going to have to score 30 points or more in all the games they are out. Best way to do it might be to establish his jumper.
Good post, but I will agree with Rich… “the worst possible play” is definitely hyperbole, and rather contradictory to the frequent pleas for LBJ to take it to the hole.
Oh, and about that last three. What about after that when LeBron did what everyone craves for him to do at the end of the game and drove to the hole…but believe it or not, HE WAS STOPPED! Yes ladies and gents, even LeBron can be stopped just driving to the rim…it’s why he shoots jumpers, to open up the lane. Which, btw Krolik, you were beggin on DDL for the cavs to get something going to the rim, and LeBron did, and then got bloked and yet you say he made the worst possible play? It’s the play you… Read more »
I don’t complain about refs that much, but D Wade got an insane amount of touch fouls and 50/50 calls to go his way. Three different questionable block/charge calls he was involved in and all went his way. Late in the game he got two calls against Boobie Gibson (the loose ball foul was one) and both were phantom fouls.
That said, Krolik still kiilling Bron in half the blog. Ah, just impossible to please.
Hope you feel better, John.
We are so lucky to have LeBron. When he dribbled the ball down with 40 seconds to go I just knew he was going to try a pull up three. All I could think was, “please don’t try a three, please don’t try a three, please don’t try a three.” He tried a three. And bricked it. However, I still had faith he would come through in the end. And he did. Thanks, LBJ.
D-Wade got some ridiculous star treatment from the refs.
The Miami announcers are awful.
I like ice cream.