Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
781Big game for Cavs tonight with Detroit. 19 games left. I think the Cavs will go 6-13 to finish the season at 23-43 or a .348 winning %. Let's see how close I come on this.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
782If Cavs win tonight and they do not have an injury to Irving I do not see the Kings or Pistons catching the Cavs. Add New Jersey to that too.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
783Big night for the Cavs tonight. Detroit, Toronto, and New Jersey won tonight. The skids are now properly greased.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
784I'll go along with that prediction Rusty. I'm still not ready for the skids. I would like to have seen the Cavs flirt with .500 and get some momentum for next season. At least the Cavs will get a higher draft pick now.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
785The Cavs made an adequate showing for the season. The 'utes got plenty of quality playing time with the veterans, and they experienced what it takes to win games in the NBA. Irving, TT and Gee will all be properly seasoned going into next year.
They'll give the developmental players a shot to see if anyone else wants to step up for a spot on next year's roster the way Gee did. So far it appears there are no such candidates.
Now it's just about staying healthy, experiencing the physical grind leading through the end of the season for guys who have never gone through it before.
And more than anything, it's about getting the best possible draft position. It would be awesome if we could add 2 more core players from this draft.
They'll give the developmental players a shot to see if anyone else wants to step up for a spot on next year's roster the way Gee did. So far it appears there are no such candidates.
Now it's just about staying healthy, experiencing the physical grind leading through the end of the season for guys who have never gone through it before.
And more than anything, it's about getting the best possible draft position. It would be awesome if we could add 2 more core players from this draft.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
786NC, only thing that makes sense right now is getting the best draft pick. Season is over in 28 days. I will gladly accept 0-19.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
787Looks like we should finish with a draft postion between 4 and 6. Maybe we get lucky with the bouncing balls again? We will have met two goals for the season: begin to develop our young talent; and be in a postion to collect more of same.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
788Bucks demolish Cavaliers, 121-84; Irving hurt
Published: Friday, March 30, 2012, 9:26 PM Updated: Friday, March 30, 2012, 9:47 PM
By Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer
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CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's not as if Cavaliers coach Byron Scott didn't know what was awaiting his team.
Asked Friday noon to describe the Milwaukee Bucks new backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Monte Ellis, Scott said, "Quick and fast and very dangerous. Both of those guys can flat out score, and they give them ample opportunities to do that. They get out on the break, they run a lot of set plays, a lot of pick and rolls and some isolations. Your perimeter defense has to be on point because those guys will take advantage of it if it’s not.''
He was not kidding. Jennings finished with 28 points, Ellis added 13 and Ersan Ilyasova had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Bucks completely demolished the Cavs, 121-84, at The Q before an disgruntled crowd that booed early and often. The 121 points tied the Cavs opponent high this season, first scored by the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 21.
Kyrie Irving had 29 points before leaving the game after the third quarter with a right shoulder sprain. There is no word on his status for Saturday's game at New York. Alonzo Gee added 19 points for the Cavs, who lost their sixth straight _ tying their season high. It was their ninth loss in 10 games, dropping their record to 17-32. Milwaukee improved to 24-27 by beating Cleveland for the sixth straight time.
After a defenseless first quarter, the Bucks led, 35-26. Milwaukee was shooting 61 percent. Cleveland was shooting 55 percent. But the game was over when the Bucks opened the second quarter on a 20-1 run. While Milwaukee continued to shoot the lights out, Cleveland hit just 7 of 22 shots in the second quarter (31.8 percent.)
By halftime, Milwaukee led, 71-44. It was the most points the Cavs have given up in any half this season, tying the 71 scored by the Knicks on Feb. 29 in Madison Square Garden.
Consider this fair warning. The Cavs will be there on Saturday.
As the Bucks built a 33-point lead in the third quarter, things got so bad that last year's debacle seemed liked the good old days. The half-time act featured lots of little kids dribbling two basketballs apiece. It was the most entertaining part of the evening.
Published: Friday, March 30, 2012, 9:26 PM Updated: Friday, March 30, 2012, 9:47 PM
By Mary Schmitt Boyer, The Plain Dealer
Follow
7
Share
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It's not as if Cavaliers coach Byron Scott didn't know what was awaiting his team.
Asked Friday noon to describe the Milwaukee Bucks new backcourt of Brandon Jennings and Monte Ellis, Scott said, "Quick and fast and very dangerous. Both of those guys can flat out score, and they give them ample opportunities to do that. They get out on the break, they run a lot of set plays, a lot of pick and rolls and some isolations. Your perimeter defense has to be on point because those guys will take advantage of it if it’s not.''
He was not kidding. Jennings finished with 28 points, Ellis added 13 and Ersan Ilyasova had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Bucks completely demolished the Cavs, 121-84, at The Q before an disgruntled crowd that booed early and often. The 121 points tied the Cavs opponent high this season, first scored by the Atlanta Hawks on Jan. 21.
Kyrie Irving had 29 points before leaving the game after the third quarter with a right shoulder sprain. There is no word on his status for Saturday's game at New York. Alonzo Gee added 19 points for the Cavs, who lost their sixth straight _ tying their season high. It was their ninth loss in 10 games, dropping their record to 17-32. Milwaukee improved to 24-27 by beating Cleveland for the sixth straight time.
After a defenseless first quarter, the Bucks led, 35-26. Milwaukee was shooting 61 percent. Cleveland was shooting 55 percent. But the game was over when the Bucks opened the second quarter on a 20-1 run. While Milwaukee continued to shoot the lights out, Cleveland hit just 7 of 22 shots in the second quarter (31.8 percent.)
By halftime, Milwaukee led, 71-44. It was the most points the Cavs have given up in any half this season, tying the 71 scored by the Knicks on Feb. 29 in Madison Square Garden.
Consider this fair warning. The Cavs will be there on Saturday.
As the Bucks built a 33-point lead in the third quarter, things got so bad that last year's debacle seemed liked the good old days. The half-time act featured lots of little kids dribbling two basketballs apiece. It was the most entertaining part of the evening.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
789The Superstar's Ascent
Kyrie Irving's rise from a high school talent to an NBA rookie sensation
by Russell Steinberg March 28, 2012 10:02am ET
Cavs.com
Cavs' rookie Kyrie Irving remains the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year.
A version of this article appeared in the 2012 Five-Star Basketball Summer Preview Magazine, which will be available at all of the premier events this summer.
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend was a game that had no impact on the NBA season. Any points Kyrie Irving scored wouldn’t count toward his season average and the win he brought his team did not push the Cleveland Cavaliers any closer to a playoff appearance. But that didn’t mean Irving could just go through the motions. That’s not who he is.
“This is the game I love and I worked so hard at it,” he said. “No one is going to stop me from doing what I do except for myself.”
Irving put on a show in Orlando, scoring 34 points while shooting eight-for-eight from three-point range, as his Team Chuck squad defeated Team Shaq, 146-133, back in February. His perfection from long distance and his MVP performance were just a few of his latest accomplishments in a life that has been defined by basketball from birth.
Irving was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1992. His father Drederick earned a reputation on the blacktops of the Bronx before becoming a star player for Boston University in the 1980s. It was during his professional career in Australia that Kyrie was borrn, and not surprisingly, it was from Drederick that Kyrie first learned the game of basketball.
“He taught me so much,” Kyrie said. “When I was five, I was the only guy on my team who could lay the ball up with both hands.”
Learning to play with both his hands quickly became a habit for Kyrie and he still prides himself on that ability. But a five-year-old who practices with his off hand doesn’t just become a Duke commit and future No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft overnight.
Along the way, Kyrie made two trips to the Five-Star Basketball Camp. There, he was not only able to hone his skills under elite coaching and play against top competition, but he was able to
shape himself into a more mature person.
“If you can survive in a competitive environment like that without your parents, then you learn how to cope with things on your own,” he said. “If you’re not playing well, your parents aren’t there and you can’t look to them.”
His fellow campers noticed his work ethic.
“He wasn’t really one of the big time players at the time but you could always tell he wanted to be,” current Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker said, remembering Kyrie’s time at the camp.
Kyrie’s ascent to the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft happened over time and under Drederick’s watchful, patient eye.
Although their family was struck with tragedy — Kyrie’s mother passed away suddenly when he was only four — Drederick, with the help of Kyrie’s uncles, helped fill the void. Kyrie says that even today, Drederick is his father, brother and best friend.
At NBA All-Star Weekend, Drederick alternated seamlessly from father to best friend roles. During his interview with Five-Star, Drederick was serious but proud, intent on telling the world about his relationship with his son.
He would crack a grin occasionally, but mostly spoke about Kyrie while displaying little emotion. But when Kyrie briefly interrupted his dad’s interview with a picture of himself that he found from elementary school, the two were all smiles and laughter. Kyrie playfully bumped his father and Drederick turned to the camera and said, “see what I get now? He was innocent back in those days.”
When Kyrie was younger, Drederick didn’t want to suffocate his son with an overbearing fatherly presence. He helped his son work on his game, but also recognized the importance of letting Kyrie figure things out for himself. Once Kyrie started high school, Drederick took a step back. He stopped attending all
of Kyrie’s games, which forced the rising star to learn from his coaches, rather than his father. Such a hands-off approach, according to Drederick, has worked.
“I don’t have to say much to him anymore,” Drederick said. “He’s figured it out.”
Perhaps just as importantly as figuring out how to succeed in basketball, Kyrie has figured out how to present himself to the world beyond basketball. Sitting down with Five-Star, Kyrie appeared at ease with himself: articulate, reflective and honest. He spoke openly about his path and trajectory from middle school to the NBA.
Kyrie told Five-Star that growing up, he had a clear set of goals: “To become the best player in his town, then the best in New Jersey, then the best in the entire country.”
Transferring schools might give him a greater challenge and in the end make him a better player. He averaged 35 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists per game at Montclair Kimberley Academy in Montclair, N.J., but was still just emerging on the radars of major college recruiting services.
Nearby St. Patrick High School, where former head coach Kevin Boyle had established a national power, presented a chance for him to improve and gain recognition. Irving was able to play with current Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and North Carolina guard Dexter Strickland. This meant he was challenged every day in practice by his equally or more talented teammates.
“I got so much better,” Kyrie said of his time at St. Patrick. “Once I started to get noticed then it was about maintaining my level of play and never being content where I was.”
Midway through his junior season, Rivals’ high school rankings listed Irving as the 27th best player in his class. That was good, but not good enough for someone who dreamed of being the top player in the nation.
“Complacency can be your downfall,” he said.
The next year as Rivals’ No. 4 recruit in the country, he finished his high school career and headed to Durham to attend Duke University and learn under Mike Krzyzewski, the most decorated active head coach in the country.
It seemed as if Kyrie was on an easy road to the NBA. Sure, he had faced challenges, but none that he had been unable to overcome. At Duke, he raced out to a fast start, averaging 17.4 points over his first eight games. Then, on Dec. 4 in a non-conference game against 2010 National Runner-up Butler, he suffered a toe injury that kept him out until Duke’s first round NCAA Tournament game against Hampton. But even with the injury, many felt Kyrie was ready to play at the next level. After the season, he declared for the NBA Draft and was the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Now, Kyrie has reset his goals. He wants to be the best player in the NBA.
“He’s grown so much mentally and obviously physically,” Drederick said. “He knows what it takes.”
For now, Kyrie is not at that “all-world” level he dreams of reaching. He is still behind several big names on the list of top NBA players. The Kobes, LeBrons, Wades and Durants of the world still fight for that title. But that’s OK. Kyrie’s rise has been a process and his rookie season is just a step along the way.
“My dad always told me that you’re going to get overlooked sometimes," he said. "It's not about how you start. It's how you finish."
A version of this article appeared in the 2012 Five-Star Basketball Summer Preview Magazine.
Kyrie Irving's rise from a high school talent to an NBA rookie sensation
by Russell Steinberg March 28, 2012 10:02am ET
Cavs.com
Cavs' rookie Kyrie Irving remains the clear favorite for Rookie of the Year.
A version of this article appeared in the 2012 Five-Star Basketball Summer Preview Magazine, which will be available at all of the premier events this summer.
The BBVA Rising Stars Challenge at the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend was a game that had no impact on the NBA season. Any points Kyrie Irving scored wouldn’t count toward his season average and the win he brought his team did not push the Cleveland Cavaliers any closer to a playoff appearance. But that didn’t mean Irving could just go through the motions. That’s not who he is.
“This is the game I love and I worked so hard at it,” he said. “No one is going to stop me from doing what I do except for myself.”
Irving put on a show in Orlando, scoring 34 points while shooting eight-for-eight from three-point range, as his Team Chuck squad defeated Team Shaq, 146-133, back in February. His perfection from long distance and his MVP performance were just a few of his latest accomplishments in a life that has been defined by basketball from birth.
Irving was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1992. His father Drederick earned a reputation on the blacktops of the Bronx before becoming a star player for Boston University in the 1980s. It was during his professional career in Australia that Kyrie was borrn, and not surprisingly, it was from Drederick that Kyrie first learned the game of basketball.
“He taught me so much,” Kyrie said. “When I was five, I was the only guy on my team who could lay the ball up with both hands.”
Learning to play with both his hands quickly became a habit for Kyrie and he still prides himself on that ability. But a five-year-old who practices with his off hand doesn’t just become a Duke commit and future No. 1 pick in the NBA Draft overnight.
Along the way, Kyrie made two trips to the Five-Star Basketball Camp. There, he was not only able to hone his skills under elite coaching and play against top competition, but he was able to
shape himself into a more mature person.
“If you can survive in a competitive environment like that without your parents, then you learn how to cope with things on your own,” he said. “If you’re not playing well, your parents aren’t there and you can’t look to them.”
His fellow campers noticed his work ethic.
“He wasn’t really one of the big time players at the time but you could always tell he wanted to be,” current Charlotte Bobcats guard Kemba Walker said, remembering Kyrie’s time at the camp.
Kyrie’s ascent to the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA Draft happened over time and under Drederick’s watchful, patient eye.
Although their family was struck with tragedy — Kyrie’s mother passed away suddenly when he was only four — Drederick, with the help of Kyrie’s uncles, helped fill the void. Kyrie says that even today, Drederick is his father, brother and best friend.
At NBA All-Star Weekend, Drederick alternated seamlessly from father to best friend roles. During his interview with Five-Star, Drederick was serious but proud, intent on telling the world about his relationship with his son.
He would crack a grin occasionally, but mostly spoke about Kyrie while displaying little emotion. But when Kyrie briefly interrupted his dad’s interview with a picture of himself that he found from elementary school, the two were all smiles and laughter. Kyrie playfully bumped his father and Drederick turned to the camera and said, “see what I get now? He was innocent back in those days.”
When Kyrie was younger, Drederick didn’t want to suffocate his son with an overbearing fatherly presence. He helped his son work on his game, but also recognized the importance of letting Kyrie figure things out for himself. Once Kyrie started high school, Drederick took a step back. He stopped attending all
of Kyrie’s games, which forced the rising star to learn from his coaches, rather than his father. Such a hands-off approach, according to Drederick, has worked.
“I don’t have to say much to him anymore,” Drederick said. “He’s figured it out.”
Perhaps just as importantly as figuring out how to succeed in basketball, Kyrie has figured out how to present himself to the world beyond basketball. Sitting down with Five-Star, Kyrie appeared at ease with himself: articulate, reflective and honest. He spoke openly about his path and trajectory from middle school to the NBA.
Kyrie told Five-Star that growing up, he had a clear set of goals: “To become the best player in his town, then the best in New Jersey, then the best in the entire country.”
Transferring schools might give him a greater challenge and in the end make him a better player. He averaged 35 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists per game at Montclair Kimberley Academy in Montclair, N.J., but was still just emerging on the radars of major college recruiting services.
Nearby St. Patrick High School, where former head coach Kevin Boyle had established a national power, presented a chance for him to improve and gain recognition. Irving was able to play with current Kentucky forward Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and North Carolina guard Dexter Strickland. This meant he was challenged every day in practice by his equally or more talented teammates.
“I got so much better,” Kyrie said of his time at St. Patrick. “Once I started to get noticed then it was about maintaining my level of play and never being content where I was.”
Midway through his junior season, Rivals’ high school rankings listed Irving as the 27th best player in his class. That was good, but not good enough for someone who dreamed of being the top player in the nation.
“Complacency can be your downfall,” he said.
The next year as Rivals’ No. 4 recruit in the country, he finished his high school career and headed to Durham to attend Duke University and learn under Mike Krzyzewski, the most decorated active head coach in the country.
It seemed as if Kyrie was on an easy road to the NBA. Sure, he had faced challenges, but none that he had been unable to overcome. At Duke, he raced out to a fast start, averaging 17.4 points over his first eight games. Then, on Dec. 4 in a non-conference game against 2010 National Runner-up Butler, he suffered a toe injury that kept him out until Duke’s first round NCAA Tournament game against Hampton. But even with the injury, many felt Kyrie was ready to play at the next level. After the season, he declared for the NBA Draft and was the first overall pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Now, Kyrie has reset his goals. He wants to be the best player in the NBA.
“He’s grown so much mentally and obviously physically,” Drederick said. “He knows what it takes.”
For now, Kyrie is not at that “all-world” level he dreams of reaching. He is still behind several big names on the list of top NBA players. The Kobes, LeBrons, Wades and Durants of the world still fight for that title. But that’s OK. Kyrie’s rise has been a process and his rookie season is just a step along the way.
“My dad always told me that you’re going to get overlooked sometimes," he said. "It's not about how you start. It's how you finish."
A version of this article appeared in the 2012 Five-Star Basketball Summer Preview Magazine.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
790Kyrie Irving suffered a sprained right shoulder on Friday night, but said after the game that he hopes to play Saturday when the Cavs face the Knicks.
While it's good to hear that Irving is optimistic about his status for Saturday, the Cavaliers may decide that it's better to hold their stud rookie out just as a precaution. He will travel with the team to New York and will be re-evaluated by the medical staff in the morning. Make sure to check back here for more updates before tip-off.
Source: Fred McLeod on Twitter Mar 30 - 10:15 PM
While it's good to hear that Irving is optimistic about his status for Saturday, the Cavaliers may decide that it's better to hold their stud rookie out just as a precaution. He will travel with the team to New York and will be re-evaluated by the medical staff in the morning. Make sure to check back here for more updates before tip-off.
Source: Fred McLeod on Twitter Mar 30 - 10:15 PM
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
793I think we are moving into real interesting territory on the draft selection. I think there is a real good chance we could finish 4th if we don't push Andy back too soon.
That gets us in the Drummond and Robinson range, and I would like both. I think Robinson will ultimately be better than he is in college
My draft order thru 7 players for the Cavs
1. Davis
2. Gilkrest
3. Robinson
4. Drummond
5. Beal
6. Lamb
7. Barnes
That gets us in the Drummond and Robinson range, and I would like both. I think Robinson will ultimately be better than he is in college
My draft order thru 7 players for the Cavs
1. Davis
2. Gilkrest
3. Robinson
4. Drummond
5. Beal
6. Lamb
7. Barnes
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
794Cody Zeller (if he comes out) would be about #5.
Cavs top 4 are Davis, Gilchrist, Robinson, and Beal.
Cavs top 4 are Davis, Gilchrist, Robinson, and Beal.
Re: Cleveland Cavaliers
795I watched Robinson last night. He would look _real_ nice in Wine and Gold.