# Cleveland at Indiana (4/6/05)



## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

@









*TIME:* 4:00 pm PT, 7:00 pm ET
*TV:* *ESPN*

Coming off a blow out loss at home, the Cavaliers hit the road to face the Pacers. Despite everything that’s happened to Indiana this year, they still fight hard every night. Indiana always matched up well with Cleveland, even when key players were out with injuries. With the exception of games on ABC, the Cavaliers usually make poor showings on national television. Let’s hope the curse can be broken, so the squad doesn’t lay an egg for the nation to see. 










Big Z and Drew probably will not be available for the game. With the little depth that Cleveland has taking a hit heading into the game, Cleveland may need a miracle. Yet once again, it may be up to LeBron to single-handedly carry the team to victory.


----------



## Cap (Nov 5, 2003)

The Nets loss was bad enough, as they're now hot on the heels of 8th seed with Jefferson possibly coming back soon. If the Cavs lose to Pacers tomorrow and then lose to the Sixers right after that (both are on the road, and the Cavs are damn bad on the road), they'll be 38-37 with Philly half a game back and the Pacers comfortably ahead of them. They'd need to win most of their games after that, and that won't be easy with Wizards, Pistons and Celtics games scheduled for the last week of the season (Wizards and Pistons both road games). Cavs also have the Magic up on the 11th, so they could also bump the Cavs if they play well and beat the Cavs on the 11th.

These next two games are the biggest Cavs games of the year, IMO. If they falter the next 2-3 games, it'll be hard to keep morale up the rest of the season to get the team to gut it out, especially with numbskulls like McInnis and Gooden.


----------



## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Gooden? Drew's been the best Cav not named lebron for the past month.
OBTW why is he out?

Hopefully we can pull this together. Paxson really did a nice one if we miss the playoffs. Losing the lotto protection on that pick could be a killer. I'm just drooling to think what a Deron Williams would have bought to this team.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

I think Drew hurt his shoulder and Z his finger.

Losing both hurts because that means Traylor time. Hopefully the extra AV time can counter balance that. I guess AV will get the start tonight and play until he drops of exhaustion?

May need to play Lebron at the 4 tonight. Just to get lineups out on the floor.

It'll be a goddamn miracle if this team makes the playoffs.


----------



## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Ohh can't wait to see one of the most intriguing matchup of the entire year. David Harrison vs. Diop. Unlimited potential and poetry in the post. Will be great


----------



## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

> Gooden? Drew's been the best Cav not named lebron for the past month.


Agreed. Earlier in the season, it was the James-Ilgauskas show but with injuries, stone hands and inconsistency taking Z out of the loop, Gooden has stepped up. Now it's the James-Gooden show.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

I also love how Gooden has played, unfortunately Z has fallen off the map at the same time.

ESPN game which means we will probably play like crap, tonight will let us know if the squad has the heart to make the playoffs or not.


----------



## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Strange how this team has become schizophrenic. The lackluster games on the road and then the big win against Dallas then this big stinker against the Nets at home.

If gooden was playing I would almost be crazy enough to predict against Indiana.

Lebron's gotta to do a decent job against S. Jackson. This is the key matchup even though we're hurt I'm not really all that scared of the Indiana frontline without JO. If Lebron dominates the mathcup we win, if Jackson can be even reasonably close in terms of production then the Pacers win easily


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Stephen Jackson has a history of lighting Lebron up.

Here's the lineup that should start and play the most:

PG-Lebron
SG-Pavlovic
SF-Newble
PF-AV
C-Diop

You let Pav chase Reggie around. Newble plays Jackson. And Lebron mans the top of the defense.

On offense you've got AV, Pav, and Lebron as your scorers. Newble knocks down the occasional shot better than Snow. And then Diop is just out there because Traylor is a fat ***.

That lineup has to run up the score on Indiana. If Lebron has to play more than 40 minutes the Cavs will be in trouble. It's going to take a ton of moxy from him to give the type of performance it's going to take to win this game. But this is a huge game. And if Lebron wants to go to the playoffs, he's going to have to make it happen. Find it within himself to lead this sorry ship limping into the playoffs. This and the game against Philly on friday could make or break the Cavs season after missing a golden opportunity to defend homecourt against New Jersey.


----------



## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

Pioneer10 said:


> If gooden was playing I would almost be crazy enough to predict against Indiana.


Still feeling crazy? :biggrin:

*Cavaliers Injury Update*



> Further examination and x-rays have determined that Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas suffered a dislocation of his right ring finger during last night's game against the New Jersey Nets. He did not travel with the team to Indiana and he is listed as OUT for tonight's game vs. the Pacers. Z will continue to be evaluated and his status will be updated after swelling subsides in his finger.
> 
> Cavaliers forward Drew Gooden experienced a left shoulder strain during last night's game against the Nets. He traveled with the team to Indiana and is receiving treatment. *Drew is listed as PROBABLE for tonight's game against the Pacers.*


----------



## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Fine I'll put my money where my big mouth led me - I'm putting some of my uCash on this game


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Cavs are playing with more defensive intensity tonight.
Mcinnis and Traylor starting?
No so sure about that one.

Why are they so scared to put AV and Gooden on the floor together?

It will be interesting to see what happens in the second quarter. If Lebron is out there. Because that's the shock troops.

Welsch, Sasha, Lebron, AV, Gooden

I think Malone is going to have to put that lineup on the floor in the second quarter.

Though I guess he could just as easily play Snow, Newble, Diop, AV, Lebron. Which could be ugly.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Oh. Interesting. No Lebron in the second quarter. And more Traylor.
I wonder why nobody knows what to do right now? It's like that lineup has never played together or something.

Goddamnit. It's frustrating to watch this team.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

futuristxen said:


> Goddamnit. *It's frustrating to watch this team*.


I 2nd that statement.


----------



## uptown4784 (Jul 4, 2004)

lol 36-28 Indy winning


----------



## uptown4784 (Jul 4, 2004)

Reggie just made a 3


----------



## uptown4784 (Jul 4, 2004)

Fast break reggie made lay-up 7-0 run. WOW!! Cleveland is not playing defense


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

uptown4784 said:


> Reggie just made a 3


I noticed.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Every team lights us up from the 3pt line..when are the perimeter defenders gonna wake up??

This team is falling apart for the 2nd straight F'in season


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

uptown4784 said:


> Fast break reggie made lay-up 7-0 run. WOW!! Cleveland is not playing defense


The **** dude? The game is on ESPN. I don't think anyone on the CAVS board needs updates about how Reggie and the pacers are doing. Now the Pacers board....


Anyways. Traylor is complete garbage. When will we see Lucious Harris to complete the night of terrible.

Malone has somehow managed to take a team already playing bad, and find the worst possible combinations possible tonight. Impressive.

Looks like another blowout loss.

Will Lebron's head explode?


----------



## uptown4784 (Jul 4, 2004)

49-32 Indy winning


----------



## uptown4784 (Jul 4, 2004)

damm reggie is one fire


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

I just want to see this lineup in the second half:
Lebron
Sasha
Welsch
AV
Gooden

Is it so much to ask?  How bad does Traylor have to stink it up before AV gets his minutes?

And the random switching of snow and mcinnis at PG doesn't help things. How is this team supposed to get comfortable when you are radically changing the starting point guard position every 10 games?


----------



## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

^^ I would be happy if they ran that lineup all 24 minutes of the 2nd half. 

No Traylor or McInnis please.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Mcinnis and Traylor are just concerned about their next team. The key thing about all of those guys on that roster, is that all of those guys will be back next year.

Some of the guys on this team don't have winning as their main priority, and it is obvious watching.

Malone can't **** around coming out of the half. He needs to put the lineup in that brought them back against Sacremento and New orleans. And the team that helped blow out Dallas.


I don't understand why when something works Malone or Silas never kept doing it.

Malone isn't even really coaching either. He looks like the most depressed person in the world out there. I don't know how you are supposed to play for a guy like that. I feel bad about the Cavs chances everytime they show him over on the sidelines.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Haha. It's already to the point where I'm watching the scores for the Nets, Magic, hoping they lose.

Has anyone looked at the remaining games for the Nets and Magic and tried to figure out just how uphill it's going to be for the Cavs to make the playoffs?


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Now can they get the come back crew in and make this respectable?

nope.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

play Pav...AV...jiri...lebron...gooden...for...the...love.......of....god.


----------



## Pacers Fan (Aug 25, 2002)

The Cavs got some pretty bad calls near the end of the 3rd quarter.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Lebron is ready to kill Mcinnis. Anyone watching the bench. Mcinnis and Lebron are yapping back and forth at each other.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Nice to see Malone throw in the white towel at the end of the third.

When the Cavs are trying desperately to get something going, you decide to just give Lebron the rest of the night off?


----------



## RP McMurphy (Jul 17, 2003)

futuristxen said:


> Nice to see Malone throw in the white towel at the end of the third.
> 
> When the Cavs are trying desperately to get something going, you decide to just give Lebron the rest of the night off?


Maybe something went on that we don't know about. I didn't like LeBron's body language at all tonight, especially in the third quarter.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

I liked how they crammed the camera in Lebron's face all 4th quarter waiting for anything remotely looking liked laughter. The whole 4th he was sitting there stone faced while Mcinnis was laughing and stuff. The one time he cracks a smile they get it and replay it, and then comment on it. Well done.


----------



## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

RP McMurphy said:


> Maybe something went on that we don't know about. I didn't like LeBron's body language at all tonight, especially in the third quarter.



I thought his body language looked okay. I mean, he looked frustrated at times with the losing. And he's kind of looked like that for awhile.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Two games in a row Malone has thrown in the towel. Ridiculous. 

I'm beyond frustrated with this team at this point. I also pathetically have been watching other games hoping Philly/Orlando/NJ are losing. 

Not even fun watching basketball anymore.........


----------



## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Ain't blaming Malone but strange lineup: When you're down big you play both Snow and Newble and Tractor. Since we're losing big why not play Sasha and Jiri


----------



## kamego (Dec 29, 2003)

Horrible trend to see right before the playoffs start.


----------



## phipsiboy (Apr 3, 2005)

thank you chicago...who would have thought that at this point of the season we would be happy that chicago won


----------



## RP McMurphy (Jul 17, 2003)

futuristxen said:


> I thought his body language looked okay. I mean, he looked frustrated at times with the losing. And he's kind of looked like that for awhile.


The worst example was when he got stripped, he didn't even try to chase a 39-year-old man down the court to stop the fast break. Does anyone honestly think LeBron wasn't quick enough to get back on transition on that play? Of course he is, that was just a lack of effort. And then he whined about something after the Pacers got the And-1, I couldn't tell whether he was complaining that he didn't get a call, or yelling at Eric Snow for fouling on the easy layup, or what. Also, there was the play he let Stephen Jackson blow by him for the dunk, and like you mentioned he was yelling at Jeff McInnis. The Cavs have the worst chemistry in the league right now.


----------



## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

What can any team do when you're perimeter players can't hit shots and you're inside players brick layups? The Pacers played good D but the Cavs had plenty of makeable shots. By the time the 3rd quarter rolled around, you ain't gonna come back with a lineup of Newble, Snow, McInnis, and traylor. Malone threw in the towel at the half with that lineup and the player knew it. the only threat in that lineup was Lebron and Indiana knew it. I'm not surprised he got frustrated


----------



## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

futuristxen said:


> I just want to see this lineup in the second half:
> Lebron
> Sasha
> Welsch
> ...


 This is the most baffling move by Malone. he actually finds a lineup that plays well and we don't see it at all? Stuppppiiiidddd!

At this point, I could care less about any of our guards except Sasha. Can you please play him Malone. I Tivo'd a bit of the game and watching some parts (couldn't stomach watching the whole thing) it seems to me that even when's he not scoring he's become our best perimeter defender. He's the only guard with a future in Cleveland so we might as well see what we got in him


----------

