# Official 2005 Summer League/Preseason/Training Camp Thread



## Pioneer10

Here's who we know will play in the summer league. Still waiting on the full and official list:

Matt Feije
John Gilchrist
Luke Jackson
Martynas Andriuskevicius


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## JPBulls

*Re: Summer League*

Nezinho( every one in Brazil only know him by his nickname, but his name is Wellington dos Santos), PG,1,85 m ( I think it´s 6ft) 24 years from Brazil. All the media here are saying that he is going to play in the Cavs summer league, and because of that he maybe won´t play for the national team...

I really doubt he makes the team, but will be fun see how he does... he is probably the third best PG in Brazil, behind Leandrinho and Valtinho ( maybe will play for the Spurs, he is older 28 years, but is injured so maybe he won´t be able to play).

Would be fun to have 2 brazilians in the Cavs... They already are my second favorite team because of Varejão, my favorite brazilian player.


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Summer League*

^ Thanks for the info. Hopefully he comes on over


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## remy23

*Cavaliers: NEWS*

*Cavaliers to Play Six-Game Summer Schedule in Las Vegas*












> *CLEVELAND, July 5 --* The Cleveland Cavaliers will participate in the 2005 Reebok Vegas Summer League, playing a six-game schedule during the month of July, Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry announced today.
> 
> The Cavaliers have assembled a summer league team of draftees, free agents and young veterans to participate in the Reebok Vegas Summer League, which will be held July 6-15. This is the second consecutive year that the Cavaliers will compete.
> 
> The Reebok Vegas Summer League expanded from six teams last year to 16 NBA teams this year that will compete in a 10-day, 43-game schedule. In addition to the Cavaliers, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Denver, Golden State, Los Angeles Clippers, New Jersey, New Orleans, New York, Orlando, Phoenix, Portland, Sacramento and Washington will compete in the summer league. All games will be played at Cox Pavilion on the campus of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.
> 
> Two of the Cavaliers games will be televised on NBA TV in a tape delay format. The Cavaliers game on Tuesday, July 12 versus the Boston Celtics will air on July 16 and the Wednesday, July 13 game versus the Portland Trail Blazers will air on July 19.
> 
> For more information on the Cavaliers summer plans, visit ClevelandCavaliers.com or VegasSummerLeague.com.
> 
> Cavaliers Game Schedule
> 
> Thursday, July 7 Cavaliers vs. Hornets 3 p.m. PST
> Saturday, July 9 Warriors vs. Cavaliers 8 p.m. PST
> Sunday, July 10 Nuggets vs. Cavaliers 3 p.m. PST
> Tuesday, July 12 Celtics vs. Cavaliers 1 p.m. PST (airs 7/16)
> Wednesday, July 13 Cavaliers vs. Blazers 7 p.m. PST (airs 7/19)
> Friday, July 15 Cavaliers vs. Blazers 2 p.m. PST


*CLEVELAND CAVALIERS SUMMER LEAGUE ROSTER*

54 Martynas Andriuskevicius F/C 7-2 240 3/12/86 Lithuania ’05 R 
45 Kelenna Azubuike G 6-5 220 12/16/83 Kentucky ’05 R 
40 Bryan Bracey F 6-7 220 8/5/78 Oregon ’01 R 
24 Carl English G 6-5 205 2/2/81 Hawaii ’03 R 
35 Matt Freije F 6-10 235 10/2/81 Vanderbilt ’04 1 
5 John Gilchrist G 6-3 195 6/29/84 Maryland ’04 R 
33 Luke Jackson G/F 6-7 215 11/6/81 Oregon ’04 1 
41 Kresimir Loncar F 6-11 250 2/12/83 Ukraine ’05 R 
8 John Lucas III G 5-11 165 11/21/82 Oklahoma State ’05 R 
53 Olumide Oyedeji F/C 6-10 240 5/11/81 Nigeria ’00 3 
31 Ryan Randle F/C 6-9 240 4/21/81 Maryland ’03 R 
6 Blake Stepp G 6-4 190 2/4/82 Gonzaga ’04 1 
12 Derrick Tarver G 6-4 215 6/9/80 Akron ’04 R 
50 James Thomas F 6-8 240 11/22/80 Texas ’04 1 
30 Ime Udoka G/F 6-6 220 8/9/77 Portland St. ’02 1 
36 Jeff Varem G/F 6-6 245 7/16/83 Washington St. ’05 R


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## knicks4567

*Re: Summer League*

gilchrist, stepp and udoka are the best.


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## SamTheMan67

*Re: Summer League*

I'll take pics and give a summary unless its on TV.. im going to about 5 or so games when i get a day off of work this week


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Summer League*

Nice Sam, keep us updated: I don't have NBA TV so I don't get any of the summer league games.


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## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

I have NBA TV but I'm still bummed to have to watch the games delayed. It beats not seeing the games at all but still...


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## SamTheMan67

*Re: Summer League*

Its really fun too because its so quiet in the cox pavilion. last year i went up to mcginnins on the sidelines and asked him about boozer and he walked away from me hahaha


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## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

I remember seeing McInnis in the crowd one game I was watching and was shocked at how old he looks. Jeff looked 50 years old in the face that day, even worse than Mutumbo on one of his bad days. Perhaps Jeff simply had a bad night's sleep or something because he looked close to death. Random thought, I know.

Edit: *Sam*> Too bad Diop isn't on the team this year and can't kick a ball at you!


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## SamTheMan67

*Re: Summer League*

yea hes really skinny too.. haha it looked like diop was wacking off in the corner when he got thrown out. I swear the dude had his huge hands in his pants just staring at us


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## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

Sir Pio, make this thread a sticky mate.

I heard the Cavs ran most of their plays through Luke but he shot terrible. He did have some assists, thus he partially redeemed himself. I'm shocked Cleveland won this game because on paper, it appeared the Hornets had the superior squad. 

Word is Mini Z didn't play due to back spasms and Gilchrist didn't play due to missing a team meeting (but he'll be around next game and still have a chance to make the team).


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## futuristxen

*Re: Summer League*

Wow good start for Gilchrist. You have the rep as an attitude problem and you miss your team meeting in summer league?


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## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

Bad start indeed. While I'm not happy to hear that, I still hope he gets it together and just plays the way everybody knows he's capable of to make the team. Gilchrist would be a young, talented player who can be had for cheap.


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## remy23

*Game 1*

*Boxscore: Cleveland 76, New Orleans 73*

*Game Recap*



> *Stepp steps up for Cavs, despite Paul's brilliant performance*
> 
> Dennis Rogers
> [email protected]
> 
> July 7, 2005
> 
> The Cleveland Cavaliers held on in the final seconds to beat the New Orleans Hornets, 76-73, Thursday afternoon. Hornets rookie Chris Paul missed a game tying running lay-up with six seconds left and former Hornet Matt Freijie made one of two free throws to seal the win for the Cavs.
> 
> Paul was very impressive in his first NBA action, scoring a game-high 21 points (8-13 FG), pulling down five rebounds and dishing out four assists in 34 minutes. Paul had the highlight of the game when he crossed over John Lucas III, drove the lane and got the basket and a foul as he kissed a runner off the glass.
> 
> Blake Stepp displayed his great shooting touch, leading the Cavs with 16 points (6-9 FG). Freijie had 13 points (5-9 FG) in the win. Cleveland finished the game 45 percent (31-69 FG) and out-rebounded the Hornets 40-38.
> 
> J.R. Smith had 15 points (5-12 FG) in the losing effort for the Hornets. Maciej Lampe grabbed a team-high seven rebounds in addition to scoring 12 points (5-10 FG). Former Charlotte Hornet Eddie Robinson had 12 points (6-10 FG) and six rebounds.
> 
> Paul had 14 points (5-6 FG) in the first half as he dazzled the crowd with his speed and ball handling ability. Smith put in nine points (4-9 FG) in the half. New Orleans shot 52 percent (16-31 FG) for the half.
> 
> Stepp led he Cavs in scoring for the first half, scoring eight points(3-3 FG). The Cavs shot 55 percent (17-31 FG) at the break.
> 
> The Hornets take on the Washington Wizards tomorrow night at 8 p.m., while the Cavaliers battle the Golden State Warriors on Saturday at 8 p.m.


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Game 1*

It has been stickied:

Jesus Luke shot 3-15? Well we better sign Hughes because that is very very dissappointing.

Hopefully it's just because it's his first game in a year but he has to show something better then that the rest of the summer league.

And Gilchrist missed a team meeting? Who the hell is this guy's agent? I would be sleeping in the same bed as him to make sure he's where he's supposed to be. If not getting drafted isn't enough to get this kid's head on straight then I don't know what will.


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## sheefo13

*Re: Summer League*

I still do not understand why the Wolves gave up on Stepp. We just had to lose his rights by inviting him to camp and cutting him.... Great.

I hope he makes it on the Cavs roster though. What is overlooked is what he shot from 3 point land. 4-5! Then he had 0 turnovers but only 1 assist. He is a good passer and usually racks up the assists but he is a little turnover prone. He showed then both wrong.


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Game 1*

Well this article puts a better spin on it:



> Las Vegas- Guard Luke Jackson returned to action during the Las Vegas Summer League at the Cox Pavilion for the first time since having back surgery in January to repair a herniated disc.
> 
> Jackson, the Cavs' first pick in the 2004 NBA draft, did not have a rousing return. He was 3-for-15 from the field for eight points. He shot airballs, bricks and was often hesitant on taking shots. All of that, however, did not matter. Jackson was pleased he was able to get back on the floor.
> 
> "I haven't been healthy playing ball in a year," Jackson said. "I'm not worried about missing some shots during a summer-league game. I'm excited that I can keep my guy in front of me and play good defense. I can still pass the ball and get other guys involved. My offense is going to come. I'm just excited to be out there playing pain-free."
> Jackson made a late steal for a layup and his short jumper with less than two minutes left gave the Cavs' summer-league team a four-point lead and enough momentum to hang on to a 76-73 victory over the New Orleans Hornets.


http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1120815052291311.xml&coll=2


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## sheefo13

*Re: Summer League*

Hopefully he can bounce back tomorrow... Any word on Martynas Andriciuskevius (I will never learn how to spell it or say it) playing? Looks like he was on the roster but is a buyout a problem for him as it is for Fran Vasquez? I just want to see what he will end up performing like.

As for Luke Jackson... Meh. I really hope he can bounce back but not as long as Stepp is hitting those 3s.


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## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Summer League*

3-15?? WTF. Come on Luke.. :no:

He better show some improvement in the next game. And what the hell is wrong with Gilchrist missing team meetings, he could easily make this roster if he could get his head on straight.


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## remy23

*Recap for Game 2*

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1037


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## SamTheMan67

*Re: Summer League*

I'm going to see the cavs play tuesday and will let you guys know how it is and make sure to take some sexy pics with luke and the boys


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Summer League*

Here's the code from remy's link: it look likes draftexpress has turned off text select so can't directly copy



> <b>Luke Jackson</b>- Started off cold once again before finally nailing a three pointer. That got him going and he started driving to the basket, pulling up off the dribble and making some very nice passes. Was really feeling it at one point and had a hard time missing.<br />
> <br />
> In the second half Jackson really seemed to rediscover his old self. While his shot isn’t in the crazy-deadly range he’s capable of, Luke seems to be shaking the last remnants of rust off of his game and will probably star for his team the rest of the week. His passing and quick decision making are starting to look like the old Oregonian Jackson that made him the 10th pick in the draft. Luke better dominate, because his squad is sauce.<br />
> <br />
> <b>Martynas Andriuskevicius</b>- Looked completely lost from the very second he got in. Got stuffed by Diogu on his very first shot in America, and then was dunked on by Chris Taft on the next possession down the court. Threw the next pass he got 10 feet out of bounds, picked up a couple of fouls and then dribbled the ball off his foot. Stroked a very nice 12 footer from the baseline. Played nice defense on Chris Taft to force him into a travel. Made a great pass to Ike Udoka. Got on the floor to force a jump ball. <br />
> <br />
> <b>John Gilchrist</b>- Finally saw some playing time at the beginning of the 2nd quarter after being benched yesterday for being late for a team meeting. Did an average job running his team, but scored a couple of nice baskets. <br />
> 
> <br />


I'm starting to get pretty excited for next year. I seriously don't see Newble getting any time next year. It's gonna to be dog fight btw Luke and Sasha to see who'll get minutes behind Huges

If there's any doubt that martnas is a project it's starting to clear up. I'm glad he came over though: a little time in the NBDL will toughen him up quick


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## thekid

*Re: Summer League*

Box score anyone?


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## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Summer League*

Ugh...I don't know maybe it's just me but Luke should be dominating these games, he is a 4 year college player. There shouldn't be a huge learning curve for him anymore. The majority of his competition in these games won't even be rotation players in the league..personally I was anticipating a better showing. 

I guess we will just have to wait and see over the course of the summer.


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## yamaneko

*Re: Summer League*

On www.clippersdaily.com in the articles section for saturdays recaps i have a small recap of the cavs game and a couple of pictures i took..


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## remy23

*Game 2 Boxscore*

*Cleveland 82, Golden State 69*


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## remy23

*Recap for Game 2*

<center>









*Cavs beat Warriors behind sharp shooting of Jackson*</center>



> Dennis Rogers
> [email protected]
> 
> July 9, 2005
> 
> *The Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Golden State Warriors, 82-69, behind the sharp shooting of Luke Jackson and the speed of John Lucas Jr.
> 
> Jackson, who was injured for the majority of last season, showed the shooting ability he is known for by connecting for 11 points (5-11 FG).
> 
> Lucas used his speed to get into the lane and finished with 12 points (6-8 FG).*
> 
> Cleveland finished the game shooting 54 percent (37-68 FG). They out scored Golden State 34-14 in points off turnovers. The Warriors finished the game with 25 turnovers, the Cavs had just 12.
> 
> Ike Diogu (7-14 FG) and Zarko Cabarkapa (5-10 FG) had 15 points a piece.
> 
> Golden State finished the game shooting 49 percent (26-53 FG).
> 
> The Cavs shot 57 percent (13-23 FG) in the first half and used their *stifling defense* to force 13 Warrior turnovers, resulting in a 18-6 advantage in points off turnovers. Udoka contributed 10 points (4-5 FG) in the half.
> 
> The Warriors were led by Cabarkapa in scoring with nine points (3-5 FG). The Warriors shot 57 percent (13-23 FG) in the first half, but took 11 fewer shots than the Cavs.
> 
> The Cavs take on the Boston Celtics on Monday at 3 p.m., while the Warriors battle the Detroit Pistons on Monday at 5 p.m.


Jackson and Lucas playing well is good to hear but I'm more shocked by the "stifling defense" comment. Stifling defense in a summer league? Interesting. Better yet, stifiling defense from the Cavaliers? Awesome.


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## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Summer League*

Definitely good to see Luke getting his stroke back, I take back all my negative comments about his progress :biggrin: . It seems he has become the team leader and go to guy for our summer league team. Also looks like Gilchrist played well. 

I'm amazed our squad is winning games like this, on paper we look outmatched big time. GS rolls out a squad with Diogu, Cabarkabra, Chris Taft, Jawad Williams, Biedrins, etc. and we still beat them by 13.


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Summer League*

draftexpress has experienced scouts and I think they are reliable. Definitely good news if is getting some high praise from them


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## futuristxen

*Re: Summer League*

Yeah I'm suprised the Cavs are winning these games with a team that is basically Luke Jackson and Others. When do the Cavs play the Blazers?


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## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

Cleveland plays Portland on Wednesday at 7:00 pm (PT).


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## remy23

*Game 3*

*Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Denver Nuggets*



> Final Score: Cavs 78 - Nuggets 55
> 
> Halftime: Cavs 38 - Nuggets 30
> 
> *Nuggets*
> 
> *Linas Kleiza -* Barely played in the first half, but impossible not to notice when he is on the court. He’s so tough and active, but really skilled at the same time.
> 
> Kleiza had better games than this one. He has to learn how to be smarter with his aggressiveness, as he’s picked up a ton of fouls in all of his three games. You have to love his heart, but that won’t help his team if he’s saddled with fouls night in and night out. In the 4th quarter he nailed 3 straight mid-jumpers, two from the NCAA three point line to end up with a respectable statline. He also finished with 7 fouls.
> 
> *Boniface N’Dong -* Possibly the biggest sleeper of this summer league, “Butterface” N’Dong as we affectionately call him keeps getting more and more confident every game that goes by and continues to show off a wide array of skills that could very well land him a contract in the NBA next year. N’Dong once again showed that he can face the basket and hit the 16 foot jumper very well, he was active in the paint and played with a ton of intensity for every minute he was on the court. He shows very strong fundamentals for a 7 footer, sealing his man off in the paint, catching and turning around fluidly for the dunk, and then boxing his man out very effectively and rebounding on the other end of the floor.
> 
> Picked up his fifth foul with 3 minutes to go in the third quarter. Might be trying to do a little too much.
> 
> *Julius Hodge -* Not having a great game at all. Really struggles to play off the ball when he isn’t the point guard on the floor. He missed some gimmes around the basket and showed off his atrocious looking shot again from behind the arc. Luke Jackson gave him a very hard time on both ends and certainly outplayed him.
> 
> Looks very frustrated, forcing the issue constantly. After the 2nd half we can definitely say, Luke Jackson murdered him on both ends. His lack of explosiveness really hurts him as strictly a handling/slashing type in the NBA.
> 
> *Ricky Sanchez -* For the third straight game, all Sanchez did was hang out on the perimeter and shoot three pointers. Nothing was falling for him as usual. Sanchez needs to grow a pair at some point and realize that at 6-11 there is more that he can do besides jacking up off balance three pointers all day long. When will it be too early to question the Nuggets for drafting him at #35 when there were so many established players on the board who could have helped them right now?
> 
> *Cavaliers*
> 
> *Luke Jackson -* On cue, Luke has really started asserting himself with good results. Jackson’s deep shot is still a bit short, but he’s locating it well and not shooting indiscriminatingly. In transition Luke’s handle and court vision are really helping get his team going, at one point he pulled a sweet cross-over to the left and then flipped the behind the back pass in stride to his teammate for the jam...which the guy blew. Jackson has handled Julius Hodge’s pressure very well and isn’t getting beat on defense at all as he’s funneled Julius to the baseline on nearly every attempt.
> 
> In the second half Luke absolutely dominated the transition game with his ball handling and passing. Jackson didn’t look to score much, but he controlled the tempo and was the point guard for his team on many possessions. Once his shot gets right again he’ll look nice playing alongside passers like LBJ and Larry Hughes.
> 
> *John Lucas III -* Lucas is having a very solid performance today going up against Tyus Edney. Lucas has handled Edney’s quickness on the defensive end and is really showing a good grasp of the point guard duties in this game. John’s also hitting his sots, even making a 35 foot runner at the buzzer that was waved off. Looks very comfortable on the floor right now.
> 
> *Jeff Varem -* Varem is a ball of energy on the floor right now. While I can’t see a position for him on the court, he played point last season for his team and it shows in his ability to handle the basketball with confidence. Varem looks like a power forward as his build is extremely impressive. Varem has good explosiveness as well as quick feet and has really given Linas Klieza problems. At one point Varem came over the top on a Hodge drive and completely absorbed the layup attempt with an emphatic swat. He’s a fun player to watch.
> 
> *John Gilchrist -* John has really handled the ball well and set his teammates in the right spots, even if they haven’t kept their end of the bargain. Gilchrist’s handle is very solid and he’s got a great body for the 1, so we’ll see what happens. Not really shooting at all, but his hesistation and smart selection have gotten him points from the line and up close.


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## LBJthefuturegoat

*Re: Summer League*

Luke seems like he's proving all the people who called him a bust wrong. I can't wait until I see what he does in the season.


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## remy23

*Game 3 Box Score & Recap*

*Box Score* & *Recap*



> Cavs dominate Nuggets, 78-55
> 
> Dennis Rogers
> [email protected]
> 
> July 10, 2005
> 
> The Cleveland Cavaliers outscored the Denver Nuggets in every quarter en route to an easy 78-55 win.
> 
> The Cavs used a powerful inside game to dominate the Nuggets 46-16 in points in the paint. They also outscored the Nuggets 18-4 in second chance points.
> 
> John Gilchrist (5-6 FG) and Olumide Oyeneji (6-6 FG) led Cleveland with 14 points a piece. Luke Jackson (5-11 FG) and John Lucas Jr. (6-12 FG) had 12 points a piece. Jackson also accounted for six assists.
> 
> The Cavs shot 55 percent (30-55 FG) for the game, while the Nuggets only shot 39 percent (21-54 FG).
> 
> The only Nugget in double figures was Luis Flores with 11 points. Luke Schenscher had seven points and seven rebounds in the loss.
> 
> The Cavs take on the Boston Celtics on Tuesday at 1 p.m., while the Nuggets battle the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday at 5 p.m.


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Game 3 Box Score & Recap*

<font size=4>Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Denver Nuggets</font><br />
<br />
Final Score: Cavs 78- Nuggets 56<br />
<br />
Halftime: Cavs 38- Denver 30. <br />
<br />
<font size=4>Nuggets</font><br />

<br />
<i>Jonathan Givony</i><br />
<br />
<b>Linas Kleiza</b>-Barely played in the first half, but impossible not to notice when he is on the court. He’s so tough and active, but really skilled at the same time. <br />
<br />
Kleiza had better games than this one. He has to learn how to be smarter with his aggressiveness, as he’s picked up a ton of fouls in all of his three games. You have to love his heart, but that won’t help his team if he’s saddled with fouls night in night out. In the 4th quarter he nailed 3 straight mid-jumpers, two from the NCAA three point line to end up with a respectable statline. He also finished with 7 fouls. <br />
<br />
<b>Boniface N’Dong</b>- Possibly the biggest sleeper of this summer league, “Butterface” N’Dong as we affectionately call him keeps getting more and more confident every game that goes by and continues to show off a wide array of skills that could very well land him a contract in the NBA next year. N’Dong once again showed that he can face the basket and hit the 16 foot jump shot very well, he was active in the paint and played with a ton of intensity for every minute he was on the court. He shows very strong fundamentals for a 7 footer, sealing his man off in the paint, catching and turning around fluidly for the dunk, and then boxing his man out very effectively and rebounding on the other end of the floor. <br />
<br />
Picked up his fifth foul with 3 minutes to go in the third quarter. Might be trying to do a little too much. <br />

<br />
<b>Julius Hodge</b>- Not having a great game at all. Really struggles to play off the ball when he isn’t the point guard on the floor. He missed some gimmes around the basket and showed off his atrocious looking shot again from behind the arc. Luke Jackson gave him a very hard time on both ends and certainly outplayed him. <br />
<br />
Looks very frustrated, forcing the issue constantly. After the 2nd half we can definitely say, Luke Jackson murdered him on both ends. His lack of explosiveness really hurts him as strictly a handling/slashing type in the NBA. <br />
<br />
<b>Ricky Sanchez</b>- For the third straight game, all Sanchez did was hang out on the perimeter and shoot three pointers. Nothing was falling for him as usual. Sanchez needs to grow a pair at some point and realize that at 6-11 there is more that he can do besides jacking up off balance three pointers all day long. When will it be too early to question the Nuggets ford drafting him at #35 when there were so many established players on the board who could have helped them right now?<br />
<br />
<font size=4>Cavaliers</font><br />
<br />
<i>Eric Weiss</i><br />

<br />
<b>Luke Jackson</b>- On cue, Luke has really started asserting himself with good results. Jackson’s deep shot is still a bit short, but he’s locating it well and not shooting indiscriminatingly. In transition Luke’s handle and court vision are really helping get his team going, at one point he pulled a sweet cross-over to the left and then flipped the behind the back pass in stride to his teammate for the jam…which the guy blew. Jackson has handled Julius Hodge’s pressure very well and isn’t getting beat on defense at all as he’s funneled Julius to the baseline on nearly every attempt. <br />
<br />
In the second half Luke absolutely dominated the transition game with his ball handling and passing. Jackson didn’t look to score much, but he controlled the tempo and was the point guard for his team on many possessions. Once his shot gets right again he’ll look nice playing alongside passers like LBJ and Larry Hughes.<br />
<br />
<b>John Lucas III</b>- Lucas is having a very solid performance today going up against Tyus Edney. Lucas has handled Edney’s quickness on the defensive end and is really showing a good grasp of the point guard duties in this game. John’s also hitting his shots, even making a 35 foot runner at the buzzer that was waved off. Looks very comfortable on the floor right now. <br />
<br />
<b>Jeff Varem</b>- Varem is a ball of energy on the floor right now. While I can’t see a positon for him on the court, he played point last season for his team and it shows in his ability to handle the basketball with confidence. Varem looks like a power forward as his build is extremely impressive. Varem has good explosiveness as well as quick feet and has really given Linas Klieza problems. At one point Varem came over the top on a Hodge drive and completely absorbed the layup attempt with an emphatic swat. He’s a fun player to watch. <br />
<br />
<b>John Gilchrist</b>- John has really handled the ball well and set his teammates in the right spots, even if they haven’t kept their end of the bargain. Ghilchrist’s handle is very solid and he’s got a great body for the 1, so we’ll see what happens. Not really shooting at all, but his hesitation and smart selection have gotten him points from the line and up close. <br />

<br />
<hr><br />

http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1039

Looks like we're getting a lottery pick after all this year. Gilchrist and Lucas looks like they have real good shots to make the team as well


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## futuristxen

*Re: Summer League*

Haha I would love if Luke could come in next year and shut some haters up.

Gilchrist and Lucas sound fantastic.

Who is Jeff Varem?


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## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Summer League*

I don't know but the Varem guy supposedly has tremendous size and PG skills, definitely worth a look. 

And Luke is schooling folks in these last few games, I especially like the all around floor game he is showing. Also Gilchrist is a scoring machine, in his 1st two games he's put up 24pts in 28 mins on 75% shooting from the field :eek8: 

If he keeps that up, I don't see how he doesn't make the squad attitude problems or not.


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## Pioneer10

*Gilchrist*



> -- No one in the Las Vegas Summer League was once rated as high and dropped as far as point guard John Gilchrist.
> 
> Gilchrist, once projected to be a lottery pick, fell so fast after developing a negative reputation during this past season that he was fortunate to sign as a free agent. He is taking advantage of his second chance.
> 
> "I just have to go out here and play ball," said Gilchrist, who is 6-3 and 194 pounds. "I'm going to do everything I've done since a kid; go out and have fun. Other than that, ev erything else will fall into place. I can't worry about the past."
> 
> Gilchrist's fu ture looks bet ter following his performance on Sunday. In 14 minutes of action, he scored 14 points behind 5-of-6 shooting to lead the Cavaliers to an easy 78-55 victory over the Denver Nuggets at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas' Cox Pavilion.
> 
> The Cavs (3-0) also received another solid performance from Luke Jackson.
> 
> Jackson, recovering from back surgery following his rookie year, had 12 points and six assists. John Lucas III had 12 points and two assists in his last game with the Cavs; he will now play with the Minnesota Timberwolves' summer-league team.
> 
> That means Gilchrist will get more time to try to make the Cavs' roster as a third point guard.
> 
> The Cavs plan to find a starting point guard through trade or free agency. Eric Snow more than likely will begin the season as a backup, and that leaves a third point guard spot up for grabs. So far, Gilchrist has made a good impression on coach Mike Brown.
> 
> "John has to keep playing hard, and he has to show that he can defend and run a team," Brown said. "If he continues to do that, there's a chance that he can get invited to training camp."


http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/112107425970251.xml&coll=2


----------



## remy23

*Game 4 Summary*

*DraftExpress Recap*



> Final Score: Cavs 71 - Celtics 65
> 
> Halftime Score: Cleveland Cavaliers 38 - Boston Celtics 33
> 
> *Celtics*
> 
> *Ryan Gomes -* Ryan was the best player for the Celtics in the first half. Gomes came up with the ball on many occasions, be it a steal, rebound, or loose ball. Gomes finished two “and 1” plays which were beautiful. Ryan just knows how to set up his defender for failure. He used up fakes and footwork to get his man off balance and is a guaranteed finish once the defender bites. Good half.
> 
> Ryan did much of the same things in the second half. In the post Gomes is pretty much unguardable. He needs to keep trusting his outside shot so he can successfully transition to a true small forward, but his decision making is as sound as can be and his shot mechanics are virtually flawless. Gomes is a great finisher around the basket and doesn’t lose concentration or feel when he gets hit on the follow through.
> 
> *Will Bynum -* Will has had a very strong game on both sides of the floor. The first thing that jumps out at you is his ball-hawk defense. Bynum has forced the opposing point guard into two turnovers mid-court. On the offensive end, Bynum used a couple of solid jumpers to set up his drive. Bynum has finished in traffic a number of times and has taken contact when doing so. This kid has been all about toughness today, even if his point guard instincts are a little shaky.
> 
> *Tony Allen -* The last of the Celtics to actually play well. Allen has been solid on both ends of the floor and it’s his hustle that makes it happen. Allen takes contact excellently, using his shoulder to body the defender in the air and finishing softly after contact. Tony loves to jump the passing lanes and has gotten his hands on some balls today including one to end the half that left him just short of time to finish a breakaway dunk.
> 
> *Gerald Green -* Green’s only getting in here because of his status as a figure of interest for Celtics fans. Green’s jumper looks very good, even when he misses it, but his shot selection is shaky at best. Gerald just can’t beat his defender off the dribble and most of his shots are on lateral moves. Still, he can elevate quickly and it’s hard to block so the shot is his to miss or make. If Green got more help with screens he’d be able to get to the rack easily and when he’s squared to the basket he is very confident. Gerald has shown a desire to post on occasion, which is nice, and he had a smooth steal/assit to Al Jefferson that highlighted his first half.
> 
> *Cavs*
> 
> *Luke Jackson -* Shot wasn’t really falling for him in the 1st half. Was really trying to play defense and did a pretty good job on the very predictable Gerald Green. Luke didn’t force things too much on the offensive end and as the game progressed he started picking up points from different spots on the court. Jackson has a great basketball IQ and he’s been dishing off gorgeous dimes all Summer League long, with today being no exception. He had a pretty good first half for the Cavs.
> 
> Luke was pretty quite in the 2nd half. For a guy whose game revolves so heavily around his 3 point shot, it will take a while for him to fully shake the rust off and return to the player he was in college. Right now there are a lot of rumblings in the stands about him never being able to live up to where he was picked and there is already quite a bit of talk about Danny Ferry putting him on the trading block already.
> 
> *Martynas Andriuskevicius -* Marty looks pretty lost out there and is having a bit of a problem not making mistakes out there with everything he does. He had an open lane to drive and dunk after a beautiful pass, but got a little excited and shuffled his feet just as he got the ball.
> 
> Marty got injured late in the 2nd half. He didn’t do anything in the rest of the half except for picking up a couple of fouls and maybe scoring some garbage around the basket.
> 
> *Blake Stepp -* Stepp has a beautiful stroke and has a lot of ans here in these stands because of the way he plays. He is a smart player who doesn’t make too many mistakes and knows how to run a team effectively. His knee problems are a bit concerning, and they contribute to his already underwhelming athletic ability.
> 
> Stepp was probably the best player on the floor for the Cavs today. His timely shooting was what kept the Cavs in front as the Celtics made a strong push at the end. He did a solid job moving the ball around and overall had a very good game.
> 
> *John Gilchrist -* Not a very good start for Gilchrist today. Will Bynum was really bringing it to him on the defensive end. Gilchrist didn’t really seem to be too into it mentally today, being called for palming the ball and taking a couple of shots outside of the context of the offense.
> 
> A terrible game for Gilchrist today. There’s not much more to say beyond that.
> 
> *Jeff Varem -* Varem has been catching our eye all week long with the way he’s been playing here. He is a 6-5 combo forward right now with absolutely no position for the NBA, but he’s been making the most of his time by doing all the little things for his team. He plays tough, pesky defense on whoever he’s asked to guard, doing an especially good job on Justin Reed today, taking him out of the game completely by matching him with his physicality. He’s been the owner of some of the most explosive plays around the basket all week long as well, and he generally shows the right attitude in everything he does. He’s signed with Pau Orthez, a top team in France already, which is an excellent signing for them considering that he can play both the 3 and the 4 for them in Europe, his natural positions.


----------



## futuristxen

*Re: Summer League*

Ouch. Bad news on Jackson there. That would be disapointing if he got dealt. Though I suppose it depends on what for. So far Danny Ferry has tried to undo basically everything Paxson did, except for Lebron and Verejao.


----------



## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

All that trade talk seems like heresay at the moment. In Jackson's last game, they were praising him and here he gets a stiff review. This tells me Luke will be inconsistent until he is fully back. While he is playing relatively pain free, he's still not exactly where he was prior the injury.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Summer League*

This is where I would expect Luke to around this time. Remember this his first games back in nearly a year: no real practices as he was hurt when the season was over, no real games, etc. I've played many a time before after not playing competitevly (i.e. pickup) for a few months and it would take me a few weeks at a minimum before I felt really comfortable.

The only thing is he hasn't been doing well is sounds like (they've given compliments to his defense and playmaking) is his shooting. I know he can shoot so I don't expect the Cavs to trade him anytime soon


----------



## remy23

*Game 4 Recap*

*Click Me!*



> The Cleveland Cavaliers held off a late rally to beat the Boston Celtics 71-65. The loss was Boston’s first at the Reebok Vegas Summer League.
> 
> Tony Allen hit a runner with 17.9 seconds left to get Boston within two at 67-65, but Blake Stepp nailed two free throws with 16.6 seconds left to push the lead back to four. Justin Reed had a chance with eight seconds left to cut the Cavs lead to one on a three pointer, but his shot was off right.
> 
> The Cavaliers were led in scoring by Stepp’s 13 points (3-8 FG). Kelenna Azubukie pitched in 12 points (5-10 FG), while Luke Jackson had 11 points (2-10 FG, 6-6 FT) and eight rebounds.
> 
> Cleveland finished the game shooting 41 percent (22-54 FG). They dominated Boston on the boards, out rebounding them 52-26.
> 
> Cavalier Martyna Andriuskevicius left the game late in the fourth quarter with back spasms, while teammate Ryan Randle left the game in the third with a knee sprain.
> 
> The Celtics were paced by 14 points a piece from Tony Allen (6-13 FG) and Ryan Gomes (5-9 FG).
> 
> Boston finished the game shooting 39 percent (25-64 FG). They outscored the Cavaliers 34-22 in the paint.


Luke didn't shoot well and struggled yet again. But Stepp, who nearly shot as poorly as Luke, was described as the "best player" on the Cavaliers squad. If that's the case, everybody must have played poorly. Cleveland plays Portland next in what should be an entertaining game.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Summer League*

Damn our summer league squad is unbeatable! 

You would think a Celts team with Tony Allen, Gerald Green, Gomes, etc. would beat us easily on paper. I mean this was their 1st loss in summer league play.

If we take out Portland, Natt needs to be commended for the job he has done with these guys.


----------



## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

Telfair and Outlaw will be tough. I've read some of the Blazers game recaps and they're getting good all-around effort. I wouldn't be shocked if Portland wins.


----------



## SamTheMan67

*Re: Summer League*

Went to a game today this is my thread ask away!
http://www.basketballboards.net/forum/showthread.php?t=182689


----------



## remy23

*Game 4 Box Score*

*Box Score*


----------



## futuristxen

*Re: Summer League*

Good to know it was only back spasms again for Martynas.
He'll have to strengthen his base like Tyson Chandler did, otherwise back problems will end his career.


----------



## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

My opinion is shifting on Marty. He could use a few years in the development league but on the other hand, how could Marty be any worse than Diop? When you consider Diop was on the active roster last year, I think if Marty puts together a few strong games, he could make Cleveland's active roster. I'm rooting for the kid to stay healthy and put on some quality weight.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Summer League*

Marty would probably be better served to develop in the NBDL, but your right 7pts/6rebs/3blks in 24 mins is not bad at all.

If he can keep that up, he has an outside chance at making the active roster.


----------



## remy23

*Game 5 Summary*

*Summary*

Sounded like a Telfair-Jackson field day out there. The only thing I wonder is this "it's good Luke has passing skills so you don't have to trade him" remark. Nobody has been talking about trading Luke. So that comment the other day and this one here comes off as complete bull.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Game 5 Summary*

The question is how are we going to get Luke minutes. He seems like a clone of Lebron or Hughes: versatile tall athletic guy with great passing skills. Luke's going to have to be able to hit the three ball to really have a future with this team. If he can he could be a sixth man of the year calibre player as he can play both guard spots as well as the 3.


----------



## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

One of the live update blogs said Jackson knocked down 3 triples this game and if his legs and stroke are finally back, it's an encouraging sign. I'm confident his jumper will come back and he'll be able to be paired with Sasha to give Hughes/James a rest (if Jackson/Pavolvic play well together, sit Newble and don't break this up).


----------



## remy23

*Game 5 Box Score & Recap*

*Box Score* & *Recap*



> *Cavs go to 5-0 with win*
> 
> Dennis Rogers
> [email protected]
> 
> *July 13, 2005*
> 
> The Cleveland Cavaliers held on in a tightly contested game to beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 79-74. Matt Freijie hit two free throws with 10.3 seconds left to push the lead to five (79-74), and seal the eventual win. The win pushed the Cavs summer league record to a perfect 5-0.
> 
> Blake Stepp led the Cavs in scoring with 17 points (6-9 FG), while Olumide Oyedeji had 16 points (6-12 FG) and 13 rebounds. Luke Jackson pitched in 15 points (4-12 FG) and Ime Udoka had 13 points (5-6 FG).
> 
> Cleveland finished the game shooting 43 percent (26-61 FG), while Portland shot 48 percent (26-54 FG).
> 
> Portland was led in scoring by Sebastian Telfair's 24 points (6-12 FG, 10-14 FT). Travis Outlaw had 20 points (7-14 FG, 6-9 FT) and five rebounds in the loss.
> 
> The Cavs had a two point lead (45-43) at the half. Jackson led the Cavs in scoring with 13 points (4-5 FG), while Ime Udoka pitched in 10 points (4-4 FG).
> 
> Telfair led the Blazers with 16 first half points (5-7 FG), while Outlaw had 12 points (5-8 FG).
> 
> Cleveland shot 58 percent (15-26 FG) at the break, while Portland shot 53 percent (17-32 FG).
> 
> The Cavaliers (5-0) battle the Blazers (2-2) again on Friday at 2 p.m. Portland faces Washington Wizards tomorrow at 12:30 p.m.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Game 5 Box Score & Recap*

Agree Remy: I think Ira Newble's time with the Cavs is pretty much over.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

*Re: Summer League*

^I'm telling you guys, our summer league team is unbeatable. Part of it has to be that the players see 5-6 open roster spots and know they have a legit shot of making the team playing all out. 

We need to take a look at bringing in Oyedeji also, could be a serviceable backup big man.


----------



## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

Cleveland has to face Portland again and you know what that means. Look for another competitive game where Telfair dominates and a few Blazer teammates also bring it strong to follow his lead.


----------



## remy23

*Game 6 Summary*

*Summary*

Final Score: Cavs 58 - Blazers 54

Halftime Score: Cavaliers 30 - Trailblazers 21



> *Cavs*
> 
> *Luke Jackson -* Jackson continued right where he left off last game, stroking the jumper and making great passes to get everyone on his team involved. Most of the offense was run through him when he was on the floor. He looked more concerned with making assists rather than scoring, but seemed to either tire or just get dragged into the lethargic atmosphere that all the players seem to be suffering from here in the 2nd quarter.
> 
> Jackson’s jumper left him pretty quickly though, and with it went his confidence. Luke was very inactive and really just moved the ball around rather than try to make things happen. He finished up with 12 points on 3-12 shooting.
> 
> *Martynas Andriuskevicius -* Martynas took a bad fall in the game before last and sat out the 2nd straight game for the Cavs today.
> 
> *Olumide Oyedeji -* Another big effort in an otherwise forgettable game. Oyedeji continued to hit the boards hard on both ends of the court and has shown a number of impressive moves in the post. Oyedeji has a nice finishing touch and some slick footwork that he uses, along with his athleticism, to do good things inside. 8 points, 11 rebounds on 3-6 shooting was his final line.
> 
> *James Thomas -* The book is well known on Thomas - he’s a rebounding, energy player who’s a bit undersized for a power foward. But, James can rebound with the best of them. Though he’s not as athletic or long as Ben Wallace, he brings a similar intensity to the game and intimidates his opponents with his large frame and reckless abandon when attacking the glass. 3 points, 8 rebounds in 16 minutes.
> 
> *Blazers*
> 
> *Sebastian Telfair -* Telfair was a lot more passive in this game compared with the way he started off in all of his other outings here in Vegas. He was still playing great defense but his jumper just wasn’t falling for him and like many here, he seems to have had enough of Vegas after 10 days on the job. He was missing shots around the basket that he would have converted in his sleep in any other game here.
> 
> Sebastian had some more sweet passes in the second half and converted on a nice drive into the lane, but he missed his outside shot and didn’t really do much the rest of the way. He finished with 8 points on 3-11 shooting.
> 
> *Travis Outlaw -* Outlaw’s pull-up jumper wasn’t falling for him today, but he kept going to it time after time regardless. He still went to the hoop a couple of times in the first half and got to the line, which allowed him to put some points up on the board in what was otherwise a very average half for him.
> 
> Outlaw couldn’t get his shot to fall in the 2nd half and got caught in between drives and shots, looking very uncomfortable. The game had no rhythm and Outlaw is most certainly a rhythm player so it’s understandable that he’d be a little off his game, he is a true “broken field” player.
> 
> *Martell Webster -* Webster has been trying to put the ball on the floor a lot more and create offense for himself, with limited success. As mentioned already, his percentages from the field plummet when he’s not catching and shooting. Defensively he had a very hard time with Luke Jackson. Webster was 1-8 to finish with 3 points in 32 minutes.


It sounds like everybody struggled and Cleveland hung on to win a sloppy game to finish undefeated.


----------



## remy23

*Game 6 Box Score & Recap*

*Box Score* & *Recap*



> *Cavs end summer league with 6-0 record*
> 
> *Dennis Rogers*
> [email protected]
> 
> *July 15, 2005*
> 
> The Cleveland Cavaliers have had a very successful past 10 days. They resigned Zydrunas Illgauskas, signed free agent Larry Hughes and finished the Reebok Vegas Summer League with a perfect 6-0 record after beating the Portland Trail Blazers, 58-54.
> 
> Ebi Ere cut the Cavs lead to two on a lay up with 23.6 seconds left. On the ensuing play a jump ball was forced between Sebastian Telfair and Jeff Varem. The ball was knocked out of bounds by a diving Telfair and then Luke Jackson hit two free throws with 8.3 seconds left to secure the Cavalier win.
> 
> Jackson led a balanced Cavaliers scoring attack with 12 points (3-12 FG) and seven rebounds. Olumide Oyedeji (3-6 FG), Keleena Azubuike (4-6 FG) and Kresimir Loncar (2-2 FG) chipped in eight points a piece. Oyedeji also grabbed 11 rebounds in the win.
> 
> Telfair led the Blazers with 16 points (4-16 FG, 8-10 FT), while Ere chipped in 12 points (6-11 FG). Kris Lang contributed a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds in the loss.
> 
> Cleveland finished the game shooting 33 percent (21-64 FG), while Portland shot 30 percent (19-63 FG).
> 
> The Cavaliers out rebounded the Blazers 52-43, resulting in a 13-2 advantage in second chance points.
> 
> Portland finished the summer league with a 3-3 record.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Game 6 Box Score & Recap*

How about taking a risk at this guy: his outside shooting would fit in nicely with our lineup:



> <b>Nikoloz Tskitishvili</b> – Tskitishvili (25 points, 8-11 shooting, 4-5 three pointers, 10 rebounds) was absolutely the story of the night, scoring in just about every way imaginable and becoming an instant crowd favorite. He was unconscious from the perimeter, scored going to the basket, showed off some impressive athleticism in the open floor, and was a big factor on the glass. The real question we have to ask is why in the world would two teams let this guy walk for essentially nothing? Tonight, he was nothing short of the best player at the event. Skita has played well in past summer leagues, so is this just another tantalizing glimpse of stardom that will never come, or could the Wolves have actually picked up a gem here? <br />
> <br />


http://www.draftexpress.com/viewarticle.php?a=1046


----------



## remy23

*Re: Summer League*

Skita would be worth inviting to camp. Low risk, decent reward type of situation. Since his stock is at an all-time low, even if you bring him in and he impresses you at camp, you wouldn't have to pay him jack.


----------



## sheefo13

*Re: Summer League*

Yeah I have been at the games and Skita looked great the first night but after that, well you can't really say. He broke his hand in early game 2 and is out for the rest of the summer league.


----------



## remy23

*Personal observations*

NBATV recently showed Game 5 of the Vegas Summer League which had Cleveland face Portland.

I'm sure quite a few of you guys saw the telecast as well. I'll post some of my observations.

*Telfair -* Easily the best player on the floor. His speed makes anybody who guards him look terrible. He's making defenders look like the kids he used to blow by in high school. I saw Bassy in high school and watching him in this game seemed to be more of the same. The announcers made comments saying "Telfair shoots the 3-pointer better than the foul line jumper." I'm not sure that's entirely true but for this game, that appeared to be the case.

*Outlaw -* Long, graceful and coming into his own. The announcers mentioned how he has worked on stop-and-pops and without saying, Travis nailed several jumpshots off the dribble. Even nailed a very long 2, which was inches from being a 3-pointer. Good things should come from Outlaw. His game is natural, doesn't seem forced and seems to be picking up confidence. Portland was pretty much a 2-man squad, as Telfair and Outlaw scored more than half the team's total points.

*Gilchrist -* He disappeared in this game. When you read draftexpress summaries, they tend to diss John in a major way. My problem is he talked trash to Telfair, which only made Telfair proceed to bust Gilchrist up even more. The Cavs looked leagues better with Stepp running the show. The decision-making and leadership between Gilchrist and Stepp is no contest.

*Stepp -* An excellent shooter and cerebral player. He gets the ball to the right player, at the right spot and right time. Blake had moments where he simply couldn't miss. He seems to work well with Luke Jackson, as they have a history of playing against one another. But here, they seemed to play well together. A definite chemistry was there.

*Jackson -* Looked better in the first half than the second half. But then again, both teams looked bad in the second half compared to the first. The opening half was high scoring but the second half was a snail race. Luke showed the ability to nail 3-pointers from *far* beyond the line. Two of the three 3-pointers he nailed this game were from two feet behind the line. Insane. Luke made some turnovers from passing but he's ambitious. When his passing was on, he was making better passes than anybody on the court (close call between him and Stepp). Jackson's passing ability was better than the point guards in this game. My opinion is Luke is still a step slow compared to his Duck days. A recent article said Jackson should regain his college form around the middle of the season.

*Oyedeji -* Moves well without the ball and takes it to the hole strong. Cleveland should look into inviting him to camp because Oyedeji is better than Diop and more athletic.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Personal observations*

Thanks for the report Remy: lots of useful info


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Personal observations*

http://www.basketballboards.net/forum/showthread.php?t=182884

Please see the thread above for information on Anderson's summer activity


----------



## remy23

*Update*












> *Cavaliers Announce Training Camp Roster*
> 
> *CLEVELAND, September 30 -* The Cleveland Cavaliers have announced 20 players that will make up the Cavaliers’ 2005-06 training camp roster.
> 
> New to Cleveland this season are Martynas Andriuskevicius, Alan Henderson, Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall.
> 
> Joining the Cavaliers in camp when it opens on Tuesday, October 4 at Quicken Loans Arena are Kelenna Azubuike, Mengke Bateer, Obinna Ekezie, Zendon Hamilton, Filiberto Rivera, Jahidi White and Mike Wilks.
> 
> New Cavaliers’ Head Coach Mike Brown will open his first training camp in Cleveland with two-a-day practices at The Q running from Tuesday, October 4th – 9th. Practices will be held daily from 10:00-11:15 a.m. and 4:00-6:45 p.m. The morning sessions are open to the media at the end of practice with media availability following. Evening sessions will be closed to the media.
> 
> *CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 2005-06 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER*
> 
> 15 Martynas Andriuskevicius F/C	7-2 240 3/12/86 Lithuania ’05	R
> 90	Drew Gooden	F 6-10 242 9/24/81 Kansas ’02 3
> 50	Alan Henderson F/C	6-9 240	12/2/72 Indiana	’95	10
> 32	Larry Hughes	G 6-5 184 1/23/79 St. Louis ’98 7
> 11 Zydrunas Ilgauskas C 7-3	260 6/5/75	Lithuania ’96 7
> 33	Luke Jackson	G/F 6-7 215 11/6/81 Oregon ’04	1
> 23	LeBron James G/F 6-8 240 12/30/84 St. Vincent-St. Mary HS ’03 2
> 19 Damon Jones G 6-3 190 8/25/76 Houston ’97	7
> 24	Donyell Marshall F 6-9 230 5/18/73 Connecticut ’95 11
> 14	Ira Newble F 6-7 220 1/20/75 Miami (OH) ’97	5
> 3	Sasha Pavlovic G/F	6-7	210	11/15/83	Serbia-Montenegro	’03	2
> 20	Eric Snow G 6-3 205 4/24/73 Michigan State ’95	10
> 17	Anderson Varejao F/C 6-10 240	9/28/82 Brazil	’04	1
> 
> *TRAINING CAMP INVITEES*
> 
> 4 Kelenna Azubuike G	6-5	220 12/16/83	Kentucky ’05 R
> 5 Mengke Bateer C 6-11	300	11/20/75	China ’01	3
> 54	Obinna Ekezie C 6-9	270 8/22/75 Maryland	’99 4
> 31	Zendon Hamilton C 6-11	254 4/29/75	St. John’s ’98 5
> 21	Filiberto Rivera G	6-2 175 9/28/92	UTEP	’05 R
> 55 Jahidi White F/C	6-9 290 2/19/76	Georgetown ’98	7
> 29 Mike Wilks G 5-10	180 5/7/79	Rice	’01 3
> 
> *HEAD COACH* Mike Brown (San Diego)
> 
> *ASSISTANT COACHES*
> Hank Egan (Naval Academy)
> Melvin Hunt (Baylor)
> Michael Malone (Loyola, MD)
> Kenny Natt (Northeast Louisiana)
> 
> *ATHLETIC TRAINER* Max Benton (Colorado)
> 
> *STRENGTH & COND. COORD. /ASSISTANT COACH* Stan Kellers (Cleveland State)


----------



## remy23

*References*

*Matchups*

1) *Cleveland Cavs vs. Milwaukee Bucks*

2) *Cleveland Cavs vs. Indiana Pacers*

3) Cleveland Cavs vs. Detroit Pistons 

4) Cleveland Cavs vs. Chicago Bulls

*Media Day*

http://www.basketballboards.net/forum/showthread.php?t=204466

*Training Camp Threads*

Camp Beginning

Coach Brown's first day on the job


----------



## remy23

*2005-06 Season Preview*











> *All-Stars Ilgauskas and James are looking for their first trip to the playoffs as teammates.*
> 
> *Season Preview*
> 
> *COACH:* Mike Brown | *2004-05:* 42-40
> Cleveland Cavaliers
> 
> *Season Outlook*
> 
> After faltering in the homestretch the past two seasons to miss the playoffs, Cavaliers management re-tooled this summer to give LeBron James the help he needs to get the team over the hump. The most significant moves were made in the backcourt, where new acquisitions Larry Hughes and Damon Jones should provide dependable shooting. With the guard play shored up, questions remain in the frontcourt.
> 
> The team took a hit this summer with Anderson Varejao set to start the season on the sidelines. Varejao underwent surgery to repair a dislocated right shoulder – an injury suffered during a World Championship qualifying game in the Dominican Republic – and a date for his return has not been set. The energetic and wild-haired forward will be missed by the team and fans alike. As a rookie last year, Varejao quickly earned a reputation, not to mention the fans’ admiration, for his hustle chasing down rebounds – he ranked fourth among rookies in rebounds per 48 minutes.
> 
> Based on Varejao’s history, look for him to have a significant impact immediately upon his return. He rebounded from a high ankle sprain that caused him to miss 15 games last season, averaging nearly 19 minutes per game to end the season.
> 
> Collecting a few of those extra boards while Varejao is out will be new addition Donyell Marshall, who figures to battle for the starting power forward spot with Drew Gooden. In addition to being a big body able to provide a scoring and defensive punch, Marshall gives the team another perimeter scoring threat. Marshall has consistently improved his accuracy from beyond the arc, nailing a career best 41.6 percent last season – including tying an NBA single-game record for most triples in a game (12) on Mar. 13.
> 
> Marshall, Gooden, Varejao and re-signed All-Star center Zydrunas Ilgauskas comprise a decent front line – if lacking a little depth – but with the backcourt needs addressed and James shedding the weight of a city this year, there’s no reason the Cavaliers should be watching from home in late April.
> 
> *Riding With The King*
> 
> Remember pre-NBA MVP Kevin Garnett? The blossoming star who, in his first eight years, made seven straight exits in the first-round of the playoffs? At least he tasted the playoffs, something LeBron James can’t claim … yet. To be fair with James, one player can’t will his team to the postseason no matter his greatness. But fans in Cleveland are getting a little restless. So, now James has a new supporting cast and, with it, even greater expectations. The time for the Cavaliers to reach the playoffs is now. And all the eyes are trained on their young star: LeBron James.
> 
> *X&O STRENGTH*
> 
> LeBron James from anywhere on the court. He's a triple-double threat every time he steps on the court. He really wants to win. It starts and ends with him. They did add Larry Hughes, Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall. Jones will give them a needed three-point threat. They were one of the worst teams in the league shooting the three last year. Hughes and Donyell can make some threes as well. The addition of those three will take some of the scoring load off LeBron as well.
> 
> The Cavaliers also need to rely on Zydrunas Ilgauskas, he's their low-post threat. They can play off him in the post and he's an excellent low post passer. With the addition of all those scorers, they should take advantage of that.
> 
> They're a better team because of their depth. With Hughes, Marshall, Jones and James they're really athletic. They should be able to make some steals and get out and run.
> 
> I would think they would try to get into more of an up-tempo game, but if they need to play in the half-court then it'll revolve around Ilgauskas in the post or running James off of pick and roll.
> 
> *X&O WEAKNESS*
> 
> They really don't have a great backup center. Martynas Andriuskevicius isn't ready to play. They're probably looking for a backup center, and they had one Anderson Varejao, but he's hurt. He was their next, best big player.
> 
> They did add Jones as a three-point shooter, but James and Hughes are more slasher-type scorers. Question is, do they have enough three-point shooting? They're not particularly long or big on their frontline with the exception of Ilgauskas. Overall, defensively, they need to improve.
> 
> *COACHING PHILOSOPHY*
> 
> Mike Brown is known as a defensive oriented coach. They'll try to be a good defensive team and with their speed and quickness, they'll try to overplay people in the open court and try to get some easy baskets. It's his first job and how he relates to the players will be interesting. He's young enough (35) so he should be a players' coach. The players would probably like to play for him. Again, he's new, so he's a little bit of an unknown.
> 
> *SCOUTING REPORT*
> 
> "I’m concerned about their point guard situation. Damon Jones had a good year last year but he’s still not a true point guard. Eric Snow will give all he’s got but his skills are slowing down at both ends … Mike Brown is a well-prepared guy, has been a lot of places and I’m sure he’s going to install a good system … The loss of Varejao hurts them. Gooden and Marshall may play a lot together. Marshall may play some center to try to stretch the court and relieve Ilgauskas a little … I think they’re as high as a 45-50 win team … A lot depends on Larry Hughes and what he does handling the ball and making decisions for other guys. Or if he and LeBron kind of get in each other’s way, so to speak."


----------



## remy23

*The Morning Journal - News - 10/06/2005 - New Cavs debut tonight in Akron*











> *New Cavs debut tonight in Akron*
> 
> *Fans can get their first look at the 2005-06 Cavaliers at 7 tonight at the University of Akron's Rhodes Arena.*
> 
> Vouchers were needed to get tickets for the intra-squad scrimmage.
> 
> ''We'll try to give the fans as close to a game as possible,'' Cavaliers coach Mike Brown said. ''We don't have all of our stuff in yet. We want to make sure we give effort and hustle on both ends of the floor.''
> 
> *Playoff team*
> 
> Power forward Drew Gooden said he doesn't think the Cavaliers have far to go to make the postseason.
> 
> ''We were a playoff team last year,'' he said. ''We just didn't get there.''
> 
> He said he thinks the Cavaliers have to aim higher than they did last year.
> 
> ''At some point in the season, we were shooting for that seventh or eighth spot,'' he said. ''We need to aim for that top spot, second spot. If we do aim high, if we fall short, we'll still get in.''
> 
> *New wrinkle*
> 
> Each year LeBron James wants to come back with something new. What did he add to his game this year?
> 
> ''You'll see,'' he said. ''I've got something that I didn't have in my game last year. I won't bring it out in the preseason. I'll wait until the regular season.''
> 
> *Tenacious D*
> 
> Brown said there's a big reason why the Cavaliers didn't make the playoff last year.
> 
> ''We are capable of scoring,'' he said. ''My biggest thing is we have to get stops. Last year, we averaged 95 or 96 points a game. But, we gave up just as many. That's why we were 42-40.''
> 
> *Another Hubie?*
> 
> Brown reminds Gooden of former Memphis coach Hubie Brown.
> 
> ''(Brown is) really detail-oriented,'' Gooden said. ''If you make one mistake, he stops practice and corrects it. After that, it becomes second nature. You're doing it without even thinking about it.''
> 
> *Noted*
> 
> Gooden said he's quit eating red meat. He's also added some muscle, but not much weight. ''I'm at 245, 246 (pounds),'' he said. ''I was about 238 at the end of last season.'' He also said he's worked on using his left hand around the basket ... Gooden said the Cavaliers' biggest weakness right now is lack of chemistry. ''The only weakness we have is getting to know each other,'' he said. ''Other than that, the talent is here. It'll take time to mix the veterans and the young players.''


----------



## remy23

> *Joe Gabriele’s CavsBlog*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Thursday, October 6th - 4:32 p.m.*
> 
> Hello, fellow training campers. My name is Joe Gabriele. You know me as the beat writer for cavs.com, so let’s skip all the formalities and get right to what’s going on in week one of Cavaliers Training Camp.
> 
> Monday was Media Day here at Quicken Loans Arena. It’s like the first day of school for the players and the media, alike. Some players dig Media Day and some don’t. But it is a good window into what a player is really like. They haven’t played a game or practiced together, so it’s all fun and games.
> 
> Some observations from the guys I talked to …
> 
> *** LeBron James is semi-ambidextrous. So if you’re keeping score at home, LBJ throws right-handed, shoots pool left-handed, rolls dice left-handed, plays guitar left-handed, plays tennis left- and right-handed, eats left-handed and in golf, he drives righty and putts lefty.
> ***Anderson Varejao did a dramatic re-creation of his injury, complete with the wrenching facial expressions. We also talked about a great Brazilian movie, “City of God.” (Rent it just for the character named “Li’l Dice.”)
> ***Eric Snow has no intention of conceding a starting position to Damon Jones.
> ***Damon Jones made the All-Interview First Team on Monday afternoon alone. He maintained that not only is he one of the top five shooters in the world, but also one of the top five best-looking people. His Avery Johnson impression is impressive.
> ***Drew Gooden seems more focused than I’ve seen him. He mentioned twice that he’s got to make changes because he’s “getting older.” Gooden just turned 24.
> ***Martynas Andriuskevicius speaks very good English. The 19-year-old already has a small chip on his shoulder. It’s not a very big chip, but Martynas doesn’t have very big shoulders.
> 
> Training Camp itself has been going on for a couple days, but it’s hard to tell how the team is shaping up. Mike Brown has kept the lid on pretty tight. But it’s easy to tell that he’s pleased with the team’s progress. Brown was brought in for his defensive prowess and that’s all he and the team have talked about.
> 
> We’ll find out more about what the Cavaliers look like tonight when they play the annual intrasquad Wine and Gold Scrimmage down in Akron at the Jar. I’ll check back tomorrow – or maybe later tonight – to let you know how it turned out.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

If anyone actually goes to the scrimmage in Akron please post descriptions on player development, cohesion on offense/defense, and how some of our younger guys like Drew/Sasha/Luke performed!


----------



## remy23

*Scrimmage Summary*

This description comes via cleveland.com:



> Very nice event at Akron U. Some things that I noticed were that Eric Snow is in better shape than last year. Sasha looks like he is quicker and in better shape. Luke hit a few 3's after shooting a few flat ones. Alan Henderson was a nice pickup. LeBron looks for him under the hoop and he knows how to work inside. Drew was pretty active even though he still looks for his offense a lot. K. Azibuke was very aggressive and effective on both ends. Big Z looks like he's moving well at the offensive end and also looks to be in better shape than last year. Larry Hughes seemed to struggle a little as LeBron put some good D on him. Larry did play the passing lanes well and pick off a few in fine fashion. LeBron looked like he has a chance at being MVP. Although he didn't shoot the ball all that well (he shot a lot of 3's) He made a few devastating moves to the hole. He had one drive off the baselne that was Dr. J from Rucker park. He looked like a giant condor with the ball extended. A few other drives were pure Jordan. The thing that really stood out was his passing. Although he tossed a lazy one that got picked, he made several passes that only LeBron can conceive. If his jumper is as good or better than last year, he will be a lock for MVP. IT WILL NOT BE CLOSE!


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## Pioneer10

*Re: Scrimmage Summary*

Why is Lebron shooting all these threes? I really hope he doesn't develop a VC syndrome


----------



## remy23

Probably just to work on shooting for shooting's sake. Remember last year, he was shooting fade-back jumpers during the scrimmage/preseason (a habit some people don't like) but didn't head into the regular season doing it.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 10/06/2005 | In defense of the Cavs*











> *In defense of the Cavs*
> 
> That's the emphasis so far for team, and it shows at Rhodes Arena scrimmage
> 
> By Terry Pluto
> 
> Here's what you need to know about the Cavaliers before anything can be said about their scrimmage Thursday night at Rhodes Arena -- this was their sixth practice in three days, and nearly every moment has been spent on defense.
> 
> If you watched the Cavs last year, here's what should be your immediate reaction: _It's about time!!!_
> 
> Even better, it showed.
> 
> The fans probably wished for a little more scoring and a lot more sizzle during the hour the Cavs were on public display before a packed gym on a night when fans were admitted free if they secured vouchers in advance.
> 
> It was a terrific move by the Cavs and the University of Akron, allowing many fans who normally can't afford to see the team in a building with an intimate setting. A lot of good can be created, especially with all the give-away T-shirts and other items.
> 
> The fans saw LeBron James flash back to his St. Vincent-St. Mary days on a few plays, especially a baseline drive where he held the ball in his right hand like the Olympic torch, soared then doused it through the rim.
> 
> James had some splendid no-look passes for assists. On one play, people were trying to figure out if he threw the ball between his legs or around his back -- it was done so quick.
> 
> “This is my home court, I love it,'' said James, who played most of his high school games at Rhodes Arena.
> 
> James dueled Larry Hughes for much of the night. Both players defended each other well. It's great to have Hughes not only as the shooting guard next to James in games but to push him in practice as well. Twice, Hughes forced James into turnovers with his fast hands tapping away a dribble.
> 
> James did a solid job of keeping his body between Hughes and the basket, not allowing Hughes an easy road to the rim.
> 
> All of this and more had to please first-year coach Mike Brown, who after the game talked about "effort,'' talked about "defense,'' talked about "grinding it out.''
> 
> Get used to hearing that. These principles will be the holy trinity of his coaching gospel. It also will determine if the Cavs make the playoffs.
> 
> “We haven't done that much on offense yet,'' Brown said. “I know we have guys who can score.''
> 
> *Playoff directive*
> 
> Brown was brought to town to get the Cavs to the playoffs, and he correctly believes that it begins with defense.
> 
> The basic basketball play is the pick-and-roll, a two-man play. One guy dribbles the ball, the other guy stands in the way of a defender. The hope is to cause confusion for the defense.
> 
> A year ago, it sure did for the Cavs, a team that never could decide how to defend the pick-and-roll. Do they want to be aggressive, jump out and double-team the dribbler? Or lay back and take away the dribble-drive to the basket?
> 
> Or... what?
> 
> Last year, the Cavs often stared at that play like a caveman who just saw someone light a match for the first time. They were utterly dumbfounded, frozen in their tracks.
> 
> With Brown's defense, there is constant movement. Players jump out quickly for double-teams, then fiercely retreat to help guard the basket.
> 
> Very few players had open spaces when they dribbled to the basket -- usually, someone came from somewhere in an attempt to defend.
> 
> The Cavs are a work in progress. Imagine a blank piece of paper. What Brown has done is drawn the basic lines, almost like a coloring book before anyone touches a crayon.
> 
> These lines won't change, these are our basic boundaries.
> 
> As James said, “This is what we need.''
> 
> *Long shots don’t fall*
> 
> The players obviously had weary legs from all the practices in such a short span, so jumpers banged off the rim. Damon Jones missed his first five from 3-point range, before drilling two. James was 0-of-4 from 3-point land.
> 
> In this scrimmage, there were four quarters, 10 minutes apiece. The clock never stopped. That's why the final score was just 47-40.
> 
> It's also why Drew Gooden's performance of 14 points and seven rebounds was impressive. He worked hard for rebounds. He scored inside. He paid attention to defense. One of Brown's main goals is convincing the 6-foot-9 Gooden that his game is rebounding, defense and scoring inside.
> 
> Free-agent pickup Donyell Marshall had a nice night with 13 points and eight rebounds and showed a shooting touch from outside and driving to the rim. He's battling Gooden for the starting power forward spot.
> 
> It was reassuring to see 2004 No. 1 pick Luke Jackson moving well after back surgery and swishing a couple of 3-pointers from the corner. Eric Snow and Jones seemed to run the offense reasonably well. Snow does a very good job defending the pick-and-roll in Brown's system.
> 
> The surprise of the night was Kelenna Azubuike, a 6-foot-5 free agent who averaged 15 points at Kentucky last season. He played with poise, shot 4-of-6 for nine points. He also was one of the Cavs' most impressive players in the summer league.
> 
> The real story was defense.
> 
> They actually played some.
> 
> If you're a Cavs fan, that's good news already.


----------



## remy23

> _Gooden Leads All Scorers as Cavaliers Tune Up with Annual Akron Scrimmage_
> *Marshall, Gold Squad Top King in His Court*
> 
> _by Joe Gabriele
> clevelandcavaliers.com_
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Larry Hughes d's up LeBron James in the perrennial Wine and Gold Scrimmage in Akron.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The Akron faithful were ready for LeBron and Co.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Damon Jones entertains the media after the intrasquad scrimmage.*
> 
> On Tuesday, we talked about some of Training Camp’s best battles. And on Thursday night, those fans who packed Akron’s region-renown “Jar Arena” saw the skirmishes shape up, firsthand.
> 
> This coming Monday, both the Wine and the Gold can take out their frustrations on the Wizards in Washington.
> 
> LeBron James celebrated his homecoming in the second annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage at the University of Akron. The Young King’s squad (Wine) lost, but that mattered little to LeBron or any of the other Cavaliers, including rookie head coach, Mike Brown.
> 
> “This game was for the fans to see the team,” said Brown. “Yes, we will watch the film. We will evaluate it. We’ll pick it apart and try to get better in certain areas. But the most important thing, I thought, is that guys gave effort.”
> 
> Training Camp is but three days old and both teams showed a summer’s worth of rust. The Gold Team, which included Zydrunas Ilgauaskas, Eric Snow, Donyell Marshall, Larry Hughes and Luke Jackson, topped their Wine-colored counterparts, 47-40, in four eight-minute periods.
> LeBron was joined by Sasha Pavlovic, Drew Gooden, Alan Henderson, Martynas Andriuskevicius and the irrepressible Damon Jones.
> 
> “When I first came to Cleveland, everyone said I was going to add shooting to the mix,” quipped Jones. “I missed my first five shots, so I had to get the crowd back into and pulled out my Harlem Globetrotter tricks. Hopefully, I can swing the fans back in my favor, knowing I can make shots.”
> 
> Gooden led all scorers with 14 points on 5-of-6 shooting. The fourth-year forward, scrapping for his starting position with Donyell Marshall, also led the Wine with seven boards. Marshall went toe-to-toe with Gooden, leading the Gold with 13 points and eight boards.
> 
> The Chosen One returned the gym where he made his mark as a young stud at Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary’s and dropped in 10 points and four dimes. LBJ drilled a no-look-between-the-legs assist to Gooden in the second period and dazzled the Rubber City faithful with a one-handed baseline dunk in the third. To cap the evening, LeBron scored on a running one-handed double-clutch in the paint.
> 
> “I’ve played so many games here, I can’t even remember how many,” beamed LeBron after the game. “I feel like this is my home court.”
> 
> The match-ups were as advertised. Eric Snow, a man in no mood to give up his starting spot, dogged Damon Jones until the free agent heated up in the second half. Jones played much of the second stanza at the two-guard.
> 
> “(Damon) can play the two,” said Brown. “We’ve had Eric run the two some in practice. Our one, two and three are, for the most part, interchangeable. So it happened during the ballgame and it’ll happen during the season.”
> 
> But the most encouraging battle of the night was easily Gooden and Marshall. In a few nights, the tandem will be unleashed on the East. And in a few months – unfortunately – the duo will welcome back Anderson Varejao, who dressed in sweats for Thursday’s scrimmage.
> 
> The new and improved Gooden showed the toughness and tenacity that he claimed as his goals. He worked hard in the paint and on the boards and at one point late in the fourth period, dove into the Cavalier Girls after a loose ball. (Not a bad choice.)
> 
> Marshall is the embodiment of the hoops cliché that differentiates a ‘shooter’ from a ‘scorer.’
> 
> The subplot of Luke Jackson and Sasha Pavlovic went to the sophomore from Oregon who drilled back-to-back threes in the fourth quarter. Pavlovic went scoreless.
> 
> Damon Jones was scorer and showman after he got his sea legs late in the third period. In that quarter, Jones drilled a three-pointer after tapping Mike Wilks, who was running at (and past) him, on the butt. The crowd loved it. Later, he jokingly begged the refs for a technical foul after a questionable call. And if that – and his six points – weren’t enough, Jones also conducted his post-game interview session in a Tribe lid.
> 
> Overall, there were plenty of encouraging signs at the perennial intra-squad scrimmage in Akron. Training Camp rolls on at Quicken Loans Arena and the Wine *and* Gold now gear up for the Wizards in the nation’s capital on Monday night.


----------



## remy23

Here is a very nice and long detailed summary of the scrimmage from *Sane Cavs Talk*. Among the many observations, is another eye witness report of how Marty Vicious blows everybody out in shooting drills (our very own SamTheMan67 said the same thing when seeing him in Vegas). Sit back and enjoy. It's a long but worthwhile read.



> As a caveat this is all from memory. I thought about bringing a notebook but decided against it so if I get 1 or 2 players switched around don't kill me. I have a very good memory though.
> 
> Pregame:
> This was the format. They were shooting around when I got in there at about 6. They then ran a couple drills. They ran a couple ball movement drills for the guards. They ran some interior passing/finishing drills for the bigs. They then ran a 5-man, 4-man and 3-man fast break drill. Next they did a shooting drill. I'll discuss performance in the pregame when I do the individual player breakdowns.
> 
> Teams:
> Mike Brown then broke the teams up into these two groups. Jahidi White(leg), Anderson Varejao(shoulder) and Ira Newble(foot) were inactive.
> 
> Wine Team(LeBron's team):
> PG-Damon Jones
> SG-Sasha Pavlovic
> SF-LeBron James
> PF-Drew Gooden
> C- Alan Henderson
> Backups: Mike Wilks, Obinna Ekezie, Martynas Adriuskevicius
> 
> Gold Team:
> PG-Eric Snow
> SG-Larry Hughes
> SF-Luke Jackson
> PF-Donyell Marshall
> C-Zydrunas Ilgauskas
> Backups: Kelenna Azubuike, Filiberto Rivera, Zendon Hamilton, Mengtke Bateer
> 
> Game summary(brief): It was an 8 minute period game where the clock ran continuously until about the last 2 minutes of the period. Any Cavs fan from last year would have loved a play that occured about three possessions in. The White team made a successful rotation off of a pick and roll! I was speechless... The pick and roll involved LeBron and Henderson against Hughes and Z. Henderson set a nice pick on Hughes(who guarded LeBron most of the night) forcing Z to show on the right wing. Henderson then rolled to the basket and caught a pass from LeBron but was met by Donyell Marshall. Henderson then tried to post with his back to the basket but was forced to pass out of it. Textbook defense of the pick and roll. The Gold team got out to a big lead and kept it for most of the game. In the second half the Wine team closed the gap to make it a close game but thanks to a couple threes from Luke Jackson and Donyell Marshall they managed to ice the game by a pretty good margin(can't remember exact score). Drew Gooden was the game high scorer with either 16 or 17 points. Marshall was second with about 14 and then Kelenna Azubuike either matched that 14 or had 1 or 2 less. They seemed to run the pick and roll every time up the floor. I don't know if that was done intentionally or just because they really don't have their offense in place yet.
> 
> Individual summaries
> Point Guards:
> 
> Damon Jones- It seems as though Damon has already been surgically attached to LeBron's hip. Much like with Shaq in Miami, wherever LeBron is Damon is. In pregame warmups, Damon and LeBron mostly shot threes and 18-20 footers while talking back and forth the whole time. Damon shot well and hit a three about 5 feet outside the line at one point. During player introductions when LeBron was introduced he went down the line of players to slap hands but stopped and did some sort of special thing with Damon. He seems to shoot best from the top of the arch. Damon had a very Lucious Harris like start to the game. By my count he missed his first 5 three point attempts. Most of them were somewhat contested and either 1 or 2 were pullups. However, in the second half Damon got going a little bit. LeBron had a nice drive to the basket and then kicked it out to Damon. Filiberto Rivera ran at Damon. Damon then proceeded to sidestep Rivera and as Rivera went flying by Damon tapped him on the ***. Damon then proceeded to swish the three and laugh. A couple minutes later Damon hit another three this time from the wing in which he proceeded to shuffle/moonwalk up the court as soon as he released it, nothing but net. Damon wasn't tested much defensively but did get called for a blocking foul when he didn't move his feet to get in front of his man. He then sat down on the court and jabbed at the ref a little. Damon saw some time at the two with Wilks running point. Overall, Damon was what you would expect a shooter/joker that seems like he's LeBron's long lost brother.
> 
> Eric Snow- Snow's day was pretty uneventful. He does look to be in great shape and has lost at least 10-15lbs. He looks leaner and quicker. I watched him shoot it in warmups and he seemed to hit most of his mid-range shots. He even hit a couple threes but not regularly. He hit a nice pullup jumper in the fastbreak drill from about 17 feet. During the game he had a couple nice passes. He especially seemed to find Marshall well and at least half of Marshall's points seemed to come off of Snow finding him on cuts to the basket. Snow ended the first half by missing a 3 pointer on an iso play, he missed badly. He did a good job most of the day getting through screens. All in all, I don't think there was much of an advantage for either player in the PG duel.
> 
> Mike Wilks- Mike was VERY impressive during pregame warmups. He nailed nearly everything he shot. Mid-range, 3s, whatever. He was the second most impressive player in pregame warmups. During the game he saw a good amount of time. When he was in they often had him press the opposing point guard when he was bringing it up. He had a couple nice hustle plays on defense. One in particular was on a fastbreak pass to the corner that was going to Marshall that he managed to swat away. He is small but looks to be very quick and plays with a lot of energy.
> 
> Filiberto Rivera- Rivera looked good but not as good as Wilks when shooting in pregame warmups. He played fairly well in the time he played especially defensively. Neither point guard really did much for themselves offensively. If I had to give an edge I would give it to Wilks based on his shooting in warmups but during the game you'd have a hard time telling them apart.
> 
> Swingmen:
> 
> Larry Hughes- Hughes shot well in warmups. He seems to be much better in the 15-20 foot range than out at 3(although he did hit some 3s). He actually seems to shoot better on the move or pulling up than he does when he's set. During the game Hughes started by guarding LeBron. I thought this would be a good test for him but he actually guarded LeBron pretty well. He was able to get a steal in the first half by anticipating a pass to LeBron in the corner. He played pretty tough defense on the ball on LeBron as well. He got up into LeBron and did a good job directing him into help when LeBron tried to drive. He did a nice job of fighting through screens(he saw a ton of them as LeBron ran most of the pick and rolls) and really forced LeBron to be a passer. Offensively he didn't really get going. He hit a 20 footer at one point but other than that he missed a couple mid-range shots and a runner. He may have scored more but the 20 footer is the only shot I remember. He looks great athletically though. He almost glides on the court. He is very fast but seems effortless in running and seems to get off the ground quick when he jumps. His arms are very long.(most of you may have already known this stuff but it's even more apparent in person).
> 
> Sasha Pavlovic- Sasha was by far the most impressive player in the shootaround. His picture perfect stroke had him nailing jumpers from the second I walked in until they stopped shooting. He shot a ton from the corner and at one point made 5 straight by my count. He shot well from mid-range in the guard drills and is trying to bank a lot of his mid-range wing shots(with mixed success). He literally seemed to make every shot I saw him take. He does look to be a little bigger and has a little more hair than last year. An encouraging thing I noticed during the shootaround is that he shot a bunch of free throws too. He seemed to make just about every one of those. During the game he actually had the two best defensive plays of the first half. He had a nice steal on a pass to Luke in which he had to pick the ball off the floor after deflecting it. He then led a fastbreak with the ball. He had another steal and I believe this one was off of Jackson directly. The play of the first half came when he absolutely skyed to stuff someone(can't remember who but I want to say Z or Marshall) right at the basket. His athleticism was there during the game but I can't recall him doing much offensively.
> 
> Luke Jackson- When I came in the door I had a hard time finding Luke on the shootaround floor. That's because he was in the nearside corner opposite Sasha who was in the farside corner shooting three after three. Luke seemed to be kind of lax in his shooting motion and eventually shifted to shooting mostly mid-range shot. He made quite a few from the corner but a lot of his shots from elsewhere didn't fall. He wasn't nearly as efficient as Sasha the shooting machine in pregame. The game itself was a different story. Luke started out a little slow as Sasha made some nice defensive plays on him. However, throughout the game he had one great pass and another solid pass that led to baskets. He missed a three that he seemed to rush from the wing. In the 4th period though he was found wide open in the corner(same corner he shot from in warmups) and swished one with Sasha charging at him in futility. Just a possession or two later he was found in that same corner but this time with Sasha right in his face. He then swished another one but this time right in Sasha's eye. Overall, I would call it a draw between the two as Sasha was much more impressive in the first half and Luke in the second half. They were both encouraging though.
> 
> Kelenna Azubuike- Had the second best performance out of anyone on the night. This kid was EVERYWHERE. He was hustling, playing solid defense, dunking and scoring what seemed like at will. He even managed to fool the Chosen One. LeBron was pushing it up the court with Damon Jones on the opposite side of the court but way ahead of LeBron. LeBron waved Damon to go to the nearside corner looping along the baseline. Damon obliged but when LeBron went to pass it to him in the corner Azubuike came flying in and stole the ball. This led to a fastbreak the other way. I don't remember every play he made but there were a lot of him. He was absolutely impressive. I would really like to find this kid a roster spot to go to the NBADL but unfortunately we may not have the room. He was 4 of 6 from the field but he should have been 5 of 6 but he missed a point blank wide open dunk. Oh well, hell of a performance though.
> 
> LeBron James- Surprisingly the Gold team managed to contain him when it came to scoring but noone can stop him. He made at least 3 highlight reel plays tonight. The first one would be a dunk from the right baseline that Donyell Marshall had to get out of the way of. Someone found him cutting on the baseline and he did the same dunk as the one he had against Charlotte last year. He got pretty high on it but I couldn't tell how high. His next miracle play came in the second corner. Towards the end of the half Z was forced into a switch onto LeBron near the baseline. LeBron then pulled it back like he was going to take Z one on one. Well, he then kind of rocked everyone to sleep and then threw a no look pass (the one where he turns away, toward the baseline) between Z's legs to a cutter(i think Gooden) who dunked it. Later in the game he had a great reverse layup that he put high off the glass when it seemed like his whole body was out of bounds in the air. LeBron was LeBron. I noticed he tried to post up Hughes a couple of times but they were never able to get the ball to him. So, no news on his post game. He had a couple more nice takes to the basket including one where he split a double team about 4 feet out side the three point line and then drove the lane and dished it off to Henderson on a wrap around pass but was fouled in the process.
> 
> Power forwards:
> Drew Gooden- Drew was the most impressive player of the entire night. He looks to be in great shape and he sure did show it. Gooden was literally all over the place tonight. If he wasn't getting a rebound he was tipping a ball trying to get a rebound. He even made a couple nice defensive switched and played nice help defense. He looked like Varejao on the offensive boards tonight. Play of the game for Drew came in the fourth quarter. After a missed jumper he went after an offensive rebound and tipped the ball near the baseline. It looked like everyone was gonna let the ball go out of bounds but then Drew came flying in and dove head first saving the ball to Damon Jones(who threw up an ill advised jumper and missed it). That was a Varejao type play. Drew was THAT active. Like I said, he was EVERYWHERE. In fact, he was everywhere enought that he led the game in scoring. He got his points on two tip-ins, a couple nice looks from LeBron right at the rim, a nice drive where he ducked under Z's arms and made a nice layup and a couple other random plays. If there was a MVP of the game Drew would get the award despite playing on the losing team.
> 
> Donyell Marshall- Donyell wasn't far behind Drew though. Donyell was up there with Wilks and Pavlovic in his pregame shooting(although I didn't see as many of his shots because he was at the hoop opposite Sasha/Luke/LeBron/Damon). He played a very good all around game as well. He had a nice running floater on the baseline when he went by someone trying to close out on him in the corner. He had a putback or two and while not as active as Drew on the boards he was pretty good there. He played solid defense like I outlined in the summary with the nice rotation on the pick and roll. He hit a clutch three late in the game for the gold team from the wing. All in all, a good game for Donyell. He had the game high for fouls with 5.
> 
> Alan Henderson- Actually for this game he probably played most of his minutes at the 5. One thing I noticed about him is he didn't look as big as I thought. He seemed to have less muscle than I thought he had. He really had a quiet game. I don't remember him doing anything terrible but nothing spectacular either. He did a pretty good job fronting Z in the post early in the game. Drew actually did a nice job helping him with this chore. Z got a basket when they were able to get it over Alan one time that he was fronting. However, the next time they tried it Gooden came over on help and when Z went to spin from the catch Gooden stripped the ball knocking it out of bounds.
> 
> Centers:
> Zydrunas Ilgauskas- Z shot very well in the shooting drill they did. In fact, better than most of our guards. That's not a real surprise though but it's awesome to see how well he can stroke it. During the game he didn't really get much offensively. When he would post they'd try to front him usually and if he caught it he was doubled quite a bit. He did a decent job on most of the pick and rolls. I really didn't see much either way from Z but I wasn't really watching him much either. Z's not a concern for me.
> 
> Martynas Andruiskevicius- This kid really has to be Z's long lost little brother or something.. He looks like him on the court. He plays like him. Hell, they even have the same posture half the time. Marty was very impressive to me. While his body is an obvious concern(he looks like Larry Hughes stretched out another foot), he is skilled. He actually was the best shooter in the shooting drill that they did. He shot on the same side as Damon Jones, Larry Hughes and Z and made more than all of them. Most of the shots were at about 18-20 feet. In pregame I saw him actually make a couple threes to. He's a lot quicker than I thought too. In fact, my buddy I was with said it best when he said that he looked like a really long small forward out there. During shootaround he spent most of his time playing one on one with Drew, mostly in the post. He had a couple nifty moves around the basket and can use both hands although he's far more effective with his right. He actually was graceful enough to step through on Drew along the baseline and make a reverse layup at one point. I was amazed. Drew also went at him with some faceup moves and Marty really didn't look half bad guarding the much quicker Drew. I would say overall Gooden had the better of the matchup but it was just amazing to see how skilled this kid is. His jumpshot was the most impressive thing though. Beautiful form, picture perfect release and he gets it off quick too. He really looks like the heir apparent to Z in that he will have the same effect facing up in the mid-range game that Z has had. He actually did a decent job during the game in tipping balls and had good effort. He probably tipped a couple that he should have grabbed but the effort was there. I was a bit concerned when he was forced to guard Mengtke Bateer at one point in the game but luckily Bateer didn't break him in half. We need to lock Marty in a gym or a ponderosa because he needs at least 20lbs on his frame.
> 
> Obinna Ekezie- He looked to be the best of the bangers tonight. He rebounded well. He moves pretty well for a big guy but missed any easy 15 footer from LeBron on the baseline. He looks serviceable.
> 
> Zendon Hamilton- I was a little disappointed in Zendon. He seemed to foul a lot and was in bad position rebounding quite often. He wasn't terrible but he just didn't do much but foul.
> 
> Mengtke Bateer- This guy is HUGE. He reminds me of Potapenko in size. Standing next to Z before the game I saw his chest is at least twice as wide as Z's and his head three times the size of Z's. He looked skilled around the basket in the big men drills before the game but didn't do much during the game. I didn't see him make a jumper once.
> 
> Jahidi White- Although Jahidi didn't suit up I had to say one thing about him. The man is just as big as I thought he'd be. He made Bateer look scrawny and looks like he ate Tractor Traylor. He's just like the size of a house. In fact, the first time I saw him I looked at the bench while the team was completing warmups and saw Varejao and Newble. I decided to look for White and sure enough further down the bench he was taking up two chairs. I couldn't tell what kind of shape he's in because he had baggy clothes on. However, whatever shape he is in it's a big shape. The man should have his own zipcode.
> 
> I hope that pretty much summarizes it in all the detail you guys would want. If you have anymore questions just post them and I'll try to answer them as best I can. I would like to point out that I won 20 bucks because I bet my buddy the Gold team would win. I was hesitant to go against LeBron's team but I thought Gold had better talent overall and that Z provided the biggest mismatch. Turns out I was right.
> 
> Everything looks better this year... even the Cavaliers girls and the Scream Team. I don't know what it is but the team seems to just get along great and the whole experience just seemed to have a positive aura around it. I have a feeling this will be a team that Cleveland fans will be very proud of and I am not backing down on my 60 win prediction...


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

^great stuff Remy, your the man when it comes to posting articles. Can always come here and quickly catch up :biggrin: 

I think it's very positive to hear Lebron is improving defensively, his passing and slashing will always be there, but if he can make big strides on D look out. I'm not overly concerned with his shooting touch, i'd like to see him working the post more though instead of hanging on the perimeter. 

Sounds like Marshall will be a big pickup for us this season also. 

Man I can't wait for the season :cheers: 

This offseason is dragging on forever!


----------



## futuristxen

Thanks Remy!
I'm hyped. I was already. But still.


----------



## remy23

*Say hello to the new guys...*

Sporting the wing pose.


----------



## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 10/08/2005 | Defense never rests during training camp*











> *Defense never rests during training camp*
> 
> Brown ignores offense in effort to build chemistry
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> 
> Labeling what the Cavaliers did over the past week, “training camp'' wouldn't be technically accurate.
> 
> What coach Mike Brown conducted in a week of a two-a-day practices was more like a defensive retreat. The media isn't allowed to view workouts. In fact, Brown is keeping them tighter than even the NBA rules are supposed to allow. But it hasn't taken long for the details to get out.
> 
> The workouts have been tediously long with one basic principle in mind: build a defensive chemistry.
> 
> What exactly does that mean, to build a defensive chemistry?
> 
> Well, every team says it needs chemistry, classic coach- and columnist-speak. But the guts of it can be boiled down to this: Brown wants the Cavs to work together on defense and, more important, have them police themselves on it.
> 
> Brown's defensive system, the basis for which he was hired, calls for lots of movement and lots of helping. Everyone has to know they have support behind them and everyone has to be watching to support everyone else.
> 
> This is not a revolutionary idea. These principles are taught in elementary school, but the vigor of their application varies, of course. Brown's methodology in these valuable early days is to sell his guys on the concept that no one can play defense alone. As such, they are taught, drilled and often rewarded when following these principles.
> 
> Isn't this obvious and why is it so important?
> 
> Sure it's obvious that you have to play defense to win and the whole "remember to talk'' on defense is a common mantra. But Brown isn't just glossing over this like he would how to run a press-breaker.
> 
> This is the major mission of the preseason, more important than who starts at what position or how LeBron James and Larry Hughes fit into the offense. In fact, the Cavaliers have barely touched on offensive stuff, which will likely show in the four preseason games this week.
> 
> Last year, the Cavs didn't have a single defensive leader, in fact the only constant defensive enforcer was Paul Silas. What they had was finger-pointing, individual defensive breakdowns that crushed the entire system, and lots of road losses along with losses at the end of the season when defense mattered most.
> 
> After Silas was fired, there wasn't any cohesion at all. Players would come back to the bench and yell at each other in timeouts for defensive breakdowns. Often, the finger-pointer was just as liable. Interim coach Brendan Malone took abuse from the players and even publicly accepted blame for losses because of poor defense when the ship had long sailed.
> 
> The new coach didn't have to review 82 game tapes to learn that other than having almost no outside shooters, this was the gaping hole in the team.
> 
> Brown is relatively young, but knows what he's doing. It has been written and said many times that he "ran'' the Indiana Pacers' defense. That means more than just holding the whistle in practice. During games, Browns made all the defensive calls on his own, not head coach Rick Carlisle. Sometimes Carlisle wouldn't know what defense his team was in until they got into position.
> 
> We don't know yet if he can take the offensively talented bunch he's been given and turn it into a unit of defenders who actually care about making the system work and are willing to unite to do it. But he's sure made it his focus.
> 
> *Dribbles*
> 
> • The Cavs are one of a handful of teams that's considering holding training camp next October in Europe. The NBA and Euroleague are scheduled to make an announcement soon about as many as six NBA teams going over for two weeks of workouts and preseason games at various locations in Europe. The NBA teams will play each other and European teams. One of the proposed places for the Cavs is Paris with the Spurs (and Frenchman Tony Parker). They could also spend time in Kaunas, Lithuania, Zydrunas Ilgauskas' hometown where former NBA player Arvydas Sabonis has a state-of-the-art training complex.
> 
> • Several Cavs fans have e-mailed and called saying they don't the like the Cavalier Girls and their much-hyped swimsuit calendar. Though they are vocal, these fans seem to be in the minority. The proof? The No. 1-selling item at the Cavs team shop last season wasn't any piece of James gear, but the swimsuit calendar. It's not going anywhere.
> 
> • Is there an NBA agent who's had a better summer than Leon Rose? He deftly handled the Eddy Curry situation, winning a staredown with the Chicago Bulls over a DNA test to get his client a $55 million deal with the New York Knicks. In one of the most stunning deals of the summer, he got DeSagana Diop a three-year, $7 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks. And, perhaps biggest of all, he landed James as a client.
> 
> • Donyell Marshall doesn't wear his hair in braids anymore, partially to avoid being mobbed at airports. Recently some young girls mistook him for hip-hop artist Ludacris and were adoringly following him around.
> 
> "I'm 6-9, Ludacris is like 5-5, so I don't know what they were thinking," Marshall said. "But it's OK, if you are going to be mistaken for somebody, might as well be somebody who's been successful.''


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Beacon Journal | 10/08/2005 | Defense never rests during training camp*

http://web.basketballboards.net/forum/showthread.php?t=206197

^ Preseason Game 1 thread


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Beacon Journal | 10/08/2005 | Defense never rests during training camp*



> For the first time in training camp, I got a chance to see the guts of a practice today. Let me just say that Mike Brown is an INTENSE coach.
> 
> He's out there running, constantly coaching, personally demonstating the way he wants things done. Extremely hands on and vocal. He often stops things to make corrections. The practice and scrimmage are both intricate and fast-paced. After the workout, Brown probably needs a shower as much as the players.
> 
> His defensive style constants of nonstop help and rotation. He's really forcing the players to be aware of the opposing offense's spacing. I think with all the help defense they play they will give up open jump shots at times, but least he seems to be correcting the way individual breakdowns crushed the Cavs last season. The offense is lagging behind, so don't expect to see much in the preseason games this week.


http://blogs.ohio.com/cavaliers_blog/


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## SamTheMan67

marty will be a star in this league mark my words dude can shoot lights out


----------



## Pioneer10

Terry Pluto's thoughts so far



> • You've heard about Larry Hughes being able to score, averaging 22 points last season. You probably know that Hughes was first-team All-NBA defense last season. But what was most impressive about him Tuesday night at Mellon Arena was his ballhandling, as he played much of the 96-86 preseason victory against the Boston Celtics at point guard -- and played well.
> 
> • Hughes has a knack of throwing excellent bounce passes through traffic. He does not get fixated on one side of the court as he starts the offense. He really is an old-fashioned, Joe Dumars-type guard capable of playing either backcourt position.
> 
> • Cavs coach Mike Brown started Hughes and Damon Jones in the backcourt, and it was Hughes who took over at the point -- Jones gravitating to shooting guard, where he seemed most comfortable. Jones doesn't have the same quickness and ability to break down defenses off the dribble as Hughes, which is why it might be Hughes who plays a lot of backup point guard.
> 
> • Jones has tremendous range on his jumper, and he's not shy. He's 4-of-16 from the field, 4-of-13 on 3-pointers. No reason to worry, because this guy has a history of really being able to shoot -- and make defenses respect him.
> 
> • It's a safe guess that Eric Snow and Hughes will start in the backcourt, with Jones coming off the bench to supply offense. Snow will look better this year for the simple reason that he's playing with better players and for a coach who believes in him.
> 
> • LeBron James sat out this game with a minor strain of a chest muscle, but his ballhandling skills mean that the Cavs will have several players on the court capable of starting their offense and leading a fast break.
> 
> • The Cavs have talented players who can play multiple positions, giving Brown plenty of options. Hughes and Jones can play both guard spots. James can play anywhere but center. Luke Jackson can play shooting guard and small forward. Veteran Donyell Marshall is best at power forward but can play all three frontcourt spots. The Cavs are a much more versatile and athletic group than a year ago.
> 
> • Jackson is making a strong early impression. He is moving extremely well, showing no signs of his back surgery last January. The Cavs' No. 1 pick in 2004 displays a nice shooting touch, especially from 3-point range on the wing. But he's also athletic, able to leap and drive to the basket. He will push Ira Newble and Sasha Pavlovic hard for playing time at both the backup shooting guard and small forward.
> 
> • Jackson has made 5-of-9 from 3-point range and has 26 points in the two preseason games. He's 6-foot-7 and needs to do more than grab two rebounds in 44 minutes. He also has shown nice passing skills.
> 
> • Drew Gooden has been set


http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/basketball/nba/cleveland_cavaliers/12880213.htm


----------



## remy23

*Au revoir*











> *Cavaliers Waive Mengke Bateer*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *CLEVELAND, October 12 -* The Cleveland Cavaliers have waived center Mengke Bateer. Bateer played in one preseason game (Oct. 11 vs. Boston) scoring two points and grabbing one rebound in eight minutes. The Cavaliers training camp roster now stands at 19 players.


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Au revoir*



remy23 said:


>


Preseason Game 2: Cavs vs. Celtics (10/11/05)
http://www.basketballboards.net/forum/showthread.php?t=206409


Preseason Game 3: Sixers vs. Cavs (10/14/05)
http://www.basketballboards.net/forum/showthread.php?t=206784


----------



## Pioneer10

*Re: Au revoir*



> There's a fine line between being a workhorse and being overworked. Last winter LeBron James staggered to that line, huffed, puffed and wearily stumbled across it.
> 
> The Cavaliers reached their high-water mark for the season on Feb. 23, when they were 31-21. In those 52 games James was the most significant cog in a smooth-running offense, averaging 41.4 minutes and a team-leading 19.4 field goal attempts while shooting 49.1%. In the final 30 games of the season, though, the winded small forward was the only option in a suddenly stagnant attack. James's minutes (43.9) and shots (23.7) went up, and his shooting percentage (44.7) dropped. "They had some pieces around him," says point guard Damon Jones, who signed with the Cavs as a free agent, "but the majority of the burden was put on him to make plays."
> 
> James knew he needed help. On the day before teams were allowed to contact free agents, he called new coach Mike Brown and new G.M. Danny Ferry. "He volunteered to hop on a plane to go start recruiting," says Brown. Ferry and Brown decided to use James on the phone. "He's a personable guy," says Brown.
> 
> It's amazing what a couple of phone calls from a personable guy can accomplish -- especially when he's the fifth NBA player to average at least 25 points, seven rebounds and seven assists. "It's always good to play with star power," says Jones, who gives the Cavs a sorely needed shooter who can knock down the open jumper. He'll be joined in the backcourt by another James recruit, 26-year-old Larry Hughes, who last season averaged a career-high 22.0 points with the Wizards.


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/ba.../preview/2005/scouting.reports/cavaliers.html


----------



## remy23

*cleveland.com: Weblogs*











> *Thursday, October 20th, 2005*
> 
> *Bye, Bye Rivera*
> 
> The Cavaliers have waived guard Filiberto Rivera. He played in three preseason games and averaged 2.7 points and 1.3 assists in 7.3 minutes per game. The Cavaliers training camp roster now stands at 18 players.
> 
> The following is the Cavaliers current training camp roster:
> 
> #15 Martynas Andriuskevicius
> 
> #90 Drew Gooden
> 
> #44 Alan Henderson
> 
> #32 Larry Hughes
> 
> #11 Zydrunas Ilgauskas
> 
> #33 Luke Jackson
> 
> #23 LeBron James
> 
> #19 Damon Jones
> 
> #24 Donyell Marshall
> 
> #14 Ira Newble
> 
> #3 Sasha Pavlovic
> 
> #20 Eric Snow
> 
> #17 Anderson Varejao
> 
> *TRAINING CAMP INVITEES*
> 
> #4 Kelenna Azubuike
> 
> #54 Obinna Ekezie
> 
> #31 Zendon Hamilton
> 
> #55 Jahidi White
> 
> #29 Mike Wilks


----------



## bigbabyjesus

*Re: cleveland.com: Weblogs*

Ugh, your radio announcer is absolutely brutal. Putting me to sleep.


----------



## remy23

^ I gotta disagree. Joe Tait usually does a a solid job. Some nights are better than others but he's usually consistent.


----------



## remy23

*Camp Central*











> *Cavaliers: Training Camp Central*
> 
> Injury Update (Last Updated 10/24/2005 at 3:35 p.m.)
> 
> Drew Gooden (sore right knee) – Did Not Practice – participated in conditioning and rehab – DAY-TO-DAY
> 
> Larry Hughes (right long finger sprain) – Did Not Practice – participated in conditioning and rehab – DAY-TO-DAY
> 
> Luke Jackson (right ankle sprain) – Practiced today – PROBABLE for Wednesday’s game at Boston
> 
> Ira Newble (right foot strain) – Practiced today – DOUBTFUL for Wednesday’s game at Boston
> 
> Anderson Varejao (dislocated right shoulder) - OUT





> *Post-Practice Quotes - October 24, 2005*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Damon Jones*
> _On his close relationship with LeBron James and the rest of the team:_
> I just try to make it comfortable with everyone and I want everyone to be on the same page. If I have to be the mediator to get that done, then I will take that job right on. I guess it's my personality. I enjoy people and I enjoy getting to know people. People who are fun to be around, I sort of cling to those types of guys. Throughout my career I have been fortunate enough to know a lot of people and players and a lot of great personalities.
> 
> _On when he felt he arrived in the NBA:_
> When I went to Detroit, it was similar to this situation. There was a new coach, new players, everyone had to adapt to a new system and I was there from the ground floor. Rick Carlisle put me on my way and gave me an opportunity to play. The system was very disciplined and because of that I was able to go on to other teams and play a disciplined-style game or an up-and-down game. It has been very beneficial to me.
> 
> _On the offense during the pre-season:_
> I don’t think it has been ragged, just a little bit sloppy. We are still trying to understand positioning, where guys like the basketball and what they like to do best. We have had a lot of turnovers because we are trying to be unselfish. I think with time and preparation we are going to get better at it.
> 
> <center>*------------------------------------------------------*</center>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *LeBron James*
> _On Damon Jones making a big shot at the end of last night’s game:_
> It’s very comforting. I’m happy that I have guys who can make shots and who don’t have to rely on me making shots all the time. Even though I didn’t play as well as I wanted to yesterday, guys stepped up and we still won.
> 
> _On the team's improvement: _
> I think we are getting better everyday. Practice is a lot harder than the games. If we keep getting better in practice then it’s going to make it easier when it comes to game time.
> 
> _On his pleurisy situation: _
> I have a little bit in me still. I am getting better and it's not affecting my play at all right now. I’m just trying to do what’s best and get enough rest. I am fine now and we are just getting ready for November 2nd and getting ready to kick the season off.
> 
> <center>*------------------------------------------------------*</center>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Head Coach Mike Brown*
> _On today’s practice:_
> It was great. It was long, and it was tedious, a grind-it-out session. We set up simulations to mix things up with different situations out on the floor to make our offense react so that we can start working on that end of the floor. At the same time, we can work on developing the defensive side as well.
> 
> _On the state of the team:_
> We have been somewhat careless with the basketball; we are not getting forced into the turnovers we are making. We are looking for the home-run play ourselves instead of making the extra pass and letting that guy make the assist. That will be corrected with guys looking at the film and working on the court during practice.
> 
> _On turnovers:_
> If we can keep them below 14, then I am okay with it. When we turn the ball over, you can’t be put into the position where they can break out on a three-on-one, getting easy baskets. We want our opponents to face our set defense every time. If we can get to a point where we can do that, then their points off turnovers will be low and we will have plenty of opportunities to win because our guys are starting to believe in our defense a little bit.


----------



## Benedict_Boozer

> It’s very comforting. *I’m happy that I have guys who can make shots and who don’t have to rely on me making shots all the time.* Even though I didn’t play as well as I wanted to yesterday, guys stepped up and we still won.


This quote made me laugh. Kind of hints at what Bron thought about last year's squad :biggrin:

He's right though, the last 2 years if Lebron shot 5-15 we would have had no chance at winning a game, even against Toronto.


----------



## remy23

*ABJ: Brown turns his attention to offense (M.A. staying put)*











> Beacon Journal | 10/24/2005 | Brown turns his attention to offense
> 
> *Brown turns his attention to offense*
> 
> Emphasis on defense cause for sloppy play
> 
> By Brian Windhorst
> Beacon Journal sports writer
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* Mike Brown loves to coach, even if it's the media.
> 
> Facing numerous questions as to why his Cavaliers' offense has been sluggish and turnover prone in the preseason, Brown conducted an impromptu media practice Monday.
> 
> Using five beat writers as an offensive unit -- this reporter being assigned point guard -- Brown demonstrated the complexitiy and challenges of a single post-up play. It was a point well taken.
> 
> When the Cavs execute a play, everything looks great. When the play doesn't go according to plan, which happens a majority of the time, each players is responsible for various movements and reads.
> 
> This, of course, is a simple basketball principle. Not so easy in reality, as evidenced by the Cavs averaging 19.3 turnovers in their seven preseason games as they try to grasp Brown's offensive concepts.
> 
> The spacing, communicating and reading has been sluggish, admittedly because Brown has been spending so much time in the preseason preaching defense.
> 
> The Cavs' opponents are shooting 42 percent and turning it over 18.9 times themselves, which is why the Cavs are 5-2 despite the offensive trouble and a rash of injuries to the front line.
> 
> Brown, who's already renown for his unwavering focus on defense, spent much of practice Monday trying to clean things up.
> 
> “I am worried about the offensive flow,'' Brown said. “Today, we put our guys in different situations and pointed out where the openings are and did it again, and again and again until we got it right. We need to do that until our guys are conditioned to attack different defenses.''
> 
> Last season, when plays broke down, it often meant LeBron James just getting the ball and trying to make something happen. It made the Cavs easy to guard as opponents often just rotated double and triple teams to James.
> 
> This season, the idea is to have more options and more focus when plays don't work and the shot clock is winding down. It has been a hard transition, especially for James.
> 
> He's averaging 4.8 turnovers per game, and his assists have taken a significant dip. Per 48 minutes, a standardizing stat in the NBA, James is averaging three fewer assists and three more turnovers than during last season.
> 
> This preseason is a small sample, but it does illustrate the Cavs' struggles.
> 
> “I've felt better in my life playing basketball,'' James said. “The more minutes I play the more I get into the groove and try to get better.''
> 
> *Call 'em FFBT*
> 
> Last season it was Usher's double C, now Damon Jones, Larry Hughes and James have a new little routine sure to catch on with fans. During introductions, and after big plays, they are prone to giving each other two low-fives, then a wave, then posing with their arms crossed as if they were having their picture taken.
> 
> “We're all just superheros,'' said Jones when asked to explain the little skit. “We're F.F.B.T., and I'm not going to tell you what it stands for and never will. All I can tell you is that the ‘T' stands for team.''
> 
> Stands to reason the rest of it isn't G-rated.
> 
> *Injury update*
> 
> Drew Gooden, who has tendinitis in his right knee, and Hughes, who has a sprained finger, sat out practice again Monday. They are listed as day-to-day. Ira Newble practiced but is listed as doubtful for the preseason finale Wednesday with a sprained foot. The injury has limited him since the second day of practice. Luke Jackson returned to practice after missing the game Sunday with a sprained right ankle. He's probable for Wednesday.
> 
> *Marty staying put*
> 
> Brown said the Cavs will not send second-round draft pick Martynas Andriuskevicius to the NBA Development League. He isn't expected to be on the active roster, and the team has decided to keep him with them for practices and workouts for the time being. Brown did say that if they keep swingman Kelenna Azubuike, which is looking bleaker by the day despite his impressive play, he would be a candidate to be sent down.


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## futuristxen

Ffbt?


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## Pioneer10

futuristxen said:


> Ffbt?


 I almost don't want to know what that stands for: lol


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## remy23

*Cavs seek long-range dividend*









More From The Plain Dealer | Subscribe To The Plain Dealer



> *Cavs seek long-range dividend*
> *Off-season investments should boost offense*
> 
> Tuesday, October 25, 2005
> 
> *Burt Graeff
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> Cavaliers General Manager Danny Ferry didn't mess around when investing owner Dan Gilbert's money into upgrading the team's woeful 3-point shooting.
> 
> In an effort to loosen up the middle for 7-2 center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, 6-9 power forward Drew Gooden and create more space to operate for LeBron James, Ferry committed more than $38 million - signing free agents Donyell Marshall (four years, $22.4 million) and Damon Jones (four years, $15.68 million).
> 
> Seven games into an eight-game exhibition season, the returns have been decent, but hardly dazzling.
> 
> Marshall, a 6-9 power forward, is shooting 32 percent (10-of-31) from 3-point range; Jones, a 6-3 guard, is shooting 36 percent (13-of-36) from beyond the arc.
> 
> The team's 29 percent (40-of-139) 3-point shooting ranks 24th in the exhibition season.
> 
> "We're going to be fine," said Ferry. "These two guys [Marshall, Jones] have a track record."
> 
> Two reasons for the slow start from 3-point range are coach Mike Brown's early emphasis on defense and a lack of on-court familiarity among the players. "We've worked so hard on our defense," said Brown, "that our offense is a little behind. We've had some good looks [from 3-point range], but they just have not gone down."
> 
> There is more to 3-point shooting than adding 3-point shooters. Familiarity among those on the court often dictates success and failure.
> 
> "All 3-point shooters have their own sweet spots on the floor, the place where they want the ball," said Jones, who shot 43 percent (225-of-521) from beyond the arc last season with the Miami Heat.
> 
> Jones' sweet spot? "It begins as soon as I step into the building," he said, smiling.
> 
> Marshall, who has 639 3-pointers in 744 games over 11 NBA seasons, said the exhibition season is used to gain on-the-court familiarity. "I am getting [3-point shots] from all different spots," he said. "It's in the corners, though, where I have been the most successful throughout my career.
> 
> "I'm not making shots right now, but once the season begins, they will be going in."
> 
> In 10 seasons with the Cavaliers, Ferry was the best perimeter-shooting big man (he's 6-10) in the 35-year history of the franchise. Ferry's 543 3-pointers are third on the team's all-time list.
> 
> "Right now," he said, "people are thinking before they are shooting. As the year goes on, and we become more familiar with each other, the shots will go down."
> 
> The Cavaliers of recent years have been horrendous shooters from beyond the arc - ranking 25th, 29th and 27th, respectively, the past three seasons. Bringing in supposed shooters such as J.R. Bremer, Jiri Welsch and Lucious Harris did not pan out.
> 
> The lack of an outside threat allowed opposing teams to double in the post, where Ilgauskas found the middle clogged.
> 
> "Our perimeter shooting was obviously an issue," point guard Eric Snow said, "and I think we've addressed it.
> 
> "I know where these guys want the ball, just from playing with them and against them, but it does take a little time. Right now, we're trying to get the chemistry down."
> 
> Much of five-time All-Star center Brad Daugherty's success in the 1990s was because of a perimeter game that featured 3-point shooters Mark Price, Craig Ehlo, Steve Kerr and Ferry. In six seasons beginning in 1989-90, the Cavaliers ranked worse than third in 3-point accuracy once - eighth in 1990-91.
> 
> The 1989-90 and 1992-93 teams were the NBA's most accurate 3-point-shooting clubs.
> 
> A 3-point-shooting game does not guarantee winning. But, it certainly helps.
> 
> *Notable:*
> 
> Gooden (knee) and Larry Hughes (finger) did not participate in Monday's practice. They are listed as day to day. Luke Jackson (ankle sprain) is probable for Wednesday night's exhibition game at Boston. Ira Newble (foot) is doubtful for the exhibition finale. . . . Gooden is having a terrific exhibition season, averaging 12.2 points, 6.5 rebounds and 59 percent shooting (26-of-44) from the field in seven games. . . . Brown is unhappy with the 19.3 turnovers a game. "Too often," said Brown, "we're trying to hit a home run with our passes. Ideally, I'd like to average under 14 a game."


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## remy23

*Camp Central*











> *Post-Practice Quotes - October 25, 2005*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *LeBron James*
> _How confident are you in what this year could be?_
> I’m very confident. We have a great group of guys. It’s not just on the court. The best part about it is that we all hang out off the court. It’s like a family now. It started early, so I can just imagine how it’s going to be in late February.
> 
> _Do you think you have accomplished everything that you wanted to in training camp?_
> I think so. I think we came in and got a good feel for the system. We know what we’re supposed to do on defense. We know what we’re supposed to do on offense.
> 
> _Is the offense the big part of the game to tune up?_
> Yeah. I think, defensively, we’re right where we want to be. Offensively, we’re not. We’ve had some injuries where guys haven’t been practicing. It’s going to come. We would rather have defense kick in first rather than offense. We have enough scorers so that if the offense breaks down we can create our own shots.
> 
> _You have the number one pick in the NBA Fantasy Draft. Who do you pick?_
> LeBron James. He’s an all-around team player.
> 
> <center>*----------------------------------------*</center>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Head Coach Mike Brown*
> _Do you view all the training camp injuries as a setback?_
> Anytime you have guys sitting out and not participating, they’re not getting the necessary reps to stay up with the team.
> 
> _Will this week off (after tomorrow’s game) be a good thing for the team?_
> It will be good so that these guys can heal some. Not only that, but they’ll get some practice time and some reps against a live defense. It’s going to be good for us all the way around just to get more practice time.
> 
> _Can you give us an overview of your first training camp?_
> One thing that I’m happy with is that our guys have responded in the right way. They’ve given us everything that we have asked of them. They’ve been great to be around. Not only that, LeBron is our leader, but we’ve had other veterans that have stepped up and helped in that area. They’ve made my job a lot easier. We’re probably about where we should be. We’re a little bit better defensively than we are offensively, which I knew was going to happen because of our focus on defense thus far.





> *Cavaliers: Training Camp Central*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> _Injury Update_
> 
> Drew Gooden (sore right knee): Did Not Practice – participated in conditioning and rehab – DOUBTFUL for Wednesday’s game at Boston
> 
> Larry Hughes (right long finger sprain): Did Not Practice – participated in conditioning and rehab – OUT for Wednesday’s game at Boston
> 
> Luke Jackson (right ankle sprain): Practiced today – PROBABLE for Wednesday’s game at Boston
> 
> Ira Newble (right foot strain): Did Not Practice - Rehab today – OUT – Will not Travel to Boston
> 
> Anderson Varejao (dislocated right shoulder): OUT – Will not Travel to Boston


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## remy23

*Injuries, illnesses interrupt interplay*









More From The Plain Dealer | Subscribe To The Plain Dealer



> *Cavaliers*
> *Injuries, illnesses interrupt interplay*
> 
> Wednesday, October 26, 2005
> 
> *Burt Graeff
> Plain Dealer Reporter*
> 
> NBA coaches like to use the time between the last exhibition game and the start of the regular season to fine-tune the team's rotation.
> 
> No such luck for first-year Cavaliers coach Mike Brown.
> 
> Brown will use the seven days between tonight's last exhibition game at Boston and the season opener against New Orleans as a time for healing first, fine-tuning second.
> 
> Nagging injuries and illnesses have kept starters LeBron James, Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes from playing together in five of the first seven exhibition games. James, who is healthy, missed three games with pleurisy.
> 
> Gooden (tendinitis, right knee) is listed as doubtful, and Hughes (sprain, right middle finger) is out for tonight's game against the Celtics in Boston. If Gooden does not play, it will be the second straight miss for both. Going into the regular season with the projected starters James, Gooden, Hughes, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Eric Snow getting significant playing time together in just three of eight exhibition games is not what Brown wanted.
> 
> What he hoped for was more exhibition game time to blend the starters in with key newcomers on the bench -- power forward Donyell Marshall and point guard Damon Jones.
> 
> "It is a setback, in a way," Brown said following Tuesday's practice at The Q.
> 
> "Especially when you were talking about some new players on a team with a new coach and new system. On the other hand, I don't want to jeopardize the season or the careers of these injured players. We'll use the week off to heal and get some reps against a live defense."
> 
> Brown said that Gooden and Hughes should be ready for next Wednesday's opener at The Q against the Hornets.
> 
> The Cavaliers (5-2) have been impressive when healthy. In the exhibition opener at Washington on Oct. 10, they were at full strength and shot 52 percent (37-of-73) from the field in a 116-94 romp at the MCI Center.
> 
> The only other exhibition game in which they were at full strength - one week ago against Memphis at The Q - they hung on to win, 88-84, behind James' and Gooden's combined 44 points on 56 percent (15-of-27) shooting from the field.
> 
> Snow doesn't view the game time lost as necessarily a setback.
> 
> "True, we've had guys who have not had the opportunity to play together that much, but at the same time, injuries will occur during the regular season," he said. "So it's good to get some of these other guys playing time now. Having a week off [before the opener] should help. It will give us the opportunity to get healthy and get some good practice time."
> 
> Hughes, signed to a four-year, $59.74 million free-agent contract after a career season with Washington, said the ailing finger is improving, but he's better off sitting out.
> 
> "Handling the ball is a big part of my game," he said. "There is no need to rush this thing."
> 
> *Notable:*
> 
> When Brown addresses the media, he wants to make sure he is getting his point across. After one recent practice, Brown looked at a reporter and said, "You look puzzled." The puzzled-looking reporter said, "I am." With that, Brown took the five assembled reporters onto the practice court, positioned them as if they were the Cavaliers, and took 20 minutes to explain the offensive sets he was teaching the team. . . . Alan Henderson and Sasha Pavlovic are expected to replace Gooden and Hughes in the starting lineup tonight against the Celtics.


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## remy23

*Beacon Journal | 10/26/2005 | Future uncertain for Cavs' Azubuike*











> *Future uncertain for Cavs' Azubuike*
> 
> *Guard prospect one of five players trying to win two final spots on roster*
> 
> By Tom Reed
> Beacon Journal sports writer
> 
> *CLEVELAND -* Cavaliers guard Kelenna Azubuike receives a phone call from his father once a week.
> 
> It comes at no set time or day. If Azubuike misses the call, there's no way of returning it. Such is the policy of the correctional facility where Azubuike's father resides.
> 
> “It's happened a couple times and it's very disappointing,'' Azubuike said. “My dad understands. He knows I have to practice and work out. When I get back to my phone, the number comes up: UNKNOWN.''
> 
> The address seems consistent with the uncertainty surrounding his family and future with the Cavaliers.
> 
> The 6-foot-5 rookie free agent, who left Kentucky after his junior season, is one of five players battling for two remaining roster spots. The Cavs are expected to announce another round of cuts after tonight's preseason game against the Boston Celtics.
> 
> Coach Mike Brown and general manager Danny Ferry are impressed with Azubuike's athleticism and character, but the franchise is deep at swingman. Azubuike has not played in the past three exhibition games.
> 
> “He has NBA skills; he just has to make sure he's ready to play on every play,'' Brown said of Azubuike, averaging 6.5 points and one assist. “If he does that, he'll have a long career in the NBA whether it is here or someplace else.''
> 
> Azubuike hopes he can play long enough for his Nigerian-born father to attend one of his NBA games.
> 
> Kenneth Azubuike, 57, began serving a four-year sentence in April on fraud charges and was ordered to pay restitution of more than $340,000. A U.S. bankruptcy court found Azubuike guilty last year of 41 federal counts, claiming he had defrauded investors, banks and the court.
> 
> The alleged criminal activity took place while the family lived in Tulsa, Okla., where Azubuike was a prep phenom. News of his father's misdeeds were widely reported in Lexington, Ky., where the family relocated to support Azubuike. His mother, Connie, also a Nigeria native, is a physician.
> 
> Adding to the family's concerns is Kenneth's health. He received a heart transplant at the Cleveland Clinic in 2003 and said a prison term would be “a death sentence,'' according to an Associated Press report.
> 
> “It has been very tough on the family,'' said Azubuike, one of four children. “We pray that the time passes quickly, that it will be a short stay.
> 
> “I love my dad and I still think he is a great father. That opinion won't change.''
> 
> Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith admires Azubuike's inner strength. He said a devotion to family and faith has enabled him to endure.
> 
> Azubuike said family finances was only one of several factors that led him to turn pro. Some believed the second-team All-SEC selection needed another year of seasoning.
> 
> Smith understood Azubuike's plight and advised him to make himself draft eligible, but not to hire an agent -- a strategy used by former Wildcats and current NBA players Tayshaun Prince and Jamaal Magloire, who returned to Kentucky for their senior seasons.
> 
> The 21-year-old retained agent Joel Bell, suffered an injury before the Chicago pre-draft camp and went undrafted. Azubuike hired a new agent, Michael Higgins, but has not given much thought to what he will do if released by the Cavs.
> 
> “Looking back does me no good,'' said Azubuike, who says he's about a semester shy of graduating with a marketing degree. “It was a tough decision, but we talked it through as a family.''
> 
> Azubuike has not discussed his situation with many teammates. He has not mentioned his father to LeBron James, whose own father figure, Eddie Jackson, served time in connection with mortgage fraud.
> 
> “My father would be happy to see me play; it's one of the things that motivates me,'' said Azubuike, who keeps his dad's letters. “He tells me to work hard, to pray for him and to believe in God.''


This article is a very good read. I suggest everybody takes a look at it.


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## remy23

*Cavaliers: Preseason Review*



> October 27, 2005
> *Preseason Review*
> 
> With Wednesday night's loss to the Celtics, the Cavaliers closed out the 2005-06 preseason at 5-3. The Wine and Gold open the regular season against the New Orleans Hornets on November 2 at Quicken Loans Arena.
> 
> Mike Brown's club has had their share of ups and downs during the preseason, but overall got solid contributions from the new additions as well as some familiar faces such as LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Drew Gooden.
> 
> With just under a week until the Cavaliers officially tip off the new campaign, cavs.com takes a quick look back at this year's preseason ...


Click link above for rest...


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## remy23

*Cavaliers: Post-Practice Quotes - November 1, 2005*











> *Post-Practice Quotes - November 1, 2005*
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *James*
> *On tomorrow's season opener:*
> We will be ready tomorrow and we are very excited to get the regular season off the right way. We have been doing a lot to implement Coach Brown’s program.
> 
> *On the best part of the preseason:*
> I think it is the comfort level I have gained with these teammates this year. Not only on the court, but also off the court. We are really together off the court and that is good for our team.
> 
> *On the comfort level after not getting much floor time with core players in the preseason:*
> I know that we aren’t where we want to be yet. I wouldn’t expect us to be there right from the beginning of the season. Two or three weeks of practicing isn’t enough time for a lot of new guys and a whole new coaching staff to come together. You have to be patient with it, but you have to get wins at the same time.
> 
> *On the excitement surrounding tomorrow's game:*
> I think it’s going to be electrifying tomorrow. We have the new Jumbotron up, the new guys, but the same loyal fans who are going to help us get a win.
> ________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Snow*
> *On opening night jitters:*
> I always tell guys it's normal to be nervous, excited, or anxious. I would say that if anyone says that they aren’t a little nervous, they aren’t being totally honest. I think that everyone is a little excited and anxious to get the season underway.
> 
> _*On wanting to get Coach Brown his first head-coaching win:*_
> I think we want to get him his first win as much as he wants to get it. Everyone wants to start the season off right and the best way to do that is to start off with a victory and go out there and play well. We need to do the things that he has stressed and coached and execute well tomorrow.
> 
> *On getting the start at point guard:*
> To Damon and I, it was us coming out and helping this team win and for Coach to then make the decision. That’s the only thing that it has ever been to us, so you never heard us say it was a competition or a challenge. We were just two guys coming in here each day, trying to get better and trying to help this team get better. Coach made the decision and we are comfortable with it and we are going to stand by it.
> ________________________________________
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Brown*
> *On the season opener:*
> I am excited and I know that the guys are, too. It will be the start of a long and good season. I told the guys at the beginning of practice that we are going to make mistakes tomorrow, but that’s no excuse. We need to play hard and give effort. If we do that, we can make up for those mistakes.
> 
> *On Damon Jones’ reaction to not starting tomorrow:*
> He was fine; Damon is a professional. I spoke with him a few days ago so he has known for some time. He told me that he respects my decision because he's the player and I'm the coach. Granted, both guys wanted to start, and I hate having to make decisions like that, but it is a part of basketball. Damon is a great guy and has been nothing but terrific.
> 
> *On the excitement level for tomorrow:*
> I am excited it will be the first game of mine as a head coach, and to be here in Cleveland makes it extra special because everyone has welcomed me with open arms. I have a lot of family that will be in attendance as well, so I am extremely excited to get tomorrow's game underway.
> 
> *On the match-up with the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets:*
> I think our players are a little more excited than I am because they are tired of hearing me talk and tired of scrimmages. I thought our guys worked extremely hard over the past few games. It doesn’t matter who our opponent is, we need to head out and play well and execute.


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## Ron Mexico

*Re: Cavaliers: Post-Practice Quotes - November 1, 2005*

which one is the right long finger??? the middle one??


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