# Cavs @ Raptors | Game #53 | February 21st, 2007



## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

_*Game 53*_


*Cleveland Cavaliers* *(31-22) VS* *Toronto Raptors** (29-24)*

_*Wednesday, February 21th, 2007*_
*Time:* 4:00pm PT, 7:00pm ET
*TV:* FSOhio, *NBALP*
*Radio:* *WTAM 1100*
*Location:* *Air Canada Centre*, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

*HEAD COACHES*




> *Preview*
> 
> The surprising Toronto Raptors hope the NBA All-Star break did not halt their momentum as they look for their ninth consecutive home victory Wednesday night in a matchup with LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
> 
> ...


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Tough game, especially with Z still out. Toronto is only like 2 games behind us in the standings...this is actually a pretty big game.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/16746494.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp



> Cavs' post-break practice sluggish
> LeBron says Bosh has put Raptors on his back
> By George M. Thomas
> Beacon Journal sportswriter
> ...


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Honestly, after what I have heard about today's practice, I wouldn't bet on us winning this game. Word is that they looked "sluggish" in practice, and I expect the Raptors to come out with energy. They're hot right now, and they're young. So they're probably excited to get out and continue their hot streak after the break.

However, if Lebron comes out with the mindset he had in Los Angeles, we will not lose this game.


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

This is a big game. With a another TNT game tommorrow we have to make sure we get this one. Will be a tough game though and like Brandname said we need Lebron to step it up. It would have been nice to have Z for this game but at least Gibson is back to check Ford.


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## Larry Hughes for Retirement (Jul 5, 2004)

They never let Gibson get involved, he passes it off and turns into Damon Jones and stands at the 3-pt line.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Wow @ that Bron catch. This guy should be a wide reciever


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## Larry Hughes for Retirement (Jul 5, 2004)

The Raptors would be a very scary match in the playoffs, alot of great shooters and slashers.


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

Great lob to Sasha. Nice hops.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

HB said:


> Wow @ that Bron catch. This guy should be a wide reciever


He was an all-state WR in high school. He was the second most recruited player from Ohio behind Maurice Clarett.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Lebron smacked in the face...no call. Lebron drives to the basket and is knocked off balance. No call.

I sometimes wonder if DWade and Lebron are playing in the same NBA.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Andy is just incredible. 5/5 from the field, 8 rebounds, and a block already. I have no doubts anymore than he could start for us. Hell, he could have a good chance at challenging for the rebounding title. 

I love how people constantly talk about how we overrate him. The guy just makes things happen when he's in the game.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Oh and I'm ready to pull the trigger on Gooden/Hughes for Bibby. hahaha


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

There's no doubt in my mind that LBJ's new FT routine is better than anything else he's tried this year.


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Tight game so far. Hopefully keep it close till the 4th and put the ball in Lebron's hand at that point


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

What a play by Gibson.


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

Raptors lead by as many as 8, Cleveland had their high lead of 5 points. At the half, Cleveland trails 44-48 to Toronto.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Andy is just really, really good. We can't let this guy go.

Also, Bosh is a monster. The fact that AV is pretty much playing him to a standstill is amazing.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Gibson finally hits from the outside.

Lebron drilling midrange J's


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

The Raptors call time-out. Cleveland is on a roll. James has 10 points in the 3rd quarter.


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## HB (May 1, 2004)

Please win


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Man if Lebron ever gets his midrange consistently this good, look out


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

HB said:


> Please win


Haha, I was wondering why a Nets fan was hanging around our game thread. :biggrin: 

Stay as long as you'd like.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

That was just an incredible block by Bosh.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

What a block by Bosh...


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

That was a good timeout by Mike Brown. He seems to be getting a little better at knowing when to stop a run by calling a timeout.


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

Brandname said:


> I love how people constantly talk about how we overrate him. The guy just makes things happen when he's in the game.





Flush said:


> Man would I ever like to see varejao in a raps uniform


link

Well, I keep seeing fans all over wanting Andy, so I doubt it's just recognition here. But I would say that he hasn't beeing praised enough by the media.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

¹²³ said:


> link
> 
> Well, I keep seeing fans all over wanting Andy, so I doubt it's just recognition here. But I would say that he hasn't beeing praised enough by the media.


Agreed. All we hear ever about here is how Andy is the most called-about player from GMs to our front office.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Lebron getting it back on the FT stripe.


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

Cleveland leads 71-70 after the 3rd quarter. The final 12 minutes of play is coming right up!


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Freakin Gooden is terrible tonight


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Drew 1-7 from the field

Down by 3 now


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Great bounce pass by boobie


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

This Toronto crowd boos every foul against the Raps like it's bloody murder: good crowd lol


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

I wonder how long we can sit lebron for. It will be nice if we can keep him out till about 6 minutes tied or with the lead and then we should have enough gas to finish it off


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

We should have brought Lebron in there.

Donyell is bad at layups.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Pioneer10 said:


> Freakin Gooden is terrible tonight


He doesn't want to be traded. :biggrin:


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

ugh... Larry terrible at the line.


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Hughes isn't even efficient from the FT line


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Lebron looks like he's having fun out there again. Good to see and bodes well for the rest of the season.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

This game in the balance now. Lebron should work the low post to finish this game off


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Holy crap Lebron


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## LostInGeorgia (Jun 29, 2006)

isn't lebron supposed to be taking over right now?


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Ughh Bad sequence


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Jeez we've just collapsed


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

ugh, we're getting careless. We have to continue to execute.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Lebron scores easily on a drive and dunk, then randomly decides to fire up a deep 3?

Anthony Parker can't check him, he needs to fight for position and work the post


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

no foul?


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Bosh gets more touch fouls called than Lebron


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Lebron getting no calls this year. I don't understand it. He's only had a couple games where he got the calls (Lakers game).

And I like the Lebron we're seeing right now.


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Why can't other teams miss FT's like us?


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Andy is awesome!


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Get Lebron in the post or run pick and roll with Sasha


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Why do we go to Hughes there?


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Jesus, Hughes is not going to get it done for us.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Please stop the pick and roll with Lebron and Andy at halfcourt, it ain't gonna work.

Lebron down low or off a quick curl is working fine


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## LostInGeorgia (Jun 29, 2006)

Pioneer10 said:


> Get Lebron in the post or run pick and roll with Sasha



please stop trying to make sense, you are hurting me and all the other cavs fans out there by having real ideas that might work


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Lebron should be setting some picks. It worked really well against the Lakers.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

They Called That Flop?!?!

EDIT - That's awesome, I just learned that there is a filter for posters who type in all caps.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Blown call but we deserve it for running the same stupid pick and rolls at halfcourt. STUPID STUPID STUPID


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## LostInGeorgia (Jun 29, 2006)

maybe we should not foul and let them run out the clock then try and make a half court shot at the end of regulation (ala utah)


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

I'm not confident about our play out of timeout.


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Eric Snow jump shooting time!


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

That Was Play Of The Year!


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

Andy is God!!!!


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

On CHRIS BOSH"S EAR!


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## LostInGeorgia (Jun 29, 2006)

Benedict_Boozer said:


> I'm not confident about our play out of timeout.


i'm thinking high pick and roll with lebron and andy? or could mike brown possibly have any other plays in his playbook


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Andy = CAV FOR LIFE


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

We are not trading this guy.


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## -33- (Aug 6, 2002)

Wow!


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Shaq_Diesel said:


> Wow!


Who's overrated now!!!!!!!

j/k :biggrin:


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## Bron_Melo_ROY (Apr 12, 2004)

Yeah, Yeah, Yeah!!!!!!!!!


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

I think that was off us...need this jump ball


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Eric Snow!
Haha stupid raptors called a timeout. Would have been a foul otherwise.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Damn Raps have another shot


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Jesus 2 seconds to go: Toronto's ball?


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

We deserve this win basketball gods.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Yes!!!!!!!


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Who the F was guarding Peterson??


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

I don't think Peterson knew he was that open. Ha.

Thank you basketball gods. Good win. Worked hard for it.


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## -33- (Aug 6, 2002)

LeBron supports terrorist cells in Toronto, thoughts?


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Benedict_Boozer said:


> Who the F was guarding Peterson??


Larry Hughes


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## LostInGeorgia (Jun 29, 2006)

and lebron only played 36 minutes, that's great going into a tough game tomorrow night


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Whew what a win.

Can we PLEASE stop going to Hughes in crunch time? Lebron in the post that works, Lebron setting pick for Sasha work. Just don't depend on maybe the most inefficient shooting guard in the 4th


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Andy 16pts 15rebs game winning dunk!

CAV FOR LIFE


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

When Z comes back, Andy needs to stay the starter. I love the Andy/Drew frontcourt.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Shaq_Diesel said:


> LeBron supports terrorist cells in Toronto, thoughts?


So you were wondering who that guy was, too?


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Shaq_Diesel said:


> LeBron supports terrorist cells in Toronto, thoughts?


LOL! I saw that too


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## futuristxen (Jun 26, 2003)

Shaq_Diesel said:


> LeBron supports terrorist cells in Toronto, thoughts?


Isn't that guy like THE Toronto Raptors superfan or something? I know I've seen him before, with Vince Carter I think. He's some semi-important dude I think. Your unfunny insensitive attempt at a joke aside.

I'm sure raptors fans know.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

futuristxen said:


> Isn't that guy like THE Toronto Raptors superfan or something? I know I've seen him before, with Vince Carter I think. He's some semi-important dude I think. Your unfunny insensitive attempt at a joke aside.


Yeah, I guess that was pretty bad. But I was wondering who the heck that guy was. I haven't seen him before, and he's like the first person Lebron gets congratulated by at the end of the game.


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## Larry Hughes for Retirement (Jul 5, 2004)

futuristxen said:


> When Z comes back, Andy needs to stay the starter. I love the Andy/Drew frontcourt.


We all wish that could happen, but I do not think we will see Z coming off the bench this season. 

Does this make Drew Gooden available for trade b/c Andy is soo good of late?

Or does this elevate Andy's free agent summer and we will never be able to pay him what people will give him?


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

We'd be fools not to retain him.

I'd rather pay Andy than Hughes and Z big $


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

Just trade Gooden and let Andy shine.


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

¹²³ said:


> Just trade Gooden and let Andy shine.


Believe me, we're trying.


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## Bron_Melo_ROY (Apr 12, 2004)

I hope we keep Andy, and so does LeBron more than likely. I say let Drew go.


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## Benedict_Boozer (Jul 16, 2004)

Varejao has 53 rebounds in his last three games as a starter. Unreal.


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## ¹²³ (Jan 8, 2003)

Benedict_Boozer said:


> Varejao has 53 rebounds in his last three games as a starter. Unreal.


This reminds me about an old thread:

AV = closest thing to Rodman since Rodman?


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## Mr_B (Mar 6, 2004)

futuristxen said:


> Isn't that guy like THE Toronto Raptors superfan or something? I know I've seen him before, with Vince Carter I think. He's some semi-important dude I think. Your unfunny insensitive attempt at a joke aside.
> 
> I'm sure raptors fans know.


superfan his nickname cuz hes been to every raptor home game since we came back to the Nba in 95 even though I felt we let that game slip away to you guys it was a good game either way congrats on the win


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## remy23 (Aug 15, 2002)

*Box Score*

*Cleveland 86, Toronto 85*


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

I think we're starting to see that we have a young core that could be very special. AV, Sasha, and Gibson are all young, and they're some of our best players. This is very encouraging.


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Brandname said:


> I think we're starting to see that we have a young core that could be very special. AV, Sasha, and Gibson are all young, and they're some of our best players. This is very encouraging.


Correction: ALL our best players are young, Lebron's 22 :wink:


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Pioneer10 said:


> Correction: ALL our best players are young, Lebron's 22 :wink:


I'm not throwing Z under the bus just yet. :biggrin:


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## Pioneer10 (Sep 30, 2004)

Brandname said:


> I'm not throwing Z under the bus just yet. :biggrin:


Instead you threw Hughes under lol


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## Brandname (May 24, 2006)

Pioneer10 said:


> Instead you threw Hughes under lol


Oh absolutely :cheers:


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## The OUTLAW (Jun 13, 2002)

Brandname said:


> I think we're starting to see that we have a young core that could be very special. AV, Sasha, and Gibson are all young, and they're some of our best players. This is very encouraging.



Yeah it seems that we've got some talented young players (even LeBron, Gooden are actually still young player) and some seviceable older players, but we don't really have any good players in their prime. That's supposed to be Hughes but he seems to have a block about playing at our tempo without a real point guard.


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