| Watching the Cavaliers without LeBron is like | | | | huge factor for them, and his 22 points and 13 |
| watching the Special Olympics. No offense, but | | | | rebounds were only a small part of his dominance. |
| it's hard to watch. You really want them to | | | | Antawn and Mo didn't see the floor in the 4th |
| succeed, but you know something is missing. | | | | quarter, which might explain why we lost. Listen |
| Sunday afternoon, the team that bounced the Cavs | | | | Mike Brown, I understand you want to rest your |
| in the Eastern Conference Finals last year showed up | | | | starters and we've already locked up the #1 seed |
| to Cleveland for the last regular season meeting | | | | overall, but have some perspective here. This is the |
| between the two teams. Mike Brown decided to sit | | | | team that knocked us out of the playoffs last year, |
| LeBron for the 3rd straight game, and the end result | | | | and you're going to give them a game right before |
| reflected this move. | | | | the start of the playoffs? |
| Personally, like most other Cavs fans, I would have | | | | This reminds me of Jim Caldwell sitting Peyton |
| loved to see him play. I felt that we needed to | | | | Manning during the last part of their regular season |
| send a message to the Magic that this is not their | | | | finale, and the bench just couldn't hold the lead. |
| year, and the only way to do that is from a | | | | That move allowed the Jets to win the game, and |
| thorough beatdown right before the playoffs start. | | | | gain some confidence going into the playoffs. |
| Regardless, it didn't happen. LeBron was in street | | | | Sometimes coaches overthink resting their starters, |
| clothes again, and (surprise) we lost by 6 points | | | | and it can have a negative impact on a team. |
| 98-92. | | | | Losing 3 straight is not the way I envisioned this |
| Let's give the LeBron-less Cavaliers some credit | | | | team heading into the last game of the regular |
| though; they started off as well as you could have | | | | season. |
| imagined. At one point we took a 16 point lead, and | | | | So here's what I'm saying, please get our starters |
| the Magic looked like a D-league team. No LeBron | | | | back in vs. the Hawks. We need to at least get one |
| and they can't do anything? Maybe they were let | | | | game to get our team back on track, because losing |
| down because they thought The King would play, | | | | 4 in a row can't ever be considered a good thing |
| but that's not really a good excuse. Stan Van | | | | going into the playoffs. |
| Gundy used it anyways. | | | | Speaking of getting our starters back, there was |
| "I don't know if we still would have won, but we | | | | great news for Cavaliers fans released yesterday. |
| would've played much better, much more focused | | | | Shaquille O' Neal has officially been cleared to play, |
| had LeBron played," Van Gundy said. "The air went | | | | and maybe we'll see him tomorrow night vs. |
| out of our locker room when our guys found out he | | | | the Hawks. Shaq Diesel is going to be a huge part |
| wasn't playing." | | | | of our success in the playoffs this year; we need his |
| | | | physical presence. Sunday proved that without |
| Van Gundy was in a terrible mood for most of the | | | | him, the Cavs can't handle Dwight Howard both |
| first half, and you can't blame him. The Magic | | | | offensively and in the rebounding battle. "The Real |
| couldn't do anything offensively; they had no | | | | Superman" doesn't just sit around and let Dwight |
| ball-movement and shots just weren't | | | | do his thing. He bodies him up and when it's |
| dropping. Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams were | | | | necessary, sends him to the free throw line. |
| leading the Cavaliers to what looked like would be a | | | | There are reports that Shaq has lost over 20 pounds |
| blow-out. | | | | since his injury, and he looks to be in great shape. |
| It wasn't meant to be, and the Magic cut the defecit | | | | He also is sporting the clean-shaven look for the first |
| to only 4 points before half. Dwight Howard was a | | | | time in awhile. |