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No Run at NBA Finals for the Cavaliers – 5-19-08
LeBron scores 45, but the Celtics were too much in Game 7

Some would say that the Cavs overachieved in the series against Boston. Some may say the Celtics aren’t as good as their regular season would suggest.

The conclusion I made from the series is that the Cavs may have been overlooked by most, but due to injuries and the big trade, this club was never really able to play as a unit together long enough to get into a flow leading up to the playoffs. If this team had more time to develop chemistry and cohesiveness, they may be the ones set to play Detroit.

With that said, there are still some glaring weaknesses in this team. While guys like Zydrunas Ilgauskus, Delonte West, Daniel Gibson, and Wally Szczerbiak can be counted on for secondary offense, they are all plagued by inconsistency. But they are not completely to blame.

Coach Mike Brown needs to take some responsibility for the offense’s lack of scoring. It is blatantly obvious that while he is a genius at defensive schemes, he can not draw up an offensive play to save his life – or possibly his career in Cleveland. Too many times coming out of timeouts in this series (and the entire season) the play that is called is LeBron at the top of the key, while the others stand around until he drives to the hoop, takes a deep jumper or passes it off on his way to the rim. James is one of the best players in the game, but he can’t be expected to generate plays on his own all the time.

A lot of credit has to be given to Boston too – it has been a long time since the NBA has seen a team so committed to defense. The Celtics also do not allow easy baskets near the hoop. Many times when a Cavs player came in the paint, they were fouled and sent to the line. Cleveland doesn’t follow the same philosophy, and it kept the pressure on themselves in tight situations to make their free throws – which leads to another massive issue.

The Cavs can’t make free throws. Aside from Ilgauskus and Szczerbiak, they are horrible from the line – and that includes LeBron James. The Celtics knew this and exploited it. This has haunted the Cavs for years now, and it will certainly keep them from ever winning a title if it continues.

Some of the rotations were interestingly confusing. Ilgauskus received little to no playing time in fourth quarters, where his scoring would’ve been at a premium. Where was Devin Brown? He fit nicely in that second team with Gibson, Joe Smith and Anderson Varejao. Instead Mike Brown went with Sasha Pavlovic who simply has not been a factor most of the season. Damon Jones was above Brown on the depth chart, and he hadn’t played since the trade was made.

In the end, it was a competitive series between two great defensive clubs. LeBron struggled to find his touch (until Game 7), but it’s hard when your coach’s best offensive strategy is: LeBron - do what you want; everyone else - don’t get in his way.

The Story That Could Have Been – 5-13-08

The Cavs knotted this series at two games a piece, looking like a whole different team after the Game 2 embarrassment.

The story is always going to be about LeBron James when it comes to Cleveland, and the big three – Kevin Garnet, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen – when addressing Boston. But there was an incident that could have certainly been a major focal point in this series and the future of the Cavs had James not extinguished the flame.

In Game 4, The King was driving to the hoop on a fast break, and Pierce wrapped him up bear-hug-style, and they’re momentum forced them into the first few rows under the basket. Garnett eased into the area to assist the two superstars, and Gloria James - LeBron’s mother - who was sitting in the vicinity, slid over and showed her maternal instincts by defending her son. She appeared frustrated, concerned and angry.

Now I don’t know a thing about Gloria James, but I’d be lying if I said there was no concern that something was about to boil over. I found myself saying out loud, “please don’t slap KG, please don’t slap KG.”

She is certainly like any mother that gets defensive when her baby boy is being trounced in athletic competition – especially within inches of her courtside seat. Who can blame her – especially when her baby boy is making $20 million a season? By inching toward the situation and possibly firing a “hey get off him,” she simply did what any other concerned mother that close to the action would do, whether in church league basketball or the NBA playoffs.

But it is so easy to experience a moment of panic in light of the recent outbursts that have occurred in recent years in the NBA – most notably Ron Artest going into the crowd to brawl with fans in Detroit.

Just imagine the media circus that would result in a superstar’s mother getting lippy (or god forbid physical) with two other NBA superstars after nothing more than two large men loosing their balance after a hard, playoff foul. The days following the game would have the clip soaring across the Internet and discussed to death on ESPN. And the Boston fans would certainly let LeBron and the Cavs hear that in the pivotal Game 5.

I’m sure Gloria could keep her cool, and I’m sure she is a stand-up woman. But even if she did find herself clinching her fist, LeBron took care of the situation. "I told her to sit down, in some language I shouldn't have used," James said. "Thank God today wasn't Mother's Day.”

The non-story is a non-factor, as the Cavs gear up for Game 5. Hopefully Gloria James makes the trip as well – maybe a few rows back this time though, just in case baby boy flies into the first row after a hard foul?

Tags: anderson varejao, damon jones, daniel gibson, delonte west, devin brown, joe smith, lebron james, mike brown, sasha pavlovic, wally szczerbiak, zydrunas ilgauskus