Open Thread: Round 1
by JakeTheSnake
on Apr 18, 2008 2:43 PM EDT
in Game Threads
The Essentials:
#4 Cavaliers (45-37) vs. #5 Wizards (43-39)
Playoff Schedule
This Year:
December 5: Wizards 105, Cavaliers 86
January 23: Cavaliers 121, Wizards 85
February 22: Cavaliers 90, Wizards 89
March 13: Wizards 101, Cavaliers 99
The Last Two Playoff Meetings:
2006: Cavs 4, Wizards 2
2007: Cavs 4, Wizards 0
Notable Cavaliers numbers this season:
15th in expected winning percentage (.484)
23rd in pace factor (88.8 possessions per game)
19th in offensive efficiency/offensive rating (107.5)
11th in defensive efficiency/defensive rating (108.0)
Key Links (add any others in the comments)
Cavs Blogs:
And One
Cavalier Attitude
Le Cavs
Waiting for Next Year, Cavs section
Brian Windhorst
Cavs-Wiz Previews/Predictions:
ESPN
Scouts Inc.
Deadspin
Wizznutzz
FanHouse
DC Optimist
Ball Don't Lie
SLAM Online
Michael Wilbon
David Dupree
NBA.com Series Blog
Starting Lineups
Cavaliers:
PG: Delonte West
SG: Devin Brown
SF: Jay-Z
PF: Ben Wallace
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas
"The Dumbest Team in the History of Civilization":
PG: Antonio Daniels
SG: Soulja Boy
SF: Caron Butler
PF: Antawn Jamison
C: Brendan Haywood
And here we go. Just to avoid confusion, I want to make it clear that this is the open thread for the series as a whole. There's still going to be a game thread for each game in the series, although they'll be a little different since you probably don't need to see this info repeated for every game in the series. You've already heard from Prada and I on how the first round is going to go down, now you have a spot to throw in your predictions as well. But first, let's get a little more analysis in.
Talk is cheap, but important: Just in case you haven't been keeping up with the back and forth smack talk that's been going on for about a month now, TruthAboutIt catches you up on everything that's transpired. I think I'm pretty much in line with Stet Sports Blog's thoughts on the whole thing, Generally, I'm against smack talk (mainly because of this) but here I'm more OK with it, mainly because DeShawn was only responding to something that LeBron said earlier. Check out this question from the latest Wizards Insider chat:
Burke, Va.: Hey Ivan,
in your Wiz Insider column, you said that you thought Deshawn was going to say more trash after the Indiana game. Did you ever find out what he was planning on saying? Also, do you know, what did LeBron say about DeShawn to Drew Gooden?
Ivan Carter: DeShawn was gone after the game so we didn't get a chance to talk to him. Not sure what he had in mind but he told us to be ready for something "good" before the game. I hear that [what] was said by LeBron involved a female. That's all I know. Whatever it was, it ticked DeShawn off big time. He wants some LeBron.
Everyone's been talking about how DeShawn shouldn't have messed with LeBron, and how he's going to regret it and all that. No one seems to be considering that maybe it was bad idea to tick off DeShawn. If you consider that he was already coming into the playoffs motivated to redeem himself from last year's performance, disprove Charles Barkley, and you add this in, who's to say that Stevenson isn't the one to be messed with here? I'm not saying, he's going to match LeBron's output or do anything epic like that, but if he can limit LeBron and have a better than average series offensively, maybe America will learn that the Lock Smith isn't to be messed around with either.
Scuff his shoes! It can't hurt right?
Protect the glass, protect the world: In the last game between these two, the Cavs had a 15 rebound advantage. We were lucky that it didn't bite us there, but if Washington doesn't win the rebound battle there's going to be big problems in this series. With a team that struggles on offense like the Cavs, the absolute worst thing you can do is give them extra opportunities to score.
Finally, a YouTube to get you fired up:
This is an open thread, so leave your predictions for the series here. While I'm not a gambling man, I must say that I'm tempted to put down $259 on a speedy series.
0 recs |
3
comments
Read Related
Email
PrintComments
Marketing Hype
Okay, so everyone is saying this is “the series to watch,” and that’s great, because everyone can see us beat up on the Cavs. Was that cavalier of me to say?
BUT, everyone is saying this is the game to watch, that its the 3rd year coming and based on all the “trash-talking,” which really hasn’t been that intense or too exciting. Sure, Soulja Boy with a #2 on his back (not tattooed) would spice it up, but I think people are exaggerating the ‘bad blood’ or ‘trash-talking’ that’s been going on, in order to promote the series and the NBA. A lot of the first rounds in the East will be weak sauce, so they need this one. I don’t know…
I’m watching because I love my Bullets, and I am so sick and tired of Lebron whining (remember the 2006 series!!!!) and I’ll be even more sick when he blames his 1st round exit on his team’s injuries, because they’ve been the ‘worst in the league.’ Granted, it sucks to have a bad back, but they’re going up against a team with a bad wrist, two bad knees (one for each of our 2 best players), a bad back, and more little injuries. Hold your tongue, King James. You wouldn’t want to do a disservice to your crown.
by se7en on Apr 18, 2008 5:39 PM EDT 0 recs
Oh, and the prediction...
Wish I could edit the post, because I almost forgot, although I have mentioned it before:
Wizards in 5, then Wizards in 7 in the 2nd round, then lose in 6 to Detroit in a painful conference final series. And let’s just say, I’d be VERY happy with that showing. Detroit can thank their lucky stars that we’re facing the Celtics before they are.
by se7en on
Apr 18, 2008 5:43 PM EDT
up
0 recs
No Marketing Hype
I suggest you read Truth About It Dot Net’s take on the DeShawn/LeBron feud. The bad blood is not manufactured, in my opinion. Two telling quotes from Truth’s research:
Stevenson and James might indeed have some personal stuff behind the scenes. Stevenson has dated LeToya Luckett and Farrah Franklin, both of whom were members of R&B group Destiny’s Child. Of course, James is very close to former Destiny’s Child member Beyonce Knowles, who is engaged to close friend Jay-Z. James’ friend and manager, Maverick Carter, also dated Kelly Rowland, another former Destiny’s Child member. Who knows what all that means, but the point is James and Stevenson move in the same social circles and it has no doubt carried over to the court.
...
Apparently, James said something about DeShawn to former Cav Drew Gooden, who recently related that information to DeShawn. He didn’t appreciate it. “We’re all in the same profession,” Stevenson said. “We don’t need to talk bad about one another. So, that’s how it happened. I was ticked off and that’s why I said something to him at tip-off. So, it goes back further than people think.” I asked DeShawn if what James said was basketball-related or personal and he said: “It was both. I won’t say what he said. I said something back and we’ll leave it at that.
And then from Wizards Insider (quoted above):
Burke, Va.: Hey Ivan,In your Wiz Insider column, you said that you thought DeShawn was going to say more trash after the Indiana game. Did you ever find out what he was planning on saying? Also, do you know, what did LeBron say about DeShawn to Drew Gooden?
Ivan Carter: DeShawn was gone after the game so we didn’t get a chance to talk to him. Not sure what he had in mind but he told us to be ready for something “good” before the game. I hear that was said by LeBron involved a female. That’s all I know. Whatever it was, it ticked DeShawn off big time. He wants some LeBron.
Now, I can only speculate about what LeBron said that got relayed to DeShawn through Drew Gooden, but I have a vivid imagination and can put 2 and 2 together. Hmmm, let’s see, both DeShawn and LeBron hung out with Destiny’s Child, then LeBron mentions something to Gooden that involves a female and insults both DeShawn personally and as a basketball player. I can imagine many things that LeBron could have said, and none of them are fit for this blog. All of the things I’m thinking of would likely send a man into a rage, which is probably where DeShawn is right now.
Buckle your seatbelts, folks. This is going to be a great series.
"It's OK for the Bullets to trade baskets, as long as they can score on their end." -- Words of wisdom from Phil Chenier
by cuppettcj on
Apr 18, 2008 11:05 PM EDT
up
0 recs
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
New FanPost
