- 146
- 10
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2008
Mo Williams in the press conference after Game 4
"I got bigger fish to fry"
Damn. You sure do.
"I got bigger fish to fry"
Damn. You sure do.
Cavaliers V Magic GAME SIX Thread Vol: Do or die AGAIN
- Thread in 'Sports & Training' Thread starter Started by belle155,
- Start date
- 7,993
- 10
- Joined
- Apr 3, 2007
someone actually said that?Originally Posted by cRazy dav0
Originally Posted by ninjallamafromhell
Which one of you jokers posted the "Who would win 1996 Bulls or 2009 Cavs" thread?
joke right?
- 3,462
- 10
- Joined
- Mar 1, 2009
- 8,829
- 1,146
- Joined
- Mar 4, 2005
More like be an epic failure for the NBA if the Cavs lose...
- 3,215
- 54
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2008
Gets those damn fusions off my screen.
- 3,677
- 57
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2007
This is a beat down and look who's at the game. Coincidence?
- 4,857
- 14
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2008
Originally Posted by TrillipinoTrapstar
someone actually said that?Originally Posted by cRazy dav0
Originally Posted by ninjallamafromhell
Which one of you jokers posted the "Who would win 1996 Bulls or 2009 Cavs" thread?
joke right?
- 51,298
- 41,880
- Joined
- Dec 8, 2006
- 54,191
- 31,692
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2002
not even the refs can save the cavs right now
- 12,209
- 277
- Joined
- Jul 31, 2008
Originally Posted by TheHealthInspector
get ready for "The Greatest Comeback Ever"
written, directed, and produced by David Stern
starring LeBron James
dudes about to put on an oscar performance
- 4,448
- 294
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2008
Originally Posted by Fundamental21Ticket
This is a beat down and look who's at the game. Coincidence?
Hahaha
- 15,661
- 4,793
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2008
Originally Posted by Guerrilla Warfare
Im crossing ova
LET'S GO MAGICS....
Destroy dese PRICKS
- 718
- 37
- Joined
- Mar 29, 2005
So far refs haven't given the cavs a break. You got Andy and Mo in foul trouble with Howard having 1 when Lebron has been attacking the basket...
- 11,385
- 31
- Joined
- Dec 10, 2008
Originally Posted by KnockoutNed
It's a joke fams, I'm a Magic fan.
lol +1
- 1,333
- 32
- Joined
- Aug 24, 2006
Originally Posted by iLLoQuent aka DSK
Originally Posted by Guerrilla Warfare
Im crossing ova
LET'S GO MAGICS....
Destroy dese PRICKS
- 146
- 10
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2008
Look at the GOAT Ray Ray Allen the Hei-sus
- 16,898
- 27,950
- Joined
- Apr 4, 2005
Stern in the lab right now like a mad scientist...
- 1,930
- 54
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2007
Lets finish them in the 3rd.
- 1,177
- 11
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2008
- 9,922
- 205
- Joined
- Dec 6, 2007
Lebron not lookin to good
I see you CB
Come on Bron
I see you CB
Come on Bron
- 12,422
- 2,916
- Joined
- Jul 6, 2008
yeah I feel like Stern put the call in and will see some ghost calls 2nd half and the Cavs will win. Which will to the Cavs being talked about everyday untilnext season
mr cool grey
Banned
- 259
- 10
- Joined
- Feb 5, 2009
Im pissed.
[h3]1970-1980: Expansion and early hope[/h3]
The Cavaliers first began play in the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team under the ownership of Nick Mileti. Playing their home games at Cleveland Arena under the direction of head coach Bill Fitch, they compiled a league-worst 15-67 record. The team hoped to build around the number one 1971 draftpick Austin Carr who had set numerous scoring records at Notre Dame, but Carr severely injured his leg shortly into his procareer and did not recover sufficiently to become a great pro player.
The following seasons saw the Cavaliers gradually improve their on-court performance, thanks to season-by-season additions of talented players such asBingo Smith, Jim Chones, Jim Cleamons and#@%! Snyder. Cleveland improved to 23-59 in their sophomore season, followed by a 32-50 record in 1972-73, and a small step backwards to29-53 in 1973-74. In 1974, the Cavaliers moved into the brand-new Richfield Coliseum, located in a rural area thirty miles south of downtown Cleveland in Summit County (now part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park). That season, the Cavaliers finished with a 40-42 record, falling just short of a playoff berth.
In the 1975-76 season with Carr, Smith, Chones, Snyder,and newly acquired Nate Thurmond; Fitch led the Cavaliers to a 49-33 record anda division title. Fitch received the league's Coach of the Yearaward as the Cavs made their first-ever playoff appearance.
The Cavs won the series against the Washington Bullets, 4-3.Because of the many heroics and last-second shots, the series became known locally as the "Miracle of Richfield." However, hampered by injuries,particularly to Jim Chones, the Cavs proceeded to lose to the Boston Celticsin Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs.
Cleveland won 43 games the next two seasons (1976-77 and 1977-7
, but both those seasons resulted in early playoff exits. After a 30-52 season in 1978-79, Fitch resigned as head coach. The following season, after going 37-45 under Fitch's successorStan Albeck, original owner Mileti sold his shares to minority owner JoeZingale.
http://
[h3]1980-1983: The Stepien years[/h3]
In 1980, after just a few months, Zingale sold the team to Nationwide Advertising magnate Ted Stepien. The new owner oversaw the hiring and firing of a succession of coaches and was involved in makinga number of poor trade and free agent signing decisions. The result of Stepien's questionable trading acumen was the loss of several of the team'sfirst-round draft picks, which led to a rule change in the NBA prohibiting teams from trading away first-round draft picks in consecutive years. This rule isknown as the "Ted Stepien Rule."
Early on in his tenure, Stepien proposed to rename the team the "Ohio Cavaliers", part of a plan that included playing their home games not justin the Cleveland area but also in non-Ohio markets such as Buffalo,New York and Pittsburgh. He also introduced a polka-flavoredfight song, which was widely-ridiculed by fans and the media.
The ensuing chaos was reflected by the Cavs' on-court performance and attendance woes, going 28-54 in 1980-81 (Stepien's first year as owner), followed by an abysmal 15-67 mark in 1981-82. The 1981-82 team lost its last 19 games of theseason which, when coupled with the five losses at the start of the 1982-83 season, constitute the NBA's all-time longest losing streak at 24 games.Although the team improved its record to 23-59 the following year, local support for the Cavs eroded which eventually bottomed out that year by averaging only3,900 fans a game at the cavernous Coliseum whichseated more than 20,000. Stepien threatened to move the franchise to Toronto and rename itthe Toronto Towers, but brothers George and Gordon Gund purchased the franchise inthe mid 1980s and decided to keep the team in Cleveland. (In 1993, Toronto would, in fact, get an expansion franchise, the Toronto Raptors.) Two years later, the Gunds changed the team colors from wine and gold to burnt orange,red and navy blue. Also, the team officially adopted "Cavs" as a shorter nickname for marketing purposes; it had been used unofficially by fans andheadline writers since the team's inception.
http://
[h3]1983-1993: A new look[/h3]
Under George Karl, the Cavs returned to the playoffs in 1985, only to lose to the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Boston Celtics in the first round. The team was intransition, led by World B. Free, Roy Hinson and John Bagley. But in 1986, Karl was fired after 66 games. Interim head coach Gene Littles guided the team the rest of the way, which saw the Cavs finish just one gameshort of the playoffs. After the season, it was time to restructure the team.
In 1986, under the Gund brothers as owners, the team acquired, either through trades or the draft, Brad Daugherty, MarkPrice, Ron Harper and Larry Nance. These four players (until Harper was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989 for the rights to Danny Ferry) formed the core of the team, under the direction of head coach Lenny Wilkens, that led the Cavs to eight playoff seasons in the next nine years, including three 50+ winseasons.
However, in 1989, the Cavs were paired against the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. In the fourth game of the best-of-five-series, Cleveland managed to beat the Bulls in overtime108-105 to level the series at 2-2. Home court advantage went to Cleveland. The game was evenly matched, until Cleveland managed to score on a drive and raisethe lead by one, with three seconds left. Chicago called for a time-out. The ball was inbounded to Michael Jordan, who went for a jump shot. Cleveland's Craig Ehlo jumped in front to block it, but Jordan seemed to stay in the air until Ehlo landed. "The Shot" went in as time ran out, with Chicago winning the series 3-2. Although replay wouldshow that Jordan cleared Ehlo with his arm in order to get an open look, the buzzer-beater is considered one of Jordan's greatest clutch moments, and thegame itself one of the greatest. But the pinnacle of the Cavs' success came in the 1991-92 season, when they compiled a 57-25 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing again to the Chicago Bulls 4-2.
http://
[h3]1993-2003: A long struggle[/h3]
Soon after, the Cavaliers entered into a period of decline. With the retirements and departures of Nance, Daugherty and Price, the team lost much of itsdominance and were no longer able to contest strongly during the playoffs. After the 1992-93 season, in which the Cavs boasted a 54-28 regular-season record but suffered an earlyexit from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Chicago Bulls, Wilkens left to coach the Atlanta Hawks.
Following the hiring of Mike Fratello as head coach starting with the1993-94 season, the Cavs became one of the NBA's bestdefensive teams under the leadership of point guard Terrell Brandon. Butthe offense, which was a half-court, "slow-down" tempo installed by Fratello, met with mixed success. Although the Cavaliers made regular playoffappearances, they were unable to advance beyond the first round.
In 1994, the Cavs moved back to downtown Cleveland with the opening of the 20,562-seat, state-of-the-art, Gund Arena. Known by locals as "the Gund", the venue also served as the site of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game.
Later on, players like Shawn Kemp and Žydrūnas Ilgauskas added quality to the team, but without further success. Fratello was firedfollowing the shortened 1998-99 season.
Despite the arrivals of Andre Miller, Brevin Knight, Chris Mihm andCarlos Boozer, the Cavs were a lottery team for the early part of the 2000s.The 2002-03 team finished with the third-worst record in franchise history (17-65), paving the way for a hometown savior to resurrect the franchise.
An all time low for the Cavs was set by Ricky Davis on March 16, 2003. WithCleveland ahead in the game 120-95, Davis was one rebound short of a triple-double with only a few seconds left on the clock. After receiving an inbound pass at the Cavs' endof the floor, Davis banged the ball off the rim and caught it in attempt to receive credit for a rebound. Utah's DeShawn Stevenson took offense to thisbreach of sportman's etiquette and immediately fouled Davis hard.[sup][2][/sup] The play did not count as a rebound since firing at your own team's basket does not count as a shotattempt, and in fact is a technical foul under NBA rules. However, since the referees had never seen anyone shoot at their own basket before, they wereunfamiliar with the rule and play was allowed to continue. This and countless other selfish acts contributed to the Cavs trading of Davis later that year, andushering in a new type of team.[sup][3][/sup]
http://
[h3]2003-present: The LeBron James Era[/h3]
High school phenom James was selected 1st overall in 2003.
Several losing seasons followed which saw the Cavaliers drop to the bottom of the league and become a perennial lottery draft team. After anotherdisappointing season in 2002-03, the Cavaliers landed thenumber one draft pick in the NBA Lottery. The Cavaliersselected high school phenomenon and future NBA MVP LeBron James. Also in 2003,the team colors were changed from burnt orange, red and navy blue back to wine and gold along with a new primary logo.
James' status as both an area star (having played his high school basketball at St. Vincent-St. MaryHigh School in nearby Akron) and as one of the most highly touted prospects inNBA history led many to view his selection as a turning point in the franchise's history. Embraced by Clevelanders as "King James," the 2003-04 season offered great hope for the future, as James rose tobecome a dominating player, winning the NBA Rookie ofthe Year Award. Hope was even greater for the 2004-05season. James increased his production in terms of points, rebounds, and assists per game. Despite the loss of Carlos Boozer in theoffseason, James teamed with Žydrūnas Ilgauskas andDrew Gooden to form the core of the team. After a promising start, the Cavs began adownward spiral that eventually led to the firing of coach Paul Silas and generalmanager Jim Paxson. The team failed to make the playoffs that year, tied withNew Jersey Nets for the final playoff spot, however the Nets owned thetiebreaker.
Cleveland Cavaliers versus Chicago Bulls in the Quicken Loans Arena in 2006
The Cavaliers made many changes in the 2005 offseason. Under new owner Dan Gilbert, the team hired a new head coach, Mike Brown, and a new general manager, former Cavaliersforward Danny Ferry. The team experienced success on the court in the followingseason, clinching their first playoff appearance since 1998.After a first round win over the Washington Wizards, the Cavaliersrebounded from a 0-2 deficit in the second round against the DetroitPistons, winning three consecutive games to come one game away from the conference finals. However, they lost a close Game 6 at home, and followed it witha 79-61 loss in Game 7. The playoff rounds were a showcase for the emergence of LeBron James, who achieved many "youngest ever to..." records duringthe run.
The Cavs continued their success in the 2006-07 season.The team earned the second seed in the East with a 50-32 record, generating a series of favorable matchups in the playoffs. They battled 7th-seeded Wizards,who struggled with injuries near the end of the season. The Cavaliers swept this series 4-0 , and defeated the New Jersey Nets, 4-2, in the second round.
The Cavaliers faced the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Final. After again losing the first two games at Detroit, the Cavaliers won the next three to takea 3-2 series lead. This time, the Cavaliers eliminated Detroit in Game 6. The wins included a 109-107 double-overtime game at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Game 5, in which LeBron James scored thelast 25 points for the Cavs, and his performance in this game is recognized as one of the best in NBA history. They continued to a dominant 98-82 win at homein Game 6. Rookie Daniel "Boobie" Gibson scored a career-high 31points in the series clincher, and the franchise won its first ever Eastern Conference championship. The team's first trip to the NBA Final was a short one, as they were outmatched and outplayed by the very strongSan Antonio Spurs, who swept the Cavs 4-0.
The Cavs took a step back in the 2007-08 season. They battled injuries and had many roster changes, including a three team trade at the trade deadline inwhich the team acquired Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, and Delonte West.The Cavs finished 45-37 and lost in the second round of the playoffs. In the 2008 off-season, the team made a major change to its lineup, trading Damon Jonesand Joe Smith for point guard Mo Williams. This trade was madein hopes of bringing another scorer to aid James. In the 2008-09 season, the Cavs made astounding progress, finishing with a record of 66-16,making this the winningest season in the franchise's history. The year also marked other notable franchise records. Such records include winning streak androad and home record. The Cavs entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NBA with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. They finished the season 39-2at home, one win short of the best all-time home record. Head Coach Mike Brown won NBA Coach of the Year honors and LeBron James finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and won the NBA MVP.
The Cavs began the 2009 postseason by sweeping the 8th-seeded Detroit Pistons 4-0, winning every game by 10 or more points. In the conference semifinals,the Cavaliers faced the 4th-seeded Atlanta Hawks, who had defeated theMiami Heat in seven games. Despite the Cavaliers' long layoff between the seriesthey swept the Hawks 4-0, again winning each game by at least ten points, becoming the first team in NBA history to win eight straight playoff games by adouble-digit margin. The Cavs moved to the Eastern Conference Final, where they met the Orlando Magic. The Cavs lost game 1 of the series 107-106 at home despite James' 49-point effort. Theywon game 2 96-95 on a James buzzer beating three pointer, but lost games 3 and 4 in Orlando. Behind a triple double by James and six three-pointers byWilliams, the Cavs won game 5, 112-102, to stay alive in the series. The Cavs currently trail the series 3-2, with game 6 set for May 30 at 8:30 PM EDT.[sup][4][/sup]
[h3]1970-1980: Expansion and early hope[/h3]
The Cavaliers first began play in the NBA in 1970 as an expansion team under the ownership of Nick Mileti. Playing their home games at Cleveland Arena under the direction of head coach Bill Fitch, they compiled a league-worst 15-67 record. The team hoped to build around the number one 1971 draftpick Austin Carr who had set numerous scoring records at Notre Dame, but Carr severely injured his leg shortly into his procareer and did not recover sufficiently to become a great pro player.
The following seasons saw the Cavaliers gradually improve their on-court performance, thanks to season-by-season additions of talented players such asBingo Smith, Jim Chones, Jim Cleamons and#@%! Snyder. Cleveland improved to 23-59 in their sophomore season, followed by a 32-50 record in 1972-73, and a small step backwards to29-53 in 1973-74. In 1974, the Cavaliers moved into the brand-new Richfield Coliseum, located in a rural area thirty miles south of downtown Cleveland in Summit County (now part of the Cuyahoga Valley National Park). That season, the Cavaliers finished with a 40-42 record, falling just short of a playoff berth.
In the 1975-76 season with Carr, Smith, Chones, Snyder,and newly acquired Nate Thurmond; Fitch led the Cavaliers to a 49-33 record anda division title. Fitch received the league's Coach of the Yearaward as the Cavs made their first-ever playoff appearance.
The Cavs won the series against the Washington Bullets, 4-3.Because of the many heroics and last-second shots, the series became known locally as the "Miracle of Richfield." However, hampered by injuries,particularly to Jim Chones, the Cavs proceeded to lose to the Boston Celticsin Eastern Conference Finals of the NBA playoffs.
Cleveland won 43 games the next two seasons (1976-77 and 1977-7
, but both those seasons resulted in early playoff exits. After a 30-52 season in 1978-79, Fitch resigned as head coach. The following season, after going 37-45 under Fitch's successorStan Albeck, original owner Mileti sold his shares to minority owner JoeZingale.http://
[h3]1980-1983: The Stepien years[/h3]
In 1980, after just a few months, Zingale sold the team to Nationwide Advertising magnate Ted Stepien. The new owner oversaw the hiring and firing of a succession of coaches and was involved in makinga number of poor trade and free agent signing decisions. The result of Stepien's questionable trading acumen was the loss of several of the team'sfirst-round draft picks, which led to a rule change in the NBA prohibiting teams from trading away first-round draft picks in consecutive years. This rule isknown as the "Ted Stepien Rule."
Early on in his tenure, Stepien proposed to rename the team the "Ohio Cavaliers", part of a plan that included playing their home games not justin the Cleveland area but also in non-Ohio markets such as Buffalo,New York and Pittsburgh. He also introduced a polka-flavoredfight song, which was widely-ridiculed by fans and the media.
The ensuing chaos was reflected by the Cavs' on-court performance and attendance woes, going 28-54 in 1980-81 (Stepien's first year as owner), followed by an abysmal 15-67 mark in 1981-82. The 1981-82 team lost its last 19 games of theseason which, when coupled with the five losses at the start of the 1982-83 season, constitute the NBA's all-time longest losing streak at 24 games.Although the team improved its record to 23-59 the following year, local support for the Cavs eroded which eventually bottomed out that year by averaging only3,900 fans a game at the cavernous Coliseum whichseated more than 20,000. Stepien threatened to move the franchise to Toronto and rename itthe Toronto Towers, but brothers George and Gordon Gund purchased the franchise inthe mid 1980s and decided to keep the team in Cleveland. (In 1993, Toronto would, in fact, get an expansion franchise, the Toronto Raptors.) Two years later, the Gunds changed the team colors from wine and gold to burnt orange,red and navy blue. Also, the team officially adopted "Cavs" as a shorter nickname for marketing purposes; it had been used unofficially by fans andheadline writers since the team's inception.
http://
[h3]1983-1993: A new look[/h3]
Under George Karl, the Cavs returned to the playoffs in 1985, only to lose to the eventual Eastern Conference Champions Boston Celtics in the first round. The team was intransition, led by World B. Free, Roy Hinson and John Bagley. But in 1986, Karl was fired after 66 games. Interim head coach Gene Littles guided the team the rest of the way, which saw the Cavs finish just one gameshort of the playoffs. After the season, it was time to restructure the team.
In 1986, under the Gund brothers as owners, the team acquired, either through trades or the draft, Brad Daugherty, MarkPrice, Ron Harper and Larry Nance. These four players (until Harper was later traded to the Los Angeles Clippers in 1989 for the rights to Danny Ferry) formed the core of the team, under the direction of head coach Lenny Wilkens, that led the Cavs to eight playoff seasons in the next nine years, including three 50+ winseasons.
However, in 1989, the Cavs were paired against the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs. In the fourth game of the best-of-five-series, Cleveland managed to beat the Bulls in overtime108-105 to level the series at 2-2. Home court advantage went to Cleveland. The game was evenly matched, until Cleveland managed to score on a drive and raisethe lead by one, with three seconds left. Chicago called for a time-out. The ball was inbounded to Michael Jordan, who went for a jump shot. Cleveland's Craig Ehlo jumped in front to block it, but Jordan seemed to stay in the air until Ehlo landed. "The Shot" went in as time ran out, with Chicago winning the series 3-2. Although replay wouldshow that Jordan cleared Ehlo with his arm in order to get an open look, the buzzer-beater is considered one of Jordan's greatest clutch moments, and thegame itself one of the greatest. But the pinnacle of the Cavs' success came in the 1991-92 season, when they compiled a 57-25 record and advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, losing again to the Chicago Bulls 4-2.
http://
[h3]1993-2003: A long struggle[/h3]
Soon after, the Cavaliers entered into a period of decline. With the retirements and departures of Nance, Daugherty and Price, the team lost much of itsdominance and were no longer able to contest strongly during the playoffs. After the 1992-93 season, in which the Cavs boasted a 54-28 regular-season record but suffered an earlyexit from the playoffs in the Eastern Conference Semi-Finals to the Chicago Bulls, Wilkens left to coach the Atlanta Hawks.
Following the hiring of Mike Fratello as head coach starting with the1993-94 season, the Cavs became one of the NBA's bestdefensive teams under the leadership of point guard Terrell Brandon. Butthe offense, which was a half-court, "slow-down" tempo installed by Fratello, met with mixed success. Although the Cavaliers made regular playoffappearances, they were unable to advance beyond the first round.
In 1994, the Cavs moved back to downtown Cleveland with the opening of the 20,562-seat, state-of-the-art, Gund Arena. Known by locals as "the Gund", the venue also served as the site of the 1997 NBA All-Star Game.
Later on, players like Shawn Kemp and Žydrūnas Ilgauskas added quality to the team, but without further success. Fratello was firedfollowing the shortened 1998-99 season.
Despite the arrivals of Andre Miller, Brevin Knight, Chris Mihm andCarlos Boozer, the Cavs were a lottery team for the early part of the 2000s.The 2002-03 team finished with the third-worst record in franchise history (17-65), paving the way for a hometown savior to resurrect the franchise.
An all time low for the Cavs was set by Ricky Davis on March 16, 2003. WithCleveland ahead in the game 120-95, Davis was one rebound short of a triple-double with only a few seconds left on the clock. After receiving an inbound pass at the Cavs' endof the floor, Davis banged the ball off the rim and caught it in attempt to receive credit for a rebound. Utah's DeShawn Stevenson took offense to thisbreach of sportman's etiquette and immediately fouled Davis hard.[sup][2][/sup] The play did not count as a rebound since firing at your own team's basket does not count as a shotattempt, and in fact is a technical foul under NBA rules. However, since the referees had never seen anyone shoot at their own basket before, they wereunfamiliar with the rule and play was allowed to continue. This and countless other selfish acts contributed to the Cavs trading of Davis later that year, andushering in a new type of team.[sup][3][/sup]
http://
[h3]2003-present: The LeBron James Era[/h3]
High school phenom James was selected 1st overall in 2003.
Several losing seasons followed which saw the Cavaliers drop to the bottom of the league and become a perennial lottery draft team. After anotherdisappointing season in 2002-03, the Cavaliers landed thenumber one draft pick in the NBA Lottery. The Cavaliersselected high school phenomenon and future NBA MVP LeBron James. Also in 2003,the team colors were changed from burnt orange, red and navy blue back to wine and gold along with a new primary logo.
James' status as both an area star (having played his high school basketball at St. Vincent-St. MaryHigh School in nearby Akron) and as one of the most highly touted prospects inNBA history led many to view his selection as a turning point in the franchise's history. Embraced by Clevelanders as "King James," the 2003-04 season offered great hope for the future, as James rose tobecome a dominating player, winning the NBA Rookie ofthe Year Award. Hope was even greater for the 2004-05season. James increased his production in terms of points, rebounds, and assists per game. Despite the loss of Carlos Boozer in theoffseason, James teamed with Žydrūnas Ilgauskas andDrew Gooden to form the core of the team. After a promising start, the Cavs began adownward spiral that eventually led to the firing of coach Paul Silas and generalmanager Jim Paxson. The team failed to make the playoffs that year, tied withNew Jersey Nets for the final playoff spot, however the Nets owned thetiebreaker.
Cleveland Cavaliers versus Chicago Bulls in the Quicken Loans Arena in 2006
The Cavaliers made many changes in the 2005 offseason. Under new owner Dan Gilbert, the team hired a new head coach, Mike Brown, and a new general manager, former Cavaliersforward Danny Ferry. The team experienced success on the court in the followingseason, clinching their first playoff appearance since 1998.After a first round win over the Washington Wizards, the Cavaliersrebounded from a 0-2 deficit in the second round against the DetroitPistons, winning three consecutive games to come one game away from the conference finals. However, they lost a close Game 6 at home, and followed it witha 79-61 loss in Game 7. The playoff rounds were a showcase for the emergence of LeBron James, who achieved many "youngest ever to..." records duringthe run.
The Cavs continued their success in the 2006-07 season.The team earned the second seed in the East with a 50-32 record, generating a series of favorable matchups in the playoffs. They battled 7th-seeded Wizards,who struggled with injuries near the end of the season. The Cavaliers swept this series 4-0 , and defeated the New Jersey Nets, 4-2, in the second round.
The Cavaliers faced the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Final. After again losing the first two games at Detroit, the Cavaliers won the next three to takea 3-2 series lead. This time, the Cavaliers eliminated Detroit in Game 6. The wins included a 109-107 double-overtime game at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Game 5, in which LeBron James scored thelast 25 points for the Cavs, and his performance in this game is recognized as one of the best in NBA history. They continued to a dominant 98-82 win at homein Game 6. Rookie Daniel "Boobie" Gibson scored a career-high 31points in the series clincher, and the franchise won its first ever Eastern Conference championship. The team's first trip to the NBA Final was a short one, as they were outmatched and outplayed by the very strongSan Antonio Spurs, who swept the Cavs 4-0.
The Cavs took a step back in the 2007-08 season. They battled injuries and had many roster changes, including a three team trade at the trade deadline inwhich the team acquired Joe Smith, Wally Szczerbiak, Ben Wallace, and Delonte West.The Cavs finished 45-37 and lost in the second round of the playoffs. In the 2008 off-season, the team made a major change to its lineup, trading Damon Jonesand Joe Smith for point guard Mo Williams. This trade was madein hopes of bringing another scorer to aid James. In the 2008-09 season, the Cavs made astounding progress, finishing with a record of 66-16,making this the winningest season in the franchise's history. The year also marked other notable franchise records. Such records include winning streak androad and home record. The Cavs entered the playoffs as the #1 seed in the NBA with home court advantage throughout the playoffs. They finished the season 39-2at home, one win short of the best all-time home record. Head Coach Mike Brown won NBA Coach of the Year honors and LeBron James finished second in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and won the NBA MVP.
The Cavs began the 2009 postseason by sweeping the 8th-seeded Detroit Pistons 4-0, winning every game by 10 or more points. In the conference semifinals,the Cavaliers faced the 4th-seeded Atlanta Hawks, who had defeated theMiami Heat in seven games. Despite the Cavaliers' long layoff between the seriesthey swept the Hawks 4-0, again winning each game by at least ten points, becoming the first team in NBA history to win eight straight playoff games by adouble-digit margin. The Cavs moved to the Eastern Conference Final, where they met the Orlando Magic. The Cavs lost game 1 of the series 107-106 at home despite James' 49-point effort. Theywon game 2 96-95 on a James buzzer beating three pointer, but lost games 3 and 4 in Orlando. Behind a triple double by James and six three-pointers byWilliams, the Cavs won game 5, 112-102, to stay alive in the series. The Cavs currently trail the series 3-2, with game 6 set for May 30 at 8:30 PM EDT.[sup][4][/sup]
- 940
- 10
- Joined
- Nov 9, 2007
Originally Posted by Fundamental21Ticket
This is a beat down and look who's at the game. Coincidence?
Similar threads
