The CavsHQ Blog
"More Than a Game" - The Blog Stuff
- So right below this you'll read my attempt at a legitimate review of More Than a Game. I'm no movie critic, and I have no idea how much of the movie's story to reveal in this kind of review. In the end, what I wanted to do was make it clear that this is a very good movie about five young men and their coach, and that I highly recommend it.
- What I should have said was this: "More Than a Game" is a real-life "Hoosiers" for the modern era. LeBron James is this team's Jimmy Chitwood, the kid with worlds of talent that every person in the city is pinning their hopes upon. Keith Dambrot is Norman Dale, the college coach fallen from grace who finds redemption with a high school team that he leads to a state title. Little Dru is Ollie, the little guy who is laughed at when he comes into the game, but still finds a way to win. There are so many compelling stories in this film, and each one is absolutely real.
- But things aren't as simple in 21st Century Akron as they were in the mythical 1950's Indiana of Hoosiers. A player with LeBron's talent can't hide away on a farm; he's going to be in the national spotlight when he's just 17. Their head coach, who has already guided them to two state titles, leaves for a more prestigous job after their sophomore season. The team isn't just dreaming of a state championship, but is rather traveling across the United States in a quest for a National Championship. The complexities of the modern day keep the story from becoming a fairy tale, but they also make the film that much more powerful.
- What amazes me about the film is that Kris Belman managed to make a movie about friendship and family that transcends all the attention and hype that surrounded this team. It avoids both melodrama and idol-worship, instead telling the real story of five boys as they become men, and the men and women who guide them along the way.
- Alright, so after all this, I'm not sure that I did any better than the first time. Maybe I should have stopped with "More Than a Game = Modern Day Hooisers." But More Than a Game is an excellent film, and I can't wait for the rest of the world to get a chance to see it.
"More Than a Game" - A Review
On a beautiful Saturday afternoon in downtown Toronto's Yonge-Dundas Square, LeBron James was judging a public slam dunk contest and fielding questions from dozens of reporters on his most recent accomplishment, only to be whisked away to a television studio for yet another interview. In other words, it was a typical day for the Olympic gold medalist and reigning NBA scoring champion.
But just a few hours earlier, LeBron was pacing the stage nervously, trying to control his emotions as he spoke to the audience at the Ryerson University Theatre. He had just finished watching "More Than a Game," a documentary by first-time director Kristopher Belman that chronicles the journey of James and friends Dru Joyce III, Willie McGee, Sian Cotton and Romeo Travis as they travel from humble beginnings in Akron, Ohio, to the USA Today National Championship they captured as Seniors at St. Vincent - St. Mary High School. It was high school LeBron - not the global icon he has become - that took the stage that afternoon, trying to express how he felt about these young men who became his brothers, and all they had accomplished together.
But James had little reason to be nervous given the extended standing ovation the film received at its conclusion. Many of those in the audience arrived expecting a movie about LeBron James, but what they got was a wonderful film about family and friendship, and how basketball can bring people together.
The film opens with Coach Dru Joyce II, the man would would guide these young men on their journey, as he sweeps the linoleum floor of the tiny Salvation Army gym where LeBron, Willie, Sian and Little Dru first began playing together as part of the Akron Shooting Stars, the local AAU team. Joyce coached that team all the way to second place in the AAU National Championship in Orlando, then followed the boys to St. Vincent - St. Mary, first as an assistant and then as head coach. Belman quickly establishes Coach Joyce as the film's heart, and his wisdom and humility are important touchstones as we follow the team's meteoric rise to national prominence While other coaches might have used the success of the team to catapult their own careers - their first coach at St. V-M, Keith Dambrot, did just that when he took the head coaching job at the University of Akron after the team's sophomore year - Joyce is constantly focused on helping these boys become better basketball players, and better people.
Coach Joyce's story is just the first in the film, as each player recieves equal attention. We see Little Dru Joyce as he sinks seven 3-pointers in the 2000 Division III State Championship Game, using all 4'10'' of his body to arch the ball into the net and propel the team to its first state title. We also watch as he struggles under the pressure of his father-coach's tough love, and we see Coach Joyce's own self-doubt about the methods of his coaching and his parenting. We see Willie's older brother become his surrogate father, and we watch as Sian tries to find his own identity as the son of a local sports legend. In Romeo Travis, who joined the team relatively late in the story, we find a classic tale of the new kid at school trying to find his place, wanting to be part of the team but finding it hard to let his guard down.
And finally, we see LeBron become a national phenomenon, and all the accolades and challenges that follow.
In the hands of a lesser filmmaker, this story could have been a tabloid piece, exploiting the bombast of attention surrounding James while he was in high school. But what Belman has here is a story of family, a story of five young men who became brothers, and the coach who guided them. It's a film that will inspire people to become coaches in youth athletics, not for the fame of coaching the next LeBron James, but for the pride in helping young people grow into responsible adults. It is truly a fantastic film, and it deserves to find an audience.
And with LeBron James behind it, odds are that will find that audience, and be a smashing success. They don't call him the Chosen One for nothing.
Mike C.
News and Notes - September 4, 2008
- Here you'll read the best article about More Than a Game, a documentary telling the story of the St. Vincent-St. Mary High School Basketball team. Kris Belman is the Director, and he has invited myself and many other Walsh Jesuit alumni to the film's premier at the Toronto International Film Festival on Saturday. I'm really exited to see this movie, and I'll post my thoughts early next week.
- The book accompanying the movie is currently being penned by Buzz Bissinger, author of Friday Night Lights. I'm not a fan of Bissinger, given his stance on the nature of sports blogging in general, and I think he has a terrible attitude towards the future of sports reporting. Somewhere along the line he forgot that sports are, in general, trivial matters, and that sportswriting is about entertainment in information, not a chronicle of the important happenings of the day.
- My favorite Buzz clip is this one, from Boog Sciambi's radio show on 790AM "The Ticket" in Miami, where Bissinger defends his stance that pitchers today are pitching too much too young with no facts, no stories, nothing, just his personal opinion on the matter. It's an example that he doesn't hold himself accountable for fully researching his own articles, making him no better than the average bloggers he rails against.
- I am sure that Buzz will write an excellent book about the St. V team, and that his name and national recognition will bring readers to the St. V story. That's good for the movie, the book, and everyone involved. But that doesn't mean that I have to like the guy. And I'll be really interested to see how the title of the book is changed, because "More Than a Game" is also the title of one of Phil Jackson's books. (Of note, Charley Rosen, the cantankerous NBA writer for FoxSports.com who I referenced last week, is a co-author of Jackson's More Than a Game. )
- The Beacon Journal story was written by Brian Windhorst, who also added a short article confirming that the Cavs are close to signing free agent big man Lorenzen Wright. I'm still struggling to see how this makes se= nse. Windhorst also says the Cavs are still far away from signing Delonte West.
- The Oklahoma City Thunder were officially introduced yesterday afternoon (is it were, or was? Can Thunder be plural?). I couldn't be less enthused over the team's choice of logo and colors. While the Sonics had some terrible uniforms in the past, their combination of green and yellow was unique. I know that the team is running away from all things Sonics-oriented, but it's a shame that they chose this generic set of colors. Maybe the Thunder officials didn't notice that the Nuggets and Jazz already feature that powder-blue color. As a fan who suffered through Cleveland's powder-blue phase (a phase so powerful that every seat in then-Gund-now-Quicken-Loans Arena had to be changed), I wish I could save the Thunder from themselves, but it's too late.
- The Monta Ellis injury drama continues to unfold, and there are many questions about how exactly Ellis' injury occurred. If this keeps up, maybe Warriors GM Chris Mullin will reconsider a Delonte West (and maybe a second round pick) for Brandan Wright. Ok, I'm dreaming, but it would be nice.
Go Cavs.
Mike C.
News and Notes - September 2, 2008
- Former Cavalier Donyell Marshall has signed a deal to play with the Philadelphia 76ers next season, after the Oklahoma City Whosits bought out his contract last week. The Sixers have a lack of outside shooting, and while Marshall is in the twilight of his career, he could be a cheap short-term solution. Before his trade to Milwaukee in the Mo Williams trade, I expected Damon Jones to end up in Philly, but I guess the Sixers will have to settle for another one of the Cavs' 2005 free agent signings.
- The Miami Heat have signed center Jamaal Magloire to shore up their front line, such as it is. Magloire spent last year nailed to the Dallas Maverick's bench, averaging 1.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in only 31 games, while shooting an absymal 33% from the field. Still, if I had to choose, I'd rather have Magloire than either of the two ancient big men the Cavs are rumored to be considering, Juwan Howard and Lorenzen Wright. I know these guys used to be able to contribute in the NBA, but I'd rather bring in a quality big man coach to try to make a player out of someone like Dwayne Jones than have another Scot Pollard sit on the bench.
- Besides, I'm pretty sure that Juwan Howard doesn't have Pollard's comedic timing. Or mohawk.
- The aftermentioned Oklahoma City Whosits will be announcing their official name and logo tomorrow, September 3rd. Rumor has it that the team will be named the Thunder, and that this might be an early leak of the logo. I'm guessing that the name will be the Thunder, but that the supposed logo is a fake. It has to be, right? I mean, they can't make the people of OKC root for something that...generic.
Go Cavs.
Mike C.
- The Miami Heat have signed center Jamaal Magloire to shore up their front line, such as it is. Magloire spent last year nailed to the Dallas Maverick's bench, averaging 1.8 points and 2.9 rebounds in only 31 games, while shooting an absymal 33% from the field. Still, if I had to choose, I'd rather have Magloire than either of the two ancient big men the Cavs are rumored to be considering, Juwan Howard and Lorenzen Wright. I know these guys used to be able to contribute in the NBA, but I'd rather bring in a quality big man coach to try to make a player out of someone like Dwayne Jones than have another Scot Pollard sit on the bench.
- Besides, I'm pretty sure that Juwan Howard doesn't have Pollard's comedic timing. Or mohawk.
- The aftermentioned Oklahoma City Whosits will be announcing their official name and logo tomorrow, September 3rd. Rumor has it that the team will be named the Thunder, and that this might be an early leak of the logo. I'm guessing that the name will be the Thunder, but that the supposed logo is a fake. It has to be, right? I mean, they can't make the people of OKC root for something that...generic.
Go Cavs.
Mike C.
ESPN's Summer NBA Predictions
- Apparently Labor Day inspires some analysis from ESPN's NBA minds, because the last few days have seen the posting of predictions for the East, the West and the MVP and other awards. Always fun to see what those in the know are seeing at this time of year. And recovering Beacon Journal Cavs beat writer Brian Windhorst was one of those experts.
- The panel expects the Cavs to finish tied for second in the Eastern Conference with a record of 50-32. That would be an increase of 5 wins over last year, and the same record the Cavs finished with in the 06-07 season when they went to the Finals. I agree with the panel here; the Cavs have made a strong addition with the Mo Williams trade, and they should be more consistent this season. At the same time, the fear of injuries to Williams, Boobie Gibson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Ben Wallace have to temper some of the excitement.
- The experts picked the Celtics to have the best record in the East again, but at 55 wins, a significant decrease from last year's total of 66 wins. Sounds about right, as the Celtics are a veteran team built on defense, and 2 of the Big 3 would have to miss significant time for Celtics to fall far from the top of the East, but a repeat of last year's regular season dominance seems unlikely.
- Over in the West, the Lakers are picked to finish first again, with the New Orleans Hornets, Houston Rockets and Utah Jazz rounding out the top 4. Surprisingly, the panel didn't expect a single Western Conference playoff team to exceed their win total from last year.
- On to the awards, where 16 of the 25 experts picked LeBron James to win the MVP, with Chris Paul, Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade also receiving votes. If LeBron stays healthy and doesn't drift like he did to start the 2006-07 season, I think he's the frontrunner to win the award, provided that the Cavs manage to win 50 games.
- None of the experts picked #1 overall draft pick Derrick Rose to win the Rookie of the Year Award, choosing #2 pick Michael Beasley as the favorite. 2007 #1 pick Greg Oden got the second-most votes, as he retained his rookie status thanks to missing last season with microfracture knee surgery. I'd put my money on Beasley, but my dark horse candidate would be Oklahoma City guard Russell Westbrook, who was dominant during the Summer League.
- Mo Williams recieved one vote for "Best Newcomer" and one vote for "Worst Newcomer." Here's hoping he's closer to the "best" end of that spectrum.
Go Cavs.
Mike C.
Update: The above post read terribly, so I changed an overuse of the word "experts" to things like "panel" and "those in the know." It's not much better, but it's not as painful to read anymore.
Update: The above post read terribly, so I changed an overuse of the word "experts" to things like "panel" and "those in the know." It's not much better, but it's not as painful to read anymore.
News and Notes - August 27, 2008
- Last year, the Detroit Pistons were presented by Rock Financial, a division of Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert's Quicken Loans Inc. It was enough to make many Cavs fans nervous, knowing that the owner of their favorite franchise was a Michigan native and a self-professed Pistons fan who had at least some financial interest in the success of the Pistons franchise. Well, those fans can rest easier now, as Mary Schmitt Boyer of the Plain Dealer is reporting that Rock Financial will no longer be the presenting sponsor for the Pistons during the 08-09 season. Rock will remain a local sponsor of the Pistons, but at least they won't be on the tickets anymore.
- There are rumors that the Portland Trailblazers are looking for a point guard, and they're shopping Travis Outlaw. Unfortunately those rumors don't involve the Cavs and Delonte West, but rather the Grizzlies and Mike Conley, who would be reuniting with fellow Ohio State alum Greg Oden in Portland. But if Outlaw is on the table, the Cavs should definitely take a look.
- Outlaw averaged 13.3 points and 4.6 rebounds a game last year, with a PER of 15.79. He's not a superstar, but he's a guy who can put pressure on opposing wings both offensively and defensively, and he still has a lot of room to grow. He's a poor man's Andre Iguodala, but he's stuck behind Brandon Roy and Martell Webster in Portland, and apparently the Blazers think he's expendable. I really like his size (6'9'') and his ability to defend on the perimeter, and he has plenty of potential.
- I would also like to see the Cavs take a look at Channing Frye, another young player with room to develop but who also has a known skill already in place. Frye had a very good rookie campaign in New York, but was sent to Portland in the Zach Randolph trade. He averaged 6.8 points and 4.5 rebounds a game last year, and would be a good replacement for Joe Smith, who the Cavs sent to Oklahoma City in the Mo Williams trade.
- Both of these players are young, talented players who have room to grow, something that the Cavs seem to be lacking after both Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic saw their growth stunted last season thanks to ridiculous holdouts and multiple injuries. At the end of the 06-07 season, both Varejao and Pavlovic seemed to be on the cusp of becoming players capable of starting on a Championship-caliber team. But both had inconsistent seasons last year, and both could be traded during the course of next season. Outlaw and Frye would seem to be an ideal replacement for both, though the Cavs would have to add another big to replace Varejao's rebounding and weakside defense (also known as drawing charges). Personally I expect both Varejao and Pavlovic to bounce back next year, especially Varejao, who played quite well when he was healthy. But replacing them with another pair of young players wouldn't be a bad idea.
- That being said, if I was a GM I would be scared to death of dealing with Trailblazers GM Kevin Pritchard. The guy always ends up on the right side of a trade, and it's not because he's lucky.
Go Cavs.
Mike C.
News and Notes - August 26, 2008
Random thoughts on a Tuesday:
- I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a little bit happy that the Browns are catching some flack right now. The Browns were the toast of the town last year after going 10-6, losing their most important game of the season, and missing the playoffs. Meanwhile the Cavs didn't get much love for taking the Celtics to Game 7 (a feat which has now also been severely over-praised). Despite having the best player in the league, the Cavs continue to play second (and sometimes third) fiddle in Cleveland, and while I have come to accept that, I still feel a little vindicated when the Browns show their true colors. Winning isn't easy folks, and taking what the Cavs do each year for granted is a mistake.
- I don't have much to add about Team USA's gold medal victory. In fact, just about every story I've read about it has been uninspiring. The win itself was great, but in much the same way that a Yankees victory could be great for a Yankee's fan. It's been awhile, but it's still expected. I was glad to see that notorious stick-in-the-mud Charley Rosen was still able to criticize many on Team USA, though LeBron recieved an A+ (along with Kobe and Dwyane Wade). I love Charley, whenever I have the need to violently disagree with someone, all I have to do is read his column. He's like a bald, crotchety, Phil Jackson-loving Skip Bayless.
- Speaking of violently disagreeing with someone, Beacon Journal columnist Patrick McManamon wrote this column on Sunday, explaining how the Cavaliers have set themselves up with plenty of cap space for the 2010 Free Agency class to woo a player like Wade, Chris Bosh, or Amare Stoudemire to Cleveland. In this article McManamon actually writes: "There is only one NBA team positioned to sign two superstars in 2010, and that's the Cavaliers." Except, you know, the Heat, the Raptors and the Suns, because they will be in the exact same position as the Cavaliers in 2010! The Heat, Raptors and Suns will all be holding onto a current superstar, while at the same time having lots of cap room to woo another star with a max deal.
- So, now that it's clear that the Cavs are not the only team with this kind of flexibility, but rather one of four, what does that mean to the Cavs' chances of re-signing LeBron? Quite a bit, actually. Look, the only reason big money free agents are going to want to come to Cleveland is for a chance to play with LeBron. They aren't coming for the snow or the ridiculous taxes. But if these players really want to play with LBJ, why wouldn't they try to convince him to come to their team instead? Why wouldn't Dwyane Wade be selling LeBron hard on the beauty (and beauties) of South Beach and Florida's lack of a state income tax? I'm sorry, I love Cleveland and I love the Cavaliers, but there's absolutely no reason to think that the Cavs have a good chance of getting LeBron to stay in Cleveland, let alone convincing another young multi-millionaire to spend his winters in Cleveland when Phoenix and Miami are on the table. Personally, I don't think any two of those four will end up on the same team, but if they do, it won't be in Cleveland.
- My man McManamon (say it 3 times fast) thinks LeBron's "Bird Rights" (you can go over the salary cap to re-sign your own players) mean that the Cavs should save their cap flexibility to add a second superstar in 2010. I disagree entirely; the Cavs should take advantage of so many other teams worrying about flexibility for 2010 and use it to build a championship contender around LeBron. The beauty of LeBron's Bird Rights from the Cavs' point of view is that they can be millions of dollars over the cap in 2010, and they'll still be able to offer Lebron more money than any other team in the NBA. That's a HUGE advantage, especially if the Cavs use the next two seasons to put a lot of talent around LeBron. Instead of worrying about getting Wade in 2010, why not find a way to bring in a high-level star who's contract doesn't expire in 2010, the type of player that teams will be willing to trade for pennies on the dollar to free themselves up for the LeBron-Wade-Bosh-Stoudemire sweepstakes?
- Last time I checked, they will still be awarding NBA Championships for the 2008-09 and 2009-10 seasons. Instead of worrying about setting themselves up for 2010, the Cavs should be worrying about WINNING A CHAMPIONSHIP between now and then. At least give LeBron a reason to think that Cleveland is where he can establish a Jordan-esque legacy, rather than making him wait two more years to reach the top. Carpe Diem Danny Ferry! Play these other teams like chumps and bring in the players who can bring us a Championship!
Alright, I'm done venting. But as September approaches, I'm getting more and more excited for basketball season. Go Cavs.
Mike C.
Update: Doing a little more research, and Houston, while still having $25 Million committed to the cap in 2010, will also have Tracy McGrady coming off the books. Using the same theory that the Cavs should sign 2 superstars, the Rockets could potentially sign a star and resign McGrady, with Yao already on the team. That's a new Big 3, in Texas (with no state income tax).
Update: Doing a little more research, and Houston, while still having $25 Million committed to the cap in 2010, will also have Tracy McGrady coming off the books. Using the same theory that the Cavs should sign 2 superstars, the Rockets could potentially sign a star and resign McGrady, with Yao already on the team. That's a new Big 3, in Texas (with no state income tax).
News and Notes - August 22, 2008
- Team USA finished off Argentina 101-81 in the Olympic Semifinal game. The US was up by 20 in the first quarter, but let Argentina back into the game in the second quarter, leading by only 9 at halftime. It was a 14-point lead after 3, and eventually the US rolled to a 20 point win over the team that knocked them out in the Semifinal game in 2004. LeBron had 15 points on 6-11 shooting to go with 5 rebounds and 2 assists. Carmelo Anthony led the US in scoring with 21 points despite only shooting 3-14 thanks to a 13-13 performance from the free throw line. Kobe Bryant was equal parts fantastic and awful, with a number of nifty plays ultimately tarnished by a poor 5-14 shooting performance. Jason Kidd finally had a good game, racking up 7 assists.
- Team USA will now face Spain and the Gasol Brothers in the Gold Medal Game on Sunday Morning (Eastern Time). Spain defeated the Z-less Lithuania 91-86 to advance, with Pau Gasol dropping 19 points while Rud= y Fernandez added 18 points.
- LeBron did miss two more free throws today, and has been atrocious at the line in the Olympics. He's not alone, as Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, and practically everyone on the team not named Carmelo Anthony or Chris Bosh have been equally bad. Not sure if it's the ball, or the lack of practice at the line, but the only way I can see Team USA choking in the Gold Medal Game is by missing crucial free throws in a close game.
- Luis Scola was an absolute beast, taking over Argentina's scoring load after Spurs star Manu Ginobili left the game with a ankle injury. Scola finished with 28 points and 12 boards, and was dynamic in the post, using a series of spins and up-and-under moves to confuse the US bigs. He was serving Chris Bosh lunch down there.
- Scola averaged 10.3 points and 6.4 rebounds for the Houston Rockets last year, but he could have been a Cavalier. Just last Summer the San Antonio Spurs traded him to Houston for essentially a second round pick. You'd have to believe that the Spurs didn't want to trade Scola in their Conference, let alone within their own state. Any team in the East could have had Scola just as easily, if not moreso. Obviously the Cavs weren't the only team that passed on Scola, but he still would have been a very solid contributor to the Wine and Gold, and would have changed the Anderson Varejao dynamic entirely. In a league where talented post players are rare, giving away Scola might be the biggest reason the Spurs won't be able to continue their dynasty through 2010.
- The last two free agents I thought could help the Cavaliers next year have been re-signed. J.R. Smith agreed to a multi-year deal with the Nuggets today, putting to bed the longest-running Cavs rumor of a Summerfull of them. My take on Smith is here, and while he would have been an upgrade, his baggage was a lot to stomach.
- Dorrell Wright, an athletic wing for the Heat, also re-signed to as-yet-undisclosed terms. The thought around the league was that the Heat would not match anything above the qualifying offer for Wright, making him available to anyone willing to over him more than 1 year at about $2.3 Million. I thought Wright would have made a solid running mate to LeBron if/when the Cavs went up-tempo, sort of a poor man's Gerald Wallace. But with the Cavs already a bit overloaded on the wing, there might not have been room for him in Cleveland.
- I like the Hornets. They're a young, exciting team, and they have the best point guard on the planet. But their HoneyBees are always welcome. New unis for the Timberwolves and the Magic are also being unveiled this Summer.
- A comment was posted wondering if the Cavs should be willing to trade with a team like the Knicks, if that trade would make it easier for the Knicks to woo LeBron James to New York. While I certainly wouldn't do the Knicks any favors, I think the Cavs have to honestly assess any trade by how it will make the team better in the next two years. This doesn't mean that I'm giving up on LeBron re-signing with Cleveland in 2010. But I think that any team, especially a team that considers itself a legitimate title contender, has to make moves that help the team now, without worrying too much about future impact. There are two NBA Championships up for grab between now and 2010. Teams like the Knicks, the Nets and many others have already forfeited their chance to win those Titles, and a few other teams might follow suit between now and 2010. That means that any team that is a serious contender will find their path to the Championship that much easier in the 08-09 and 09-10 seasons. Good organizations will seize that opportunity. Here's hoping that the Cavs are a good organizaiton; the Mo Williams trade was certainly a step in the right direction.
- I honestly thought that the Bucks were trying to seize this 2-year opportunity when they traded for Richard Jefferson on Draft Day. I figured that Milwaukee understood that the field might be weaker than usual over the next two years, and they were rolling the dice in the hope that they might steal a Championship while the league stops looking. Then they traded away a very good young point guard for nothing.
Go Team USA. And Go Cavs.
Mike C.
-UPDATE: I take back anything bad I said about the Hornets' new unis. It could have been much, much worse.
-UPDATE: I take back anything bad I said about the Hornets' new unis. It could have been much, much worse.
News and Notes - August 20, 2008
- Team USA won their first elimination game, beating the Australians 116-85. The game was close until Deron Williams hit a 3 at the end of the first half to stretch the US lead to 12, then the US ran off the first 14 points of the 2nd half to blow the game open. LeBron James was impressive throughout, finishing with 16 points on 7-12 shooting to go with 9 rebounds, 3 assists and 4 steals, but it was Kobe Bryant (booo!) who ignited the second half surge and finished with 25 points on 10-16 shooting, including a number of very deep 3's.
- While the US-Australia game was a blowout, the game that followed was anything but. 2004 Gold Medal winner Argentina and Greece (the team that bounced the US in the 2006 World Championships) exchanged blows throughout the night before Argentina prevailed 80-78 when Vassillis Spanoulis (he's Greek) missed a game-winning 3 at the buzzer. That means that the US will meet Argentina in the next round, which will be played Friday night (Friday morning here in the Eastern Time Zone).
- Speaking of the schedule, why is it so hard to find out when events are going to be held? It's great to get the results, but as soon as I know that the US has won, whether its basketball or beach volleyball, I want to know when the next game is going to be played. In both the AP story on the game and Chris Sheridan's more analytical piece, neither mentions when the next game will be played. Is this part of NBC's exclusivity deal?
More to come later,
Go Cavs.
Mike C.
Cavs News and Notes - August 18, 2008
- Team USA just got done dismantling Germany 106-57, ending pool play at an expected 5-0. LeBron James had a very solid game, shooting 7-10 from the field, including 4-5 from 3-point territory. Dwight Howard was an absolute beast in this game, finishing with 22 points on 9-10 shooting with 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a block, and Dwayne Wade was 4-5 for 10 points. On the flip side, Michael Redd and Carmelo Anthony combined to go 3-16, including 0-7 on 3-pointers.
- Now the games will actually start to count. Someone explain to me why the Olympics have pool play at all. There are 12 teams invited to the Olympics, they play 5 games each, then 8 teams advance to the single-elimination games. It is possible that the US could romp in 5 straight games, then lose once and be out of the tournament, while China, who has already lost 3 games in pool play, could still win the Gold. I understand that every team has to win when it counts, but if pool play isn't really going to matter, why even have it?
- There's a rumor that the Cavs are talking with the Knicks about acquiring another big man to replace Joe Smith. Further details indicate that it's probably not Zach Randolph. There's nothing to back any of this up, just throwing it out there. To me the only reasonable deal is a move of Ben Wallace for Randolph or Eddy Curry. That would give the Knicks 2010 flexibility, and the Cavs might consider it if they think that Wallace is completely done (like I do).
- Andre Iguodala signed with the 76ers for 6 years and $80M, ensuring that the 76ers are going to be better next year. It's something that the Clippers failed to do when they let Elton Brand get away after luring Baron Davis to L.A. I really like what the Sixers have built this offseason. They have the inside scorer/defender (Brand), the perimeter scorer/slasher (Iguodala), the point guard (Andre Miller), a couple of young players coming on (Thaddeus Young, Louis Williams), and some veteran bigs (Reggie Evans, Samuel Dalambert). I don't know if they'll be a serious contender, but I'd expect them to finish with close to 50 wins. They are definitely the kind of team that can play well in the regular season.
- Former Cavalier Shawn Kemp is going to play in Italy next year. Keep that in mind when you're worried about NBA players fleeing to Europe: these teams still think Shawn Kemp can play.
And honestly, that's pretty much it. With Team USA rolling and gathering most of the headlines, there's not much happening in the NBA. The Mo Williams trade last week was a big move, but it hardly registered a ripple in the national headlines (John Hollinger likes it). It's the quiet time in the NBA world, but I'll be filling you in whether things happen or not.
Go Cavs.
Mike C.