Cavaliers @ Mavericks

[Kypus]

Game Number 58

VS

Cleveland Cavaliers (33-24)
VS
Dallas Mavericks (48-9)

Thursday, March 1st, 2007
8:00pm ET
Radio : WTAM 1100
Television: TNT
American Airlines Center - Dallas , TX

Head Coaches

Mike Brown / Avery Johnson

Probable Starters

Daniel "Boobie" Gibson / Jason Terry

Larry Hughes / Greg Buckner

LeBron James / Josh Howard

Drew Gooden / Dirk Nowitzki

Zydrunas Ilgauskas / Erick Dampier

Cavs Bench

Anderson Varejao / Sasha Pavlovic / Donyell Marshall / Eric Snow

Mavericks Bench

Jerry Stackhouse / Devin Harris / DeSagana Diop / Austin Croshere

Dallas Notes

* Dallas is on a 13-game win streak and looks poised for a run to at least the Western Conference finals.

* Remember the Mavericks' defense is tough this year unlike in the past. Avery Johnson is tightening down the screws.

* Starter Greg Buckner should be back from minor knee injury, sending Devin Harris back to the bench.
​

Cleveland Key Points

* Wow...what to write...

* We are still holding onto 2nd seed in the EC, due to key injuries to Washingon (Jamison, Butler), New Jersey (Krstic, RJ), and Miami (Wade, Shaq), but remain listless in our search for team identity.

* Lebron has already been pimping Dirk as the MVP, so it appears we have already lost that mental battle.

* On a positive note, Daniel Gibson has moved into 3rd in the league in 3PT%. We could start utilizing that any day now...
http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/sports/basketball/nba/cleveland_cavaliers/16808607.htm

​

Mike Brown Gameplan Keys

The usual:

-Offensive focus in the 2nd

-Perimeter defense

-Compete- What else can you do against a team with so many weapons? They can play quicker or grind it out, we probably won't be able to get their bigs in foul trouble.
​

Kyp's Prediction: Mavericks 114 Cavaliers 101 Nuggets ​

They have so many weapons with Josh Howard back, this could be a real bloodbath. So let's all have a HPD positive attitude and send our Cavvies some positive energy!!! Zing!

 

[Karma]

Here is something positive. Desagana Flop play for them and not us. Something to celebrate right there. Other then that.....I guess they are due for a loss and we are well due for a big road win. We have a good record against Western teams......I'm stretching now.

Basically the entire rotation needs to bring their "A" game.

 

[Dungong]

The Cavs tend to step up to big games like this. They don't play the run and gun like the Suns so I could see this being competitive. A win here would be huge, but its going to take the same old stuff thats been talked about in these threads all season for it to happen. Basically, to win, its not that the Mavs have to play badly, but we gotta execute, hit free throws, play for 4 quarters, bla bla bla. Yeah, I'd be suprised if they win this one.

 

[Coyote]

I'll be shocked if we pull this one out, but we do match up better with Dallas than with the Suns. I think it's all contingent on Lebron's mentality & leadership. This is the kind of game where he has to not only play out of his mind, but turn into that on-the-court leader we all want him to be, motivating the rest of the team to play their best, get on them when they start hoisting jumpers, recognize when a guy's hot (presuming someone gets hot), etc. I scanned the Dallas papers, boards, and they have no respect for us. We could surprise them, but....

Prognosis: not likely to happen. This game could really go so many different ways, but most of them look like a loss. Hope I'm wrong.

 

[DDJ7777]

This game is going to be like watching a wreck in slow motion... you can try to look away but just can't because you know something amazing is going to happen... either way.

 

[ticon12389]

Hughes is out..best news ive heard all day

 

[natedagg]

i am just excited to get t owatch this game... cavs look good in the early going, and would be up if a couple bounces had gone our way... 13-12 after 6

 

[natedagg]

drew is playing some nice d on dirkski

 

[Smooth]

I want to see Shannon Brown in there with Hughes out, DJ out and Newble not dressed...

 

[natedagg]

wesley and snow at the same time... tisk tisk... same old tune... at least go to DG in the post... grrrrr

 

[Cavaliersfan25]

z and gooden are dead men walking.

 

[Cavaliersfan25]

LeBron just flat out threw away offensive momentum by jacking up that three ball.

 

[WitnessLBJ]

Shannon Brown sighting

 

[Smooth]

Welsey and Snow are terrible, terrible...

Sasha is playing great but he can't stay out of foul trouble..

Boy do I want to see Shannon succeed...

 

[Cavaliersfan25]

snow and wesley both just bricked WIDE OPEN LAYUPS. That was embarrassing.