Z +21, Brenda -18

[Jon]

As much fun as the LeBron .vs. Stevenson and Arenas part of the game was the point differential between Z and Haywood really sticks out from the game flow:

http://www.popcornmachine.net/cgi-bin/gameflow.cgi?date=20080419&game=WASCLE

I never would have guessed that Z outplayed Brenda by that margin. It seemed like Z really went to work on the Wiz's backup C's but it looks like he just made a big difference, period. He also played the 2nd most minutes at 37. Hopefully all the limited minutes in the regular season and extra rest at the end has him up for extended minutes in the playoffs. We sure need it.

 

[Karma]

Ilgauskas's presense alone is a big positive factor. Actually having players cut and move off the ball also allowed Ilgauskas to make some nice plays with his passing game.

 

[Maximus]

Z was huge yesterday. He had an assist and 4 points during that 8-1 run to start the 4th to re-take the lead...all with Lebron on the bench. That was big. He has some big defensive plays down the stretch too.

Z was one of 4 Cavs to have 4 or more assists. As a team we had 24 asissts...the Wiz had 16.

It was also great to see how Z and Ben immedaitely rushed to put themselves between Lebron and the Wiz during the scuffle at the end of the half. That made a big statement in what I thought was a statement game. I hope the Wiz are ready for some hard fouls in return.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas continued to torture the Wizards, netting 22 points on 7-for-17 shooting to go with a team-high 11 boards. It was Big Z’s fifth playoff game with 20 or more points and his ninth postseason double-double. Over his last five playoff games against the Wizards, Ilgauskas has averaged 19.6 points and 11 boards per contest.

---------

On top of the solid post play by Zydrunas Ilgauskas, he also fed LeBron James with an impressive alley-oop in the first half. Asked about it after the game, Coach Mike Brown quipped that “in Lithuania, Z is known as ‘Magic.’”

 

[MarkPrice25]

Z was huge yesterday. He had an assist and 4 points during that 8-1 run to start the 4th to re-take the lead...all with Lebron on the bench. That was big. He has some big defensive plays down the stretch too.

Z was one of 4 Cavs to have 4 or more assists. As a team we had 24 asissts...the Wiz had 16.

It was also great to see how Z and Ben immedaitely rushed to put themselves between Lebron and the Wiz during the scuffle at the end of the half. That made a big statement in what I thought was a statement game. I hope the Wiz are ready for some hard fouls in return.

Z was definitely the hero yesterday. As long as the coaches don't "forget" that he's out there, between him and LeBron, we shouldn't ever have those long scoring droughts. Where are the Z haters at now?

Also, the more I see Delonte play, the more I like him. He just has an uncanny knack of "getting the ball." When rebounds and loose balls are being tipped around, he's the littlest guy and comes out of there with the ball all the time. The box score doesn't do him justice - I thought he was excellent yesterday.

Finally, is it just me or has Andy's SLIGHT "improvement" in his offensive game now make him even more of an offensive liability? My God. He thought he was Kareem there for a few minutes. At least when he had no offensive game the past few years, he knew it. Windhorst is right - there needs to be a "rule" for him. If you need to dribble, you can't shoot. I didn't think he could outdo his Finals "Dr. J swoop to the hoop" until a few weeks ago when he "sized up Noah" with a variety of pump fakes as the shot clock ticked to zero.

Same goes for Sasha when he's healthy. You are only allowed 2 dribbles on a drive to the hoop before you shoot. That would end the "third dribble turnover" as well as him plowing over the defender on that third dribble.

 

[cdt]

I'd like to see Dwyane Jones come in and use his 6 fouls throughout the game. He can commit good "playoff fouls". As Carlisle described Blatche's as when he dropped LeBron.

 

[Jon]

Andy is going to be left open, and needs to be able to do something, but taking early shots in the clock or forcing up hooks would not be it.

What I would like to see him do:

1) Attack the rim with the intention to draw a foul or dunk;

2) Shoot a short jumper (free-throw line and in).

The rest of what he might like to do should wait until this summer and pre-season when he'll have ample time to work on the moves and hopefully make them effective.

One exception is when time is running out. I don't have a problem with him just doing whatever he can to put the ball on the rim at that point since it can lead to a Z tip drill and passing lanes may be cut off.

 

[Maximus]

Top Five-Player Combinations for yesterday...

Z. Ilgauskas B. Wallace W. Szczerbiak L. James D. West Cavaliers 40 -28 +12 18:09
Z. Ilgauskas W. Szczerbiak L. James A. Varejao D. Gibson Cavaliers 13 -6 +7 4:50
J. Smith Z. Ilgauskas L. James D. West D. Gibson Cavaliers 5 0 +5 2:17
J. Smith B. Wallace L. James D. West D. Gibson Cavaliers 4 -2 +2 0:21
J. Smith W. Szczerbiak L. James A. Varejao D. Gibson Cavaliers 4 -4 0 1:52
J. Smith D. Brown D. West A. Varejao D. Gibson Cavaliers 0 0 0 1:09
Z. Ilgauskas B. Wallace W. Szczerbiak L. James D. Gibson Cavaliers 0 0 0 0:05
Z. Ilgauskas W. Szczerbiak L. James D. West D. Gibson Cavaliers 0 0 0 0:01
Z. Ilgauskas L. James D. West A. Varejao D. Gibson Cavaliers 11 -11 0 6:26
Z. Ilgauskas D. Brown D. West A. Varejao D. Gibson Cavaliers 10 -12 -2 5:26
B. Wallace W. Szczerbiak L. James D. West A. Varejao Cavaliers 0 -2 -2 1:19
B. Wallace D. Brown L. James D. West A. Varejao Cavaliers 0 -3 -3 0:11
B. Wallace W. Szczerbiak L. James A. Varejao D. Gibson Cavaliers 4 -9 -5 3:01
J. Smith D. Brown L. James A. Varejao D. Gibson Cavaliers 2 -9 -7 2:51


+/-

Z +22
Wally +12
West +12
Lebron +9
Wallace +4
Gibson +0
JSmith +0
Devin -12
Andy -12

 

[Douglar]

The only thing I can read in the +/- numbers here is that 90% of the these numbers was based on who was on the floor when Gilbert's barage of threes occurred. There is such a big shift in the numbers that the stat is almost meaningless here. Z and Haywood were the two players sitting during both sniping sprees.

The other thing I get out of this is that the game would not have been close if it wasn't for Gil's scoring. If the Cavs can contain him for an entire game like they did on the 4th, and Butler is kept in check, the score isn't going to be close in the next game.

 

[Douglar]

The only thing I can read in the +/- numbers here is that 90% of the the values are based on who was on the floor when Gilbert's barages of threes occurred. There is such a big shift because of those point bursts that the stat is almost meaningless here. Z and Haywood were both on the bench during the sniping sprees.

The other thing I get out of this is that the game would not have been close if it wasn't for Gil's scoring. If the Cavs can contain him for an entire game like they did on the 4th, and Butler is kept in check, the score isn't going to be close in the next game.

 

[Jon]

I'd say they're looking a lot more hobbled by the lingering injuries to Butler, Daniels, and Arenas than we are by the lingering injuries to LeBron, Z, Gibson, Andy, and Ben.

 

[cav jvl]

Z has been great all year and it is nice to see him continue his excellent play in the playoffs against Brenda who has been a bit of a thorn to Z in the past. Keep it up big Z!

 

[Splitz]

Just as long as Brenda doesn't go off for 10+ in the first anymore. It was like nobody was bothering to guard him at first.

 

[Maximus]

It was good to see the starting 5 effective at +12...especially since it was their first time starting together. During the regular season, our other 21 starting lineups were -186. Let's hope MB finally found a starting lineup that consistantly works.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Side note: remember when we traded the rights to Haywood for Michael Doleac? Dol's still ballin I believe.

 

[Houston RZ34]

I swear to god Z got better with age.