Z good to go this year

[Maximus]

Z good to go this year
Ilgauskas, slowed by a sore ankle in last year's playoffs, is healthy and in sync offensively as Cavs open postseason
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter

Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas was not at his best during the Cavaliers' playoff run last year against these same Washington Wizards and Detroit Pistons. His rebounding and scoring averages were down compared to his regular-season output.

Ilgauskas averaged 10.4 points and 6.3 rebounds in 13 playoff games. He averaged 15.6 points and 7.6 rebounds during the regular season. Clearly that's not the same.

He will get another chance to improve his numbers when the first round of the playoffs open at 12:30 today between the Cavaliers and the Wizards at The Q.

Ilgauskas won't admit this, but he began last year's playoffs recovering from an ankle injury. The injury helped knock him off his regular-season pace.

"Z is a rhythm player and he got hurt and was out right before the playoffs," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. "I tried to rest everybody during the last few games [of the regular season] and he didn't want to do it because he had been out. He felt he was out of sync and that threw him off."

He was especially off in Game 2 against the Wizards in the first round. He was 3-of-13 from the field for nine points and seven rebounds and he averaged six points and five rebounds in the last two games of the first-round series.

Ilgauskas' production picked up in the second round against the Pistons. He had 14 points in Game 1 and a double double in Game 5 and he had 16 points and six rebounds in Game 6.

"His points and rebounds got better as we went along," Brown said. "Come Detroit, he started getting his rhythm. I think he's in rhythm now and he'll play big for us."

Ilgauskas is certainly in a better position at the start of this postseason. He's injury free and he has played well in the second half of the season. He scored in double figures in 11 of 12 games from March 11 through April 1, averaging 15.3 points on 54.8 percent shooting. Ilgauskas made 46 of 48 free throws (95.8 percent) from March 11 till the end of the regular season. That was the best in the league with a minimum of 35 attempts. But the playoffs isn't just about numbers for Ilgauskas. He wants more.

"It doesn't matter how many points I score because I know I'm going to go in there and give an effort," Ilgauskas said. "You can't control the ball going in but you can control your effort. Some people may be concerned with this or that but I don't care about anything but winning."

That effort could produce some high scoring games or even a few double doubles scattered throughout the playoffs. But again . . .

"If the opportunity comes, hopefully I'll be able to capitalize," Ilgauskas said. "It's not fair for me or the team to be concerned with individual numbers. Last year, I played the best I could and I'll do the same this time around."

To reach this Plain Dealer reporter:

bwright@plaind.com, 216-999-4671
http://www.cleveland.com/sports/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/sports/1177230875204660.xml&coll=2

 

[Maximus]

16 pts, 8 rebs, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal....11 fourth quarter points. Nice start to the postseason. It's a shame it took 3 quarters for Brown to get him down low where he belongs. He can dominate these guys and wear them down if given the chance.

 

[NarlCavs]

Exactly Maximus. I couldn't believe how Z was ignored in the offense for 3 quarters. It should have been a priority to go to him early. Not just to establish an inside game and to open up the floor but to also put last season's playoff struggles at the offensive end behind both Z and the Cavs.

Cavs have to establish and continue to use the post up game against the Wizards.

The offense today wasn't overly impressive for most of the game but individual talent and a wounded poor defensive opponent certainly helped things.

 

[Clevelandfan15]

we went to Z the first 2 posesions then went away

 

[B Mac]

I knew he was hurt last year, it was just that no one would admit it. Of course from some reason Eddie Jordan refused to play Haywood on Z much and Haywood has consistantly given Z fits.

 

[Kypus]

It's a shame it took 3 quarters for Brown to get him down low where he belongs. He can dominate these guys and wear them down if given the chance.

I did hear Brown yelling at Lebron to get it to Z in the post during the 4th, which almost never happens. I hear Brown yelling a lot during games, but usually it's to Drew to rotate defensively. Hopefully Brown/Lebron's attention spans can keep it going throughout the series.

 

[Maximus]

we went to Z the first 2 posesions then went away

Not even, he had the ugly jumper on the first possession and that was it. Next 2 plays Drew hit jumpers.

 

[Karma]

Well that performance certainly will quieten some of the non believers for a few days. "Mentally weak" my arse!

 

[Jon]

I think Z was dealing with a pair of injuries at the end of last season. Noone had to admit it, he missed games, and when he came back he wasn't playing as well. His minutes have been kept super low this year, he doesn't seem too banged up ... hopefully this gets him going. Nice to see him continue to nail his free throws down the stretch.

 

[Cleveland56]

Was big down the stretch. Wizards were pesky but Z put them away in the fourth. Loved the blocked shot that went off Stevenson's face out of bounds, and the bank shot jumper to beat the shot clock.

 

[Kypus]

I think Z was dealing with a pair of injuries at the end of last season. Noone had to admit it, he missed games, and when he came back he wasn't playing as well. His minutes have been kept super low this year, he doesn't seem too banged up ... hopefully this gets him going. Nice to see him continue to nail his free throws down the stretch.

I made sure I b#@$ed about that every once in a while, you know, just so people wouldn't forget why he was sucking it up at the beginning of last year's playoffs.

Re: Playoff Game #2 | Wizards @ Cavs | 4/25/2006
Originally Posted by G-MAN
z has never got his rythem back since his ankle injury. i've posted it somewhere that haywood gives z trouble and his jumper didn't go down for the last 6 or 7 games.

You know what...this goes back even further to the dislocated finger Z had in February. His deep jumpers from the corner of the key had been an absolute weapon before that happened. So add the ankle injury to that, no wonder Z isn't hitting outside. Once again, %$#@! you Dalembert for stepping under Z's foot.

http://www.realcavsfans.com/showthread.php?t=3486&page=10&highlight=dalembert

But yeah, no news is good news when it comes to Z's health, and he's fine this year. *knocks on wood*

 

[Smooth]

I was pretty surprised how well Z played today... While he didn't blow anybody away with his numbers or dominate the two-headed trio of Ruffin, Haywood and Thomas, he certainly did pretty well... Getting 16&8 out of Z every game would be huge...

In the first half, the thing that impressed me the most while he didn't really have his offensive game going, he was focused on his defense and really did a very good job, being a factor on the inside for any penetrating guards and held Ruffin, Haywood and Thomas to only 2 points total in the game...

In the second half he continued his solid defense and stepped up the offense when we needed it most and that's all you can ask for... To be able to have a guy, other than LeBron, that can get baskets when you need them not only takes a ton of pressure off of LeBron, but it doesn't make the defense focus on LeBron and they then have to worry about another player..

Regardless, I thought Z did a solid job and hopefully can continue this throughout this series and the playoffs...

 

[Jon]

Thanks Kypus... The dislocated finger was the other injury I was trying to remember. Kind of hard to shoot with your fingers taped and splinted together I imagine ...

 

[SOA]

Z is going to be a key to our off season success

Brown having confidence in him and not riding the wild thing Train down the stretch will help us immensely

although Z may not be as asserive as alot of us would like his length and ability to chenge shots makes a big difference not to mention his presence on the offensive glass.

you can tell he was feeling it too by that behind the back pass he tried

Z's confidence and Browns confidence in him will help us immensely during the playoffs

 

[Jon]

It takes a troika... LeBron/Larry/Z ... if Sasha, Drew, Andy, Donyell, etc, contribute some points too ... it's all gravy.