Z. My new favorite Cav

[moohead]

Seriously, though...

You have to feel good for the big fella. he's knocking down the jumper and actually dunking down low. He has rediscovered the baseline fade, and has lessened the frequency of the hook shot. He looks like the Z of a few years ago.

While everyone was praising Sasha for the last shot, his overall play has been horrific, featuring turnovers and missed perimeter shots. He needs to be more consistent for the team to go far.

A game where Hughes played point without "shoot first" mentality? Took me by surprise. Wizards seemed shocked as well, watching Z dunk on their short handed asses.

And how about that Brendan Haywood? No show. A complete turn around from last year. I doubt he'll be a Wizard next year.

Happy Cow

 

[Cleveland56]

And how about that Brendan Haywood? No show. A complete turn around from last year. I doubt he'll be a Wizard next year.

They call him Brenda in DC...

 

[B Mac]

Everything old is new again.

 

[MYoung23]

Seriously, though...

You have to feel good for the big fella. he's knocking down the jumper and actually dunking down low. He has rediscovered the baseline fade, and has lessened the frequency of the hook shot. He looks like the Z of a few years ago.

While everyone was praising Sasha for the last shot, his overall play has been horrific, featuring turnovers and missed perimeter shots. He needs to be more consistent for the team to go far.

A game where Hughes played point without "shoot first" mentality? Took me by surprise. Wizards seemed shocked as well, watching Z dunk on their short handed asses.

And how about that Brendan Haywood? No show. A complete turn around from last year. I doubt he'll be a Wizard next year.

Happy Cow

loses consciousness.....forehead head smacks the keyboard

 

[Karma]

Nothing has changed too much for Ilgauskas over the years. Its just sometimes he gets forgotten by his team mates and coaching staff. Remains a premier center in the NBA.

 

[CornerThree]

I'm no longer on the Z-hating bandwagon. Dude turned his shit up for playoff times this year. Props.

 

[Jon]

Nothing has changed too much for Ilgauskas over the years. Its just sometimes he gets forgotten by his team mates and coaching staff. Remains a premier center in the NBA.

Now that's not true at all. Z has a lot of ups and downs. His teammates no doubt ignore him because they're either not sure he's "feeling it" that particular day or they've decided he isn't. His inconsistencies are attributable to many many things... from the fact he does very little working out in the offseason to keep the wear and tear on his feet low, to his insomnia problems, his back problems, and of course various injuries he's incurred. In the past he'd always shown a dropoff on back to back games, but with the reduction in his minutes this year and his generally good health ... he's actually been quite good on the back to backs and his D and rebounding has been solid all year.

He's a high-maintenance player, who helps the team quite a bit when he's on. Not as much as some other infamous high-maintenance players like oh ... Baron Davis comes to mind ... but he's an important part of the team and we need him playing well.

 

[TheAdmin]

I've read that a few times that Z doesn't work out in the off season. He was the only Cavalier to work out all winter long at the Q. He might not be doing sprints but no other Cavalier can say they trained harder to get ready for this season then Ilgauskas.

 

[Maximus]

the fact he does very little working out in the offseason

Fact? There is no truth to that whatsoever. Z usually takes a couple weeks off right after the season, but after that he is at the arena all offseason, Mon thru Fri. If it's between 10-2 in the summer, Z can be found with a trainer doing stretching/conditioning, with Kellers in the weightroom, or on the court with an assistant coach working on his game. Kellers, the Cav's strength and conditioning coach, was the best man at Z's wedding...that's how close they are. Boozer used to work out a lot in the summers with Z...Ferry did too when he was here. But over the years the only staple in the offseason has been Z, most players go home and do their own thing.

Before anyone says "he doesn't look like it", that's because of his frame, genetics and skin tone. Z does have significant muscle mass and is very strong. If he has difficulty holding position it has more to do with his feet and balance than his strength.

His offseason commitment is everything a coach or GM could ever ask for.

 

[MYoung23]

Now that's not true at all. Z has a lot of ups and downs. His teammates no doubt ignore him because they're either not sure he's "feeling it" that particular day or they've decided he isn't. His inconsistencies are attributable to many many things... from the fact he does very little working out in the offseason to keep the wear and tear on his feet low, to his insomnia problems, his back problems, and of course various injuries he's incurred. In the past he'd always shown a dropoff on back to back games, but with the reduction in his minutes this year and his generally good health ... he's actually been quite good on the back to backs and his D and rebounding has been solid all year.

He's a high-maintenance player, who helps the team quite a bit when he's on. Not as much as some other infamous high-maintenance players like oh ... Baron Davis comes to mind ... but he's an important part of the team and we need him playing well.

This is another example showing that you dont know what youre talking about.

Like others have said Z is one of the hardest working players on the team. His workout regimen was set in stone after his last foot surgery and he sticks to it religiously. It is why he has remained so healthy the past 4 years and why he and Stan Kellers are so tight. They spend a rediculous amount of time together. He doesnt get sprains and pulls or etc. The back and knee problems were done with last year with rest. He didnt even get his knee scoped. The insomia was taken care of a long time ago.

You dont miss the years of career Z has and then go 4 years without any kind of foot problem without taking care of your body.

Z's problem this year was the lack of getting the ball. He wasnt involved in the offense at all to begin the year. he had a hard time finding his groove in that crap system. It had nothing to do with injuries or any of the nonsense you wrote. His touches are way way down from previous years.

If anything, a bigger destriment to his game was playing with Snow in the new offense. There is no surpise that a consistent upsurge in play happened when Snow was de-emphasized and someone on the sidelines remembered that he can play.

It is shown that when he is regularly involved and therefore in rhythm he is productive to level he had been the previous 3 years.

 

[Mac]

Again disproving that Jon has no clue what he is talking about, Z is constantly being raved about with his work ethic. Z is always working out at the Q and there are reports after reports of him working on his game.

And how are going to tell us what his team mates think about him? How do you know that he doesnt get the ball because his team mates think he is too inconsistant?! What is that? Stop making things up, you wouldnt have a clue on why he is ignored.

The most obvious thing is the change in offense. We went to a more spread, motion offense where Z is being used more a the top of the key and the exteneded elbow to set screens and swing the ball more than being on the block posting up.

 

[chiefwahoo]

Z's playoff numbers so far:

37.7 min/game - 18.7 points, 8.3 reb, 1.3 blocks, 62% FG, 82% FT

You gotta love those numbers. The Cavaliers have been getting things done without LeBron going off. Z has been the most consistent threat through the first three games as the Wizards desperately try to make anyone but LBJ beat them. Look for him to have another solid night as we get the sweep tonight.

 

[CleveRocks]

Z is a factor against the WIZ, and he is likely to own the Nets as well. Those two teams are just weak inside and have no real answer to a seven three center with offensive skills.

After the Nets go down in flames, we can question whether Z will be a factor against Da Bulls (probably) or Detroit (probably not). The matchup with Detroit is Rasheed Wallace and Chris Webber. Two very tough guys inside who are going to make it tough for Z offensively. Rasheed is also an inside guy with Jumper range, who not only makes z work on both ends of the floor, but also has a crazy man intimidation of Z (and historically Drew as well).

Assuming we get to the finals, again it is hard to see for sure how Z plays out. If we are talking Phoenix, the good news is that he is big enough to pound inside, the bad news is he does not run the floor as well as the young LA guys do, and that could spell fast break city for Amare.

But the Cleveland of this year is different than the Cleveland of last year in that it has a lot of ways to beat opposing teams. Some days it is going to be Z, Some days Drew, Some days Larry, and most often James. I think you haven't seen all that Cleveland can bring to bear in the Wizard series because they haven't needed it yet.

 

[Pioneer10]

We need Z against the Nets: he's the difference along with AV and Gooden. There is really no excuse for us not to dominate the 4 and 5 spots going against Miki Moore, Collins, and whatever scrub gets 20+ mpg for the Nets.

The Nets have a big edge in the backcourt but at least we throw some competent players against Kidd and Carter vs the crap they have in the frontcout to throw at us.

After the Nets the going will get a lot tougher as we're going to face one of the Wallace boys again and frontcourts that match us in talent. The big reason for keeping Z IMHO was that having a 7 footer who can score that is occasionally neutralized against the better big men in the league is still worth overypaying because against teams which don't have those quality big men: you have a huge edge. I don't expect Z to be the main difference maker in the (praying we get there) ECF or the Finals, but against the Nets/Raptors/Wiz of the world we get a big edge.

 

[AustinCarr]

19ppg, 11rpg, and 1.5bpg for a playoff series.

Not shabby for a guy that people wanted to dump for a street free agent.

multiple clutch shots.

Not bad for a guy who was a choker.