Dion Waiters (All-Rookie First Team)

[BrownsBoy315]

I got home from work and flipped the game on to a perfect ending. In fact, I was excited that LA came back to tie the game late in the 4th, crowd going nuts, odds against us. I told my wife and 3 month old that this is exactly what we need to build character. It's the closest thing to playoff basketball, and it builds those icy veins. That's what was so great about the game and specifically Dion's performance: it couldn't have been any tougher: a playoff team (from LY), on the road, with all of the momentum in the world and he thrived on squashing all of LA's hopes and dreams. I could feel the schadenfreude through the screen. I haven't been that excited for a Cavs win since LBJ had that look in his eyes in the playoffs. Those experiences build a winner, and it was poetry.

love it

[KB]

I agree, and I thanked you, but I dont think Waiters becomes Ray Allen. He was one of the best all around sg's in the last 25 years. In fact, MJ, Wade and Kobe are the only ones I can think of that are better. (and yes, that includes Clyde).

But then again, not sure you said he would become Allen, just defending his game which you did very well.

I don't think Waiters becomes Ray Allen either..I may have gotten a little off track on the Ray Allen side of things becuase some one said Ray Allen was considered a spot up shooter

I missed a transistion when I jumped down to talk about Dion, wasn't trying to compare Dion to Ray Allen, just noticed that Dion may have a knack for picking up 4 point plays with how high & quick his shot release is

[howler1313]

More Simmons love:

"Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters will be the most exciting backcourt in the league this year."

"Dion Waiters is Dwyane Wade." -Jalen Rose

Talk about a fast backtrack

[Mdog1]

When do the Cavs play on National TV if they even do. Second question when do they play the Raptors?

Reason I ask is I need to see this kid play. On the stream I was watching he looked like a blur, then I realised the stream was frozen... I feel like i'll never see the Cavs again the way this is going. I can't watch streams because they are just unbearable to me, and there are only three other ways I can watch them play. The first one is National TV games, the second is against the Raptors, and the third is on a show called court surfing that cuts in and out of games, unfortunately it is on tonight, but only until 10:30, go figure eh.

My frigging luck the Cavs will play the Raptors, and Dion will be a DNP.

[Jon]

Did you try the NBA league pass broadband during the free period? The quality is very good, but I suppose it depends what your streaming problems were. If your internet connection simply can't handle something like 2-5mbps download speed, you're going to have problems. If you were just using those cheap feeds from frontrowsports or whatever, well, they are crap regardless of your download speed.

[Mdog1]

Did you try the NBA league pass broadband during the free period? The quality is very good, but I suppose it depends what your streaming problems were. If your internet connection simply can't handle something like 2-5mbps download speed, you're going to have problems. If you were just using those cheap feeds from frontrowsports or whatever, well, they are crap regardless of your download speed.

I didn't know that they had a free pass until yesterday, and by then it was too late. I don't know if it is my connection, or it is just the atdhe streams. I assume it is the streams, and I just can't stand watching them. If I can't watch them on TV soon i'm just going to suck it up and watch a stream.

[chrisrich91]

I preface all of my posts this way

I'm the biggest Dion fan on the board, but this is a bit ridiculous. The kid gets hot and has one great game and all of a sudden the national media is eating this shit up and our fans are expecting too much from him. This over the top, premature love fest will not end well.

He will have a mediocre game tonight and people will be disappointed...but I still think he's got an incredibly bright future. I'm just perturbed/confused by the irrational attitude switch all of a sudden.

[Chris]

I preface all of my posts this way

I'm the biggest Dion fan on the board, but this is a bit ridiculous. The kid gets hot and has one great game and all of a sudden the national media is eating this shit up and our fans are expecting too much from him. This over the top, premature love fest will not end well.

He will have a mediocre game tonight and people will be disappointed...but I still think he's got an incredibly bright future. I'm just perturbed/confused by the irrational attitude switch all of a sudden.

Could not agree more

[Jack Brickman]

I preface all of my posts this way

I'm the biggest Dion fan on the board, but this is a bit ridiculous. The kid gets hot and has one great game and all of a sudden the national media is eating this shit up and our fans are expecting too much from him. This over the top, premature love fest will not end well.

He will have a mediocre game tonight and people will be disappointed...but I still think he's got an incredibly bright future. I'm just perturbed/confused by the irrational attitude switch all of a sudden.

I don't think anyone expects him to hit 7 threes and score 28 points every game. He's a rookie. He's going to have bad nights. However, I think that what he's showing us is exactly what a lot of people needed to see. He's showing he belongs on the court and he's showing flashes of greatness. That's exactly what you want from a rookie prospect like Waiters. He's also showing some surprising consistency. He won't score 28 points every night, but he plays with confidence and poise, and he has been solid (for a rookie) on defense.

Also, here's an article on Waiters/Barnes:

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Harrison Barnes heard all the rumors before the draft that he'd be a Cavalier. He just never believed it.

"I didn't put too much stock into that," the former North Carolina forward said before Wednesday's game between the Cavs and the Golden State Warriors. "You heard about it, but at the end of the day you don't get too attached. I heard my name being associated with a couple of other teams, too. I tried to be optimistic going into the draft and I landed here."

After Cleveland took Syracuse guard Dion Waiters fourth overall, Golden State pounced on Barnes at No. 7.

"He's doing very well," Warriors coach Mark Jackson said. "Great kid, great young man. He works his tail off. He shows up early, leaves late, studies the game, wants to be great. He's really off to a very good start, battling on the defensive end, trying to fit in offensively. The future's awfully bright for him. We're excited to have him."

Coming into Wednesday's game, Barnes had started all four games and was averaging 7.5 points, 1.5 rebounds and 1.8 assists, compared to 16.3 points, 2.3 rebounds and 2 assists for Waiters. Barnes was shooting 26 percent overall and 25 percent (2 of 8) from 3-point range, compared to Waiters, who was at 48 percent overall and 55 percent (11 of 20) from 3-point range. He had 28 points and made seven of 11 3-pointers against the Clippers on Monday.

While the Cavs are delighted with Waiters, they admit they did like Barnes heading into the draft.

"We brought him in," coach Byron Scott said. "We worked him out. We thought he was a good player. We just thought at that particular time for what we needed, Dion was going to be better for us. It's that simple."

Waiters said he was not bothered by some fans preferring Barnes.

"Everybody has their own opinion," he said. "There's nothing I could do about that. I don't worry about that. I let my game do the talking. They're going to believe, I'm just going to continue keep playing my game and doing the things I've been doing."

Scott believes Waiters is using the chatter from critics as motivation.

"I think it motivates him more than anything," he said. "I really believe him when he says it doesn't bother him. But I know him enough to know that it does drive him, it motivates him to want to kind of prove people wrong and make people say at the end of the day we did the right thing, we picked the right guy.

"So, from that aspect, I think anytime you can have something that motivates you like that, it's great for that individual."

SOURCE: http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index....l_finding.html

Love Waiters' attitude.

[Nathan S]

Suffered from the same lack of aggressiveness that plagued all the Cavs, but the 5 assists to 0 turnovers was a nice touch. Hopefully Andy is back next game...without him, this team doesn't show heart on offense or defense.

[Pioneer10]

Wish Dion would have attacked the basket more.

Even if he doesn't finish or gets blocked, we have such good offensive rebounders that when the defense collapses we get easy putbacks almost every single time he takes it hard to the hole.

[Visitor]

I am no stat guru, and I wouldn't know where to find these stats, but I would be surprised if more than 5% of Dion's shots come at the rim. I feel like he starts out far too high and gives up at the slightest bit of defensive rotation. I would just like to see him look for some contact and quit avoiding it in the paint.

[JawJuttinAsasin]

I am no stat guru, and I wouldn't know where to find these stats, but I would be surprised if more than 5% of Dion's shots come at the rim. I feel like he starts out far too high and gives up at the slightest bit of defensive rotation. I would just like to see him look for some contact and quit avoiding it in the paint.

82games or hoopdata have that information

[Zen]

It was driving me crazy tonight. You would see him come off the pick and probe the defense but never more. I sat and thought about it and I really think we are blowing it out of proportion. The guy has played 5 nba games and seems to be learning at an accelerated pace. I'm fine with him testing the waters and figuring out his own way to attack the defense. At least it appears that he is thinking out there, can't say the same for TT

[Silky Smooth]

Our big men can't space the floor leaving no room for Dion to maneuver. Kyrie makes room. As Dion plays more he should figure out how to attack defenses. Kyrie had the same issue early on too but he had Jamison to help space the floor.