CAVS.SPACE

First, ESPN began covering NBA games. Next, Stern raised the age minimum for draft eligibility while also swinging a deal to unite NBA and NCAA analysts together with ESPN on site at the Draft. Now, five of the first nine draft picks in tonight's draft played in this past season's NCAA Championship. Not only did these guys get drafted early, though, but most people think they will be good for years to come at the pro level. That's good news for both basketball leagues.

Basketball players throughout this continent and the rest of the world long to set foot on an NBA court. For the love of the game, for the love of money, for the love of admiring fans, whatever the reason, a few of those players do get to set foot on NBA ground. The problem is that, for some of these few, the time does not last long. College fans and analysts rank a number of college players that have hid their weaknesses within a successful game plan from the coaches. Meanwhile, high school fans and analysts project the future dominance of high school players playing their pro positions against someone more than half a foot shorter than them. Even junior high players get ranked these days, as some of them are guarded by players a whole foot shorter than them. Commissioner David Stern took some heat for enacting the 'one year older' rule on both American players and their international colleagues. Unfortunately, high school players that are NBA-star-talent-ready like Kevin

The sadness of losing in the Finals was already enough for Cleveland to swallow. Now, the Cavaliers must master contractual and budgeting issues during one of the more exciting offseasons in NBA history. Everyone knows the Cavs will make at least one move to address the point guard situation. However, the situation in the frontcourt could determine whether or not the Cavs find themselves back in the Finals next season. The frontcourt dilemma starts and ends with two power forwards: Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao. Gooden, formerly one of the headliners in the NCAA Final Four, found himself in Coach Brown's doghouse in the NBA Finals. After Game 2, a reporter asked Brown about the scoring production by Gooden in the 3rd quarter. The reporter commended Gooden and noted that his scoring helped keep Cleveland in the game. Brown replied by saying that "it's not just about scoring" and expressed displeasure with Gooden's (and the rest of the team's) lack

David Wesley is in his 14th year in the league. Yet, this is his first trip to the Finals. With this possibly being the end of the road for the Cavs, look for Wesley to get his first Finals action. Depending on the flow of the game, do not be surprised if Wesley appears as early as the 3:00 mark in the first quarter.

With Game 4 just a couple hours away, it is time to get in a more optimistic mood than has been maintained during the first 3 games of the Finals. Believe it or not, the somewhat unbelievable season is almost over. It has been an exciting ride that we cannot let end in such disappointment, nor should we forget the good things that happened on the way to the Finals. In the meantime, here are some positives from Game 3: Defensive Panic button turned off. While the Cavaliers made defensive errors here and there on Tuesday night, they managed to keep their composure much more in Game 3 than in Games 1 and 2. A huge error that the Cavs made repeatedly in San Antonio was panicking when the Spurs were passing the ball around. More specifically, any time ball movement found a Spurs player on the perimeter, a Cavs player came running straight at him. By doing so, the Cavs placed themselves out-of-position when the Spurs were not even in the act of shooting jump shots on those possession

Suggested Adjustments Larry Hughes has definitely earned respect playing hurt. However, at this point the injury is taking away from the team's performance on both sides of the court. I would seriously consider deactivating him for Sunday's game, or Ira Newble, in favor of Shannon Brown. The Cavaliers desperately need Brown's slashing ability to penetrate the Spurs' fantastic team defense. On the other side of the court, Brown may be someone that can give Tony Parker some problems. Although inexperienced, Brown is quick enough to keep up with Parker. Moreover, he is stronger than Parker and should play some tight physical defense. I would insert Eric Snow into the starting lineup to keep the experience level intact while also keeping Gibson in his key role of instant offense off the bench. Gibson should get at least 30 minutes as the 2nd player off the bench (after Varejao). I would keep Newble activated in case Ginobili or Horry hits a hot streak. Concerning L

A rather popular sports site has decided to take on a rather anti-Cavalier sentiment the past couple of days (see Simmons and Jones of that other web page). Thus, I find it necessary to defend the Cavalier name. Yes, after clinching a #2 seed in the playoffs, the Cavs (50-32) were favored to win the first two rounds. But, in most people's eyes, Cleveland was not supposed to beat Detroit . Yet, the Cavs overcame the Pistons--the team that knocked them out last year--in order to get to the Finals. How about the Spurs (58-24)? They were likely hiding smiles as the Mavericks, the team that knocked them out last year, were stunned by former Coach Don Nelson and the Warriors. The Mavs were eliminated by a team that finished 25 games behind them this year. So much for win-loss record. In the second round, the Cavs triumphed over the Nets, the team that lowered the Bulls to a #5 seed. Sure, the Nets are on the decline, but Vince Carter's complaining had no legitimate foundation

Billy Donovan will take some slack for backing out of a contract he just signed with the Magic. In addition, I do think it is fair for Orlando to request some kind of non-compete clause from Donovan. Regardless, he is making the right move. Aside from Larry Brown, most college coaches do not last at the pro level. Even current NBA coaches, such as Randy Wittman in Minnesota (a Bobby Knight/Indiana Hoosiers trained player), are probably better equipped to coach collegiate basketball. The players, the atmosphere, the overall game--all is different in the NBA compared to NCAA Basketball. Billy Donovan loves the college atmosphere. There, he can carry on with his Rick Pitino-influenced coaching style. There, he has earned his stripes. There, those playing for him look to earn respect, not just money (that comes at the pro level, I hope). Other than more money, a comparably young roster (only guaranteed currently, though, with Orlando; the roster could change in the near future), an

The Spurs have no intentions of losing this series. Coach Gregg Popovich and his staff may have the following tactics in store for the Cavs. 1) The obvious: Tim Duncan. Duncan is the prototypical star power forward. He is fundamentally sound and can hit from closer midrange and in. He is Popovich's best chance at neutralizing Z and the rest of the Cleveland big men. Depending on the lineup, Coach Popovich will aim to get Z in foul trouble or get Gooden and Varejao frustrated on defense. 2) Also obvious: Defending LeBron. Expect LeBron James to see many different looks. Bruce Bowen is the first line of defense, but Manu Ginobili, Michael Finley, and even Tony Parker may see time guarding James or helping double-team him. 3) Guarding Cleveland's perimeter. San Antonio wants to keep the ball out of the hands of LeBron and Z. But, they will probably give different attention to different Cavalier perimeter players. Look especially for Gibson and Pavlovic to see a lot of

The NBA Finals will be quite interesting this year. The Cavaliers, perhaps a year away from their full potential, are poised and ready to upset the San Antonio Spurs. Here are a few things Coach Brown and his staff may be planning for the series. 1) Fluster the big man. Tim Duncan took all advantage in learning from David Robinson early in his career. He is as polished a big man as anyone in today's NBA. As most people know, his obvious weakness is his free-throw shooting. However, look for the Cavs to do whatever they can to get him into foul trouble or at least out-of-sync on offense. Take Duncan out of the lineup, and the Spurs have no post players like him. Similarly, a frustrated Duncan is prone to turnovers and offensive fouls that will hurt his team's momentum. 2) Get in Parker's way. Tony Parker is a fantastic slasher. He has developed a perimeter game proficient enough to complement his driving ability. At the same time, he is stoppable. One thing t

One thing that separates a basketball team from other teams in the league is the team's ability to play the game at various tempos. The Spurs have done their part in this category. While they are typically at their best in a slower-pace game, they have enough ballhandling and speed out of their guards to push the ball at times. Phoenix, for example, has not eliminated San Antonio in the playoffs since Duncan got hurt back in 2000. Instead, the Suns are continuously stopped by the Spurs ability to derail the fast style of play. For the Cavs, controlling the tempo was critical in the Detroit series. In the first couple of games, both the Cavs and Pistons were kind of stuck at one pace. But, by the 4th quarter of Game 6, the Cavs had shown how they understood how to control a game. In the second half, the Cavs began to exploit the Pistons. On the offensive end, the Cavs sped the pace. Occasionally, they slowed it down, but they made sure not to run their offense at only one s

Here is some random information heading into Game 1 on Thursday. Gregg Popovich and Tim Duncan are 3-0 in the Finals. Duncan was the MVP all 3 times, defeating three different opponents (Knicks, Nets, Pistons). Robert Horry is 6-0 in the Finals. His Western Conference teams (Rockets, Lakers, Spurs) defeated six different East teams (Knicks, Magic, Pacers, 76ers, Nets, Pistons). Furthermore, all 6 Finals MVP awards were won by big men: Duncan, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Shaquille O'Neal. In Duncan's 10 seasons, the Spurs have never missed the Playoffs. In five of the six years his teams didn't make the Finals, the Spurs were eliminated by the eventual Western Conference Champions. Due to injury, Duncan missed the playoffs in 2000. In 15 seasons, every team Horry has played for has made the playoffs. However, Horry did not play in the playoffs in 1996-'97 (Lakers, Suns). Popovich is the longest standing coach in Spurs history. Phil Jackson and Pat Riley are the only two active

After witnessing the collapse of the Pistons in the Eastern Conference Finals, I wonder if the fall began with the departure of Ben Wallace. Granted, this Detroit Pistons team won the conference regular season title (not to mention the title for the best Central Division since Jordan and company's last title reign in 1997-'98) without "Big Ben". Also, they did not make and win the Finals until after they traded for Rasheed. However, while Chauncey is "Mr. Big Shot" Billups, Rip Hamilton is 'Mr. Consistency', Tayshaun Prince is 'The Stopper', and Rasheed Wallace is 'Mr. Mismatch', Ben Wallace had more or less been the heart of the franchise the past few years. When the Pistons ascended to the top of the conference with their defense, Big Ben was named Defensive Player of the Year four times , not to mention having five combined appearances on All-NBA Second and Third Teams. He regularly kept in check the best big men in the leagu

Unlike many stars in the league, Kobe Bryant got to experience team success at an early age. Bryant came into the league as a young, intelligent, unselfish player that willingly played point guard at times. With Shaq, Phil Jackson, and a combination of veteran and emerging players, Kobe won 3 titles to enter the 21st century. While it was understandable for Kobe to want to face new challenges, it was unfortunate how he asked to have his own team. Yes, Jerry Buss's rationale that Shaq was aging, declining in ability and health, and expensive was all true. Yet, I question the claim that Kobe's desire to be numero uno never came into play in the decision to send O'Neal back east. At this point, what does Kobe truly want? In 2005-2006, his 81-point effort actually came un selfishly, as he got his points while legitimately running the plays. Although he also seemed less egocentric during the '06-'07 season, Kobe still had the tendency to hold onto the ball as the

The Cavaliers defeated the Pistons 98-82 in game 6 in Cleveland to clinch the franchise's first ever berth in the NBA Finals. While LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas had solid games, they were supported by Daniel Gibson's energetic 31 points. Mike Brown continued to utilize his bench, giving nine players at least 10 minutes of play. Brown may have an advantage heading into the Championship series, having served as an assistant to Gregg Popovich during the current successful Spurs era. The Spurs also won in convincing fashion, routing the Jazz 109-84 in game 5 in San Antonio. The core remains intact, with Duncan, Ginobili, and Parker serving as the big three, Bowen standing in as the defensive specialist, and, among others, Horry, Barry, and Finley coming off the bench as veteran sharpshooters. Early predictions by basketball analysts and fans have the Spurs winning in five or six. However, fate may say otherwise. The Cavaliers, including developing superstar James, are f

In 1976, there was Jim Chones's foot and the Boston Celtics in the midst of a title reign. In 1992, Price caught the flu from Jordan in the midst of the Chicago Bulls' dominance of the NBA. Now, in 2007, Larry Hughes had injured his foot, but thankfully, the Pistons may be at the end of their recent dominance of the Eastern Conference. In game 5, the team experienced something it has never experienced before: having their own legend-in-the-making take over the game. Game 5 was the best performance in LeBron James's career, and it also resulted in a large 'W' for the team. Game 5 was a knockout of both the Pistons and their fans. In game 6, the Cavs earned their right to be called the best team in the East. What began as a steady, seesawing game became the complete demoralization of the Detroit Pistons. Webber strained himself, Rasheed left telling Eddie F. Rush that this was "f'in' b.s.", and Chauncey, Prince, and McDyess all lost their shoo

The last time the Cavs had a chance to clinch a series at home, they struggled in a game 5 effort versus the Nets. From my second-to-last row seat (yes, I actually got to go to that game), I yelled two or three times, "Put in Daniel Gibson!" In a strong second half effort, Gibson had 8 points and a nice steal of an inbounds pass. Tonight, Gibson didn't have to steal anything to find himself in the spotlight. Five threes and twelve of fifteen foul shots found "Boobie", make it "Big Boobie", as high scorer with 31 points. As the Cavs may have taken the torch from the Pistons, Big Boobie may have taken the torch from his idol, Chauncey Billups. In arguably the first time in team history, the LeBron era has had Cavs fans regularly questioning the team's status at point guard. Similarly, basketball experts have called for a trade for a point guard. Yet, Danny Ferry and his staff stayed calm. After tonight's victory, it is nice to know what is

Despite a few more missed free throws, suspect rebounding down the stretch, and an arguably wasted timeout in overtime, the Cavaliers won again. LeBron played a truly great game; his performance was not overhyped this time around. Never before had I seen him completely take over a game. Teammates also stepped up as the game went along. My favorite performance aside from James was Eric Snow's entry into the game in the fourth quarter. His display of defense and general basketball smarts was quite honorable. While it is easy to think about last year's series, we must put things in perspective. For the first time in team history, the team has a chance to clinch a Conference Championship and a spot in the NBA Finals. That is, we have never won more than 2 in the Conference Finals. Instead of dealing with dynasties in their primes (Boston, Chicago), we have Detroit. After seeing this game, the Pistons look like they have lost the hold on the conference. They honestly looke

If you ask me, bringing Rick Adelman to Houston has made the most sense thus far in the head coaching changes for next season. While I definitely think Jeff Van Gundy is a good coach, Adelman is a much better fit for the Rockets. With offensive minded guys like T-Mac, Yao, and Rafer Alston on the team, it is no wonder that they could not get out of the first round under the defensive guru. Adelman is not all offense, either. While his teams in Sacramento were scoring machines, his teams in Portland worked with a more balanced attack.

The Boston Celtics and their fans could feel a #1 pick in the midst. Legend Tommy Heinsohn sat in the lottery studio as their representative. C'mon Greg Oden. The results of the lottery came in . . . What??? Fifth??? Not after Duncan slipped away ten years ago!!! Instead of getting #1, Portland, Seattle, and Atlanta all catapulted past the Grizzlies and Celtics into the top 3. Quickly, Oden, a reminder of the heydays of big men such as Bill Russell and Robert Parish, lost any hint of Celtic green. The bitter taste of not getting Tim Duncan returned, albeit temporarily. Now what should the Celtics do? Should they turn to Gator green for help inside? Or, should they do whatever it takes to move up in the draft to land Oden? Or seek Durant? Sadly, the franchise continues to drift away from its storied past. If all else fails, maybe they should take it out on the lottery system.

The Eastern Conference Championship is on the line. A chance to win the World Championship is at stake. Will Antonio McDyess be suspended after delivering a "clothesline from Hell" to Varejao? Will King James send the Pistons to the canvas for a three count one more time? Find out this Saturday, live at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.