Happy New Year everybody!
Well, the '00s are now over, so I found it appropriate to select an "All-Decade Team" for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This task turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would be. I kicked around the idea of having several groupings and another list or two of players that succeeded in a very short time as Cavaliers. Well, I decided to scrap that idea, as the list of players got to be too long. Instead, I decided to put together a roster of 15 players (separated into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd teams) and appoint a head coach and an honorary assistant coach. To be eligible for the team, the players had to have been with the Cavaliers for at least a full season during the '00s. Rosters and statistics were acknowledged from 1999-2000 to the 2009 portion of the 2009-2010 season. (Special thanks to basketball-reference.com, cavshistory.com, and nba.com for player information.) Players were allowed to be listed out-of-position if they would possibly play that position in relation to the other players of their grouping. Intangibles (clutch play, chemistry, etc.) were considered in addition to concrete statistics.
With the aforementioned criteria in mind, Shaquille O'Neal (aka "The Shaquisition") was not eligible for the all-decade team. Likewise, Ronald "Flip" Murray, who was a key acquisition and critical part of the 2005-2006 Cleveland team (the first Cavs playoff team since 1997-1998), was ineligible. Meanwhile, other notable players did not make the cut. The fastbreak dunking of Jumaine Jones is not on this all-decade team, nor are sentimental fan favorites Wally Szczerbiak and Bob Sura. Two more members of the 1997-1998 playoff team that played for the Cavaliers during the '00s--sharpshooter Wesley Person and point guard Brevin Knight--also just missed the cut. Defensive specialist Ira Newble played 224 games with the Cavs from 2003-2008, but he did not make the list.
Here are my selections for the Cleveland Cavaliers 00's All-Decade Team.
First Team
PF Anderson Varejao
SF LeBron James
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
SG Delonte West
PG Mo Williams
Second Team
PF Carlos Boozer
SF Ricky Davis
C Drew Gooden
SG Larry Hughes
PG Andre Miller
Third Team
PF Shawn Kemp
SF Lamond Murray
C Ben Wallace
SG Sasha Pavlovic
PG Daniel Gibson
Head Coach: Mike Brown
Honorary Assistant Coach: Eric Snow
Comments:
-Overall, Anderson Varejao has played better off the bench. His role as an energetic, productive bench player has been key to the Cavs' success during the past decade. However, in relation to the other Cavaliers of the '00s, Varejao's importance to the team and his status as a fan favorite have boosted him to first-team status.
-Previously thought to be forced into retirement at a very young age due to injuries, Zydrunas Ilgauskas has become the franchise leader in games played. He is the link between the last Cavs playoff era (the Mike Fratello era) and the current playoff era (the Mike Brown era), and also suffered during the massive roster turnover and losing years under the management of General Manager Jim Paxson and Head Coaches Randy Wittman, John Lucas, Keith Smart, Paul Silas, and Brendan Malone. Once he retires, Ilgauskas may end up having his number retired by the Cavs. If a new "All-Time Starting Five" is selected by the team/the team's media, he could replace Larry Nance or Brad Daugherty on that team. Two major accomplishments remain for Z: an NBA championship and a chance to play for the Lithuanian Olympic team.
-Delonte West's all-around play and overall basketball savvy bumped him up to first-team status. He is quietly as good of a defender as LeBron James and Ben Wallace. His well-being and availability remain critical to a Cavs run to the NBA championship.
-Carlos Boozer left the team in a disappointing fashion. Had he stayed, the team probably would have made the playoffs in 2004-2005, meaning that Mike Brown might never have become Cavs coach. However, Boozer's departure led Jim Paxson to trade for Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao.
-Larry Hughes had an up and down run with the Cavs. Sadly, his younger brother passed away during the 2006 playoffs. On the court, Hughes battled with physical injuries. Yet, during the Cavs' run to the playoffs in 2005-2006 and their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006-2007, Hughes was a key component to the team's success, playing multiple positions, including starting point guard.
-In his last season with the Cavs, Shawn Kemp looked sluggish. He had gained a good amount of weight during the NBA lockout of 1998-1999, and personal issues had become public knowledge during his time with the team. When Paxson traded Kemp to Portland before the 2000-2001 season, the organization and the fans were relieved. Despite these facts, Kemp's stats speak for themselves. In addition, Kemp's teammates always stood by his side, emphasizing his importance while with the team.
-Lamond Murray took one of the roster's final spots due to his all-around ability and clutch play. While he could rebound and handle the ball, he had numerous ways to score from all over the court. He made at least one game-winning shot while with the team and was one of the primary reasons Andre Miller led the league in assists in 2001-2002.
-Ben Wallace joined the Cavs at the end of his prime. However, he remained a defensive presence, bringing both interior and perimeter defense to the 4 and 5 positions. He also got his share of rebounds, making him a good role player for the All-Decade Team.
-Sasha Pavlovic and Daniel Gibson posted/have posted respectable stats in their time with the Cavaliers. More importantly, they served as key components to the team's run to the Finals in 2007. While Pavlovic took the starting shooting guard position that year, "Boobie" Gibson quickly became a fan favorite and a good complement to LeBron James. Gibson made his mark during the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, when he proved to be the additional component to the LeBron/Varejao pick-and-roll combination that the Pistons just could not guard. Gibson served as a top offensive option in Games 3 and 4 of the series and scored 31 points in the clinching Game 6. With Pavlovic's and Gibson's help, the team won 4 in a row to advance to the Finals. As a current member of the team, Gibson remains a fan favorite and a player with a large amount of potential, looking to shed his one-dimensional label as only a 3-point shooter.
-There was not much competition for Mike Brown as Head Coach of the All-Decade Team, as he was the only coach with a winning record. Like Paul Silas, Brown has had franchise superstar LeBron James on his roster for his whole stint as Cavaliers coach. However, unlike Silas, Brown has ingrained team defense into James's and the rest of the team's playing style. Under Brown's tutelage, LeBron has become a premier defender in the league, giving him the complete game needed to become league MVP. Meanwhile, Brown's use of concepts from other sports (such as "hockey assists" and offensive and defensive coordinators) has helped the team become a championship contender, including the franchise's only Finals appearance (2006-2007) and best regular season record ever (2008-2009).
-Point guard Eric Snow played 258 games during the '00s for the Cavaliers, which was less than just 5 players on the All-Decade Team (Ilgauskas, James, Varejao, Pavlovic, and Gooden). Just missing the cut as a player on the All-Decade Team, Snow spent some time as an unofficial assistant coach during the team's run to the 2007 Finals and its roster transition in 2008. Snow's motivational words were caught by ABC during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Snow's savvy on and off the court make him an ideal candidate as a special assistant coach for the All-Decade Team. Hopefully, he will get his chance to become a successful coach in the NBA.
Well, the '00s are now over, so I found it appropriate to select an "All-Decade Team" for the Cleveland Cavaliers. This task turned out to be more difficult than I thought it would be. I kicked around the idea of having several groupings and another list or two of players that succeeded in a very short time as Cavaliers. Well, I decided to scrap that idea, as the list of players got to be too long. Instead, I decided to put together a roster of 15 players (separated into 1st, 2nd, and 3rd teams) and appoint a head coach and an honorary assistant coach. To be eligible for the team, the players had to have been with the Cavaliers for at least a full season during the '00s. Rosters and statistics were acknowledged from 1999-2000 to the 2009 portion of the 2009-2010 season. (Special thanks to basketball-reference.com, cavshistory.com, and nba.com for player information.) Players were allowed to be listed out-of-position if they would possibly play that position in relation to the other players of their grouping. Intangibles (clutch play, chemistry, etc.) were considered in addition to concrete statistics.
With the aforementioned criteria in mind, Shaquille O'Neal (aka "The Shaquisition") was not eligible for the all-decade team. Likewise, Ronald "Flip" Murray, who was a key acquisition and critical part of the 2005-2006 Cleveland team (the first Cavs playoff team since 1997-1998), was ineligible. Meanwhile, other notable players did not make the cut. The fastbreak dunking of Jumaine Jones is not on this all-decade team, nor are sentimental fan favorites Wally Szczerbiak and Bob Sura. Two more members of the 1997-1998 playoff team that played for the Cavaliers during the '00s--sharpshooter Wesley Person and point guard Brevin Knight--also just missed the cut. Defensive specialist Ira Newble played 224 games with the Cavs from 2003-2008, but he did not make the list.
Here are my selections for the Cleveland Cavaliers 00's All-Decade Team.
First Team
PF Anderson Varejao
SF LeBron James
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas
SG Delonte West
PG Mo Williams
Second Team
PF Carlos Boozer
SF Ricky Davis
C Drew Gooden
SG Larry Hughes
PG Andre Miller
Third Team
PF Shawn Kemp
SF Lamond Murray
C Ben Wallace
SG Sasha Pavlovic
PG Daniel Gibson
Head Coach: Mike Brown
Honorary Assistant Coach: Eric Snow
Comments:
-Overall, Anderson Varejao has played better off the bench. His role as an energetic, productive bench player has been key to the Cavs' success during the past decade. However, in relation to the other Cavaliers of the '00s, Varejao's importance to the team and his status as a fan favorite have boosted him to first-team status.
-Previously thought to be forced into retirement at a very young age due to injuries, Zydrunas Ilgauskas has become the franchise leader in games played. He is the link between the last Cavs playoff era (the Mike Fratello era) and the current playoff era (the Mike Brown era), and also suffered during the massive roster turnover and losing years under the management of General Manager Jim Paxson and Head Coaches Randy Wittman, John Lucas, Keith Smart, Paul Silas, and Brendan Malone. Once he retires, Ilgauskas may end up having his number retired by the Cavs. If a new "All-Time Starting Five" is selected by the team/the team's media, he could replace Larry Nance or Brad Daugherty on that team. Two major accomplishments remain for Z: an NBA championship and a chance to play for the Lithuanian Olympic team.
-Delonte West's all-around play and overall basketball savvy bumped him up to first-team status. He is quietly as good of a defender as LeBron James and Ben Wallace. His well-being and availability remain critical to a Cavs run to the NBA championship.
-Carlos Boozer left the team in a disappointing fashion. Had he stayed, the team probably would have made the playoffs in 2004-2005, meaning that Mike Brown might never have become Cavs coach. However, Boozer's departure led Jim Paxson to trade for Drew Gooden and Anderson Varejao.
-Larry Hughes had an up and down run with the Cavs. Sadly, his younger brother passed away during the 2006 playoffs. On the court, Hughes battled with physical injuries. Yet, during the Cavs' run to the playoffs in 2005-2006 and their first NBA Finals appearance in 2006-2007, Hughes was a key component to the team's success, playing multiple positions, including starting point guard.
-In his last season with the Cavs, Shawn Kemp looked sluggish. He had gained a good amount of weight during the NBA lockout of 1998-1999, and personal issues had become public knowledge during his time with the team. When Paxson traded Kemp to Portland before the 2000-2001 season, the organization and the fans were relieved. Despite these facts, Kemp's stats speak for themselves. In addition, Kemp's teammates always stood by his side, emphasizing his importance while with the team.
-Lamond Murray took one of the roster's final spots due to his all-around ability and clutch play. While he could rebound and handle the ball, he had numerous ways to score from all over the court. He made at least one game-winning shot while with the team and was one of the primary reasons Andre Miller led the league in assists in 2001-2002.
-Ben Wallace joined the Cavs at the end of his prime. However, he remained a defensive presence, bringing both interior and perimeter defense to the 4 and 5 positions. He also got his share of rebounds, making him a good role player for the All-Decade Team.
-Sasha Pavlovic and Daniel Gibson posted/have posted respectable stats in their time with the Cavaliers. More importantly, they served as key components to the team's run to the Finals in 2007. While Pavlovic took the starting shooting guard position that year, "Boobie" Gibson quickly became a fan favorite and a good complement to LeBron James. Gibson made his mark during the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals, when he proved to be the additional component to the LeBron/Varejao pick-and-roll combination that the Pistons just could not guard. Gibson served as a top offensive option in Games 3 and 4 of the series and scored 31 points in the clinching Game 6. With Pavlovic's and Gibson's help, the team won 4 in a row to advance to the Finals. As a current member of the team, Gibson remains a fan favorite and a player with a large amount of potential, looking to shed his one-dimensional label as only a 3-point shooter.
-There was not much competition for Mike Brown as Head Coach of the All-Decade Team, as he was the only coach with a winning record. Like Paul Silas, Brown has had franchise superstar LeBron James on his roster for his whole stint as Cavaliers coach. However, unlike Silas, Brown has ingrained team defense into James's and the rest of the team's playing style. Under Brown's tutelage, LeBron has become a premier defender in the league, giving him the complete game needed to become league MVP. Meanwhile, Brown's use of concepts from other sports (such as "hockey assists" and offensive and defensive coordinators) has helped the team become a championship contender, including the franchise's only Finals appearance (2006-2007) and best regular season record ever (2008-2009).
-Point guard Eric Snow played 258 games during the '00s for the Cavaliers, which was less than just 5 players on the All-Decade Team (Ilgauskas, James, Varejao, Pavlovic, and Gooden). Just missing the cut as a player on the All-Decade Team, Snow spent some time as an unofficial assistant coach during the team's run to the 2007 Finals and its roster transition in 2008. Snow's motivational words were caught by ABC during Game 4 of the NBA Finals. Snow's savvy on and off the court make him an ideal candidate as a special assistant coach for the All-Decade Team. Hopefully, he will get his chance to become a successful coach in the NBA.