Nuggets @ Cav's 8:00pm on TNT

• Footwedge

  Sir Charles said that the Cavs are clearly the best team in the East. I fell off my chair. He did a complete 180 from a week ago. Maybe his doc adjusted his meds.
• Footwedge

  Pick6 wrote: honestly i wouldnt be suprised to see the cavs go about .500 the next few games.

  I agree..maybe even below 500. But I think they could go unbeaten in the month of March.
• Footwedge

  mallymal614 wrote: Gotta love Mike Brown's 1 on 5 offense.

  1 on 5 offense led to 15 assists.
• Footwedge

  september63 wrote:

  mallymal614 wrote: Gotta love Mike Brown's 1 on 5 offense.

  That point is tired and old. Mike Brown IS a good coach but late in games LBJ coaches this team. IF he wants the ball, he is getting it. Regardless of what Mike Brown callls as a play.

  Exactly. And once Mo gets back to full strengtrh, there will be even less.
• Footwedge

  SQ_Crazies wrote: Streak was going to end sometime. Fact is, it took the NUGGETS (one of the best teams in the NBA) OT to beat us by 2, without Z, Mo's first game back and right after the break--and we missed 17 FT's. I think we're fine.
  
  43 points.
  13 rebounds.
  15 assists.
  4 blocks.
  2 steals.
  3 turnovers.
  
  No one else in the league puts up numbers like that, and as far as the LeBron/Kobe debate goes--Kobe never put up numbers like that. What a freak.

  
  
  What's even more amazing...LBJ had a poor first half by his standards.
  
  I think his 3ball were clanking from not being able to square up and the fact that he was running 100% at both ends.
  
  The team's free throws were annoying. Shaq pulled an ofer 6...can't have that. And both Parker and Gibson hit only 1 out of 3 at the line after being bailed out on 3balls.
  
  Even LeBron missed 4 freebies. Over the past 25 games or so, the Cavs have only lost 4 games by a total of 8 points.
  
  After this tough stretch concluding February, I 'm looking for the Cavs to go unbeaten in March. I lnow it won'y be easy, but they can do it with the schedule they play. I am looking for Leon Powe to take some of Z's minutes ans do a really good job. I hope Jamison finds his role..similar to that of JJ Hickson, in attacking the rim. And I hope Mike Brown's lock down 4th quarter defense sinks into Jamisonss head.
• wes_mantooth

  

  Melo really impressed me tonight. He continually took it to the rim against Lebron and LBJ couldn't stop him. On the ball defense is his weakness and it was exploited today......not complaining, just an observation.
• killer_ewok

  

  Great back-and-forth battle. Amazing game by both players. Melo has been my favorite player in the league since he left my Orange after leading them to the national title. I'm not a Nuggets fan but definitely a big Melo fan and respect Billups so I wish them luck. It's not like my sorry ass Knicks are going to be in the playoffs this year so I'll have to cheer for players like usual.....
• just_a_swimmer

  

  Footwedge wrote: Sir Charles said that the Cavs are clearly the best team in the East. I fell off my chair. He did a complete 180 from a week ago. Maybe his doc adjusted his meds.

  lol
  Listening to him talk last night I said the exact same thing to my son.
• lhslep134

  

  What a great game to watch, hats off to the Nuggets, they played spectacularly.
• Midstate01

  

  Second half was great to watch. Melo made a big shot!! Now gotta take care of the bobcats!
• Cleveland Buck

  

  The defense was terrible and you could tell they weren't focused. I just hope this is a wake up call and not a sign of things to come.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  wes_mantooth wrote: Melo really impressed me tonight. He continually took it to the rim against Lebron and LBJ couldn't stop him. On the ball defense is his weakness and it was exploited today......not complaining, just an observation.

  I don't it's a weakness. He's a pretty damn good on ball defender these days, but good offense beats good defense every time. And Melo is certainly one of the best offensive players in the game, he's hard for anyone to stop--especially when he's scoring like he was last night. LeBron got beat a few times, but overall I thought he played pretty good defense on him. But like I said, good offense beats good defense.
• wes_mantooth

  

  I just think Lebron's feet looked like they were in cement last night. He is great off the ball no doubt, but he is average at best while on the ball.
  
  But I do agree, Melo is a beast and anyone would have trouble stopping him. I am just nit picking at his game, because honestly, there isn't much to bitch about.
• Footwedge

  Don't think a guy goes for 47 15 13 with his legs in cement..oh and 3 steals and 4 blocks.
• wes_mantooth

  

  ^^^lol.....I am talking about on the ball defense. All those stats you listed have nothing to do with that....not even the steals and blocks.
  
  Like I said I am just nit picking, but if you think Lebron has no room for improvement then I don't know what to tell ya.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  He certainly does, but IMO, he's on par with any of the best wing defenders in the league when he wants to be. But he's never going to be like that every possession, there is no need for him to be. He'd just wear himself out and be less effective on the offensive end.
• mallymal614

  Maybe its that Carmello a great offensive player as oppose to Lebron struggles playing on the ball D.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  It certainly is. We've seen LeBron/Kobe/D-Wade/Melo/etc. light up better defenders than LeBron on many occasions.
• wes_mantooth

  

  mallymal614 wrote: Maybe its that Carmello a great offensive player as oppose to Lebron struggles playing on the ball D.

  No doubt Melo was great, I didn't mean to sound otherwise.
  
  Melo went around Bron like he was standing still. The fact that his jumpshot was deadly last night which made Lebron have to respect that also factored in.
  
  I am no expert on defensive positioning at all, but Lebron just looks like he gets back on his heels from time to time. And I agree with SQ, you cannot expect a "ball dominating" player to play lock down defense all the time. I just feel like he could be dominant at every aspect of the NBA game if he tries.
  
  To be fair to Lebron, he was never coached in high school on defense...as most star players are not. He simply had such freakishly athletic ablilities that it made up for it. He probably only started learning real defense when Mike Brown came aboard.
• Hb31187

  

  Hey footwedge...how did my nuggets look last night jackass? On here lettin me hear it after the SA game lol.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  You're absolutely right, he can dominate every facet of the game when he tries to do it. And he does defensively, he just doesn't put THAT much effort into it for 48 minutes a night and he never will--and really never should because it just takes away energy for him to play offense, which is clearly the best part of his game and always will be.
  
  I'm no expert on defensive positioning either, but I know enough to know what I'm looking at and I see exactly what you see. But the difference is, LeBron's athleticism allows him to make up for playing on his heels sometimes. It also allows him to make some defensive plays that defensive minded players can't make. They may be better overall defenders, but he definitely plays the anticipation game a lot more than some guys. A lot of guys just lock down and play the shadow role. LeBron does that on occasion but on the ball he is best when he's anticipating. Bites you sometimes, and you'll get beat and look BAD on some plays. Like the play last night where LeBron froze. Melo just made a GREAT fake. But that comes from LeBron being a great defender of the passing lanes, he anticipates and he's good at it--so when he plays on the ball he plays the same way. He wasn't always a very good defender, but he's definitely improved a ton and the level of defense he is playing right now is as good as he needs to be. Plus we've seen him really step up on defense in the playoffs the last few years. With the team they have now, that may even be more effective because he's never been surrounded by as many guys that can score the ball consistently like he is now.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Hb31187 wrote: Hey footwedge...how did my nuggets look last night jackass? On here lettin me hear it after the SA game lol.

  I know you're just calling him out, because he probably deserves it. But IMO, I don't think the Nuggets looked that great last night. I mean don't get me wrong, a win is a win--especially on the home court of the best team in the league, you'll take it how you can get it. But the fact that it took OT to beat a team that missed 17 FT's isn't good.
  
  But it is really hard to take anything away from a game like that, coming out of the break is a bigger deal than just having 4 days off. A lot of guys either go to the AS game or take a little vacation. Like they said there were as many players in the Bahamas over the weekend as there were in Dallas. So it's a mindset thing too. All 4 teams that played last night had a little All Star hangover, you could see it in all of them.
• Hb31187

  

  Oh I know we gave up a big lead and shoulda beat the Cavs by quite a bit with them missing FT's I just cant stand Footwedge.
• SQ_Crazies

  

  Yeah, I understand. Not many can.
  
  I still like you Footwedge.
• Footwedge

  Hb31187 wrote: Hey footwedge...how did my nuggets look last night jackass? On here lettin me hear it after the SA game lol.

  A lot better than they did a week ago when they lost by 20 at home to the mediocre Spurs.
  
  And I'm losing all that sleep at night because you don't like me. LOLOLOLOL
  
  Nugget fan...I don't come here to broaden my friendship base. I come here to tell it the way I see it.