Cleveland @ LA Clippers

<font size="14">VS</font>
<font color="darkred">CLEVELAND CAVALIERS</font> (9-4) @ LA CLIPPERS (7-6)
Monday, November 29th
10:30p.m. The Staples Center
TV: WUAB

COACHES

Paul Silas / Mike Dunleavy

PROBABLE STARTERS


Jeff McInnis / Marco Jaric

Ira Newble / Corey Maggette

LeBron James / Bobby Simmons

Drew Gooden / Elton Brand

Zydrunas Ilgauskas / Chris Wilcox

6th MAN


Eric Snow / Kerry Kittles

Players To Watch

LeBron James / Corey Maggette

FAST FACT :

Injury List

Cleveland : Sasha Pavlovic, Anderson Varejoa
LA: Shaun Livingston, Lionel Chalmers

<font color="red">Infante's Keys</font>

* Attack Jaric on offense. He isn't the quickest footed pg in the NBA, got to take advantage of that.

* Run the one on one plays with Z vs Wilcox. Cox has no chance in shutting down our best big man.

* Avoid letting LA getting into the running game. Maggette/Kittles love to run the floor, give them no chance and grab them on everytime they attempt to run.

* Perimeter D. Maggette, Kittles, Jaric can hit that mid-range-3point range very well. Keep hands in their faces.


FINAL THOUGHT :
1st game on a 3 game road trip. The Cavaliers are out to face the Clippers in their hometown of LA. Western Conference teams always give the Cavaliers some trouble. But really, this is the Clippers. Anything but a win would be a sure disapointment. I am sure the Cavaliers know that, so don't take them for granted. We should be able to see another win here if we play defense.

PREDICTION:

Cavs win. 102-94.

Visit Real Cavs Fans

 

Nice preview I think the Cavs will win because this start of the Clippers I believe is over hyped, and they will eventually slow down. Lebron has been playing out of his mind, and can only get better I do expect Maggette to have a big game though or the Clippers as well as Brand.

 

The Cavs are playing in LA, and that would be their biggest disadvantage. Also, I would place Brand on Ilgauskas and Wilcox on Gooden. Brand is a better post defender and he could use his strength to push Z out of the post and also contest his every shot. The key for Cleveland is to guard the offensive boards and get Lebron involved. Wilcox and Brand are excellent offensive rebounders and there should be no second chances allowed. If Lebron outplays Maggette, the Cavs might still take this one.

Cleveland by 5.

 

LA has been playing pretty well lately. But I expect the Cavs to win this tonight. As long as we can stay focused on defense and offense, like we have in our previous games lately, we should be able to come out with a nice road W.

 

So far the game has been good, Brand was just dominating, using his array of post moves, and he has I think 18 points at the half. He also had the nice pin block on Newble, I wasn't sure who blocked the shot at first, but they gave it to Brand.

Everyone is playing well, Dunleavy was really spreading the minutes around, so everyone is getting a chance to play, the team is running the break, and moving the ball like they've been this season.

I liked how Mikki played Ilguaskas for the most part, and he also had the nice little hook and the jumper before the quarter ended. Lebron was pulling off a few travel's lol

Also, why was CMag wearing a wife beater?

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post">Brand is having an excellent game and this game is turning out to be an excellent game. I think L.A. will pull it out during the stretch just because og the home crowd factor. None the less, this game will be great until the finish, one of the better games I have seen this year probably.

EDIT: Brand gets no love from the refs, he has been hammered all night and has only gotten about a quarter of the calls he should have gotten.</div>

GOOD, keep the reports coming- I HATE not being able to watch these games.. driving me bonkers. Play by play online can only do so much- keep the great descriptions going so I know what's going on! PLEASE?

Chip

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">EDIT: Brand gets no love from the refs, he has been hammered all night and has only gotten about a quarter of the calls he should have gotten.</div>
DId you see the time he got the ball under the basket and got hacked from behind on the dunk attempt, he made the layup, but I was screaming and 1.

The team has come out strong in the 4th, Simmons was making some good plays, made 2 shots, had the dunk on the break, the defense stepped up really well, and Mikki Moore just had a nice dunk and 1, probably play of the game on that one., as soon as he got the ball I knew he was going for the dunk. I'm loving Mikki's impact on the team, he's the GOAT of the NBDL lol.

Home stretch now baby.

 

The defense is just remaining strong, the got James in the corner and forced him to use that timeout, I'm just loving how the team is playing defensively, and also moving the ball offensively.

 

Mikki Moore again from Brunson, oh man, and Simmons is still on fire, this is just great defense and offense right now.

 

Ok, just watching the play by play, it looks like the Cavs as a team are shooting at about 13%... Can't stand it, must get the pass to know what's up...

Well, I knew this would be a toughie. Now we have Phoenix and Denver in the next three days.

Frickin' loverly.

Go Browns.

Chip

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Kobe 8 Ball:</div><div class="quote_post">That miscall is what made me edit my post, thats what I saw. I havent watched the Clippers much this year..just found out i had FSN2 so now I will catch all the games I can, but I am liking Mikki's performance today...has it been like that all year?</div>
Yea Mikki has been like this all season, he's like the team's energizer bunny, he plays great help defense, and he get's down the floor in no time, also off the pick and roll if you find him it's likely a dunk, I've been loving how he's played for the team.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">Yea Mikki has been like this all season, he's like the team's energizer bunny, he plays great help defense, and he get's down the floor in no time, also off the pick and roll if you find him it's likely a dunk, I've been loving how he's played for the team.</div>

Seriously speaking- much props to the Clips. Sounds like they put it to the line tonight and I know they've been playing tough this whole year. Maybe this helps get them established... what I really want to know is this though:

Was the Clip defense so tough, or was the Cavs shooting just THAT bad?

Since I don't have the 'Pass' and I have to guess at this stuff I'd like to hear some from those who did see: What happened here?

Thanks, and wish me luck on talking the lady into the "pass". I'll apply full-court pressure tomorrow to see if I can squeek it in by Wednesday night against the Suns.

Your's Truly,

Chip D. Frustrated one...

 

They were doubling the Cavs off every pick and roll, and they were also playing great help defense, Brand was guarding Ilguaskas, and though Ilguaskas got his sometimes, Brand stood tough on him and just played him strong, Z just couldn't get it going.

The Clippers made the Cavs use a lot of clock and forced them into bad shots or into getting the wrong people shooting, the defense was one of the best I've seen them play this season.

EDIT: About Maggette, he obviously help the team, but they've played better without him for a few reasons, he hasn't shown the same intensity on defense you used to see from him a few years ago, and he's been forcing it a lot on offense. Maggette is usually a really efficient scorer, but he's been forcing a lot of drives and sometimes stopping the ball movement, and it's hurt his own offense. Hope he can get it back together when he returns.

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting og15:</div><div class="quote_post">They were doubling the Cavs off every pick and roll, and they were also playing great help defense, Brand was guarding Ilguaskas, and though Ilguaskas got his sometimes, Brand stood tough on him and just played him strong, Z just couldn't get it going.

The Clippers made the Cavs use a lot of clock and forced them into bad shots or into getting the wrong people shooting, the defense was one of the best I've seen them play this season.</div>

Sure sounds it- and thanks to both of you duders for keeping me at least somewhat coherent here. I didn't think it was just that the Cavs couldn't make a shot, and honestly, I'm happier now knowing that it wasn't just that.

What did they do defensively (that will soon be copied by the league) that was so different than what the Cavs have seen to this point? Box and dog? Two and triangle? How did James handle the doubles? If it's too much to ask I understand, I'm just hungry for knowledge here and I miss not being able to see the games.

Props to you both, thanks to you both, and wish me luck so I never have to bother you again.

Chip D. Wondering One...

 

Mostly simple things, trapping on the pick and roll, the other players were helping Brand out with Ilguaskas, and it was really a lot about the help defense, the one on one defense was good, but the help defense is what changed the game.

The Clippers were helping on the drives, and the big men would come out and pick up the opposing guard on a pick and roll, and then the Clippers guard would come back and double, if the CLE guard passed it out, the big man would quickly rotate over back to his man who just recieved the ball, and that was mostly what is was. This was forcing the Cavs to reset a lot, get deep in the clock, commit turnovers, and also was getting the ball in the wrong hands.

The defense the becamse a catalyst for the offense, and with how the team likes to run it just helped them to build the lead and maintain it.

The best double was Mikki Moore and Simmons on Lebron in the corner which forced a timeout, and off the inbounds play they made LJ take a fadeaway three from the corner with 2 hands in his face, a pretty impossible shot, he got an airball on that one.

Anyways, this is the new Clippers, it's no more a battle for stats and contracts, it's actually trying to win, and the defense is so good without Q, and also everyone on the team trust each other.