<div align="center"> <span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%">@</span> April 5, 2007 - 7:00 pm ET<span style="color:#FF0000">Game on TNT</span></div><span style="color:#000000">Miami Heat</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">(40-34)</span><span style="color:#FF0000">PG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Jason Williams</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SG</span> <span style="color:#000000">Eddie Jones</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">SF</span> <span style="color:#000000">James Posey</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">PF</span> <span style="color:#000000">Udonis Haslem</span> <span style="color:#FF0000">C</span> <span style="color:#000000">Shaquille O'Neal</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Jason Kapono, Antoine Waker, Alonzo Mourning, Gary Payton</span><span style="color:#990000">Cleveland Cavaliers</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">(45-30)</span><span style="color:#CC9933">PG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SG</span> <span style="color:#990000">Sasha Pavlovic</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">SF</span> <span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">PF</span> <span style="color:#990000">Drew Gooden</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">C</span> <span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">Key Bench Players:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Anderson Varejao, Daniel Gibson, Eric Snow, Donyell Marshall</span> Injury Report<span style="color:#FF0000">MIA:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Dwyane Wade will not play (dislocated shoulder)</span> Who To Watch Out For<span style="color:#000000">Shaquille O'Neal</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 17.1 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Post All-Star Break: 19.2 ppg, 8.1 rpg, 2.6 apg, 1.1 bpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Udonis Haslem</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 10.7 ppg, 8.3 rpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Jason Williams</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 11.3 ppg, 2.4 rpg, 5.2 apg</span><span style="color:#990000">LeBron James</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 27.5 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 6.0 apg, 1.7 spg</span><span style="color:#990000">Larry Hughes</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 14.9 ppg, 3.8 rpg, 3.6 apg</span><span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 11.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span> Rookie Watch <span style="color:#FF0000">MIA:</span> <span style="color:#000000">Chris Quinn</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: Undrafted</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#000000">3.2 ppg, 1.4 apg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">CLE:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Daniel Gibson</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 42</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#990000">4.8 ppg, 1.6 rpg, 1.2 apg</span> <span style="color:#CC9933">CLE:</span> <span style="color:#990000">Shannon Brown</span><span style="color:#000000">Overall Selection: 25</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats:</span> <span style="color:#990000">3.2 ppg, 0.9 rpg</span><span style="color:#000000">Miami's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#000000">James Posey</span><span style="color:#FF0000">Season Stats: 7.8 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 1.4 apg</span><span style="color:#FF0000">As A Starter: 10.1 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 2.0 apg</span><span style="color:#000000">It's pretty obvious why Posey is Miami's X-Factor tonight: the defensive assignment on the one and only, LeBron James.</span><span style="color:#990000">Cleveland's X-Factor</span><span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span><span style="color:#CC9933">Season Stats: 11.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.3 bpg</span><span style="color:#990000">His assignment is not the average assignment, obviously, with Shaq on the other end. It will obviously be a tough matchup for Big Z, but he needs to at least try and keep Shaq off the boards. Don't let him get easy ones.</span> <div align="center">Key Matchup vs. <span style="color:#000000">Shaquille O'Neal</span> <span style="color:#000000">vs.</span> <span style="color:#990000">Zydrunas Ilgauskas</span></div><span style="color:#000000">Two of the biggest players in the league going at it. Good christ these guys are huge.</span> CelticBalla's Extra Thoughts/NotesSure, Miami won't have Wade. It does suck that we won't have the LeBron/Wade matchup, but I don't think Cleveland will take this one easily. Miami will put up a fight, they need to lay down the ground work on the road going into the playoffs. Miami is 15-22 on the road, they need to capitalize and get a couple road wins going into the playoffs. CelticBalla's PredictionWhile I don't think Cleveland will take it easily, I think Cleveland will win this game. I'm predicting a big night from LeBron.
This game is going to be great, two eastern conference teams fighting for playoff positioning. Sure, the best basketball is played in the wild west but I wanna see how hughes will matchup against Jason Williams and Gary Payton. I'm gonna have to go with Miami this game, they have proven why they won the chip last year without Wade. The Cavs also do not come out and perform at 100% every night, should be fun to watch. Sucks that there is no Wade vs. LeBron matchup.
Scared as hell, we lose this game and we are right back in the 5th seed and just hand over the No.2 seed to the Bulls. Just because of those damn Pistons lost to the Bulls, they are a half a game behind us. If Hughes can be the Point guard and not try to make things happen for himself, we will easily win. Cleveland is 30-5 all time when Hughes had five or more assists. Miami also clinches playoff spot with a win tonight. Cavaliers just need to come out and own, even though Shaq might have a career night because we got no defense down low. We gotta try to stop em!
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 5 2007, 08:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Wow. Miami is getting all the calls. Horrible reffing tonight.</div>I didn't want to say anything, I bitched about the calls against Boston and the very last play too and got a mouth full. Anyway, Shaq can't be stopped. This is the reason we wont pass Miami or Detroit in the playoffs, NO DEFENSE DOWN LOW. What so ever.... :ranting: :ranting:
Miami is getting a lot of calls, but they are also outplaying Cleveland. LeBron heated up a bit to close out the half, I expect him to really turn it on at some point in the 3rd quarter. Shaq has had a great first half, he's very active and Big Z just can't handle his power game. Eddie Jones just had a nice second quarter as well, after a slow start.But how about my boy, Antoine Walker. Woooo.
Sad, Cleveland isn't trying. Horrible defense, Miami is just throwing up wide open threes and having their way. James is gonna start to take those jumpers, and once he does just stick a fork in the Cavs. Here we come 5th seed.
Cleveland's rotation on defense is pathetic. Too many open shots. Also it is all about Lebron on the offense. Easy team to play against that does this.
What a comeback. Cleveland has the final shot to either win the ball game or go to overtime. And of course Lebron misses. So sad.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (mavsfan1000 @ Apr 5 2007, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>What a comeback. Cleveland has the final shot to either win the ball game or go to overtime. And of course Lebron misses. So sad.</div>Meh, good defense and Hughes was wide. Sadly, we still lost in this game but nice comeback.
Wow, Cleveland let up such a great oppurtunity to tie the game. Great comeback by Cleveland to take it into OT but the Cavs gotta work on finishing games, LeBron is too unselfish during the times where he should be taking over. Miami forced some key turnovers leading to the win in OT and Cavs fall to 5th seed. Interesting how the East standings change every day.
Can someone tell me who the Bulls play next? I know the wont lose though, they f*cking owned Detroit easily and their No.1 in the East.
