<table class="gamePreview" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td class="center" colspan="2"> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana">November 16, 2007 @ 7:30pm EST Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH FSN HD, FSOhio</font></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="center"> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Cleveland Cavaliers (4-5)</font></p> </p> </td> <td class="center"> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"> </font></p> <p align="center"><font color="#5591c9"><font face="Verdana">Utah Jazz </font><font face="Verdana">(7-2)</font></font></p> </p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4 align="center"><font face="Verdana">Projected Starters</font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="roster"> <td> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font> <font face="Verdana" color="#b90456" size="2">PG Daniel Gibson SGAleksandar Pavlovic </font><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456" size="2">SF LeBron James PF Drew Gooden C Zydrunas Ilgauskas </font><font color="#b90456"><font face="Verdana"> <font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font><font face="Verdana"></font></font></font></p> </td> <td> <p align="center"><font face="Verdana"></font> <font face="Verdana"></font> <font face="Verdana"><font size="2"><font color="#5591c9">PGDeron WilliamsSG Ronnie Brewer SFAndrei KirilenkoPFCarlos BoozerC Mehmet Okur</font> </font> </font><font color="#5591c9"><font face="Verdana"><font face="Verdana"></font> <font face="Verdana"></font> <font face="Verdana"></font></font></font></p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana">Season Stats</font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Scoring</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">99.7 PPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Field Goal %</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">43.8%</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">3-Point %</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">36.5%</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Rebounds</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">46.4 RPG(=1st in League)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Assists</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">19.3APG</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Scoring</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">109.7PPG (1st in League)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Field Goal %</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">49.3% (2nd in League)</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">3-Point %</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">37.0%</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Rebounds</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">43.0 RPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Assists</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">27.9APG (1st in League)</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana">Team Leaders</font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="seasonStats"> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Points</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">James28.0 PPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Rebounds</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Ilgauskas 12.1RPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Assists</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">James7.9 APG</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> <td> <table> <tbody> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Points</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Boozer 25.9 PPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Rebounds</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Boozer12.4 RPG</font></td> </tr> <tr> <td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Assists</font></td> <td><font face="Verdana" color="#5591c9">Williams9.4APG</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana">Key Matchup:SF -<font color="#b90456">LeBron James</font>v <font color="#5591c9">Andrei Kirilenko</font></font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="keyMatchup"> <td colspan="2"> <font face="Verdana">v This will be a very interesting matchup between two SFs averaging more than 7 boards and assists. Granted, LeBron scores 17 more points per game than his Russian counterpart, but Kirilenko is very valuable on the defensive end. Whilst he may not be able to keep up with LeBron down the floor,his post-defense including blocking ability could frustrate LeBron at times, and he must be sure not to let it get to him.</font></p> </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana">Keys to the Game</font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="keyStrategy"> <td> <ul>[*]<font face="Verdana"><font color="#b90456">Keep the tempo down-This is absolutely essential to a win for the Cavs. They are playing the team who average the most points, and second-best FG% in the League. They must attempt to slow them down and keep the possessions down. </font></font> [*]<font face="Verdana"><font color="#b90456">Shoot the ball well-From the stats, the Cavs stand virtually no chance of winning based on shooting. If they shoot poorly, they will lose, such is Utah's great ability. If they shoot well, they're in with a chance. </font></font> [*]<font face="Verdana"><font color="#b90456">DON'T LOSE FOCUS!!- The Cavs made the rookie error of celebrating whilst the ball could still be inbounded nine days ago in Utah. This allowed Deron Williams to sprint downcourt and make a layup for the win. The Cavs must NOT allow this to happen again.</font></font>[/list] </td> <td> <ul>[*]<font face="Verdana"><font color="#5591c9">Lock down on LeBron - If LeBron plays poorly, the Cavs will likely struggle, especially if the game is close down the stretch. Therefore, if the Jazz can stop him, they ought to be able to win.</font></font> [*]<font face="Verdana"><font color="#5591c9">Play quick basetball-Some of the Cavs' players can frequently be caught out of position on defense. If the Jazz play quick basketball, these mistakes can be exploited, and a win will be easier than otherwise. </font></font> [*]<font face="Verdana"><font color="#5591c9">Shoot well- The Jazz are the 2nd best team at shooting the ball this season. If they can keep this up tonight, the Cavs will stand little or no chance of winning.</font></font>[/list] </td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana">The Cavs since 2003 v Utah</font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="since03"> <td colspan="2"><font face="Verdana">The two teams have met 9 times. The Cavs have won 6 times and average 96.1 PPG, whilst the Jazz have won the other 3 and average 87.4 points. LeBron James averages 29 points, 8.6 rebounds and 6 assists against the Jazz, including a monster 32 point, 15 rebound, 13 assist performance just nine days ago, in Utah.</font></td> </tr> <tr class="sectHeader"> <td colspan="2"> <h4><font face="Verdana">Prediction</font></h4> </td> </tr> <tr class="prediction"> <td colspan="2"> <font face="Verdana">I can't be sure about this game. It vastly depends on the tempo of the game, but I will send a vote of confidence to the Cavs, as they will be concentrating harder than ever to avenge that painful defeat they suffered at the feet of Deron Williams, such was his speed.</font></p> <font face="Verdana" size="4"><font color="#b90456">97 </font>- <font color="#5591c9">94</font></font></p> </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p>
Boobie Gibson guarding Deron Williams advantage Utah. You're right tempo will be the key to this game, and Deron is going to dictate the tempo all night long. He's just too, good and the Cavs don't have a defensive point guard to keep him in check.</p> Cleveland will have to count on Utah having an off night from the perimeter if they want to win this game.</p> LeBron is having to do everything for his team right now. He's had three triple double games, and the Cavs have lost two of those three and the one time they won was against the Warriors by a mere 4 points. If the Warriors could make free throws, the Cavs would have lost that game as well.</p> Needless to say LeBron needs help and Cleveland better make a move to find him some before LeBron breaks down. With Hughes out for a month the Cavs depth weakens again.</p> </p>
Thing is, if the Cavs could make Free Throws they may have won the other games. Against the Magic, they lost by one, but.. Damnit, bad example, lol. They shot 80+% in that game (19-22). But against Utah they were 19-29, and they lost by two. Then against the Warriors they only shot 68%, so they would have won by more had they shot well. What they need is either a true PG or a reliable outside shooter at the 2. MICHAEL FREAKING REDD, why did you stay in Milwaukee? You had the chance at getting an NBA Championship, why did you squander it?</p>
