<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> originally posted by Hail to the Theif <font size="14">VS</font> <font color="navy">Indiana Pacers</font> (0-0) @ <font color="DarkRed">Cleveland Cavaliers</font> (0-0) Wednesday, November 3 SEASON OPENER Cavaliers vs. Indiana Pacers Gund Arena 7:00 p.m. ET Head Coaches Paul Silas/ Rick Carlisle Probable Starters Jeff McInnis vs Jamaal Tinsley Lucious Harris vs Stephen Jackson LeBron James vs Ron Artest Drew Gooden vs Austin Croshere Zydrunas Ilgauskas vs Scott Pollard 6th Men Eric Snow/Fred Jones Players To Watch LeBron James/Ron Arteset Preseason Stats James: 15.8 points, 3.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists 1.38 steals Ron Artest: 21.4 points, 5.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists Fast Fact 1st game of the season. The last time these two faced each other it was untelivised but also remembered as one of the best games last year. Injury Lists Cleveland Cavaliers DeSegana Diop Dajuan Wagner Indiana Pacers Jermaine O'Neal Reggie Miller Jeff Foster <font color="blue">Street's Keys to the Game</font> - Exploit the Pacer's lack of depth! With 2 usual starters and key bench players missing, getting the Pacers into foul trouble would be a big plus. Attacking the basket is the key to drawing these fouls. - Feed the ball into the post. Scott Pollard will have all kinds of trouble trying to contain our Lithuanian beast, in Ilgauskas, and Jonathan Bender is not a very impressive defender. The Z/Gooden combo could have big games. - Contain Ron Artest and Stephen Jackson. Aside from these 2 players, the Pacers have basically no offensive threats whatsoever. Containing Artest and Jackson could easily equal a win. Tough first game for the new look Cavaliers. Indiana will be tough after resigning Anthony Johnson, and the talents of Eddie Gill and James Jones. Your thoughts..... </div> Props: RealCavsFans
ummm... in your injured list... it's Jeff, not Greg Foster... I think it'll be a good game... I've been waitin' to see how Steven Jackson and David Harrison fairs in a real regular season game... Also, since I *usually* dismiss the Cavs... we're really hurt so it should be on equal terms to maybe a slight advantage for the Cavs...
The Cavs will probably take this one. The Pacers are without three of their regular starting lineup and I doubt Artest and Jackson can use their wing play to carry the team. Nobody could really guard Z and Gooden if Silas decides to let them take advantage of the Pacer's lack of post defense, and I think that's what Silas would do. Croshere is really not quick enough to contend with Gooden.
I think the cavs should take this one for sure, will they is a different story. We have to exploit the big men with foster and O'Neal out. Bender has missed time too and I doubt he will be up to par. Bron is going to have to lose Artest quite a few times to have anything more than a decent game. Z and gooden are the keys.
I expect a win tonight for the Cavs. The Pacer big men wont be able to do much against Z and Drew. And Artest will have his hands full with LeBron. The wounded Indiana is still a dangerous team, we should not take them lightly. But the Cavs should be able to pull off a win tonight.
Only a half in, but Drew Gooden has been horribly disappointing. Thank god the Cavs have Z, because without him they'd be getting a spanking.
I just looked on gameday and Big Z had 16 pts and 9 reb's. Not bad, but McInnis and Gooden aren't getting the job done... Halftime 46-40 Pacers lead.
Good to see Z and LeBron in great form (35 points, 18 rebounds for Z and 28 points for LeBron), although Gooden and McInnes were a bit disappointing (4 and 7 points respectively). Not good that they lost, but at least they gave it their best shot and they should get better as the season progresses. I can see big things for them now.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Pacers Overcome Big Z, LeBron's Three in 2OT LeBron James forced an extra period twice on Wednesday, but the Cavaliers dropped their season opener 109-104 to the visiting Pacers. Zydrunas Ilgauskas tied his career high with 35 points and pulled down 18 boards. James also starred, scoring 28 points and handing out eight assists for Cleveland.</div> Full Story: http://www.nba.com/cavaliers/news/gameday_pacers_041104.html
J-Mac was hard to watch, and LeBron made some decsions that were just totally confusing. That behind the back TO and the bad dump in pass to Traylor, what was up with that. oh, yeah and make a free throw.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting mustafa_shakur:</div><div class="quote_post">J-Mac was hard to watch, and LeBron made some decsions that were just totally confusing. That behind the back TO and the bad dump in pass to Traylor, what was up with that. oh, yeah and make a free throw.</div> Wow, it's nice to see a Cavalier fan with an accurate analysis of Lebron for once. Still give the man (yes, he's a man now) credit for playing a great game. I doubt that Z will put up numbers like this every night, but he could probably average close to 20 and 8 if he stays healthy.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Jurassic:</div><div class="quote_post">Wow, it's nice to see a Cavalier fan with an accurate analysis of Lebron for once. Still give the man (yes, he's a man now) credit for playing a great game. I doubt that Z will put up numbers like this every night, but he could probably average close to 20 and 8 if he stays healthy.</div> No doubt he played a solid all-around game, but he's got to work on some things for sure. He has to shoot free throws better. He got caught trying to be flashy too, and that's uncalled for. There are also times when maybe he shouldn't shoot and he does and when he should shoot and he doesn't. He spent so much time eyeing up that one three pointer that it missed the rim. Sometimes it's better to just shoot like you would if someone is in your face or else you get almost to much time to think about it. He had a good game in spite of these things. Another thing, and this is about Ron Artest... Is he going to wear 33 for scottie pippen next? He wore 23 and everyone thinks Jordan when they see 23. Dennis Rodman is the only player I can think of off the top of my head ever to wear 91. So I would bet 33 is next.
make a free throw?just b/c he missed that one late and missed i think 2 the whole game.that dump pass and behind the back was dumb but he did his part on the line,just missed that first one in OT.
When I said make a free throw it was in regards to the team in general. We can't be missing free throws like this and expect to win games. We have no one that is a sure thing at the free throw line. Ever see steve nash miss? not very often. Indiana was solid from the line down the strech and me were not, that was the difference between a win and a loss.
