Cavs' winning streak at five <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">Ilgauskas scores 30, reserves play big role in victory over Raptors This is getting pretty routine, eh? It was just another night of solid all-around basketball from the Cavaliers, who are starting to pick up steam in what is looking more and more like an inevitable roll to the playoffs. Make it five in a row after a 106-92 road thrashing of the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday, a victory that moved the Cavaliers into a tie with the New York Knicks for sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. That's the longest winning streak in three seasons, and the Cavaliers have now won 9-of-11. It's coming so easily now that it's hard to believe the Cavaliers (29-36) were once 6-19 and 0-13 away from Gund Arena. Since that horrific start, they are 11-10 on the road. ``It's happening at the right time for us,'' coach Paul Silas said. ``Guys are coming together, they are liking each other, trusting one another and the result is we are putting up some nice wins.''</div> Full Story
Yea like our oh great Leo Rautins said the Cavaliers starting 5 are much better than many think since all the trades went down. The now have a real points guard that can be the floor general, do it all LJ the 2, Eric Williams who is a decent defender and has underatted scoring ability at the 3, Soon to be All-Star Boozer, and a 7'3 Center who can light it up anytime and is also playing in the East. Comparing their starting 5 to some of the better teams you can see they're pretty well off, the only prob is their bench kinda. Battie is a good player/veteran presence , and Ollie a good veteran rest giving guy. Wagner is still young and confused (why don't you just play point), and so are a lot of the other guys (Diop, Kedrick). CLE has the good starting five, role players, veterans, leaders, and the bench is a little lacking but is decent compared to some teams (Toronto *cough**cough*, Orlando) Like Rautins said look at the comparison: Would you trade: Ilguaskas for Jeff Foster - No way Boozer for Jermaine O'neal - Hmm I dunno (you had to think about it) Lebron James for Ron Artest - ?? Eric Williams for Reggie Miller - (you had to think again) Jeff McInnis for Jamaal Tinsley - probably not the bench is a different story with Jonathan Bender, Al Harrington etc.
Cavaliers make drive to five <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> Toronto- The second time around was enough to convince Mo Peterson about these new Cavaliers. They are certainly not the same team Toronto faced here in January. "They're playing with a lot of confidence," said Peter son, guard for the Raptors. "They're playing like a playoff team. With the team they have, and by the way they're playing, the Cavs are going to be dangerous in the playoffs." Last night, the Cavs withstood a Raptors' rally by countering with a rally of their own before finishing off Toronto, 106-92, at the Air Canada Centre. Zydrunas Ilgauskas led the Cavs with 30 points and newcomer Lee Nailon scored 15 points from off the bench. Carlos Boozer had 11 points and 13 rebounds and LeBron James scored 14. The Cavs (29-36) are now considered dangerous because they have won five straight, and they are tied with the New York Knicks for the sixth playoff spot. The Cavs also have become a threat because they are 11-10 on the road since starting the season with 13 straight road losses. </div> Full Story
Not much thinking on my part. I'd trade Booz for J'Oneal. Boozer is a great player, but O'Neal has physical abilities that Boozer will never have, and he has a better all around offensive and defensive game. I'm not taking a shot at Boozer in anyway, there are only a few PFs in the game I'd trade him for.
If I forced myself NOT to think......................I'd probably make the trade as well................But when sanity returned!!!! 2 seconds worth of thought would be enough to convince me that I couldn't come up with the logic to cough up the 120 million over 7 yrs that it would take to buy what little difference there is between these two players!! In a fantasy world maybe!!...........In the real world, not a chance. Just how I see it....................Tank
You're reading into it a lot more than I was. If I could trade Booz for O'Neal straight up, I'd do it right away. They were hypothetical scenarios, not real world ones.
There is a large difference between the two. Oneal is elite, Boozer is not. No comparison. The only area Boozer is slightly better is boarding, but every other area, O'Neal is sooooooo far superior. In the real world in a year or two, Boozer contract will be big, but thankfully not Jermaine big. The Cavs are in fantasy land now with Boozers current contract, as they are with James. However they are in a nightmare with Ollie and Newble!
If 7 pts a game is what makes ONeal elite so be it!! But Soooooo superior in every other area I can't buy. I'd hate to have to live on the difference between their stat lines. O'neal has a slight edge in blocks and assists, give the nod to Boozer in FG%, Steals, TO's and Rbds. Just as a side note, If Boozer figured in the offense, which he doesn't, and he took 7 or 8 shots a game more to even him up with O'Neal, at his FG% he'd be right there in PPG as well. We've got a great player here, at a bargain price! Enjoy it while it lasts.................the price of poker is going up........Tank
All Cavs fans can do is smile. They got one of the best steals of all the time in last season's draft & quite posssibly the best draft picks of all time this season. This is without a doubt a very special team that will only continue to get better. Nonetheless...I'm still hoping you guys don't make the playoffs this year.
