DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Cavs vs Celtics Game 6

It's going to be tough without Boobie, but I see a game 7 in our future.

http://www.sportsline.com/nba/gamecenter/preview/NBA_20080516_BOS@CLE

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio (AP) - It's do or summertime for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

One more loss, and a second straight Eastern Conference title is history.

One more win, and it's back to Chowderland for Game 7.

After squandering a 14-point lead at Boston in a hail of missed free throws and getting entangled by the Celtics' spiderweb-like defense in Game 5, LeBron James and his teammates are down 3-2 and facing elimination from the NBA playoffs on Friday night at Quicken Loans Arena.

They'll go into Game 6 short-handed.

Guard Daniel Gibson, one of the club's best perimeter shooters and a star in last year's postseason, separated his left shoulder going for a loose ball early in the fourth quarter of Game 5 and will need a minimum of one week to recover.

The Cavaliers may be done before he's well.

"It's something we didn't want to happen," James said following a light workout Thursday. "It's kind of the tale of our season - a guy goes down in the heat of a playoff series. He's very key to our team. It's not good seeing a guy who is that key to your team in a suit."

Gibson underwent an MRI on his shoulder after the club returned from Boston. He was not available for comment. As a few of his teammates got in some extra work, the second-year guard struggled to slip a T-shirt over his head before sitting on a courtside bench alongside James.

Gibson made two 3-pointers and scored 14 points in Cleveland's win in Game 4. In last year's Eastern Conference finals, he scored 31 points - 25 in the second half - as the Cavs put away the Detroit Pistons in Game 6 to advance to their first finals.

For them to force a Game 7 in Boston, the Cavaliers may need someone else to come off the bench and come through.

"We're not looking for a spectacular game from anybody," said James, who scored 35 points on 12-of-25 shooting in Game 5. "We just want to continue to do what we've been doing in the two wins we've had at home - guys stepped up. We're not looking for a guy to go out and score 30 points or anything like that."

Cleveland coach Mike Brown said he hasn't decided whether to play reserves Devin Brown or Damon Jones in Gibson's spot. He may just give extended minutes to swingman Sasha Pavlovic, who played only 10 - his average for the series - in Game 5.

The Cavaliers spent most of Thursday reviewing film before practicing their free throws. They went only 28-of-41 (68 percent) from the line in Boston and missed 10 in the second half, but what bothered them most was a lack of intensity in the third quarter, when the Celtics outscored them 29-17.

Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who scored just six points on only five shots in Game 5, couldn't explain Cleveland's passivity after leading 43-29 with less than four minutes to go in the first half.

"We had them on their heels," he said. "(In the second half) It just seemed like we really weren't into it. We came out a half-step slow."

And the Celtics blew right by Cleveland, especially point guard Rajon Rondo, who scored 20 points with 13 assists, two steals, two blocks and just one turnover in 42 minutes. Late in the first half, the Cavaliers left Rondo, not known for his outside shot, wide open and he knocked down two 3-pointers as the Celtics closed with a 14-3 run that gave them momentum they would carry into the second half.

Boston coach Doc Rivers doesn't expect the Cavs to give Rondo so much room next time. And, he doesn't want the youngster to get trigger happy, either.

"If they're going to leave him open, I want him to shoot it," Rivers said. "But I don't want him to look for it."

The Celtics, as has been well documented to this point, are still searching for their first road win of these playoffs. They're 7-0 at home, but 0-5 traveling outside Boston's city limits. They'd like nothing more than to get No. 1 in Cleveland, where the Cavs are 4-1.

Boston isn't the only team having road woes. So far in the second round, home teams are an eye-popping 19-1, a statistical testament if there ever was one to securing home-court advantage during the regular season. The only team to win an away game has been the Pistons, who won by a point in Orlando and are awaiting the winner of this series.

Rivers joked that the Celtics could try something drastic to snap the club's slide with their suitcases.

"I guess we could bring the scorekeepers, and bring all the wives on the road," he said. "We're not going to do that. We're just going to show up and play basketball."

No team has won an NBA title after losing its first five road playoff games or by winning just its home games.

The Cavaliers last faced an elimination game in last year's finals, and they didn't fare well as the San Antonio Spurs completed a four-game sweep. Despite the club's precarious situation, Brown, his coaching staff and Cleveland's players were remarkably loose as they prepared for what could be their final game of the season.

"You can't panic," guard Delonte West said. "This is when it gets fun. This is when you see what your team is made of."

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

Copyright 2007-2008, The Associated Press, All Rights Reserved

Quote:

---

but I see a game 6 in our future.

---

Oh yeah?

I think we're done. After the meltdown in game 5 and blowing that lead, wouldn't surprise me to see them lay an egg at home.

I really hope you're wrong...

I think that the Cavs will be on their game tonight. I just hope they're on enough to pull it off.

Boston still has only dominated us 1 game in this series. We went cold in game 5, but we were in control the 1st half.

I'd feel much better about this game if Boobie was playing. Who can step in and provide that clutch shooting, as well as solid defense in his place?

Wally better be on fire tonight or he goes straight to the bench. if he is not making his shots, he is too much of a liability on defense.

DJ SHOULD GET MINUTES TONITE......

We will need the offensive production off the bench tonite much more than the defense. Our defense will be motivated and playing hard in front of the home crowd, plus they know their season is on the line...


I just get this feeling that DJ could get hot and get going in a game like tonites, plus he spreads the floor better than Devin. The guy has a knack for being clutch.

I hope the Cavs win...

It'll be absolute hell tonight if we lose...I can't stand the idea of Boston beating us again.

i have a bad feeling about this game...

i think that with the fact that they have to win here, but also then go into boston and win, may keep their spirits down...

but hopefully the cleveland crowd can ride them into a game 7, and from there, anything can happen...

i think we'll have 3 game 7's, and the only team i really see be able to go on the road and win one, is san antonio, and that's because the hornets have never been there...

the jazz have absolutely no chance, and i give very little chance to the cavs...

but without gibson tonight, it is going to be tough, he is one of our best home-court guys... someone else is going to have to step up and give us 12-15 solid points...

i honestly think 20-1 for home teams in the second round is absurd, the nba needs to review these refs... there has been questionable officiating in the la/utah series, as well as the cavs/celtics series...

when lebron goes to the basket, gets hacked on the way to a layup, gets up off the floor with his headband over his eyes, and doesn't get a whistle, you know there is a problem.

This series is over, and i'm not going to let tonights false hope change my mind. The Cavs very well might win tonight by 20, but both teams are completely different at home.

The Cavs cannot beat Boston in Boston. The Celtics *and the NBA* will make sure of that.

Quote:

---

The Cavs cannot beat Boston in Boston.

---

I really don't see why they can't. They almost did in game 1 with a horrendous shooting night and should've had the last game if they didn't leave so many points on the floor with those missed free throws.

Keep the faith gentleman, we have LeBron James.

with him, it's always possible...

but i would not put money on it...

unless mike brown can find something..

maybe change his game plan up, go with damon jones, and run and gun the ENTIRE GAME... run bron' at the 1, damon at the two, and wally at the 3, and just have ben and andy at the bigs to grab offensive rebounds... play a little phoenix/golden state basketball...

i mean, why not? what do we have to lose? we're expected to lose in boston anyways...

I'm really excited about this game hopefully, the cavs give them a whipping and then take it to Boston and whip them some more.

if not... GO TRIBE

Let's go CAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Let's get it pumped up, down go the Celtics.

LOL at the first quarter. What an ugly game so far...

The ref's aren't making it any better either, on both sides of the ball.

18-18 after 1.

I really have no idea how we are up 9 at halftime

Man does Delonte give it all on the court. I really like that kid. Also Joe Smith has been big on the boards.

42-33 Cavs

West got a little too aggresive there.

LeBron takes another ill advised DEEP 3 pointer.

13-0 Boston run.

Cavs in the midst of a another choke job. Why can't we every stick with what works?

In HATE these little runs by Boston, where the hell is ur defense???

AND 1!!!! Woo!

Sup fellas! Just getting homefromwork. Iam SO SICK and tired of letting them back into games. With the exception of Game 3, we seem to get too relaxed or fall apart

This is the biggest 4th quarter of our season.

If we stay aggresive, and keep playing solid defense, this is an easy win.

Hopefully king james will turn his kill mode on...

Sasha needs to start, and Wally should come in off the bench. Ray Allen is not even a particle of dust in the game with Sasha in there.

Gawd. We are so bad when LeBron settles for jump shots.

Why do we always run our offense through LeBron in the 4th quarter?

I hate Wally and I hate Eddie House.

I like Wally more than I like Sasha, he has made two bonehead plays already.

Wally can catch fire at times and rarely misses a free throw.

Is this the end of the 3rd quarter or the end of the 4th?

72-69????

Let's go back to Boston!!!!!

my heart...

Back to Boston. Anything can happen as long as the Cavs have LBJ but with all of the "home cooking" the Cavs got from the refs tonight, you can bet the favor will be returned in Boston. Cavs season ends Sunday.

Game 7 will be the toughest challenge the cavs have faced all year. That crowd will be rockin and Boston is not gonna go down without a fight. Anyways the king has awoken!!!

Well if I was to blame for the Game 5 meltdown ... I did my part today! No posting on here, and I didn't watch the game on TV. Just followed the scores on the web.

I want to hear some MVP chants.

I will make an "Excl for MVP" shirt and wear it Sunday

Anybody know the tip-off time on Sunday for game seven?