What the Kobe-LeBron Matchup Proved on Christmas Day

It was one of the most anticipated matchups of the NBA’s regular season: The Lakers vs. the Cavaliers. Kobe Bryant vs. LeBron James.

Surprisingly, it was over almost as soon as it started. Cleveland turned in a dominant performance and won, 102-87. What did we learn?

Whether Kobe is better than LeBron, or vice-versa? No.

Whether the Lakers are better than the Cavs? No.

Whether Shaq has truly made that championship difference for Cleveland? No.

What we learned, plain and simple, is that the game takes place inside the black lines. And the game we saw revealed a Cavaliers team that is a contender, not a pretender.

That’s about it. For Cleveland fans, it was enough.

The Cavaliers were coming off of solid wins at Phoenix and Sacramento. The ability to consistently win on the road is an indication of a quality team, and the Cavs have looked good on their current West Coast swing.

Still, this was different. This was the league’s current marquee team, the defending champions. And the Cavaliers were not intimidated.

It was the classic setup: The Lakers had everything to lose, and the Cavaliers had everything to gain. Gain, they did.

O’Neal played just 22 minutes but was effective during his time on the floor, making his presence known and banging bodies when needed. He had 11 points and 7 rebounds, matching his season averages.

The story for the Cavs was their constant pressure on defense, paired with the sudden resurgence of point guard Mo Williams.

Williams was the key to Cleveland’s victory. His pinpoint shooting kept the Lakers honest on defense, countering the all-eyes-on-LeBron expectations of the media and a national television audience.

It was Williams who led the Cavaliers’ charge, netting 28 points and consistently hitting the big shots that stemmed the tide of Laker momentum. James provided a fairly typical 26 points and 9 assists, choosing to defer to his teammates on offense and take what the Lakers gave him.

Also opening eyes: Jamario Moon, who teamed with Anthony Parker to harass Bryant and keep the Lakers off-balance as much as possible. Moon, who has shown signs of brilliance at times this year, finished with 13 points on the night.

Bryant tallied a game-high 35 points, but his 11-for-32 shooting performance revealed the effectiveness of the Cavs’ defensive approach: Understand that he’ll get his points, just make it as difficult as possible.

The final minutes of the game deteriorated into a series of Laker technical fouls and some petulant fan behavior, as a few of the L.A. faithful resorted to tossing foam finger souvenirs onto the court in protest of the officiating.

It meant little, if anything. The Lakers were frustrated—it was only their fifth loss of the season—and so were their fans. Who could blame them?

What mattered, from Cleveland’s perspective, is that they met the Lakers on their own floor—on national TV, no less—and made a statement. LeBron played as expected. Williams played even better. Moon was a factor, as was super-sub Anderson Varejao.

Meanwhile, Shaq did exactly what he was acquired to do, offering flashes of his old self during limited time on the floor and matching Pau Gasol’s productivity on the night.

It all added up to a big win for Cleveland. They’re on a roll right now, and their Christmas Day victory proved that it’s no fluke.

The Cavs have done this before, however. They’ve played great games in the regular season only to see things dissolve into uninspired performances deep into the playoffs.

Round One went to Cleveland. Certainly, we were reminded that, as good as Bryant and James are, they're only as good as their supporting casts when it comes to title hopes. This time, LeBron's teammates played better.

But it’s a long season. The Lakers know how to make adjustments when necessary. Odds are they’ll still be standing when the NBA Finals begin next summer.

If the Cavs can maintain the level of play they displayed on Christmas, they’ll have a shot at being there, too. Then, and only then, will we find out who the better team is.

Cavs' TV Ratings Surge in Cincy, Recalling When The Royals Reigned in Ohio

The Cleveland Cavaliers not only have The King, they are the kings when it comes to television ratings in Ohio.

The Akron Beacon Journal reported Tuesday that Fox Sports Ohio’s television ratings for Cavaliers games are up 27 percent overall from last year. Particularly encouraging are the numbers in the central and southern parts of the state.

Ratings are up 47 percent in Columbus. Apart from the NHL's Blue Jackets, fans there are frequently divided between Cleveland and Cincinnati when it comes to following pro sports—Browns vs. Bengals, Reds vs. Indians. But there’s no competition when it comes to the NBA. LeBron and the Cavaliers are the only game in town.

Now the Cavs' popularity is increasing in Cincinnati, too. Ratings there have jumped a whopping 93 percent this year, as the addition of Shaquille O’Neal has apparently improved the Cavaliers marquee value in the southernmost part of the state. That's no small feat, considering that Cincinnati is actually closer geographically to Indianapolis, home of the Indiana Pacers.

It's ironic because there was a time when Cincinnati was Ohio’s only pro basketball home, and the eyes of Cleveland turned there for a hoops fix. From 1957 to 1972, the Cincinnati Royals represented much of the Midwest as they matured along with the growing, but struggling National Basketball Association.

The Royals arrived in Cincinnati after nine seasons in Rochester, N.Y., where they won an NBA championship and reached the playoffs seven times. They would make the playoffs on seven more occasions during their 14-year run on the shores of the Ohio River, and during that time feature a few of the game’s most legendary names on their roster.

As a boy growing up in Northern Ohio, I was loyal to the Browns and Indians. But I quickly realized that, when it came to the NBA, the Royals were the team I would love. In the '60s they had the coolest uniforms, with the name “Royals” appearing vertically down the side of their jerseys. And they had one of the game’s greatest players, Oscar Robertson.

Robertson dominated the guard position from the time he arrived as a rookie out of the University of Cincinnati. The transition to the pro game was child’s play for the Big O, who averaged 30.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 9.7 assists a game his first year.

The following season, 1961-62, he established a statistical standard that remains unmatched, averaging a triple-double by tallying 30.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 11.4 points a game. It was an astonishing feat, second only to Wilt Chamberlain’s dizzying statistics during the same era.

Robertson would win an MVP award in 1964, after he was teamed with former Ohio State standout Jerry Lucas (both pictured above) to make the Royals a formidable championship contender. However, the franchise suffered from dubious ownership throughout their stay in Cincinnati making it difficult for the team to fulfill its budding potential.

I was a tad young to appreciate the Royals’ earliest years in the city when stars such as Jack Twyman, Maurice Stokes, and Wayne Embry patrolled the hardwood. As my childhood interest peaked, my loyalties were with players such Tom Van Arsdale, Norm Van Lier, Johnny Green, and Connie Dierking.

By the late 1960s, the Royals played occasional "home" games in other Midwestern cities, including about 10 a year in Cleveland. This practice, intended to build a broader fan base, also drew attention to Cleveland as a desirable location for an NBA franchise.

The Cavaliers entered the league in 1970 and gradually won the hearts of fans in Northern Ohio. Despite the hiring of the legendary Bob Cousy as coach in 1969, the Royals could not maintain enough fan support over the next three seasons. They moved in 1972 and became the Kansas City-Omaha Kings.

The pro basketball landscape was changing. When the Royals first set up shop in Cincinnati, the NBA was an eight-team operation. Like other pro leagues at the time, it was based in the eastern United States. Minneapolis and St. Louis were the farthest points west.

It was a simpler time, before multimillion-dollar player contracts and mega-deals for television rights. There was no ESPN or TNT, and there were no regional cable networks beaming every game, home and away, into our living rooms as they do today.

One "game of the week" appeared on network television. (You can see vintage footage on YouTube.) I would sit eagerly in front of our Zenith black-and-white set, watching Robertson, Russell, Chamberlain, West, and the other stars of that era as they literally built the foundation for the NBA we know today.

As a Royals fan in the '60s, I was lucky to catch a scratchy broadcast on the AM radio in our kitchen. Most often, I had to wait until I arrived home from school the next day to find the box score in the newspaper and learn whether the Royals had won or lost.

Game after game, Robertson's stat line would jump out at you, with 30 even 40 points to his credit. I could just imagine the Big O posting up smaller players, zipping pinpoint passes to open teammates, or launching his trademark one-handed shot to the basket.

Stars burned just as brightly in young boy's imaginations back then as they do now, on the big stage of nightly television broadcasts and multimillion-dollar commercials.

Things are drastically different today. Money, marketing, and marquee names drive the NBA. Perennial playoff teams like the Cavaliers are not only fixtures in their local market, they're frequently featured on national broadcasts, as well.

The addition of O'Neal to Cleveland's roster has caused even more Cavaliers merchandise to fly off the shelves. Home games routinely sell out at Quicken Loans Arena.

The Royals/Kings have long since moved to Sacramento, where they’ve toiled in an odd sort of West Coast obscurity for most of their 25 seasons, despite a run of eight straight playoff appearances and a trip to the Western Conference Finals in 2002.

But there was a time when the kings of Ohio basketball operated out of the Queen City. The Royals of Cincinnati were my first NBA love and still hold a special place in the hearts of die-hard hoops fans throughout the Midwest.

(This article also appears on BleacherReport.com.)

Minus LeBron: The Cavs' 'Non-LeBron' Team Since 2003

The fortunes of the Cleveland Cavaliers changed dramatically in 2003, when the team hit the NBA Draft lottery jackpot and secured the first overall pick. Their choice of LeBron James literally turned the franchise around and placed the city of Cleveland on the NBA map.

Within two seasons the Cavs went from a hapless 17-win pretender to a 42-win playoff contender. Two years later, they played in their first NBA Finals. Two years after that, James was the league MVP.

Conventional wisdom dictates that, to be considered one of the truly legendary NBA stars, LeBron will have to win at least one championship during his career. It’s also widely held that, just as Michael Jordan had his Scottie Pippen, LeBron will need a true, star-caliber sidekick to get his ring.

The Cavs have tried to deliver, but thus far have come up short. The jury is still out on the current pairing of James with Shaquille O’Neal; however, Shaq has rarely, if ever, been considered sidekick material.

As Cleveland tries to steady its current ship for another title run, let’s look at the “All Non-LeBron” team: the five best players—apart from James—who have played for the Cavs since his arrival in the NBA in 2003.


Forward: Drew Gooden

At times puzzling and sometimes accused of being lazy, Gooden nonetheless manned the power forward position capably for three-plus seasons and was with the Cavs for their only appearance in the Finals in 2007.

His defense was suspect, but he was a scoring threat on offense and was an above-average rebounder. His numbers with the Cavs from 2004 through 2008: 12.0 points and 8.6 rebounds a game.


Forward: Carlos Boozer

It’s problematic selecting two power forwards, but James has been the small forward since his rookie season, so Boozer it is—despite the fact that he is one of the most despised players among the Cavalier faithful.

His backing out of a handshake agreement with then-Cavs owner Gordon Gund in 2004 burned his bridges to Cleveland. However, there can be no disputing the fact that Boozer was on his way to being one of the league’s best power forwards, even back then.

He only played one season with LeBron, 2003-04, but he averaged 15.5 points and 11.4 rebounds a game. No Cavalier has averaged a double-double since, nor has anyone averaged double figures in rebounding alone. Although Boozer’s not a popular choice, he’s a logical one.


Center: Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Big Z has remained healthy during James’ career, recording solid numbers for six straight seasons as the Cavs developed into one of the league’s elite teams. His numbers since 2003: 14.1 points and 8.0 rebounds per game.

He was also an All-Star in 2007. Ilgauskas is a respected elder statesman in the NBA and has been one of the league’s most consistent, if not spectacular, centers.


Point Guard: Mo Williams

The fact that Williams is in only his second season with the Cavs shows just how shallow the talent pool has been since LeBron’s arrival. Who else could one possibly choose? Eric Snow? Jeff McInnis ?

Just as Boozer put up big numbers in LeBron’s first year, Williams instantly did so last season, averaging nearly 18 points a game and stretching defenses with his deadly outside shot. Williams is not a classic point guard, but continues to fill the position admirably for lack of another option.


Shooting Guard: Larry Hughes

If choosing Boozer rankled any of the Cavalier faithful, tapping Hughes might really stir things up. But, love him or hate him, Hughes posted some of the best numbers of any Cleveland player during the past six years.

He averaged 15.5 points in 2005, until that season was cut short by a broken finger. In parts of three seasons with the LeBron-led Cavaliers, Hughes averaged 14.3 points a game.


There are some notable Cavaliers absent from the list, but not many. Delonte West is the only other true candidate at guard; however, his 10 points a game and gutsy court presence have been offset by ongoing personal and legal problems. He’s been dropped from the starting lineup this year.

Then there's Anderson Varejao, who, even though he's always a factor when on the court, has been primarily a bench player during his six-year career.

What is also painfully evident from the above list: There has been no co-star for LeBron to pair with since 2003, no one truly capable of helping James lead the Cavaliers to the title. Shaq was brought in to be that guy, but the early returns have been rocky at best.

Time and circumstances may keep James in Cleveland for three more years beginning in 2010, regardless of what other teams offer. But GM Danny Ferry will need to secure another marquee star between now and then if the Cavs hope to compete for a championship and, more important, keep LeBron in the wine and gold for the long term.

This article is also posted on BleacherReport.com.

Writing at BleacherReport.com

Haven't been writing here of late, because I landed at BleacherReport.com. BR is an interesting site; you can write as often as you like, on just about any sports-related topic. You post the articles yourself, and other members then comment on your opinions and/or reporting. Often, spirited discussions ensue. I've noticed a lot of writers also post their articles to their own blogs, so I'll start doing the same.

Along the way, I've been designated a "featured columnist" about the Cleveland Cavaliers, so I write most frequently about them. Most recently, I wrote about how the Cavs' ties to China may give them the advantage in the LeBron James free agency sweepstakes next summer. Read it here: In the LeBron James Sweepstakes, the Cavs' China Ties May Trump New York.

I also write from time to time about the Browns. After their win over Pittsburgh, I commented on the value of Josh Cribbs: Josh Cribbs: A Link to Cleveland's Past, and Hope for the Browns' Future.

My BR writer profile is located here, and you can also check out my full archive of articles.

Feel free to comment here when you see new posts. If you're an avid sports fan, register at Bleacher Report and you can comment on my articles, or any others on the site. Or, you can take a stab at writing, yourself.

As always, thanks for reading.

The Cavs Will Win It All; the Tribe and Browns, Not So Much

As I write this entry, the Cavs have opened up a 13-2 lead to start the season opener against Boston.

But that's not why I'm going out on a limb and saying that Cleveland will win the NBA title this year. Nor is it Shaq. Or Anthony Parker. Or Jamario Moon. Although, those three will make a huge difference, as I said last time.

It's because the Cavs lost to the Orlando Magic in last year's Eastern Conference finals. Face it, they didn't expect that to happen. They were supremely confident, and certain that they were going to make it to the Finals -- and win.

They didn't. It was a tough pill to swallow. But it was the last piece of humble pie that they needed to eat, apparently. I wrote about this in detail in an article on BleacherReport.com.

Acta Skips the 'Stros to Skip the Tribe

OK, so the Indians went ahead and hired Manny Acta as their new manager. I was skeptical about Acta last time, but, now that the deed is done, I'll be pulling for him to do well.

Acta -- unlike, say, Bobby Valentine (what was his deal, anyway?) -- said all the right things after his interviews. He talked like he was enthusiastic about the Indians and wanted the job badly, and then put his money where his mouth was.

He says the Tribe has great young talent. I'll take his word for it. No question, Acta's appeal had a lot to do with his Latino heritage, and the fact that the Indians' system is loaded with Latino players.

But Acta has his work cut out for him. Not only does he need to nurture the Tribe's young talent, he has to win over a cynical fan base in Cleveland. It seems like longer than two years ago that the Indians were on the verge of advancing to the World Series, but that's all it was -- two years ago, in 2007.

Cleveland fans are jaded. Add in the debacle that is the Browns, and it doesn't make the situation any easier for the Tribe's new skipper. It will be an interesting offseason and crucial spring training for Acta as he begins his tenure at Progressive Field.

Anderson? Why?

Derek Anderson followed up a pitiful game in Buffalo with equally pitiful games against Pittsburgh and Green Bay. To his credit, he got the Browns a win, somehow. But he's not exactly instilling confidence in the Cleveland faithful.

No point laboring the statistical comparison to Brady Quinn. Quinn's number's in 10 quarters of play are better -- significantly so, some would say -- than Anderson's have been in the 18 since.

The 31-3 loss to the Packers has been called by some the worst Browns performance since their return to the league in 1999. And Anderson was at the helm. Yet Eric Mangini won't budge in his commitment to D.A.

Apparently, Quinn's window of opportunity in Cleveland has been closed. If so, it was shockingly short. But why? Anderson is proving he's not the answer.

At this rate, Mangini would be better off cutting his losses and going to his third QB, Jets import Brett Ratliff.

Or, he could do something interesting and go with Josh Cribbs. Make it a wildcat offense on every play. Cribbs was Kent State's quarterback for four years. Could he possibly be worse than what we've witnessed? One thing's for certain: He wouldn't be as boring, and the team would likely score some points.

What a sad state of affairs for a once proud franchise.

Whatever. At least the Cavs are back, and for that, Cleveland fans can be grateful.

On Shaq, Phil, Brady, Josh...and Sweet Lou Brown

Caught the Cavs’ preseason game Wednesday night against Washington. LeBron James was out with flu symptoms, so it was up to Shaquille O’Neal to make things interesting, and he did, scoring 13 points and grabbing six rebounds in less than 20 minutes of action. You don’t get much from preseason games, but:

-- O’Neal looks good. If he averages 13 and 6 this season, he’ll match what Zydrunas Ilgauskas put up a year ago. If last night’s game was any indication, he’ll exceed that. He remains a force.

-- O’Neal is also entertaining. All eyes were on him, especially with LeBron out. He handles the attention and adulation with ease and is calm and unflappable. That will rub off on his teammates.

-- Ilgauskas looks lost. Sure, he’s adjusting to coming off the bench. But Mike Brown has to find a way to make Big Z feel like he’s an integral part of what’s going on out there. He was mostly on the floor with second, third and even fourth-stringers, and he didn't appear to be comfortable.

-- Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon are going to make a big difference. In fact, if this team stays healthy, they will be incredibly deep and versatile.

All that said, there was no real electricity in the arena last night, and that’s because LeBron wasn’t there. Anyone who doubts how much he transcends the sport today simply isn’t paying attention. It’s his team, his city, and, for that matter, his league. No one on the floor last night comes remotely close to James in talent. Dan Gilbert needs to do whatever is necessary to keep Number 23 in a Cavaliers uniform.

Browns fans can relax: Phil Dawson is on the mend! Let’s face it, the co-MVPs of this team are Dawson and punter Dave Zastudil (last week’s AFC Special Teams Player of the Week) -- at least, that’s how it seems. Dawson, who has been nursing a sore hamstring for two weeks, may not kick against Pittsburgh this week, but should be fine for the Packers the following week. I’ve said before that Dawson has quietly put up numbers that make him one of the all-time greats in Browns history. You can read my thoughts on the subject here. Maybe the new Browns marketing slogan should be, “We’re Kickin’ in Cleveland!”

So Brady Quinn has put his house up for sale. Wouldn’t you? All the right things have been said this week, by Quinn and the Browns. But the situation is curious, if not ominous. Reports say Quinn is unhappy with his benching. Ah, yet another young quarterback casualty in Cleveland. What a mess. Eric Mangini seems committed to Derek Anderson, who has steered the ship through two close games. Yet Anderson’s 2-for-17 performance against Buffalo was so astonishingly inept that it’s impossible to believe he’s the answer. But, as Terry Pluto pointed out in the Cleveland Plain Dealer, the Browns think their running game has improved because D.A. is a threat to throw deep. So Anderson it is, and, one way or another, Quinn will be moving.

Peter King of Sports Illustrated thinks Josh Cribbs is the best special teams player in the NFL. He’s not alone. I joked with a guy at the stadium recently that the Browns should line Cribbs up 30 yards behind the quarterback on offense, and then have Anderson turn around and throw a high lob pass back to him. In other words, simulate a punt or kickoff return on every play. The law of averages, not to mention recent evidence, says that Cribbs would return one for a touchdown more frequently than the rest of the offense would ever score.

Cribbs was an explosive offensive weapon at Kent State (right), where he played quarterback for four seasons, leaving as the all-time total offense leader with 10,839 yards. He also holds school records in completions, passing yards, touchdowns and total points. Twice, he rushed and passed for over 1,000 yards in the same season -- one of only four players in NCAA history to accomplish that feat. His senior year, he completed 64.5 percent of his passes for 2,215 yards and 17 touchdowns, against just six interceptions. He also rushed for 893 yards and nine TDs! He is the only player in NCAA history to lead his team in passing and rushing for four consecutive seasons.

And we’re lamenting the fact that he isn’t a true #2…receiver? The mind reels. All I know is, when Josh Cribbs steps on the field, there is hope. Make of it what you will.

Good one, Big Ben – very funny: Read an item that said when Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, an Ohio native, was passed over by the Browns in the 2004 draft – they traded up to take Kellen Winslow – Big Ben was upset. Now, he admits he “wouldn’t trade where I am now for anything. . .I’m kind of happy here.” No kidding.

The Indians are interviewing Manny Acta for their managerial position? Really? Acta went 158-252 in two-plus seasons managing the Washington Nationals. I mean, could we please bring in a proven winner? Is it that hard?

Then again, it is the suddenly moribund Indians. The mind wanders to the classic line from that wise sage Lou Brown (left) in the movie “Major League,” when fictional GM Charlie Donovan calls him at the auto shop where he's working and asks him if he’d like to manage the Tribe: “Let me get back to you, will ya’, Charlie? I’ve got a guy on the other line asking about some white walls.”

Till next time…

The Fun Was (Almost) Back in Browns' Town

Random observations after taking in the Browns’ 23-20 overtime loss at the stadium Sunday…

Who is Mohamed Massaquoi, and why are we just now hearing about him? It’s not just the fact that he caught eight passes for 148 yards. It’s the way he caught them. While being hit. While being held. Juggling and concentrating and refusing to be denied. If it was near him, he was gonna catch it. Braylon who?

Jerome Harrison…Jamal Lewis. Jerome Harrison…Jamal Lewis. After Harrison’s 121-yard day as the featured back, what’s to decide?

Staunch defender of letting Brady Quinn make mistakes and learn on the job that I have been, I must admit that Derek Anderson looked more comfortable, more in control than Quinn has. And his teammates looked more willing to play for him. I just wish Anderson would step up and be great, or at least very good. Show some swagger and don’t ever look back, D.A. Cleveland turns its lonely eyes to you.

Josh Cribbs is a force of nature. Simply a remarkable return man. He piled up 203 return yards on the day -- 58 on one kickoff, along with punt returns of 39 and 50 yards. There is an electricity in the air when he drops back to return a kick. People expect something big to happen. Add that to what he does defending on special teams, as well as playing receiver and occasionally carrying the ball on offense, and you have your team MVP.

Kudos to the offensive line. Cincinnati can bring pressure up front, and the Browns’ blockers did a pretty decent job. A friend of mine who played on the line for the Browns 20 years ago said he watched rookie center Alex Mack most of the day and came away favorably impressed. I’ll take his word for it.

Shaun Rogers? Two blocked kicks? That was impressive. Took four Bengals’ points off the board, all by himself. And the final one, on an extra point that would have given Cincinnati a one-point lead at the end of regulation, spelled H-E-A-R-T, in capital letters.

Eric Mangini may have lucked his way into a promising situation. If so, good for him. But he found something in the trifecta of Anderson, Harrison and Massaquoi. They were very good Sunday, all three of them, playing positions where -- let’s face it -- nobody was doing anything before that. That can turn a season around. I don’t see the Browns winning a ton of games, but I think they could win a representative number now. Couldn’t say that before yesterday.

Randy Lerner should put on jeans and a jacket, tell his front office staff to do the same, and then spread out and sit among the fans some Sunday. Wear disguises if need be. They need to see and hear for themselves how loyal and hopeful and forgiving Browns fans are. My son and I sat in the southwest corner of the stadium, and the fans were as entertaining as the game. They were knowledgeable. They were funny. They were passionate. They were loud. But, most of all, they were dedicated. They shouted criticisms when it was deserved, and rose to their feet as one and cheered wildly when the guys in the brown jerseys did something right. They exchanged barbs with Bengals fans seated in the same area. One guy had the audacity to stroll through our section wearing a Steelers jersey, and was greeted by a good-natured chorus of boos as he laughed and cooperatively egged his critics on. The atmosphere was fun and upbeat. It’s something you can’t appreciate watching a game on television. These people deserve better than what they’ve been given over the past eleven seasons. Lerner and company should give it to them.

It wasn’t a win. But it wasn’t a total disappointment, either. Fans were upbeat filing out of the stadium. The Browns looked like a professional football team for the first time all season. It’s about time. Thankfully, we came away with the hope there are more such times just ahead.