More Than LeBron James; Cleveland Cavaliers' Depth Puts Them Atop NBA

He may not have his Scottie Pippen-like sidekick, but LeBron James isn’t complaining.

Cleveland’s all-everything superstar picked up his third Eastern Conference Player of the Week award following a stretch that proved the Cavaliers are anything but a one-man show.

Latest exhibit: The emergence of forward Jawad Williams.

The former North Carolina Tar Heel, who grew up in the suburbs of Cleveland, began playing meaningful minutes when Jamario Moon was sidelined with an abdominal strain Jan. 5.

With Moon out three weeks, coach Mike Brown turned to Williams, who has responded by averaging eight points in 17 minutes a game. That’s an upgrade over Moon’s season average of five points a game.

It’s been a pleasant surprise for the Cavaliers, who seem to just keep on getting richer.

Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas have figured out how to make their tag-team arrangement work at center. Their teammates have adjusted to the improbable pairing and have learned how to play to their big men’s strengths.

Delonte West is giving opponents fits off the bench, exhibiting the savvy and resilience of the seasoned pro that he is.

Anderson Varejao, meanwhile, has responded to Brown’s guidance and repented, at least somewhat, of his renowned flopping ways. A recent article in the Cleveland Plain Dealer detailed Varejao’s new approach to defense and how it’s paying off for the Cavs. The 6’11” supersub is having perhaps his most impressive season as a pro.

Then there’s Williams, who came off the bench firing with the confidence of a veteran. He scored 10 points in 17 minutes in a win over Portland on Jan. 10 and followed it the next night with 11 important points in 20 minutes in a close win at Golden State.

Inside the organization, Williams’ success comes as no surprise. In his second season with Cleveland after stints in Spain, Japan, Israel and the NBA D-League, Williams is James’ daily opponent during Cavaliers practices. Going against the NBA’s best, even in a practice setting, has prepared him for the bright lights of game night.

Cleveland’s depth may be the deciding factor if they’re to be successful in their quest for a first-ever NBA crown. Moon is scheduled to return by the end of January, and Leon Powe should be ready shortly after that. Add to them backup guard Daniel Gibson, who is currently the Cavs’ odd man out as Brown juggles the riches that await him on Cleveland’s bench.

Also in their favor: the rages of time that confront their main rivals atop the NBA.

Orlando pinned a lot on the offseason acquisition of 34-year-old Vince Carter, who suffered a shoulder separation on Jan. 8.

Boston’s talent is unquestioned, but so is their collective age. Ray Allen, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace and Paul Pierce are all on the downside of 30, and have battled their share of bumps and bruises in recent years.

At 32, even Kobe Bryant appears suddenly vulnerable, given his recent bout with back spasms. As Kobe goes, so go the Lakers.

Equally revealing is how the four teams have fared in recent weeks. Boston is 6-6 over its last 12 games, including three losses during a four-game West Coast trip.

The Magic and Lakers are just 7-5 over similar spans. The Lakers haven’t had to travel to the opposite coast during that time, and Orlando just won the first of a challenging four-game set out west.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, are 10-2 over their last dozen games, including five wins in six games on two separate West Coast swings. Home or away, the team appears to have jelled and is playing its best basketball of the season.

When it comes to age, O’Neal and Ilgauskas may pose a concern, but the fact that they’re splitting time evenly has enabled them both to avoid injury and get ample rest as the playoffs approach.

Injury can befall anyone at any time. James could go down tomorrow just as easily as Garnett, Carter, or Bryant. Things being equal, however, the Cavaliers’ combination of youth and depth gives them a significant edge as February dawns on the NBA’s stretch run.

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.

A Dark Day on the Lakefront

This is what it has come to.

In the same day, all three Cleveland sports teams dominated local news and garnered national media attention, each with bizarre twists that seemingly can only happen in Cleveland – at the same time, anyway.

The Indians? They fired manager Eric Wedge…but said he and his staff will stay on to finish the season. “In this game, situations often dictate decisions, and often the blame or the change occurs in one place when the reasons for that and the accountability for that lies throughout an organization,” said GM Mark Shapiro, stopping short of resigning himself.

The Browns? After spending five months conducting a quarterback contest between Brady Quinn and Derek Anderson, and choosing Quinn to be the starter, Eric Mangini reversed himself and switched to Anderson. Of his new starter’s 30-minute, three-interception relief appearance against Baltimore, Mangini said, “He did some good things.” Well, so did the captain of the Titanic.

The Cavs? Starting guard Delonte West remained a no-show at training camp, somehow knocking the LeBron James-Shaquille O’Neal pairing off the front pages for the second straight day. Because West continues to battle depression and various inner demons, I’m inclined to leave this one alone.

Nonetheless, for Cleveland sports fans this was – to borrow a phrase from my favorite funny man, Lewis Black – the “trifecta from hell.” Think about it: All in Cleveland? All in the same day? Really?

Some thoughts:

Regarding Wedge, Shapiro and team president Paul Dolan were correct in the vaguely describing the firing as, well, “the tried and true way of baseball.” Right or wrong, that is how it works. When the house is tumbling down around you and you need to give the impression of making a quick fix, you fire the manager – and they did. That’s not to say Wedge didn’t have it coming. His teams’ perennial slow starts, coupled with his frequently odd personnel decisions and lineup switcheroos, have a lot to do with the current mess. But, to his credit, Wedge conducted himself with class over the whole thing. He wanted to know his status now for next year, and they told him. Case closed. He’ll move on, probably to something better. And he’ll collect $1.25 million next year, regardless. Why do I get the feeling he’s getting the good end of this deal?

Regarding Anderson…who cares, really? I’ve been in favor of giving Quinn a chance, and am not persuaded that 10 quarters of football as the starter constitutes “a chance.” On the other hand, it’s becoming apparent that Quinn is not the kind of quarterback who is capable of rallying a miserable team to play above its skill level (think Culpepper, McNabb or Vick in their primes). Passes have been sailing behind or over targets, and others have been surprisingly wobbly. Perhaps his confidence has taken a beating playing for the Browns (who’s hasn’t?), but still, he’s struggled. So it’s back to Anderson, and…who cares? Honestly, being a Browns fan in Northeast Ohio has become surreal. Since 1999 they’ve been a shell of what the franchise was before the Modell move, and it’s not unusual anymore to see Steelers memorabilia worn and displayed in neighborhoods from Cleveland to Canton and all points in between. That never would have happened in the Jim Brown-Brian Sipe-Bernie Kosar eras. But it happens now, and, sadly, people care less and less and less.

Regarding West, as I said, I’m inclined to leave this one alone. He says he’s troubled, the Cavs openly admit it, so I believe it. Getting arrested riding a motorcycle (something banned by his contract) and carrying three firearms (something banned by common sense, if not a few laws or ordinances) is a clear warning signal. West was present for media day earlier in the week, then disappeared from view. All the Cavs are saying is that GM Danny Ferry has been in touch with West and had at least one long conversation with him. His teammates are expressing support and letting him know, publicly, that he’s always welcome back. It’s all you can do, and the Cavs – Cleveland’s beacon of hope in an otherwise stormy sports sea – seem, as usual, to be handling the situation with respect and professionalism. The question confronting them is, How long can they ride out this storm before it has a permanently negative effect on the team?

Anyway, I’m amazed at all that happened Wednesday. I don’t know if September 30, 2009, was a day that will go down in Cleveland sports infamy, or what. But it was some kind of day, that’s for sure.

Postmortem

What amazes me, after the fact, is how so many people's tunes change. Or, how many people take on an "I told you so" mentality. Or, how so many people jump on the LeBron-bashing bandwagon.

Look, the Cavaliers lost a series they could have won. I'm not saying should have won. Just could have. But they didn't. It's unfortunate, but it's not a tragedy on the scale of a Hurricane Katrina, or a 9-11.

It's absurd to even say that, but that's how fans and members of the media often portray it. Come on, it's not rocket science. Orlando played better. To some extent, they played above their heads, if their stats in this series compared to their regular season numbers are any indication. They were lights-out, start to finish. But, so what? Give them credit. Sometimes, you just have to tip your cap.

So, some thoughts:

-- LeBron James's decision to leave the floor after the Game Six loss without shaking hands with the Magic, or to leave the arena without speaking to the media, may have been surprising and a little impolite, but it's not a major transgression. He expected to win a championship this year. This had to be one of the greatest disappointments of his career. Only he knew if he could handle talking with others, or not. He decided not. So now he's the target of critics far and wide -- fans and media pundits. Phooey. He came out the next day, acknowleged that the Magic deserved to win, assured people he's happy in Cleveland, and said it's still his goal to bring a championship to Cavs-land. Let it rest. Sometimes, losing is very, very tough to take.

-- I'm not sure I understand why Zydrunas Ilgauskas guarded Dwight Howard throughout the series. Say all you want about Mo Williams and Delonte West, but the terrible matchup was Z and Howard. To Stan Van Gundy's credit, he exploited it. The rest is gravy.

-- When you shoot like Orlando shot, you deserve to win games.

-- The post-series critiques of LeBron James, which taunt him for not making his teammates better, blah, blah, blah, ignore the fact that champions don't do it by themselves. There's no way this Cavs team, or this Magic team, or this Lakers team, beats the Lakers of Magic, Kareem, Worthy, Cooper, etc. No way they beat the Celtics of Bird, McHale and Parish. No way they beat the Bulls of Michael and Scottie. Those teams had all-time icons of the game -- the Lakers had two, in Magic and Kareem -- and never relied on just one player, especially not the way the Cavs rely on LeBron.

-- The New York Daily News reported over the weekend that Toronto is actively shopping Chris Bosh rather than risk losing him to free agency in 2010. The Raptors are interested in Utah's Carlos Boozer, while Chicago is reportedly dangling Luol Deng, among others. The Cavs should jump in and offer just about anyone other than LeBron, plus draft picks -- whatever fits when it comes to salary cap issues, expiring contracts, and so on. Ilgauskas would suffice just fine in the post next year if Bosh were alongside him. Bosh would be to LeBron what Pippen was to Jordan. I'd give 'em half the roster if that's what they want. Seriously -- take half this year's team away, put Bosh with LeBron, and Orlando disappears in four games, maybe five.

-- That said, I really enjoyed this season. I thought the addition of Williams was fabulous. I like West. I've always liked Varajeo. And I said previously that if the Cavs stayed healthy, they'd win it all. I was wrong, but it was a great ride, and I still like this team. Clearly, they need strength inside. But sports can be unpredictable, and the Cavs ran into a buzzsaw of a team in the Magic, who were (are?) peaking at precisely the right time. How hard is it to win a championship in the NBA? Consider this: The past 30 NBA seasons have been dominated by six teams. During that span, the Lakers have won eight championships, the Bulls six, the Spurs and the Celtics four each, Detroit three and Houston two. There are 30 teams in the league. And just six have climbed the mountain and won repeat titles over three decades. The Cavs are trying to get there. It ain't easy.

-- For my money? I think the Lakers match up well against Orlando, and Kobe Bryant is the lights-out shooter that the Cavaliers still lack. I'm picking L.A. to win the 15th title in their franchise's history.

Random Thoughts as December Dawns

Limping to the Finish

The Browns have shot this season all to you-know-where. No news there. It was sad to see Brady Quinn sidelined for the year with a broken finger, just when he was getting the chance to play. It was just as sad to see Derek Anderson go down with a season-ending knee injury in Sunday’s loss to Indianapolis. That some fans jeered as he was helped off the field is distasteful, but then, Browns fans are so frustrated and fed up after 10 years of mostly blatant ineptitude that some of their wrath is bound to be misdirected. It was reminiscent of several years ago when Tim Couch left a game to similar derision, a scenario that was the beginning of the end of Couch’s run in Cleveland.

That said, I was struck by something Anderson said after the game. When asked if we might see Josh Cribbs at quarterback, Anderson responded with a jeer of his own and said anybody who thinks that would have to be “on crack.” You don’t put a receiver at quarterback, he said tersely.

And I thought, why not? First of all, he was a quarterback all the way through his playing days at Kent State. Furthermore, we’re talking about the one guy on the entire roster who consistently, week in and week out, makes plays. Every kickoff or punt return is cause for excitement when the ball is in Cribbs’ hands. Every opposing kickoff or punt return is cause for excitement when Cribbs has a shot at making the tackle -- which, more often than not, he does.

When the Browns started this long downward spiral, Cribbs was one of two players (Jamal Lewis being the other) who dared to say what others only thought: That perhaps some players were guilty of quitting. He later apologized, sort of, because it was the politically correct thing to do, but his words carried weight because, well, he never quits. This on a roster with too many people who seemed to be going through the motions.

This week Cribbs was quoted as saying yes, he could play quarterback, because he did it all his life before the NFL. He admitted it probably wouldn’t happen, but the point was made. “I want the ball in my hands,” he said.

So do the rest of us. I understand turning to Ken Dorsey to steer the sinking ship and I wish him well, but I couldn’t disagree with Anderson more when it comes to Cribbs. If you ask me, if there were 22 guys with number 16 on their jerseys, or at least number 16’s heart in their bodies, this franchise would be a lot better off.


On the Cavaliers…

Earlier this year I bemoaned the presence of Ben Wallace in the Cavs’ starting lineup, because of his age and his offensive shortcomings. It’s early, and the long season could yet take its toll, but I’m happy to admit that, thus far, Big Ben has made me eat those words.

The Cavs are playing championship caliber basketball, and Wallace is a big part of their success. His defensive intensity and rebounding prowess have helped fuel their recent run. I was concerned that perhaps he’d lost the one aspect of his game that had made him so formidable -- that being his intensity. My concern was misplaced. He’s been a one-man wrecking crew at times, and his teammates have picked up on it. That’s leadership, and I tip my cap to him.

Momentum is a funny thing in sports. As miserable as the Browns’ performances have been -- and as much as one lousy game fuels another -- the Cavs’ performances have been dominant. Players are feeding off of one another, and Mike Brown is doing a remarkable job of getting people their minutes.

Give credit to LeBron James on that count. His minutes per game are finally down to a reasonable level, and he’s not complaining at all. He’s getting much-needed rest because the Cavaliers are simply overpowering most of their opponents, and he’s not needed in the fourth quarter of many of those games. As his minutes decline, Brown can spread them among the Cavs’ bench players, and everybody’s happy. You get the sense that LeBron is less interested in accumulating personal stats than he is in getting the ring, and when your leader exhibits that approach, the rest of the team will follow.

Mo Williams and Delonte West are quickly becoming one of the best guard tandems in the league. And Zydrunas Ilgauskas just keeps rolling along, giving other teams fits with his offensive rebounding and outside shooting. Meanwhile, the bench is the deepest it’s been in years -- maybe ever -- and continues to make meaningful contributions night in and night out.

This team is good. Very, very good. I’m already looking forward to May and June.


High school football

I was treated, along with the rest of our town in North Canton, Ohio, to a remarkable season by the Hoover High School football team. The Vikings defied most preseason forecasts by losing just one game in the regular season, winning the Federal League title with a perfect 7-0 league mark, and going on to three straight playoff wins and a regional title.

That’s where it ended, of course, as the Vikings ran into the buzz saw that was Cleveland St. Ignatius in the state semifinals. The Wildcats went on to win the state championship in Division I, but Hoover’s overachieving roster will go down as one of the best teams in school history.

St. Ignatius is to be applauded, but I was struck during the postseason by all the talk of their 10 state championships in the last 20 years. I was reminded of a column last May by Bob Dyer of the Akron Beacon Journal, in which he wrote of the disproportionate advantage that parochial and private schools have over public schools in athletic competition. The stats that he cited were undeniable.

The playing field isn’t level by any means when it comes to private and public schools in Ohio. It’s not the private schools’ fault, of course. But, on the whole, it’s tough for public schools to reach the highest rung on the ladder on a consistent basis. A look at St. Ignatius’ web site reveals that it’s run more like a college than a high school, complete with a sophisticated advancement office that is only too happy to share information about annual gifts, capital gifts, and planned giving. Families pay tuition for their children to attend there. Even the web site suffix, “.edu,” is the one typically used by colleges and universities.

The two schools featured in the Ohio Division I championship game -- Cincinnati Elder being the other -- are both private, all-boys schools. And, unfettered as they are by geographic restraints, they welcome any student who can make the daily drive to their often glittering campuses -- and who can afford their rather hefty tuition fees.

Before Hoover’s game with St. Ignatius, Viking coach Don Hertler put it as politely, and plainly, as it can be put: “They’ve got kids probably from five counties, and we’ve got them probably from five neighborhoods.”

Officials from the Ohio High School Athletic Association acknowledge the disparity, but also lament the complexities involved in operating separate tournaments for public and private schools. I can understand their dilemma, but anyone who saw the St. Ignatius-Hoover semifinal and didn’t come away scratching their head over the issue just wasn’t paying attention.

Again, it’s not St. Ignatius’s fault. The system is what it is. But schools like Hoover only get so far every so often. Perhaps they can find some consolation in the fact that, among public schools in Ohio, they were one of the top two -- the other being the Pickerington Central Tigers, who were a perfect 13-0 before losing to Cincinnati Elder in the other state semifinal game.

Hoover’s football team wasn’t the only one of the school’s squads to make it so far this fall. The girls cross country team, a remarkable collection of talented runners from a small town of 15,000 people, was edged out at the state meet by the perennial powerhouse team from Magnificat High School in Rocky River, a suburb of Cleveland.

Magnificat was nowhere to be found in the boys’ race. That’s because it’s a private, all-girls school.

I checked their web site, too. They have five people in their advancement office.

Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

And so it goes.