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.

One Down, Two to Go

Another out-of-this-world performance by LeBron James allowed Cavs fans to exhale Thursday night as Cleveland topped Orlando 112-102, to stay alive in the Eastern Conference Finals. This ridiculous stat line: 37 points, 14 rebounds, 12 assists.

Charles Barkley and Kenny Smith cautioned on the TNT postgame show that LeBron can't possibly do that every game; it will simply wear him down. In the fourth quarter, he scored or assisted in 32 of the team's 34 points. But as James said to Craig Sager after the game, losing just wasn't an option.

So it's back to Orlando for Game Six on Saturday night. If you're the Cavs, you know you did what you had to do, battling out a win. If you're Orlando, you feel confident knowing you're going home with a chance to close it out.

You have to pay attention to what Barkley, Smith and Reggie Miller said after the game, however. They played in the NBA and know first-hand the rigors of the pro game. Their concern: Have you ever seen anyone do what James did -- dominate the fourth quarter completely and control every offensive play in the period -- for three straight games?

Miller added a great observation about Daniel Gibson, Wally Szczerbiak and Mo Williams: Is their game going to travel? Will they be able to contribute in a do-or-die game against a hot team on the road?

Williams, in particular, was superb Thursday night, with 24 points, including six three-pointers. Can he do it again Saturday? Gibson tossed in three triples. Can he do the same in a hostile arena? If so, the Cavs have a chance. If not, it may be too much to expect James to hoist the team onto his shoulders yet another time.

Speaking of Gibson, it was great to see him finally resemble the player he was supposed to be this whole season. So is it really necessary for him to mug with the three-finger salute and grin on his face after making his shots? Really? We've all gone from expecting him to hit those shots, to holding our breath when he pulls the trigger. He's as relieved as we are when they go in. So, ditch the mugging, Daniel. Win this series first, OK?

And as for Barkley, Smith and Miller on TNT; when you stop and think, they're a living, breathing illustration of how hard it is to win an NBA championship. Guess which one of the three did it? Kenny Smith. Look again. Charles Barkley and Reggie Miller, as great as they were, never won a title. It's not an easy thing to do, and individual greatness only goes so far in such a team sport.

The Indians: Remember Them?

It's been too easy to ignore the Cleveland Indians thus far this spring. A terrible start has had them languishing in the A.L. Central cellar since Opening Day. However, they just completed a four-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays, including an improbable ninth-inning comeback in an 11-10 win on Memorial Day. They're still in last place, but a sweep's a sweep, and they're showing signs of life. Still, it's a little depressing to think about the prospect of the Cavs bowing out right now and our having to endure a long, hot summer with the suddenly feeble Tribe.

Go Cavs. Please.

The Stuff of Legend -- Maybe

It was an amazing shot.

It literally saved the Cavs' season.

It added to the Legend that is LeBron James. Perhaps.

Look, I was as stunned as anyone when LBJ lifted Cavs fans from their funk, and his team from the brink of what would have been a long summer, by nailing a mind-bending, desperation, fadeaway three-pointer as the buzzer sounded, winning Game Two of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.

It was one of those legend-defining moments, forever etched in the annals of league history. It will be shown on replays over and over and over again.

If the Cavs go on to win the series, it will erase Cavs' fans memories of The Shot, plain and simple.

But that's the catch. Michael Jordan's shot in 1989 won a series. LeBron's simply saved this one.

So there is much more to do before this shot ranks as high.

Yes, it was just as dramatic, just as sensational, and even more improbable than Michael's. But again, Jordan's buzzer-beater drove the final nail into the coffin of Cleveland's Cinderella season.

So here's hoping the Cavaliers can ride the crest of this wave and get at least one win in Orlando, then close things out and advance to the NBA Finals.

Meanwhile, it will be interesting to see how this affects the Magic. There's no question they pose serious matchup problems for the Cavs' defense. Wednesday night, Cleveland led by 17 and lost. In Game Two, they led by 23, and almost lost. That's not good. It's clear that this is a series Orlando can win.

But will the dagger of LeBron's miraculous shot drain the life out of them? If so, that one play may well be remembered as the moment of LeBron's career, the moment that propelled his team to the next level, and his status to one of truly legendary proportions.

Nothing he does surprises anyone anymore. It will be fun to watch the drama of this series, and this wonder child's career, continue to unfold.

But, for one moment: Wow.

(The photos are Getty Images.)

Look! Up in the Sky! It’s Falling!

Dwight Howard may be Superman, but that’s not what basketball fans and the media are seeing up in the sky these days. They see it – the whole sky – falling squarely on the heads of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

A little early, don’t you think? Yes, we can conclude that the Cavs aren’t perfect, after Rashard Lewis's late three-pointer (left) helped Orlando beat them in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, 107-106.

But before the hand-wringing gets out of hand (is that possible?) – and believe me, I’m tempted to wring them digits right along with you – let’s think this through.

1.) Orlando is a very, very good basketball team.

2.) They’ve been playing and in sync. The Cavs had another long layoff, and looked like they wore down a bit toward the end of the game. (That they would be tired strikes me as being nonsensical at this point in the season, considering these are some of the most finely honed athletes in the world. But the commentators said it on TNT, so I’m going with it.)

3.) The Cavs went cold from the field just as Orlando got hot. It made the difference in the game.

4.) It’s one game.

5.) The Bulls of Michael Jordan’s era lost a few playoff games every year.

It’s that last point that I take solace in. Six times in the 1990s, Jordan’s Bulls won the NBA championship. Fewest playoff losses in any one of those seasons? Two, in ’90-91. The most? A whopping seven, the very next year.

The year the Bulls won a league-record 72 games, they lost three playoff games, including two in the finals against Seattle. In ’91-92, when their record of 67-15 was almost identical to this year’s Cavs, Chicago lost those seven playoff contests I spoke of earlier – three in the second round, two in the conference finals, and two more in the NBA Finals against Portland.

In other words, when you win the title, nobody cares how long it took you to do it, or faults you for losing a few games along the way.

The Cavs have now lost exactly one game this playoff season. To a very, very good team. They have the MVP. They have the Coach of the Year. And they have a solid roster that earned the best record in the league.

The sky isn’t falling. They let one get away. They let down in the second half, and they know it. They’d better not let it happen again, and here’s betting they don’t. I think they’ll win this series. I think LeBron James is sick of the doubters and the naysayers. I think his teammates are tired of hearing that the Cavs are “LeBron and everyone else.”

Give Orlando credit. They came in and stole Game 1. But I don't think they're deeper and more talented than Cleveland, no matter what all the pundits keep saying. They were bound to collect at least one victory this series. There’s also a lot of basketball left.

If the Cavs are the championship-caliber team we all think they are, they’ll evaluate this loss, suck it up, and get back to business the rest of the way.

The alarm has sounded. Let’s see what happens next.

Call It What It Was -- A Great Game

It's the day after, and time for Cavs fans to come down from the lofty perch that is the NBA Playoffs. The season is over for the wine and gold, and that's never an easy thing to accept. But, if the Cavs were going to go out, at least they went out in style.

Paul Pierce and LeBron James put on an impressive show Sunday, and, as expected, the Celtics defended their home court with a 97-92 win that sends them to the Eastern Conference finals against Detroit.

My general impression as these two opponents duked it out all afternoon: What a great game.

It was enjoyable to watch. It had drama, plenty of big plays, a few momentum shifts, and a compelling story line. I didn't need LeBron's postgame comments to remind me of the Larry Bird-Dominique Wilkins duel in the 1988 playoffs. I was already thinking of that memorable game by halftime of Sunday's contest. James and Pierce didn't disappoint, turning in stat lines for the ages in a classic matchup.

LeBron: 45 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists. Pierce: 41 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists. It was mano-a-mano, and it was truly enjoyable to watch.

That aside, Boston won because they're a better team. They earned the right during the regular season to have home court advantage during the playoffs, and it paid off on Sunday. They took the lead early in the game and, despite a late Cavs rally, never relinquished it. Hats off to them.

Now they move on, and the Cavs move out of the way. For Cleveland, it will be an important offseason. Many questions will be raised, questions that will have to be answered.

Is the Cavs roster acceptable as is? Probably not, but "getting help" is easier said that done -- and a topic for another day and another discussion. But it's clear that LeBron had to shoulder almost the entire load in Game 7. To think that he almost pulled off a victory show just how determined and resilient he is. Not to mention talented. (I happen to think that you could take any other MVP candidate from the past two or three years, put him on the Cavs teams of those years in place of LeBron, and get nowhere near the results. From a sheer talent standpoint, James does things that no one else in basketball does.)

But all that analysis is better left for later. For today, we're left with vivid memories of a tremendous game that featured remarkable performances by two remarkable players.

Tribe time

It looks like nothing will come easy for the Indians this year. Just as they start to ride the crest of the wave that has been their starting pitching, they go to Cincinnati and drop three in a row to the Reds. Ugh. As if that wasn't bad enough, the Reds did something no other team had been able to do this season: Beat Cliff Lee.

So it's back to reality for Cleveland, and the reality is that their offense is as bad as...well, as the Cavaliers' is, come to think of it. Team batting average of .236. Apart from Victor Martinez and new arrival Ben Francisco, the Indians couldn't hit the broad side of a glacier, which is the only thing as cold as they are.

Jhonny Peralta is hitting .225. Casey Blake, .226. Travis Hafner, .228. Franklin Gutierrez, .232. Ryan Garko looks like a stud in this lineup, at .241.

Jamey Carrol, the utility man, is hitting a mighty .194 -- and he's ahead of Asdrubal Cabrera, who is plodding along at a dismal .180 clip.

What in the name of Chico Salmon is going on?

Problem is, we're at the point of the season where the team will either have to put up or shut up. You don't alter the entire lineup and expect good results. Eric Wedge will have to ride the horses he has, and hope they start to produce.

The Indians' pitching should keep them around the top of the A.L. Central, which isn't loaded with any powerhouse teams. If the hitters don't take advantage of it and start to produce, they'll have no one to blame but themselves.

An Offensive Offensive Display

You know, I'm tired of the debate.

The Celtics scored 69 points Friday night and the Cavs won. Great defense? OK, sure. Did the Cavs get "stops"? Yes. They swarmed, they hustled, they denied, they rebounded. Yes, yes, yes, yes.

Then why do I have the nagging feeling it's not why they won? Why is that ALWAYS the nagging feeling in games like this?

Because their offense is so uninspired, that's why.

I'm sorry, but a physically gifted superstar going to the line 15 times is not a sound offensive strategy -- it's the advantage of playing at home. Give credit where credit is due -- LeBron made 13 of those -- but does anyone really think he'll get those opportunities in Game 7 in Boston?

The Cavs shot 32.9 percent from the field. CLANK. But they "got to the line" 25 times, and made 21. Boston was a more efficient 11-of-13 from the stripe. You think those 10 points didn't make a difference in an offensive stinker like this one?

Yes, credit the Cavs with having much to do with Boston's 39.7 shooting percentage from the field. But the fact remains, the Celtics outshot Cleveland from the field and the line, and had almost twice as many assists, and lost. That's because they were called for far more fouls, and the Cavs made enough of their free throws to win.

That's not going to happen in Boston.

So where does that leave us? With the Cavs having to make shots. And that, as anyone knows, is scary. Not because they can't shoot. But because they end up settling for so many bad shots, out of position, in an offense that seems, inevitably, to lead nowhere.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas appeared totally uncomfortable from the opening tip Friday night, going 3 for 11. Wally Szczerbiak shot 2 for 11. Ben Wallace -- well, we won't count Big Ben. Anderson Varajeo, 2 for 6. Sasha Pavlovic not only went 1 for 6, he looked awful doing it. Damon Jones got in briefly, missed the first two shots he's taken since Roosevelt was President, and came back out.

Devin Brown must be wondering what a guy has to do to get some court time, something the key contributor throughout the season hasn't had this series.

You're left scratching your head sometimes, wondering if the Cavs know what they're supposed to be doing out there other than getting out of LeBron's way, or looking to get the ball back to him as soon as they get it.

Are the Cavs good because of their defense? Because they got stops? Because of their rebounding?

Not really. They do those things well sometimes, maybe even most of the time. But they're good -- in the "championship caliber" sense of the word -- because of LeBron James. It showed again on Friday night.

It doesn't make for a good scenario for Game 7. No way LeBron gets that charge call at the end of the game in Boston. No way the Cavs get the advantage at the line they enjoyed Friday night, in a game that could -- should -- have been a runaway but ended up a squeaker.

That's not to say Game 7 isn't winnable. But it's not likely to be winnable the way Game 6 was won.

Talkin' Pitching -- the Horsehide and the Pigskin

At least Aaron Laffey took the pressure off of everyone.

His throwing error in the second inning of Thursday afternoon's win over Oakland allowed a runner to score and ended the Tribe starters' string of scoreless innings pitched at 44-1/3. Laffey went on to work seven innings in a 4-2 victory, Cleveland's eighth in 10 games.

Don't look now, but the Indians are in first place.

Laffey, who has taken over the fifth starter spot in place of the injured Jake Westbrook, now sports a 1.35 ERA to go along with a 2-2 record. Westbrook was 1-2, 2.73 before his injury.

Cleveland's starting pitching of late has been magnificent. We've talked about Cliff Lee (6-0, 0.67 ERA) and Fausto Carmona (4-1, 2.40). Paul Byrd's ERA is 3.61, and C.C. Sabathia, following early season struggles, has allowed just one run over 16 innings in his last two starts, striking out 20 along the way.

The scoreless innings streak was the Indians' longest by a starting staff since the Tribe foursome of Bob Lemon, Satchel Paige, Gene Bearden and Sam Zoldak hurled 47 straight in 1948. And it's the longest in baseball in over 30 years, since the Orioles' staff tossed 54 in a row in 1974. Pretty heady stuff.

The Indians' climb into first place proves the old theory: In baseball, pitching wins championships. Cleveland is dead last in the American League in team hitting, at .236. But they're first in team ERA, at 3.26. Detroit, meanwhile, is in last place in the division, despite being tied for 5th in the league with a .262 team batting average. That's because their team ERA of 5.05 is at the bottom of the charts.

If the Tribe's bats come alive, and their relievers settle in, and someone steps up to claim the closer role, the team will be a force to be reckoned with. For now, thank the starters for their recent rise to prominence.

And, in Browns' Town...

About time I chimed in on the Browns, bumped as they are from the headlines at this time of year.

Lots of excited chatter going on as the 2008 season approaches. Experts are predicting big things -- including a first place finish in the AFC North, according to some. The TV networks have come a-calling and the Browns will make a splash on the prime time scene in a major way this fall, for the first time since their return to the league in 1999.

So why not make Brady Quinn the quarterback? At least, that's what some fans have been asking.

Two words: Steve Young.

You know, the Hall of Fame quarterback from the 49ers. Super Bowl champion. Seven-time All-Pro.

Well, Steve wasn't so young when he took over as the 49ers QB in 1991. What was he, 26? 28, maybe?

Try 30. After a couple of seasons in the USFL, Young joined the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1985, at age 24. He started for them the following year, then winged his way to San Fran for what would turn out to be a 13-year ride.

Of course, Joe Montana was in his heyday at the helm of the 49ers when Young arrived, so he had to bide his time. For four years. By the time he cracked the starting lineup, he was 30. And it wasn't until the following year, when he was 31, that he began the string of seven sterling seasons that would earn him a spot in Canton.

The moral of the story is simple. There's plenty of time for Brady Quinn to develop, learn the game, and one day earn his shot. He's only 23. Time is on his side.

In the meantime, the Browns are doing the right thing by sticking with Derek Anderson, to see if last year was the real thing or a fluke. Either way, they're in great shape. If Anderson continues to shine, it's a good thing. If he struggles, then Quinn's opportunity will come.

Where there's smoke...

Finally, here's a vote for ending the pregame pyrotechnics in NBA arenas. Cleveland's Ben Wallace and Delonte West retreated to the locker room rather than having to endure the aftermath of the controlled detonations that occurred prior to Wednesday's game in Boston. Wallace didn't want to risk another dizzy spell, and West has been bothered by an eye infection.

Marketing is a fact of life in pro sports, but some things go way beyond the extreme. This is one. Games actually get underway with a cloud of smoke in the air. That's ridiculous, and the league ought to bring it to a halt.

Let's Pause for Intermission...But Then Could We Keep Playing, for Crying Out Loud?

The Cavs-Celtics series continued according to script Wednesday night, with Boston holding court at home for a 96-89 win over Cleveland. A promising start for the wine-and-gold went sour after Boston coach Doc Rivers made all the right adjustments at halftime and the Celtics rode a 29-17 third quarter to cement the win.

The Cavs exhibited the same tendency throughout the regular season -- third quarter woes leaving them in a deep hole. All year, media and fans wondered, aloud and in print, what the problem was. Why did the Cavaliers seem to falter at that point in so many games? Why did they lack the intensity and focus to hold leads, or to cut in to opponents' leads, after halftime?

The burden is always on the players to perform. On paper, the Celtics have a deeper, more experienced roster than the Cavaliers, and there's no question that Boston came out with more fire in the third quarter. Doc Rivers didn't go from hack to genius in one year; the fact is, he has more talent to work with this time around.

But you have to ask why this happens so frequently under Mike Brown's watch. You're ahead at halftime, in a pivotal Game 5, needing to win in Boston at some point in order to win the series -- and your team can't get pumped up for the third quarter? How is that possible?

It was bad enough that Cleveland squandered a 15-point advantage with four minutes left in the first half, and ended up leading by only four at the intermission. But it got even worse when Boston came out of the locker room and punched the Cavs squarely in the mouth with two quick baskets, one a three-pointer, to grab a one-point lead at the start of the third. That's a 16-point turnaround in five minutes of playing time.

Bingo. Ballgame. You fumble your way through a 16-point switcheroo in a game like this, you should expect to lose.

But more to the point: What in a professional basketball player's career experience doesn't tell him to apply the knockout blow when a playoff opponent is on the ropes -- on their own floor? And what in a coach's experience doesn't tell him to call a timeout or two, stop the bleeding, and get his team focused when things start to slip away?

After Cleveland surged to that 15-point lead, Brown watched over the next two minutes as Kevin Garnett hit a jumper, the Cavs missed a shot, Rajon Rondo hit a three, Cleveland missed again, got the rebound and turned the ball over, and then Rondo hit another three, cutting the lead to seven. The Cavs committed another turnover and then a shooting foul (which would lead to two more Celtic points) before they were rescued, mercifully, by a TV timeout.

But why the wait? With Boston staggering around the ring just 90 seconds earlier, Brown and the Cavs backed off and let the Celtics clear their heads. Big mistake, and it cost them the game.

More Stockton

Disappointment in TNT's Dick Stockton continues, in this corner. After LeBron James posted his strongest stretch of play this series in the first half Wednesday, the Celtics adjusted and focused on him in the third. No surprise. But Stockton continued his mantra from the other night, droning on and on about LeBron's "struggles" throughout the third quarter. OK, James took three shots and missed -- one being a Garnett block of a layup. Quiet, maybe, but not struggling. It was more a case of Boston designing their defense to stop James, a strategy that paid off. Once James knocked down a few shots down the stretch, Stockton quieted down, much less gleeful about the whole course of events.

I'm still a Stockton admirer, but, as Jerry Seinfeld might say: "What's up with that?"

Hammer time

OK, OK, hard fouls are "a part of the game," whatever that means. Not in the rule book, but I digress.

Twice at the start of the fourth quarter on Wednesday night, Celtics forward P.J. Brown obliterated Cavs' shooters from behind to prevent layup attempts. Not block the shots, mind you -- prevent the attempts. The strategy of fouling in the act of defending to prevent an easy basket is fine. But it still seems that pro basketball has endorsed the mugging over the clean, athletic move.

Defenders get a pass if they're "going for the ball." Fine. If there's a little contact, and a message is sent in the process, OK. But when Garnett, or LeBron, or any defender, goes up to block a shot, how do they do it? With one arm extended, at the height of their jump, almost tipping the shot like on a jump ball.

That's not what Brown did. First on Varajeo, then on Szczerbiak -- both of whom beat him to the hoop with inside position -- Brown came up from behind and swung down hard, with both arms, on the shoulders and head. Going for the ball? I don't think so. He was going for them. Both went sprawling to the hardwood.

Naturally, Stockton purred about both plays being "good, smart fouls" by Brown. Whatever. It's the kind of thing that makes NBA basketball so bizarre. "You just beat me to the hoop? That's what you think. . .take that!"

Then again, why be good, when you can be brutal? Why bother to work for good defensive position when you don't have to?

Mine isn't the popular viewpoint, I know. "Hard fouls" are an accepted part of the game. But, too often, they cross the line and completely negate the effectiveness of good offensive execution. When that happens, they should carry a greater penalty.

That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.

Cavs-Celtics: On to Game 5; and a Rare Gem for the Tribe

Well, the Cavaliers stepped up Monday night and evened the series with the Celtics with an 88-77 victory. Now they head back to Boston, where they must win a game in order to win this series. As poorly as the Celtics have played on the road this postseason, all they have to do is keep winning at home and they'll be in the finals.

The playoffs have clearly been frustrating for Boston. They were a league-best 66-16 during the regular season. Sixteen losses over six months; that's two, maybe three a month. They've already lost five in the postseason alone.

The fact is, playoff series are different. Opponents have time to adjust, and coaches come up with plans designed specifically for you. A younger, faster team can give older teams (like Boston) fits. To be more specific, younger, faster superstars can give older ones problems. Think it's tough on LeBron James to play so many games a year? He's 23 and built like an ox. Think of the toll it takes on Kevin Garnett, who's 32, or Ray Allen, who's almost 33 -- or Sam Cassell, who is 38.

Even so, Boston is still in the driver's seat as long as they win at home. They're living dangerously, but they're living.

To the bench...

The Cavaliers' subs have stepped up in games three and four. Last night Cleveland's reserves outscored Boston's 36-17. Daniel Gibson tossed in 14 points, and Anderson Varajeo had his best game of the postseason with 12 points and six rebounds, actually logging more minutes than Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Joe Smith continued his sterling play off the bench.

I've commented many times in the past on Mike Brown's tendency to bury players on the bench after using them in prominent roles only days or weeks earlier. The latest Cavalier affected is Devin Brown, who was a key contributor all season, spending significant time in the starting lineup. He's been MIA this series. Damon Jones has barely moved from his seat for the last month or more. Sasha Pavlovic is getting a few minutes here and there.

The playoffs are a time when a coach has to find a rotation that works. Each series is different. And while it's not likely Jones, despite his shooting ability, will get off the pine any time soon, it's entirely possible that Brown could once again play a role should the Cavs advance to the third round.

It's all about matchups, and it's the life of an NBA reserve. You've just got to stay ready.

Look, Mom...

Had to love the scene when Paul Pierce wrapped up James on a drive to the hoop in the first half -- right in front of LeBron's mother Gloria. She jumped up to give Pierce a piece of her mind, when Garnett stepped in to calm her down. LeBron glared at her and shouted "sit your (expletive) down."

And we all had a front row seat. Pretty funny stuff. When's the last time you saw an NBA superstar in that situation? LeBron admitted after the game that he used language he shouldn't have, joking that it's a good thing it wasn't Mother's Day.

Gloria's reaction wasn't exactly a case of Minna Wilson wielding her shoe in the boxing ring -- she jumped into the middle of her son Tony's fight in 1989 and whacked his opponent, Steve McCarthy, in the head with the heel of her shoe, opening a cut that stopped the fight -- but Gloria's reaction was an honest example of how every parent feels when their sons or daughters are threatened in a sports contest.

The irony is, most of us aren't protecting kids who are 6'8" and 250 pounds. But try, she did. One can only imagine the laughs LeBron will share with Pierce and Garnett after the dust has settled on this series and season.

Meanwhile, at The Prog...

The Indians and the Blue Jays sought to underhit each other in a doubleheader last night. After Cleveland took the opener, 3-0, the Jays grabbed the nightcap by the same score.

Of course, Toronto's win came only after Cliff Lee exited. Lee hurled nine shutout innings at the baffled Blue Jays but was denied his seventh win of the season when the Jays scored three off of Rafael Betancourt in the tenth. Lee's ERA is now a microscopic 0.67.

The game also featured an unassisted triple play by second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera. It was the first by an Indian in a regular season game since Neal Ball turned the trick in 1909 -- which also happened to be the first one in baseball history. Another Indian, Bill Wambsganss, completed the only one in World Series history in 1920.

How rare is the unassisted triple play? Cabrera's was only the 14th in major league history. There have been more perfect games thrown (17) than that. That's how rarely it happens.

With all the attention Lee is getting, and deservedly so, let's not overlook Fausto Carmona. His win in the first game raised his record to 4-1 while lowering his ERA to 2.40. Cleveland will only go as far as their pitching takes them, so Carmona's consistency is every bit as important right now as Lee's.

Exactly What IS Flagrant?

The Cavaliers rebounded nicely Saturday night as their series with the Celtics shifted to Cleveland. With LeBron James still searching for his shot, others stepped up and made it interesting. Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Ben Wallace showed -- for one game at least -- why Danny Ferry made that big trade in February. Zydrunas Ilgauskas had what has been, for him, a typically solid game this postseason. Put it all together and it means Cleveland was competitive. The ability to do that consistently will be the key. Game four will be crucial for both teams.

Once again in this game, LeBron James was hammered by an opponent. This time it was the Celtics' James Posey, who yanked James to the ground after being left in his wake on a drive to the hoop in the first half. Call it a clothesline, call it horse-collaring, call it what you want, it was as unnecessary as it was dangerous. Posey was beaten; James was on his way. Rather than live with it, Posey grabbed James and sent him to the hardwood. "OK, you're actually a lot better than me, but take THAT!"

It's become standard practice in today's NBA. Mind you, while the league is populated with some of the best athletes in the world, it does not exhibit the best brand of basketball from a fan's perspective. That resides at the collegiate level, where, for example, help defense is allowed without resulting in fouls being granted to dribblers plowing their way to the hoop; pushing, shoving and hacking are treated as rules violations; traveling is a no-no; a charging foul is a charging foul; and "continuation" is treated as the stupid concept it really is.

But this is the NBA. Referees' decisions are often as perplexing as they are brilliant. Home teams get calls, visitors don't, and everybody knows it. (One imagines there are clauses to that effect in the NBA Rule Book, presuming one exists.) In Saturday's game, not only was it puzzling to see Posey plead his case with the officials -- this after his imitation of an NFL linebacker taking down a receiver exposed over the middle -- it was startling to hear ABC's broadcast team of Mike Breen, Mark Jackson and Jeff Van Gundy debate whether it was a flagrant foul or not. Jackson called it a "hard playoff foul."

In what universe are basketball players taught to grab people and throw them down? Is there a DVD series I don't know about that teaches mugging as defense? (Come to think of it, there may be a marketing opportunity there for Bill Laimbeer, Rick Mahorn or Maurice Lucas.) Young players are taught to play defense with their feet and beat their opponent to a spot. In the NBA, players simply stand still and then whack people once they're beat. It's bush.

Mind you, the Celtics are playing team defense, and aren't, as a rule, resorting to the tactics employed by the Washington Wizards in Round One. But Posey's move was shocking. James is 6-8, 260. Guys like that don't go down easily. LeBron hit the ground like a calf on the wrong end of a rodeo cowboy's rope.

The only way to stop it -- not that David Stern and the NBA seem particularly concerned about that -- is to eject players who do what Posey did then suspend them for a game. Minus that, guys like James are sitting ducks.

Players are resorting to this with James for two reasons: 1.) They know his outside shot is inconsistent, and 2.) they know they can't stop him from going to the basket. It's why he led the league in scoring. It's why he's so good, for crying out loud! If he's not hitting jumpers -- and thus far in this series he hasn't been -- then defenders will be tempted to pound him every time he goes to the hoop. In the permissive world of the NBA Playoffs, it's allowed, so why not?

This isn't just a LeBron James thing. Basketball is supposed to be a game of skill, of athleticism, of artistry. For the purist, it's what makes the game great. It's what makes a James, or a Kobe Bryant, or a Magic, Bird or Jordan so enthralling to watch.

Taking that away by allowing muggings on a near-nightly basis only serves to minimize the beauty of the sport.

A Tale of Two Dannys

OK, maybe that's not totally fair.

But the difference in the Cavs-Celtics series thus far, with the Celtics racing to a 2-0 lead and barely having to break a sweat to do it, has been personnel, plain and simple.

Yes, the Cavs' offense continues to elicit puzzled declarations from TV pundits, most recently ESPN's Stephen A. Smith at halftime of Thursday night's game. But the truth is, Cleveland doesn't have the horses that Boston has.

Credit Danny Ainge, the Celtics' director of basketball operations, for that. What he pulled off in personnel moves over the past year sparked one of the most dramatic turnarounds in sports history. Ray Allen...Kevin Garnett...James Posey...Glen Davis...P.J. Brown...Sam Cassell...the list of additions since June is impressive, and it's the reason the Celtics have reclaimed their former status as one of the NBA's elite teams.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, have struggled all season to find the right combination. This after making it to the NBA Finals a year ago. No doubt growing increasingly anxious as players like Allen, Garnett and Pau Gasol switched uniforms and instantly made contenders out of their new teams, Cavs GM Danny Ferry pulled the trigger on that now-famous trade in February. It was a risk, and it would be hard to assert that it's paid off.

Better known for their defense than offense last season, the Cavs have struggled to find a combination that can get the job done at both ends of the floor. Delonte West has shown flashes of brilliance, but Larry Hughes did that. Wally Szczerbiak has never found a rhythm in Cleveland. Ben Wallace and Joe Smith have not proven to be an upgrade over Drew Gooden. At best, the trade has been a wash.

The team is battling, rather valiantly at times. They duked it out with Washington in the first round and were the ones standing at the end. But the truth is, they've been overmatched by the Celtics -- in talent, execution, and energy. That's what happens. Better teams win for a reason, and Boston is showing, thus far, that they're the better team.

And an update...

Tuesday I expressed my hope that Jason Michaels, designated for assignment the previous day by the Indians, would catch on elsewhere. Thursday the Tribe sent him to Pittsburgh, where his veteran presence should help the Pirates. Good for him, and happy trails.

Cavs-Celtics; and Please, Mr. Stockton...

Weird Game 1 between the Cavs and the Celtics Tuesday night. LeBron James never found a rhythm. Give credit to the Celtics defense, but, as the crew said on TNT, the offensive scheme ("Here, LeBron, do everything") was a puzzle. Charles Barkley couldn't contain himself, declaring emphatically that the Cavs run a "crappy offense." Kenny Smith and guest commentator Chris Webber agreed. As for the outcome, it's more troubling that Boston was able to win while Ray Allen was scoreless and Paul Pierce only had four points, than it is cause for optimism that Cleveland barely lost on a night when LeBron had only 12 points. The chickens may well come home to roost in this series for the Cavs' offense.

Meanwhile...

I'm a big fan of Dick Stockton, who called the game for TNT. A real pro, and one of the best in the business. His voice and pro basketball are synonymous for an entire generation of fans.

But what was up on Tuesday? It was odd to hear him repeat, time after time after time, "LeBron James has only one basket" -- not because I'm partial to the Cavaliers, but because there's so much more going on in any game than one person's highs or lows. It seemed like every time the Cavs had the ball in the fourth quarter, Stockton repeated that James was struggling, James was unable to get in a rhythm, James had "only one basket." It was as if no one else was on the floor for Cleveland. When LeBron finally scored another field goal, it became "James has only two baskets." While it was true, it was also a case of overstating the obvious. Barely registering on his radar were the struggles of Allen and Pierce. A former Beantown broadcaster with the Red Sox, Stockton seemed to allow his allegiences to show through during the evening, particularly when he gushed about all the former Celtics in attendance who he remembered from those years.

A small thing, perhaps, but strange for being so noticeable. Not his finest moment.

And finally...

No problem with Kobe Bryant being the MVP, although it's amazing how much his stock rose once Pau Gasol arrived in L.A. But if James isn't motivated by being fourth -- fourth! -- in the MVP voting, then he needs a pulse. First things first, meaning the playoffs, but one suspects he'll have all the incentive he needs to elevate his game during the offseason. To improve on a single-season stat line that only Oscar Robertson and Michael Jordan achieved before him could be a downright scary prospect for the rest of the NBA.