Cardale Jones opting to stay at Ohio State means he won't be the popular choice to play quarterback for the Cleveland Browns, at least for another year -- Bud Shaw's You Said It.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- You Said It is based on the premise that the only thing Cleveland sports fans need more than a championship is a sense of humor...

YOU SAID IT

(The Early Weekend Edition)

Bud: Only in Cleveland is the third-string quarterback the most popular guy in town – Bob, Shaker

Actually, only in Cleveland is the college quarterback who plays two hours away and has three career starts the most popular guy in town.

Hey Bud: I see where Trent Richardson was officially inactive for last Sunday's playoff game. Does that mean he was unofficially inactive the first 17 games? – Ted, Concord

I'm not going to kick Trent Richardson when he's down, even if he's usually down every 2.9 yards.

Bud: Considering the success of Anthony Davis in the NBA and recently Ezekiel Elliott for Ohio State, have you ever thought about the 'uni-brow' look as a possible jump start to your career? – Jim Corrigan, Fairview Park

Thanks for considering this a career.

Bud: Just won four tickets to see a Cavs' game. What do I do with them? -- Jay

If you weren't a You Said It contributor, I'd tell you to find three friends.

Bud: Will the Columbus Clippers be the New York Yankees of AAA with the addition of Moss, Swisher and Bourn on "rehab assignments"? -- Shawn, Willoughby

Usually, it's not until late April before this kind of optimism is in the air.

Bud: Is New Jersey governor Chris Christie part of the Cowboys' jumbo package? – Ponytail Bobby

First-time You Said It winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection. Repeat winners are on a one T–shirt diet.

Browns excelled at covering punts and kickoffs, but struggled in other facets of special teams. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio – In a year that saw the Browns draft Johnny Manziel, flirt with first place midway through the season and finish on a five-game losing skid, the most indelible image was their punter getting kung-fu kicked by Antonio Brown in the opener.

The spectacle of Spencer Lanning being run over was both an outlier and a sign of things to come for Chris Tabor's special-teams units.

As it turned out, the Browns' punt and kick coverage was excellent after the opener, but they struggled in other facets. And, there were moments much harder to watch than the sight of Lanning getting leveled.

The unit melted down in the 23-21 loss to the Ravens in Week 3 – missed field goal, blocked field goal and a decision by Travis Benjamin to let the ball bounce behind him rather than make a fair catch. Missed field goals also proved costly in defeats to the Bills and Colts.

The Browns got virtually nothing out their punt-return or kickoff-return games. They ended up using Jim Leonhard as a designated punt catcher.

There were some highlights, however. Craig Robertson's blocked punt in Nashville fueled the comeback win against the Titans. Billy Winn blocked a field goal. The club had a pair of quality gunners in Johnson Bademosi and Marlon Moore. The Browns ranked eighth in covering punts and ninth in covering kickoffs. They also forced the fifth-most fair catches (26).

But in the game's most transient phase, you can expect changes with the Browns special teams next season.

Primary contributors

Spencer Lanning: Despite the Steelers' lowlight, the punter had another solid season. His 39.2 net average was 17th, but he helped produce a high number of fair catches and low number of decent returns. Lanning is a keeper.

Billy Cundiff: The club waived the veteran Dec. 13 after missing a field-goal attempt in each of his last five games. His 75.9 conversion rate (22-of-29) ranked 30th among kickers.

Garrett Hartley: The veteran replaced Cundiff and converted all three of his tries while dealing with the loss of an unborn daughter. The former Saints' Super Bowl hero is expected to be part of camp next season, but he'll likely have stiff competition.

Christian Yount: The long snapper was inconsistent with snaps, particularly early in the season. ProFootallFocus ranked 1,202 special teams players last season. Yount finished 1,192.

Travis Benjamin: The receiver made some big catches on offense, but he struggled mightily in fielding and returning punts coming off ACL surgery in 2013. The Browns ranked 28th in punt returns, averaging 6.7 yards a game. They also were 28th in kickoff returns, averaging 21.6 yards.

Browns key unrestricted free agents: None.

Top potential free agents: K Stephen Gostkowski (Patriots), K Justin Tucker (RFA-Ravens), P Brett Kern (Titans).

Top draft prospects: K Jared Roberts (Colorado State), K Justin Manton (Louisiana-Monroe), K Kyle Blindza (Notre Dame), P Mike Sadler (Michigan State), P Spencer Roth (Baylor).

This marks the final installment of a position-by-position breakdown of the Browns' season.

Previously

Defensive line

Linebackers

Secondary

Running backs

Quarterbacks

Offensive line

Receivers/tight ends

Jones spent Wednesday visiting his dying uncle in hospice, then met with Urban Meyer on Thursday as Ohio State's coach got to know his quarterback a little better. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Cardale Jones slumped in a chair in his 12 Gauge T-shirt, his two-month-old daughter, Chloe, in his arms, his decision made, his life changed.

Soon he'd hand off his daughter to his mother in a back office at Ginn Academy, now filled with family who'd soon pose for a photo. This was a celebration of something new, though Jones had minutes earlier announced that nothing was changing.

He was returning to Ohio State.

"He fooled them, too, didn't he?" asked Florence Jones, wearing an Ohio State shirt and ear-to-ear smile.

First, her son had shocked the world by leading the Buckeyes to a College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night.

Thursday afternoon may have been a greater surprise.

The 22-year-old, 6-foot-5 legend-of-the-month with a 3-0 record as Ohio State's starter and the measurables and talent to intrigue the NFL decided to come back for a future with no promises at Ohio State. The battle to start in 2015 between Jones and the injured quarterbacks ahead of him, Braxton Miller and J.T. Barrett, will make for a reality series.

"I think he put himself in a great position in life," said his Glenville High School coach and mentor from Ginn Academy, Ted Ginn Sr. "Football, I think he's got a fair shot to compete, that's all that matters. All you do is get a chance in life, and when you get it, you've got to seize it."

Seize it. That was the idea that most thought would lead Jones to strike out for the pros while he was hot. That wasn't his idea.

"Oh my God, I'm glad all this is over with," Jones told cleveland.com back in that room after his announcement, which had TV cameras lived up across the basketball floor for a player that two months ago, few college football fans could have named.

A little nervous before the cameras, though poised, he was at peace now.

"Just to have my phone ring a little less and be able to get back with my guys and take this off-season on," Jones said. "I hope everything goes back to normal a little bit. I little less cameras and stuff like that, I think it'll be more normal."

This wasn't normal. The sports world, at 4 p.m. Thursday, turned its eyes toward Cardale, some of them maybe still thinking his name was Cordale.

"He knew what he wanted to say, and what he wanted to do," said his mother.

The news conference was an opportunity for Ginn Academy to introduce the school for at-risk boys to those who don't know it. The basic tenant of those who play for Ginn is to pave the way for the players coming behind them. This was a chance for that. Jones, like the others, understands that. So Ginn Sr. worked the introduction music, Drake's "Started from the Bottom," as Jones walked in for what turned out to be a stunning but somewhat anticlimactic announcement.

In the gray T-shirt bearing his nickname, Jones stepped to the podium and took it all in stride like a former third-stringer would.

"My decision was very simple," Jones said. "After talking it over with my family, my friends, my coaching staff, I'm going to return next year for school."

If you only know the news conference, you might think that's it. You might think a 22-year-old with a daughter was crazy for not taking a shot at the money right now.

Jones and Ginn Academy are more than a news conference.

• Wednesday night, Jones spent the night with his family at hospice, visiting his uncle, his mother's brother Artie, who is dying of liver cancer. The quarterback signed some autographs while he was there.

"He sat in the room with my brother," Florence Jones said. "It's hard on him. With both of them, it's God's will. It's God's will."

• Jovan Jones, one of Cardale's six older siblings, has started his new career as a flight attendant this week. He made his first flights Wednesday from Baltimore to Las Vegas to San Antonio, his co-workers informing passengers that his brother was Cardale Jones.

They knew who that was, and they cheered.

"Follow your heart," Jovan Jones said he told his younger brother when they talked this week. "God doesn't open doors you're not ready to walk through."

Speaking before the announcement, Jovan Jones said he didn't know what his brother would do, though his words sounded like an NFL clue.

Cardale Jones chose a different door.

• Devonte Jones, another of Cardale's brothers, said he hated playing catch with his brother when he was younger because Cardale couldn't throw.

"The arm came out of nowhere. He was the worst thrower ever in history," Devonte said.

Now taking photos at the scene before the announcement, he said he wanted his brother to return to get his degree, which seemed improbable in the moment.

"I just hope he goes back to school," he said. "The NFL isn't going anywhere. You can't go anywhere without an education."

He was right.

"I think he's going to come back and win another championship and then he can go ahead and go to the league," Devonte said after the decision was announced.

• Florence Jones was thankful for the support the family had received for her son. All she asked was respect for his decision.

"I don't want anyone to be like, 'Oh, he should gone and got that money. He didn't make the right decision,'" she said.

"Any time you make a decision for yourself," Ginn said, "it's the right decision. I'm so proud."

• Ginn sat in the meeting with Jones and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer at Ginn Academy on Thursday, before Meyer made his way to New York to appear on Late Show with David Letterman, which will air Friday.

Ginn said the talk wasn't football. It was more basic.

"It gave Urban a chance to know who Cardale is," Ginn said. "They got a chance to know each other. I think football and all the things, the different hype, got in the way of their relationship. And for him to get to know Cardale and for Cardale to get to know him, I think it was an excellent meeting for them.

"Football is just secondary, so I thought it was good for them."

If Meyer is still getting to know the quarterback who beat Wisconsin, Alabama and Oregon, then maybe everyone else is, too.

• Asked what he'd say to those who think he should be headed to the NFL, Jones, during his news conference, said, "I can't say what I want to say ... but it's my life and I have to live it, not them."

He said he's on track to graduate in the fall. His goal beyond football is to be a financial planner. He's ready to head back to Columbus. First, the Jones family will likely gather again to lay his uncle to rest.

And then he'll return to that familiar life, planning to live for a fourth year with safety Tyvis Powell, also knowing it has changed.

"It's just being able to understand my impact on people," Jones said.

At a news conference watched by many. And in the world beyond.

"He shocked it," Florence Jones said. "That's all I can say. Shocked it, shocked it, shocked it."

 

Lorain is off to a 5-0 start in the Lake Erie League.

Lorain is off to a 5-0 start in the Lake Erie League.

Two 8-0 runs along with stout defense helped Garfield Heights give Brunswick its first loss of the season.

Two 8-0 runs along with stout defense helped Garfield Heights give Brunswick its first loss of the season.

Kevin Love to miss tonight's game against the Los Angeles Clippers.

LOS ANGELES – Kevin Love missed his second game of the season Friday night against the Clippers as he continues to battle back spasms.

Love was a game-time decision. Head coach David Blatt said Love would go through a pre-game warmup, but Love never took the floor.

The All-Star power forward started to experience back complications earlier in the year. It kept him out of the Dec. 31 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks.

He suffered in Thursday night's 109-102 win over the Lakers, though he still managed to supply 17 points and seven rebounds. In 39 appearances this season, he's averaging 17.7 points and 10.3 rebounds. Tristan Thompson started in his place.

Tonight's game is the final game of this five-game road trip. Cleveland (20-20) is 1-3 thus far.

The Pioneers lead the Bees by five points heading into Saturday’s quarterfinal round and have nine quarterfinalists.

The Pioneers lead the Bees by five points heading into Saturday’s quarterfinal round and have nine quarterfinalists.

See box scores and highlights for boys and girls bowling, ice hockey and boys and girls swimming for Jan. 16, 2015.

See box scores and highlights for boys and girls bowling, ice hockey and boys and girls swimming for Jan. 16, 2015.

Mitch Peterson scores 16 as No. 11 Walsh Jesuit improves to 12-0

Mitch Peterson scores 16 as No. 11 Walsh Jesuit improves to 12-0

Stefan Elliot scored two goals in the first period to lead the Lake Erie Monsters past the Chicago Wolves, 5-1.

CHICAGO -- Lake Erie Monsters All-Star Stefan Elliot scored two goals in less than a minute of the first period here Friday, leading the Monsters to a 5-1 victory over the Chicago Wolves.

The win was the Monsters' second straight as they open a three-game weekend set and improved their record to 16-15-2-3.

Reto Berra had a memorable night in goal for the Monsters. Making his first start on a conditioning assignment from the Colorado Avalanche, Berra not only earned the win by stopping 20 of 21 shots, he also scored on a full-ice shot on an empty net with 1:26 remaining. He became the 11th goalie in American Hockey League history to score a goal.

Elliot opened the scoring at 8:01 of the first period on a power play, and scored again just 49 seconds later for a 2-0 lead. Elliot now has 11 goals on the season.

Paul Carey scored his 10th goal of the season at 15:37 of the first to make it 3-0.

Shane Harper's 14th goal of the season got the Wolves on the board early in the second period, but that was as close as they got. Troy Bourke closed the scoring for the Monsters on a power play with 14 seconds left in the game.

Ben Street and Maxim Noreau had two assists each for Lake Erie.

The Monsters close out the weekend with games at Iowa on Saturday night and Sunday afternoon.

Notes: The Monsters are 3-2-0-0 against Chicago this season... The Monsters are 2-1-0-0 on their current five-game road trip... The Monsters will meet Iowa for the first time this season on Saturday... The Monsters are 2-7-0-2 in Chicago over the last five seasons... The Monsters are 8-8-2-1 on the road this season... The Monsters were 2-9 on the power play, and Chicago was 0-4 on the power play.

Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer was the leadoff guest on Friday night's episode of The Late Show on CBS with David Letterman, and the host hit him with questions about the future of the quarterback position, and whether college athletes should be paid.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Urban Meyer probably thought his appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman would entail a few jokes and a couple of laughs. But Meyer's segment Friday night also covered a few hard-hitting topics such as the quarterback situation, the Buckeyes' leadership program and whether college athletes should be paid.

Meyer flew to New York on Thursday to tape on the show. Earlier, he spent the morning in Cleveland talking with quarterback Cardale Jones and Glenville football coach Ted Ginn Sr. Jones would announce later in the day that he would return to the OSU football team in 2015.

As Meyer was introduced, Paul Shaffer led the show's band in a quick rendition of "Hang On Sloopy."

Letterman asked about the Buckeyes' dominating performance in Monday's 42-20 national championship win over Oregon. "Who saw that coming? Did you know you would flatten them?" Letterman asked.

"I did not know that," Meyer said.

Letterman then asked about Jones, and said, "When you have three quarterbacks and the third-string one is the one who takes you to the national championship, what do you do next year?"

"We're digging into some pretty serious stuff here," Meyer said to laughs from the audience. "Cardale was an incredible case study of spirit and maturity level that he's come to. To think he could bring us to a national championship, if you'd have told me that two years ago, I'd have disagreed with you."

"Here's what I would do," Letterman added. "I would take the two guys aside and say, 'Have you thought about a career as a mascot?' "

"Let me write that down," Meyer joked.

Letterman then asked Meyer about the football program's Brotherhood of Trust initiative that teaches leadership skills to the players.

Meyer talked about all the adversity the team faced this season, and that his players have learned through the leadership training that "how you respond to an event is what counts."

Later, Letterman said that with all the money being made in the new College Football Playoff, shouldn't players should be getting some of that money?

"That's a great question. . . I think that's going to be addressed over and over again," Meyer said. "But I don't believe athletes should be paid. I believe they should be taken care of the best they can. But the amateur status, being a college student, you'll lose what college sports are all about. But I do believe we have to do more for the players."

Letterman also tried to find out if Meyer's decided what tattoo he's going to get - a promise he made to the team if it won the national title.

"Not yet. We haven't finalized it yet," Meyer said.

"Here's what you do. . . Shave your head, go in and get a guy, put it right there," Letterman said, pointing to his head. " 'Here it is, kids, right there.' Six weeks later, it's gone."

Here's a clip from Meyer's appearance:

LeBron James scored 32 points, surpassed Kobe Bryant as NBA's youngest to reach 24,000 career points, and led Cavaliers past the Los Angeles Clippers to complete Staples Center sweep.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – LeBron James should be sad to leave Los Angeles.

James scored 32 points and reached a personal milestone in leading the Cavaliers past the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121. Cleveland won both of its games at the Staples Center this week and reached the midway point of the season with a 21-20 record, closing the book on a five-game Western trip.

When James reached 30 points in the fourth quarter, he became the NBA's youngest player ever to reach 24,000 career points (30 years, 17 days), surpassing the Lakers' Kobe Bryant. James and Bryant dueled in Cleveland's win Thursday.

James has scored more than 30 points in all three games since returning from injury and has gone over 30 points 11 times this season. He was matched up for much of the second half with the Clippers' Blake Griffin, who scored 34 points.

James tied a season high with 11 rebounds and added seven assists. Kyrie Irving led all scorers with 37 points.

Here is an instant, quarter-by-quarter briefing on James' performance against the Clippers.

1st Quarter

Stats: 4 pts, 3 rbs, 2 ast, 2-4 FG, 0-1 FT

Highlight: James charged down the right side and flipped the ball underhanded off the glass and in at 2:16. A scoop-shot layup, if you will.

Briefing: Another nifty move from James came with 6:26 left when he cut across the lane and threw up a right-handed shot from the left side. He also threw a pass that had such little chance of succeeding, it was tough to determine his intent. In the post, James tried to throw a one-handed bounce pass into Timofey Mozgov which, had it made it to Mozgov, would've required the 7-foot-1 center to catch it like a shortstop fields a short hop. A las, it was knocked away by the multiple defenders between James and Mozgov and turned into a Griffin dunk.

2^nd Quarter

Stats: 9 pts, 0 rbs, 2 ast, 3-6 FG, 2-4 FT

Highlight: Much like he did Thursday night at Staples Center against the Lakers, James raced into the lane, stopped on a dime and faded back for a short jumper with 4:28 remaining.

Briefing: The newfound athleticism James continues to display is something to see. But playing at the speed has some pitfalls. He shot an airball, missed on a drive with a high degree of difficulty, and committed three turnovers – one on another short hop to Tristan Thompson that had no chance. He failed to get back on defense after another turnover and J.J. Redick converted a three-pointer. James also locked up with Griffin a few times late in the quarter, something to monitor.

3^rd Quarter

Stats: 6 pts, 4 rbs, 1 ast, 2-5 FG, 2-2 FT

Highlight: James poked away a pass and took it the other way for a tomahawk dunk with 11:15 left.

Briefing: James went right at Griffin, bumped off of him and converted a layup. He also threw a towering lob to Thompson for an alley-oop where really only Thompson could catch it. Three more turnovers, including another pass into traffic that was easily intercepted. The Cavs trailed by three points. A big fourth quarter from James and Irving could send them home happy.

4^th Quarter

Stats: 13 pts, 4 rbs, 2 ast, 4-8 FG, 3-5 FT

Highlight: Up by four with 46.4 left and the Clippers gaining, James rifled a pass from out-of-bounds to Thompson for a crucial layup. Thompson sank the ensuing free throw.

Briefing: Ask and Cavs fans received. James was brilliant in the final period, beginning with his three-pointer that tied the game with 10:32 left. He had an old-fashioned, three-point play and his three-ball as the shot clock expired with 4:36 to go was huge. But the game was hanging by a thread when he connected with Thompson on the in-bounds play. Irving added nine points in the quarter. And the Staples Center sweep was complete.

Totals: 32 pts, 11 rbs, 7 ast, 11-23 FG, 7-12 FT, 42 MIN

The only way for the Cleveland Cavaliers to get the sweltering heat off themselves and head coach David Blatt is to win games. They did just that, finishing a tough Western Conference road trip with back-to-back wins for the first time since before Christmas.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The only way for the Cleveland Cavaliers to get the sweltering heat off themselves and head coach David Blatt is to win games. They did just that, finishing a tough Western Conference road trip with back-to-back wins for the first time since before Christmas.

It's one thing to beat the Lakers, a team with one of the worst records in the NBA. But Friday's 126-121 win against the Clippers, a very tough team, is as good as any win on the resume, especially given the circumstances and the drama that has surrounded this team recently.

The shorthanded Cavs improved their record to 21-20 and 20-12 with LeBron James in the lineup.

James was brilliant in his third game back from knee and back injuries, scoring 32 points, grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out seven assists.

Kyrie Irving led all scorers, finishing with 37 points on 12-of-18 from the field in 41 minutes. With Kevin Love nursing an achy back, Tristan Thompson started at power forward. He scored a season-high 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds.

Here are five observations from the Cavs' most recent win:

A new LeBron – James was clearly bothered by a pair of injuries in the first half of the season. Despite having good numbers, the look on his face, his effort level and lack of explosiveness showed a player who knew he wasn't at full strength.

So James took two weeks off, the longest stretch of missed games in his career, and has returned a different player.

It's been more than the highlight reel dunks, the scoop-shot layups, dagger threes and slick passes. It's been his body language, aggressive mindset, the look on his face and newfound athleticism. Simply put, he looks like LeBron James again.

The suffocating expectations can be tough to handle but James appears to be having fun again.

He's been celebrating after plays, dancing on the sidelines, jawing with the opponent, smiling, communicating with his teammates and firing up the bench. James even praised Blatt after a brilliant out of bounds play late that led to a basket.

The other change for James has been on the defensive end of the floor, an area of his game that has been questioned at times. He fought and hustled, even taking the challenge in the post at times against bruising Blake Griffin and lengthy DeAndre Jordan on Friday night. James defended Chris Paul on Los Angeles' final possession, a three-point attempt, but still recovered and hustled to grab the board.

If the Cavs are going to reach their ultimate goal then James needs to buy in to Blatt, continue to improve as a leader and play like the four-time MVP.

With a young and relatively inexperienced team it's up to him to show the way, a challenge he said he welcomed in his letter announcing his return. Everyone on the court is looking to him for guidance. This three-game stretch where he is averaging 33.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists, and showing a new attitude, needs to be close to his norm for the rest of the season.

Irving relishes the challenge – Irving has been compared to Clippers point guard Chris Paul for quite sometime. They both have nifty handles, can score inside and outside, played college ball in the ACC and were both coached by Byron Scott at one time.

Paul is a better passer and better defender, but there are some similarities.

Playing against Paul seems to motivate Irving, who scored 37 points and dished out five assists on Friday night. He also made 12-of-18 from the field.

After his most recent outburst, Irving is now averaging 27.0 points and 7.0 assists while shooting 46 percent from the field against Paul. The most important stat is Irving's win total. Irving, who has played three full games, is now 3-0.

Flourishing as a starter – Staying ready has been one of the themes for the Cavaliers this season. With the myriad of injuries, Blatt has been forced to shuffle players in and out of the lineup and change up his rotations. Thompson stepped into the starting lineup on Christmas Day following the injury to Anderson Varejao. But the trade for big-bodied Timofey Mozgov put Thompson back as part of the bench unit.

He has had a solid season, averaging 9.6 points and 8.0 rebounds. He has also become one of the league's best offensive rebounders.

But when starting, Thompson has been a different player. He got the call once again on Friday night, this time in the place of injured Love, and Thompson finished with a season-high 24 points to go along with 12 rebounds.

In 10 starts this season, Thompson is averaging 13.6 points and 11.7 rebounds.

He won't make an All-Star game anytime soon and may not be worthy of a reported $52 million contract he turned down this off-season, but Thompson understands his role, makes winning plays, does the dirty work and brings hustle and energy every time his number is called.

Blatt's shining moment – Blatt's offense was referred to as "borderline genius." He was considered a brilliant basketball mind overseas, able to adapt to his personnel. But the European coaching legend hasn't impressed in the first half of the season.

He is still getting used to the NBA game. He is still a stranger among players and opposing coaches. He is going through the natural growing pains of a first-time head coach. There have been, and will continue to be, times when it makes sense to focus on his shortcomings.  

But Friday night was not one of those instances. In fact, it was Blatt's best performance and possibly an enormous stepping-stone.

With rumors swirling about his future and him having to fend off questions before and after games, Blatt did a few things to show why the Cavs made him their third coach in the last three years.

First, he helped his team get back in the game in the third quarter with a Hack-a-DeAndre strategy. The defense was too generous again, giving up back-to-back 30-point quarters to open the game. Los Angeles' offense showed no signs of slowing down in the third quarter so Blatt sent Jordan, who is a 40 percent free throw shooter, to the line repeatedly. It worked.  

Jordan made 5-of-12 from the foul line in the third and the repeated fouls forced Doc Rivers to take one of his best players out of the game. Without Jordan's defense and rebounding, the Cavs finished on a 13-9 run to get within three heading into the fourth quarter. It also allowed Blatt to get extra real-time rest for some of his players on the second night of a back-to-back on the road.

Then came the play of the year.

The Cavs were leading, 119-115. There was less than a minute remaining. They had just called timeout to set up a sideline inbounds play. Blatt had James inbound the ball and he rifled a pass to an open Thompson for the layup and foul. Thompson completed the three-point play, giving the Cavs a seven-point advantage.

Blatt knew the defense would key in on Irving so he used him as a decoy to draw to defender. Griffin hesitated and left Thompson open as expected. The play design led to the bucket and James pointed to Blatt, acknowledging the head coach for a great play at the perfect time.

Blatt pushed the right buttons and his late-game strategy helped get a second straight win. It's those kinds of moments that can galvanize a disjointed team and help Blatt earn the trust of his players.  

Speed kills – The Cavs have been searching for an identity all season. It's not defense where the team is far too inconsistent, giving up 121 points to the Clippers, 15 more than their season average. It's not on offense when too often the ball sticks and the Cavs revert to hero ball.

If they'd be willing to stay committed to it, pushing the pace will give them quite an advantage.

The Cavs scored 24 fast break points and turned 13 Los Angeles turnovers into 21 points. Irving can be dazzling in the open floor and James is like a freight train. Running helped the Cavs get some easy buckets, finishing at 55 percent from the field.

The 126 points are the second-highest total of the year. There's no reason this team shouldn't be playing running more.

The Cavs shot 55.4 percent from the field in a victory over the Clippers on Friday night in Los Angeles.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers defeated the Clippers, 126-121, Friday night at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Here is a capsule look at the game after a dvr review of the ESPN telecast:

Halfway there: The Cavs closed the first half of the regular season at 21-20. They are 11-9 at home and 10-11 on the road.

Terrific two-pack in L.A.: The Cavs have won two in a row, both coming at Staples Center. On Thursday night, they defeated the Lakers, 109-102.

A victory over the Lakers should not be a big deal, because the Lakers are (really) bad. But the Cavs did not apologize because it snapped a six-game slide.

A victory over the Clippers is a big deal, because the Clippers are good. And the Cavs can derive additional satisfaction from it given the storm clouds that have hovered over the locker room in recent weeks.

Five-star quality: The Cavs authored their best performance of the season, all factors considered. They beat the Clippers (26-14) on the second night of a road back-to-back, and they did so sans forward Kevin Love (back). Love, averaging 17.7 points and 10.3 rebounds, missed his second game this season.

The Cavs' outstanding offensive display enabled them to overcome periodic defensive issues, especially in transition. But those issues happened against a potent Western Conference opponent that was healthy, so the Clippers should get credit where it is due.

The Cavs won for a variety of reasons, beginning with shot efficiency. They went 46-of-83 from the field (55.4 percent), including 10-of-23 from 3-point range (43.5 percent). They were 24-of-31 (77.4 percent) from the line.

The vast majority of their two-point shots were of a high percentage. They scored 54 points in the paint.

Action basketball: The Cavs, who have been struggling to push the pace, scored 24 fastbreak points. They produced 19 in the first half -- a season-high in any half and the most allowed by the Clippers in any half.

Just in time: The Cavs trailed after all three quarters. They outscored the Clippers, 34-26, in the fourth.

KI on fire: Cavs point guard Kyrie Irving put on a show worthy of the setting. He was 12-of-18 from the field, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range, and scored a game-high 37 in 41 minutes. He had five assists, four rebounds, three steals and one block.

In other words, he dominated.

Time and again, when the Cavs needed a big play, Irving delivered. He scratched and clawed at both ends.

As a bonus, Irving and Uncle Drew outplayed their celebrated counterpart, Chris Paul. CP3 scored 15 (on 4-of-15 shooting) and notched a game-high 14 assists in 41 minutes.

King is all business: LeBron James shot 11-of-23 from the field and committed nine turnovers, but don't be fooled: He was plenty good in "support'' of Irving. The Cavs would not have sniffed victory without him.

LeBron finished with 32 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists and three steals.

LeBron's body language proved just as important as his stat line. He was in four-time-MVP, refuse-to-lose mode -- and his teammates followed their leader. He refused to back down from the Clippers' numerous physical challenges at both ends. He was as engaged with teammates and coaches as in any game this season, constantly offering advice, encouragement and assistance.

In other words, he was King James.

Simply nasty: In three games since returning from an eight-game absence because of injuries, LeBron has scored 33, 36 and 32 -- and looked fresh doing it. Elevation and power have returned to familiar levels.

TT locked in: Tristan Thompson, who started in place of Love, played his best game of the season. He went 10-of-12 from the field and 4-of-4 from the line for 24 points in 40 minutes. He grabbed 12 rebounds and blocked two shots.

Thompson figured prominently in the play of the game. With 46 seconds left, he  made a layup off an inbounds pass from LeBron and was fouled by Matt Barnes. Thompson's free throw gave the Cavs a 122-115 lead.

The layup resulted from a play that featured Thompson setting a high screen for Irving, then diving to the hoop. Clippers forward Blake Griffin closed on Irving and lost track of Thompson, whom LeBron found with a bullet pass.

After the basket, LeBron signaled to the Cavs bench in appreciation.

ESPN play-by-play voice Mike Tirico said: "What a pass by James, who points over to (coach) David Blatt with a little bit of love for him....That's the play they drew up, and it was pretty sweet.''

ESPN analyst Mark Jackson said: "I love the execution, I love the play, and I love the fact that LeBron looks over -- points over -- to his head coach and says, 'Great job.'....It just says a lot. They need more of that. That's how you stop the talk. That's how you stop the chatter.''  

Don't forget about me: Cavs center Timofey Mozgov scored 12 (on 5-of-6 shooting) and had three rebounds and four fouls in 26 minutes.

Early trouble: For the fifth straight game, the Cavs gave up 30-plus points in the first quarter. Against the Clippers, they trailed, 33-28 -- despite shooting 57 percent from the field.

Jackson said: "Twenty-eight points, shooting 57 percent, you should be ahead. But you gave up 33 points in the first quarter. That's a recipe for disaster.''

Classic Doc: The Clippers led, 95-92, through three quarters. Before the fourth began, Clippers coach Doc Rivers was succinct with ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters.

"Listen,'' Rivers said. "It's 95-92. So the first team that decides to play defense will win the game.''

Watch Clippers star Chris Paul react to a big bucket by LeBron James during the Cavaliers win in Los Angeles on Friday night.

View full sizeCleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James, shoots as Los Angeles Clippers forward Blake Griffin, right, defends, Friday, Jan. 16, 2015, in Los Angeles. Associated Press 

LeBron James was feeling it against the Clippers in Los Angeles Friday night. And when the King feels good, he likes to dance.

Leading 101-100 with about nine minutes to play, James took a pass from Matthew Dellavedova at the top of the key, drove to the hoop, got bumped by Matt Barnes and somehow put in an off-balanced one-handed shot off the glass for the and-one.

James' celebratory jig prompted reaction from Clippers star Chris Paul, who waved it off as if to say, "Don't even."

The ensuing free throw gave the Cavaliers a 104-100 lead.

Paul's gesture didn't work as LeBron danced again after hitting a three (in the video highlights above, along with more happy chest pounding and shout-out pointing) that put the Cavs up by ten with 4:35 to go. The Cavaliers won, 126-121, as James finished with 32 points.

Bill and Ari wrap up the Texas portion of their trip back to Columbus. Watch video

GALVESTON, Texas — To the tow truck driver in Dallas who brought us a new car after our first one got a flat tire, thank you. We couldn't have gotten this thing started without you.

To the woman working the roadside truck stop somewhere between Dallas and Houston who put up with Ari's incessant questioning about blue jeans, thank you. That Red Bull was clutch.

To the person who made me that funnel cake on Pleasure Pier in Galveston, thank you. You truly do the Lord's work.

But most importantly, thanks to all of the high school coaches, players and everyone else who made the first leg of this trip so enjoyable. Ari and I set out to return to Columbus after the national championship with the idea of making stops and doing Ohio State stories along the way.

Texas set the bar high.

We ended our time here with a few stops in Houston. Be sure to check out our stories from the University of Houston about former Buckeyes quarterbacks coach Tom Herman this weekend. But first Ari will have an interesting recruiting piece today after his visit at Houston powerhouse North Shore.

From here, we'll make our way into Louisiana. Thanks for following along. Check below for our Ohio State coverage from Friday:

Doug Lesmerises on Cardale Jones' decision and which quarterback should start for Ohio State next season: Podcast

Ohio State QB Cardale Jones buried a two-year old tweet and flipped the script on how he's viewed: Doug Lesmerises

Inside the new Houston office of former Ohio State Buckeyes offensive coordinator Tom Herman: Photo gallery

From Tom Herman to Tim Beck: 'There shouldn't be a drop-off' in Ohio State's recruiting efforts in Texas

On the scene in Wichita Falls, Texas: 5 new things to know about Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett

The next Dontre Wilson? Rising DeSoto star Kadarrian Dixon would accept Ohio State offer: Buckeyes recruiting

The play wasn't exactly how Cavaliers coach David Blatt drew it up, but LeBron James pulled it off at possibly the most critical moment for his team thus far.

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – LeBron James pulled off the play of the Cavaliers' season late Friday night.

Cleveland led the Los Angeles Clippers by four points with 47.3 seconds left. Out of a timeout, James held the ball out-of-bounds on the left side, not far from midcourt.

The Staples Center, where the Cavs had won 24 hours earlier, was rocking, and the Clippers were gaining. Cleveland led by as many as 10 in the quarter, but it felt like Clippers could steal the game if they could get a stop.

Enter James, who looked, and looked...and then rifled one right under the basket to Tristan Thompson, who slipped open late and converted the pass for a layup. Thompson made the ensuing free throw, and not long after the Cavs were 126-121 winners.

It was the play of Cleveland's season for any number of reasons. And as you might've guessed, we're going to list them.

As previously stated, the game was going to turn on that possession. Some other stuff happened late for the Cavs to hold on – Matthew Dellavedova drilled two free throws with nine seconds to go to push the lead back to four – but without the niftiest of James' seven assists, Cleveland might've finished a five-game Western trip with a 1-4 record.

Instead, the team comes home 2-3 on the Western swing, and a game over .500 at the midway point of the season at 21-20. It's a disappointing record for a team with Cleveland's expectations, but the optics of a sub-.500 first half would have been bad.

The win came on another night of brilliance for James, when he scored 32 points, grabbed 11 rebounds and became the youngest player in NBA history to reach 24,000 career points (30 years, 17 days), surpassing Kobe Bryant.

And it was one more chance for talk about the Cavaliers to be about anything other than the turmoil that has surrounded the team for nearly a month.

"It's our best win because it's the one that happened tonight," James said. "We need as many wins as we can get because we struggled a little bit in the last month."

James, as you know, missed two weeks recovering from nagging injuries. The Cavs went 1-7 during that stretch. In the meantime, there were myriad reports of a discord between James and coach David Blatt, between Blatt and players other than James, and even among assistant coaches.

The reports persist despite team officials' best efforts to make them go away. The latest came Friday, when in an otherwise positive interview about his relationship with James and his coaching style, Blatt told Yahoo! Sports that James was at times "stubborn."

So in a perfect world, in a game the Cavaliers had to have and at a crucial point in the game, Blatt would've gathered his attentive players in a huddle, drew up a play, and watch that play work to perfection.

But as we've come to learn, this season and this team is anything but perfect. So the play Blatt drew up didn't exactly unfold as planned, save for the final result of Thompson's bucket.

The play, according to James and Thompson, was to free Kyrie Irving (37 points) at the top of the key and let him go to work. And, actually, James wasn't even supposed to inbound the ball – that responsibility was delegated to Dellavedova.

"Once I knew I was going to be a decoy in the play, and get Kyrie to the top, I told them let me take the ball out , let me make sure we secure it in," James said, explaining why he was seen pointing at coaches and players before the play.

Thompson, who scored 24 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in place of the injured Kevin Love, said James "called an audible" once he spotted Thompson rolling to the hoop with Blake Griffin on his back. A team spokesman said later that Thompson breaking open was the natural evolution of the play.

"Drew up a particular play, and LeBron made a great play," Blatt said. "The play was good, the pass was much better. LeBron made the play."

James said the pass he threw to Thompson was about "trusting your teammates."

The Cavaliers have trust and camaraderie deficits that are not caused by the players' relationship with Blatt. It's a new team with players spending their first season together – a dynamic James discusses often.

If the Cavs truly wants to see these near daily stories of trouble in paradise go away, their only real remedy is to win. The camaraderie will come as the wins mount.

James seems wedded to the task.

A week ago, the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported that James' teammates viewed him as "happy" to be in Cleveland and "more committed than I've ever seen him," in the words of Mike Miller.

James has played three games since his two-week break, and his numbers support his teammates' analysis. He's scored 101 points in those three games, is continuing to distribute the ball and is crashing the boards harder than before.

He just looks, well, different. Spry. Explosive. Bold. The latest example in a quickly mounting pile of evidence: the third quarter Friday night.

James opened the quarter with a steal and vicious tomahawk dunk in the open court. A little later, he went right at the Clippers' Blake Griffin, a 6-10 mountain of muscle, and bounced into him as he bounced in a layup.

It's only three games, and this is not the first time James had a hot week (he's already twice won Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors), but this is not the James who stood passively as the Pistons beat his team at home by 23 points on Dec. 28.

"It's another great step in the direction we're trying to go," James said. "We've had some struggles and I'm happy I'm able to go out at a high level and help our team win and compete. That's what I want to do as a leader, help us compete. Help them believe we can compete every night."

It's fitting, then, that the play of the Cavs' season came from James. Even more so that it was a pass.

It's how teams are built.

David Blatt is finding new, creative ways to reach his players and it's starting to work.

LOS ANGELES – Those who have covered Cavaliers' head coach David Blatt during his overseas tenure insists that he's not being himself.

From their accounts, he's a boisterous, no nonsense, my way or the highway type of a coach. If you don't fall in line, he'll line you up at the end of the bench.

Obviously, that approach won't work in the NBA unless one has a resume highlighted with a few NBA championships. In an interview with Northeast Ohio Media Group, Blatt elaborated on the notion that he's not operating as he did in years past.

"There are different things, but does that mean that I'm personally different?" Blatt asked NEOMG. "I don't think so. It's a different game and a different environment and naturally there are going to be things that I will have to adjust to."

The environment that he's in now is a league ran by players, for the most part. Often a head coach's security depends on his relationship with his players and more importantly like any other coaching profession, how many victories you can accumulate.

"I'm past the feeling out stage," Blatt told NEOMG. "I'm looking forward to getting healthy and back on track. That's what I'm looking for."

Blatt is in the midst of adjusting to a player's league. He's still trying figuring out the right methodology to best reach his team. A surprise-bowling outing was an excellent idea. It loosened the players up and helped build team camaraderie.

To his credit, he's trying.

Early in training camp Mike Miller called Blatt's offense "borderline genius." That seems so long ago, but for the last two months, it has been extremely difficult to spot Blatt's hybrid of a Princeton offense.

"It takes times. When you have a new offense that everyone is not familiar with and players are in and out with injuries, it's going to take time," Millers told NEOMG right before Friday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers.

"We weren't great offensively in Miami our first year either. Just because his philosophies aren't showing up on the stat sheets right now doesn't mean they're not genius. I still think they're really good."

Friday's 126-121 win over the Lakers was action-packed filled with explosive offensive sets and timely ball movement. The offense just flowed and when it was time for LeBron James or Kyrie Irving to do their thing, they did. However, they got theirs within the confines of the offense.

With 48 seconds left on the clock and the Cavaliers up by four, LeBron James inbounded the ball from the sideline. The play was to find Irving at the top of the key, but the Clippers were overplaying him. James instead zipped a pass to a cutting Tristan Thompson who finished a layup and was fouled.

James immediately looked at the coaching staff and pointing in their direction as if he was commending them for drawing up such a beautiful, effective play. It was the first time James has outwardly shown any level of satisfaction or gratitude towards Blatt.

A main component of Blatt's offense is reading and reacting. We saw a lot of that on Friday and we also witnessed the return of Blatt's motion offense. It was quite efficacious as they shot 55 percent from the field, their highest shooting percentage in nearly a month.

For the first time in a long time, Blatt looked in control. This was his team.

"I think more than anything, we're committed to going out and competing," James said. "When we compete, we can be a very good team. If you hold that and sustain that for close to 48 minutes, you'll give yourself a chance to win every night."

That's all anybody was ever asking of this team.

The Cavaliers are 2-0 since their bowling excursion. All Blatt wanted was for his players to meet him halfway. For months, he has extended his hand, but there was nobody on the other end. In Los Angeles, thanks to his persistence in reaching his players, his hand was finally shaken.

He's trying and now the players are returning the favor.

The Cleveland Cavaliers finished the five-game road trip strong by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 126-121.

LOS ANGELES – In an electricity-filled game that was hard-fought, the Cleveland Cavaliers salvaged a five-game road trip with a 126-121 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday night at Staples Center.

Kyrie Irving had it going, scoring a game-high 37 points on 12-of-18 shooting. He was one point shy of tying his season-high. LeBron James continued his dominance after a two-week layoff, posting 12 of his 32 points in the final quarter to go with 11 rebounds and seven assists. With Timofey Mozgov plagued with foul trouble, James was forced to play power forward for much of the game.

For weeks head coach David Blatt has stated that his team is getting good looks, but just not hitting them. On Friday Cleveland (21-20) capitalized on the opportunities, shooting 55 percent from the field.

With Kevin Love sidelined with recurring back spasms, the Cavaliers had to find another alternative to getting inside baskets and Tristan Thompson filled that void in the starting lineup.

Not known for his offensive talents, Thompson dominated the painted area by crashing the offensive glass and following it up with dunks. He also moved well off the ball to put himself in easy scoring positions. He finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks.

The end result is a 2-3 road trip after dropping the first three games. Now at the halfway point of the season, there were signs both Thursday and Friday that the team is finally getting healthy.

Paul flirted with a triple double as he went for 15 points, eight rebounds and a game-high 14 assists. Blake Griffin scored 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. DeAndre Jordan supplied 19 points and pulled down 12 rebounds.

What sealed it

With 48 seconds remaining and the Cavaliers up four, James was inbounding the ball from the sideline and threw a strike to Thompson and the big man converted the layup, plus the foul. That three-point play gave the Cavs a seven-point lead.

Almost out

J.R. Smith tweaked his back during pregame warmups and walked to the locker room in obvious pain. A team trainer worked on Smith for approximately 20 minutes with a series of stretches and massages.

After checking on Smith, Blatt informed Shawn Marion that he would start if Smith were unable to play. But when it was time for layup drills, Smith was out there with no signs of injury. He finished with eight points in 30 minutes.

Bench update

Los Angeles' bench outscored Cleveland's bench 22-13. Jamal Crawford had 13 points for the Clippers.

Who's on deck?

Cleveland returns home against the Chicago Bulls on Monday. It will be the second meeting between these two teams. The Cavaliers defeated the Bulls in the second game of the season 114-108 in overtime.

Former players say franchise instability playing a key role in playoff drought.

BEREA, Ohio – When they ran off the Municipal Stadium field on Jan. 1, 1995, the jubilant Browns expected the franchise's next playoff victory to come the following week in Pittsburgh.

Twenty years later, they're still waiting. So are the fans.

Members of the 1994 team -- the last Browns' squad to record a postseason victory -- never dreamed it would take this long to win again.

"Not in a million years," said Leroy Hoard, who scored the game-winning touchdown in a 20-13 triumph over the Patriots. "I would have thought after the team came back (in 1999) they would have gotten something going by now."

The Browns, however, have managed only a 2002 playoff appearance – a 36-33 loss to the Steelers – and just two winning seasons.

The club has run through seven full-time head coaches, including three in the past three seasons. Former Browns running back Earnest Byner said franchise instability and lack of continuity are major reasons for the long post-season win drought.

"I'm not surprised only because some of the operational things that have gone on," Byner said. "They have not been building for longevity with all the change. There has to be devotion to certain ways of doing things."

Byner wrote a book, Everybody Fumbles, which is a collection of stories from his career. One chapter is entitled "Football Plagiarism." He believes some franchises get caught up trying to "reinvent the game" instead of sticking to what has worked.

Former Browns defensive back Louis Riddick offers a similar take, stressing the importance of sound decision-making at the ownership and management levels. He said new owners must understand that running a corporation is not like operating an NFL franchise.

"The league is set up for parity, it's set up for everybody to have an equal chance," said Riddick, who worked in the NFL front offices before joining ESPN. "But the talent level in upper managements isn't the same. Some teams know what they're looking for, make the hires and let the people go to work.

"Other teams don't know what they're looking for and they're always chasing their tail, looking for hottest candidate."

Both Riddick and Byner like what they see in current coach Mike Pettine, who led the Browns to a 7-9 record, the franchise's best in seven years.

"He has the right mentality to develop guys," Byner said. "I believe he's going to be a winner in this league. I really like his sideline demeanor and how he stays calm even when they fall behind like they did against the Steelers in that first game. I think he will help make that team a winner."

Hoard was stunned to see offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan leave without having another job already in place. "I look at that and ask, 'What's going on there?'"

Although he enjoyed more success with the Vikings, making four playoff runs, Hoard still feels a strong bond with the Browns.  

"My love for Cleveland has never faded," said Hoard, a sports talk show host in Miami. "Basketball is one thing and everyone loves LeBron, but there's nothing bigger than Browns football. I'd love to see a parade in Cleveland."