Few moved very fast, no one flattened a quarterback and there were no bone-jarring hits in the gentle, friendly version of football played at the Pro Bowl Sunday.

GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Few moved very fast, no one flattened a quarterback and there were no bone-jarring hits in the gentle, friendly version of football played at the Pro Bowl Sunday.

Even in a game dominated by offense, J.J. Watt was the star.

The Texans defensive end intercepted pass, recovered a fumble and led the crowd in dances during commercial breaks.

Team Irvin defeated 32-28 Watt's Team Carter, but the score is never important in the NFL's all-star game. Everyone seemed to have a good time, particularly Watt, the game's defensive MVP.

Other memorable moments came from Saints tight end Jimmy Graham, who dunked over the crossbar twice after TD catches -- this time with no penalty, and Giants rookie Odell Beckham Jr. who made a diving grab at midfield.

Graham's second touchdown, on a 1-yard, fourth-down pass from Matt Ryan, was the winning TD with 3:10 to play.

Greg Olsen and Emmanuel Sanders also caught a pair of touchdown passes apiece. Andrew Luck was nearly perfect in his short time on the field, completing 9 of 10 for 119 yards and two scores. Matthew Stafford threw for 316 yards and two TDs and was the offensive MVP.

The Pro Bowl took a one-year hiatus from Hawaii to be played in the desert to coincide with the big game. A sellout crowd of 63,225 watched at University of Phoenix Stadium as the teams moved up and down the field, often without much resistance.

If the players missed the beach, they wouldn't let on.

"It's been fantastic," Dallas quarterback Tony Romo said. "The turnout here at the stadium is just like an NFL game."

Romo knew this wasn't a real NFL game.

"It's a blast," Stafford said. "To able to play with the best in the world is a whole lot of fun, and everybody is such good people, too. I am out here having a good time."

The NFL scrapped the AFC vs. NFC format last year in favor of having two big-name former players draft players four days before the game. This year, the honor went to Michael Irvin and Cris Carter.

There were teammates playing against teammates.

When Green Bay's Jordy Nelson made a pretty fingertip touchdown catch from Drew Brees for Team Carter. He celebrated with his Packers teammate Clay Matthews, who was playing for the other team.

Beckham dove to the ground and gathered in Stafford's long pass just as the ball was about to hit the ground. When Graham caught a six-yard touchdown pass from Stafford, he soared to dunk the ball over crossbar. The New Orleans tight end was fined $30,000 when he did that twice, and was penalized both times, in a preseason game. There was no penalty on Sunday.

"I really wanted to catch one here because this is I guess the only place I can dunk without a flag," Graham said. "But you know, the league called down and told me not to hang on it, so I didn't."

The goal posts were narrowed to from 18.6 feet to 14 feet on all kicks, not just PATs as had been previously announced. The PATs also were moved back to make it a 33-yard kick.

The skinny posts claimed an unlikely victim when Adam Vinatieri missed two PATs. The 42-year-old Colts kicker hasn't missed an extra point in real games in five years. He also missed a 38-yard field goal.

Another rule was no blitzing. Denver's Von Miller violated that one and, on the next play after the unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Luck threw a 14-yard touchdown pass to his Indianapolis teammate T.Y. Hilton.

"It's very special, the chemistry that we have," Hilton said.

Winners got what amounts to pocket change for them -- $55,000 apiece, losers $28,000.

Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Joe Vardon and Chris Haynes recapped the win against the Thunder during the postgame show. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers have now won six straight games, beating the Oklahoma City Thunder, 108-98, on Sunday afternoon.

LeBron James led the way with a game-high 34 points. Kevin Durant chipped in with 32 points to go with nine assists.

The Cavs are now 25-20, and have reached the century mark in seven straight games while also picking things up on the defensive end of the floor, holding Oklahoma City under 40 percent from the field.

The game also marked Dion Waiters' first contest against his former team. Waiters scored 14 points on 5-of-15 from the field, including 2-of-7 from three-point range

Cleveland.com's Chris Fedor, Joe Vardon and Chris Haynes recapped the win against the Thunder during the postgame show.

The trio talked about the significance of the win against Oklahoma City, James' play recently, the defensive effort once again, changes David Blatt has made to the rotation, J.R. Smith's contributions and what Waiters had to say following the game about his return to Cleveland. 

 

Find out how coaches can nominate an athlete for Players of the Week.

Find out how coaches can nominate an athlete for Players of the Week.

The NHL figured out long ago All-Star games should not be taken too seriously, and still can be successful showcase events. Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred should take note.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – New baseball commissioner Rob Manfred replaced Bud Selig over the weekend and while it seems unlikely, one wonders if Manfred kicked back and flipped on any of the NHL All-Star Weekend festivities in Nationwide Arena.

He might have picked up on a few things.

All-Star games should be a fun celebration of the game for the players and the fans. The NHL has figured that out. Perhaps the highlight of the weekend was the goofy fantasy draft Friday night in which two players – Columbus' Nick Foligno and Chicago's Jonathan Toews – picked their own teams.

The format in place since 2011 has been copied by other leagues and it continues to be a frolic for the players and fans. The last two players picked received a new car, and the best part of the night was watching Capitals star Alex Ovechkin beg to be the last taken, saying repeatedly he needed a car. When he was chosen third from last, he initially refused to come on stage, producing further guffaws.

Players' tables were strewn with cups containing unknown drinks of choice. Rick Nash said later "guys were staying hydrated" backstage and by that point, Ovechkin appeared well lubed.

The skills competition was highly entertaining. Ovechkin swung and missed three times baseball style at a lobbed puck, the third time with a goalie stick. Jakub Voracek carried boy wonder Johnny "Hockey" Gaudreau like a child toward the net for an easy goal.

View full sizeFormer baseball commissioner Bud Selig, left, and new ommissioner Rob Manfred speak with the media Jan. 15. Manfred started his new job over the weekend, and might have picked up a few things had he tuned into NHL All-Star Weekend in Columbus.AP 

Clearly, players enjoyed the All-Star Game itself, combining to score a record 29 goals. There's no reason to be cynical about that stat. The NHL season is a long, physical grind and its nice to see the players gathering to enjoy each other's company while entertaining fans.

"I think what any kid wants is to see that, their favorite players having fun,'' Foligno said. "Any time they see that, I think it makes them enjoy the sport that much more. For us, it's just about going out there and enjoying each other's company and enjoying playing the sport and showing the passion we have for it.''

At one point Sunday, Foligno and Ovechkin had a fake fight with Calgary's Mark Giordano and Chicago's Brent Seabrook. Then they all hugged.

Ovechkin is one of Foligno's hockey heroes.

"It's something you dream about as a kid, and when it becomes a reality you kind of have to pinch yourself and enjoy every moment,'' Foligno said. "I really did. We were laughing a lot just with what was going on. I couldn't believe it.''

Can you imagine if Commissioner Gary Bettman decided players take the game more seriously, split the teams up by division and let the winner claim Stanley Cup finals home-ice advantage?

That would be the biggest joke of all, and that's what Manfred inherits from Selig with baseball's All-Star Game, the winner of which gets home field advantage for the World Series. The invention of inter-league play has made the National League vs. American League concept of the All-Star Game irrelevant and it shouldn't be given such importance.

Professional sports are serious business most of the time, but the NHL has shown All-Star games can be successful without taking themselves too seriously.

"Baseball is really intense,'' Foligno said. "It's an awesome sport. I really respect what those guys do, but I think it's nice what we have here and it makes our sport enjoyable in that sense.''

Here are a few more things I think about All-Star Weekend:

2. Defenseless in Columbus: That said, it would be nice if NHL players attempted a little defense. Just a little. Don't leave it all up the goalies, who each play a period and may or may not be taking it too seriously, either.

Mostly, the blue liners just stood around.

The last six All-Star Games have seen 130 goals scored. Team Toews beat Team Foligno on Sunday, 17-12, and the winners needed a couple more goals to beat the Browns' scoring average this season.

3. Missing Bob and Sid: As much fun as it was to see most of the game's greatest players gathered in Columbus, one could not help but think of those who were not there.

Sidney Crosby adorns a huge banner on Nationwide Arena, but was nowhere to be seen this weekend. Arguably the game's greatest player, it was a regularly scheduled leave of absence. He came up with a lower-body injury late last week and will be suspended one game for pulling out so late, as will teammate Evgeni Malkin.

View full sizeSidney Crosby (far left) adorns a huge banner on Nationwide Arena, but he was not inside for the NHL All-Star Weekend, sitting it out with a lower-body injury. He has played in one All-Star Game in his career.Tim Warsinskey / The Plain Dealer 

Sergei Bobrovsky was a different story. The Blue Jackets goalie is beloved in Columbus for his openness and unmatched work ethic, to say nothing of his top-shelf play night after night. He was an All-Star selection, but injured his groin in the last game before the break.

This was to have been Bobrovsky's weekend, starting his first All-Star game at home. To have seen him rejecting a Rick Nash shot would have been too delicious for Blue Jackets fans.

The team has not discussed the result of an MRI. He came back from a similar injury last year to lead the team to the playoffs, but that return was around New Years Day, and if he's not back soon, it probably will be too late for an injury-ravaged team currently 13^th in the Eastern Conference.

Fans aren't the only ones who missed out on seeing the biggest stars.

"To this day, I still have never met Crosby," Dallas Stars forward center Tyler Seguin said Friday. "Never really had a conversation with him. I was looking forward to that, but obviously that's not going to happen."

Notable Northeast Ohioans weigh in with who they think will win Super Bowl XLIX between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – It's our second annual survey asking notable Northeast Ohioans who will win the Super Bowl, Seattle or New England. Our voters were pretty much split between the teams, who meet in Glendale, Arizona, on Sunday, Feb. 1. (Last year almost three times as many respondents chose Denver over eventual winner Seattle; click here to read the story.) Here is this year's survey:

Alexandra Nicholis Coon, executive director, Massillon Museum:

Seattle, 27-24: "Based on my husband's reaction, however, it seems as though the Seahawks may have trouble scoring points. In all honesty, I'm rooting for whatever team my husband gambles on, once he's had a chance to do his handicapping; there's much less profanity in the air when his bets come through!"

Andrew Craze, former brewer and beer judge in Cleveland, now software entrepreneur in Seattle:

Seattle, 24-21: "The Seahawks this year are a come-from-behind team and don't often win by more than they have to."

Renee DeLuca, beer blogger and president, New Albion Brewing Co.:

New England, 42-38: "I'd like to see the Patriots win for personal reasons - Boston is a great beer town; our forefathers landed on Plymouth Rock with beer on board all their ships! And my 'beery godfather' Jim Koch of Boston Beer/Sam Adams is headquartered there. ... And I have two brothers who live in Boston, as well as my daughter who goes to Boston College. So it's a family thing! ... Seattle's a good team with a lot of heart, and they're defending their title. I see an offensive battle in the making."

Steven Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio:

New England, 24-10: "Two words. Tom Brady. The Seahawks are not going to get basement-level performances from the two greatest quarterbacks of the last decade twice in a row."

Pete Elliott, U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Ohio:

New England, 28-24: "I think obviously the team that plays the best is going to be the one that wins. But it can go either way."

Shelley Fasulko, co-owner, Brewnuts, Cleveland:

Seattle, 34-31: "The Seahawks are coming off that miracle victory over Green Bay. Not too many teams have ever experienced a 'W' that insane. Bill Belichick's deflated balls don't stand a chance at stopping that momentum!" (New England was accused of using deflated footballs in the AFC Conference Championship Sunday, Jan. 18, against Indianapolis.)

Ed "Flash" Ferenc, longtime radio host:

New England, 35-27: "I love Tom Brady, even though his balls are deflated. Actually, it's because we all know his days of being a top QB are dwindling, and it would be so cool to see him win one more Super Bowl. If Belichick doesn't play conservative, they will dominate the game."

Rick Finotti, St. Edward High School football coach:

New England, 37-24: "Tom Brady will lead the Pats to victory. All the near misses the past few years have him focused and primed to lead the Pats to another title."

Eric Flannery, St. Ed's basketball coach, co-author "Worthy of the Jersey:"

Seattle, 24-23: They are defending champs and have that 'find a way' mentality. Plus everyone's going to think New England because of how they played recently as opposed to how Seattle played. The NFL is a week-to-week performance, and I think Seattle knows how fortunate they are to still be playing and will make the most of it."

Mike Gallagher, Cuyahoga County Councilman, Republican of Strongsville:

New England, 31-24: "Bill Belichick and Tom Brady. That's all you need."

John Lane, owner, Winking Lizard chain:

New England, 21-13: "I'm totally bumming. New England has the better defense. And when it comes down to things, usually in championships defense shines."

Dave Lucas, writer, Brews + Prose founder:

New England, 30-27: "I'm going to say the Patriots win by three because even though the better defense almost always wins, I fear Bill Belichick's vengeance if I pick against him."

Tony Madalone, founder, Fresh Brewed Tees:

Seattle: 27-24: "The Hawks' defense is the main reason why they'll win. Strong leadership, all work as a core unit. They're a close-knit group that's still hungry and wants to prove everyone wrong."

Ralph McGreevy, executive vice-president, Cleveland-based Northeast Ohio Apartment Association. The organization represents about 400 member companies:

Seattle, 33-29: "Why? Russell Wilson. I think he's the better quarterback. Brady is definitely the sage, but Wilson is the up-and-comer. I saw him play at the Horseshoe in 2012; he's got a rocket arm and a very mobile body. He can elude NFL quality rushers with ease. Which he has proven. By the way, his team (Wisconsin) lost to OSU 33-29. If they had had better receivers they would have beaten Ohio State. In Seattle, he clearly has better receivers."

Vince McKee, local sports author:

New England, 24-17: Because the "hoodie" has something to prove after 11 years without a title and retirement talk in the works for him and Brady.

Steve McKeown, art director, Brokaw Inc., the Cleveland firm that recently redesigned Great Lakes Brewing Co.'s logo:

Seattle, 21-14: "Because of the momentum Seattle had after that win (a late fourth-quarter comeback against Green Bay in the NFC Conference Championship game Sunday, Jan. 18). I couldn't believe they pulled it off and won."

Mike Meadows, founder, Meadows Turkey Bowl, Medina. The annual Thanksgiving-Day game is a fundraiser for St. Vincent de Paul Society:

Seattle, 35-7: "New England will struggle playing with fully inflated footballs. I am looking for a lot of dropped passes. That combined with not being allowed to steal Seattle's defensive signals and review their playbooks in advance of the game will really hurt New England in this game."

Beth Noragon, Grovewood Tavern and Wine Bar owner:

Seattle, 30-27: "My chef trained on the West Coast. I have to have my loyalties in his camp."

David Pepper, chairman of the Ohio Democratic Party (and a Bengals fan):

Seattle, 28-17: "Seattle better all-around team, Patriot football-deflation strategy no longer an option."

Don Plusquellic, Akron mayor:

New England, 31-27: "Because Seattle used up all of its luck (Sunday, Jan. 18, against Green Bay)."

Sara Shookman, WKYC reporter:

Seattle, 20-17: "After their come-from-behind win over Green Bay, they're a force to be reckoned with. With all those coffee shops, Seattleites are always energized. And last I heard, the Pats were a little 'deflated.' "

Catherine Sterle, executive director, Pairings wine and culinary center, Geneva:

Seattle, 31-24: "I think first I should say I have to appreciate the host state of Arizona. They have come into the wine scene lately with Arizona Stronghold and many other new winery offerings. Along those lines ... Well, obviously, we love Washington Wines! The muscle of their Bordeaux varietals are second only to the muscle of the Seahawks' defensive line!"

Kent Waldeck, owner, Crafted Artisan Meadery, Mogadore:

Seattle, 28-0: "The Seahawks are going to swarm Brady and the Pats like honeybees protecting their hive. The resulting honey sticks the Patriots with a (shutout) loss. The Seahawks will raise their snifters of Crafted Mead and toast their second consecutive Super Bowl victory!"

Jessica Wallis, founding director, Ballet in Cleveland:

New England, 23-20: "I think New England's offense is clicking at the right time, and their defense is the best it's been in a long time. Also, Belichick has two weeks to prepare. I think he'll out-coach Pete Carroll. Belichick has always been a strong coach, even when with the Browns!"

Beverly Warren, Kent State University president:

New England, 24-20: "With Kent State alums Julian Edelman and Josh Kline leading the Patriots' offense, New England will win."

Contributing to this report were Northeast Ohio Media Group's Joe Crea, Karen Farkas, Eric Heisig, Henry Gomez, Joe Noga, Troy Smith, Andrew Tobias.

Cleveland Browns fans upset with the latest report of a pending suspension for wide receiver Josh Gordon are torn between wanting the team to cut him or hold on to him in hopes he one day fulfills his tremendous potential -- Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Josh Gordon failed a test for alcohol following the season, according to NFL Network's Albert Breer.

 After a trip to Aspen with Johnny Manziel, possibly? Honestly, we have no idea and  -- other than providing another reason to worry about Manziel -- it's a moot point.

Since Gordon is in Stage 3 of the NFL drug program, he can be tested as often as 10 times per month. He can't say he didn't know it was coming.

 His July arrest on DUI charges went unpunished by the league but became another entry on his list of infractions dating to college.

If the Browns would like to claim they didn't know the risks with Gordon when they spent a second-round pick on him in the supplemental draft, they can't. 

 His issues date to college when he was suspended by two programs – Utah and Baylor – for marijuana use.

 I've advocated cutting him now while acknowledging it wouldn't be the smart business decision.

If Gordon is suspended for the 2015 season, his contract would roll over and he would be under contract to the Browns through 2016, at which time he'd become a restricted free agent.

 So a possible rehabilitation would benefit the Browns and nobody else if they simply waited. I just have no faith in his return, though, don't believe the Browns even want him anymore and can't imagine them getting much for him in a trade because he has so many strikes against him.

 Here's a small sample of what I heard from readers Sunday:

@budshaw @clevelanddotcom so Josh will see $4 million Bud Light ads while watching the Super Bowl, but can't have a beer. #NFL #Hypocrites

— Bob Rose (@brcleve) January 26, 2015

The NFL isn't selling alcohol while telling its players they can't have a beer. They're just telling Gordon he can't drink if he wants to remain eligible to play in the league. I have absolutely no problem with it.

Alcohol rules strict on guys in program w/prior history. Lions K Matt Prater had a few beers with his dad out fishing, nailed as a result.

— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 25, 2015

eastlake08 8 hours ago

In a perverse way (Johnny Manziel) is wrecking this team one player/ head office person at a time.  He absolutely cost Loggains his job, probably added to Gordon's problems and certainly helped Shanahan out the door.  Honest to God I have never seen anything like this. A one man wrecking crew.

(Well, Johnny is another story. But Gordon's issues pre-date him. I think Gordon was his own wrecking crew. I'd start his list with Brian Hoyer. Not that Hoyer wasn't complicit. He forced way too many throws Gordon's way. An offense that spread the wealth became very predictable. Don't get me wrong. Hoyer's performance was already sliding when Gordon returned but Hoyer was enthralled with having a big target to which to throw and the offense suffered for it.)

namvet888 11 hours ago

 I dunno, Bud.

If Gordon doesn't cost the Browns a dime in 2015, and then would still be under contract for two more seasons (thanks to his final game suspension), maybe we should keep him.

He isn't worth a bag of under-inflated New England balls right now, but who knows?  He may grow up after a year of selling cars and decide that playing football is a better gig.  If not, we can cut him later. 

(That's the argument for not cutting him. I was struck by Donte Whitner saying at the end of the season that the veterans were assured the guys who didn't want to be on board would be gone by next season. This just seems like the perfect opportunity to back that up.)

capmjh 11 hours ago

10 weeks of selling cars had no impact on him, why should a full year?

(Exactly my point. The bigger issue is being tested 10 times a month for a year. Then and only then could he even apply for reinstatement.)

kenyon81 11 hours ago

but this is a business. some addicts have a "high bottom"--that is, they don't have to lose EVERYTHING before they get help--and he certainly needs help.  if the browns control him for two more (active) years, i think it would be worth their while to see if gordon can get the help he needs, and THEN decide what to do with him.

(True. One problem is he supposedly went to a clinic and says they told him he wasn't addicted to anything. That's his version anyway.) Hard to make someone recognize their behavior as a problem.) 

jkutney 11 hours ago

Jimmy is right  -  it's not the same old browns -- IT'S EVEN WORSE!

(I think that sentiment goes back to Mike Holmgren. It's hard to blame anyone who says they're still waiting for proof.) 

 

Why the Cavaliers' win over Oklahoma City was the best sign yet that LeBron James' team is trending upward.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Dan Gilbert didn't put 20,000 gold t-shirts on the seats at The Q just because.

The Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder didn't land on the slate of ABC's first Sunday games this season for laughs.

Though it took place on Jan. 25, three full weeks before the All-Star Game in a regular season that starts before Halloween and goes past Easter, it truly was a big game.

And for once, the Cavaliers prevailed.

"We've improved, mentally more than anything," LeBron James said yesterday, following Cleveland's 108-98 win over the Thunder.

Remember, James called said once this was a "very fragile" team.

"Big game" is a cliché in sports, certainly on most nights when it's applied to describe one contest out of 82 in the NBA. But it's a point worth examining to measure how much James' team has grown over the last several days.

First, and really it's the reason this game was announced for ABC's first Sunday slate back in August, it was a feature of the league's last two Most Valuable Player winners in James and Kevin Durant -- two stars who were picked to lead their teams to, excuse the word, big things this year.

With the Cavs and Thunder playing in opposite conferences, James and Durant only square off twice a year, unless they meet in the Finals as they did in 2012. Basketball fans were robbed of one James-Durant showdown when the Cavs' superstar sat out with a sore knee on Dec. 11.

Next, and schedulers couldn't have known this way back when, but Dion Waiters made his return to The Q after getting traded to Oklahoma City on Jan. 5. It's a side-story, but a juicy one nonetheless.

Third (we're building toward something here), those gold t-shirts draped over each seat at The Q. The idea, of course, is to make the organization and city look (and sound) good on national TV.

Free, gold Cavs t-shirts are reason to scream a little louder, a little more often. Of course Gilbert picked up the tab.

Add it all together: marquee individual matchup, the whole country watching, intriguing side stories, and nervous energy in the building (more so than on an average night).

The Cavaliers had played in that kind of cauldron of attention exactly twice this season. The first was James' official return to Cleveland on opening night against the Knicks, which James said was "one of the biggest sporting events ever," and on Christmas Day in his emotional return to Miami.

James and the Cavaliers failed. Twice.

"In those two games we did, yes, obviously, we did," Cleveland coach David Blatt said. "I can't deny that. Hopefully we learned from that."

Though admitting what the entire country saw on those two nights against the Knicks and Heat – that the Cavs played tight and faltered down the stretch – Blatt nevertheless didn't like the comparison.

Before Sunday's game he wondered aloud why a matchup with the Thunder was any different than, say, last Monday's 108-94 win over Central Division-leading Chicago?

Interesting question. The Cavs have beaten the Bulls twice, once following that season-opening dud and last week on the first night at home after a five-game Western trip.

Given that Cleveland still trails Chicago by 3.5 games in the division, each and every game between them is vitally important.

But neither set of circumstances surrounding the Cavs' two wins against the Bulls matched what was going on at The Q Sunday, or on opening night, or on South Beach at Christmas.

In that first game against New York, a nervous James scored 17 points but committed eight turnovers. In his emotional Miami return, James scored 30 points, but there were four turnovers, a really slow opening quarter and some leg issues that briefly knocked him out of the game.

Yesterday, James started 1-of-5 from the field and was called for traveling. But something was different about his early struggles this time, they seemed to come within the flow of the game and because of a bad bounce or two.

When it was all over, James scored 34 points, grabbed seven rebounds, and dished out five assists in 39 minutes. Durant countered with 32 points, six rebounds, and nine assists, but he and his team were defeated by a James explosion to start the fourth quarter.

After Durant shut out James in the third, the Cavaliers' leader returned and scored the game's next eight points. He finished by splashing a three-pointer on Waiters with 9:43 left, and Cleveland led 91-80. That was about it for the Thunder.

"I wanted to bump it up and be aggressive," James said.

After each of the last six Cleveland games – all wins – players, coaches, general managers and reporters have all talked about the Cavaliers being a changed team.

James looks healthy. Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith, and Iman Shumpert add new dimensions. The team defends and believes.

But what transpired Sunday was yet another sign things have evolved in the right direction for James and the Cavs.

They've beaten every team in front of them in the East, and won games over Western teams like Memphis and the Clippers. And yet, Cleveland hadn't won a game like this one all season.

"We're a confident bunch, but for us, we're a humble bunch," James said. "It's one game, against a very experienced team, a very talented team, very good team that's been together for a while and it shows that we can match up with that caliber team."

"I felt the atmosphere was a playoff atmosphere," Blatt added. "I'm glad we responded well to that kind of matchup."

LeBron James' steals have shot up since his return, along with the rest of his numbers.

AUBURN HILLS, Mich. -- Sick with the flu, LeBron James twice picked his pal Gordon Hayward's pocket in a 106-92 win over Utah Wednesday.

James added two more steals that night, and on Friday again stole the ball four  times in the Cavaliers' walloping of the Charlotte Hornets. Those steals produced some serious highlights, such as this:

Many of James' stats continue to escalate since his return from injury on Jan. 13.

He's averaging nearly five more points, two more rebounds, one more steal, and is shooting nearly three percentage points higher in the seven games he's played following a two-week hiatus compared to the 29 games prior to him resting nagging back and knee injuries.

Individually, each improvement can be credited to his ability to do more with a body that feels better than it did during the season's firs two months.

For instance, James' 30.3 points per game and 51.4 percent shooting since his return can be traced to this -- he's averaging about 3.5 points per game more in the paint. He's getting into the lane and finishing because he feels healthy.

But, and James sort of discussed this last week from a broader, team perspective, all of this can also be traced to Timofey Mozgov manning the floor.

The 7-foot-1 center can shoot, which causes defenders to run with him out to the foul line, and is an effective screener. That leaves more room for James to drive.

And from a defensive perspective, Mozgov's presence near the rim enables James to take more chances on the perimeter, which means more steals.

"Defense sparks our offense, and that's going to be the staple of our season," James said.

Deeper in numbers

James is averaging 2.1 steals since his break, compared with 1.3 steals before it. But the steals aren't leading to more points for him, at least not directly.

                                                            Pts off TOs                 Fast-break Pts

Thru Dec. 28 (29 games)                       5.4 ppg                        5.4 ppg

From Jan. 13 (7 games                          5.1 ppg                        5.3 ppg

In sync

James and J.R. Smith appear to have quickly developed a chemistry.

The real evidence is not the halfcourt alley-oop you see above (though it was nice), but the rhythm with which Smith catches and shoots when James feeds him on the perimeter.

Four of Smith's seven three-pointers Friday night came on passes from James, and two of Smith's six threes Monday were James assisted. (Kyrie Irving is actually the primary feeder of the ball to Smith, let it be known).

"He definitely knows how to get the ball in the shot pocket, but I think the biggest thing is me being ready to shoot, being ready for the pass, expecting guys to make the right pass," Smith said of James.

Pressed on whether James was throwing the ball to Smith precisely where he wants it -- where it is easiest for him to catch and shoot in one motion, Smith said: "Honestly, as long as I get the ball, that's where I want it."

Stat tracker (James' top-line numbers, to date)

36 games, 26.2 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 7.4 apg, 37.3 mpg.

Stat tracker on Dec. 29

29 games, 25.2 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 7.6 apg, 37.5 mpg

T'was a good week

James averaged 27.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 6.8 assists, and 2.25 steals in four games for the Cavaliers last week, all victories.

LeBron James' shooting chart for four games last week, when he was named Eastern Conference Player of the WeekNBA.com 

The wins and the numbers netted him his third Eastern Conference Player of the Week award this season and the 48th of his career. He's won it 29 times as a member of the Cavaliers.

James was also voted as a starter for next month's NBA All-Star Game for the 11th consecutive season.

James' 24.8 ppg average in 10 previous All-Star games is the second-highest in league history.

He's also averaging 6.6 boards, 6.1 assists and 1.5 steals in the yearly exhibition.

Lists, vol. I

If the current pattern holds, or even if things regress a little (remember, James' overall points average has jumped nearly one full point in two weeks), he'll finish with a points per game average of at least 25 points.

James would become the NBA's all-time leader in consecutive seasons with at least 25.0 ppg. Here's the leaderboard as it currently stands.

James                     11     ('04-05 to '14-15)

Karl Malone             11     ('87-88 to '97-98)

Jerry West               11     ('61-62 to '71-72)

Allen Iverson           10      ('98-99 to '07-08)

Shaquille O'Neal       10     ('93-94 to '02-03)

Dominique Wilkens   10     ('84-85 to '93-94)

Lists, vol. II

On Friday night, James played his 583rd career game with the Cavaliers, moving past Mark Price into sixth place in franchise history.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas       771

Danny Ferry                 723

Bingo Smith                  720

John "Hot Rod" Williams 661

Austin Carr                   635

LeBron James               584

"Average" contestants

Last week, we broke the story about James partnering with "Average Joe" creator Andrew Glassman to produce a new game show on NBC with substantial cash payouts.

A casting subcontractor did indeed contact nonprofits in northeast Ohio looking for nominees and for help spreading the word to apply to be on the show.

The best way to apply is still to log onto dreamchancetv.com, according to people close to the show, but casting pros will be in northeast Ohio soon searching for talent in random places like malls and bars, with video testimonials planned for hotels in Cleveland and Akron at dates to be announced.

@GlassmanMedia NorthEast Ohio let's go!!!! #GoodLuck #WinBig

— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 26, 2015

Tweet of the week (to @joevardon)

Bosom Buddies "@joevardon: LeBron and Blatt going over something pic.twitter.com/kjOJXwqIq5"

— Must Cavs (@MustCavs) January 23, 2015

Who's next?

Here's a look at the Cavaliers' opponents and how James last performed against them.

Tuesday @ Detroit (17 pts, 10 rbs, 7 ast in 103-80 loss on Dec. 28)

Wednesday vs. Portland (11 pts, 7 rbs, 7 ast in 101-82 loss on Nov. 4)

Friday vs. Sacramento (25.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 8.0 apg in two games last season)

Saturday @ Minnesota (24 pts, 4 rbs, 3 ast in 125-104 win on Dec. 23)

It's fair to ask who had the worse year? Cleveland Browns' wide receiver Josh Gordon or NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell? -- 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 Normal Weekday Edition)

Bud: Who would win a Texas battle royal cage match between Adam Silver, Gary Bettman, Roger Goodell and Rob Manfred? – Vince G, Cincinnati

Hard to say. But based on how the NFL handled the Ray Rice case, Goodell would get knocked down with a left hook and say he never saw the punch.

Bud: Is the moving of last Sunday's You Said It to the left side of the page in the PD the equivalent of John DiFilippo's flexible offense that puts playmakers in different spots? – Al Hustosky, Northfield

In order to think of Sunday's expanded You Said It as a difference maker, it helps to be training puppies or lining bird cages.

Hey, Bud: If you were able to look up 'Josh Gordon' in  Webster's Dictionary, what would the definition be? --Tim, Twinsburg

(1) fabulously talented wide receiver who always seems to be on the down-and-out.

Hey Bud: I'm telling you the turning point for the Cavs was when David Blatt canceled practice and took the whole team bowling! What a genius! What was the turning point in your career? – Doug, Westlake.

When it happens, I'll let you know. I've only been here 23 years.

Bud: What do you call 20 inexplicably deflated footballs sequestered in a locked room with no windows? Answer: The Tom Brady Bunch – James D., Richmond Hts.

First-time You Said It winners receive a T-shirt from the Mental Floss collection.

Bud: Even Bill Cosby's lawyers don't believe Tom Brady – Flo, Tamarac, Fla

Repeat winners should cross examine their lives.

Host scored 16 points in consecutive performances, to go with 14 total rebounds, six total steals and four assists.

Host scored 16 points in consecutive performances, to go with 14 total rebounds, six total steals and four assists.

Talk Browns, Cavaliers and Indians with Terry Pluto live at 11 a.m.

View full sizeTerry Pluto talks Cleveland sports at 11 a.m.Allison Carey/The Plain Dealer 

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get your questions ready and join Terry Pluto today at 11 a.m. as he talks Cleveland sports.

Pluto will talk with me about the Cavaliers winning streak, the Josh Gordon situation and the Indians as they gear up for spring training.

You can jump in the comments section below and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Pluto's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in MP3 format.

The Cleveland Cavaliers are coming together, in part because J.R. Smith fits what they need far better than Dion Waiters did -- Bud Shaw's Spinoffs.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – Because there's always something to Spin in Cleveland sports...

• The Cavs have turned their season around with the deals that brought Timofey Mozgov, J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert (in that order) to town.

Whomever the idiots were questioning the deal for Smith – I use the plural because I'd like to think I had some company – he has fit perfectly in the catch-and-shoot role that didn't exactly interest Dion Waiters.

Smith shoots it from everywhere. It's not that Smith doesn't have a conscience. For instance, he has an angel in his head telling him it's disrespectful and counter productive to start launching shots during the national anthem.

He's that perfect combination of fearlessness and range on a team that can score so many other ways. And he appears under control in a season where the focus is on winning a championship and where players aren't just worried about getting their shots.

At least lately.

• As a bargaining chip, Waiters made possible the Smith-Shumpert deal.

Some Cavaliers fans booed Waiters, though, during the Oklahoma City Thunder's visit to Quicken Loans Arena Sunday.

Waiters dismissed the reaction in the clearest way possible.

"It is what it is," he said.

Meaning, obviously, who knows what?

• So LeBron James failed to reach out to Waiters after the trade?

 That's the most surprising thing I've heard since Dan Gilbert didn't hear from him before The Decision, Pat Riley didn't hear much from his camp during The Decision II, Byron Scott didn't hear from him after replacing Mike Brown and Smith didn't hear from him until after he arrived in Cleveland.

Hey, it is what is.

 • James knows a lot of people. A guy's got to watch his cell phone bill.

 • Patriots owner Bob Kraft says he wants an apology from the NFL if the league's investigation into Deflategate shows no wrongdoing on the part of the organization.

Kraft and commissioner Roger Goodell have such a close relationship a recent GQ Magazine story on Goodell says NFL insiders often refer to Kraft as the "assistant commissioner."

The league should be more concerned about the perception of showing favoritism to the Patriots, or sweeping the issue under the rug to keep focus on the Super Bowl matchup between New England and Seattle.

The league is investigating to see if there's anything to the Patriots trying to gain a competitive advantage. They would be expected to do the same if Green Bay complained about Seattle using deflated footballs.

Kraft seems to be saying he'll be owed an apology for the league's audacity in investigating the Patriots for a rules violation.

As if they've ever been accused, investigated and found guilty before.

• Seattle corner Richard Sherman on Deflategate:

"Will (the Patriots) be punished? Probably not. Not as long as Robert Kraft and Roger Goodell are still taking pictures at their respective houses. You talk about conflict of interest. As long as that happens it won't affect them at all. Nothing will stop them."

Sherman was referring to a recent photo showing Goodell at Kraft's house for a AFC party.

To be fair, it's probably just the camera angle that seems to show Goodell standing in Kraft's right hip pocket.

• ESPN's Chris Berman had a rough night at the Pro Bowl. That much was caught on camera when he apparently learned late that he'd be interviewing both Super Bowl quarterbacks during halftime.

In his defense, if you could get through the Pro Bowl without making that face you're either dead or in training for the next World Series of Poker.

• Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred says he is open to eliminating the defensive shift to promote offense.

Because the postage stamp-sized strike zone isn't quite enough.

• It's come to this with Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch: the league has threated to penalize the Seahawks 15 yards – not just fine Lynch – if the Seattle running back does his crotch-grab TD celebration in Sunday's Super Bowl.

The NFL has had a bad year PR wise. It can only get worse if Lynch wins the MVP and is asked where he's going.

Disney World has reason to worry about his version of Talk to the Hand.

• The Golden State Warriors will wear a special Chinese New Year uniform, first on Feb. 20 against San Antonio and then during three additional games.

If one of those games is against the Sixers, I'd still like their chances if they played the game as a five-person dragon.

 

Check out a Varsity Timeout with Solon senior bowler Mary Williams.

Check out a Varsity Timeout with Solon senior bowler Mary Williams.

Both St. Vincent-St. Mary and Green are in action on Tuesday.

Both St. Vincent-St. Mary and Green are in action on Tuesday.

The cleveland.com Wrestling Power Poll is a weekly rundown of the top local wrestlers based on how they performed the previous week.

The cleveland.com Wrestling Power Poll is a weekly rundown of the top local wrestlers based on how they performed the previous week.

Jake Lowery, James Ramsey, Will Roberts, Ryan Rohlinger and Jordan Smith were invited to big league camp along with Francisco Lindor and Naquin. The Indians, to date, have 20 players coming to spring training as invitees.

CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Indians have made it clear that it will take an exceptional set of circumstances for Francisco Lindor to make the big league club out of spring training this year, but that did not stop them from inviting the switch-hitting shortstop to big league camp for the second straight season.

No. 1 picks Lindor and outfielder Tyler Naquin were among seven minors leaguers invited to big league camp Tuesday. The other players are catcher Jake Lowery, outfielder James Ramsey, right-hander Will Roberts, infielder Ryan Rohlinger and outfielder Jordan Smith.

The Indians, to date, will bring 20 spring training invitees to camp in Goodyear, Ariz. Pitchers and catchers report on Feb. 18.

Lindor, the Indians' No.1 pick in 2011, is rated as the team's top prospect by Baseball America and several other media outlets. The Indians, however, are in no rush to bring him to the big leagues. He's played only 38 games at Class AAA Columbus last year and the Indians are happy with shortstop Jose Ramirez, 22.

"Lindor gets talked about a lot," said manager Terry Francona at the Indians Town Hall meeting Monday. "It's kind of cool because there's a reason he's a high profile prospect based on what he's done in his journey through the minor leagues.

"But he's still a prospect. We need to let him develop. Getting a guy here too quick isn't developing, that's getting him beat up. When Lindor gets here, we want him to impact our team offensively, defensively and on the bases. That takes time."

Last year Lindor, 21, hit a combined .276 (140-for-567) with 16 doubles, four triples, 11 homers and 62 RBI at Class AA Akron and Columbus. He scored 75 runs and stole 28 bases in 126 games.

In the Arizona Fall League, he hit .265 (26-for-93) with three homers and nine RBI.

Naquin, the Indians No.1 pick in 2012, had his 2014 season interrupted by a broken left hand when a pitch hit him. Naquin, 23, was hitting .313 (95-for-304) with 12 doubles, five triples and 30 RBI at Akron when he was injured. He stole 14 bases and scored 54 runs in 76 games.

In winter ball, Naquin hit .220 (9-for-41) in the Dominican Republic with Gigantes del Cibao.

Lowery, 24, had his 2014 season interrupted by injury as well. He was hit in the face by a pitch on April 18 and missed seven weeks. Lowery hit .201 (44-for-219) with five homers and 19 RBI in 66 games at Akron.

The Indians acquired Ramsey, 25, from St. Louis for Justin Masterson on July 30. He hit a combined .295 (104-for-352) with 23 doubles and 16 homers for Class AA Springfield and Columbus. Ramsey missed three weeks last season with St. Louis because of an abdominal injury.

Roberts, 24, went 12-12 with a 4.08 ERA in 27 starts at Akron. He pitched an Eastern-League high 161 innings and led Akron in starts and strikeouts.

Rohlinger, 31, was invited to be league camp after re-signing with the Tribe after last season. He hit .233 (68-for-292) with 16 doubles, five homers and 27 RBI last year for Columbus.

He's been in the big leagues with the Giants for parts of the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Smith hit .248 (11-for-459) with 24 doubles, two homers and 50 RBI in 26 games last year for Akron. In the Arizona Fall League, he hit .304 (21-for-69) with one homer and 10 RBI.

Here's the breakdown on the spring training invitees:

Pitchers (nine): Lefties Scott Downs, Michael Roth and Nick Maronde and righties Jeff Manship, Shaun Marcum, Dustin Molleken, Bryan Price, Will Roberts and Anthony Swarzak.

Catchers (three): Brett Hayes, Lowery, Adam Moore and Audy Ciriaco.

Infielders (four): Lindor, Rohlinger, Audy Ciriaco and Jerry Sands.

Outfielders (four): Naquin, Ramsey, Jordan.

The third annual Ohio High School Athletic Association dual team tournament begins Wednesday with regional matches throughout the state.

The third annual Ohio High School Athletic Association dual team tournament begins Wednesday with regional matches throughout the state.

Stow is the biggest riser, while Hathaway Brown falls the most in this week's cleveland.com girls basketball Top 25 poll.

Stow is the biggest riser, while Hathaway Brown falls the most in this week's cleveland.com girls basketball Top 25 poll.

Kent State's Golden Flashes remain atop the MAC standings, but they still are not the favorites.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It has been awhile since Kent State has worn the Mid-American Conference target on its back. But the Golden Flashes are in that position now, and the bullseye is a big one. At 14-5 overall and 5-1 in league play, KSU leads the MAC overall, and the East Division, with snipers lined up for target practice.

Central Michigan (14-3, 4-2), tied for the lead in the MAC West, plays at the M.A.C Center tonight at 7. The Chippewas have the best overall record among league teams and own the No. 3 offense in the country, averaging 83.9 points a game, and shooting a sizzling 49.5 percent from the field.

CMU has won three of its last four games, including an impressive 84-73 triumph over Buffalo, a team the computers rank No. 1 in the conference.

CMU is one of three Top 100 RPI teams in the conference, and one of two the Flashes have to play this week. Kent travels to play at UB on Friday. Despite its record, Kent is not among the MAC's Top RPI 100 teams, or even the top five in the MAC. But the next two games could help the Flashes get there.

Kent State coach Rob Senderoff and the Golden Flashes may be first in the MAC standings, but nobody is calling them favorites. AP Photo 

However, that is far from the top of Kent's issues in the MAC for the rest of the season. MAC homecourt wins are particularly critical, considering Kent already has one MAC home loss, the opener vs. Bowling Green. The Flashes may be first, but as of now they are not the favorites.

After Central Michigan, KSU only has four home games left in a MAC season that is still 10 days from the halfway point. That compares to six for Buffalo, (12-6, 3-3), and five each for Bowling Green (12-5, 4-2) and Akron (13-6, 4-2).

And, unlike the other MAC East Division contenders, Kent has no back-to-back home games left, but has three sets of back-to-back road games instead.

Akron Zips: The Zips are hobbled a bit, with 2014 MAC Sixth Man of the Year Jake Kretzer, and starting center Pat Forsythe sidelined the last game with concussions.

Starting guard Noah Robotham and power forward Kwan Cheatham are also playing through hip bruises. But the value of the deepest bench in the league has shown through, coming off a tough road win at Western Michigan.

Starting tonight at 7 in Rhodes Arena against Ball State (7-10, 2-4), Akron plays three of its next five at home, including back-to-back games against Buffalo and Kent State. The Zips bench should be on full display by then as nine players are getting 12 minutes or more per game, and two more are at eight minutes or more.

Key off the bench in league play has been 6-10 sophomore Isaiah Johnson (16 points vs. Western Michigan), 6-6 freshman Aaron Jackson (eight points vs. WMU, six vs. Northern Illinois), and 6-5 freshman B.J. Gladden (six points, seven rebounds vs. WMU).

Overall, going into the game vs. BSU, no Zip is averaging in double figures, but as a team Akron is averaging 69.7 points a game.

Around the MAC: The top two teams in the MAC, according to the computers, are Buffalo and Bowling Green. But they do not play each other until the final five games of the season when they will play twice in two weeks.

One team poised to make a run, is Ohio University. If the Bobcats (7-10, 2-4) can get through this week with at least a split, (at Eastern Michigan and at Central Michigan) they will play their next three at home, giving OU a chance to get to .500 overall and .500 or better in league play.

Interestingly, the Bobcats play EMU and CMU home and home four of their next five games, with a home contest vs. Akron in the middle.

Finally, Toledo (11-8, 3-3), the preseason favorite to win the league, has a chance to get back on track and into the thick of the league race playing the back end of the conference - Miami, at Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan and at Ball State - the next two weeks before making a trip to Buffalo.

Rookie guard Joe Harris will be playing for the Canton Charge of the D-League once again.

DETROIT, Mich. – For the third time in a week, the Cleveland Cavaliers have assigned rookie guard Joe Harris to the Canton Charge of the NBA Development League.

Each time Harris was sent down and played, he was recalled and activated for Cleveland's contest that same day.

That won't occur this time around because the Charge's next game isn't until Jan. 30 against the Maine Red Claws and then they play the Erie Bayhawks the following night. Both games are in Canton, Ohio.

It is likely Harris will remains with the team for those two games. Due to the depth at the guard position with the additions of J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert, Harris has permanently fallen out of the rotation.

To ensure that Harris continues to develop in a timely fashion, the organization plans to utilize the D-League in this nature so that Harris receives competitive in-game experience.

In two appearances for the Charge, Harris is averaging 18.0 points and 8.0 rebounds in 39.5 minutes. For the Cavaliers, he's posting 2.8 points in 11.1 minutes per game.