The Browns finally got 3rd-round back Duke Johnson signed and now have all 12 picks under contract.

Berea, Ohio -- Browns running back Duke Johnson was the last of the 12 draft picks to sign, but promises to be one of the first rookies on the field come this fall.

Johnson, the third round pick out of Miami, signed his four-year deal on Tuesday, just hours after catching the ball well out of the backfield and looking fast and explosive on the first day of mandatory minicamp.

"It just brings more competitiveness to the room,'' running backs coach Wilbert Montgomery said of Johnson last week. "He is a guy that played outside. The best way I can describe Duke is what Thurman Thomas was for Buffalo. It's going to be all over the field. It's a 'Where's Waldo?' He gives you another dimension. He creates one-on-one problems.

"We hope he can be a little bit like the kid, (Giovani) Bernard, in Cincinnati. If he can do that for us, that gives us a different perspective on how we approach the field and gives us a chance to move people around and taking advantage of a mismatch."

Johnson, the all-time leading rusher in Hurricane's history, might not be an every-down back for the Browns, but also won't be limited to third-down duty. At times on Tuesday, he appeared on the field with other tailbacks.

"It's hard to have an every-down back in this league,'' said Montgomery. "There's too much punishment going on out there on the field. We've got to carve out a role for Duke. It wouldn't be fair [when] we have never put the pads on yet to say, 'He's our starter.' We don't know how he's going to recover from practice to practice yet. It's totally different from college to here. He wasn't utilized that way at Miami a lot.

"So with Duke, we've just got to find a way how we're going to utilize him. Like Le'Veon Bell, his first year, he wasn't the guy, but you kind of like working him into being the guy. Duke, I'm not saying he's not going to be the guy. But I don't know the workload he can handle right now."

Terms of Johnson's contract were not immediately available, but the player selected a notch ahead him was Georgia receiver Chris Conley, who received a four-year deal worth $3,188,164 from the Chiefs, including a $712,434 signing bonus. The deal averages $797,041 a year.

The player selected just after Johnson, Florida State cornerback P.J. Williams, signed a four-year deal worth  $3,180,605, including a $706,619 signing bonus. Williams' deal averages $795,151.

Based on those contracts, Johnson stands to make about $3,184,384 over four years. But his agents did their due diligence on other deals because they believe Johnson will be a starting back.

"I never doubt my skills," Johnson said at organized team activities. "This is something that I've worked hard on since I was a kid to master my craft as we like to say it. I never would get to the ultimate level doubting myself. I'm a little too far ahead in my life to start doubting myself now."

Johnson figures to press Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West for playing time.

"He's definitely a guy that I thought that could run the ball and could catch the football, a dynamic player who can kicks and can catch punts,'' general manager Ray Farmer said during draft weekend. "He's got a complete skill set that can affect our roster in multiple ways.

"We love the fact that he's quick and agile, well balanced. One of my favorite things that I've watched is when you watch the kid run through trash and if guys are on the ground, he can jump over people, hit the ground and still make a cut and keep balance. A lot of good things we like from him that he brings to the table."

Quarterback Josh McCown is thrilled to have Johnson involved in the passing game.

 "There is huge value when you have guys that can catch it out of the backfield and make plays for you,'' he said. "We had that in Chicago with a guy like Matt Forte, where you get him the ball and he's able to influence the game not only on first and second down but on third down, as well, out of the backfield. Let's get those guys touches because, in theory, they're your best ball carriers. Let's get it in their hands. Duke coming in here as a rookie is really kind of flashing some things and doing some good things.''

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors will play Game 6 of the NBA Finals Tuesday night, with the Cavs on the brink of elimination.

Get live updates and analysis as cleveland.com's reporters bring you the latest on the game in the comments section below.

Make sure you're following Chris Fedor, Chris Haynes and Joe Vardon on Twitter.

Game 6: Cavs (53-29) vs. Warriors (67-15)

Tip off: 9 p.m. at Quicken Loans Arena

TV/radio: ABC; WTAM AM/1100, 87.7 FM (ESP)

Cavs probable starting lineup: Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert, LeBron James, Tristan Thompson and Timofey Mozgov.

Warriors probable starting lineup: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, Harrison Barnes, Draymond Green.

FREQUENTLY REFRESH this page to get the latest updates. If you're viewing this on a mobile app, click here to get updates and comment.

Browns coach Mike Pettine knows that fans are watching Johnny Manziel's every move and that he has no margin for error. Watch video

Berea, Ohio --  Browns coach Mike Pettine acknowledged that the NFL world seems to be poised for Johnny Manziel to slip up, which puts undue stress on the second-year pro.

"That's a concern,'' Pettine said Thursday. "He and I have talked. As always, our conversations will remain private. That's certainly something that you can't ignore. Any NFL player has that pressure. When you come into the league with the reputation that he had and go through what he went through, that's going to happen. I know he's a very polarizing figure. People either want him to succeed in a big way or want him to fail in a big way. That adds to the pressure that he's under."

Pettine was specifically answering a question about the WMMS morning show calling for fans to send in videos and photos of Manziel out on the town, calling it 'Johnny GPS.'

Despite spending 10 weeks in the Caron addiction treatment center, Manziel is still an easy target. At the Byron Nelson Golf Classic earlier this month, Manziel was provoked into spiking a water bottle after an 18-year-old hounded him for an autograph for more than two hours.

The Browns know that they still have to deal with off-the-field distractions involving Manziel even though he's moved into a quiet golf community in a west side suburb and has mentors such as Maverick Carter and LeBron James looking out for him.

The social Manziel has enjoyed life after rehab, attending Cavs playoff games, playing in the Rust-Oleum Pro-Am this week at Lakewood Country Club in Westlake, Ohio and sitting in the front row of the WWE's "Monday Night Raw" at the Q Monday night, where WWE Champion Seth Rollins 'called him out' and joked that neither Manziel nor James would ever bring a championship to Cleveland. Manziel was also interviewed backstage afterward.

But Pettine still believes that Manziel is in a good place.

"It's doing what he's doing,'' he said. "Taking it one day at time. Coming in here, putting the work in. Buying into what we're doing. Buying into the coaching. He's being coached hard, and we're asking a lot of him. It's every quarterback in the room, and hopefully it's every player on this roster. We want all our guys to come in here and buy into what we're asking them to do. Not just in the meeting room but in the weight room. It's being the total package. You can't just turn it on during practice.

"We stress that to all of our guys about being a pro and getting your sleep and making sure you're hydrated and making sure you're eating right, all those things. He's no different. I don't want to treat him any different. It's early, but as I've said before, it's so far so good. Time will tell. Training camp is going to be real important for him, but I think he's in a good place and headed that way."

Manziel continues to have ups and downs in practice as he learns the new scheme and how to operate a pro offense. During one team period Tuesday, he dropped three out of six shotgun snaps from a backup center. Alex Mack worked with the first team and rookie Cam Erving was idle Tuesday.

"I've got to see it,'' Pettine said. "I know some of those gun snaps were low. I'll have to see the tape and just see what (quarterbacks coach) Kevin (O'Connell) and Flip (offensive coordinator John DeFilippo) have to say. Usually my eyes are elsewhere than the snap."

Still, Pettine stressed that Josh McCown will emerge from the offseason and from this minicamp as the No. 1 quarterback on the depth chart and favorite to start to the season.

"I don't foresee, between now and (camp), anything changing,'' he said.

Among other notes, center Alex Mack participated in team drills for the first time as he recovers from a broken leg. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio - Danny Shelton is trading his college textbooks for a playbook as the education of the Browns' first-round pick enters the next phase.

The nose tackle finished up his studies at the University of Washington, taking part in graduation ceremonies over the weekend, before rejoining the Browns on the field Tuesday.

He took part in the first day of mandatory minicamp, getting some team reps, after finishing up his degree in anthropology. His last two finals were in bio-anthropology and women's studies.

"It was awesome to see my family happy, to see my mom happy, to be able to walk (in the ceremony)," Shelton said.

Now, the 6-foot-2, 339-pounder is focused on making up for lost time. He missed all 10 OTAs while completing his academic pursuits. During that time he stayed in touch with Browns' coaches and teammates such as Billy Winn and Nate Orchard.

"Obviously, there's going to be a little slack, but at the same time (defensive line coach Anthony Weaver) has been with me for these past two days, making sure I got my plays down," Shelton said. "Just like I said the players are doing a great job helping me with the plays as well."

The defensive lineman did some mixed martial arts training in Seattle to help with his conditioning. He realizes, of course, it's no substitute for sweating alongside teammates.

"There's really no way to simulate what our guys have been doing out there for all this period of time, which is unfortunate just the way the rules are," coach Mike Pettine said of the No. 12 overall pick. That's why we just want to be cautious with him.

"From a playbook standpoint, I think we feel good about where he is . . . but to be in it, immersed in it every day and to hear the other guys in your position getting corrections and you just kind of learn naturally that way. He's a bright kid. We don't think there's going to be any issues with him from a mental standpoint picking up the playbook."

Shelton said fellow linemen Winn and Ishmaa'ily Kitchen helped him Tuesday as they watched 11-on-11 drills from the sidelines.

Snap to it

Browns center Alex Mack participated in team drills for the first time as he continues to recover from the broken leg that cost him the final 11 games of last season.

"He's been very anxious to get out there and take some reps," Pettine said. "It was a good start today. We just need to be smart with it. We'll see how he feels and if he's ready to ramp those reps up or keep them the same tomorrow."

Brownies

Offensive linemen Cameron Erving, cornerback Tramon Williams, defensive lineman Phil Taylor were among the Browns who worked on the side Tuesday, riding stationary bikes. Pettine said he expects those players to ready for training camp, which opens in late July. Third-round pick Xavier Cooper (defensive lineman) missed practice due to illness.

Blatt spoke about the elimination game scenario, rebounding and Ohio State coach Urban Meyer.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the highlights from Cleveland Cavaliers coach David Blatt's session with media prior to Tuesday's Game 6 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Blatt and the Cavaliers enter the game trailing 3-2 in the best-of-7 series. The game tips off at 9 p.m. 

1) On the attitude a team must take in an elimination game

"If we want to play another day and live to fight for the championship, we need to win today. So it's about survival right now, and that's what you're looking for."

2) On what he says before an elimination game

"Well, it's many things and it's a few things. We're going on our 103rd official game this season. You can talk and you can also talk too much. I think you have to be pointed and very, very specific, and you have to touch their minds and touch their hearts, and then you've got to let them play the game."

3) On what role rebounding plays in the game

"It's a possession game, and to take advantage of some of our strengths, you know, we've really, really got to hit the glass and be super active. Even the ones you don't get, if you're touching them and if you're creating another opportunity for someone else to perhaps gain possession, that's just critical."

4) On Ohio State coach Urban Meyer being in attendance

"We actually had Coach in early in the season, and terrific coach, terrific guy. He won't be talking to the team before the game, but he did at one point during the season, and it was great. It's great having him here."

Following Monday's rainout, the Indians will face the Cubs on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Then the home and away series moves to Progressive Field for a two-game set starting Wednesday night.

CHICAGO -- Get scoring updates and join beat writer Paul Hoynes for a live chat as the Indians and Cubs meet Tuesday at Wrigley Field at 8:05 ET. Following Monday's rainout, Indians right-hander Trevor Bauer will face Chicago's Jake Arrieta.

Game 62: Indians (29-33) vs. Cubs (34-27).

First pitch: 8:05 p.m.pm. ET.

TV/radio: SportsTime Ohio and WMMS FM/100.7 will carry the game.

Makeup date: Monday's rainout will be made up Aug. 24 at Wrigley Field.

Illinois Derby winner Whiskey Ticket from the Bob Baffert stable is the 3-1 morning line choice in ThistleDown Racino's $500,000 Ohio Derby on Saturday.

NORTH RANDALL, Ohio - Lightly-raced Whiskey Ticket from Triple Crown trainer Bob Baffert's powerhouse stable drew the rail post position and was tabbed the 3-1 morning line favorite for Saturday's $500,000 Ohio Derby at ThistleDown Racino.

Whiskey Ticket has only made a pair of starts this season - and in his career - but the Ghostzapper colt's last outing was a nose victory in the $400,000 Illinois Derby on April 18. Baffert is riding high after saddling American Pharoah for his victorious Triple Crown adventure this year, the first three-year-old to win the crown since Affirmed in 1978.

Divining Rod, finishing third to American Pharoah in the Preakness Stakes, is the 7-2 second choice, followed by 9-2 Far Right, who finished 15^th in the Kentucky Derby. Local favorite War Story, owned by Ron Paolucci of Stow, Ohio, and Mr. Z from the stable of D. Wayne Lukas, are listed at 6-1. Mr. Z was fifth in the Preakness and 13^th in the Kentucky Derby.

Wrapping up the field, and the morning line odds, are Bodhisattva and Thirtysilverpieces (12-1) and Dekabrist (15-1).

ThistleDown oddsmaker Pat Lynch admitted it was a little risky to make Whiskey Ticket the favorite.

"You have to look at Whiskey Ticket's strong finish in the Illinois Derby, and that he's the best one of the five horses nominated by Baffert," said Lynch. "I think Whiskey Ticket will be the public favorite."

Baffert isn't expected to be at ThistleDown on Saturday. Racing Secretary Patrick Ellsworth said that Hall of Fame trainer Lukas has shown interest in coming to the Ohio Derby. Lukas-trained horses have won the Kentucky Derby four times, six Preakness Stakes and four Belmont Stakes.

The 81st Ohio Derby

What: A 1-1/16-mile race for three-year-old thoroughbreds.

Where: ThistleDown Racino, 21501 Emery Rd., North Randall, Ohio.

When: Saturday's Ohio Derby will come out of the starting gate at approximately 4:25 p.m. It is the eighth race on a nine-race program. First race post time is 12:55 p.m.

Race history: Bombay won the first Ohio Derby in 1876. After a hiatus of 41 years, it returned with Kentucky Derby winner Black Gold capturing the Ohio crown. East Hall scored an 8-1 upset a year ago by a head with Juan Leyva in the saddle.

Post, Horse, Jockey, Trainer, Odds

1. Whiskey Ticket, Martin Pedroza, Bob Baffert, 3-1

2. Far Right, Ricardo Santana Jr., Ron Moquett, 9-2

3. Thirtysilverpieces, Luis A. Gonzalez, Kenneth Marshall, 12-1

4. Divining Rod, Julian Leparoux, Arnaud Delacour, 7-2

5. War Story, Kent Desormeaux, Tom Amoss, 6-1

6. Tencendur, Manuel Frankel, George Weaver, 8-1

7. Dekabrist, Cory Orm, Gennadi Dorochenko, 15-1

8. Mr. Z, Joel Bravo, D. Wayne Lukas, 6-1

9. Bodhisattva, TBA, Jose Corrales, 12-1

Despite losing in the NBA Finals on Tuesday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers have plenty of hope for the future.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Despite losing in the NBA Finals on Tuesday night, the Cleveland Cavaliers have plenty of hope for the future.

The oddsmakers in Las Vegas see it the same as the Cavaliers are the early favorites to win the 2016 NBA championship at 3-1, according to Bovada. 

The Warriors outlasted the Cavs in Game 6 last night, 105-97, winning this year's NBA title. But even after a 67-win regular season and an impressive performance during the playoffs, they are second, according to Vegas. With much of their core expected back and the reigning NBA MVP, Stephen Curry, the Warriors are getting 5-1 odds.

The Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that will have Kevin Durant back in the lineup and a new coach, Billy Donovan, are shortly behind Cleveland and Golden State at 7-1. Chicago, which finished No. 3 in the Eastern Conference before losing to the Cavs in the semifinals, are 10-1 along with the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs. 

A lot could change during the summer, especially with the Cavs. Tough roster decisions loom on J.R. Smith, who has a player option, as well as Iman Shumpert, Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova, all of whom are restricted free agents.

While Kevin Love has stated publicly that he would like to return after having his playoff run cut short, there's still a decision to make.

It all means, even after falling short of a title, the Cavaliers are likely going to dominate the headlines for a second straight off-season. With James expected back and Irving returning from surgery on his left knee, the Cavs will be right back in the title hunt come October. 

Timofey Mozgov says Joey Crawford did the right thing and apologized for his 'shut up' outburst.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov told Northeast Ohio Media Group that veteran NBA official Joey Crawford apologized for telling him to "shut up" in Game 4 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors.

Crawford called Mozgov for a foul with just under a minute to go in the first half. Mozgov had a legitimate gripe, as it appeared to be a clean block of Draymond Green with very little contact made.

He went toward Crawford in a non-aggressive way to state his case and Crawford didn't want to hear it, telling the big man very forcefully to "Do me a favor and shut up."

Crawford apparently had a guilty conscience. Mozgov said when the team took the floor for warmups during intermission, Crawford approached him and expressed regret for speaking to him in that manner.

"I don't think any ref should talk that way to a player," Mozgov told NEOMG. "That has never happened before. I didn't appreciate it, but it's in the past now. He apologized and I've moved on."

Crawford has a long history of questionable antics and outbursts. His latest crossed the line, but all seems forgiven.

The Indians' 6-0 victory over the Cubs on Wednesday was eventful. Trevor Bauer recorded his first hit and shortstop Francisco Lindor made his first start in the big leagues.

CHICAGO - Trevor Bauer gives advice freely on Twitter regarding the art of pitching. Don't look for him to be doing the same when it comes to swinging the bat now that he has his first hit in the big leagues.

"It's not my cup of tea," said Bauer.

Bauer ended an 0-for-8 career slump with a single Tuesday night in the fifth inning of the Indians' 6-0 victory over the Cubs at Wrigley Field. The only reason Bauer had a bat in his hands was because National League rules were being enforced at the Friendly Confines.

"I don't know what happened," said Bauer, after he threw seven scoreless innings for the win. "I threw the barrel through the middle of the zone, closed my eyes and I hit it. It was like, 'Oh, wait, I hit it? I've got to run.'"

The hit stunned Bauer.

"I didn't think I'd ever get a career hit," he said. "I couldn't hit Little League pitching when I was younger. I never liked hitting. I've never been able to hit. I used to joke with my parents that I was in an eight-year slump."

A burden seemed to be lifted from Bauer, who hit a 3-2 pitch from Jake Arrieta for his single.

"At least I can leave this game knowing that I got one career hit," said Bauer.

Bauer's single started the fifth inning, but he was erased on a fielder's choice when Arrieta caught Jason Kipnis' bouncer and threw to shortstop Starlin Castro for the force at second. Kipnis ran his way out of a double play, but Bauer wasn't anywhere close to second to try and break it up.

"I wanted absolutely nothing to do with running the bases or having a bat in my hands," he said with a smile.

Manager Terry Francona shared those thoughts. When a reporter complimented Bauer on his pitching performance and added, "He can hit, too,' Francona shook his head and said, "I don't know. I don't know about that. ... He got a hit."

Rookie shortstop Francisco Lindor kept the ball for Bauer.

While Bauer collected his first hit in the big leagues, Lindor started his first game in the big leagues. He went 2-for-5 with a run, RBI and stolen base.

"I'm obviously very happy for him that he's coming up and having success off the bat," said Bauer. "He's going to be a huge part of our team, not only this year, but going forward."

Lindor, hitting second, flied out to center in the first inning and struck out in the third. In the fifth, he singled to score Kipnis and then stole second. In the ninth, he hit a leadoff single and scored on Carlos Santana's double.

"The first two at-bats I was a little anxious," said Lindor. "But I was able to slow the game down and just be myself out there the rest of the game. It paid off. I'm happy we won."

The Indians open a two-game series against the Cubs at Progressive Field on Wednesday night. It will be Lindor's home debut.

"I can't wait to see the fans over there," said Lindor, who was promoted from Class AAA Columbus on Sunday when the Indians were in Detroit. "I can't wait to play on the field in Cleveland. It feels like I'm home."

Brecksville horse owner Joe Sbrocco is chasing his second victory in three years in the $1 million 32nd North America Cup with exciting three-year-old colt, Artspeak.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Brecksville horse owner Joe Sbrocco is chasing his second victory in three years in the $1 million 32^nd North America Cup with his exciting three-year-old colt Artspeak on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack in Campbellville, Ontario.

Sbrocco's Captaintreacherous won the prestigious Canadian mile in 2013.

Artspeak had a terrific two-year-old campaign, with the son of Western Ideal winning eight of 10 starts. He has won two of three this season for trainer Tony Alagna, who also handled Captaintreacherous. Scott Zeron will be in the sulky as Artspeak matches pacing strides with favorites Wiggle It Jiggleit, Wakizashi Hanover and In The Arsenal in the field of 10 three-year-olds.

Artspeak won the rich metro Pace at Mohawk last year, as well as the Governor's Cup at Woodbine. He was selected the top two-year-old colt pacer in both U.S. and Canada. Artspeak tops the field with $812,310 in earnings.

Upset by Wakizashi Hanover in an elimination heat, Artspeak drew post 10 for Saturday's finals.

More cash at ThistleDown: ThistleDown Racino now has the highest daily purse average of any race track in the Buckeye State, offering more than $130,000 for its usual eight-race programs. That has parlayed into the richest Ohio Derby in track history on Saturday with $500,000 up for grabs.

Just two years ago and before racino revenue began to pour in, the Ohio Derby purse was only $100,000 and the track lost its graded stakes status. The Ohio Derby purse jumped to $300,000 in 2014.

Mountaineer cuts races: Continued reductions in video lottery revenue for purses and new racing competition from Ohio has prompted the West Virginia Racing Commission to sign off this week on a move by Mountaineer Racetrack to slash 50 racing programs from this year's schedule.

Mahoning Valley Race Course opened last winter in the Youngstown area, about 45 minutes from Mountaineer. The competition for horses and fans has been fierce.

The Mountaineer season will now end Oct. 17 instead of late December. Horsemen used to racing year round at Mountaineer are bitterly complaining that there will now be no racing until the track kicks off the 2016 season on March 1, a span of four months without thoroughbred action.

Around the tracks: Northfield Park's Aaron Merriman hit the 400 win mark this week, keeping his national dash lead over Ronniw Wrenn Jr. (385) and East Coast reinsman Corey Callahan (336). ... After a 20-year hiatus, the $1 million International Trot is returning to New York's Yonkers Raceway on Oct. 10. ... California Chrome bruised a foot and had to be scratched from this week's Prince of Wales Stakes at Royal Ascot. ... The Television Games Network has set odds of 3-5 that American Pharoah's breeding fee next year at Coolmore's Ashford Stud will be between $175,000 and $200,000.

Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Wednesday's affair between Cleveland and Chicago.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Wednesday's affair between Cleveland and Chicago.

Pitching matchup: Shaun Marcum (3-1, 4.09 ERA) vs. Tsuyoshi Wada (0-1, 4.84 ERA)

Lineups

Indians

1. 2B Jason Kipnis

2. SS Francisco Lindor

3. CF Michael Brantley

4. 1B Carlos Santana

5. DH Ryan Raburn

6. C Yan Gomes

7. RF Brandon Moss

8. 3B Giovanny Urshela

9. LF Mike Aviles

Cubs

1. CF Dexter Fowler

2. 1B Anthony Rizzo

3. 3B Kris Bryant

4. LF Chris Coghlan

5. SS Starlin Castro

6. DH Kyle Schwarber

7. RF Chris Denorfia

8. C David Ross

9. 2B Addison Russell

The man who got a tattoo predicting the Cavs would be the NBA Finals champs remains upbeat after Tuesday's loss.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The man who tattooed the prediction that the Cleveland Cavaliers would take the NBA Finals championship on his leg wouldn't change a thing -- even after it didn't come true. 

Lonynell Coleman got the tattoo prior to the NBA Finals series at the beginning of June prior to the NBA Finals even starting, according to an article from newsnet5.com. 

The tattoo, which includes the Cavs logo and the words "2015 NBA Champs" caught the attention of ESPN First Take, that posted a photo of Coleman on Instagram. 

Feel sorry for this @cavs fan. Good try, good effort! #NBAFinals #Cavs #Cavaliers

A photo posted by First Take (@espnfirsttake) on Jun 16, 2015 at 10:33pm PDT

Even though the Cavs fell to the Warriors in Game 6 of the NBA Finals series, Coleman didn't seem to regret his decision. He posted this optimistic message on Twitter from the handle @Lonniedoe. 

I'm not changing nothing on this tattoo. This year was a great one and this is always gonna be a memory. #ALLinCLE

-- Lil Geeky (@Lonniedoe) June 17, 2015

He also commented on the outcome of the series.

Great year for my Cavs. I'm not disappointed in what we did with a first year, injury plagued team. Just know next year we coming harder.

-- Lil Geeky (@Lonniedoe) June 17, 2015

How you go to game 6 with a healthy team playing against a one leader and role players? GS is weak. Barely escaped

-- Lil Geeky (@Lonniedoe) June 17, 2015

And shared his take on the discussion surrounding his tattoo. 

Yall getting me more famous [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?] [?]

-- Lil Geeky (@Lonniedoe) June 17, 2015

With the Cavaliers the favorites among Las Vegas newsmakers to win the NBA Finals next year, Coleman might have only been one year off. Let us know what you think and whether you have a Cavs tattoo that you're proud of in the comments.

Senney takes over for Alan Januzzi.

ROCKY RIVER, Ohio -- In the wake of the departure of boys basketball coach Alan Januzzi, Lutheran West turned to a familiar face to replace him. The school hired assistant and alum Drew Senney to take over the program.

Senney, a 2005 alum and assistant under Januzzi for the last four seasons, is ready to run the program.

"I'm very humbled to have the opportunity," Senney said. "It's exciting, and I'm grateful for the opportunity. It hasn't even set in yet."

Lutheran West needed a new coach when Januzzi left to take the Firelands head coach job. In his final two seasons, he had a combined record of 37-10. It wasn't a difficult decision to choose Senney as the replacement.

"We felt like he was ready for the job and has earned the right to do that," said Lutheran West athletic director Joel Gesch. "He's done a great job as an assistant coach in our program."

Senney believes the program is in good shape, and he's appreciative of the time he spent with Januzzi.

"I'm definitely prepared to be a head coach because of him," Senney said. "He gave me a lot of freedom with the JV team. We also saw eye-to-eye on a lot of things."

The rest of his preparation comes from his playing days. He credited his coach at Lutheran West, Phil Argento, for helping him become a coach.

"He's just a great basketball mind," Senney said. "Offensively, tempo and everything I do are the same things he did with us. He got the most out of us."

That exciting and fast-paced basketball is something that teams should expect with Senney leading Lutheran West.

"We played uptempo offensively, and I think we'll increase that a little bit," Senney said. "Defensively, we want to get up and down and pressure. I think we're going to increase that."

Contact high school sports reporter David Cassilo by email (dcassilo@cleveland.com) or Twitter (@dcassilo). Or log in and leave a message in the comments section below.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's a lot to talk about in Cleveland sports right now, from the Cavs' recent loss in the NBA Finals to Johnny Manziel closing the chapter on "Johnny Football."  Here are some of our popular sports stories from today: Welcome to the END ZONE: We want to hear your thoughts, about anything — LeBron James' hat, how the...

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- There's a lot to talk about in Cleveland sports right now, from the Cavs' recent loss in the NBA Finals to Johnny Manziel closing the chapter on "Johnny Football." 

Here are some of our popular sports stories from today:

• LeBron James after fourth Finals loss: "It would hurt a lot easier if I just didn't make the playoffs"
• Tashaun Gipson not bitter: "I know I'll be a Cleveland Brown at least for this year"
• Cleveland Indians, Chicago Cubs series preview, pitching matchups

Welcome to the END ZONE: We want to hear your thoughts, about anything -- LeBron James' hat, how the Indians will fare in their next series, or even what your favorite barbeque sauce recipe is at the moment. Discussion of any topic is welcome here.

Think of this post as a place for Cleveland sports fans to interact. We look forward to seeing what you have to say! 

The Browns are learning a new offense and they're counting on some versatile guys to help out. Watch video

BEREA, Ohio -- The question to Mike Pettine was about Johnny Manziel and when, as the reporter put it, early in the off-season would become late. The answer, however, didn't exactly instill confidence in the offense in general.

"When you're in the installation phase of an offense, that's early. You're crawling," Pettine said. "Anytime you're putting in something new, you crawl first and then you evolve to the point where, hopefully, as you're getting to the season, you can sprint. But it's a progression and you have to go through it. There's no substitute for it."

Installation. It's a word that was used a lot last training camp as Kyle Shanahan brought in a system rife with long play calls and a new blocking scheme. The Browns are, again, starting over in 2015. Shanahan is gone and John DeFilippo is in, calling NFL plays for the first time. The plan is still the same: run the football and build the passing game around play-action. That feeling of trepidation over the offense is the same, too. We are, after all, talking about a team that just traded a draft pick for a Pro Bowl punter in Andy Lee.

This offense is going to be a work in progress this season. Some things will work. Some won't. DeFilippo and the offensive staff can only figure that out once the bullets start flying for real. Stability and consistency -- years in a system -- are the things that can make an offense really hum. Like Pettine said, "There's no substitute for it." Let's just hope that punter has another Pro Bowl or two in that leg.

Here are more observations from a couple days at minicamp:

Positionless football (kind of)

One of the trends beginning to emerge in the NBA is the concept of "positionless basketball." Going out of style are forwards being just forwards. Guards being just guards. That's not coming to football anytime soon, but the Browns have a couple of guys on the offensive side that can do a little bit of everything -- at least within their position group. 

Meet the first: rookie offensive lineman Cameron Erving.

Maybe the Browns took Erving with the draft's 19th pick because they're genuinely concerned Pro Bowl center Alex Mack is on his way out after this season. Maybe they took him because when Mack went down last season, the dominoes on the line fell quickly and the offense never recovered.

It's probably a little bit of both. So ask what position Erving plays and the answer is simply offensive line. He's learning a bit of everything.

"I do best when I'm challenged," Erving said after Wednesday's practice. "I'm not saying that one position won't challenge me, but I've never really had a problem moving around, changing positions, so I don't feel like it's going to be an issue now."

No matter the reason -- and no matter how No. 12 pick Danny Shelton turns out -- Erving has a chance to become the team's most valuable draft pick. The clear strength on offense is the line, and as long as this team is flying without a franchise quarterback, it needs to be able to protect whoever is throwing the football and open up holes for whoever is running it. So, if he pans out, Erving becomes an upgrade at tackle or guard or a replacement at center. That's value.

Everybody Loves Duke

Meet the second guy on the offense that can do a little bit of everything.

Duke Johnson is everyone's favorite player this off-season, at least among those observing. It could be the novelty of having a back who can catch the football. It could be that he has a chance to be really good.

The coaches like to talk about pushing the ball down the field. I'm not sure how much of that they can actually do this season. There isn't a deep threat on the roster unless Dwayne Bowe can turn back the clock. What the Browns have is a handful of small, quick guys. Andrew Hawkins. Taylor Gabriel. Travis Benjamin. Johnson. Running a horizontal offense. (Is that a real thing?) Get the ball in the hands of sneaky, quick dudes however you can. Positionless football. Or something like that.

Man of intrigue

I saw Pierre Desir make a couple of plays on Wednesday. Working on the goal line in one-on-one matchups with the receivers, he broke up a pass. He nearly intercepted a ball in team drills. He should have intercepted it.

Desir was the last pick of the Browns' 2014 draft and, by season's end, appeared to show more than the team's first pick, Justin Gilbert. On paper, cornerback seems settled with Joe Haden and free agent addition Tramon Williams on the outside. K'Waun Williams is the likely leader in the clubhouse at nickel and has had some chances to work outside this off-season, but after that, you have, among others, Gilbert trying to play his way back into the good graces of the organization and Desir, an admitted project whose appearances last season were somewhat unexpected. Last season, Pettine didn't sway much from the top two guys on the outside, playing Haden and Buster Skrine almost every snap, so we'll see what kind of opportunity emerges.

Desir is a guy I'll keep my eye on when training camp opens next month. Farmer did well in the 2014 draft finding value after the first round. Let's see if Desir continues that trend.

Nike chairman Phil Knight was happy to see LeBron James back in Cleveland, thought the Cavs would win Game 6.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Nike chairman Phil Knight thought the Cavaliers were going to win Wednesday night.

Or at least he was hopeful. He was rooting for, and counting on, one of the best product movers Nike has in LeBron James, and said as much to Ohio State football coach Urban Meyer (another in Knight's Nike family) when the two spoke outside the Cavs' locker room at The Q prior to Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

The game didn't work out the way Knight, James, Meyer or the Cavs wanted (though James did produce 32 points, 18 rebounds, and nine assists), of course. But Knight, like so many in northeast Ohio, was thrilled to see James back in Cleveland.

"Yeah, we don't suggest he goes any place, but I thought it was a great story," Knight told the Northeast Ohio Media Group. "He came back because he was coming home. I think that's a great story any time."

Urban Meyer taking photo of his daughter with Nike CEO Phil Knight. #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/rYfnh3UsRu

-- Tom Withers (@twithersAP) June 17, 2015

Nike's business soared with James back in Cleveland for the first time since 2010. In March, it was reported that sales for James' signature basketball shoe with Nike rose 13 percent over a 12-month period to $340 million.

Also, in October Nike released its "Together" ad, a widely celebrated commercial that commemorated James' return to northeast Ohio released to coincide with his return debut at The Q to start the season.

"What we tried to do is show the true emotion of sports in the city," Knight said. "The ad agency, Wieden + Kennedy, has worked so closely with us that it's almost second nature now, they understood what it meant to be coming back here and they wanted to show it and we were really, really happy with the result."

Several of James' corporate marketing partners launched campaigns centered around James' Akron/Cleveland roots and return - one of many signs that point to James' probable long-term commitment to the franchise.

On Sunday, the Northeast Ohio Media Group reported that James is "happy where I'm at" in Cleveland as decisions on his player contract approach. He is expected to decline the one-year, $21.57 million option on his current deal by June 30 and seek a new one-year contract from the Cavaliers for next season (for $22 million) with a player option for 2016-17 after July 1.

In the immediate aftermath of the Warriors' 105-97 win to clinch the Finals, James made multiple statements that could easily be interpreted as signals he has no intention to leave as a free agent.

Those statements include:

• "I think we put ourselves back where this franchise needs to be, being a contender. But we've still got a lot of work to do."
• "My family is happy. That makes my job a lot easier."
• "I didn't win a championship, but I've done a lot of good things in this first year back, and hopefully I can continue it."

In addition to dealing with his contract, James will also use the summer to rest after a grueling postseason in which he averaged 45.8 minutes per game during the Finals.

He also has his yearly trip to China with Nike set - the trip last year took place in late July - and the first feature film in which he held a supporting role is set for release July 17.

The movie, Trainwreck, was directed by Judd Apatow and stars Amy Schumer and Bill Hader.

About a year ago, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt decided to take a leap of faith.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- About a year ago, Cleveland Cavaliers head coach David Blatt decided to take a leap of faith.

After a number of years and an abundance of overseas success, Blatt said farewell to everything that was familiar -- his family, a lane shaped as a trapezoid and a European style that he mastered -- one that caught the attention of both the Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors last off-season. He left it all behind to pursue his dream of being an NBA head coach.

After an at-times turbulent maiden voyage, there he was, sitting at the podium early Wednesday morning, by himself, forced to reflect on a stinging loss in the NBA Finals against the team he nearly joined. 

"I'm proud of everybody in our organization today," Blatt said following the 105-97 loss that gave the Warriors the NBA title. "It's tough, tough to lose. It's tougher to be over. Not every story has a happy ending. It doesn't mean it's a bad story. This was not. This was a good story. And I'm appreciative to everyone that was part of this."

Last summer, when Blatt took the Cavs job, he didn't know what to expect. LeBron James hadn't announced his return. Kevin Love was still in Minnesota. They weren't title favorites yet. Originally, he would be coaching a young team, with low expectations and able grow alongside him as he navigated the treacherous NBA waters.

Then, one move after another, it all changed.

"Every season has its own set of challenges and its own life," he said. "It's very hard to compare one season with the next. I will say this, I was challenged to make the adjustment to a different kind of game, almost to a different world, the world of the NBA, which is unlike any other situation I've been involved in.

"I got great help from my assistants, from the players I coached, certainly from the management I worked with. It was tough. It was like stepping into a new world and having to learn and make your way every single day. But I was blessed with a lot of great players and a lot of opportunity to find my way. We were in the NBA Finals, two games from winning it. I think we did pretty well."

James was, of course, at the center of the success, shouldering an unprecedented burden during a Finals run that few thought was possible after crippling injuries.

"It was a challenging but oh so rewarding and a beneficial chance that I was given to work with the best player in the world and he competed for us," Blatt said of James. "He led the team and he made every attempt to make this work. I give him a lot of credit for that. It would have been easy to do otherwise but he did not. He was of great assistance to me in many, many ways. And it's an honor to coach him."

Their relationship wasn't always smooth. James and Blatt didn't chat for a few weeks after James announced his homecoming. The four-time MVP had to look up YouTube clips to learn about Blatt's system and philosophy. That was before the season.

Then after a 19-20 start, speculation grew louder about Blatt's job security and whether he and James could coexist, with James offering passive-aggressive barbs in Blatt's direction. When James' postgame comments weren't differing from Blatt's, he was seen in timeouts paying more attention to head assistant Tyronn Lue. It made it seem James and Blatt weren't on the same page. 

It was a steep learning curve for the Princeton graduate, with plenty of stumbles along the way. But he also showed his coaching acumen, helping lead a depleted team to a six-game Finals run.

He fought the adversity and showed an uncanny ability to adapt to endless roster changes. His slow-it-down style and defensive gameplan even had the Cavs with a 2-1 series lead against the Warriors before losing three straight.

"This is a process," he said. "You don't wake up one morning and fall out of bed and expect to win the NBA championship. You hope that you can, but it doesn't always work that way and our guys did more than anyone could expect to put themselves and put our organization in this situation."

As the Finals progressed it became abundantly clear that Blatt was out of answers.

In a game of chess, Steve Kerr, with his deep and talented roster, put Blatt and the Cavs' coaching staff in checkmate with the decision to go with a quick, athletic and devastatingly-versatile small-ball lineup. There were no more adjustments to be made. There were no capable bodies to bring off the bench. Kyrie Irving had a cast on his left leg. Love was wearing a wine-colored blazer, rooting his team on from the bench alongside Anderson Varejao, who tore his Achilles in late December. 

This wasn't like the Chicago series when Blatt made the mistake of starting Mike Miller in Game 1, had a poor game plan against the pick-and-roll and almost cost himself a job and his team a win when he tried calling timeout with none remaining before Lue restrained him. This time, there was nothing left he could do. It was time to face the reality: Blatt didn't have the personnel for a fairy tale ending.

"We would have loved to have come into the series as a whole team," Blatt said. "I feel badly for Kevin and for Kyrie because they did so much during the course of the season to help us get here. We're not here without either one of those guys and obviously having had them in this series would have been -- it would have been significant. But we never asked for sympathy when they went down. We never made an excuse and I certainly won't do that now. We played our hearts out. The Warriors were better. Those guys (Irving, Love and Varejao) will get healthy and we'll come back after it next season."

At times, Blatt probably wondered whether it was all worth it. The criticism. The suffocating pressure. Being the fans' pinata. But as he said early Wednesday, not every story has a happy ending. He left the arena with his head held high after leading the franchise to its second Finals trip.

The Cavs fell short of their ultimate goal. That pain will follow him during what is expected to be another wild off-season.

There are a handful of tough decisions on the horizon and one centers on Blatt's future. The former literature major will be hoping for another chance to continue his NBA story -- only this time writing a different ending, one with the pages soaked in champagne. 

Get live updates and chat with beat writers Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes in the comments section below as the Indians and Cubs battle at Progressive Field. Cleveland's Shaun Marcum will oppose Chicago's Tsuyoshi Wada.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get live updates and chat with beat writers Zack Meisel and Paul Hoynes in the comments section below as the Indians and Cubs battle at Progressive Field. Cleveland's Shaun Marcum will oppose Chicago's Tsuyoshi Wada.

Game 64: Indians (30-33) vs. Cubs (34-28)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m. ET at Progressive Field

TV/radio: STO; WMMS FM/100.7; WTAM 1100.

The speculation about David Blatt's future as the Cavs coach is odd, given that he did a very good job. He deserves to be back. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cavaliers notebook the day after they lost to the Golden State Warriors in Game 6 of the 2015 NBA Finals:

1. Already there is speculation on ESPN and elsewhere that David Blatt may not survive as coach. I knew that was coming. Many in the national media never bought into Blatt. He found himself in the usual position of being blamed when things went poorly, and receiving little credit when the team delivered. It's like that for most people who coach LeBron James. But it's especially true for an NBA outsider, and that's Blatt.

2. I have no inside information on what the Cavs are thinking. From the outside, Blatt took a team into Game 6 of the Finals with only two players likely to start next season -- James and either Timofey Mozgov or Tristan Thompson. I'm assuming Kevin Love (shoulder surgery) returns for at least another season.

3. In the end, the Cavs were starting Matthew Dellavedova, Iman Shumpert and counting on J.R. Smith to be their No. 2 scorer. Smith and Shumpert were cast aside by the Knicks. Dellavedova wasn't even drafte, and isn't an NBA-caliber starter. By Game 6, James was leading a team with only two healthy players who would be considered above the NBA average -- Mozgov and Thompson.
 

4. It's possible that Shumpert or Smith may start next season. Perhaps the Cavs will shop for another shooting guard. Smith will probably exercise his option to be a free agent. Shumpert is a restricted free agent. Who knows if both will be back?

5. The Cavs were without Kyrie Irving, their All-Star point guard. Irving played in only 13 of the 20 postseason games. In the last seven, he played a grand total of 115 minutes. Love was done after the first round because of shoulder surgery.

6. When I listen to the Blatt debate, I keep asking myself "could any coach have led this roster any deeper in the playoffs?"

7. Golden State was the NBA's premier team. The Warriors were 67-15 in the regular season, 12-3 in the playoffs. They were in the much-tougher Western Conference. They were healthy, with key players able to play big minutes. They should have won. They are the superior team compared to who was on the court for the Cavs.

8. If the Cavs had a coach named Steve Kerr or even Tyronn Lue, would there be any speculation? Or would there be praise for a rookie coach's accomplishment in getting the depleted Cavs to The Finals? Kerr and Lue are former NBA point guards. Lue was Doc Rivers' assistant for five years. Kerr has been a general manager and long-time national TV analyst. Both are liked and well-known to NBA insiders.

9. Blatt is an outsider from Israel and the Euroleague. He was hired to coach a team without LeBron James. He was hired to coach Andrew Wiggins, Irving and others. The idea was that they could grow together. James had no input on the hiring of Blatt, who was already in place when James returned to Cleveland.

10. Blatt also came with no friends in the media or coaching community. He was a virtual unknown to his players. He was the guy from Israel. No NBA head coach ever had his background. All had been:

• A former NBA player.
• A former NBA assistant.
• A college coach.

Often, it was a combination of the three. But not for Blatt.

11. That's why I'd argue that Blatt faced one of the toughest challenges in NBA history. He was coaching James, meaning everything is scrutinized. Expectations were enormous. He had very few people in his corner. One of the most admirable parts of the season was General Manager David Griffin's January proclamation that Blatt was keeping his job. Then Griffin revised the roster, taking the blame for many of the team's problems.

12. James and Blatt were thrown together in some unusual circumstances. The 55-year-old Blatt hated being considered a rookie coach, but made some rookie mistakes. James was not especially patient with much of anyone early in the season, be it coaches or teammates. But once Griffin made his big trades for Shumpert, Smith and Mozgov, the Cavs rolled. After their 19-20 start, they were 34-12 in the regular season and 12-2 in the playoffs before The Finals.

13. In the postseason, the Cavs became a top defensive team. They showed it in their series against Chicago, and even moreso in sweeping Atlanta. It was the 60-22 Hawks who had the East's best record, not the Cavs.

14. I also thought the Bulls with a healthy Derrick Rose had a better team than the Love-less Cavs. But Chicago fell apart, losing the final three games after having a 2-1 lead. The Cavs clinched the series with a 94-73 road victory when it was clear the Bulls simply gave up.

15. There wasn't a single postseason game in which I saw a Cavalier wilt in the same fashion as the Bulls did in Game 6 or Atlanta did when losing by 30 points in the closeout game of the Eastern Conference Finals.

16. With 33 seconds left in Game 6, the Cavs were behind by only four points. They had come back from a 15-point deficit. With Blatt, it was impossible to question the team's effort. They showed heart and grit in all 20 postseason games.

17. Obviously, James is at the center of everything. He lifted the production of Shumpert, Mozgov, Thompson and Smith. Irving also had his best season, and James was part of the reason for his growth. James is such an impressive leader at this stage of his career.

18. The pressure to win a title will be even greater next season. It's also the 13th pro season for James. He can't play forever. The Cavs will have to ask themselves if Blatt is the best available choice next season. They also have to ask if anyone could have done a much better job.

19. James should have input. I don't know what he really thinks of Blatt. I do know the brass is pleased with the playoff performance, given all the injuries.

20. Some people are using a video where Blatt is talking to the team and Smith looks totally bored as a negative. Well ... Smith is not exactly the best example of a mature player. Just ask anyone who has coached him.

21. I like Blatt. I think he's a very decent human being. I think he's a good coach who will get better next season. I also have not been given any indication that the Cavs want to fire Blatt. I'd love to see him get a chance to coach this team again when training camp opens in the fall. He has earned it.