Webb got on the field this season despite missing six games. He should seize a role next year the way Jenkins did in 2006 on his way to an All-American career.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Both the 2005 and 2015 Ohio State football teams were stocked with talent that was headed to the NFL, and both played Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. For the 2005 team, a win in Arizona was the first step of a 2006 season that led to the national title game, with players in changing roles leading the way.

Can the 2015 team use a win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta as a springboard for 2016. And can these current Buckeyes emerge with more important roles next year, the way their 2006 counterparts did?

In the days leading up to the New Year's Day game, we will look back at a 2005 Buckeye who had a big 2006 season, and look at a 2015 player who could have the same impact in 2016. 

* Facing Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl - How 2005/2006 Ohio State could be like 2015/2016 Ohio State

DEFENSIVE BACK

Can Damon Webb be Malcolm Jenkins?

What Jenkins was in 2005: Jenkins served as Ohio State's nickelback as a true freshman and started three games at corner after an injury to veteran Tyler Everett. Jenkins missed two games with his own knee injury late in the regular season but returned for the Fiesta Bowl.

What Webb was in 2015: Webb missed much of the season, with Urban Meyer wanting to make clear it was a university issue that kept Webb from the field, not a suspension by the football team. In the end, Webb missed six games before returning in November to the role he had played at the start of the season. Like Jenkins, that was as Ohio State's nickelback on passing situations on third down and as the top backup at corner.

The No. 35 overall recruit in the nation in the Class of 2014 according to 247sports, the second-highest ranked Buckeye in that class behind Raekwon McMillan, he was a major special teams contributor as a true freshman in 2014.

What Jenkins was in 2006: The Buckeyes lost their entire starting secondary after 2005 and Jenkins led the new wave. With a natural edge on the field, Jenkins brought an attitude that matched his play, as he emerged as an All-Big Ten player as a sophomore. In 2007, he was an All-American and in 2008 he won the Thorpe Award as the best defensive back in the nation, going down as one of the greatest secondary players in Ohio State history.

That started with a 2006 season filled with young defensive stars, as Jenkins tied for the team lead in passes defended, intercepted four passes and ranked fifth on the team with 55 tackles.

What Webb could be in 2016: The secondary losses won't be as drastic in 2016, though it's hard to know for sure right now what the Buckeyes will lose. Safety Vonn Bell will almost certainly turn pro. Cornerback Gareon Conley were certainly return. Safety Tyvis Powell and cornerback Eli Apple could go either way, which means the Buckeyes will have between one and three secondary starters to replace.

Webb could top the list to fill any spot.

Erick Smith, out with a torn ACL, and Malik Hooker are safety candidates as well, but Webb could easily slide to safety if he's the most ready secondary option. Marshon Lattimore is another possibility at corner as well if Apple goes.

But the way the Buckeyes used Webb this season tells you what they think of him. He was back in his role immediately after he returned from his six-game absence. They want him on the field. 

As a junior, expect him to seize a spot, wherever it is.

The Cleveland Cavaliers (19-8) will try to bounce back in a hurry tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers (11-20) after suffering a tough Christmas Day loss.

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Cleveland Cavaliers (19-8) will try to bounce back in a hurry tonight against the Portland Trail Blazers (11-20) after suffering a tough Christmas Day loss.

Tipoff: 10 p.m. at the Moda Center.

TV/radio: FOX Sports Ohio; WTAM 1100, 87.7 La Mega.

Last game: In an NBA Finals rematch, the Golden State Warriors defeated the Cavaliers 89-83 on Christmas Day.

Primers: The Cavs gave the Warriors' defense the day off.

Cavaliers' probable starting lineup: 6-3 Kyrie Irving (10.0 ppg, 3.3 apg), 6-6 J.R. Smith (10.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg), 6-8 LeBron James (26.3 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 6.2 apg), 6-10 Kevin Love (17.2 ppg, 10.9 rpg) and 7-2 Timofey Mozgov (7.0 ppg, 4.2 rpg).

Trail Blazers' probable starting lineup: 6-3 Damian Lillard (24.6 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 6.8 apg), 6-3 C.J. McCollum (20.1 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 4.0 apg), 6-9 Al Farouq-Aminu (10.9 ppg, 6.9 rpg), 6-10 Noah Vonleh (3.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg) and 7-0 Mason Plumlee (9.5 ppg, 8.2 rpg).

Dec. 8: Cavaliers took down the Trail Blazers 105-100 at The Q.

Trail Blazers' record last season: 51-31.

Key additions: Mason Plumlee, Al Farouq-Aminu, Noah Vonleh, Ed Davis, Gerald Henderson, Pat Connaughton, and Maurice Harkless.

Key losses: LaMarcus Aldridge, Wesley Matthews, Robin Lopez, Steve Blake and Arron Afflalo.

Injuries for Cleveland: None.

Injuries For Portland: Damian Lillard (foot) is probable.

Cavaliers' next opponent: The Cavaliers will get a much-needed day off before embarking on the final back-to-back of this four-game road trip. The Phoenix Suns are the opponent Monday, finishing with the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. Both games will be a 9 p.m. tip on FOX Sports Ohio.

The Cleveland Browns are a mess and it's up to owner Jimmy Haslam to straighten it out.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I hate this time of year.

Not the holidays. I'm talking about December with the Browns. They are 4-23 after December 1 since 2010.

It's another lousy season, another round of who will be fired ... and who should be hired.

Those are the sounds of the season for fans of the orange helmets.

Players are saying they want to keep the current coaching staff. That makes some sense. Most of them probably like Mike Pettine, who comes across as a very decent guy.

Veterans such as Joe Thomas also know better than to say, "Why not change? Things can't get any worse."

These are the Browns. Things can always get worse.

Veterans also know that new coaches mean a new system, several new players, and learning everything all over again.

The team's senior member, Thomas has been with the Browns since 2007. He's never missed a snap. He is headed to the Hall of Fame.

He has had five different coaches, five different general managers, six different offensive coordinators and two owners.

The Browns were 10-6 in 2007, his rookie season. They are 37-89 since then.

I don't know what the Browns should do. I'm tried of demolition jobs. But I also know it's not wise to simply stay the course to have something that resembles stability.

I'd feel better about the front office if the draft picks offered more promise ... so many wasted high picks.

I'd feel better about the coaching staff if the defense wasn't such a deplorable disappointment.

I'd feel better about ownership if Jimmy Haslam had a track record of making good decisions when it comes to who runs his football team in the front office and on the field.

I'd feel better about the Browns if I didn't hear people from other teams tell me, "It's very hard for them to attract good coaches and players because of all the turmoil."

I'm not sure what they should do, but everything can't remain the same.

Much of this goes back to Haslam. The man behind all the changes has been the owner. Unlike some fans, I don't doubt his desire to win. But he has to prove he knows how to find the right people and put them in the right jobs to make that happen.

This offseason is the biggest he's faced since taking over the team in the training camp of 2012.

ABOUT THE MACK MESS

If you're Alex Mack, what can the Browns do to convince you to stay with the team?

Since being the team's first-round pick in 2009, the Pro Bowl center has a 29-70 record in games where's played. He's been through the coaching staffs of Eric Mangini, Pat Shurmur, Rob Chudzinski and Mike Pettine.

Mack has always said winning was important, although he did sign an offer sheet with Jacksonville before the 2014 season. The Jags come very close to matching the Browns in futility.

Mack is now 30. He was paid $10 million in 2014, $8 million this season.

He has three more years remaining on the contract at $8 million annually. But the contract gives him an option to become a free agent.

Odds are, Mack will explore the market. And odds are, some teams will be very interested.

I'm not sure Mack truly has had a Pro Bowl caliber season. He was coming off major ankle surgery that wiped out the final 11 games of 2014. Early this season, he was struggling. He has played better lately, and was voted to the Pro Bowl team.

Profootballfocus listed him as one of five players who should not have been picked for the Pro Bowl team. They rank him No. 18 among centers. They say he has allowed four sacks, second most among NFL centers.

Bottom line, Mack is a good center. It's possible the Browns could offer him a larger contract to stay. They certainly have the salary cap room.

They also may be desperate because of the failure of Cameron Erving.

The first rounder from Florida State was supposed to be a versatile offensive lineman and a possible replacement at center if Mack left as a free agent. But Erving has been so bad in the few games that he's played at guard, how can he be counted on to start at center in 2016.

So the Browns messed up the Mack situation.

After the 2013 season, they could have made Mack a "franchise player." That would have prevented him from receiving offers from other teams. They used the "transition tag," on Mack, saving about $1 million in salary. But it left the Browns open to what happened with the Jacksonville offer.

And then, their idea of Erving at No. 19 in the draft looks terrible right now. I really thought he'd be NFL-ready, as was the case with second-rounder Joel Bitonio in 2014. Bitonio moved from left tackle at Nevada to guard with the Browns.

Right tackle Mitchell Schwartz also is heading into free agency, and he will likely receive some offers. So the offensive line may need a major overhaul in 2016.

ABOUT THE BROWNS BEING BAD

When were the Browns this bad?

If the Browns lose their last two games, they'll finish 3-13. That will be the worst record since 2000, when they also were 3-13.

In terms of a truly dismal season, I suddenly thought of 2008. The Browns were 4-12 that year, and Browns fans were punished with a 4-12 record as recently as 2013.

But here's what made 2008 one of the longest ever for the Browns: The team's offense did not score a touchdown in the final six games.

That's right, six games ... 24 quarters ... only one touchdown. That came on a Brandon McDonald interception return.

What made 2008 especially frustrating was the Browns were 10-6 in 2007. There were "Super Bowl" chants from some fans in training camp heading into 2008. Most experts picked the Browns to have a winning record in 2008.

After 10 games, they were 4-6. It didn't seem entirely hopeless.

Then quarterbacks began getting hurt.

Brady Quinn...

Derek Anderson...

Ken Dorsey...

Bruce Gradkowski...

All four of those guys played in the final six games. The season ended with a 31-0 loss in Pittsburgh. Gradkowski was the quarterback and he threw for a grand total of 18 yards!

At halftime, general manager Phil Savage was told he was fired by owner Randy Lerner. Coach Romeo Crennel was fired the next day.

So ended the longest front office/coach tenure since the Browns returned. Savage/Crennel lasted from 2005-08. They had a 24-40 record.

SELF-INFLICTED WOUNDS

It's frustrating to listen to the coaches talk about the running game.

The Browns rank 29th in rushing. The coaches talk about the blocking -- and not just the offensive linemen. They talk about the backs not always running to the proper spots. They talk about a lot of things.

After a while, it's everyone's fault ... and no one's fault.

But Pettine did say this: "Having to make the change at offensive line coach was difficult to overcome. We all know what transpired there."

Let's think about that for a moment:

1. Andy Moeller was hired by Pettine. In 2011, he was suspended for two games by the Ravens for an alcohol related problem. It was the third in four years, according to ESPN.

2. Moeller was fired after the 2013 by Baltimore. The Ravens thought their linemen needed a coaching change.

3. Pettine was hired after the 2013 season and was scrambling for assistants. He turned to Moeller, knowing Moeller's history. He had worked with Moeller in Baltimore.

4. Pettine took a chance on Moeller, who had no off-field issues in 2015. But right before the 2015 season, there was an alcohol related incident. No charges were filed, but the Browns didn't like what happened. They "parted ways" as the season was about to open.

5. Veteran George DeLeone took over as head line coach. He had been an assistant to Moeller. He also was hired by Pettine.

6. How much of the offensive line problems were due to Moeller leaving? Hard to know. One NFL executive told me that Moeller's departure as the season opened, "could be very significant, it's an important job."

7. But in the end, this was a problem of the Browns own making, not bad luck. Moeller was a risky hire. His backup apparently wasn't able to pull things together, or why would Pettine bring it up?

8. Pettine blamed a lot of things, well beyond the coaching. But whatever problems there are with the coaching of the offensive line, those do point to the head coach.

• Terry's Talkin' Cavs
• Terry's Talkin' Indians

In most games, the Cleveland Cavaliers best combinations start with LeBron James, but the defense of Tristan Thompson and Matthew Dellavedova is a big deal.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Who knew?

That's what I was thinking when I looked at some stats showing how valuable Matthew Dellavedova was with the Cavaliers.

By the playoffs, it was evident that the Australian guard was more than just a so-so backup. The team seemed to play well with him on the court. Dellavedova's rugby style defense made him hated by some opponents, absolutely loved by his teammates and fans.

There are various ways of measuring how a player "fits" into a team. The Cavs look at different combinations on the court. Everything starts with LeBron James. The future Hall of Famer makes nearly everyone who plays with him more effective.

Another player who tends to appear in the best combinations is Tristan Thompson. It was no accident that some the Cavs best moments in the 2015 playoffs occurred when Thompson and Dellavedova joined James on the court,

Here are the Cavs most productive two-man combinations, and how much they outscore the opposition per 100 possessions:

1. James and Dellavedova: 22.2.
2. James and Thompson: 19.3.
3. Dellavedova and Kevin Love: 19.1.
4. Dellavedova and Thompson, 18.9.

Basketball Reference has a different way of looking at it, but the results are the same.

The best five-man combination? Keep in mind that Iman Shumpert and Kyrie Irving have been injured for most of the season, so they don't factor into this breakdown:

The top 5:

• James.
• Dellavedova.
• Thompson.
• Love.
• Mo Williams.

In the best five-man lineups, there are three common players: Dellavedova, Thompson and James.

ABOUT THE CAVS

1. James fits with everyone. He is the first player since Magic Johnson who really can play all five positions on the court. He can pass like a point guard. He can score like a shooting guard/small forward. He can rebound like a big man. One of the least noticed stats from last season was how James averaged 11.3 rebounds per game in the playoffs.

2. Dellavedova has turned himself into an excellent 3-point shooter. He is making 46 percent. With James on the court and driving to the rim, there will be open 3-point shots.

3. Dellavedova is a relentless defender. He will take on shooting guards and point guards. He stays in front of them. He wrestles them for rebounds. He dives to the court for loose balls. He never forgets that he was not drafted and had to hustle his way on to the roster back in 2013.

4. Dellavedova doesn't need the ball to be effective, but he can run a team from the point guard spot. He is averaging 5.4 assists compared to only 1.5 turnovers. He has a knack of throwing excellent lob passes to Thompson. James loves Dellavedova because the Cavs leader knows Dellavedova's little things mean so much to the Cavs.

5. Thompson is valuable because he is a relentless rebounder. He rarely starts, but is averaging 9.8 rebounds -- No. 9 in the NBA. He plays only 26 minutes a game. The Cavs have no plays for him to shoot. He is there to rebound and defend. His dunks off lob passes are things that happen in the flow of the game, usually on passes from Dellavedova or James.

6. Love can score, but his defense is iffy. It has improved from when he was in Minnesota, when he was often very poor. He has always rebounded well, but struggles in man-to-man defense. When he's on the floor with Dellavedova and Thompson, they can help cover up some of Love's problems on defense.

7. Since Dellavedova and Thompson don't worry about scoring, they open up more shots for Love. In other words, Love can play to his strength (scoring) because the strength of Dellavedova and Thompson is defense.

8. Mo Williams also is a scorer who struggles on defense. So Dellavedova and Thompson are good fits with him. The same will be true of Irving.

9. Dellavedova and Thompson are far more valuable to good teams than losing teams. On the Cavs, they are surrounded with scorers -- James, Irving, J.R. Smith, Williams and Love. So they are not asked to put up points.

10. Iman Shumpert is valuable to the Cavs because of his defense. He can defend either guard spot and some small forwards. He is a more athletic version of Dellavedova. Shumpert made a major defensive impact in the Cavs 91-84 victory Wednesday over the Knicks. The Cavs outscored New York by 15 points when Shumpert was on the court. In that game Dellavedova was a plus-9 on the floor. Then came James and Thompson at plus-7.

11. J.R. Smith made himself valuable to the Cavs with his accent on defense last season. Then the Cavs added Richard Jefferson. Like Smith, Jefferson is capable of defending small forwards and shooting guards. And like Smith, he can make 3-point shots.

12. The missing element from a year ago is the shot-blocking and interior defense of 7-foot-1 Timofey Mozgov. The Russian is off to a slow start. He had off-season knee surgery, and it has taken him longer to come back than expected.

13. The NBA often plays smaller, quicker lineups. The need for a 7-foot center each night is no longer the norm. It's why Mozgov sometimes sits, with the more mobile 6-foot-10 Thompson at center.

14. The Cavs have so much front-court depth that Anderson Varejao is playing only 8.7 minutes per game. Thompson has grabbed many of Varejao's minutes because Thompson is a younger, better version of Varejao. The Cavs also have Mozgov and Love in the frontcourt. You can add James to the list, because he sometimes plays power forward.

15. The Cavs signed Sasha Kaun from Russian, but the 6-foot-10 center has played only 31 minutes all season. He is well behind Mozgov, Love, Thompson and Varejao.

16. All the big men mean the Cavs do have an extra big guy to trade, although there is no compelling reason to change the roster.

17. Since the Cavs acquired Smith, he is shooting 38 percent on 3-pointers. That's a very solid stat. Counting the playoffs, the only players who have made more 3-pointers since Smith came to the Cavs are Stephen Curry (440), Klay Thompson (290) and James Harden (255). Smith has 233. Remember that the ability to make 3-pointers is so important to the Cavs because it keeps the middle open for James and others to drive to the rim.

• Terry's Talkin' Browns
• Terry's Talkin' Indians

Cleveland Indians Manager Terry Francona talks about why he loves working for the Tribe and wants to keep his young pitching staff together.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- I recently spoke on the phone to Cleveland Indians manager Terry Francona from his home in Tucson.

Five minutes into the conversation, I knew why the Indians were so reluctant to trade any starting pitchers. Francona wants to keep them.

But before we talked about players, I wanted to talk to Francona about Francona.

Francona is heading into his fourth season as the Tribe's manager. He's had three winning records, and it's the first time the Tribe has had consecutive winning seasons since 1994-2001.

Francona's previous managerial job was in Boston, a big market, fat payroll team. He won two World Series titles and his teams usually played in front of sellouts.

"When it comes to the reasons that I came to Cleveland, they are even stronger right now," he said. "That's how strongly I feel being with (general manager) Chris Antonetti and his guys. I respect how hard they work. I know how hard their job is."

The Indians will probably have a payroll in the $90 million range, and that will put them in the bottom 25 percent of baseball.

"We're not a team that's going to throw money at people, that's just the way it is," said Francona. "So you can complain about it or figure a way to make it better. That's how our conversations work. This is what we have to do to make it work. Is it challenging? Heck, yes!"

Francona chose to come to the Tribe after the 2012 season. He had a close relationship with former Tribe President Mark Shapiro. He also knew Antonetti. He had a stormy end to his tenure in Boston, as he wrote with Dan Shaughnessy in FRANCONA: The Red Sox Years.

"You choose what you want to do," said Francona. "I made the choice to come here. At the time, I thought I made it for the right reasons. Now that I've been here for three years, those reasons are stronger."

Francona has language in his contract where he can leave if there is a change in the front office. When Shapiro became the new president of the Toronto Blue Jays, some fans wondered if Francona would use his out clause.

"I have a great relationship with Mark (Shapiro)," Francona explained. "I love Ross (new Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins). I'm thrilled for them. I think Mark was hungry for a different challenge. But I love what I'm doing and whom I'm doing it with."

During his three years with the Tribe, Francona worked far more with Antonetti than Shapiro. That's because Antonetti runs the baseball operation.

"Our relationship (Francona and Antonetti) has grown to the point where I'm so comfortable to give my opinion," he said. "I don't think I've ever once felt like Chris walks out of the room and rolls his eyes, regardless of how stupid something was that I just said. I really care about him."

Francona said that Shapiro and Antonetti "were brutally honest" when they told him about the financial and other challenges that are part of running the Indians.

"I believe in these guys and what they are doing," he said. "It took me about 20 minutes to do my first contract (with Cleveland). When they asked me about an extension, I told Chris that I really didn't know how to do it. He said to write down my thoughts in an email."

Francona said he did just that. He said he had to call Antonetti back to get his exact salary figure. They exchanged emails. Francona had his lawyer quickly look it over. The extension was done.

Francona signed a contract extension after the 2014 season.  He now is under contract to the Tribe through 2018. The Indians have options on his contract for 2019 and 2020.

ABOUT TRADING PITCHING

"As long as we have pitching, I feel like we're always going to have a chance," said Francona. "We were all in agreement that we were not going to trade one of our (top) starters unless we were overwhelmed with an offer."

The Indians talked to Cincinnati about a deal for Reds star third baseman Todd Frazier. As I wrote last week, the trade talks took several turns. The player the Reds really wanted for Frazier was Danny Salazar.

Salazar can't be a free agent until after the 2020 season. He was 14-10 with a 3.25 ERA. He will be 26 on January 11 and is a very valuable commodity in a sport starving for effective starting pitchers under reasonable contracts.

The Indians had several offers for Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Salazar. Prospect Mike Clevinger was also in demand as other teams asked about him.

"When you look at the price of (free agent) starting pitching, we know we can't go out (and sign) the kind of pitchers that we have right now," said Francona. "We're fortunate to have good young pitching. Unless someone is going to knock our socks off, we're going to keep our pitching."

Francona said he'd rather "take his chances" with pitching than trade some of the depth in the rotation for a hitter.

ABOUT PITCHING DEPTH

The Indians ranked No. 2 in the American League with a 3.67 ERA.

Behind the big three of Kluber, Carrasco and Salazar, the Indians have Trevor Bauer (11-12, 4.55), Josh Tomlin (7-2, 3.02) and Cody Anderson (7-3, 3.05). T.J. House is supposed to be healthy after having arm problems most of last year.

Clevinger is the most likely starter to come up from the minors, at least based on how he pitched in 2015. He was 9-8 with a 2.73 ERA at Class AA Akron. He was promoted to Class AAA Columbus for the playoffs and threw 15 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and three walks compared to 17 strikeouts. Clevinger turned 25 on December 21.

"In terms of starting pitching, we're about as healthy as you can get for where we are with our payroll and all of that," said Francona. "A guy can come into spring training and hurt his elbow or something ... you can get pinned back pretty quick. But we're in a good situation."

Several times, Francona talked about wanting the extra starters. He does not want to be forced to be into a position of having to look for starting pitching on the trade market or free agency. He is definitely out of the school that preaches, "You can never have too much pitching."

ABOUT SIGNING MIKE NAPOLI

"Right-handed hitting power is hard to find and Napoli gives us that," said Francona. "My phone about blew up (with texts messages) from guys who had played with Mike and really liked him. He is a guy with broad shoulders. He'll fit in really well with our group and he can help lead. Winning is very meaningful to him."

The 34-year-old Napoli had a strange season. In 98 games with Boston, he batted .207 (.693 OPS) with 13 HR and 40 RBI. He was traded to Texas, then batted .295 (.908 OPS) with 5 HR and 10 RBI in the final 35 games of the season.

The Indians signed him to a one-year, $7 million deal.

"It's not the easiest thing in the world for Chris (Antonetti) and his guys to find players (in free agency) who we want and who we can afford," said Francona. They did a very good job of staying persistent and getting this (deal) done."

Over the last three seasons, Napoli batted .286 (.926 OPS) vs. lefties, .226 (.731 OPS) vs. righties.

It was really pronounced in 2015, as he batted .191 vs. righties, .285 vs. lefties. He is prone to slumps.

"I'm aware that he can have his peaks and valleys," said Francona. "He's one of those guys where people will start to ask me how patient can I be with him ... but to get the production, you have to be patient."

Napoli was one of three finalists for a Gold Glove at first base. Some fielding ratings don't have him that high, but he is above average at first base. He should be an upgrade over Carlos Santana defensively.

The Indians wanted to add right-handed power, or at least players who hit lefties. The Tribe had a 57-49 record vs. righty starters, but it was 24-31 vs. lefties.

ABOUT RAJAI DAVIS

Francona said when the Indians were discussing free agent outfielders who could possibly be in the team's price range, "the first name out of my mouth after the season was his."

Davis is 35. He batted .258 (.746 OPS) with 8 HR, 30 RBI and 11 triples for Detroit. He also stole 18 bases and can play all three outfield positions.

"I told him (Davis) the other day that 'I can finally like you,'" said Francona. "He has always been such a thorn when we've played against him. He disrupts games with his speed. He'll occasionally hit the ball out of the park. He plays with a lot of energy. He can impact us in a lot of good ways."

In keeping with the theme of hitting lefties, Davis is a .296 lifetime batter against them.

ABOUT MICHAEL BRANTLEY

The Indians know they will be without their All-Star left fielder for at least a month into the regular season, or maybe a little longer. Brantley is recovering from off-season shoulder surgery.

"You don't want to just make a move to cover for Michael at the beginning of the year." said Francona. "You know he's coming back at some point. That's why I like getting Davis. He can play left field every day when Brantley's out. We can then use him in center or right when Michael comes back."

The defense in the Tribe outfield should be well above average. Lonnie Chisenhall turned into an outstanding right fielder. Abraham Almonte ("We really like him," said Francona) is above average in center. The same is true of Davis and/or Brantley in left field."

Francona also mentioned Collin Cowgill, picked up from the Angels. He's a career .236 hitter 12 HR and 57 RBI in 677 big league at bats. He missed most of last season with a wrist injury. He is considered an excellent defensive outfielder.

"We showed how much better we could be (after the All-Star break) once we started pitching and catching it," said Francona. "We don't want to forget that. It's tough to give up a lot of defense or pitching just to get a bat. It doesn't work unless you can just out-slug people, and I don't see that happening."

Francona mentioned that the Indians should be much better defensively. They'll open with Francisco Lindor at shortstop, Giovanny Urshela at third and a more athletic outfield.

He also knows "you never make out your lineup in December, there's still plenty of time for things to happen."

• Terry's Talkin' Browns
• Terry's Talkin' Cavs

This week's game ball goes to Marlee Profitt from Highland.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Highland's Marlee Profitt won the Game Ball girls basketball contest for the week of Dec. 25, 2015 with 518 votes. (see related story for results)

Last week, the senior post finished with 20 points, nine rebounds and three steals to help lift Brunswick to a 51-26 win. Then on Saturday, ended the night with 25 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in a 51-24 victory against Tallmadge.

Western Reserve Academy's Jade DuVal was the runner-up with 448 votes.

The full results are below.

RESULTS

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Marlee Profitt, Highland 518 votes 

Jade DuVal, Western Reserve Academy 448 votes   

Alison Schafer, Columbia 397 votes 

Jayla Hall, Amherst 212 votes

Abbe Esterak, Woodridge 13 votes

Total Votes: 1,588

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Bookmark the girls basketball webpage at cleveland.com to see every post, podcast and video pertaining to the sport.

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Browns linebacker Armonty Bryant was arrested early Christmas morning with safety De'Ante Saunders.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Browns linebacker Armonty Bryant will sit out Sunday's game in Kansas City after being arrested early Christmas morning with safety De'Ante Saunders, Browns general manager Ray Farmer said in a statement.

"We are aware of the arrests of De'Ante Saunders and Armonty Bryant after a traffic stop early Friday morning,''' Farmer said. "These are charges that we take very seriously. The importance of responsible decision-making is something we continually stress to all members of our organization, which makes it extremely disappointing that these two individuals would put themselves in this situation by making such poor decisions.

 "Armonty will be inactive on Sunday for our game against the Chiefs and will not travel with the team to Kansas City so he can tend to this personal legal matter.

 "In addition to being a pending legal matter, this incident is subject to the NFL personal conduct policy and we have no further comment at this time.

Cleveland Cleveland 19 News Investigative Reporter Scott Taylor broke the story and reported that Saunders was arrested for OVI and speeding along I-71 near Brook Park at 2:16 a.m. Friday.

He reported that a gun and the prescription drug Adderall were also Saunders' car.

This is at least the third time Bryant, second on the the team with 5.5 sacks, has been arrested since 2012.

Bryant was arrested for a DUI less than a week after the Browns drafted him in 2013 was also suspended for three games in college for selling marijuana in 2012 to an undercover officer.

Bryant turned himself around after joining the Browns and spent a lot of time hanging out with fellow linebacker Barkevious Mingo, who was a good influence on him.

Saunders is on the practice squad.

Coach Mike Pettine gave the players Christmas day off to enjoy the holiday with their families.

It was unnecessary to pile on Timofey Mozgov for his 0-for-5, three-rebound showing in Friday's 89-83 loss to the Golden State Warriors, because he piled on himself.

OAKLAND, Calif. - It was unnecessary to pile on Cavaliers center Timofey Mozgov for his 0-for-5, three-rebound showing in Friday's 89-83 loss to the Golden State Warriors because he piled on himself.

"I got to finish a little better," a soft-spoken said Mozgov, who then took a long deep breath to process his night. "I've got to go in the gym and work a little bit, so that's all I can say. I have to make those shots. By the way, the basketball game is about making shots."

Mozgov was noticeably hard on himself.

It was 14 minutes of bizarre shortcomings at the rim. He missed a dunk and multiple layups. On one play in the post, he performed a nice up-and-under move to elude his defender for a clear layup opportunity. However, he clanked the ball badly, hitting the bottom of the rim.

His facial expression said it all. That's what they call "missing a bunny." He couldn't believe the night he was having as he rushed up the court to get back on defense. In order for Mozgov to play extended minutes, the 7-footer must convert at the basket.

"I don't know if there was something wrong mentally, but he could have been more engaged," coach David Blatt said.

When Mozgov struggles, you can see him pressing and it seems like the rim gets smaller and smaller.

"Some of it's mental, some is not," Mozgov said.

Along with more practice, the big man says he'll go over film to see if he's in the right spot at the right time.

Most players, if not the main guys on the team, would rush out of the locker room if they had a bad game to avoid speaking to reporters.

Mozgov graciously gave his time after the game, knowing the sort of questions that would come his way. He takes on his responsibility and there's no reason not to believe he won't work on his responsibility to finish at the rim.

"It's not frustrating, but some games are like that and some games you make everything and some games you miss everything," he said. "But like I say in general, you've got to analyze the game and see how you can improve. I have a job to do."

Kyrie Irving returned to the scene where he fractured his kneecap and is now at peace.

OAKLAND, Calif. - The last time Kyrie Irving roamed the hallways of Oracle Arena, he hobbled off the court to the locker room and later on, departed on crutches.

That was Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors after he fractured his left kneecap. Six months later on Christmas Day, Irving made his return to the scene of the unfortunate incident.

"For me, it was just walking back down that tunnel and I was OK, this time," Irving said. "I made it out kind of. But like I said, coming in, there was no extra incentive. It was just more less a Christmas game for us and a important test and for us going against a great Warriors team."

The Cavaliers were on the losing end once again to the defending champions, falling 89-83. Irving sustained a fall during the game, but didn't let it keep him down. His confidence in his body is returning.

"I took a dive on the floor and like slid across," Irving said. "I gave my hand a little burn and I hopped right back up. I was like, 'I'm good.' Going against Andrew Bogut and Draymond (Green) at the rim and they're contesting, those are the types of plays that I need. I'm glad that I'm in the process of continuing to get better. I'm glad I got to play against the champs again."

Irving scored 13 points in 26 minutes, but it took him 15 shots. Cleveland as a whole shot an underwhelming 32 percent from the field. It's going to take some time for the Cavaliers to gel now that everyone is healthy.

The Warriors proved they're still the team to beat, and Irving is just pleased he's playing against them opposed to watching this time around.

"They are the champs and for us, we held our own," he said. "We fought to the end. Offensively, we didn't do too well. But for me personally, it was about walking off the court knowing that I'm all right and that I can continue to play the rest of the season."

The Portland Trail Blazers demolished the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-76 Saturday night at the Moda Center.

PORTLAND, Ore. - The Portland Trail Blazers took the court at the Moda Center on Saturday night and their opponent didn't.

The Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers were scheduled to take on the rebuilding Trail Blazers, but were nowhere to be found. So, the game went on as planned and the Trail Blazers played the equivalent of a 5-on-0 scrimmage.

In actuality, the Cavaliers were present, but possibly their minds were still wrapped up in that Christmas Day loss to the Golden State Warriors because they didn't show up to play.

Portland (12-20) thumped the Cavs 105-76, handing Cleveland (19-9) its second consecutive loss.

For the third straight game, the Cavaliers shot below 38 percent from the field. It was 36 percent on this night.

Kevin Love scored 13 on 4-of-9 shooting to go with five boards. LeBron James had 12 points on 13 shots and five assists.

The Cavaliers looked old and unmotivated, going through the motions. It was Cleveland's second game of a back-to-back and Kyrie Irving was held out of the contest, but the Trail Blazers were without their best player, Damian Lillard.

James and David Blatt praised their team's commitment to defense after their six-game winning streak was snapped in the Bay Area. And just like that, they decommitted trying to stop the other team from scoring.

The effort simply wasn't there. The Trail Blazers capitalized off of the holes that were in the Cavaliers' defensive sets. Allen Crabbe and Canton native C.J. McCollum exposed Cleveland's backcourt. They sliced and diced on their way to a career-high 26 points and 16 points, respectively.

Portland's Mason Plumlee had 11 points, 14 rebounds and a block.

In the third quarter, J.R. Smith was upset that the referees didn't call the Trail Blazers for goaltending. Instead of getting back on defense, he argued with the ref as he trotted back.

Meanwhile, Portland swung the ball and found an open Al Farouq-Aminu for a wide-open left-wing three. Smith tried at the last minute to hustle over and contest but was too late. The shot gave Portland a 66-34 lead 30 seconds into the third, its biggest lead of the night.

From there, it didn't get much better. The rare fastbreak opportunity Cleveland had was muffed up. Iman Shumpert received an outlet pass and was off to the races, but ended up fumbling the ball out of bounds.

Frustration boiled over late in the third quarter. Shumpert and Meyers Leonard got tangled up while fighting for position, and Shumpert retaliated with a shove in the back. They immediately squared up one another, talking trash. Teammates intervened and Shumpert was hit with a technical.

That was the only fight the Cavaliers had in them, and it didn't help them put points on the board. It was their worst game of the season.

On deck

The Cavaliers will get a much-needed day off before embarking on the final back-to-back of this four-game road trip. The Phoenix Suns are the opponent on Monday, and the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday. Both games will be a 9 p.m. tip on FOX Sports Ohio.

LeBron James scored just 12 points in 27 minutes in the Cavs' worst loss of the season.

PORTLAND, Ore. - This was the kind of historic night for LeBron James and the Cavaliers you wouldn't want to see if you root for them.

So, be thankful Cleveland's 105-76 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers tipped after 10 p.m. back home, and that the Cavs TV broadcast experienced technical difficulties early during the game.

The carnage was real. It was terrible. No Bloody Mary could've solved this Christmas/Warriors hangover.

Cleveland's 29-point halftime deficit was the largest for any James team through two quarters, according to ESPN's stats shop. The final margin was easily the worst for the Cavs this season, and came against a team that had lost eight of 10 and was without its best player, Damian Lillard.

On the one-year anniversary of "chill mode," James scored just 12 points (tying a season low) in 26 minutes. He was pulled from the game for good with 4:25 to go in the third quarter and the Cavs trailing by 33. Yes, 33.

James shot 4-of-13 against the Blazers, taking and missing mostly jumpers. Throw in his 10-of-26 performance against the Warriors on Christmas, and James is 14-of-39 (35.9 percent) from the field.

He added four rebounds and five assists.

Before the game, a team source told Cleveland.com that James might sit Tuesday night in Denver - on the second night of the Cavs' second set of back-to-back games in five days - depending on his "workload" against Portland and on Monday against Phoenix.

At least he got his rest in Saturday night in the blowout.

There was virtually never a time when this one was anything but ugly. James missed his first four shots - all jumpers - and pulled off his arm sleeve and tossed it into the crowd during play.

The entire episode brought to mind two lowlights of James' return to Cleveland. The first: the aforementioned "chill mode" game, which occurred on Dec. 26, 2014 in Orlando, after the Cavs had lost to Miami on Christmas Day.

The Cavs beat the Magic that night and James played a large role in the fourth quarter, but he admitted he was in "chill mode" until Tobias Harris ruffled his feathers.

Also, the last time James and the Cavs played here at the Moda Center was strange. He scored just 11 points in a 19-point loss on Nov. 4, 2014, and purposefully stood in the quarter for most of the second half to teach a lesson to Kyrie Irving and Dion Waiters - who were jacking up wild shots.

It's unclear who James was trying to teach on Saturday, as neither Irving nor Waiters suited up for the Cavs (Irving was resting and Waiters of course doesn't play here any more).

James entered the game having scored at least 30 in eight of his last 10 games against the Blazers. Make that 8 of 11.

 

The Cleveland Cavaliers shot 5-of-20 from the field and were outscored by 22 in the first quarter en route to a 105-76 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Saturday night.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Allen Crabbe scored a career-high 26 in 31 minutes and Canton GlenOak High School product C.J. McCollum had 16 points as the Portland Trail Blazers destroyed the Cleveland Cavaliers, 105-76, Saturday night at Moda Center in Portland, Ore. Kevin Love scored 13 for the Cavs.

Here is a capsule look at the game, which was televised by Fox Sports Ohio:

Stumbling: The Cavs (19-9) have lost two straight. They were defeated by the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors, 89-83, Friday night in Oakland, Calif.

Unacceptable: The Cavs slipped to 6-8 on the road.

So much for that: The Blazers (12-20) had lost five straight -- all on the road. The combined margin during the streak was 66 points.

In their previous nine games overall, the Blazers allowed 105, 96, 112, 101, 106, 102, 116, 106 and 115 points.

(The Cavs had held three straight opponents, and five of six, below 90.)

Notables sidelined: Neither team's standout starting point guard played. Portland's Damian Lillard is dealing with plantar fasciitis and Cleveland's Kyrie Irving, who has played three games this season, rested on the second of back-to-backs.

Harsh reality: The Cavs were absent offensively and defensively for the vast majority of minutes. They did virtually everything poorly and were out-hustled and out-muscled at every turn.

They set a season-low for points on each of back-to-back nights.

The offensive problems stemmed from too much one-on-one and jump-shooting, and not enough ball movement and cutting. The Cavs were supposed to have a sizable advantage in the paint but failed to exploit it (Portland, 44-24).

The defensive problems stemmed from lethargy, lack of effort and almost no attention to detail. The Cavs were turned inside-out by Portland's passing and cutting. The Blazers encounter more resistance in practice.

Simply brutal: The Cavs played their worst quarter of the season in being outscored, 34-12, in the first. They shot 5-of-20 from the field, including LeBron James' 1-of-6 and Love's 1-of-4.

The Cavs played is if the last place they wanted to be was Portland, Ore. They seemingly had no kinetic energy.

With 5:14 left, the Cavs trailed, 21-6. They were 2-of-10 with five turnovers.

Fox Sports Ohio analyst Austin Carr said: "The pace of the game is too fast for them.''

With 2:42 left, the Cavs trailed, 27-10. They were 4-of-16.

Carr said: "The body language is just not good defensively. The Cavs haven't matched the Blazers' energy.''

With 1:54 left, the Cavs trailed, 32-10.

Carr said: "They're going to get blown out of here. Their body language is just not good.''

With 52 seconds left and the Cavs trailing, 32-12, Iman Shumpert missed a 17-footer from right foul-line extended. The release occurred with 16 on the shot clock. It was yet another Cleveland jumper gone begging, and Carr had seen enough.

Carr said: "Run some plays. Do something. You've got to get some type of rhythm going out there....You've got to move. You've got to make the defense respect something.''

After a Portland miss, Mo Williams missed a pull-up jumper from the foul line in transition.

Carr said: "What this comes down to now is, they're trying to do it individually. When you continue to miss, you have no rhythm, you don't know what's going on out there, and it affects you on the defensive end of the floor.''

Crabbe closed the quarter with a leaner from the right side with :00.2 left. Crabbe had 13 points in the first -- his best quarter as an NBA player.

More ugliness: The Cavs "only'' were outscored by seven in the second quarter and trailed at the half, 63-34. They shot 7-of-19, including LeBron's 1-of-4.

The most glaring disparity through two quarters was turnovers. Cleveland had 10, which cost 16 points, and Portland had zero.

Even when the Blazers all but tried to commit a turnover, they couldn't. With 33.5 seconds left in the second quarter and the Blazers leading, 60-34, Al-Farouq Aminu fumbled the ball after a shot fake against LeBron on the left wing. He recovered the ball while moving across the paint and handed to Crabbe, who drilled a 3-pointer from the right wing.

Carr officially blew a fuse as he spoke to Fox Sports Ohio play-by-play voice Fred McLeod and the viewership.

Carr said: "They're just spot-shooting, Fred. They fumble the ball around and the guy gets a wide-open spot shot. I mean, where's the defense?''

At that point, Crabbe was 7-of-11 from the field for 21 points.

McLeod said: "Allen Crabbe has a career-high in points in the first half.''

Carr said: "You don't even have to run a play. Just fumble the ball around and you get open shots.''

For the half, Crabbe outscored LeBron and Love, 21-16.

LeBron finished with 12 points on 4-of-13 shooting in 26 minutes. He posted a -29.

Garbage time: The Blazers outscored the Cavs by two in the third quarter and led, 90-59, through three. The Cavs shot 9-of-21.

Late in the quarter, Carr said: "This is going to be an interesting situation, because the mark of a champion is how you bounce back when you're down low.''

Get to the bus healthy: With the Cavs trailing, 93-63, early in the fourth, McLeod said: "I'm looking for a positive light on the stat sheet. I'm still searching. Rebounds are tied at 36.''

Moments later, McLeod said: "Every team has these kind of clunkers. But you just never expected it to come in this form from the Cavaliers, against a short-handed ball club that is without its best player, Damian Lillard.''

Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score to help Nebraska cap a losing season by beating UCLA Saturday night.

SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- Tommy Armstrong Jr. threw a touchdown pass and ran for another score to help Nebraska cap a losing season by beating UCLA 37-29 in the Foster Farms Bowl on Saturday night.

The Cornhuskers (6-7) scored 30 straight points after falling behind 21-7 early to overpower the Bruins (8-5) and provide a happy ending to coach Mike Riley's first season.

Stanley Morgan Jr. gave Nebraska the lead for good with a one-handed, 22-yard catch in the third quarter and Imani Cross, Terrell Newby and Andy Janovich all ran for scores for the Cornhuskers.

Armstrong completed 12 of 19 passes for 174 yards and ran for 76 more to lead the way for Nebraska, which had a season high with 326 yards rushing.

Josh Rosen threw for 319 yards and two touchdowns for the Bruins. They ended what had once been a promising season with losses to Southern California and in the bowl game.

Nebraska only got the chance to play in a bowl because there were not enough six-win teams to fill all 80 slots and the Cornhuskers made the most of the opportunity by taking the game over in the third quarter.

After tying the game with two late touchdowns in the second quarter, Nebraska outgained UCLA 196 to 1 in the third quarter behind a dominant running game.

The Cornhuskers gained 151 yards on the ground alone in the third quarter with the run game setting up Morgan's touchdown catch that made it 27-21 and then leading the way on two more scoring drives that ended in a Drew Brown's field goal and Armstrong's 3-yard run in the opening minute of the fourth to make it 37-21.

UCLA responded with a 9-yard TD pass from Rosen to Jordan Payton and a 2-point conversion to get within eight. Ka'imi Fairbairn missed a 46-yard field goal after a botched shotgun snap by the Bruins and Rosen threw an interception in the end zone on fourth down from the 32 with 2:54 to play to end UCLA's chances at a comeback.

The Bruins broke out to a 21-7 lead when Rosen threw a 60-yard touchdown to Kenneth Walker III and a 26-yarder to Nate Starks. The Other UCLA touchdown came when Paul Perkins ran it in from the 1 a play after Rosen completed a 22-yard pass to Thomas Duarte on fourth-and-1.

Nebraska fought back with back-to-back TD drives to tie it 21 at the half.

Cornhuskers safety Nate Gerry was ejected late in the second quarter for targeting on a swing pass to Perkins. It was the second straight game that Gerry was ejected for targeting.

Ohio State is making its eighth bowl trip to Arizona to face Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl on Jan. 1, and the Buckeyes have a winning record on their trips so far.

In a season dotted with excuses that often masquerade as explanations, the Cavaliers' performance on Saturday was indefensible, losing to the Blazers, 105-76.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Portland Trail Blazers entered Saturday night's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the midst of a brutal stretch, having lost eight of their last 10 games. As if the contest against the reigning Eastern Conference champs wasn't challenging enough, the Blazers stepped on the court with their best player, All-Star point guard Damian Lillard, sitting in a snazzy red jacket as he continues to battle a foot injury.

Just as expected, the game was a rout, with benches getting cleared midway through the fourth quarter.

Only the Cavs were the team waving the white flag early, losing to the Blazers, 105-76. 

It's hardly panic time. That doesn't happen after one horrendous loss, something Cavs head coach David Blatt pointed out after the game. 

"We're not a bad team all of the sudden," he said. "We've done some things this season. This was a bad night. Plain and simple"

Call it a Christmas Day hangover, struggling to muster the energy following an emotional loss in a Finals rematch against the Golden State Warriors one day earlier. Perhaps they had some bad eggnog or were up too late exchanging gifts. Maybe the schedule is a little too difficult on this road trip through the Western Conference. 

In a season dotted with excuses that often masquerade as explanations, the Cavaliers' performance on Saturday was indefensible.

Other teams played on Christmas as well and then again the next night. They didn't get blown out by a free-falling, lottery-bound team playing without its best player. 

Here are five observations:

Forgettable 1st Quarter - The Cavs scored the first basket of the game, an open three-pointer by Kevin Love, which was set up beautifully by James. That crisp ball movement and Love's early offense are normally good signs for the Cavs.

But they were outscored 34-9 the rest of the first quarter, trailing by 22 points at the end. The Cavs were 5-of-20 from the field and committed seven turnovers, which the Blazers turned into 12 points. That sloppy play added up to a season-low for points in a quarter with 12 in the first. That's right. That's one point for every minute played in the listless period.

James was 1-of-6, as he looked disinterested, choosing to hoist jumpers instead of attacking the basket. Love shot 1-of-4. 

The Blazers, on the otherhand, didn't have too many issues. They scored 34 points, which matches the most the Cavs have given up in one quarter this season, on 13-of-27 (48.1 percent) shooting.

At the end of the first, the Cavs trailed, 34-12, and could never dig out of the early hole.

Shooting woes - The struggles started against the much-improved New York Knicks on Wednesday night.

The Cavaliers were 32-of-83 (38.6 percent) from the field, but a combination of lockdown fourth quarter defense and the Knicks' perplexing late-game decision-making helped the Cavs rally to a win.

That poor shooting showed up against the Warriors on Christmas, as the Cavs were 30-of-95 (31.6 percent) from the field. Cleveland lost, claiming that offensive performance, their then-lowest scoring game of the year, was an outlier. They said they would be better next time.

Maybe they meant the Phoenix matchup on Monday night because for the third straight contest, the Cavs shot below 39 percent. They finished a putrid 36.4 percent from the field despite connecting on 11-of-31 (35.5 percent) from three-point range. 

James was 4-of-13. He missed all six of his shots outside the paint, including an 0-for-3 night from beyond the arc. James is now shooting 28.8 percent from 10 feet and beyond this season, including 25 percent from distance, the only vulnerability in yet another strong season.

Defense optional - Sometimes shots don't fall, especially on the second game of a back-to-back to begin a tough road trip. The players have talked about that numerous times.

However, effort on defense can be controlled. And the Cavs gave little.

Portland, which shoots 44.3 percent from the field, finished above that mark and scored 105 points, its second most in the last seven games. It probably could have been more had the Blazers not emptied their bench late in the game.

Portland had 63 points at the half, which is a season-high for a Cavs opponent, and the 29-point halftime deficit was the largest of James' career, according to ESPN.

The Cavs were beaten in transition, lazy in the halfcourt and failed to create pressure defensively. The Blazers entered the night as one of the most mistake-prone teams, averaging 15.2 turnovers per game, which is seventh most in the NBA. Yet, without their best ball handler, they had just nine.

Their first miscue didn't come until the third quarter.

To make matters worse, the Cavs left Allen Crabbe wide open numerous times and he made them pay repeatedly. Crabbe had a career-high 21 points by the end of the first half. He finished with 26 points on 8-of-15 shooting, including 4-of-6 from three-point range.

The Blazers, 27th in the NBA in points in the paint per game, are lacking an interior presence after LaMarcus Aldridge bolted this summer. But somehow they scored 44 points in the paint -- 19 more than their season average.

The Cavs had just 24, getting outscored inside by 20.

There was a disappointing lack of fight. Unless, of course, Iman Shumpert shoving Meyers Leonard in the back, trash talking and picking up a frustration technical is considered "fight."

I don't think so either. 

Perhaps Shumpert would've been better served putting that energy toward trying to slow down Crabbe. 

Backcourt dominance - Both teams were missing their exceptional starting point guard so that meant other guys needed to step up.

Portland's duo of C.J. McCollum and Crabbe did just that. The duo combined to score 42 points while the Cavs' backcourt tandem, Matthew Dellavedova and J.R. Smith, had 13 points on 5-of-14 from the field in 47 combined minutes.

The other backcourt players didn't help much either.

Shumpert, known more for his defense, scored just five points on 2-of-8 shooting after a rough game against Golden State. 

Off-season addition Mo Williams, who has been moved into an important bench role, scored zero points on 0-for-6 from the field.

As a starter, Williams averaged 14.5 points on 49 percent from the field, including 36 percent from three-point range in 30.1 minutes.

Since being moved to the second unit, Williams's numbers have plummeted.

He's averaging 7.0 points on 39 percent shooting, including 26 percent from three-point range in 17.8 minutes.

Williams, of course, recently injured his thumb, which could be contributing to the drop in numbers.

He was one of the few free agent additions, brought to Cleveland to give the Cavs another offensive playmaker, someone capable of providing a scoring punch. Given his weakness on the defensive end, Williams will have to justify his spot in the rotation on the offensive end, and it's not happening right now. The veteran combo guard could be in danger of sliding further down the bench.

Welcome back, R.J. - Surprisingly, Jefferson didn't see the court against the Warriors, as Blatt chose to shorten his rotation. The game prior, Jefferson only played four minutes, watching most of the game with a pad on his lower back.

At times, he has been a part of the Cavaliers' late-game lineup, which made his brief disappearance mystifying.

The Cavs haven't pointed to any injury-related issue with Jefferson so maybe those two games were for maintenance purposes. After all, the 35-year-old free agent acquisition is averaging 22.5 minutes, which is up from his 16.8 minutes in Dallas last season.

He played 26 minutes against the Blazers, scoring 10 points, one of four players to reach double figures.

 

The game is on CBS and kickoff as at 1 p.m.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs play on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City. The Chiefs have won eight games in a row.

The game will be broadcast by CBS with Kevin Harlan and Rich Gannon on the call. WOIO Channel 19 is broadcasting the game locally. The Browns radio network will broadcast the game on WKRK/92.3 FM, WKNR/850 AM and WNCX/98.5 FM and on Westwood One. The game starts at 4:05 p.m.

NFL Game Pass allows users to listen to games live online. It also offers replays of all games and condensed games. There is a cost associated; however, the service is offers a 7-day free trial.

For complete coverage of the game, check out cleveland.com/browns.

The Browns hope to lift their spirits by beating the ascending Chiefs: Crowquill

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Today, the Cleveland Browns play the Kansas City Chiefs in Arrowhead Stadium. These teams arrive here having followed two different paths from identical 2-5 starts to the season.

Since that 2-5 start, coach Andy Reid rallied the Chiefs to seven straight wins with a strong chance of making the playoffs.

On the other hand, Mike Pettine and the Browns continued to struggle, winning only one game since starting 2-5. With no shot at the playoffs, another season winds down with the Browns hoping to play the role of spoiler.

Crowquill, by Plain Dealer artist Ted Crow, appears three times a week on cleveland.com.

Ohio State hosts South Carolina State on Sunday in the Buckeyes final nonconference game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio State basketball team hosts South Carolina State on Sunday in the final nonconference game of the season.

Who: South Carolina State Bulldogs (5-8) at Ohio State Buckeyes (7-5)

When: Sunday, 6 p.m.

Where: Value City Arena

TV: Big Ten Network, with Tom Werme and Shonn Morris on the call

South Carolina State projected starters: G Ed Stephens (Soph., 6-2, 13.8 ppg); G Ty Soloman (Soph., 5-10, 3.3 ppg); G Gabriel McCray (Sr., 6-7, 11.1 ppg); F Riley Tashombe (Soph., 6-7, 8.1 ppg); C Daryll Palmer (Sr., 6-8, 7.8 ppg)

Ohio State projected starters: G JaQuan Lyle (Fr., 6-5, 9.8 ppg); F Jae'Sean Tate (Soph., 6-4, 12 ppg); F Marc Loving (Jr., 6-7, 14.6 ppg); F Keita Bates-Diop (Soph., 6-7, 12.1 ppg); C Trevor Thompson (Sr., 6-11, 5.9 ppg)

Breaking down the Bulldogs: South Carolina State has lost three in a row against Duquesne, St. Bonaventure, and most recently East Carolina ... Junior guard Eric Eaves leads the Bulldogs with 14.3 ppg ... Sophomore guard Ed Stephens is shooting 42.5 percent from 3-point range this season ... South Carolina State is shooting 42.9 percent from the floor this year, and allowing opponents to shoot 45.4 percent ... The Bulldogs are 278th in the country in field goal percentage defense ... Eight different players have started a game for the Bulldogs this season ... The Bulldogs score 72.5 points per game this season, while allowing 75.5 points per game ... South Carolina State is ranked No. 314 out of 351 teams in Ken Pomeroy's efficiency ratings.

Breaking down the Buckeyes: Ohio State has won its last three games and five of the last six, coming off a 64-44 win over Mercer ... The Buckeyes have shot better than their opponent in 11 of their 12 games this season, the outlier being a loss at UConn ... Ohio State is 34th in the country in field goal percentage defense, holding opponents to a 38.5 percent mark ... During this three-game winning streak, Ohio State's opponents are shooting a combined 33.9 percent (57 for 168) ... Junior forward Marc Loving leads the Buckeyes with 14.6 points per game, but had just four points in 34 minutes in the win over Mercer ... Freshman guard JaQuan Lyle tied a career-high with 18 points against Mercer, and had two turnovers in the win ... Ohio State is 274th in the country in total assists (136) and 301st in the country with 11.3 assists per game ... The Buckeyes are scoring 71.4 points per game, and allowing 63.4 points per game ... Ohio State is ranked 50th in the KenPom ratings.

Bill's prediction: Ohio State 80, South Carolina State 57

From the last game: Ohio State avoids Kentucky hangover with win over Mercer

* Mickey Mitchell makes his Ohio State debut in win over Mercer

Gholston started for the first time in 2006, and Hubbard should so the same in 2016.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Both the 2005 and 2015 Ohio State football teams were stocked with talent that was headed to the NFL, and both played Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl. For the 2005 team, a win in Arizona was the first step of a 2006 season that led to the national title game, with players in changing roles leading the way.

Can the 2015 team use a win over Notre Dame in the Fiesta as a springboard for 2016. And can these current Buckeyes emerge with more important roles next year, the way their 2006 counterparts did?

In the days leading up to the New Year's Day game, we will look back at a 2005 Buckeye who had a big 2006 season, and look at a 2015 player who could have the same impact in 2016. 

* Facing Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl - How 2005/2006 Ohio State could be like 2015/2016 Ohio State

DEFENSIVE END

Can Sam Hubbard be Vernon Gholston?

What Gholston was in 2005: A broken finger forced Gholston into a redshirt in 2005 after he played as a freshman in 2004. A high school linebacker, he made the position switch after arriving from Cass Tech in Detroit, the Michigan high school the Buckeyes work so hard to recruit these days.

Back then, Gholston was a project who was stopped in the hallway as a 14-year-old by high school coach Thomas Wilcher, who thought Gholston was a parent, he was so big. Wilcher made him a football player on the spot, and Gholston entered 2006 as a redshirt sophomore ready to show what he could do. 

What Hubbard was in 2015: Like Gholston, Hubbard redshirted for a season early in his career, sitting out 2014 before finding a regular role this season. He also underwent a position change, with the high school lacrosse player bouncing through the secondary and a look at tight end before settling in as a defensive end. 

He did much more in his first two seasons than Gholston did. He ranks second on the team with 5.5 sacks while playing a regular role as a backup defensive end and third-down pass-rush specialist. 

What Gholston was in 2006: At 6-foot-4 and 240 pounds, Gholston put his physical skills to use in his first year as a starter. He led the Buckeyes with 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, both which ranked fourth in the Big Ten.

Gholston was voted second-team All-Big Ten on the way to his truly dominant season in 2007, when he ranked third in the nation with 14 sacks and was named first-team All-American.

Taken with the No. 6 pick in the 2008 NFL Draft, Gholston turned out to be a bust with the New York Jets. But when it comes to athletically gifted Ohio State defensive ends, Gholston was the precursor to Joey Bosa.

What Hubbard could be in 2016: At 6-foot-5 and 265 pounds, Hubbard could be the next Bosa. He'll step into Bosa's starting spot as the junior defensive end leaves to be a top-10 pick in the NFL Draft. The expectations for Hubbard will be nearly as high.

"It's really more of an honor than anything to be compared to guys like Joey," Hubbard said before this season. 

The comparisons to some of the best defensive ends in Ohio State history may only be starting.

For every game during the Cleveland Browns 2015 NFL season, Plain Dealer illustrator Chris Morris sets them up with storylines worth illustrating, fans with opinions to share, statistics to compare and match-ups to watch. The link below will take you to the previous games this season, and this post will be updated every week with new pages as they are drawn....

For every game during the Cleveland Browns 2015 NFL season, Plain Dealer illustrator Chris Morris sets them up with storylines worth illustrating, fans with opinions to share, statistics to compare and match-ups to watch. The link below will take you to the previous games this season, and this post will be updated every week with new pages as they are drawn. The printed version will be in the Plain Dealer's Browns Extra section.

Last week's Brownstown: the Seahawks

Click on image to enlarge.

Chris Morris, The Plain Dealer