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Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Detroit Pistons 2016 NBA Playoff guide: What to know entering Game 1

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LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers begin their quest back to the NBA Finals with a first-round matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Here's a roundup of cleveland.com's coverage entering Game 1. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Cavaliers road back to the NBA Finals begins 3 p.m. Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena vs. the Detroit Pistons.

Below is an index of cleveland.com's coverage leading up to Game 1 of the series, which can be seen on ABC or heard on WTAM-AM 1100. A live chat will be conducted here on cleveland.com.

Series schedule

Game 1: 3 p.m., Sunday in Cleveland (ABC)

Game 2: 8 p.m., Wednesday in Cleveland (TNT)

Game 3: 7 p.m., Friday in Detroit (ESPN)

Game 4: 8:30 p.m., Sunday in Detroit (TNT)

Game 5, if necessary: Time TBA, Tuesday, April 26, in Cleveland (TV TBA)

Projected Game 1 starters

Cavaliers: PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 19.6 points), SG J.R. Smith (6-6 12.4 points), SF LeBron James (6-8, 25.3 points), PF Kevin Love (6-10, 16.0 points), C Tristan Thompson (6-10, 7.8 points).

Pistons: PG Reggie Jackson (6-3, 18.8 points), SG Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (6-5, 14.5 points), SF Tobias Harris (6-9, 16.6 points), PF Marcus Morris (6-9, 14.1 points), C Andre Drummond (6-11, 16.2 points).

'Last supper' sets tone for series, playoffs

25 things that have Terry Talkin'

Mo Williams out for Game 1

Van Gundy: Defending LeBron is like pitching to Miguel Cabrera

Back for more

Hold your breath, Cleveland. The Cavaliers lost Kevin Love in the first round last year to injury and, eventually, Kyrie Irving. LeBron James and Co. still willed their way to the Finals.

Can LeBron repeat his best postseason?

Another novice coach, but Lue has James' support

Irving, Love better prepared for this postseason

Livingston: Playoff burden never lessens for LeBron

LeBron enters with three straight East player of the month awards

X's and O's

From the matchup with the Pistons to a greater scope around the league, here is a look at what to watch.

Breaking down the Cavaliers' roster

Breaking down the Pistons' roster

Who will guard LeBron?

Where James likes to shoot

After LeBron, who's the key player in this series?

The five most important matchups

Top pick-and-roll combos this season

Predictions

The Golden State Warriors entered the postseason as heavy favorites. Why not? They did eclipse the Chicago Bulls' 1996 record for wins in a regular season.

Vegas gives Cavaliers third-best odds to win title

Who could keep Cavs from finals?

Reggie Miller: East is Cavs' to lose

One win for Pistons would be an upset

Bud Shaw's You Said It: Are Cavs best bet to challenge Warriors?

Haynes, Vardon, Fedor predict Pistons series

History lessons

The Pistons won the regular-season series, 3-1, but that can be deceiving. Tyronn Lue rested his starters Wednesday in their recent meeting. Kyrie Irving also missed their first game in November while still recovering from knee surgery.

With a look back in mind, here are some numbers to digest for the entire league.

How teams with best record fare in playoffs

East, West much closer this season

In the crowd

The Cavs and Pistons had a dress rehearsal Wednesday to conclude the regular season. It wasn't the same; Cleveland played without its regulars in a 112-110 loss.

However, we caught up with passionate fans for their take.

Fans: What's needed to win a title

Guide to bars, restaurants near The Q

Catch phrase dictionary for Austin Carr, Fred McLeod

Charge fights for entertainment dollars in growing D-League

Three-minute Cavs quiz

Sorry Bieber, it's playoff time

Downloadable desktop wallpaper and Facebook cover image


Chris Worley vs. Jerome Baker feels unsettled: 7 thoughts on Buckeyes defense after Ohio State spring game

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Here are seven takeaways from the Ohio State defense after Saturday's spring game.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jerome Baker's goal for his future as an Ohio State linebacker is about as lofty as it gets.

"Me personally I think I'm very similar to Darron (Lee)," Baker said. "So I just try to be better than Darron. He's first round, so if you're better than him you're doing a great job."

That wasn't Baker proclaiming he's already better than Lee, who's likely to be selected in the first 15 picks of the NFL Draft in two weeks. That was Baker stating his goals as a Buckeye.

He's not there yet, though, because he he hasn't even won the job to replace Lee at walkout, or Sam, linebacker.

That's still a battle with Chris Worley. That Worley started for the Gray team, and not the Scarlet, in Saturday's spring game shows that he has the edge right now.

Urban Meyer took it a step further this week by saying Worley had that spot "solidified." There's no denying Worley has the edge in the eyes of the coaching staff -- and those are the only eyes that matter. But "solidified" feels like too strong of a word for that position battle.

Baker played well on Saturday, and had a freakish one-handed interception of Joe Burrow, but it's less about that and more about what we know of Baker the athlete.

It's hard to fathom Worley separating himself enough from Baker already to be slotted into Lee's old spot coming out of the spring. That's such an important position for the Buckeyes defense that it should take time and long deliberation to find the best fit.

That can certainly be Worley, who had had to wait behind Lee for two years for a chance at a starting job. Or it could be Baker, who's the kind of athlete Meyer drools over and looks to have the physical traits to mimic the kind of impact Lee made.

The advantage Worley has is being in this defensive system longer, and in the end that could be the difference in who wins the job. Baker admitted on Saturday that he needs a better understanding of scheme and responsibility before he truly takes the next step.

It's hard to argue against Baker having the athletic edge, though. So if he can do the right kind of learning this summer to grasp the defense, expect this position battle to be far from over.

Click here to read 6 more thoughts on the Buckeyes defense

Ohio State's spring is over: Discussing the Buckeyes biggest questions heading into summer (video)

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There was a lot of good in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but that doesn't mean there aren't big questions heading into the summer. We have a few. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- There were young stars making plays, some impressive touchdowns and a ton of talent on the field. 

So for the most part, Ohio State sent the more than 100,000 fans who attended the spring game into summer feeling pretty good about the Buckeyes. 

But the standard Urban Meyer has set at Ohio State has become national championship or bust, and given the Buckeyes lost the majority of their starters after last season, is that reasonable to expect heading into 2016? 

There was a lot of good in Ohio Stadium on Saturday, but that doesn't mean there aren't big questions heading into the summer. We have a few: 

* Is Ohio State's depth at offensive line sufficient? 

* Will Ohio State have an answer at cornerback opposite Gareon Conley? 

* Ohio State has pleny of options at receiver, but there's no sure thing. Is that a problem? 

We discuss those talking points in the video above. Be sure to watch. 

PGA Tour 2016: Today's live RBC Heritage leaderboard, TV, schedule, tee times (photos)

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Luke Donald has a two-shot lead going into the final round of the PGA Tour RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, S.C. Here is the live leaderboard, TV schedule, tee times and updates for Sunday's final round.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Luke Donald is in the lead and Jason Day will try to rebound from a horrible day at the PGA Tour's RBC Heritage in Hilton Head, S.C.

The tournament resumes today with final round coverage on the Golf Channel from 1-2:30 p.m. and on CBS from 3-6 p.m. You can also follow along on our live leaderboard (below).

Day had one of the worst days on Saturday as he fell nine shots back of the lead. Day, tied for the lead coming into Saturday, shot a 79 for his highest round of the season and his worst showing in 63 rounds since an 81 last year in The Players Championship. Day made eight bogeys and a double-bogey.

Luke Donald is the leader with a 2-under 69. Donald was one stroke back when the round started. He went on a tear and became the leader, two shots ahead of Jason Kokrak and Charley Hoffman.

RBC Heritage

  • Site: Hilton Head, S.C.
  • Schedule: Today.
  • Course: Harbour Town Golf Links (6,973 yards, par 71).
  • Purse: $5.9 million. Winner's share: $1.06 million.
  • TV: Golf Channel (1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.), CBS Sports (3 p.m. to 6 p.m.)

Here's the live leaderboard:

Tee times for today's final round:

  • 8:10 a.m. -- Daniel Summerhays.
  • 8:16 a.m. -- Camilo Villegas, Harold Varner III.
  • 8:25 a.m. -- Scott Brown, Ian Poulter.
  • 8:34 a.m. -- Derek Fathauer, Ryan Palmer.
  • 8:43 a.m. -- Justin Thomas, Luke List.
  • 8:52 a.m. -- Vaughn Taylor, Davis Love III.
  • 9:01 a.m. -- Kevin Kisner, Webb Simpson.
  • 9:10 a.m. -- Ben Martin, Jason Bohn.
  • 9:19 a.m. -- Boo Weekley, John Senden.
  • 9:28 a.m. -- Mark Wilson, Vijay Singh.
  • 9:37 a.m. -- Fabian Gomez, Adam Hadwin.
  • 9:46 a.m. -- Seung-Yul Noh, Jerry Kelly.
  • 9:55 a.m. -- Jim Herman, Ernie Els.
  • 10:04 a.m. -- Jason Dufner, Francesco Molinari.
  • 10:13 a.m. -- Jason Day, Justin Leonard.
  • 10:22 a.m. -- Steve Wheatcroft, Zac Blair.
  • 10:31 a.m. -- Geoff Ogilvy, Johnson Wagner.
  • 10:40 a.m. -- Will MacKenzie, Tyrone Van Aswegen.
  • 10:50 a.m. -- David Lingmerth, Chez Reavie.
  • 11 a.m. -- Will Wilcox, Billy Horschel.
  • 11:10 a.m. -- Morgan Hoffmann, Charles Howell III.
  • 11:20 a.m. -- Bronson Burgoon, Ricky Barnes.
  • 11:30 a.m. -- Tony Finau, Bryce Molder.
  • 11:40 a.m. -- Chad Campell, Aaron Badderly.
  • 11:50 a.m. -- Spencer Levin, Ben Crane.
  • 12 p.m. -- David Toms, Kyle Stanley.
  • 12:10 p.m. -- William McGirt, Colt Knost.
  • 12: 20 p.m. -- George McNeill, Kevin Chappell.
  • 12:30 p.m. -- Lucas Glover, Graham DeLaet.
  • 12:40 p.m. -- Si Woo Kim, Bryson DeChambeau.
  • 12:50 p.m. -- Marc Leishman, Shawn Stefani.
  • 1 p.m. -- Tyler Aldridge, Whee Kim.
  • 1:10 p.m. -- Matt Kuchar, Russell Knox.
  • 1:20 p.m. -- Bill Haas, Russell Henley.
  • 1:30 p.m. -- Chris Kirk, Kevin Na.
  • 1:40 p.m. -- Branden Grace, Zach Johnson.
  • 1:50 p.m. -- Charley Hoffman, Patton Kizzire.
  • 2 p.m. -- Luke Donald, Jason Kokrak.

Cleveland Cavaliers Pregame Scribbles about LeBron James, David Blatt and a prediction -- Terry Pluto (photos)

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LeBron James has never lost a first-round playoff series. As he leads the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Detroit Pistons, that's not likely to change.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Scribbles in my Cavaliers notebook as they open the 2016 NBA Playoffs against the Detroit Pistons:

1. One of the most amazing statistics about LeBron James is that he's never lost a first-round playoff series. Michael Jordan can't say that. Nor can Magic Johnson or Larry Bird. This will be his 11th appearance in the playoffs, so it's gone on for a long, long time. It's doubtful anything will change this season.

2. It's not a bold prediction to pick the Cavs to eliminate Detroit. But don't be surprised if the Pistons win a game. Detroit is a tough, physical, well-coached team. The Cavs can drift and play uninspired basketball at strange times. So I'm picking the Cavs in five games.

3. In his last 10 games of the regular season, Kevin Love averaged 18.9 points, 9.9 rebounds, shooting 45 percent from the field and 45 percent on 3-pointers. He can play a major role for the Cavs. They will need him at his best as they progress deeper in the playoffs. How many guys can average 10 rebounds a game and also be an effective 3-point shooter?

4. It's easy to forget how much of the Cavs offense is based on the 3-point shot. Only Golden State (31.6) and Houston (30.9) attempted more 3-point shots than the Cavs (29.6) this season. The Cavs ranked seventh (.362) in 3-point shooting. This is where Love really matters. His 3-point shot has been very up-and-down this season. He ended the year at .360. That is the lowest in his last five full seasons played.

5. Detroit center Andre Drummond averaged 20.3 points and 13.7 rebounds, shooting .622 in three games against the Cavs. He was even respectable (for him) .484 at the foul line those three games. The Cavs will have to use a variety a players to defend him. The burden can't all be on Tristan Thompson. Timofey Mozgov can really be an asset if he's playing with confidence.

6. Mozgov has played his best basketball this season vs. Detroit. The 7-foot-1 Russian averaged 10.3 points and 8.3 rebounds in 25.3 minutes -- covering four games. He shot .667 from the field.

7. Drummond is a poor free throw shooter and he's been getting worse. In the last three years, his percentage has dropped from .418 to .389 to .355. So it will be interesting to see how the Cavs decide to look for times in the game to continually foul Drummond.

ABOUT DAVID BLATT

Pistons Coach Stan Van Gundy believes former Cavs coach David Blatt deserves another chance to be a head coach in the NBA.

He told David Mayo of Mlive.com:

"He has one year in the NBA, goes to The Fianls and comes up with a really competitive performance without two of his top three players (Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love). Then he comes back with the best record in the East at the time he was fired.

"I don't know how people would look at his resume and not at least give strong consideration to him. And I think people will, I think people will give really strong consideration to him. But they'll also give strong consideration to some other very, very good coaches."

There have been reports that Blatt could be under consideration for the New York Knicks job. Wow ... another pressure cooker.

I'd love to see Blatt in a rebuilding situation with a team such as New Jersey or another team where he could teach and not be under pressure to immediately win now with no real thought of having time to implement a coaching system.

NASCAR 2016: Today's live Bristol scoring, schedule, TV, updates

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Kyle Busch looks to make it three straight NASCAR Sprint Cup wins today at the Food City 500 at Bristol, Tenn. Here's the live scoring link, lineup, TV and more.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Kyle Busch is the man to watch, but Carl Edwards will be on the pole for NASCAR Sprint Cup's Food City 500 in Bristol, Tenn. today at 1 p.m. on FOX. Pre-race coverage on FOX begins at 12:30 p.m.

You can find the complete lineup for Sunday, along with qualifying results and live scoring at NASCAR's Race Center.

Busch, who finished second in Saturday's XFINITY Race to teammate Erik Jones, will be looking for his third straight NASCAR win.

Edwards won the pole during Friday's qualifying with a lap of 14.991 seconds (127.997 mph) to edge teammate Matt Kenseth (127.419 mph) for the top starting spot by .068 seconds.

NASCAR SPRINT CUP
FOOD CITY 500

Site: Bristol, Tennessee
Schedule:  Sunday, race, 1 p.m. (FOX).
Track: Bristol Motor Speedway (oval, 0.53 miles).
Race distance: (500 miles, 266.5 laps).
Last year: Denny Hamlin, one of seven drivers to lead at least 20 laps, overcame starting from 15th to claim the win.
Last week: In Texas, Kyle Busch became the first driver in 25 years to notch consecutive weekend sweeps. It was the 36th win in Sprint Cup for Busch.
Fast facts: There is no reason to think that Busch can't pick up another sweep in Bristol. He swept all three national series races in the same weekend on the short track in the summer event six years ago ... Tony Stewart said last weekend that he still doesn't know when he will be able to get back in the No. 14 after breaking his back. Brian Vickers and Ty Dillon have been splitting the role as Stewart's replacement driver.
Next race: Toyota Owners 400, April 24, Richmond International Raceway, Richmond, Virginia.

IndyCar 2016: Today's live scoring, TV, schedule, updates from Long Beach

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Helio Calstroneves is on the pole for today's IndyCar Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. Here is the race control link, TV schedule and updates.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- As Chevrolet power continues to dominate, Helio Castroneves is on the pole for today's IndyCar Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach. The race is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. NBCSN, with the broadcast starting at 4.

You can follow along all weekend at IndyCar's Race Control.

So far this season Chevrolet powered cars have won every event and locked down the top six spots at Long Beach. Juan Montoya and Will Power were the fastest during Friday's practices and are expected to be top challengers against Castroneves, along with defending race and series champion Scott Dixon.

Power was second to Montoya in the first session, then used a lap of 104.806 mph in the afternoon session to top the entire 21-car field.

VERIZON INDYCAR
TOYOTA GRAND PRIX OF LONG BEACH
Site: Long Beach, California
Schedule: Sunday, race, 4:30 p.m. (NBCSN).
Track: (street, 1.97 miles).
Race distance: (157 miles, 80 laps).
Last year: Helio Castroneves earned the pole with a track-record time, but Scott Dixon won the race and later claimed his fourth IndyCar championship.
Last race: Dixon dominated the first IndyCar race in Phoenix in 11 years, winning for the 20th time on an oval.
Fast facts: Ryan Hunter-Reay will race the IMSA race a day before running in the IndyCar race. Hunter-Reay has already run in a pair of endurance events this season ... Brian Barnhart, IndyCar's vice president of competition, clarified why a yellow came out two laps from the finish in Phoenix, saying that the single-car incident involving Alexander Rossi happened in front of the leaders and forced cars to take evasive action.
Next race: Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama, April 24, Barber Motorsports Park, Birmingham, Alabama.

6 more thoughts on the Ohio State offense after Buckeyes spring game

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More takeaways from Ohio State's defense after the Buckeyes spring game.


Is Mike Weber Ohio State's starting RB now? 7 thoughts on Buckeyes offense after Ohio State spring game

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While Dunn was watching, Weber showed the world what everyone has been describing for the past 14 months while he was redshirting.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Mike Weber lowered his shoulder at the goal line and powered through rising safety Malik Hooker for the touchdown. 

When they showed the play on ESPN later, the anchor showing Ohio State's highlights called him "Mike Webster." 

OK -- everyone at Ohio State knows who he is for various reasons, mainly because he's a former four-star prospect from Detroit Cass Tech who ended up a Buckeye after a little bit of drama. 

But when an Ohio State running back makes it big in Urban Meyer's program, there aren't a lot of name mixups. Nobody was mispronouncing Ezekiel Elliott's name last year, and his name is far more complex than Weber's. 

What's the point?

After his first time playing in Ohio Stadium in front of 100,000 fans, Weber heads into the summer as Ohio State's starting running back, so he could be on his way to stardom. Or at least to a place where people know how to pronounce his name. 

Though Weber is still technically in a position battle with senior Brio'nte Dunn, the redshirt freshman took control of the battle when he rushed the ball eight times for 38 yards and two touchdowns in the spring game. And Weber was running behind the line that didn't have veterans Pat Elflein or Billy Price. 

Mike Weber, Torrance Gibson are Ohio State's future

Dunn, who still has a lot to prove before he's worthy of getting a ton of carries as a senior, didn't dress in the spring game because of a minor injury. So while Dunn was watching, Weber showed the world what everyone has been describing for the past 14 months while he was redshirting -- a combo of speed, power and impressive explosiveness. 

At Ohio State, a program that brings in top-five classes every year, it's about getting the young talent involved. What we saw from Weber was a small window, but it's hard to imagine a world where he is sitting on the bench next season. 

Below are more thoughts: 

Starting lineups, Game 10: Cleveland Indians vs. New York Mets

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Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Sunday's series finale between the Indians and the Mets at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Sunday's series finale between the Indians and the Mets at Progressive Field.

Pitching matchup: Corey Kluber (0-2, 4.85 ERA) vs. Steven Matz (0-1, 37.80 ERA)

Lineups

Indians

1. CF Rajai Davis

2. 2B Jason Kipnis

3. SS Francisco Lindor

4. 1B Mike Napoli

5. DH Carlos Santana

6. C Yan Gomes

7. RF Marlon Byrd

8. 3B Juan Uribe

9. LF Jose Ramirez

Mets

1. RF Curtis Granderson

2. SS Asdrubal Cabrera

3. LF Michael Conforto

4. DH Yoenis Cespedes

5. 1B Lucas Duda

6. 2B Neil Walker

7. 3B Wilmer Flores

8. CF Alejandro De Aza

9. C Kevin Plawecki

Live updates and chat: Cleveland Indians vs. New York Mets, Game 10

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Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat in the comments section as the Indians and Mets square off in Sunday's rubber match at Progressive Field.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat in the comments section as the Indians and Mets square off in Sunday's rubber match at Progressive Field.

Game 10: Indians (5-4) vs. Mets (4-6)

First pitch: 1:10 p.m.

Broadcast info: SportsTime Ohio, WMMS 100.7 FM, Indians Radio Network

Pitching matchup: RHP Corey Kluber (0-2, 4.85 ERA) vs. Steven Matz (0-1, 37.80 ERA)

Fact du jour: The Indians were 6-13 through 19 games last season. With a win on Sunday, they would move to 6-4 this season.

Watch Cleveland Indians morning batting practice (video)

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The Indians entered Sunday's action with an average of 4.7 runs per game. As a team, they own a .255/.313/.412 slash line. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- A little batting practice never hurt.

Both the Indians and the Mets held optional batting practice on the field prior to Sunday's series finale. Teams don't always take batting practice before day games, especially following a night game.

The Indians entered Sunday's action with an average of 4.7 runs per game. As a team, they own a .255/.313/.412 slash line. Eight different players have hit a home run, though only Mike Napoli and Carlos Santana have slugged two.

Mets right-hander Matt Harvey set down the Tribe in order through four innings of Saturday's affair before the Indians' offense got rolling. Cleveland chased Harvey from the game in the sixth. Harvey surrendered five runs on six hits and three walks.

The Indians are 5-1 when they score four or more runs. They are 0-3 when they do not.

Indians' bats awaken, beat Harvey

Cleveland Cavaliers' 'Last Supper' emphasizes taking care of business

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The Cleveland Cavaliers held "The Last Supper" to stress taking care of business now and not to overlook their opponent.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - On Thursday the Cleveland Cavaliers had a team dinner and it was where the theme of their upcoming postseason adventure was created:

"We're all in this together and we need to take care of business now."

During that player-only chow down, Tristan Thompson said that was LeBron James' message to the team. The emphasis was on not looking ahead, but staying in the moment.

Their rebounding specialist is calling that dinner "The Last Supper."

"If you look back at Greek mythology and even back before World War 1, every time a team would go out to battle, they'd eat first," Thompson told cleveland.com. "I think that's what it symbolizes before going out to battle. Having that last supper before it's time to go to war."

Cleveland is expected to breeze through the first three series and represent the Eastern Conference in The Finals for the second consecutive year. Miami is considered the team that could give them the toughest challenge if they met up, but Cleveland would still be the favorites to advance.

James and James Jones wanted to make sure the outside noise didn't creep into the locker room. The last thing they want to occur is entering the postseason with some players believing all the hype.

Before you can capture 16 wins needed for a title, you have to get the first four. The Golden State Warriors or the San Antonio Spurs aren't a concern right now.

"Our championship game is Game 1 against the Pistons [on Sunday]," Thompson said adamantly. "That's our championship game, and that's how you have to approach every game because you can't look to June. That's not guaranteed. That's not promised. We have to take care of now."

After a road loss to a shorthanded, rebuilding Brooklyn Nets squad on March 24, a frustrated Tyronn Lue said after the game, "I told them not to take them lightly." The Cavaliers have had the propensity this season of playing down to the level of competition.

A No. 8 seed has only won a first-round series five times in the history of the game. The odds are clearly in Cavaliers' favor. However, their mission is to remain present and not overlook the opposition.

"Absolutely," Kevin Love said. "(The Pistons) have very talented players on this team. Guys that can step up in different roles and Stan [Van Gundy] is going to have those guys ready. ... We expect them to be prepared and we're not looking at seeding."

It's been a roller-coaster of a season for the 57-25 Cavs. The occasional disconnect and mid-season coaching change were negative factors early on, but right now it's irrelevant. What transpires from here will be all that people remember.

There's no room for complacency or excuses. It's about results.

"We have to lock in. Our goal is to play into late June and don't take the process for granted," Thompson said. "We know that it's not going to be easy. It's going to be a lot of sacrificing and if you think you've sacrificed a lot during the season, it's even more now in the playoffs."

We'll see if the Cavaliers take heed to what was discussed at that dinner. They're hoping "The Last Supper" will eventually translate to getting the last laugh.

It's playoff time.

"We look forward to the challenge," James said. "It's going to be a very good series but we're going to take it one game at a time."

Ohio State's Tyvis Powell in the 2016 NFL Draft: When did our Buckeyes experts ring the bell?

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Our fake general managers decide where Tyvis Powell should go in the 2016 NFL Draft. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Picking Ohio State Buckeyes in the 2016 NFL Draft with general managers Doug Lesmerises, Ari Wasserman and Bill Landis.

Urban Meyer knew far before last season was over that a good portion of his roster was going to leave for the NFL. There was just too much pro talent all over the field. 

But one of the players that he may have thought would think about returning was Tyvis Powell. It's not that he isn't NFL ready, but he left early and risked potentially falling to the later rounds. 

Powell had reason to leave early. He was already captain, a national champion and a graduate of Ohio State. He accomplished everything. 

That doesn't mean there isn't some mystery as to where he'll get drafted. 

Where mock drafts have Powell? It's tough to find real draft projections for Washington in mock drafts because most only do one or two rounds. Here's a mock draft from SB Nation that had Powell going undrafted. Bleacher Report's Matt Miller had Powell going in the third round at No. 81 overall to the Atlanta Falcons in his seven-round mock draft back in February.

Where did we pick Powell? Watch the video above to see when we rang the bell on him, which one of us drafted him and why.

Then be sure to vote on how you think we did as general managers. Did we take Jones too high in the draft, or did we wait on him too long? Or did we get this one right?

Ohio State Buckeyes in mock drafts 

Previous picks in our draft

Next up Tuesday: Jalin Marshall  

Ringing the bell on: Joey Bosa, No. 5

Ringing the bell on: Darron Lee, No. 10

Ringing the bell on: Ezekiel Elliott, No. 12

Ringing the bell on: Michael Thomas, No. 14

Ringing the bell on: Eli Apple, No. 16

Ringing the bell on: Taylor Decker, No. 22

Ringing the bell on: Vonn Bell, No. 31

Ringing the bell on: Cardale Jones, Second round, No. 45

Ringing the bell on: Joshua Perry, Second round, No. 60

Ringing the bell on: Nick Vannett, Third round, No. 77

Ringing the bell on: Braxton Miller, Third round, No. 79

Ringing the bell on: Adolphus Washington, Fourth round, No. 109

Marshon Lattimore intercepted J.T. Barrett in spring game: What does that mean for Ohio State's CB race?

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"Going through this whole little spring camp, feeling great about my hamstrings," Lattimore said. "I don't feel like it's going to hold me back anymore." Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- J.T. Barrett dropped back and kept his eyes down field, but he took a few steps forward into his offensive line and threw a pass right to cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Picked off. 

Whether you watched the interception happen live or saw it on TV, you probably didn't give Lattimore much credit for catching a pass that was basically thrown right at him. 

Lattimore has a different take. 

"I read it," Lattimore said after Ohio State's spring game Saturday. "I disguised it a little bit." 

Don't blame Lattimore for trying to take a little credit. It was the first interception he's made in Ohio Stadium during his career, one that was once filled with so much hope but has been slowed by chronic hamstring injuries. 

A former four-star prospect who was rated the No. 6 cornerback in the 2014 class in the 247Sports composite rankings, Lattimore seems to be on the verge of getting completely past those hamstring injuries. That's what makes the interception so significant.

Sure, making a play in front of 100,000 fans is always encouraging for a younger player with limited experience, but it's even more important for a guy like Lattimore. Why? Well, it's not so much about the actual play as much about when it happened.

Though Lattimore was limited at times this spring and had a different regimen than his teammates through the previous six weeks, he made it through Ohio State's spring practice without aggravating anything. That's a big step in it of itself. 

"It was great just being out there and not feeling my hamstring at all," Lattimore said. "They limited me a little bit just so I didn't feel my hamstring, and I didn't. I felt great all day and I feel really good (about the game).

"I'm really excited about it, actually. Going through this whole little spring camp, feeling great about my hamstrings. I don't feel like it's going to hold me back anymore. But I am still going to continue to do what I did (during rehab) to make sure they're healthy. I am taking yoga in the summer and all that. I feel really good about it." 

Lattimore's road to recovery has been documented. He participated sparingly in spring and had people watching over him carefully to make sure he was taking his time with his rehab. 

But a few weeks ago, cornerbacks coach Kerry Coombs said that if there were a game today, that Lattimore would be the starter. Given he made it through the final three weeks healthy -- and made a play in the spring game -- it's safe to assume that Lattimore is in position to be Ohio State's second starter at cornerback opposite Gareon Conley. 

Competing with Lattimore are Denzel Ward, Damon Arnette and others. Lattimore said he isn't approaching the summer like he won the job. 

"It's still up for grabs," he said. "I feel like it's still a competition and I'm going to go at it like it's a competition. I'm not going to get complacent and act like I won the job. I am still going to go out there and play like I'm third string." 


Bryan Shaw's velocity is up, so what has been the problem for the Cleveland Indians' reliever?

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"Sometimes guys have a couple bad outings early and their ERAs, they're going to have to fight it for a while," Francona said. "But if you start changing roles because of it, I think you're doing your team a disservice."

Bryan ShawCleveland Indians relief pitcher Bryan Shaw looks down during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago White Sox, Saturday, April 9, 2016, in Chicago.  

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- When a pitcher relinquishes his team's lead, he likely wants to vanish into thin air. On Saturday, Bryan Shaw waited until a bit later to escape from sight.

Relievers often only garner reporters' attention on their worst days. Those with middle-relief or mop-up duty typically do not receive inquiries for a scoreless inning or two in a situation of low or medium stakes. Those pitching in the late innings might be asked to discuss a key at-bat. They can be thankless jobs. Like an offensive lineman in football or an umpire or referee, they are noticed more when they err.

It's not always the case, of course. Reporters met with Trevor Bauer on Sunday morning to discuss his transition to the bullpen. Bauer has not allowed a run since his Opening Day effort.

Shaw was reportedly irked when the media approached him following his five-run outing in Chicago last week. As reporters waited for the right-hander to get dressed following Shaw's latest struggle on Saturday, he tossed on a dark-colored T-shirt, disappeared behind a pillar and exited the Indians' clubhouse.

Shaw has not been able to dodge harm on the diamond this season. He owns a 24.30 ERA through four outings, having surrendered nine runs on eight hits -- three home runs -- and two walks in 3 1/3 innings. Just about every iota of damage has come in two outings. In the first, he turned a 3-2 advantage into a 7-3 deficit. On Saturday, the Indians' 7-1 lead morphed into a two-run edge. This comes on the heels of spring training, during which Shaw yielded eight runs on 12 hits in 8 1/3 innings.

Ten games into the season, however, Tribe manager Terry Francona is not ready to reorganize his bullpen.

"Sometimes guys have a couple bad outings early and their ERAs, they're going to have to fight it for a while," Francona said. "But if you start changing roles because of it, I think you're doing your team a disservice."

It is convenient to point to Shaw's usage the last three years and assume that his arm has tapped out. After all, Shaw racked up 224 appearances from 2013-15, more than any other pitcher in baseball (and one more than bullpen mate Cody Allen). In that stretch, he has logged a 2.93 ERA and has served as one of the more reliable late-innings relievers in the sport.

Is it simply a circumstance of Shaw's arm finally succumbing to years of wear and tear? Maybe not. Shaw is averaging 93.4 mph on his heater this season. Last April, the same pitch averaged 92.5 mph. In April 2014, it also averaged 92.5 mph.

"He's throwing the ball well," Francona said. "He just needs to command."

A lack of location has led to an increase in the long ball.

"It just looks like he's searching a little bit for the strike zone," said pitching coach Mickey Callaway. "Anytime you're searching for the strike zone, hoping you throw a strike, bad things are going to happen. He needs to get aggressive, throw the ball over the plate with conviction and live with the results."

Shaw gets double whammy in Chicago

In both of his scoreless appearances this season, Shaw has tossed 17 pitches, 11 for strikes (65 percent). In his two rough outings, he has thrown a combined 31 of 56 pitches for strikes (55 percent). Of course, a handful of those strikes have been smacked around the ballpark.

Shaw was shaky in his first 10 games last April. He served up 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings on the heels of a rough spring showing. Opponents compiled a .370/.414/.667 slash line against him in those 10 contests. So, Francona eased him into more high-leverage situations. He isn't ready to reshuffle his relief corps just yet.

Shaw posted a 1.86 ERA last May, a 0.93 ERA last June and a 1.00 ERA last July. His ERA jumped to 3.95 in August and 4.91 in September. Francona is banking on Shaw avoiding any sort of decline. A repeat of last year's turnaround and all questions about his arm and about his effectiveness will surely disappear.

"The ball wasn't coming out good [this time last year]," Francona said. "[But] it is right now. He's worked hard. He'll be OK."

Boston Marathon 2016: Today's live stream, TV, runner tracking

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Today's live streaming, TV coverage and runner tracking for the 2016 Boston Marathon.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The 120th running of the Boston Marathon today will attract a field of more than 30,000 runners and more than a million spectators along with 26.2-mile course from Hopkinton to downtown Boston.

The race will televised on NBC Sports Network through the winners of the men's and women's races and live streaming of the entire race is available on the Boston Marathon website and at NBC Sports Live Extra. Coverage begins at 8:30 a.m.

You can also track runners and find final results on the Boston Marathon website, along with updates and Twitter feeds throughout the race.

The first race begins at 8:50 a.m. with mobility impaired and wheelchairs. The elite women's race begins at 9:32 and the elite men start at 10 a.m., along with the first of four waves of the remainder of the field.

Temperatures will be warm for runners, in the upper 60s to low 70s, with partly cloudy skies.

You can share your race experiences and your time in the comments section below.

Cleveland Cavaliers Scribbles on Tyronn Lue's coaching decisions and impact of LeBron James -- Terry Pluto (photos)

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Cleveland Cavaliers decision of how to defend Andre Drummond led to lots of open 3-point shots for Detroit Pistons in Game 1. Will the Cavs make changes?

CLEVELAND, Ohio  -- Scribbles in my Cavaliers notebook the day after their 106-101 victory over the Detroit Pistons:

1. Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said his team "wanted to pack the paint" to take away lob passes for easy dunks for Detroit center Andre Drummond. That worked in the first half -- in terms of controlling Drummond. The center had only two points (1-of-4 shooting) and four rebounds. Tristan Thompson did an excellent job on Drummond, who made the All-Star team this season. Drummond averaged 20.3 points and 13.7 rebounds against the Cavs in the regular season.

2. But the "pack the paint" strategy with several defenders near the basket created a lot of open 3-point shots for the Pistons, and they were hot from the outside. Detroit was 10-of-16 from 3-point range in the first half, helping the Pistons to a 58-53 lead. It's hard to keep up that pace. Detroit was 5-of-13 shooting 3-pointers in the second half. The Cavs loosened up their defense, coming outside quicker to defend those long jumpers.

3. So what will Lue do in Game 2? Will he return to packing the paint, or risk Drummond getting off to a quick start. Drummond finished with 13 points and 11 rebounds, but he didn't seem to make a big impact on the game. The Pistons were outscored by four points when he was on the court.

4. A 36-percent free throw shooter, Drummond would be candidate for the "Hack-a-Shaq" strategy. That means intentionally fouling a poor free throw shooter. Lue said the "analytics" say it's best to do that when "your team is ahead." The best time is when the team that is trying to catch up is making a run and playing well. Putting a player such as Drummond on the foul line can disrupt their momentum.

5. Kyrie Irving fired up 13 shots in 19 minutes in the first half. He was 5-of-13 for 14 points. He had three assists and no turnovers, so you can make a case that he wasn't totally dominating the ball. But the Cavs were outscored by eight points with him on the court in those 19 minutes.

6. In the second half, he was 5-of-11 shooting, scored 18 points and the Cavs outscored the Pistons by eight points. The difference? He allowed LeBron James to handle the ball more. Irving played as a shooting guard. James kept the ball moving to different players. James had a brilliant ball-handling game -- 11 assists, 1 turnover, 2 steals and 2 blocked shots in 41 minutes.

7. When James was on the court, the Cavs outscored the Pistons by 18 points. That's right ... 18 points! Next came Kevin Love with a plus-12. Irving ended the game at zero when it came to plus/minus.

8. The playoff stats on James are amazing. According to ESPN, he has never lost an opening first-round playoff game. He's 11-0. That's along with never having lost a first-round playoff series. He also has won his last 14 first-round playoff games.

9. After the game, Detroit coach Stan Van Gundy was talking about how he "needed to help" his team more. He obviously was second-guessing some of his own coaching moves, including not having rookie Stanley Johnson on the court more often. Johnson scored nine points and had eight rebounds in 16 minutes.

10. Another reason Van Gundy took some of the blame for the loss. He wants his young team to know they can beat the Cavs if they do a few things differently ... and if he coaches better. It's a way of saying, "Hey, guys, we do have a chance to win the next game."

11. At one point in the fourth quarter, the Cavs ran 10 consecutive plays that were almost identical. They had Kevin Love setting a pick about 25 feet away from the basket for James or Irving. The the rest of players were spread out for open shots. It's nothing complicated and there were slight variations.

12. The value of Love playing center in the fourth quarter was obvious. Van Gundy admitted as much after the game. Drummond played only six minutes in the fourth quarter. He had two points, zero rebounds as he was pulled far away from the rim by Love. A key was Love making his outside shots.

13. Van Gundy said he "wasn't surprised" by the Cavs small lineup with Love at center. The question is what can he do about it? This could be a key weapon for the Cavs during their entire playoff run, especially if Love continues to play well.

14. The Cavs need J.R. Smith and Matthew Dellavedova to find their 3-point shots. They were a combined 2-of-11 from long range. They are going to be open in the playoffs. So will Love, who was 4-of-8 from long range. The good news for Love is he finished the season shooting well, making 45 percent on 3-pointers in his last 10 games.

15. The Cavs had only five turnovers for the entire game. That's part of the reason they took 15 more shots than Detroit. The Pistons actually shot better from the field (51 percent) than the Cavs (44 percent), but those extra 15 shots at the basket helped the Cavs offense. It's the Mr. Big Volume approach.

16. Former NBA coach Doug Moe played at a very fast pace. He had a theory (and lots of stats to support it) that if his team took at least 20 more shots than his opponent, they usually won. That happens because a team is forcing turnovers and grabbing offensive rebounds -- two key stats for winning.

17. Detroit had a modest total of 12 turnovers, but they became 19 points for the Cavs. Meanwhile, the Cavs five turnovers only led to two points for the Pistons. If the Cavs keep up that kind of excellent ballhandling and opportunistic defense, they will be in great shape for the playoffs.

18. After being traded to the Cavs from Orlando on February 18, Channing Frye was a regular member of the rotation. He missed only two games. He averaged 7.5 points in 17 minutes a game for the Cavs. But he didn't play in Game 1.

19. Frye could help the Cavs in games where Love is struggling with his outside shot. The 6-foot-11 Frye shot 39 percent from 3-point range this season.

20. While Van Gundy was complaining about James getting all the calls from officials, the Cavs star attempted only four free throws. He didn't go to the foul line until 8:15 left the game.

How will Alec Scheiner's days with the Browns be remembered? -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

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Cleveland sports fans wonder about Alec Scheiner's legacy, the Cavaliers' "Last Supper" and fans' hard-headed loyalty to the Browns -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

Watch the Ohio State Buckeyes sing Carmen Ohio after the spring football game (video)

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The Buckeyes gathered for the alma mater after Saturday's game. Watch video

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Watch the Ohio State Buckeyes join together to sing Carmen Ohio State after Saturday's spring football game.

You'll see quarterback J.T. Barrett in the black No. 16 jersey next to redshirt freshman receiver K.J. Hill in the black No. 1 jersey.

Other Buckeyes you'll notice are receiver Johnnie Dixon (No. 5 red), safety Jarrod Barnes (No. 26 red), punter Cam Johnston (No. 95 red), defensive end Darius Slade (No. 42 red), defensive tackle Jashon Cornell (No. 9 red), offensive tackle Jamarco Jones (No. 74 red) and defensive end Sam Hubbard (No. 6 white). 

And the late addition jumping in next to Barrett is assistant coach Kerry Coombs with his grandson.

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