Quantcast
Channel: Cleveland Sports News
Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live

Dennis Manoloff talks Cavaliers, Indians and Browns: Podcast

0
0

DMan talks all things Cleveland sports with host Dan Labbe in his weekly podcast.

DMan Podcast: May 12, 2016

(To have this podcast delivered straight to your mobile phone or device, subscribe to our iTunes channel.)

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Who is the better Conference Finals matchup for the Cavaliers? Why are the Indians struggling to keep any momentum going so far this season?

Dennis Manoloff discussed all of that with host Dan Labbe on a special Thursday edition of our weekly podcast.

Among the other topics discussed:

Oklahoma City's play against San Antonio.

Trevor Bauer's strong outing.

A look ahead at Browns rookie minicamp.

You can download the MP3 or listen with the player above.

Be sure to follow DMan on Twitter.


Cleveland Cavaliers' LeBron James, Golden State Warriors' Steph Curry and numbers guiding the game: Bill Livingston (photos, video)

0
0

As statistical concepts assume more and more importance in basketball, which numbers do NBA players such as LeBron James and Seth Curry look at? And which sometimes consume them?

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Steph Curry made 402 3-pointers this season, going completely past the previously uncharted territory of 300 the way Bob Beamon went beyond the boundaries of possibility in the long jump.

It was not, however, a number to which fans related in the same way as 1,000 yards or even 2,000 in an NFL season. Only baseball has the number plateaus that are instantly recognizable to many fans, such as 500 home runs, 300 pitching victories, and a .400 average.

Asked if players talked about 400 threes, LeBron James said, "The shooters do."

"Man, Steph had 400 threes. I had 200," lamented J.R. Smith.

"I don't even know if I ever broke 100," said James.

He has, eight times, but his 87 this year was his lowest total in an 82-game season since he made 63 as a rookie in 2003-04.

90-50-40

James cited some of the most valued numbers in the game in discussing Curry's credentials as the first-ever unanimous NBA Most Valuable Player selection.

"He averaged 30 (points) and was 90-50-40," said James.

This is the shooters' Triple Crown, in free throw percentage, overall field goal percentage, and 3-point percentage, respectively.

In its purest form, without rounding up the numbers, only seven players have done it -- Larry Bird (twice), Steve Nash (four times), Dirk Nowitzki, Reggie Miller, Curry, Kevin Durant and Mark Price, the only Cavalier, in 1988-89.

Efficiency

The stats James himself looks at most, beyond team wins and losses, are related to efficiency in the form of his field goal percentage and turnovers.

J.R. Smith takes a slightly different view. He looks immediately at the assist column in the box score.

"We set as a goal 25 assists," he said.

The Cavs have amassed 25 or more four times in eight playoff games. They have had fewer than 23 only once, with 16 in the fierce close-out game against Detroit.

By the way, don't bust on turnovers all that much. Great players have the ball in their hands a lot and commit the most.

But you can't go all James Harden, whose 374 in Houston this season were the most ever by a player who played solely in the NBA. (Billy Cunningham and George McGinnis had more during their ABA employment.)

Sure shooting

Kyrie Irvng also has the most interest in winning or losing.

Taught to shoot by his father Drederick in a style Irving called "Old School, from behind the head," he himself began launching the ball from his stomach as a small child, moved up to his chest, and now shoots from in front of his face.

A dutiful son, Irving has resisted the impulse to point to his own shooting on threes (28 for 52, 53.8 percent) in the playoffs and say to his dad, "That in front of the face thing worked out OK, huh?"

An anonymous letter

By any terms you want to use, including ball-hogging, gunning, and sociopathic abandonment of  conscience,  scoring and field goal attempts are usually the biggest causes of jealousy on a team.

When they were teammates in Philadelphia, Steve Mix jokingly (sort of) circled teammate Tom Van Arsdale's shot total, which was in the high 20s, in the box score after one game, as well as his own, which was in the low single-digits, and mailed it anonymously to Van Arsdale with the note scrawled on it: "Don't you ever pass?"

Skywalker vs. Iceman

Actually, in the biggest scoring lollapalooza in NBA history, two NBA teams willingly subordinated collective goals to try to help their stars win the scoring title.

It happened on April 9, 1978, the last day of the regular season.

Denver coach Larry Brown turned loose guard David Thompson, whose hops made him the brother, at least in nicknames, of Luke Skywalker back at the dawn of "Star Wars." Against the Detroit Pistons, Thompson hit 20 of his first 21 shots and scored 33 points in the first quarter. Thompson had 53 points at halftime.

He finished with 73 (28 of 38 from the field, 17 of 20 from the line) in a 139-137 loss, for a 27.15 average.

The San Antonio Spurs, playing New Orleans later that day, conspired to feed George "Iceman" Gervin the ball often enough to get the 58 points he needed to hold the narrow lead in scoring he took into the final game.

Gervin had 53 at halftime, too. In all, he was 23 for 49, 17 for 20 at the line, for 63 points in a 152-132 loss. His scoring average was 27.22 points per game.

Ricky Davis , stat padder

In probably the single most brainlessly selfish act in NBA history, the Cavs' Ricky Davs, who had 25 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds, deliberately shot at the wrong basket in the final seconds of a game against Utah, in an attempt to get a triple-double.

He grabbed his own miss off the rim and was hard fouled for his pain by Deshawn Stevenson of Utah. The NBA ruled the rebound did not count.

George McGinnis, stat-padder

McGinnis was known for his self-absorption in the ABA. Several times, the power forward would release early when an opponent's shot went up. McGinnis then would take the outlet pass if the player missed and deliberately shoot the ball against the (correct) backboard, repeatedly tapping it for offensive rebounds to swell his total.

Larry Brown, the David Thompson enabler, said privately after one such game, "It was a disgrace."

More rebounding chicanery

The 1973-74 race for the rebounding title between Boston's Dave Cowens and the Capital Bullets' Wes Unseld came down to the final day. The Celtics played at Philadelphia in the afternoon. The Bullets were at home later in the day.

A phone call from the Bullets' stat crew to an unsuspecting Harvey Pollack, the statistics guru of the 76ers and head of the team's numbers crew, obtained  Cowens' rebound total for the game.

Unseld, his rebounding total puffed up with tips and keep-alives, got just enough rebounds later that night to win the crown with an average of 14.75 to Cowens'  14.7.

Pollack afterward occasionally put Unseld, as he would do with Boston's Bill Russell, "under the microscope," as he called it, assigning one staffer to do nothing but log his rebounds. In both cases, they sometimes failed to reach their season averages.

Minutes played

Probably the first item in the box score that the vast majority of players look at is minutes played. The late North Carolina coach Dean Smith refused to let team statisticians list seasonal minutes played, believing the stats were detrimental to unity.

It was a nice try.

With spy cameras from on-high recording almost everything that moves in the modern NBA, the analytics genie is out of the bottle. It has been summoned not by magic words, but by numbers -- familiar as points per game and arcane as true shooting and per possession stats.

Think of them as the combination of lock, revealing the secrets of the game and the strengths and weaknesses of the human spirit

Don't move 3-point line back -- LeBron James: Bill Livingston (photos)

0
0

Moving the line back would penalize excellence, which is as detrimental to the game as changing the Hack a Shaq rule would reward incompetence.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- LeBron James drew a line in the sand the other day.

Actually, it was a line already drawn on the court, but he will make his stand on the current dimensions of the 3-point line of 23 feet, 9 inches at its longest and 22 feet in the corners at its closest.

Because Golden State and the Cavaliers are making threes almost as if they are free throws on steroids, some have suggested moving the line back farther.

"It's not a huge number of guys that shoot it at far, far distance consistently," said James. "Steph Curry, Kyrie Irving, Luol Deng. Swish (J.R. Smith) shoots it extremely far. It sends a bad message to the youth if you decide to (move the line), just like if you throw out the Hack a Shaq rule because two or three or four guys can't shoot free throws."

With a smile, James said, "If that's the case, I can't shoot threes that well, so are you going to move the line in? I'll take that."

The NBA actually did move it in from 1994-96 to increase scoring. It backfired. With the quickness and length of NBA players, challenging shots was easier with less ground to cover. Players who shouldn't shoot threes also shot a lot of them at the closer distance.

An even bigger change would be to institute a really most sincerely deep 4-pointer.

Moving the line back, at whatever value, would be like toughening a golf course for a major. The best shooters would still make the most. An essential tool for crowd-pleasing comebacks would be reduced in impact.

The effect of making a change with the line would be to penalize excellence, the flip side of doing away with the Hack a Shaq would be to reward incompetence by making it a technical foul on which the offended team would retain possession.

The NBA should be legislating opportunities for excitement, not legislating outcomes.

Cleveland Indians reliever Joba Chamberlain can't throw 102 mph anymore, but at least he knows what he's doing on the mound

0
0

Chamberlain now considers himself a pitcher equipped with know-how and experience rather than with a fastball that zipped by too quickly to be seen by the naked eye.

HOUSTON -- Joba Chamberlain had no idea what he was doing.

Before the Tommy John surgery, the short-lived experiment as a starter, the minor-league reality check and even before the pesky, relentless midges, Chamberlain didn't have a clue.

He was merely a 21-year-old Nebraska kid who ran it up to 102 mph when he reached back and put everything he had behind one of his patented heaters.

"I didn't know what I was doing in 2007," Chamberlain told cleveland.com. "I had no clue. Zero. I wasn't pitching, I can tell you that much. I had no idea what I was doing."

It's a compelling revelation by the right-hander, who now considers himself a pitcher equipped with know-how and experience rather than with a fastball that zipped by too quickly to be seen by the naked eye. The 10-year big-league veteran has logged a 0.79 ERA in 11 appearances with the Indians this season, so his approach seems to be working.

Of course, he also excelled on the field in 2007, when he ditched the label of one of the league's top prospects and swiftly carved out a role pitching in front of Mariano Rivera. In 19 games as a rookie, Chamberlain limited the opposition to one earned run on 12 hits in 24 innings. He racked up 34 strikeouts, and they all came as a result of his physical traits.

"I couldn't have broken down an at-bat for you," Chamberlain said. "I could tell you the three curveballs I threw that year, but that doesn't necessarily mean they were in the right situation or the right spot.

"You mature. This is my 10th year of doing this. It's not as easy to throw 102 mph. I know that. The comfort level is so different. I was a young kid back then who didn't really know what he was doing. It was, 'You don't know me. I don't know you. Here we go.' Now, it's like, 'I know you. You know me. Now let's play a game. This is a chess match.'

"Both dynamics are fun, trust me. It's interesting to see the things you paid attention to then versus the things you pay attention to now."

This year, Chamberlain has paid more attention to his fastball. The last few years, he had reduced his reliance on his heater.

"He has great breaking stuff," said pitching coach Mickey Callaway, "but I feel like he overused it at times. When [hitters] have to respect his 94-96 mph [pitches], respect his good slider and respect a curveball that he can throw for strikes, it puts them in a bad position and that's why they're not getting hits off of him."

Chamberlain said he's simply trying to throw every pitch with conviction. He did that when he first broke onto the big-league scene. That was nearly a decade ago. The Yankees attempted to convert him to a starter in 2008-09. In 2010, he returned to the bullpen, where he has remained ever since. Chamberlain underwent elbow surgery in 2011. His effectiveness slipped thereafter and, in 2015, he ended up in Triple-A for two months with affiliates of the Blue Jays and Royals.

"It was probably my best year ever in my life," Chamberlain said. "It gave me that perspective of, 'I have played this game for a long time. I am fortunate that I haven't spent a long time in the minor leagues.' You've seen some of these guys who have spent six, seven years [in the minors] just trying to get to a day, get to that experience.

"I think it was great for me. I think it gave me a whole new perspective. Sometimes in life, you need that."

The Indians didn't give Chamberlain any guarantees over the off-season. The 30-year-old, however, arrived in Goodyear, Arizona for spring training as a non-roster invitee who controlled his own destiny.

"It was my job to lose," he said. "There was only one person who was going to take it from me and that's myself."

Chamberlain has gradually earned more trust from the Indians' coaching staff. With the game tied, he pitched a scoreless ninth inning in Wednesday's 16-inning loss to the Astros. His fastball might top out in the mid-90s now, but he's content with what he has at his disposal.

"In '07, I didn't really know what to look at," Chamberlain said. "I was like, 'OK, if he swings and misses, let's try that one again.' Now, I'm reading swings, I'm reading his takes. I'm able to break the at-bat down more so than I ever did my first few years."

LeBron James: Retirement from NBA is 'up to my kids'

0
0

LeBron James said his children would decide when it's time for him to retire from basketball.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio - LeBron James skipped watching the two teams he could face in the East finals on Wednesday night for some home-movie time with his children.

The flicks: How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Interview with a Vampire, and The Punisher.

LeBron Jr., Bryce, and Zhuri are 11, 8, and nearly 19 mos., respectively. So it's unclear how late the three were allowed to stay up and watch the movie marathon. The last two films, after all, are rated "R."

James said Thursday that it's up to them - his children - when he walks away from the game.

"It's kind of up to my kids, really," James said. "I've missed so much of my kids' tournaments and things of that nature when I'm playing. So, it's kind of up to them. They'll let me know when they're tired of seeing me go away."

The Cavaliers remain in no man's land, idling for at least a week while waiting for either the Toronto Raptors or Miami Heat to emerge from their Eastern semifinal series. Thus, the conversation between James and reporters after Cleveland's practice Thursday turned to his longevity.

James is 31, prepping for his sixth consecutive East finals with the obvious goal of reaching the Finals for a sixth straight season. That hasn't been done since the great Celtic teams of the 1960s.

James' basketball mortality has been a topic all year because of the season-long going-away party for Kobe Bryant, who stepped away last month after 20 seasons, and of the pending retirements of players like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.

He's played 46,349 regular-and-postseason minutes over 13 years, and has played more minutes than anyone in the league over the past six. He said Thursday he thought he would play until "later on in my 30s."

James said reaching the Finals as often as he has (he's won twice) has caused him to change his diet and manage his body differently over the years.

He's incorporated yoga into his routine and declined to describe his diet on Thursday (he famously went no carbs in the summer of 2014). And after missing a career-high 13 games last season, mostly due to injury, and receiving at least two anti-inflammatory injections in his back in 10 months, James was healthy all season in 2015-16.

"It's not like I go into the season saying OK, I'm going to play into June," James said. "I don't have that sense of entitlement, but I do prepare myself for the long haul. ... I've played a lot of basketball over the last few years and I've been fortunate to play at the highest level for a long time now. I have to listen to my body and my body has done well for me."

Statistically, James has never been on a playoff team more balanced than this iteration of the Cavs. He's second in scoring behind Kyrie Irving (by about a point per game, 24.4 to 23.5), second in rebounding to Kevin Love, and leads in assists. Also, Love and J.R. Smith are third and fourth in scoring at 18.9 and 12.3 points, respectively.

A word on LeBron and the Cavs' chemistry

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said James' repeated trips to the Finals has had a tangible, positive effect.

"In these playoffs you can kind of see he's not looking to do a lot," Lue said. "In the fourth quarter if he has to take over a game he will, but he's playing a lot through Kyrie, a lot through Kevin, a lot through other guys making their shots. He's just making the right play.

"It's not a lot of pressure, not a lot of strain on his body to have to make every single play like he has in his career," Lue continued. "With that being said he can play more minutes. He can focus on more on defense and not take minutes off the defensive end. It's been great for him. You could tell."

James' usage rate in the postseason -- 29.5 percent -- is still extremely high, but is significantly less than the 37.4 percent of Cleveland's possessions he dominated during last year's playoffs.

In the last five minutes of close games, James has the ball in his hands on 40 percent of the possessions, but, again, he's deferring to Irving and Love enough so that he has the energy to take over late if needed. 

James' children account for at least one other factor in determining his longevity on the court. They apparently affect his diet.

"I like sweets. More like dessert, stuff like that," he said. "I got to try to stay away from it but it's hard when you have an 11-year-old, 8-year-old and 2-year-old running around. Because that's all they do all day long. So I got to try to stay away from them. Which is impossible." 

Which potential Eastern Conference Finals opponent offers the toughest matchup for the Cavaliers?

0
0

Chris Haynes answers that question on today's Sports Insider. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Cavaliers are stuck playing the waiting game as the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat slog through their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. The winner will play the Cavs in the Eastern Conference Finals beginning either Sunday or Tuesday.

Which opponent, if either, poses the biggest threat to the Cavaliers and their quest for a return trip to the NBA Finals? Cavaliers beat reporter Chris Haynes joined Bud Shaw and me to answer that question on Sports Insider. Check out his answer above and watch the full show at the link below.

Sports Insider full show: May 12, 2016

LeBron James: Portland coach Terry Stotts 'should have been' Coach of the Year; praises Damian Lillard, C.J. McCollum

0
0

For what the Trail Blazers accomplished, LeBron James endorsed Terry Stotts as the league's top coach in 1015-16.

CLEVELAND - The Portland Trail Blazers aren't just the cute little feel-good story tucked all the way in the country's left corner.

It was a Cinderella campaign for a young squad whose season ended Wednesday in Game 5 of the second round to the Golden State Warriors. But this wasn't a lopsided series. Portland led in the fourth quarter of Game 2, won Game 3, lost to Stephen Curry's 17-point OT in Game 4 and was neck and neck in the finale.

LeBron James took notice of it all.

For what the Trail Blazers endured in roster turnover (losing 2015 starters LaMarcus Aldridge, Nicolas Batum, Robin Lopez and Wes Matthews), he suggested his vote for the coaches' highest honor would have gone toward the Pacific Northwest.

"I think Terry Stotts should have been or could have been Coach of the Year," James said after practice on Thursday. "I can't remember the last time that I've seen a team lose four starters and still be in the same position as far as the postseason success they had.

"I mean they lost Batum, they lost Matthews, they lost Robin and they lost LaMarcus in the off-season and the only returning starter was Dame [Damian Lillard]."

Steve Kerr took home the Coach of the Year award after missing the first 43 games of the season recovering from back surgery. Luke Walton roamed the sidelines in his absence. Golden State secured a record 73 wins, breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls' 72-10 mark. Stotts finished second after compiling a 44-38 record.

However, no one expected the Trail Blazers to be anywhere in the ballpark of capturing a playoff berth, let alone grabbing the fifth seed and advancing to the second round.

James is well aware of how dangerous they are. On Dec. 26, Portland dismantled Cleveland at the Moda Center, winning 105-76.

Stotts "coached his a-- off," James told me.

Lillard produced career-highs of 25.1 points and 6.8 assists. C.J. McCollum emerged as one of the bright young talents, averaging 20.8 points in a Most Improved Player season. He was invited to play for the USA Select Team this the summer, league sources informed cleveland.com on Tuesday.

What this team was able to accomplish is the epitome of defying the odds.

"Dame is an All-Star," James said. "Even though he wasn't on the team, he's an All-Star. C.J. obviously is a stud being from here, the Canton area. Of course he's a stud. I thought Terry Stotts did a great job. They had a great season."

This is why you play the games. The Blazers proved to be more talented and more determined to succeed than anyone outside of Portland knew. Stotts, Lillard and McCollum deserve every ounce of the credit coming their way.

Game recognizes game.

"It was awesome [to watch]," said Kyrie Irving. "That was a challenge that [Lillard] willingly accepted of being the lead guy on that team and as well as C.J. McCollum being most improved. And they just played extremely hard every single night and put themselves in position to be great in the playoffs. Dame was great in the playoffs."

What to watch for as Browns offseason program continues

0
0

The Browns hold rookie minicamp this weekend and open OTAs next week. Mary Cabot tells us what to watch for. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns will hold their rookie minicamp this weekend. It opens a string of events during the offseason program, leading into OTAs and then mandatory minicamp.

Cleveland.com's Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot called in to Sports Insider today to talk about rookie minicamp and more. Bud Shaw and I asked her what she watches for as practices resume. Check out her answer in the video above and watch the full episode of Sports Insider at the link below.

Sports Insider full episode: May 12, 2016


Healthier, trusting and more experienced, Cleveland Cavaliers showing they are different from last year's playoffs

0
0

Paul Millsap and the Hawks forgot something. The Cavs are different too, a better version of last year's Eastern Conference kings, and they continue to prove it.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- Exasperated and frustrated, Atlanta Hawks power forward Paul Millsap sat at the podium Sunday trying to wrap his mind around how the Cleveland Cavaliers swept his team out of the playoffs for the second straight year.

The Hawks had been waiting for their redemption, wanting the chance to prove they were different after a 4-0 thumping in last year's conference finals. They had put in the work, thought they had the Cavs figured out and were prepared to make their stand.  

But Millsap and the Hawks forgot something. The Cavs are different too, a better version of last year's Eastern Conference kings, and they continue to prove it.

"I'd say the difference is experience," Kevin Love said. "Even me sitting and watching last year most of the time, just knowing what it takes every game, being locked in every possession. I think that has made a big difference for us."

Last year didn't end with a championship. But it was a necessary learning experience for a handful of playoff newbies. They gained first-hand knowledge of the physicality and intensity, the value of paying attention to detail and how to deal with both pressure-packed situations and the adversity that is sure to come -- even when it's least expected. 

"We're healthier," LeBron James said about the difference in this year's team.

That's probably the most noticeable change. Love is relishing his second postseason after being robbed in his first go-around by a season-ending shoulder injury. The same goes for Kyrie Irving, who was hardened during a frustrating regular season, fighting to find his pre-injury form after surgery on his left knee that sidelined him after one Finals game.

"It wasn't pretty, personally, just because of just the mental stress that was put on from when I got hurt to going through months and months of rehab to figuring out how to walk again and figuring out how to jump and then figuring out how to run," Irving said Thursday. "It was just all those steps that it took just to get back on the floor and I haven't forgotten.

"It kind of carried over to the court. I just had to figure out how to be pretty good at the game again. It's just fast pace in the NBA and guys are great athletes and you just have to get re-accustomed to playing at that high level.

"When you come off a season like I did last year and then you come into this season and everyone expects you just to be that same player again right off the bat, out of game one, and they're asking, 'How do you feel? How do you feel? What's going to happen this game?' And sometimes, I don't even know. I didn't know."

Now he does and it's showing on the court. Irving leads the Cavs in scoring this postseason, averaging 24.4 points.

Instead of rehabbing following games and during off days -- something he did last year -- Irving is able to put in extra work. He can prepare more and spend long hours at the gym hoisting extra shots, just as he did Thursday when he was the last player to leave the practice floor following some free throws.

"When you win the championship you have to be good, but you also have to be lucky as far as staying healthy and taking care of your body," head coach Tyronn Lue said Thursday. "You see it in the playoffs now -- a lot of guys are getting banged up -- key guys. We've been fortunate to win two series in four games so we can kind of take care of our bodies and not have those knickknack injuries and being healthy. I feel good about that."

Other teams haven't been as fortunate. Golden State has played six games without two-time MVP Stephen Curry. The tattered Miami Heat will need to rally against the Toronto Raptors without starting center Hassan Whiteside and maybe even Luol Deng, who is receiving an MRI on his wrist. Toronto has dealt with injuries as well -- leading scorer DeMar DeRozan, center Jonas Valanciunas and most recently, DeMarre Carroll, who left Game 5 early with a minor wrist injury.

So far, the injury luck has been on Cleveland's side.

The Cavs don't have to alter their rotations or change their style. James doesn't have to carry such a burden. Instead, they can focus on growing as a team, locking in on their opponent.

"It's a higher level," Irving said of the way the team has come together. "Higher intensity. Kind of been waiting for this go around for the playoffs. Obviously, it didn't end well for us last year in the playoffs and a lot of guys were hurt, so we wanted to come in healthy, new mindset, second go around, it means a lot."

That new mindset starts with the Big Three taking the onus -- leading the way in back-to-back sweeps.  

"Everyone knows their role," James said. "No one steps outside it. No one's trying to do more than what they can do and the Big Three is doing more than what they should do." 

Combining to average better than 66 points per game, improving their playoff record to 12-0 and causing consternation for opposing defenses, the trio has jelled in a way not often seen during the regular season -- a time when whispers grew louder about the possibility of breaking them up.

"Anytime you have a Big Three, I don't really consider that a struggle," Lue said. "It's a lot of help. You've just got to find ways to make those guys jell together, play together and play well together. Having a Big Three is a great problem to have so I'll take it any day of the week."

Lue is another piece of the Cavaliers' makeover. At this time last year, when the Hawks were the final stepping-stone to the NBA Finals, Lue was seated next to David Blatt, serving as the defensive mastermind and lead assistant. This time around, Lue is leading the team and pushing all the right buttons.

"I just think right now as a team we're trusting each other, we're trusting the system, we're trusting the pass," Lue said. "Together as a unit if we play that way it makes it fun for everyone. Everyone's enjoying playing that way knowing if they're open they're going to get the basketball. If they're open they're going to get to take their shots. I think playing that way just makes it fun and makes easier for other guys to play that way."

Things are good right now. They continue to rest, wait for their next opponent while other teams grind through the challenges of the postseason.

That's what it was like for the Cavs last year. It's different this time around.

On Wednesday, James watched movies with his kids, Richard Jefferson had a blast on Snapchat, Lue called Love a top 10 player and Love talked about the Big Three getting even better, taking their game to the next level.

"If there's another level I want to see it," Lue said with a big smile on his face.

Perhaps that's the change coming next.

LeBron James slips to third in NBA in jersey sales, behind Stephen Curry and Kobe Bryant

0
0

LeBron James trailed not only Stephen Curry, but Kobe Bryant too in NBA jersey sales for the 2015-16 season.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - LeBron James finished third in something else.

James' No. 23 Cavaliers jersey was the third-best selling jersey in the NBA, trailing top-seller Stephen Curry (No. 30, Golden State Warriors) and Kobe Bryant (No. 24, L.A. Lakers) for the period ranging from Oct. 4 through April 2.

On Tuesday, James finished third in NBA MVP voting, behind Curry and San Antonio's Kawhi Leonard.

When it comes to MVPs, James has finished third in each of the last two seasons. His jersey sales, at least as a percentage of total jersey sales, have experienced a more precipitous decline.

Curry first passed James in jersey sales during the playoffs last season, and was first again at Christmas time. Before last year's playoffs, James had reeled off six consecutive sales periods as the NBA's lead jersey peddler.

The NBA does not release specific sales figures, and sales can be confusing to track because the league releases figures quarterly and occasionally uses different metrics to measure sales. Rankings are based on sales from NBAStore.com.

At Christmas time, James' jersey was ahead of Bryant's, but the 20-year NBA superstar finished his career (and accompanying goodbye tour) over the season's final months, which likely contributed to his sales spike.

And Curry, of course, was on his way to a unanimous MVP selection and led the Warriors to an NBA-record 73 wins.

All James did was quietly lead the Cavs to 57 wins and a first-place finish in the East. James also finished behind Bryant and Curry in total votes for the All-Star Game this season.

Kyrie Irving's No. 2 Cavs jersey was the league's ninth-best seller. Kristaps Porzingis (No. 6, New York Knicks) and Kevin Durant (No. 35, Oklahoma City) were fourth and fifth, respectively.

Plutko, Aviles shut down Harrisburg in Akron RubberDucks' 4-0 win

0
0

At 24-9, the RubberDucks have the best record in the Class AA Eastern League.

adam plutko.jpegAdam Plutko 

HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania -- Starter Adam Plutko combined with Robbie Aviles to hold the Senators to three hits, and Clint Frazier and Eric Haase each homered to lead the Akron RubberDucks to a 4-0 win Thursday night.

Plutko (2-2, 2.87 ERA), a right-hander, held the Senators hitless until the fourth inning and was really only threatened in the sixth inning, when a runner reached third base.

Plutko gave up two hits and struck out four in six innings.

Meanwhile, Aviles also was dominant, giving up just one hit in three innings in earning his first save. Aviles has yet to give up an earned run in nine innings pitched this season.

Frazier hit a solo shot in the first inning to give the RubberDucks a 1-0 lead, and Akron slowly built on it from there. The RubberDucks made it 2-0 in the second. Jordan Smith doubled, moved to third on Haase's single, then scored on a groundout by Ivan Castillo.

Joe Sever's RBI double made it 3-0 in the sixth inning, and Haase hit a solo shot in the ninth to give Akron a comfortable 4-0 lead.

Haase finished 2-for-4 with the homer and an RBI.

At 24-9, the RubberDucks have the best record in the Class AA Eastern League. They have won six in a row and lead the Wester Division by 7 1/2 games. 

Go here to see a box score from the game.

Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp: 5 things to watch

0
0

The Browns 14 draft picks, 11 undrafted free agents and tryouts will take the field for three practices this weekend. Two are open to the media and one to the public.

Starting lineups, Game 32: Cleveland Indians vs. Minnesota Twins

0
0

Michael Brantley is not in the Indians' starting lineup. Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Friday's series opener between the Indians and Twins.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Michael Brantley is not in the Indians' starting lineup. Here are the lineups and the pitching matchup for Friday's series opener between the Indians and Twins.

Pitching matchup: RHP Josh Tomlin (5-0, 3.72 ERA) vs. Ricky Nolasco (1-1, 4.70 ERA)

Lineups

Indians

1. DH Carlos Santana

2. 2B Jason Kipnis

3. SS Francisco Lindor

4. 1B Mike Napoli

5. LF Jose Ramirez

6. RF Marlon Byrd

7. C Yan Gomes

8. 3B Juan Uribe

9. CF Rajai Davis

Twins

1. 1B Joe Mauer

2. SS Eduardo Nunez

3. RF Miguel Sano

4. 3B Trevor Plouffe

5. DH Byung-Ho Park

6. 2B Brian Dozier

7. LF Oswaldo Arcia

8. C Kurt Suzuki

9. CF Danny Santana

St. Edward pitcher Jaret Edwards' perfect game was probably more perfect than any you've heard about

0
0

St. Edward's Jaret Edwards struck out ever batter he faced in the Eagles' playoff win on Thursday.

CLEVELAND, Ohio - There have been perfect games. There have been big strikeout games.

But on Thursday, St. Edward pitcher Jaret Edwards combined them to create something you've probably never seen.

Edwards, a senior right-hander, struck out every batter he faced in a 10-0, five-inning win against John Marshall in their Division I Strongsville Sectional championship game.

Of the 15 batters he struck out, 11 went down swinging. Edwards got a first-pitch strike on at least six of the batters. There were a handful of foul balls and one pop-up that his catcher didn't see in time to catch.

"He wasn't ahead on every batter. It takes extreme concentration because if you miss a pitch, it's a walk," said Eagles coach Matt Rosinski.

Edwards said the energy was up in the dugout throughout the game, and he didn't feel as if he was being avoided due to superstition.

"I usually don't smile on the mound, but when I got the last strikeout, I smiled," said Edwards. "It was a pretty relieving moment."

Edwards, a George Washington University commit, is one of two starting pitchers the Eagles are using in the playoffs. He's 4-1 (0.96 ERA), has struck out 57 batters in 45 innings, walked 14 and give up 26 hits this season.

His loss was 2-1 to Massillon Jackson, the undefeated and No. 1-ranked team in the state coaches poll. He opened the season with a no-hitter vs. Westlake.

Edwards' pitches include fastball, cutter, slider and change up, and he reaches the upper 80s. He stuck mostly with fastballs and sliders against John Marshall.

According to the OHSAA's baseball records, there have been nearly 70 perfect games thrown in Ohio. Rosinski said he couldn't confirm whether or not Edwards' perfect game was the first in school history.

Had the Eagles not scored so many runs and caused the game to be shortened, Edwards might have had a shot at the state's single-game strikeout record, which is 21.

Edwards' friend, Michael McDonough of Columbia Crestview, struck out 21 in March, becoming the sixth player to do it.

Edwards will have to settle for being about as perfect has he could've been.

"It was just absolutely amazing," said Rosinski. "I'd never heard of this before and I'll probably never see it again in my lifetime."

Cleveland Browns Fan Fest Saturday features a rookie minicamp practice

0
0

Browns fans will have a chance to get autographs from the new draft class of 2016, watch a rookie camp practice and interact with current and former Browns stars.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Fans will have a chance to watch 2016 first-round pick Corey Coleman and others participate in a rookie minicamp practice and meet current and past Browns players such as Robert Griffin III and Jim Brown during the second annual 2016 Cleveland Browns Fan Fest Saturday at FirstEnergy Stadium.

Rookies will sign autographs after the practice, which runs 2:30-4:40 p.m. Select current Browns will also sign autographs and interact with fans at various times.

The Fan Fest, which is from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., is $15 for the general public; $10 for season ticket members; $5 for kids 6 through 17; and free for kids under 5. Tickets are available at ClevelandBrowns.com, as well as at the ticket office of FirstEnergy Stadium on the day of the event.

The afternoon will also feature several panel discussions:

LAKE CLUB               

Noon-12:30 p.m.: Sashi Brown and Andrew Berry discuss the 2016 draft class and the upcoming 2016 season with host Nathan Zegura.

1:30-2 p.m.: Andy Baskin hosts Jim Brown, Joe DeLamielleure and Paul Warfield as they share stories of their NFL careers and their road to the Hall of Fame.
 
CITY CLUB

11:30 a.m.-noon: Cleveland Browns Daily hosts Zegura and Matt Wilhelm are joined by 92.3 The Fan's Ken Carman and Anthony Lima to discuss the draft, off-season moves and the 2016 season.

12:30-1 p.m.: Hanford Dixon, Bob Golic, Kevin Mack and Felix Wright recount their 1986 AFC Central championship season with Baskin.

2-2:30 p.m.: Joel Bitonio and celebrity chef Rocco Whalen prepare their favorite tailgate dish, while Bob Golic and Dixon serve fans as celebrity bartenders.

The following Browns players are scheduled to attend: Joel Bitonio, Robert Griffin III, Marlon Moore, Desmond Bryant, Joe Haden, Nate Orchard, Travis Coons, Charley Hughlett, Austin Pasztor, Isaiah Crowell, Darius Jennings, Jordan Poyer, Demario Davis, Malcolm Johnson, Danny Shelton, Pierre Desir, Duke Johnson Jr., Glenn Winston, Cameron Erving, Jamie Meder, John Greco and Raheem Mostert.

Who was the Browns' best/worst draft pick?

The Fan Fest will include a locker room sale with exclusive items from the team, Family NFL Combine drills on FirstEnergy Stadium's field, photos with Swagger, open concessions and other activities.

Season ticket members will be permitted to enter an hour earlier than the general public, at 10 a.m. Season ticket members should access the Cree LED Lighting Gate (Northeast) for early entry.

Various parking lots will be open, including the Great Lakes Science Center Parking Garage for $11, cash only.


Did analytics help limit draft blunders for the Browns? -- Bud Shaw's You Said It

0
0

Cleveland sports fans wonder about analytics, Steph Curry's MVP award and photographer Spencer Tunick's proposed photo shoot during the Republican National Convention.

Columbus Clippers weekly: Cleveland Indians Minor League Report 2016

0
0

The Columbus Clippers look to set the Huntington Park record for consecutive wins (12) tonight.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The hits keep coming for Columbus Clippers third baseman Ronny Rodriguez, who extended his hitting streak to 14 games on Thursday.

Rodriguez, a non-drafted player out of the Dominican Republic, began his streak with a hit on April 24. He's had only two multiple-hit games during the streak, including four hits, two RBI and two runs scored on May 6 against Toledo.

Rodriguez's average has soared during the streak. He's raised his average 44 points to .314, while his OBP has increased 55 points to .344.

Tribe watch: Tyler Naquin was hitting .318 in five games with the Clippers after the Cleveland Indians sent him down last week. But his visit wasn't long as he was recalled by the Indians on Friday to replace Lonnie Chisenhall, who went on the bereavement list. ... Michael Martinez is hitting .280 for the Clippers and Collin Cowgill is at .273. ... Third baseman Giovanny Urshela had his average up to .283 before going on the seven-day disabled list with an ankle injury. ... T.J. House is 2-2 with a 6.39 ERA. ... Austin Adams is 2-1 with a 1.46 ERA and two saves. 

Notable: Thanks to a 13-3 record and doubleheader games, the Clippers have not yet played a full bottom of the ninth at Huntington Park. In fact, only two games have gone into the bottom of the ninth (each of the last two vs. Charlotte), with the Clippers picking up the winning runs with one out (4/27) and no outs (4/28). ... Erik Gonzalez's hitting streak ended at 13 on Thursday.

Clippers update: Ross Detwiler starts today and he will seek to set the Huntington Park record for consecutive wins (12). ... The Clippers lead the league with a team average of .261. The Clippers were ranked 13th, .234 on April 26, but scoring is down 13 percent from two years ago (8.72 runs per game to 7.58) and homers are down 20 percent (1.48 per game to 1.18).

Links:

Cleveland Browns rookie minicamp: Practice highlights

0
0

Check out some highlights from today's Browns minicamp practice in Berea.

Live updates and chat: Cleveland Indians vs. Minnesota Twins, Game 32

0
0

The Indians and Twins begin a three-game series on Friday evening at Progressive Field. Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat in the comments section as the teams battle.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Indians and Twins begin a three-game series on Friday evening at Progressive Field. Get scoring updates and participate in a live chat in the comments section as the teams battle.

Game 32: Indians (16-15) vs. Twins (8-25)

First pitch: 7:10 p.m.

Broadcast info: SportsTime Ohio, WTAM 1100, Indians Radio Network

Pitching matchup: RHP Josh Tomlin (5-0, 3.72 ERA) vs. Ricky Nolasco (1-1, 4.70 ERA)

Fact du jour: Yan Gomes has two hits in his last 42 at-bats.

Michael Brantley misses his third straight game as Cleveland Indians seek clarity on his shoulder

0
0

Brantley, dealing with fatigue in his surgically repaired right shoulder, is slated to be examined by doctors on Friday evening.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- For the third consecutive game, Indians manager Terry Francona omitted Michael Brantley's name from his starting lineup.

Brantley, dealing with fatigue in his surgically repaired right shoulder, played catch in left field on Friday afternoon. He watched a few teammates take early batting practice. He was slated to be examined by team doctors on Friday evening. Those results will determine the Indians' next course of action.

If all goes well, Brantley could resume his traditional hitting program later Friday or Saturday. He could also continue to receive treatment.

"We will certainly do whatever the medical staff tells us we should do," Francona said. "I think the DL is probably a bit premature."

Brantley played in Monday's series opener in Houston, his sixth start in a span of seven games. He rested the final two games of the series.

Brantley worked with the training staff at Progressive Field on Thursday, when the club had an off-day. The left fielder underwent shoulder surgery in early November. The initial prognosis had him missing five to six months. In 11 games this season, Brantley has posted a .231/.279/.282 slash line, with two doubles and seven RBI.

"He's doing pretty good," Francona said. "We just want to make sure he can continue to play when he does and not have to have setbacks."

'Too much, too soon' for Brantley

Testing, testing: Carlos Carrasco, sidelined with a strained left hamstring, threw a bullpen session on Friday. He'll throw another side session on Monday. After that, he'll either throw a third bullpen session or a simulated game. Francona said Carrasco is up to 80 percent effort in his running.

Carrasco injured his hamstring while covering first base at Comerica Park in Detroit on April 24. He landed on the disabled list the next day.

Carrasco relieved to learn he'd only miss 4-6 weeks

Well wishes: The Indians placed Lonnie Chisenhall on the bereavement list on Friday, following a death in the right fielder's family. They recalled rookie Tyler Naquin to take his spot. Chisenhall is expected to return to the team on Sunday afternoon, though the Indians told him to take as long as he needs. Players must remain on the bereavement list for three to seven days.

The team optioned Naquin to Triple-A last weekend to open a roster spot for Cody Anderson.

"I didn't prepare myself for that," Naquin said Friday. "Some decisions have to be made based on certain things throughout the organization. That's something I understand. I'm just glad to be up here."

Naquin recalled from Triple-A

Viewing all 53367 articles
Browse latest View live




Latest Images