Infielder hit .300 or better for Kinston, Akron and Columbus in 2010.

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain DealerThe Indians can't easily hide their enthusiasm for second-base prospect Jason Kipnis.

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- Here's a daily glimpse at one of the Indians prospects in big-league camp. A different player will be profiled daily until the start of Cactus League games on Sunday.

Name: Jason Kipnis, 24.

Resides: Northbrook, Ill.

Vitals: Bats left, throws right, 5-11, 185 pounds.

Position: Second baseman.

How acquired: Second-round pick by the Indians in 2009.

2010 stats: Hit .300 (61-for-203) with 33 runs, 12 doubles, six homers and 31 RBI in 54 games at Class A Kinston; hit .311 (98-for-315) with 63 runs, 20 doubles, five triples, 10 homers, 43 RBI in 79 games at Class AA Akron; hit .455 (10-for-22) with nine runs, three doubles, two triples, two homers and three RBI in five games in the Class AAA Columbus playoffs and hit .295 (23-for-78) with 11 doubles, three homers and 19 RBI in 19 games in the Arizona Fall League.

2011: Should open the season at Class AAA Columbus.

Skinny: After the 2009 season, the Indians converted Kipnis from center field to second base. It's been all baseball, all the time since then. Here's how GM Chris Antonetti described Kipnis' 2010 season, "He's taken advantage of every opportunity that's been given him. ... He's done everything in his power to expedite his development." Defensively, Kipnis is starting to make plays at second base instinctively. That's a good sign.

Personal: Wrote a blog for mlb.com when he was played for the Indians in the Arizona Fall League. Drafted in the fourth round by the Padres in 2008, but did not sign. Played two seasons at Arizona State (2008-09). Hit .384 with 21 doubles, 16 homers and 71 RBI in 63 games in 2009. Graduated from Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Ill., in 2005. Hit .520 his senior year and was set school records in catches, yards and touchdowns for one season as a wide receiver. Chicago Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher is his favorite athlete.

Browns President Mike Holmgren says he's looking for a home-run hitter on offense at the NFL scouting combine -- and a quarterback. But he affirms his faith that Colt McCoy is "the guy."

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain Dealer"Our philosophy is to take the best player on our board once it's set up," Browns president Mike Holmgren said Wednesday on the upcoming draft. "Now, if you have two guys that are [really close], then we'd have a discussion on which one to take."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Browns arrived at the NFL Scouting Combine with obvious needs on defense. That matches up well with the strength of the 2011 draft, which is top-heavy with blue-chip defensive linemen.

But offense never escapes the mind of President Mike Holmgren. Upon landing here on Wednesday, Holmgren's eyebrows twitched just enough to keep everyone guessing about the direction the Browns will take with their first pick, No. 6 overall.

"I'm also looking for a home-run hitter," Holmgren said, pointedly.

That comment alone will intensify the debate on which glaring need the Browns should satisfy first -- defensive line or wide receiver.

Four defensive linemen are considered worthy of the No. 6 pick. Two are tackles and two are ends. The top-rated linebacker, Von Miller of Texas A&M, and the top-rated cornerback, Patrick Peterson of Louisiana State, could be justified there, too.

But there's really only one home-run hitter on offense worthy of a top-10 pick, a guy who can score a touchdown from any place on the field. That's Georgia receiver A.J. Green. Without mentioning him by name, Holmgren essentially conceded that Green is a strong candidate for the team's No. 1 pick.

"We do [have a lot of work to do on defense] and it is [a good draft for defense]," Holmgren said. "But I think you have to be a little careful of thinking too much about needs so that you reach. I don't want to do that. So our philosophy is to take the best player on our board once it's set up. Now, if you have two guys that are [really close], then we'd have a discussion on which one to take."

Green is considered by some draft services to be the top player in the draft. Some mock drafts have him being taken by Cincinnati at No. 4.

Another position on Holmgren's mind as the draft season kicks off is -- no surprise -- quarterback.

"Oh, yeah, we will draft a quarterback. You can almost count on it," Holmgren said.

But the feeling going into this week is that Holmgren is looking for a developmental prospect and is not planning on displacing Colt McCoy as the team's starter in 2011.

"I believe in the young guy we have," he said. "I'm pretty sure we'll take one later in the draft."

McCoy has been meeting regularly with new coach Pat Shurmur for the past couple of weeks. The Browns want to get McCoy exposed to Shurmur's offensive playbook before a possible owners lockout shuts down all contact with players after March 3.

Holmgren indicated he has no intention at present of bringing in a quarterback to compete with McCoy.

"It works best if you can identify 'the guy,' let him know he's 'the guy,' and train him appropriately to be 'the guy,'" Holmgren said. "It's nice to have all this competition and all this stuff, but it doesn't work very well, usually. So if you believe in a young man, believe he's 'the guy,' then you have to go with it."

Holmgren's apparent plan is to designate McCoy the starter, choose between Jake Delhomme and Seneca Wallace as the backup, and draft a developmental quarterback for the No. 3 role.

Delhomme is under contract for 2011 for $5.4 million. Wallace is unsigned and has expressed a desire to compete for a starting job. Holmgren conceded that Wallace may fit better in Shurmur's offense because of his past exposure in Seattle to Holmgren's West Coast offense.

"That decision honestly hasn't been made yet," Holmgren said. "Some of it has to do clearly with Jake's contract."

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain Dealer"He wants to win," Mike Holmgren said of Phil Dawson, who was given the franchise tag by the team prior to efforts to sign him to a long-term deal. "He's a competitive guy. And he's an awfully good player. That's why we did what we did."

Dawson's tag: Holmgren said that the Browns used the franchise tag on placekicker Phil Dawson to give them time to work out a multi-year deal.

Talks broke down before the 2010 season, but the club hopes to resume negotiations after the league's labor dispute is resolved.

"Until we can come to something that they like for long term, this is our way to keep him," Holmgren said. "He's really good. I didn't want him going anywhere. And if you look at our roster, there's not a lot of other candidates [to replace Dawson]."

Dawson sold his house in Westlake during the season in anticipation of moving on in free agency. The franchise tag assures him a one-year salary of about $3.25 million -- more than three times what he was paid in 2010.

Many players react negatively to the franchise tag because it pretty much keeps them off the market. Dawson has declined to comment on the Browns' action. Holmgren said he has not talked to Dawson recently.

"He was upset about a lot of things when I first came on [as Browns president]," Holmgren said. "I think our relationship improved because I think he realized -- I think -- that he could trust us when we said what we'd try to do.

"He wants to win. He's a competitive guy. And he's an awfully good player. That's why we did what we did."

Mo Williams missed the game with a sprained right ankle, while Daniel Gibson was excused to tend to some personal issues.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain DealerAnother nagging injury kept Mo Williams grounded for Wednesday's game against Houston.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers' backcourt was a little thin Wednesday night against the Houston Rockets.

Mo Williams missed the game with a sprained right ankle, while Daniel Gibson was excused to tend to some personal issues.

Williams initially hurt his ankle against the Los Angeles Clippers on Feb. 11 and then tweaked it against the Lakers on Feb. 16. He did not practice Monday or Tuesday or take part in Wednesday's shootaround.

"The ankle just to me isn't completely right," coach Byron Scott said. "I want to make sure we get that thing right before we put him back on the basketball floor. I just didn't feel comfortable with him trying to be out on the floor tonight."

On their way out? Jamario Moon and Leon Powe were surprised to hear the Cavaliers were likely to buy them out if Thursday's trade deadline passes without either player being moved.

"I don't know anything," Moon said before the game. "You know anything?"

The Akron Beacon Journal reported the two would have their contracts bought out if the team was unable to move them. The Cavs would not confirm or deny the report. Both players said they wanted to play, but both stopped short of saying they'd ask for a buyout.

"I haven't played in a while, so I don't know if they're planning on keeping me, moving me or buying me out," Powe said. "I've been hearing a lot of stuff, but until somebody talks to my agent, nothing's final.

"Would I ask for it? It depends. I want to play but if they're going in a different direction, they might as well let me go to play somewhere else. But there's nothing final right now. We haven't really discussed a whole lot. My thing is all about playing."

Said Powe's agent, Aaron Goodwin, in an email, "I don't think that the Cavs will successfully trade Leon at this point, and although we have not engaged in any talks, we are hopeful that the Cavs will do the right thing by Leon after the trading deadline passes.

"He worked extremely hard to get back to playing last year, and it was unfortunate that he got caught up in all the changes that happened this summer with the Cavs. The organization has always supported Leon since he signed with them, and we believe that they will continue to do so."

Superstitious minds: The Cavs held Wednesday's shootaround at the team's practice facility in Independence. Before the Lakers game, the Cavs had their pregame session at the practice facility because the Monsters had an early game at The Q. After the Cavs beat the Lakers, the superstitious Scott didn't want to mess with a good thing.

"I am very superstitious," he said. "I made sure I wore the same sweatsuit, the same shoes, I told my wife to get the same socks out of the laundry," Scott said, laughing. "I've always been a superstitious-type guy. I told our coaches we were going to do this the rest of the week and see how it goes."

The last word: From Scott, on the New Jersey Nets acquiring All-Star point guard Deron Williams from Utah on Wednesday morning, "My initial reaction is, 'Wow.' That I didn't see coming, whatsoever. So that was a little bit of a shocker."

Corrections: Articles in The Plain Dealer recently said Washington coach Flip Saunders is a native of Cuyahoga Heights. His NBA.com biography lists him as a native of Cleveland. He grew up in Brooklyn Heights and starred in basketball at Cuyahoga Heights High School. Also, his mother's name is Kay.

The end is coming quickly for Norris Cole, so he is trying not to blink.

View full sizeJohn Kuntz / The Plain Dealer"I knew I could play, and had some skills, but at this level, everybody can play," the Vikings' Norris Cole says about his breakout senior season. "But when you can play that good, consistently, for 40 minutes, [the conditioning] separates the average guys from the good guys, the good guys from the pros. I want to be in the best condition possible."

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The end is coming quickly for Norris Cole, so he is trying not to blink.

For some, that rush of finality -- a season and a career on the basketball court, a degree forthcoming from the classroom -- can be overwhelming. But not for Cleveland State's standout senior guard.

"It's been exciting," he said. "I'm enjoying taking it all in. All the hard work that's been put in, this is a good payoff for right now. When we're not locked in, competing, I'm having as much fun as possible. I'm enjoying every second of it. You're not getting paid, so you can't look at it as work. It's basketball."

The past few weeks, Cole has received plenty of national exposure for his exploits on the court, as he has led the Vikings to the cusp of their first Horizon League title in men's basketball.

This week, the health science major was part of the student group that met with President Barack Obama at CSU during Tuesday's small-business conference. It was an experience that clearly left Cole on a high.

"One of my best senior year moments," he said. "It was a great experience to meet a lot of VIPs. A lot of people knew who I was. I shook a lot of hands, took a lot of pictures."

While the finish line is visible, the race is being run with the outcome still in doubt, at least on the court.

The Vikings (23-6, 12-4 Horizon League) host Milwaukee (16-12, 11-5) Thursday night in a game that with a victory will take CSU one step closer to a league title. Another win Saturday in a 2 p.m. game against Green Bay would make CSU the regular-season HL champion and the host of the league's quarterfinals and semifinals March 4-5. With a semifinal win, CSU would host the tournament final March 8.

For Cole, it is more confirmation of why he has worked so hard. There is a long way between freshman dreams and senior reality. There is a true distance between "I think I can" and "I know I can."

Scoring 20 points in one game is hard. Averaging 21.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists is harder. Cole has paid the price behind the scenes.

"When it became consistent, that's when I knew it was the truth," Cole said. "A lot of hard work went into it. When you work hard, you [work hard for a reason]. You work hard for results, and this is a product of that hard work."

He said the key has been conditioning.

"I knew I could play, and had some skills, but at this level, everybody can play. But when you can play that good, consistently, for 40 minutes, [the conditioning] separates the average guys from the good guys, the good guys from the pros. I want to be in the best condition possible."

As a freshman, Cole had sports-induced asthma and was forced to use an inhaler. "I didn't like that," Cole said. He also wondered why all the top guards never got tired. It was because they pushed themselves. In the process of pushing himself, Cole learned something else.

"It's not physical, it's a mental breakthrough. It's when you go totally outside of your comfort zone, especially from my junior to senior year. I didn't let fatigue beat me at all; being able to push yourself while you're tired, your back is hurting, calves are burning, cramps, and still being able to go hard."

With two regular-season games to play, and he hopes much more to come, Cole is still going hard, trying to get the Vikings to the finish line first.

"We control our own destiny, which is good," the senior from Dayton said. "As long as we take care of our business, we can host [the HL tournament], which would be big for our school and our city."

And a fitting end for Cole's senior season.

Houston dominates the boards and Cavaliers can't outscore their ineffective defense in loss.

View full sizeTony Dejak / Associated PressCourtney Lee and the Rockets were dominating the offensive backboards Wednesday night against Anthony Parker and the Cavaliers.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Final observations from the Cavs 124-119 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at The Q:

Look at it this way, Cavs fans. You don't have to worry that the Cavs will win too many games and mess up their odds for gaining the most chances in the NBA lottery.

As feared, there was absolutely no carry over from the Cavs stunning upset of the Los Angeles Lakers before the All-Star break. It's sort of like high school kids forgetting everything they learned before Christmas vacation.

Their aversion to rebounding, particularly on the offensive end, is absolutely confounding. It's one thing when one opponent has a big night. But night after night after night?

And J.J. Hickson? What's up with that? He played brilliantly in victories over the Clippers and Lakers but he was no where to be found on Wednesday.

So, things are back to normal. Which is to say bad.

But at least that No. 1 draft choice is looking good.

Final: Rockets 124, Cavs 119. The Cavaliers just couldn't make up their minds whether they wanted to play on Wednesday night.

They didn't mind playing offense. Antawn Jamison had 26 points, Manny Harris added 21 and Ramon Sessions had 20 points and 12 assists to lead six players in double figures.

But they weren't too interested in defense -- Chase Budinger had 30 points for the 28-31 Rockets -- and they certainly didn't want to rebound as the Rockets owned the boards, 57-37, including 22-7 on the offensive end.

So in their first game back after upsetting the Los Angeles Lakers before the All-Star break, the Cavs, 10-47, looked more like the team that lost 26 straight than the one that won two of its last four games -- inconsistent overall and disinterested defensively.

Third quarter update: Rockets 91, Cavs 88. A 3-pointer by Chase Budinger, who has 16 points, gave the Rockets a three-point advantage after a wildly uneven 12 minutes.

The Rockets opened the period on a 19-4 run for an 80-69 lead, but the Cavs put together an 11-0 run to take an 88-86 lead. Kevin Martin leads Houston with 20 points, while Antawn Jamison had 10 points in the third quarter and 24 for the game.

Cavs aren't much interested in defense at this point. They're just trying to outscore Rockets.

Halftime update: Cavs 65, Rockets 61. Cleveland is shooting 57.4 percent (27 of 47) including 75 percent from 3-point range (6 of 8) and holding Houston to 43.1 percent (25 of 58). The Rockets are staying in this game by being relentless on the boards. They've out-rebounded the Cavs, 31-21, and Chuck Hayes had 13.

Each team has 28 points in the paint, but Houston has the edge on second-chance points, 17-6, thanks to its 16-3 edge on the offensive boards.

First quarter update: Rockets 28, Cavs 27. Given that the Rockets out-rebounded the Cavs, 20-9, in the first period, it's amazing the game is this close. Chuck Hayes had 12 rebounds, including nine offensive rebounds, to set a Q record for rebounds and offensive rebounds in a quarter.

Zanesville's Kevin Martin has 11 points for Houston, while Ramon Sessions had 10 for Cleveland.

Cavs starters: F Christian Eyenga, F Antawn Jamison, C J.J. Hickson, G Anthony Parker, G Ramon Sessions.

Rockets starters: F Shane Battier, F Chuck Hayes, C Luis Scola, G Kevin Martin, G Kyle Lowry.

Injuries: Anderson Varejao (torn tendon, right foot) and Mo Williams (sprained right ankle) out for Cavs. Also, Daniel Gibson is tending to personal issues and will not play. Yao Ming (stress fracture left ankle) is out for Rockets.

Inactives: Gibson, Varejao and Williams for Cavs. Jared Jeffries, Terrence Williams and Yao for Rockets.

Officials: Ken Mauer, Tony Brown, Josh Tiven.

Three things to watch

1. Will there be any carryover from the victory over the Lakers last Wednesday?

2. Zanesville native Kevin Martin had 40 points in the first matchup. Will the Cavs' new attention to defense keep him below that?

3. The reserves came up big against the Lakers. Will they do it again?

General managers alter their mocks as the April 28-30 draft approaches. And so will we.

View full sizeAP PhotoGeorgia Tech quarterback Josh Nesbitt eludes Clemson defensive end Da' Quan Bowers on a first-quarter pass-attempt during an Atlantic Coast Conference Championship NCAA college football game.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to mock draft season. For some, it's the best time of the NFL year -- when everyone can guess which team will take which player in the coming draft. And that's all they are right now. Guesses.

Mock drafts is a recession-proof industry. Fans do them, media do them, draft services do them. Even NFL teams do them. General managers have their initial mock drafts posted in their draft rooms to speculate on which players might be within their reach. They alter their mocks as the April 28-30 draft approaches. And so will we.

This is our first projection of the first 10 draft picks. We will make adjustments after the NFL scouting combine this week in Indianapolis and post later versions as the draft season proceeds.

1. Carolina -- Da'Quan Bowers, defensive end, Clemson

Comment: Hawkish owner Jerry Richardson figures a QB won't develop quickly enough to start the 2011 season.

View full sizeAP photoCam Newton

2. Denver -- Cam Newton, quarterback, Auburn

Comment: With Josh McDaniels gone, support for Tim Tebow has eroded.

3. Buffalo -- Blaine Gabbert, quarterback, Missouri

Comment: Like many, they're spinning their wheels without a blue-chip QB.

4. Cincinnati -- A.J. Green, wide receiver, Georgia

Comment: The only other possibility is a QB if one slides to them.

View full sizeAP photoVon Miller (40) chases Ricky Stanzi during The Senior Bowl.

5. Arizona -- Von Miller, outside linebacker, Texas A&M

Comment: Only a pure pass rusher at the position can go this high.

View full sizeAP photoNick Fairley flattens Oregon's Darron Thomas.

6. Browns -- Nick Fairley, defensive tackle, Auburn

Comment: He and Ahtyba Rubin form a formidable interior

View full sizeAP PhotoPatrick Peterson

7. San Francisco -- Patrick Peterson, cornerback, LSU

Comment: Safest pick and also fills a need. Who doesn't

View full sizeAP PhotoRobert Quinn (42) sacks Thaddeus Lewis (9).

8. Tennessee -- Robert Quinn, defensive end, North Carolina

Comment: Offensive needs will have to wait.

View full sizeAP PhotoMarcell Dareus

9. Dallas -- Marcell Dareus, defensive tackle, Alabama

Comment: I know, it's insane he lasts this far. That's why they're called mock drafts.

10. Washington -- Cameron Jordan, defensive end, California

Comment: Gives coordinator Jim Haslett another piece to his D-line.

Indians relievers pitched well in the second half of 2010, but can they do it for a full season?

View full sizeChuck Crow / The Plain Dealer"You might be facing their three best hitters," Indians closer Chris Perez said about the rush of getting a big-league save. "It's the ultimate man vs. man. Here I come with my fastball. You might beat me. If not, I come out on top. It's awesome."

GOODYEAR, Ariz. -- The Indians bullpen was scary good in the second half of last season. The fear it generated had nothing to do with last season and everything to do with this one.

In Cleveland, one does not find consistency in bullpens. They soar one year, crash the next. They are a seven-man pack of volatility. Indians relievers last year had a 2.95 ERA after the All-Star break. It was the second-lowest in the AL and fourth-lowest in the big leagues. Can they take that into this season?

"You can't carry momentum from one season to the next," said manager Manny Acta. "The off-season is four months of inactivity. It stops momentum."

Don't interpret that as Acta not believing in his relievers. He does, emphatically.

"They were dominant in the second half," he said. "These guys are confident. They feel good about themselves. I just don't see them backing down right now."

The history of Indians' bullpens is the thing of nightmares. Here's how they've ranked among MLB's 30 teams in ERA and saves over the last nine years:

• 2002, 27th in ERA at 5.09, 23rd in saves with 34;

• 2003, ninth in ERA at 3.48, 25th in saves at 34;

• 2004, 26th in ERA at 4.90, 25th in saves with 32;

• 2005, first in ERA at 2.80, tied for third in saves at 51;

• 2006, 25th in ERA at 4.73, 30th in saves with 24;

• 2007, sixth in ERA at 3.75, second in saves with 49;

• 2008, 29th in ERA at 5.13, 27th in saves with 31;

• 2009, 27th in ERA at 4.66, tied for 30th in saves with 25 and 2010; and

• 2010, tied for 12th in ERA at 3.83, 27th in saves with 31.

New GM Chris Antonetti has been through all those ups and downs. He has learned to bite his tongue when asked to forecast a bullpen's performance. The thing that impresses him this year is not just the pitchers who performed in the second half last season, but the relievers behind them. Vinnie Pestano, Bryce Stowell, Josh Judy, Zack Putnam and Bryce Stowell are not that far away. Then there are the losers in the competition for the fifth spot in the rotation.

Acta said Josh Tomlin, Aaron Laffey and Anthony Reyes could be candidates for the pen if they don't win a spot in the rotation.

"I've got about 10 guys I can count on," said Acta.

Closer Chris Perez, Rafael Perez, Tony Sipp, Joe Smith and Jensen Lewis should open the regular season in the bullpen. Then there's Frank Herrmann and Justin Germano, who pitched well last year, to consider for the two open spots.

"It's going to be an interesting competition," said Acta.

All roads in the bullpen lead to the closer. Chris Perez earned the job last year even before Kerry Wood was traded to the Yankees on July 31. Now it's his and his alone. Perez went 2-2 with a 1.71 ERA in 63 games last year. He saved 23 games in 27 chances, striking out 61 in 63 innings and holding the opposition to a .182 batting average.

"When you have a closer who you can say, 'Hey, you've got the ninth inning,'" said Joe Smith, "that makes things a lot easier. If your starters go six, then we've got six guys to get through the seventh and eighth innings."

Perez loves the ninth inning. He feels he was made for it.

"There's no other feeling like it," said Perez, his long hair and beard in midseason form. "The save where you come in with a three-run lead to face the seventh, eighth and ninth hitters, and you go 1-2-3, that's just another day at the yard.

"But maybe the leadoff guy hits a double, then the next guy walks. Then it's, 'All right, here we go.' No one else is coming in. You might be facing their three best hitters. It's the ultimate man vs. man. Here I come with my fastball. You might beat me. If not, I come out on top. It's awesome."

When the Indians acquired Perez for Mark DeRosa on June 27, 2009, he had a great arm, but had trouble throwing strikes. That ended last year. He converted 18 of his final 19 save opportunities. Starting on May 9 through the end of the season, he had a 1.51 ERA and struck out 56 batters in 53 2/3 innings.

"Coaches always talk about players finding it, about something clicking in," said Perez. "That happened for me last year. My mechanics from May through the end of the year were the same. I didn't have to change anything. And I feel the same way this spring."

Perez has been working with a change-up this spring to go along with his fastball and slider. Is a change a good pitch for a hard-throwing closer?

"Outside of a first-strike fastball, it's the best pitch in the game," said Acta. "Just ask Trevor Hoffman."

A change of pace might be just the thing for Perez. For the Indians bullpen, it's a must.

Slowly but surely, the Akron Zips are creeping up in the Mid-American Conference standings, while knocking off the front-runners in the process.

AKRON, Ohio -- Slowly but surely, the Akron Zips are creeping up in the Mid-American Conference standings, while knocking off the front-runners in the process.

A close game became a blowout Wednesday night at Rhodes Arena as a late-game run lifted the Zips to a 72-55 men's college basketball victory over Miami of Ohio, knocking the RedHawks out of first place.

"I think we're seeing the real Akron team," Miami coach Charlie Coles said. "What happens in a basketball season is a bunch of swings. Whatever was happening with them early is not happening with them now."

Leading, 58-50, with 4:43 to play, Akron (18-10, 8-5 MAC) went on a 14-5 run to close out the game to remain third in the East Division race, just a game behind second-place Miami and within range of first-place Kent State (18-9, 9-3) with three games left in the regular season.

"Just a feeling of victory means a lot," Akron junior forward Nik Cvetinovic said. "Six in a row -- why not seven, why not eight?"

An 8-0 run by Akron to end the first half put the Zips up for good. Then a quick 4-0 start to open the second half kept the Zips in front the rest of the way. The RedHawks would get close several times, the last at 54-48 with 6:13 to go on a Julian Mavunga hoop inside. But a Cvetinovic hoop inside off an inbounds play moments later, followed by a 12-foot jumper from Cvetinovic, got Akron's lead back up to double figures and the Zips on a roll.

The 6-8, 230-pound Cvetinovic finished with a game-high 21 points and nine rebounds. He was matched on the boards by 7-0 sophomore Zeke Marshall, leading to Akron's 38-26 rebounding dominance. Miami only got eight boards after intermission.

"He showed signs in practice," Dambrot said of Marshall, who had just nine boards in his past three games combined. "We've taken some pressure off of him. Spread the floor out and play the best he can defensively."

Offensively, Cvetinovic was supported once again by 6-6 senior Brett McKnight, who came off the bench for 15 points and six boards. Add in another 14 from senior guard Steve McNees, and the most veteran team in the MAC is clearly playing up to expectations; winners of six straight and seven of their past eight.

"We're playing pretty good right now, but everything is fleeting," Dambrot said. "We went from the worst team we've ever had to having the capabilities of having one of the best teams. We know we can play with anybody."

After standing 10-8, 1-3 following a road loss to Miami, Jan 19, the Zips have gone 8-2, with six of those triumphs at home and another home game coming up Saturday against Buffalo.

If the NBA takes a hard fall, will anybody in Cleveland and other non-destination cities care enough to help it up? So asks Bud Shaw.

View full sizeKathy Willens / Associated PressWith Carmelo Anthony as the most recent NBA star to hold multiple teams hostage, the stage is set for a duel between the haves and the have-nots in the upcoming labor negotiations. That could be a battle that the NBA really can't win, says Bud Shaw.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- If the NBA takes a hard fall, will anybody in Cleveland and other non-destination cities care to help it up?

The NBA and NFL might want to take a big-picture step back. When the most peaceful sports league in America is Major League Baseball, they really should check themselves.

It's like getting noticed at a party with Charlie Sheen in the room. You should probably stop drinking from all six Bongzilla tube funnels at the same time. You've gone too far.

MLB's collective bargaining agreement ends in December. Maybe the worry will grow over the summer, but for now it appears owners and players are looking at the date as a renewal of vows compared to where negotiations seem certain to take football and, especially, basketball.

Some people say my cultural references are seriously dated. Oh, really? Well, then let me try again. I say baseball owners and players are enjoying the best marriage this side of Sandra Bullock and Jesse James.

Maybe it comes from having survived a self-immolation when it canceled the 1994 World Series. Nobody wants to shower each other with lighter fluid in front of a flaming grill again anytime soon.

But if I had to guess on one league doing just that, it would be the NBA, which lost games even more recently than baseball (1998-99), but seems ripe for another interruption despite growing revenues.

The NBA has never really been a true democracy among clubs as far as championship possibilities go. There's always been power bases. Only eight franchises have won NBA titles since Seattle's win in 1979. Apparently, that's too many for today's NBA stars, who would like to reduce the league to New York, Boston, L.A., Chicago, Miami and the Washington Generals.

What's good for the league -- star-studded teams to put on TV over and over -- isn't good for individual franchises outside the biggest and sunniest markets. David Stern needs to fight for the little guys. And the hope is he will -- once he comes to from swooning over the ratings.

NBA owners who are already concerned about dwindling profits are digging in even more after "The Decision" and the Carmelo Anthony saga. It's not just the feeling that NBA stars are wielding more power than ever. It's the reality. Unlike the NFL, where it's nearly impossible for business moguls not named Art Modell to bleed money, NBA owners are much more vulnerable to losses.

San Antonio, long an example of how well-run small market teams can turn a profit and hoist a trophy, is thought to be losing money.

As for baseball, don't put too much stock in the old-style rhetoric heard in recent days. Kenny Williams, the GM of the Chicago White Sox, called the idea of $30 million baseball players (like Albert Pujols) "asinine." He said he'd rather see the sport shut down to spread more parity if need be.

Yankees' owner Hank Steinbrenner railed against his complacent players "building mansions" and suggested that sharing revenues with owners who aren't trying as hard to win was akin to "socialism." But that's Williams and Steinbrenner. You don't expect measured, understated perspective from those two any more often than you expect it from Glenn Beck and Keith Olbermann.

Unless Mike Hargrove comes back to play and adjusts his batting gloves four times a night, baseball seems safe from serious interruption.

The NFL? Too smart to sabotage itself. Players' careers are too short for them to justify losing even part of a season.

The NBA? Owners feel they've lost control and that the players think the game is all about them.

Other than The Decision, The Melo-Drama and a man jumping over a car to dunk a basketball with a gospel choir standing by, wherever do they get that idea?

SEPARATED AT BIRTH

Charles Woodson and Troy Smith -- Jim Jerome.

VP Joe Biden at the State of the Union address and the old curmudgeon in the balcony from the Muppet Show. -- JT, Medina

SPINOFFS

View full sizeTracy Boulian / The Plain DealerIf Phil Dawson wasn't available, wouldn't Ryan Pontbriand be the most-fitting Brown to receive a franchise tag? Bud Shaw is being at least 50 percent serious with that question.

What does it say about the Browns that when they finally franchise a player, it's a kicker? Nothing terribly bad about their talent level over the years. Franchising Phil Dawson was a smart move...

The only reason I mentioned it is I picked long-snapper Ryan Pontbriand first in the Browns' Franchise Tag Fantasy Draft...

Isiah Thomas is supposedly seeking credit behind-the-scenes for luring Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks. Luring? He needed to be lured to New York about as much as I need to be lured to a pierogi smorgasbord...

Yankees' owner Steinbrenner, no doubt feeling he spoke for Yankees fans, blamed the team's failure to play up to its potential in 2010 on some players being "too busy building mansions" and "not concentrating on winning" after capturing the 2009 World Series.

Yep. Same problem here, Hank. Overpaid players still groggy from the last victory parade. Now please be quiet...

HE SAID IT

"I don't want to sound arrogant but I did something in one year people couldn't do in their whole collegiate careers." -- Cam Newton, sounding arrogant.

HE SAID IT (IN THE THIRD PERSON)

"The ideal situation is drafting Cam Newton as quickly and fast as possible. ... Do I care where I go? No." -- Cam Newton, using inside knowledge to say Cam Newton will happily play anywhere.

YOU SAID IT

"Bud:

"If you worked for the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, how would you entice pro athletes to play here?" -- Dodie

I'd sell them on the lack of post-game traffic.

"Bud:

"With Brett Favre retired and Carmelo Anthony traded to the Knicks, who will be ESPN's next Athlete Ad Nauseum?" -- Tom Hoffner, Broadview Heights

That die was already cast by Sunday night of All-Star weekend. Justin Bieber.

"Bud:

"Now that Travis Hafner is juiced on Propecia, will he be a smashing 'designated hit-hair'?" -- Jim, Seven Hills

I'm guessing you'll be here all week?

"Bud:

"Conversations always seem to come in Cleveland about which one of our pro sport franchises will break this city's title drought. Isn't it time to lay off the championship predictions and worry about which one of our teams will be the next to finish above .500?" -- Nick

Yes. If there's one thing old and tired in Cleveland, besides me I mean, it's those incessant championship predictions.

"Bud:

"In view of the Cavs' dismal performance -- taking a cue from The Q scoreboard -- is it time to incorporate 'The Diff' in the daily standings so we can keep track of the spread in wins and losses?" -- Gary, Wickliffe

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

"Bud:

"After his triple double in a losing cause at the NBA All-Star Game, do you think LeBron should take his talents to the Western Conference?" -- Jim O, Chardon

Repeat winners receive a phantom elbow injury.

Chuck Hayes had a career-high 13 offensive rebounds and set three arena records to lead Houston over the Cavaliers.

View full sizeTony Dejak / Associated PressHouston's Chuck Hayes (left) dominated J.J. Hickson and the rest of the Cavaliers on the backboard as he led the Rockets to a victory Wednesday at The Q.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The box score from the Cavaliers' 124-119 loss to the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night at The Q was a tribute to Houston's Chuck Hayes.

Hayes had a career-high 13 offensive rebounds, a season-high 17 total rebounds and set three arena records for rebounds. The Rockets out-rebounded the Cavs, 57-37, 22-7 on the offensive end, and outscored them in second-chance points, 27-14.

"You pretty much had one guy who dictated the game and set the tone for them," said Cleveland's Antawn Jamison, who led the Cavs with 26 points but just three defensive rebounds. "That's pretty much the reason why we came out not winning tonight because that one guy set the tone."

So instead of picking up where they left off after upsetting the Lakers before the All-Star break, the Cavs, now 10-47, looked much more like the inconsistent bunch that lost a league-record 26 games before winning two of their last four.

They were interested only in offense as six players scored in double figures, including rookie Manny Harris, who had 21 points and nine rebounds, and Ramon Sessions, who had 20 points and 12 assists.

Meanwhile, they allowed Chase Budinger to score a career-high 30 points, while Zanesville native Kevin Martin added 30 as the Rockets improved to 28-31. Budinger also had eight rebounds, more than any individual Cav except Harris, a 6-5 point guard.

"Rebounding has nothing to do with skill or talent," Scott said. "It just has to do with a mindset. We did a lot of good things tonight on both ends of the floor, but when you give up 22 offensive rebounds, that means they get 22 chances again to score and that makes it that much harder on you to defend them."

Starting center J.J. Hickson apparently didn't realize the All-Star break was over. He had four points and three defensive rebounds in 24:26 and was so ineffective that he played just over eight minutes in the second half.

"I thought in the second half I wasn't getting what I needed from him so I went with other guys," Scott said.

Backup center Ryan Hollins had two rebounds in 17:35.

None of the Cavs was the least bit interested in putting a body on Hayes, who set arena records for offensive rebounds in a game and total rebounds and offensive rebounds in a quarter when he had 12 boards, including nine on the offensive end, in the first quarter alone.

Box out, anyone?

"It's a mindset," Scott admitted. "That team was aggressive, physical and every time a shot went up they went after it. We did a terrible job of boxing out and a terrible job of pursuing the ball. They did a much better job."

With the Cavs supposedly focusing on defense the rest of the season, they failed to miserably at one of the their main defensive tenets: Complete the play. It means grab the defensive rebound.

"We didn't complete the defensive play," Scott admitted. "We did a pretty good job initially on defense and then everybody relaxed. We didn't do a good job of completing the defense. The biggest part in the defensive scheme of things is finishing -- and not allowing people to get second opportunities."

We'll talk about the Cavaliers' huge trade, speculate on more deals and monitor breaking news as the NBA trade deadline approaches.

AP PhotoBaron Davis is headed to Cleveland, reports say.

Today's lineup on Digital Sports Network:

Morning Sports Page: Daryl Ruiter, 7-9 a.m.

Locked and Loaded: Greg Kozarik and Brian Fowler, 9 a.m.-noon: Today's guests include former Browns tight end Aaron Shea and WEWS's Andy Baskin live from spring training.       

Have a Bud with Les: Les Levine and Bud Shaw, noon-2 p.m.:  Today's guest is former Cavaliers coach Mike Fratello at noon.     

In the Trenches: Joe Lull, 2-5 p.m.

News, Notes & Rumors: Will Smith, 8-10 p.m.

Cavs act boldly – and correctly – by trading for Baron Davis and the Clippers' first-round draft pick.

Associated Press Baron Davis from the L.A. Clippers could make the Cavs a contender.

The Cavs have positioned themselves to have – at the very worst two selections in the top 10 of the NBA draft. At the very least, one of those picks should be in the top five.

That's what the trade of Mo Williams and Jamario Moon to the Clippers for Baron Davis and a No. 1 draft pick was all about.

That's right, the Cavs just added a potential second lottery pick. For a team in a massive and desperate rebuilding project as it still digs through the rubble of LeBron James bolting for Miami, the fastest way out is assembling as many high draft picks as possible.

At the moment, the Cavs have the worst record in the NBA. With their own selection, they would pick no lower than No. 4. They'd have about a 12 percent chance to own the draft's top pick in the lottery.

The Clippers are at No. 8, and that pick also should produce a good player. And maybe, just maybe, if the Cavs actually have some lottery luck -- it ends up in the top five.

The price for the pick is about $12 million.

How so?

In the next two seasons, Baron Davis will earn slightly more than $14 million annually.

Williams will be paid about $8 million annually.

That's a difference of about $6 million a year – or $12 million.

That's why the Clippers were willing trade a lottery pick. They wanted to dump Davis and his contract.

The deal doesn't mean the Clippers are enamored with Mo Williams. The former Cavalier simply earns less money.

The Clippers also believe the 31-year-old Davis is breaking down physically with a cranky knee.

He also jacks up nearly four shots a game from 3-point range. That's far too many for a point guard who shoots 29 percent behind the 3-point line. He is a point guard whose strength is driving to the basket along with setting up teammates with his passes.

Some nights, it will be very frustrating to watch Davis.

Then again, the same can be said of Williams. He was been discouraged since James left. He also has been battling groin and hip injuries. At 28, he's missed 21 games and also has had trouble staying healthy.

Moon was added to the deal to make it work on the salary cap -- a smart move, because the Cavs have retained their $14 million trade exception to be used in a future deal.

So the Cavs really didn't like what they saw from Williams since James left -- and the Clippers were disgruntled with Davis because of his sagging production and bloated contract.

Davis will not be happy with the trade. He wanted to stay on the West Coast. He grew up in Los Angeles. Early in his career, he feuded with Byron Scott. Davis has since praised the current Cavs coach as someone who helped Davis mature when they were together in New Orleans in 2004.

Davis is bothered by a swollen knee, a problem for him over the years. He is averaging only 12.8 points, a career low. He's shooting 41 percent from the field, but delivering 7.0 assists per game. He is no longer the All-Star guard and 20-point scorer of a few years ago.

But he still helped the Clippers. Consider that they were 3-12 in games he missed, 18-25 when he played. This also could be a good sign for the Cavs, because the Clippers may be a worse team without Davis for the rest of the year. That would help the Cavs add even more lottery ping pong balls and possibly enhance their draft position .

This trade does have the some significant risk. Davis has a volatile personality. Scott is not the only coach who has battled with him. This season, he has been ejected from two games and whistled for eight technical fouls. It's hard to imagine his temper will improve with the trade to Cleveland.

But Davis also may find himself on a promising team next fall. That's assuming the Cavs do their homework and draft well. So now, the pressure is on General Manager Chris Grant and his scouts to make the right draft picks and perhaps swing another trade.

Davis can either go with the rebuilding program and help mentor young point guard Ramon Sessions -- or the Cavs can trade or perhaps him buy him out of his contract.

When it comes to dealing for Davis, it's impossible to know how they will work out for the Cavs. But trading Williams? Adding a lottery pick? Those were absolutely terrific moves for the Cavs. That's why this is a trade that they positively had to make.

The Cleveland Cavaliers, at least according to several reports, have traded Mo Williams and Jamario Moon to the Los Angeles Clippers for Baron Davis and a draft pick, which is not lottery protected. That means the Cavaliers will have two lottery picks, and the more losses by the Cavs and more losses by the Clippers means a win-win when...

AP fileMo Williams

The Cleveland Cavaliers, at least according to several reports, have traded Mo Williams and Jamario Moon to the Los Angeles Clippers for Baron Davis and a draft pick, which is not lottery protected.

That means the Cavaliers will have two lottery picks, and the more losses by the Cavs and more losses by the Clippers means a win-win when it comes to the lottery, which is weak this year.

Also, how will Davis work with the Cavaliers? Davis and coach Byron Scott

The trade also reunites Davis with Cavs coach Byron Scott. The player and the coach often feuded when they were both in New Orleans. Davis was eventually traded to the Golden State Warriors.

While the Cavaliers haven't officially confirmed the trade, Mo Williams has already said his goodbyes via Twitter.

AP PhotoMo Williams thanks Cavs fans on his Twitter account.

Manny Acta has plenty to worry about this spring training, but right fielder Shin-Soo Choo should give him peace of mind.

Associated PressRight fielder Shin-Soo Choo wants to improve every aspect of his game this season.

 Goodyear, Ariz. -- The Indians entered spring training with a number of physical issues staring them in the face. There was Grady Sizemore's left knee, Asdrubal Cabrera's left forearm, Travis Hafner's right shoulder and Carlos Santana's left knee to name a few.

 One of the guys manager Manny Acta didn't have to worry about was Shin-Soo Choo. All the Indians want Choo to do is repeat last season when he hit .300 (165-for-550) with 81 runs, 33 doubles, 22 homers, 90 RBI and 22 steals. Throw in a .401 on base percentage for good measure.

 That's not asking too much, is it?

 Not in Choo's mind.

 "I want to do better in everything," said Choo.

 Said Acta, "Some guys are told at the start of spring training that you're just here to get ready for the start of the season and to continue to get better.
Choo is a guy who is never going to be satisfied. He wants to win and wants to improve in every aspect of his game. He shows us that every day by his worth ethic."

 Last spring the Indians asked Choo to improve his play in right field. Choo was only too happy to oblige.

 "He put that to rest," said Acta. "I thought he played tremendous defense for us last year."

 Close the deal: GM Chris Antonetti on what it means to have emerging closer Chris Perez pitching the ninth inning.

 "It's important to have some stability and reliability down there," said Antonetti. "You know when you turn the ball over in the ninth, and sometimes the eighth inning as we did last year, you have a guy only with the mentality to close, but the stuff to close. Chris has both those attributes.

 "It's important for the psyche of a the team when you hand over leads late in the game that there should be an expectation that you're going to win the game. Hey, inevitably nobody is perfect. There are going to be times when Chris, or any other closer, doesn't get the job done. But we feel great giving him the ball late in the game."

 Blown saves still bother Perez, but he's learned to deal with them.

 "It used to be hard to turn the page," said Perez. "You felt so bad that you let everybody down.

 "It seems kind of callous, but now I don't care. I worry about the games they let me down. It goes back and forth. I'm the guy. I'm pretty sure my teammates have confidence in me.

 "When I blow one, it's a fluke. They got me that day. That's how I look at it. I'm going to try to learn from that and try to take something away from that, and try to not let it happen again. At the end of the day, it's just a blown save. Scott Radinksy (bullpen coach) told me last year, "you pitch 60 times, you're going to have five bad ones and 55 good ones.' That's pretty good, right? The problem is you remember those five bad ones much longer than the 55 good ones."

 Thumbs up: Reliever Joe Smith said Radinsky had much to do with the bullpen's success in the second half last year.

 "Having Rad (Radinsky) down there was huge last year," said Smith. "He keeps everything is such a chill perspective."

 Chill perspective?

 "Sometimes you just get anxious about things," said Smith. "Something isn't working. You get frustrated about it. He'll say, "What are you doing? Just relax.' He seems like he always has the right words to calm you down and put you in the right frame of mind before you in there.

 "Before stuff even happens he'll say, "Hey, you might want to look here. If this, this and this happens, they might be calling for you.' With the young guys down there, it definitely helps. Sometimes I even forget. It helps. Most of the time he's right."

 Radinsky pitched over 11 years the big leagues and made 557 relief appearances. In the 1990s, he made 554 relief appearances, ninth most in the big leagues during that stretch.

 Forgotten man: In naming potential bullpen candidates from the pitchers who don't win the fifth spot in the rotation, Jeanmar Gomez should also be included.

 Pick to click: Acta thinks Indians fans should keep an eye on Carlos Carrasco.

 "I think he's going to be an exciting guy to watch this season," said Acta. "He's been terrific so far in camp. I think Carlos has the potential to be one of the finest arms in the American League."

 Acta said Carrasco made an impression last spring when he came into camp not expected to compete for a job in the rotation. Carrasco, however, pitched so well that he ended up pushing David Huff for the fifth spot in the rotation until late in camp.

 "It all started for Carlos last year in the middle of camp," said Acta.

 Play ball: The Indians will play an intrasquad game at 10:45 a.m. MT today at Goodyear Ballpark.

Here are the lineups for the game.

Class AAA manager Mike Sarbaugh is gong with CF Michael Brantley, C Carlos Santana, DH Lonnie Chisenhall,k 1B Matt LaPorta, 3B Jared Goedert, RF Chad Huffman, LF Matt McBride, 2B Jason Kipnis, SS Adam Everett and P Gomez.

Third base coach Steve Smith is going with 3B Jason Donald, DH Jayson Nix, RF Travis Buck, LF Shelley Duncan, 1B Jordan Brown, 2B Cord Phelps, C Lou Marson, SS Luis Valbuena, CF Ezequiel and P Justin Masterson.

 Practice was moved up to 8:45 a.m. to fit the game into the workout schedule. Players will take shuttles from the complex to the ballpark. Leaving nothing to chance, the shuttles were going through dry runs on Wednesday.

 Finally: Grady Sizemore, who has progressed with the bat faster than expected following microfracture surgery on his left knee, is throwing long toss to keep his arm strong. He's playing catch at 120 feet. . .Kenny Lofton, in camp as a special instructor, was in the batting cage this morning working with  Brantley on his bunting. Brantley didn't bunt much last year, but it could become a big part of his game with his speed.
  

The real benefit of the Cavs' trade will be in the draft. Unfortunately, it is not all that strong.

 

PD fileBaron Davis and Mo Williams, shown in a game last season, have now traded teams. But getting Davis is not as important to the Cavs as the draft pick.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Cavaliers' trade is only as good as the upcoming draft, and that, unfortunately, is not so good.

The swap of the disappointing Mo Williams and Jamario Moon for Baron Davis and the Clippers' top draft pick was money-driven. The Los Angeles Clippers wanted to get out from under Davis' contract.

It works in one sense, though. As coaches say, before you lay a new foundation, you have to clear the lot.

Williams considered retirement after LeBron James bolted, then missed enough games with an assortment of injuries that he might as well have followed through and hung the sneakers up. He was an all-Star once here, but that was as a replacement, after heavy lobbying by the Cavs.

The glow of the experience faded when he slumped precipitously in the playoffs each season.

Moon fell into new coach Byron Scott's doghouse and only re-emerged in time to help the team actually win a couple of games. That goes on Scott, because Moon brought activity around the rim and could have helped more. Whatever negative force field supposedly followed him around was not in evidence when he got a chance to play again.

I believe Davis will just be passing through here. He is a volatile player on the downslope of his career, but his streakiness on the three-point arc could steal a game or two. Look for him to threaten all franchise records for three-point attempts per minute played. He could be, in the best case, World B. Free, who came in, gunslinging and winning a handful of games by himself on a very bad team in the Ted Stepien years.

That is also the worst case because it would be counterproductive in the overall scheme now. The idea is to collect ping pong balls and enhance lottery chances. It really says a lot that the Clippers were willing to part with a lottery pick to dump Davis, not only about Davis, but about the upcoming draft class.

The single best fit for the Cavs would be freshman Duke point guard Kyrie Irving, who has been sidelined with a toe injury since early in the season. Scott has always thrived as a coach with an infusion of help at the point in his second season at each stop -- Jason Kidd in New Jersey, where he reached the NBA Finals, and Chris Paul in New Orleans.

There is, however, no certainty Irving will return for the postseason after damaging ligaments in his big toe on Dec. 4 as he made a cut in a game against Butler. Irving said in a recent Tweet he is "op(toe)mistic." It is also no sure thing he will enter the draft, although the possibility would increase if he fueled a strong Duke NCAA Tournament run.

In his absence, Duke's Nolan Smith has become a national Player of the Year candidate. That speaks to Duke's reservoir of talent, not to Irving's lack of potential impact on the game.

The labor unrest that will follow the end of the current season also will influence the draft. There is certainly a chance underclassmen who would have opted to enter the draft without that cloud on the horizon will stay in school.

It is unclear how that will affect Ohio State's Player of the Year candidate, freshman power forward/center Jared Sullinger. The guess here is that the loss of three seniors (Jon Diebler, David Lighty, Dallas Lauderdale) among the seven Buckeyes in the rotation would not be a positive. But even if Sullinger does enter the draft, the 6-8, 270-ish big man is a tweener, with a center's back-to-the-basket game in a body that is power forward-sized for the NBA.

Still, just to contemplate the possibilities of two lottery picks is a big step up from the Cavs' position yesterday.

Baron Davis is now with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but how long will be here?

AP fileMo Williams

The Cleveland Cavaliers have reportedly made a deal with the LA Clippers by sending Mo Williams and Jamario Moon in exchange for Baron Davis and a draft pick, which will end up as a lottery pick.

Davis and coach Byron Scott didn't exactly get along when Davis played under Scott in New Orleans, so it will be interesting if Davis will ever play for the Cavaliers. Will the Cavaliers buyout Davis who has two years and $28 million left on his contract? Will the Cavaliers trade Davis, or will Davis sit out for the rest of the season due to his sore knee?

In the LA Times:

The Clippers' third-leading scorer also had visible problems with his movement against the Thunder and said the swollen knee could keep him out through the weekend.

"I'm a little upset my knee is acting up," Davis said before the Clippers played the Hornets. "When I'm out there, I'm giving it my all, but sometimes with the increased minutes and things like that, it didn't work out. It just compounded the situation

"On the road trip, each and every game, it was becoming more and more swollen. I was just trying to battle through the road trip and get through to the weekend so I could get back on therapy and get an amount of rest. Once Sunday rolled around, and then Monday, I really didn't feel like I could do much at practice."

 

More trade news

Yahoo.com: Clippers trade Davis for Williams.

ESPN.com: Cavaliers and Clippers make a deal.

Los Angeles Daily News: Clippers agree to send Davis to Cleveland.

Game stories

Cleveland.com: Cavaliers fall to Houston Rockets.

Ohio.com: Rockets too much for Cavaliers.

News-Herald: Rockets rock Cavaliers on the boards.

Houston Chronicle: Rockets escape Cavaliers.

Mo Williams is on his way to L.A. Was it a good trade for the Cavaliers? Is there more in the works before the deadline? Mary Schmitt Boyer will answer those questions and more in a live chat today at 2 p.m.

View full sizeThe Plain DealerMo Williams played 2 1/2 seasons for the Cavaliers.

Note: This chat has been rescheduled for 2 p.m.

Mo Williams is on his way to L.A. Was it a good trade for the Cavaliers? Is there more in the works before the deadline?

Mary Schmitt Boyer will answer those questions and more in a live chat today at 2 p.m.

You can jump in the chat room and ask your questions as well as interact with other users and respond to Mary's remarks, or you can just listen. The chat will also be made available shortly after its completion in mp3 format.

Remember, you can also send her questions to Hey, Mary! Those answers will appear in the newspaper and online every Sunday.

PD columnist says Grant must be resourceful in how team uses draft picks, salary cap space. Watch video

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Welcome to today's edition of Starting Blocks TV, hosted by Chuck Yarborough and Branson Wright.

What do you think of the Cavaliers' trade this morning that sent Mo Williams and Jamario Moon to the Los Angeles Clippers for Baron Davis and a first-round draft pick? Vote in today's Starting Blocks poll.

Today's guest, Plain Dealer columnist Bud Shaw, says this deal puts the pressure on Cavs GM Chris Grant to make the right moves in the draft, trades and free agency. Bud also talks about whether Davis will ever even play for the Cavs; and about his Shaw's Spin column today, which discussed whether the NBA can do anything to stop players from forming Super Teams in large markets.

SBTV will return Friday with Plain Dealer Browns reporter Tony Grossi answering fan questions from his weekly Hey, Tony! feature.

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- If it seemed as if the trade that brought Baron Davis from the Los Angeles Clippers for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon came about quickly, that's because it did. Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant said that the team had been having periodic talks about Davis since last summer, and they intensified last week. But it wasn't...

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio -- If it seemed as if the trade that brought Baron Davis from the Los Angeles Clippers for Mo Williams and Jamario Moon came about quickly, that's because it did.

Cavaliers general manager Chris Grant said that the team had been having periodic talks about Davis since last summer, and they intensified last week. But it wasn't until about 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, 30 minutes before the Cavs game against Houston, that things really came to a head. Five hours later, the deal was done, Grant said.

Grant would not rule out a few other moves before the 3 p.m. trade deadline.

In the meantime, he and the Cavs are thrilled with obtaining Davis and an unprotected No. 1 draft choice, which could be in the top 10 in the draft.

"We're excited to make this move,'' Grant said in a press conference at the team's practice facility. "We're excited about Baron, a very talented player at a position that's a difficult position in this league. We've also created an opportunity for ourselves as we continue to build this franchise and move forward with the draft pick. We feel good about it. We're eager to keep going and keep moving. Our scouting department just got a little busier, which is a good thing.''

Grant said he anticipated no problems with Davis, who didn't always get along with Byron Scott when the two were in New Orleans. Davis told reporters when he was here with the Clippers two weeks ago that he valued the impact Scott had on his career.

Grant also dismissed talk that the upcoming draft was a weak one, saying that it takes three years before a draft can be adequately measured.