The Cavs are getting set to tip off against a Nets team that is determined to erase that "soft" image held leaguewide of the team.
View full sizeThe swelling in Antawn Jamison's knee has subsided to the point where the Cavs think he will be able to play tonight in New Jersey against a suddenly tough-minded Nets team.That could be the case tonight in New Jersey, and back at The Q on Wednesday. Avery Johnson, the coach of the Nets, and guard/forward Terrence Williams are tired of being pushed around. To his credit, Williams got off the dime by throwing a hard shoulder into Miami Cheat, er, HEAT forward LeBron James on Saturday on a flagrant foul. The Heat in general and James in particular have been like a lot of the league and pretty much dissed the Nets on a lack of toughness.
Johnson and Williams are sick of it, according to an account in today's New York Daily News.
Terrence Williams threw down the challenge Saturday when he put his shoulder into a flagrant foul on LeBron James. Monday, Brook Lopez and the rest of the Nets picked it up. After being manhandled by the Magic and embarrassed by the Heat, the Nets focused on toughness."It was way different. A lot more fouls today," Williams said of practice. "We've played six games now and I think guys are kind of taking offense at what other teams and players think of us around the league. Hopefully it changes and we just go from there."Williams is not the only one who expects a more rugged Nets team Tuesday night when they host the Cavaliers in the first game of a back-to-back, home-and-home series. Monday, the practice was long and physical and William's teammates seemed to buy into the idea.It began, however, with the Nets having to face up to their soft reputation. To do so, Avery Johnson said he played "a long horror movie," the video of their loss in Miami. And then the coach played it again.
Gee, looks like LeBron and Co. are winning friends and influencing people all OVER the league, huh?
Toe the line
One site, offshoreinsiders.com, has the Nets as 2 1/2-point favorites tonight. New Jersey is 2-4, coming off a pair of losses; the Cavs are 3-3, coming off a pair of wins. And in first place.
Hey, offshoreinsiders.com! Wanna bet?
Drinks are on Bron Bron
A Florida restaurant and bar, Whiskey Tango All-American Bar & Grill, already is out about $7,000 because of a promotion to pick up the tabs (up to $25) of all patrons who sign in with the Hollywood, Fla., bar when the Miami Heat lose. The season-opening Celtics game alone cost 'em $4,000, according to an account in the Orlando Sun-Sentinel.
It could get even better, depending on your perspective. The rematch is Thursday, and up for grabs this time is the $25 per person regular bet ... AND two tickets to the Cavs' game in Miami on Dec. 15.
Whiskey Tango is out nearly $7,000 so far to cover
tabs after the Heat’s losses against Boston and New Orleans, but owner Bob
Hartley isn’t blinking: The offer will continue through the end of the season,
he promises.“It’s gone awesome,” Hartley said on Tuesday. “The
excitement in the room is amazing. It’s bittersweet, because you’re almost
rooting for the Heat to lose. But we look at it as a consolation prize. If they
lose, you still have something to be happy about.”Hartley said his partner, John Todoro, came up with
the idea as the two were watching ESPN’s broadcast of “The Decision,” in which
James announced he’d be joining the Heat.Hartley said they decided to make the offer before
“We said, uh-oh, we could have a loss in the first
the NBA season schedule was announced. When they saw the first game would be
against the Boston Celtics, they flinched, but just a little.
game,” said Hartley, who had to pay off $4,100 worth of tabs that night. But it
also offered quick proof that they are serious about putting their money where
their mouth is. “Turned out to be the best thing in the world to start with a
loss.“
We know a whole bunch of Cavs fans who won't benefit from the offer, but couldn't agree more. Every Heat loss is a Cavaliers win.
Not that we're bitter.
From The Plain Dealer
Life is good for Cavs coach Byron Scott, at least six games into the young season. He has the Cavs in a place that was quite familiar to them last year -- first -- using a new biggest weapon: each other. Beat writer Mary Scmitt Boyer, in her story setting up tonight's Cavs game in New Jersey, also said that forward Antawn Jamison is expected to end a three-game hiatus because of a bum knee. The swelling on the knee has gone down, which should allow Jamison to play against the Nets.
"Obviously, it was a good weekend," Scott said. "Our guys played really well on the offensive end especially. We showed some signs of improvement on the defensive end. That was a focal point today in our film session and our actual court time.
"We just want to keep getting better and I think we're heading in the right direction. Our guys are feeling pretty comfortable and confident with what we're doing and we're getting better on both ends of the floor. That's a big reason why I think we're headed in the right direction."