Cleveland Cavaliers (S3): [37-23] (Trade Deadline)

[Axel The Great]

Looks like the sim engine gave you the push you needed for that 8-game win streak. Kyrie has gone berserk recently, hopefully he moves higher up the MVP Candidates list in the next few months. So far, your trade with the Warriors is paying dividends; it would make your team very intriguing if you got the first overall pick to land Wiggins.

[Kenny]

Its_asdf, he's a monster in this game. When I played the Mavs, he destroyed me. It'd be nice to see him replicate that this season with the Nuggets.

Axel., that's what I like about this game; the sim engine is fair. I've had times when it's gone for me and against me, but it's always fair. Kyrie has been so much fun to control. I'm hoping to keep him around as long as I can. And the Warriors trade was great, but adding Wiggins to my team would create a bit of a dilemma for me, since I drafted Chuck Shaw a couple of seasons ago.

[Kenny]

Restricted: Two Starters To Test Free Agency



This upcoming free agency is going to be an eventful one for the Cleveland Cavaliers, as both Kyrie Irving and Tristan Thompson have decided to test their value on the market. While this could sound like ominous news for fans that have been stung before by the greatest player in the league, Irving and Tristan will both be restricted free agents. And by the sounds of it, the GM believes Kyrie isn't going anywhere.

"He's staying; I can guarantee it," Young said. "We have plenty of cap flexibility for this impending scenario. We're not letting go one of the best players in the league without a fight."

While it seems certain that Kyrie's offer sheet will be matched regardless of the price, Tristan Thompson may not be in the same boat. Even though both the GM and coach are impressed by Tristan's potential and motor, players such as Kevin Love, Kenneth Faried and Zach Randolph might entice Young to let Thompson walk if the price is too high.

It will be a busy negotiation season for the Cavaliers, with only Carl Landry and Steven Adams with guaranteed salaries next season.

Team Options
Thabo Sefolosha, Chuck Shaw (2yr), Dion Waiters, Mouphtaou Yarou, Tyler Zeller

Player Option
JJ Redick

[Phil89]

I feel like Thompson will be gone if you have a chance to land Faried.

Kevin Love would be an awesome additional as well. Hopefully Kyrie doesn't cost you too much.

[Kenny]

Phil89, before playing with the Cavs, I would have said definitely; but now I actually like Thompson's game. I think I'd keep him even if Faried was on the market. Kevin Love on the other hand would be a tempting prospect.

[Kenny]

The Catch Up

Due to months of inactivity, I thought I'd do a quick catch up so I can get closer to where I am in the season. These are the games at the end of January.

PHX@CLE

CLE: 96
PHX: 71

Dion Waiters starred in the Cavaliers thrashing of the Suns. He had 27 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block. Kyrie added 19 points off 9-18 shooting, while J.J. Redick scored 14 points.

Toby Robin top scored for Phoenix with 17. Carmelo (13) and Shannon Brown (12) had minor contributions as well.

CLE@GSW

CLE: 88
GSW: 85

Kyrie was 2 steals away from a double-double with 22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 8 steals. Dion Waiters also played well with 14 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists. J.J. Redick added 12 and Carl Landry added 11.

Klay Thompson top scored for the Warriors. He had 18 points and 8 rebounds. Nate Robinson added 13 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists. Andrew Bogut was 1 rebound off a double-double (12 points, 9 rebounds), while Ben Gordon added 11.

CLE@OKC

OKC: 98
CLE: 94

Russell Westbrook top scored for the Thunder with 22 points. Kevin Martin added 17, while former Cavalier C.J. Miles also had a productive game with 16 points off the bench. Serge Ibaka registered a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds.

Kyrie Irving (23) and Dion Waiters (21) both had meaningful contributions in the Cavs loss. J.J. Redick scored 18 off the bench. Tyler Zeller had 11 points and 7 rebounds, while Adam Morrison was also active off the bench, scoring 10.

CLE@MIN

MIN: 114
CLE: 89

The combination of Chris Bosh and Kevin Love inflicted the most pain on the Cavaliers, scoring 22 and 20 respectively. Kevin Love also grabbed 10 rebounds. Alex Shved was also close to a double-double with 17 points and 8 rebounds. Chase Budinger added 14,
while Ricky Rubio had 13 points and 9 assists.

Dion Waiters (26) and Kyrie Irving (19) both had numbers similar to their usual output. However, they had little help, with Adam Morrison (10) and J.J. Redick (9) the only two players who scored more than two points.

BOS@CLE

BOS: 98
CLE: 86

Avery Bradley (18) top scored for Boston. Rajon Rondo had a double-double, with 17 points and 10 assists. Jared Sullinger had 15 points and 8 rebounds, while Paul Pierce and Jeff Green scored 13 each. Wesley Johnson added 10.

Kyrie Irving (24) and J.J. Redick (21) were the main sparks for the Cavaliers. But once again, the top scorers lacked any substantial help, with Dion Waiters (16) the only other Cavalier to score in double figures.

MIL@CLE



MIL: 110
CLE: 84

Despite the absense of Dwight Howard, the Bucks easily accounted for the Cavs, thanks to Orlando Johnson (25) and Monta Ellis (20). Brandon Jennings added 16, while Larry Sanders (15) and Drew Gooden (14) filled the void in the frontcourt well.

The Cleveland starters had an off night, as only one of them scored in double figures. Andrei Kirilenko led the way with 21 points, 7 rebounds and 3 blocked shots. Kirk Hinrich was the best off the bench, as contributed with 18. J.J. Redick (11) and Adam Morrison (10) had minor contributions.

CLE@BKN



CLE: 99
BKN: 88

After an off night against the Bucks, Kyrie came back with a 27 point effort in the Cavs win against Brooklyn. Dion Waiters also found his form again, registering 18 points and 9 rebounds. Kirk Hinrich and Andrei Kirilenko scored 11 each off the bench.

Joe Johnson was the top scorer for the Nets, as he scored 26 on the night. Deron Williams was 4 rebounds off a triple-double, with 18 points, 6 rebounds and 12 assists. MarShon Brooks (10) was the only other double figure scorer for the Nets.

SAC@CLE



CLE: 121
SAC: 99

The Cleveland guards fired on all cylinders against the Kings, as J.J. Redick (28), Dion Waiters (19) and Kyrie Irving (18) all had efficient scoring nights. Kirk Hinrich continued his fine form since joining the Cavaliers, scoring 14 off the bench. Carl Landry and Andrei Kirilenko both scored 10 each.

The Kings had six players in double figures, with Jimmer Fredette and Isaiah Thomas leading the scoring with 16 each. Dorell Wright added 12, while Travis Outlaw, Boogie Cousins and Marcus Thornton all added 10 each.

Overall: 25-21

Injury Update
Chuck Shaw - Back Spasms, Day-to-day (Hurt)
Tristan Thompson - Strained Hamstring, 1-2 weeks (Hurt)

East

Bulls 30-17
76ers 28-17
Wizards 27-18
Raptors 27-20
Cavaliers 25-21
Knicks 23-20
Bucks 23-21
Pistons 24-22
---
Pacers 25-23
Bobcats 21-22
Heat 22-24
Hawks 19-26
Nets 18-29
Celtics 16-30
Magic 14-31

West

Rockets 29-17
Timberwolves 29-18
Thunder 28-18
Trail Blazers 23-19
Hornets 25-22
Nuggets 24-22
Spurs 24-24
Kings 23-23
---
Grizzlies 23-25
Clippers 22-26
Mavericks 21-26
Jazz 21-27
Suns 20-26
Lakers 20-27
Warriors 17-30

Monthly Awards

Players

East: [ATL] Josh Smith
West: [OKC] Russell Westbrook

Rookies

East: [WAS] Nerlens Noel
West: [PHX] Cody Zeller

Transactions

Trades

Kings received: Glen Davis
Magic received: Jason Thompson

Grizzlies received: Rodney Stuckey
Spurs received: Jerryd Bayless

Celtics received: Xavier Henry
Hornets received: Jordan Crawford, '15 2nd round pick

Suns received: Brandon Bass, '15 2nd round pick
Celtics received: Wesley Johnson

Trail Blazers received: Jeff Green, '16 2nd round pick
Celtics received: Wesley Matthews

Signings

Cavaliers signed Kirk Hinrich to 1yr/800k deal

[Martti.]

Welcome back! Can we expect more updates?

[Kenny]

Martti., I just started my Winter break (feels weird saying that in December), so hopefully a few updates here and there. I guess the regularity of them depends on what I plan to do with my remaining time in America.

[Kenny]

Pistons Thrash Cavs Without CP3


Thabo stopped a major humiliation

Even though they were missing Chris Paul, the Detroit Pistons easily won against the Cavaliers by 108-95. Brandon Knight stood up in CP3's absense, with 27 points, 5 rebounds and 8 assists. Harrison Barnes was also a major catalyst for the victory. He filled up the stat sheet with 22 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and a block. Jonathon Baker (12) had a minor scoring contribution, while Greg Monroe (10 points, 13 rebounds) and Andre Drummond (10 points, 8 rebounds) controlled the paint.

Thabo Sefolosha, a player known more for his defensive prowess, was the surprising high-point man of the game. He scored 29 points, as well as registering 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals off the bench. While he was overshadowed by Sefolosha, Kyrie Irving (21 points, 11 assists) had another strong performance. J.J. Redick was the only other double figure scorer for the Cavaliers, with 13 points.

CLE@DET
DET: 108 (Knight 27, Barnes 22, Baker 12)
CLE: 95 (Sefolosha 29, Irving 21, Redick 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Brandon Knight 27 points (11-18 FG) 5 rebounds 8 assists 1 steal

Rebounds
DET: Monroe 13
CLE: Irving, Sefolosha, Zeller 5

Assists
DET: Knight 8
CLE: Irving 11

Cavs Survive Late Charge


Kyrie had a great battle with Ty Lawson.

The Cavaliers came away with a narrow 103-99 victory over the Denver Nuggets in Cleveland. The Cavs came into the fourth quarter with a 14 point lead, but they saw it disappear quickly, as the Nuggets rallied with their excellent team play.

Kyrie Irving had another outstanding game, scoring 34 points. J.J. Redick provided the spark off the bench, with 24 points. Carl Landry had possibly his best game as a Cavalier, scoring 17, while rookie Steven Adams chipped in with 11 points and 6 rebounds off the bench.

Ty Lawson led a field of 5 double figure scorers for Denver. He had a huge game and was 3 rebounds off a triple-double, with 18 points, 7 rebounds and 16 assists. Wilson Chandler was also just 3 rebounds away from his double-double, with 17 points and 7 rebounds. Corey Brewer (15) and Jordan Hamilton (14) both had moments where they menaced the Cleveland defense, while Kenneth Faried came up huge in the paint. He had 12 points and 15 rebounds on the night.

DEN@CLE

CLE: 103 (Irving 34, Redick 24, Landry 17)
DEN: 99 (Lawson 18, Chandler 17, Brewer 15)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 34 points (11-21 FG) 1 rebound 8 assists 3 steals 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Kirilenko 8
DEN: Faried 15

Assists
CLE: Irving 8
DEN: Lawson 16

The Cleveland Cavaliers thrashed the Orlando Magic 116-100 off an incredible night by Kyrie Irving. Irving flirted with a historic quadruple-double, with 38 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists and a franchise record 11 steals. He was backed up by four double digit scorers, led by J.J. Redick (18) Carl Landry had another solid offensive performance, scoring 14 points off 5-6 shooting, while Andrei Kirilenko registered a double-double (11 points, 10 rebounds). Backup point guard Kirk Hinrich chipped in with 10.

The Magic once again lived and died by the performance of J.R. Smith. He scored 28 points, but shot an inefficient 11-29 from the field, including 4-15 from beyond the arc. Tony Mitchell on the other hand made the most of his limited opportunities, scoring 16 points off a perfect 7-7. Jason Thompson (15) had a productive night, while Arron Afflalo had one he'd like to forget. With Jameer Nelson injured, the Magic made Afflalo their makeshift point guard. Even though he had 12 points and 9 assists, the glaring statistic was the 10 turnovers he had.

On the injury front, Chuck Shaw came back after sitting out with back spasms. However, it's believed that he once again aggravated his back and could be out for another 1-2 weeks.

ORL@CLE
CLE: 116 (Irving 38, Redick 18, Landry 14)
ORL: 100 (Smith 28, Mitchell 16, Thompson 15)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 38 points (14-24 FG) 7 rebounds 8 assists 11 steals

Rebounds
CLE: Kirilenko 10
ORL: Vucevic 8

Assists
CLE: Irving 8
ORL: Afflalo 9

Overall: 27-22

Injury Report
Chuck Shaw - Back Spasms, 1-2 weeks (Hurt)
Tristan Thompson - Strained Hamstring, Day-to-day (Hurt)

[john26]

is that 29 points a career high for thabo? nonetheless awesome wins over the magic and the nuggets to make up for the loss vs the pistons

[Kenny]

john26, after looking it up, I can confirm that it was a career-high for Sefolosha. His previous mark was 28.

[Kenny]

All-Star Weekend 2015

Shaw and Adams Selected for Rookie Challenge

Rookie centre Steven Adams and sophomore forward Chuck Shaw were both selected for the Rookie Challenge at this season's All-Star Weekend. Shaw will come off the bench for the Home team, while Adams is a reserve for the Away team.

Home
[ORL] Lonny Marks
[LAL] James McAdoo
[LAC] Otto Porter
[DET] Jonathon Baker
[SAC] Walt Rice
Bench
[POR] Ray Lane
[HOU] Shabazz Muhammad
[CLE] Chuck Shaw
[NOH] Clark Samuel
[MIN] Rodney Gatling

Away
[PHX] Cody Zeller
[PHX] Toby Robins
[WAS] Matthew Burks
[CHA] Len George
[MEM] Ian Miller
Bench
[UTA] Ryan Harrow
[SAN] Kentavious Caldwell-Pope
[LAL] Adonis Thomas
[BKN] Rakeem Christmas
[CLE] Steven Adams

Rookie Guards in Dunk Contest

Rookies Shabazz Muhammad (Rockets) and Ben McLemore (Thunder) will compete in this year's dunk contest. Derrick Williams (Timberwolves) and Toby Robins (Suns) make up the other half of the field.

Dunk contestants
[HOU] Shabazz Muhammad
[MIN] Derrick Williams
[OKC] Ben McLemore
[PHX] Toby Robins

Splash Brothers Headline Three Point Shootout

Golden State guards Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will both line up for the three point contest. With the defending champion J.J. Redick withdrawing from the competition, Curry and Thompson are the early favourites to take the trophy.

3PT Contestants
[GSW] Klay Thompson
[BKN] Deron Williams
[HOU] James Harden
[MIL] Brandon Jennings
[GSW] Stephen Curry
[IND] Paul George

Kyrie the Lone Cavalier in All-Star Game

Kyrie Irving's stellar season has been rewarded with a start in this season's All-Star Game. He will pair up with John Wall in the East's backcourt. John Wall is one of 3 debutants, along with Matthew Burks (Wizards) and Paul George (Pacers).

The West will have an OKC reunion, as Kevin Durant, James Harden and Russell Westbrook were all voted in as starters. Ricky Rubio (Timberwolves) and Eric Gordon (Hornets) will debut for the West.

East
[PHI] Andrew Bynum
[ATL] Josh Smith
[MIA] LeBron James
[WAS] John Wall
[CLE] Kyrie Irving
Bench
[CHI] Derrick Rose
[MIA] Dwyane Wade
[WAS] Matthew Burks
[NYK] Amar'e Stoudemire
[DET] Greg Monroe
[IND] Paul George
[NJN] Deron Williams

West
[SAC] DeMarcus Cousins
[LAC] Blake Griffin
[OKC] Kevin Durant
[HOU] James Harden
[OKC] Russell Westbrook
Bench
[MIN] Ricky Rubio
[NOH] Eric Gordon
[PHX] Carmelo Anthony
[MIN] Kevin Love
[MIN] Chris Bosh
[DEN] Ty Lawson
[SAN] Tony Parker

[Kenny]

Dedicating this one to the X

Stache and Kiwi Star Against the Heat


Adam Morrison and Steven Adams were pleasant surprises.

The Cavaliers got big time production from two of their role players in the 108-98 win against Miami. Adam Morrison top scored for them, with 22 points against the world's best player. Kyrie Irving was down a little on his usual point production (19), but still had a solid outing. However, the story of the game was the rookie Steven Adams. In his first career start, Adams was impressive enough to win the Performer of the Game, with 16 points, 5 rebounds and 2 blocked shots. J.J. Redick chipped in with 12.

After a slow start, LeBron James got into the game late, registering 32 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals. He had great help from his sidekick Dwyane Wade, who had 20 points and 10 assists. But the scoring dried up after the Big Two's contributions, with Jordan Hill (13) the only other double figure scorer.

MIA@CLE

CLE: 108 (Morrison 22, Irving 19, Adams 16)
MIA: 98 (James 32, Wade 20, Hill 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Steven Adams 16 points (8-12 FG) 5 rebounds 2 blocks

Rebounds

CLE: Kirilenko, Zeller 7
MIA: Martin 8

Assists

CLE: Irving 6
MIA: Wade 10

Jefferson Sinks the Cavaliers


Adams continued to shine.

A mid-range game winner by Al Jefferson got the Jazz over the line in their 94-93 win over the Cavaliers. Jefferson ended up with 13 points after being well guarded by Cavaliers' rookie Steven Adams.
Despite Jefferson's heroics, Gordon Hayward was the real star for the Jazz. He had an impressive 22 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists and 1 steal. Alec Burks also provided solid production on the offensive end, with 16. The Jazz power forward rotation also looked strong, as Paul Millsap (12 points, 7 rebounds) and Derrick Favors (11 points, 6 rebounds) were both effective in their minutes.

Following up on his career night against the Heat, Steven Adams led the Cavaliers with 26 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Kyrie once again played an unfamiliar "Robin" role, with 19 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists. Thabo Sefolosha and Dion Waiters added 12 each, while Carl Landry added 10.

UTA@CLE

UTA: 94 (Hayward 22, Burks 16, Jefferson 13)
CLE: 93 (Adams 26, Irving 19, Sefolosha 12)

Sprite Performer of the Game: Gordon Hayward 22 points (8-14 FG) 8 rebounds 5 assists 1 steal

Rebounds

UTA: Hayward 8
CLE: Adams 8

Assists

UTA: Harrow 11
CLE: Irving 5

Overall: 28-23

Injury Update
Tristan Thompson - Will be back next game
Chuck Shaw - Back Spasms, 1-2 weeks (Hurt)

[Axel The Great]

Nice to see the Stache in on the action.

Looking at the All-Star starters, you can tell this story is moving from old blood (Kobe, Duncan, etc.) to new blood. And on that note, I like that James Harden is a starter, as I hope he will be in real life.

[Kenny]

Axel., I definitely enjoy having an alternate reality where the stache is still playing

I think as long as Kobe is playing, he's going to have at least one of those guard spots in the West, and it'd be hard to take that second one away from CP3. I could see Harden being a perennial starter once Kobe retires though.

[Kenny]

Cavs Win Offensive Shootout


Portland had no answer for Kyrie.
Not a lot of defense was played in the Cavaliers 115-112 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.

Five Cavs scored in double figures, as they were led by another outstanding performance by Kyrie Irving. He had 30 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists and 6 steals. Tristan Thompson enjoyed his return to the court, scoring 23 off the bench. Steven Adams continued his rise to prominence, with 18 points and 9 rebounds, while J.J. Redick (15) and Carl Landry (12) both had solid offensive performances. Dion Waiters pulled up lame in the win and is likely to miss 1-2 weeks. He had 5 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists.

LaMarcus Aldridge and Andre Iguodala co-top scored with 21 each. Nicholas Batum added 17, while Jeff Green (16) and Victor Claver (10) also chipped in.

POR@CLE

CLE: 115
(Irving 30, Thompson 23, Adams 18)
POR: 112
(Aldridge 21, Iguodala 21, Batum 17)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 30 points (13-17 FG) 6 rebounds 11 assists 6 steals

Rebounds

CLE: Adams 9
POR: Iguodala 9

Assists

CLE: Irving 11
POR: Smith 12

Cavaliers Overwhelmed in OT


Thabo Sefolosha started at shooting guard.

The Grizzlies came away from Cleveland with a 117-109 win in overtime. After Tayshaun Prince missed both free throws at 99-96, Kyrie Irving hit a three with one second left in regulation to send this game to an extra period.

However, the story of the game was Tyshawn Taylor. Replacing the injured Mike Conley in the starting lineup, Taylor had a career game with 35 points, 4 rebounds and 7 assists. He was well backed up by Tayshaun Prince (16) and Rodney Stuckey (14), who both had efficient games. Ed Davis was 1 rebound away from a double-double, with 12 points and 9 rebounds.

After choosing to play the distribution role, Kyrie hit some big shots late and ended up leading the Cavaliers scoring with 20 points. He was 3 rebounds off a triple-double, as he had 7 rebounds and 10 assists as well. Steven Adams was one again a huge presense in the paint, with 18 points, 9 rebounds and 2 blocks. Thabo Sefolosha also added 18. He came into the starting lineup for the injured Dion Waiters. Tristan Thompson (13 points, 10 rebounds) got a double-double in his first start back from injury, while Adam Morrison (12), J.J. Redick (10) and Carl Landry (10) chipped in off the bench.

MEM@CLE
(OT)
MEM: 117
(Taylor 35, Prince 16, Stuckey 16)
CLE: 109
(Irving 20, Adams 18, Sefolosha 18)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Tyshawn Taylor 35 points (13-26 FG) 4 rebounds 7 assists 1 steal 1 block

Rebounds

MEM: Randolph 10
CLE: Thompson 10

Assists

MEM: Taylor 7
CLE: Irving 10

Overall: 29-24

Injury Update
Dion Waiters - Sore Knee, 1-2 weeks (Hurt)
Chuck Shaw - Back Spasms, Day-to-day (Hurt)

[Kenny]

All-Star Weekend 2015

I ended up simming through this one since the last one I played was rather underwhelming.

Rookie Challenge

The Stars came away with a 95-92 win in the Rookie Challenge.

Matthew Burks was named the Rookie Challenge MVP. He had a game-high 20 points, along with 6 rebounds and 3 assists. Toby Robins and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope both added 19, while Cody Zeller (12 points, 9 rebounds) was one rebound away from a double-double. Ian Miller scored 11.

For the Elites, Shabazz Muhammad led the way with 18 points. Clark Samuel and James McAdoo (13 rebounds) scored 16 each, while Otto Porter and Jonathon Baker (11 assists) both added 12.

Cavaliers forward Chuck Shaw had 8 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 steal in his 13 minutes of play for the Elites. Steven Adams had a more limited role for the Stars, with just 1 point and 4 rebounds in his 10 minutes.

Stars: 95
(Burks 20, Caldwell-Pope 19, Robins 19)
Elites: 92
(Muhammad 18, McAdoo 16, Samuel 16)

MVP: Matthew Burks 20 points (10-15 FG) 6 rebounds 3 assists 1 steal 1 block

Rebounds

Stars: Zeller 9
Elites: McAdoo 13

Assists

Stars: Harrow 6
Elites: Baker 11

All-Star Game

The West won the All-Star Game 99-86 over the East.

DeMarcus Cousins was the top scorer for the West, with 17 points and 9 rebounds. OKC pair Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook scored 14 each, while former OKC six-man James Harden added 13.

For the East, Cleveland's Kyrie Irving was the top scorer. Irving had 17 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 steals and 1 block. Josh Smith also had a solid game with 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocks. Dwyane Wade added 11, while Andrew Bynum had the only double-doubleof the night, with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

West: 99
(Cousins 17, Durant 14, Westbrook 14)
East: 86
(Irving 17, Smith 14, Wade 11)

MVP: DeMarcus Cousins 17 points (7-18 FG) 9 rebounds 2 blocks

Rebounds

West: Cousins 9
East: Bynum 10

Assists

West: Westbrook 6
East: Wall 6

[Kenny]

Trade Deadline: Deal or No Deal?



February is the time of year where 30 NBA GM's try to figure out how to improve their team before the trade deadline.

One thing is for sure; Kyrie Irving isn't going anywhere.

GM Kenny Young quickly dismissed reports of a possible Kyrie Irving trade.

"Asinine," Young said in regards to the Feb. 17 headline. "Kyrie is one of the best guards in the league. He hasn't expressed any desire to leave and we have cap room next summer. I can tell you now, he's not going anywhere."

For Cleveland, a team who's currently sitting on the bottom end of the top eight, one trade could possibly push them higher up in the Eastern Conference hierarchy.

The right trade could also help keep Kyrie Irving happy with the Cleveland organisation.

The Cavaliers know all too well about the need to appease their star player, after they saw LeBron James leave the franchise in 2011.

"We had the greatest player of this generation leave our franchise. We're going to do everything we can to stop another superstar from doing the same."

Will the Cavaliers make a big move before the deadline?

[Martti.]

Wow, 2K's rumor mill has gone nuts.

[Kenny]

Martti., I think Chris Broussard broke that story

[Kenny]

Trade Deadline 2015



The Cleveland Cavaliers were apart of a three team deal, which saw them send Chuck Shaw to the Celtics and Tyler Zeller to the Lakers in exchange for Paul Pierce (Celtics) and Timofey Mozgov (Lakers).

The Cleveland Cavaliers currently have the first round picks of both the Golden State Warriors and the Memphis Grizzlies, and it is believed that they are interesting in selecting a wing player in the lottery.

With the Celtics out of the Playoff picture, sources close to the situation stated that they wanted to get a player who could be at the centre of their rebuild. It was also reported that Pierce wanted to be traded to a team that had Playoff aspirations.

Paul Pierce is averaging 14.8 points this season from 52 games, while Chuck Shaw played 37 games for the Cavaliers, averaging 9.7 points and 5.3 rebounds.

Tyler Zeller averaged 8.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 51 games for the Cavaliers. Timofey Mozgov has averages of 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds in 9.1 minutes from 53 games.

The Cleveland Cavaliers currently have 14 players on their roster.

---

Projected Lineup

Adams - Thompson - Pierce - Waiters - Irving

Key Bench

Redick - Kirilenko - Landry - Sefolosha

Around the League



Once again, it was a quiet deadline for the NBA, as most teams did their deals in the weeks beforehand.

Paul Gasol was one of the biggest names dealt before the 2015 trade deadline. The often maligned 7 footer from Spain was traded to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for Ryan Anderson and a 2015 second round pick. He's now a member of one of the most formidable front courts in the NBA, as he'll be paired with emerging star Anthony Davis.

Gasol wasn't the only big to be dealt. The cellar-dwelling Golden State Warriors traded Australian centre Andrew Bogut to the 76ers for Andray Blatche and Arnett Moultrie. He will have to find a way to share time with All-Star centre Andrew Bynum.

Finally, former Mavericks championship winner Ian Mahinmi headed back to Dallas, along with a 2016 2nd round pick. Brandan Wright went to the Indiana Pacers.

[Phil89]

Was Shaw your version of Michael Beasley/Derrick Williams? (Top 3 pick that didn't quite pan out)

I think this move should work for you if Pierce stays healthy and can put up 20+ ppg. You've got a solid record this season and given that it's the eastern conference, I think you'll be playing more than 82 games this season.

[Kenny]

Phil89, he was a pretty good fit. Probably a similar skill set to Gordon Hayward, minus the shooting (good defender, rebounder etc). With the next draft packed with small forwards (Wiggins, Parker, Gordon etc), I wanted someone who would be a good short term option so I could go for one of those guys in the draft. The Warriors have the worst record in the West, and I have their pick, so the chances of me getting the top pick are actually pretty good at the moment.

Here's hoping I'm playoff bound. I love the off-season, but it came around way too quickly last time.

[Kenny]

The Truth Stings Hornets in Cavs Debut


Welcome to Cleveland, Paul Pierce.

Paul Pierce immediately became a fan favourite in the Cavs 114-103 win against the Hornets.

Pierce had an incredible game, scoring 43 points off 19-27 shooting. He was being fed all night by Kyrie Irving, who had 15 assists to go with his 22 points. Steven Adams continued to impress as well, with 16 points and 2 blocks.

The Hornets had 5 double figure scorers, led by Eric Gordon (22) and Anthony Davis (20). They also had solid production from Al-Farouq Aminu, who had 17 points and 8 rebounds. Jordan Crawford added 13. Pau Gasol scored 10 points.

CLE: 114
(Pierce 42, Irving 22, Adams 16)
NOH: 103
(Gordon 22, Davis 20, Aminu 17)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Paul Pierce 42 points (19-27 FG) 3 rebounds 4 assists 2 steals

Rebounds

CLE: Adams, Kirilenko 6
NOH: Davis 13

Assists

CLE: Irving 15
NOH: Aminu, Crawford 4

Cavs Neutralise Heat Again


Kyrie made the Heat guards look silly on a few occasions.

The Cavaliers outscored the Heat 62-48 in the second half to come away with a 113-98 win.

It was a battle between the former franchise guy for the Cavaliers and the current one, as LeBron James (35) and Kyrie Irving both registered 30 plus. However, Kyrie had better support from his teammates.

Mid-season recruit Paul Pierce had another great game for the Cavaliers, scoring 21 points. J.J. Redick found his radar, adding 15, while Tristan Thompson had 12. In his first game back from injury, Dion Waiters struggled from the field (2-9) but managed 10 points off a perfect 6-6 from the line.

In contrast to the Cavaliers' team performance, the Heat only had two players in double figure scoring that aren't named LeBron James. Dwyane Wade led the supporting cast with 15, while Shawn Marion added 12 points and 6 rebounds.

CLE: 113
(Irving 31, Pierce 21, Redick 15)
MIA: 98
(James 35, Wade 15, Marion 12)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 31 points (13-19 FG) 4 rebounds 8 assists 1 steal

Rebounds

CLE: Waiters 7
MIA: Marion 6

Assists

CLE: Irving 8
MIA: James 8

Overall: 31-24

Injury Update
Carl Landry - Sore Knee, 1-2 weeks (Hurt)

Channing Frye has signed a deal that will see him in a Cavaliers uniform until the end of the season.

Even though his minutes will be limited behind the likes of Steven Adams and Timofey Mozgov, the addition of Frye gives the Cavaliers something they haven't had all season long; a F/C that can shoot the three ball.

The Cavaliers now have a full roster.

[Phil89]

The Pierce deal is looking good already.

Is Dante Exum in the upcoming draft class? It would be really cool to have him, Kyrie and Steven Adams on the same team. Though I guess he wouldn't be anywhere near the top of your needs list.