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

[Kenny]

Cats Maul Cavs


Dion Waiters almost had a triple-double.

The Cavaliers suffered another tough loss on the road, as they were defeated by the Bobcats 101-86.

Kemba Walker had a solid all-round game for the Bobcats, with 23 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and 1 block. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist also had a great game, with 18 points, as well as 3 steals and 2 blocks. Ben Gordon contributed with 15, while Tyrus Thomas continued his surprisingly productive season, with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

For the Cavaliers, Dion Waiters was 3 rebounds off a triple-double with 25 points, 7 rebounds, 11 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks. J.J. Redick added 22, and Gary Neal scored 11.

This loss was the third straight for the Cavaliers, who are missing All-Star Kyrie Irving.

CLE@CHA

CHA: 101 (Walker 23, Kidd-Gilchrist 18, Gordon 15)
CLE: 86 (Waiters 25, Redick 20, Neal 11)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Tyrus Thomas 12 points (6-9 FG) 12 rebounds 2 assists 2 steals 1 block

Rebounds
CHA: Thomas 12
CLE: Thompson 12

Assists
CHA: Pekovic, Walker 6
CLE: Waiters 11

Hawks Fly Past Cavs


J.J. had another strong game.

The downhill slide for the Cavaliers continued, as they were beaten by the Atlanta Hawks 113-102.

Louis Williams was had the hot hand, scoring 31 points, which included him hitting 3-4 from beyond the arc. Al Horford was strong in the paint, with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Josh Smith was also formidable in the paint, as he also grabbed 12 boards, along with scoring 14 points. Jeff Teague had Atlanta's third double-double of the night with 12 points and 10 assists, while Terrence Williams provided a spark off the bench with 10 points.

For the Cavaliers, J.J. Redick led the way with 22 points. Dion Waiters also had a good night with 19 points and 7 assists. The first half of the game saw a Tracy McGrady throwback, as he scored 13, while Tristan Thompson had 11 points.

ATL@CLE

ATL: 113 (L Williams 31, Horford, Smith 14)
CLE: 102 (Redick 22, Waiters 19, McGrady 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Louis Williams 31 points (13-22 FG) 2 rebounds 5 assists 4 steals

Rebounds
ATL: Horford, Smith 12
CLE: Varejao 7

Assists
ATL: Teague 10
CLE: Waiters 7

Cavaliers Drop Fifth Straight


Tyler Zeller had one of the best games of his career.

The slump continued for the Cleveland Cavaliers, as they lost 108-103 to the Pacers.

The Pacers had five double-digit scorers, as they were led by Gerald Green, who scored 24. Paul George scored 18 and had the crucial three that put Indiana up by 1 with only two minutes to play. George Hill (17 points, 11 assists) had a double-double, while Danny Granger (15) and Roy Hibbert (14) provided the Pacers solid options up front.

J.J. Redick once again top scored for the Cavs with 20 points. Anderson Varejao was active in the paint, with 17 points and 8 rebounds. But he was ultimately outshined by backup centre Tyler Zeller. The sophomore centre recorded Cleveland's only double-double of the night, as he scored 14 points and grabbed 10 rebounds. Tristan Thompson was influential, with 13 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, while backup power forward Charlie Villanueva chipped in with 12.

The Cavaliers were up by 3 at the end of the third quarter, but they were outscored 35-27 in the 4th.

IND@CLE

IND: 108 (Green 24, George 18, Hill 17)
CLE: 103 (Redick 20, Varejao 17, Zeller 14)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Gerald Green 24 points (10-12 FG) 2 rebounds 3 assists

Rebounds
IND: Granger 8
CLE: Zeller 10

Assists
IND: Hill 11
CLE: Thompson 7

Record: 15-18

[Kenny]

December 2013 Summary

The Cleveland Cavaliers were looking to have a good month, as they peaked at number four in the Eastern Conference. But like many teams before them, they lost momentum once their star player got injured and they fell away. Now, they're in 10th place off 5 consecutive losses.

Dion Waiters has done a pretty good job in Kyrie's absense, and he has been far more consistent than the beginning of the year. J.J. Redick has But even with Kyrie, the Cavaliers lacked depth at the point, and right now, they only have a string of makeshift point guards to fill the position.

Along with Kyrie's ability to control the point, a big hole he has left in the team has been his point scoring. Both Dion Waiters and J.J. Redick have been putting up the points, but the Cavs have lacked a consistent third man. Guys like Tristan Thompson, Gary Neal and Anderson Varejao have provided this option from time-to-time, but not on a regular basis.

Kyrie is set to come back this month, while Marreese Speights might have to wait until February to recover from his broken jaw. When it happens, Cleveland will welcome all the help they can get.

Standings

East

Heat 23-5
Raptors 19-11
Bucks 18-14
Pacers 16-13
Bulls 16-14
76ers 16-14
Bobcats 15-14
Knicks 15-16
---
Wizards 15-16
Cleveland 15-18
Nets 14-17
Magic 13-18
Celtics 10-21
Hawks 9-20
Pistons 10-22

West

Nuggets 23-9
Timberwolves 21-9
Jazz 16-11
Suns 18-13
Thunder 18-14
Warriors 17-15
Rockets 14-14
Grizzlies 15-16
---
Clippers 15-16
Kings 14-16
Spurs 14-16
Mavericks 14-17
Trail Blazers 12-17
Hornets 13-20
Lakers 9-21

Monthly Awards

Players
EAST: [MIA] LeBron James
WEST: [LAL] Kobe Bryant

Rookies
EAST: [WAS] Matthew Burks
WEST: [SAC] Walt Rice

Around the League

Trades

Grizzlies received: Tyshawn Taylor, Reggie Evans
Nets received: Darrell Arthur

76ers received: Trevor Ariza
Wizards received: Nick Young, Lavoy Allen

Bucks received: Nando De Colo, '14 2nd round pick
Spurs received: Samuel Dalembert

Signings/Extensions

Pacers signed Darius Morris for 1yr/2.71M
Lakers signed Pau Gasol for 2yr/14.28M
Lakers signed Chris Duhon for 1yr/1.17M
Cavaliers signed Gary Neal for 1yr/1.57M
Celtics signed Paul Pierce for 1yr/6.11M
Rockets signed Hedo Turkoglu for 2yr/2.71M
Mavericks signed Dirk Nowitzki for 2yr/19.54M

[Kenny]

The Awards Race

It's that time of the year. The NBA has seen a substantial amount of games and the race for each individual award is on. Has your favourite player made any of the lists?

MVP

[MIA] LeBron James
[DEN] Ty Lawson
[OKC] Kevin Durant
[MIN] Kevin Love
[MIA] Dwyane Wade

LeBron continues to be the most dominant player in the league. Is anyone surprised? He's averaging 25.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists and 1.5 steals. Ty Lawson is a surprise bolter in the list, averaging 18.1 points and 10.2 assists with the best-in-the-west Nuggets. If Kyrie Irving didn't get injured, he could be pretty high on this list.

Rookie of the Year

[PHX] Toby Robins
[WAS] Matthew Burks
[SAC] Walt Rice
[CLE] Chuck Shaw
[DET] Jonathon Baker

Cleveland's Chuck Shaw gets a mention on this list, but his numbers are continuing to drop as the Cavs are preferring the better shooting option in Alonzo Gee. Toby Robins on the other hand is on the rise, averaging 13.9 points and 8.6 rebounds.

6th Man of the Year

[CLE] J.J. Redick
[BOS] Jordan Crawford
[MIN] J.J. Barea
[DAL] Rodigue Beaubois
[PHI] Dorell Wright

It's no surprise that J.J. is at the top of this list. He's been a solid second-or-third scoring option for the Cavaliers all season. He's averaging 15.8 points while shooting threes at 40.4 percent. The other J.J. on this list is out-shooting him from the arc, with 46.6 percent, while also being second in the league in PER (27.3). It'll be a close race if he keeps that up.

Defensive Player of the Year

[MIL] Dwight Howard
[ATL] Josh Smith
[NOH] Anthony Davis
[CHI] Joakim Noah
[CHA] Tyrus Thomas

His first year after the woeful Lakers defensive system and Dwight is already a favourite for the Defensive award. His presense is a big reason why the Bucks have been great so far this season. Josh Smith and Tyrus Thomas however lead the league in blocks (1.9), so it might not be in the bag for Howard.

Most Improved Player

[LAC] Eric Bledsoe
[IND] Roy Hibbert
[MEM] Jerryd Bayless
[SAN] DeJuan Blair
[LAC] Blake Griffin

After Chris Paul went to Detroit, Eric Bledsoe has emerged for the Clippers, averaging 10.5 points, 6.1 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 2.5 steals. Strangely enough, his All-Star teammate gets a mention on this list too. Griffin is averaging 22.7 points and 11.6 rebounds. Is that a great improvement for Blake?

[Axel The Great]

Wow, I can't believe I barely noticed this thread until now. Good team choice, definitely won't be as easy to rebuild the Cavs as the Nuggets. Looking forward to seeing how things go!

So far, you're on par (or slightly above) with expectations, even though you've taken a bit of a dip recently with that losing streak. Would be nice to see Redick win Sixth Man of the Year, he's definitely an excellent pickup for you.

[Kenny]

Axel., it's definitely proving to be a challenge at the moment. I guess that's what you get when you centre your franchise around an injury prone guy like Kyrie Irving.

Honestly, if I end up 41-41, I'd be pretty happy with that. It'd be an upgrade at least. And I definitely want J.J. to win the award.

[Kenny]

5 Simmed Games

SAC@CLE

CLE: 104 (Waiters 24, Redick 20, Thompson 18)
SAC: 92 (Patterson 16, Cousins 15, Thomas 15)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Dion Waiters 24 points (10-21 FG) 4 rebounds 4 assists 2 steals 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Gee 10
SAC: Cousins 11

Assists
CLE: Redick 8
SAC: Thomas 5

CHA@CLE

CHA: 106 (Kidd-Gilchrist 25, Pekovic 20, Mullens 16)
CLE: 90 (Waiters 34, Irving 15, Thompson 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Michael Kidd-Gilchrist 25 points (11-17 FG) 8 rebounds 3 assists 2 steals 1 block

Rebounds
CHA: Mullens 10
CLE: Thompson 8

Assists
CHA: Walker 11
CLE: Redick 7

Note: Kyrie Irving played his first game back after injuring his shoulder.

WAS@CLE

CLE: 117 (Waiters 24, Thompson 21, Redick 20)
WAS: 116 (Wall 29, Beal 26, West 20)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Dion Waiters 24 points (10-12 FG) 5 rebounds 2 assists 1 steal 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Gee 9
WAS: Okafor 7

Assists
CLE: Irving 7
WAS: Wall 8

CLE@IND

CLE: 108 (Waiters 22, Thompson 18, Irving 17)
IND: 101 (Granger 26, George 14, Hill 12)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Dion Waiters 22 points (8-15 FG) 2 rebounds 7 assists 1 steal 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Varejao 10
IND: George, Granger, Mahinmi 8

Assists
CLE: Waiters 7
IND: Hill 7

OKC@CLE

CLE: 98 (Gee 21, Waiters 19, Redick 18)
OKC: 95 (Westbrook 30, Durant 24, Lamb 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Alonzo Gee 21 points (8-10 FG) 3 rebounds 2 assists 1 steal

Rebounds
CLE: Thompson 12
OKC: Perkins 7

Assists
CLE: Redick, Waiters 5
OKC: Westbrook 8

Record: 19-19

T-Mac Breaks His Finger

Veteran swingman Tracy McGrady broke his finger during practice. It's likely to take 4-6 weeks to fully heal. Even though he can play through, it's likely that Byron Scott will give the minutes he usually plays to C.J. Miles until McGrady's injury is fully healed.

[Axel The Great]

Good five-game stretch this time, four out of five and two of those wins against perennial playoff teams. Waiters had a great stretch as well.

Not very uncharacteristic to see a T-Mac injury, but still disappointing all the same. Hopefully CJ Miles picks up the slack. On a sidenote, when I read "T-Mac", a part of me was unrealistically expecting to hear about Taylor MacKenzie.

[Kenny]

Axel., I'm still undecided about whether I like Dion Waiters or not, but he definitely has games where you can see the All-Star potential in him.

T-Mac was only playing garbage minutes anyway, so it's not a huge loss for my rotation. He had the odd decent performance, but otherwise, he's been pretty corpse-like. I actually feel really weird calling him T-Mac because of Taylor MacKenzie. To me, Taylor MacKenzie is THE T-Mac

[Kenny]

Rudy Sinks the Cavs


Alonzo Gee had a strong game from the bench.

A putback dunk by Rudy Gay saw the Toronto Raptors come up with a 91-89 win in Cleveland. Alonzo Gee had the opportunity to put the Cavaliers up by one, after he was given an and-one opportunity. He wasn't able to hit his free throw and the game winning play came from the next possession, when the Cavaliers failed to box out after a missed shot by Jason Terry. With 1.3 seconds to go, J.J. Redick had a chance to win the game off a contested three, but was unable to sink the basket.

DeMar DeRozan caused many headaches for the Cavs, as he led the scoring for the Raptors with 29 points. Terrence Williams was efficient, scoring 14 points off 7-10 shooting. Jason Terry (5-14 FG) wasn't as efficient, but he still managed 13, while Rudy Gay scored 11.

For the Cavs, Kyrie Irving began tenative, but got better in the 4th, as he scored 19 points and had 12 assists. Alonzo Gee was shaping up to be the X-Factor for Cleveland, as he scored 17, including 3-5 from three point land. Dion Waiters added 13 points and 8 rebounds, and Tristan Thompson scored 12.

TOR@CLE

TOR: 91 (DeRozan 19, Williams 14, Terry 13)
CLE: 89 (Irving 19, Gee 17, Waiters 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: DeMar DeRozan 29 points (14-21 FG) 5 rebounds 2 assists 3 steals 1 block

Rebounds
TOR: Valanciunas 11
CLE: Waiters 8

Assists
TOR: Terry 7
CLE: Irving 12

No Fourth Quarter Defense Costs Cavs


Charlie Villanueva was a surprise top scorer for the Cavs.

The Cavs suffered their second consecutive loss at home, as they were defeated by the 76ers 118-106. After trailing by just a single point at three quarter time, the Cavaliers allowed 34 points in the final quarter, which ended up deciding the game.

Andrew Bynum and Jrue Holiday co-led the point scoring for Philadelphia with 22 points each. But it was Evan Turner who provided the greatest overall impact, with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and a block. Tyler Hansbrough (16 points, 9 rebounds) was 1 rebound off a double-double, while Trevor Ariza also had a solid game with 11 points, 5 rebounds and 3 steals.

The Cavaliers had an unexpected lead scorer in Charlie Villanueva. He came off the bench and scored 26, which included 3-5 from beyond the arc. Kyrie Irving had another double-double game, with 24 points and 13 assists, as well as 5 rebounds and 4 steals. Along with Villanueva, the Cavaliers also got bench production from J.J. Redick (16) and Alonzo Gee (12), while Dion Waiters contributed 11 points.

PHI@CLE

PHI: 118 (Bynum 22, Holiday 22, Turner 21)
CLE: 106 (Villanueva 26, Irving 24, Redick 16)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Evan Turner 21 points (9-18 FG) 7 rebounds 3 assists 4 steals 1 block

Rebounds
PHI: Hansbrough 9
CLE: Thompson 7

Assists
PHI: Holiday 8
CLE: Irving 13

Charlie V, Cavaliers Defeat Magic


Charlie Villanueva had his second consecutive 25+ game.

Cleveland's bench had a big role in their 109-97 win over Orlando. After 26 points against the 76ers, Charlie Villanueva once again led his team from the bench, with 30 points from 11-16 shooting and 3-4 from beyond the arc. J.J. Redick also had a huge game for the Cavaliers, scoring 26 points. Kyrie Irving had the best all-round game, with 21 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 1 block, while Chuck Shaw (13) and Dion Waiters (10) both had minor contributions on the offensive end.

The Magic were missing J.R. Smith, and they had to distribute the scoring to compensate for his absence. Jameer Nelson was effective in his play, with 24 points, 4 rebounds and 6 assists. However, no other player on the team was able to make a substantial contribution on the offensive end, as Arron Afflalo (11), Doron Lamb (10) and Tobias Harris (10) all had minor contributions.

With the emergence of Charlie Villanueva, Marreese Speights might find it hard to get minutes in the Cavaliers rotations when he comes back from injury.

ORL@CLE

CLE: 109 (Villanueva 30, Redick 26, Irving 21)
ORL: 97 (Nelson 24, Afflalo 11, Lamb 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 21 points (10-16 FG) 4 rebounds 6 assists 2 steals 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Zeller 8
ORL: Afflalo 8

Assists
CLE: Irving 6
ORL: Nelson 6

Record: 20-21

[Kenny]

5 Simmed Games

CLE@CHI

CLE: 97 (Waiters 31, Thompson 19, Varejao 12)
CHI: 86 (Rose 16, Noah 15, Boozer 14)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Dion Waiters 31 points (12-21 FG) 4 rebounds 1 assist 3 steals

Rebounds
CLE: Thompson 10
CHI: Deng, Noah 9

Assists
CLE: Redick 3
CHI: Boozer, Hinrich, Rose 3


Injury Report

Alonzo Gee - Bruised Sternum, 1-2 weeks - Can Play

Notes: Even though Alonzo Gee can play through his injury, C.J. Miles will get his minutes until he fully recovers.

CLE@ATL

ATL: 89 (Williams 26, Smith 18, Teague 12)
CLE: 73 (Miles 20, Waiters 14, Redick 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Louis Williams 26 points (11-17 FG) 1 rebound 5 assists 1 steal

Rebounds
ATL: Smith 13
CLE: Thompson 13

Assists
ATL: Teague 6
CLE: Redick 4

CLE@ORL

CLE: 100 (Redick 20, Waiters 20, Irving 13)
ORL: 79 (Smith 17, Afflalo 15, Nelson 9)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Dion Waiters 20 points (8-15 FG) 6 rebounds 6 assists 2 steals 3 blocks

Rebounds
CLE: Thompson 15
ORL: Harris 9

Assists
CLE: Waiters 6
ORL: Smith 7

Notes: Marreese Speights came back onto the bench after recovering from a broken jaw. However, he did not play.

IND@CLE

CLE: 106 (Irving 24, Redick 19, Waiters 17)
IND: 105 (George 28, Granger 21, West 16)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 24 points (8-14 FG) 3 rebounds 4 assists 1 steal 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Varejao 11
IND: West 7

Assists
CLE: Redick 5
IND: Hill 7

CLE@DET

DET: 88 (Paul 30, Monroe 13, Jerebko 12)
CLE: 81 (Waiters 17, Redick 15, Irving 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Chris Paul 30 points (11-20 FG) 4 rebounds 4 assists 1 steal

Rebounds
DET: Monroe 10
CLE: Thompson 8

Assists
DET: Monroe 6
CLE: Irving, Redick 6

Record: 23-23

[Kenny]

January 2014 Summary

After ending 2013 with a string of losses, the Cleveland Cavaliers managed to win enough games in January to put them back into 8th place. While Kyrie Irving hasn't been producing the same quality that he was showing before his injury, his presence in the side has made all the difference and guys like Dion Waiters, J.J. Redick, and even Charlie Villanueva have managed to pick up the slack. In fact, Charlie Villanueva has created quite the dilemma for coach Byron Scott. With him coming into form and Marreese Speights coming back from injury, Scott had to make a tough decision who to play. With that in mind, Marreese Speights hasn't played a game since coming back from injury. Has he been made expendible?

February is an interesting month for the NBA. The fans get to see their favourites compete at the All-Star game, while GM's around the league decide on how they can improve their roster during the madness of the trade deadline. Cleveland could be an active team on both accounts this season.

Standings

East

Heat 32-12
Raptors 27-16
Bucks 27-19
Bobcats 25-20
76ers 23-22
Pacers 22-22
Cavaliers 23-23
---
Knicks 22-23
Wizards 20-25
Nets 20-26
Pistons 20-27
Hawks 15-27
Magic 15-30
Celtics 15-31

West

Timberwolves 30-16
Nuggets 30-17
Thunder 26-20
Grizzlies 26-20
Rockets 25-20
Suns 25-21
Jazz 22-20
Warriors 24-22
---
Hornets 24-24
Clippers 23-24
Kings 21-26
Spurs 20-26
Trail Blazers 19-26
Mavericks 19-29
Lakers 15-31

Monthly Awards

Player
East: [MIL] Brandon Jennings
West: [MIN] Kevin Love

Rookie
East: [DET] Jonathon Baker
West: [PHX] Toby Robins

Around the League

Trades

Kings receive: Dorell Wright, Dino Jukic
76ers receive: Toney Douglas

Bobcats receive: Brandon Rush, Festus Ezeli
Warriors receive: Gerald Henderson

Clippers receive: Austin Rivers, '14 2nd round pick
Hornets receive: D.J. Augustin

Nuggets receive: '14 1st round pick, Trey Thompkins
Mavericks receive: Anthony Randolph

Wizards receive: '14 1st round pick, Luther Paxson
Nuggets receive: Chris Singleton

Pistons receive: Harrison Barnes, Andris Biedrins
Warriors receive: Nate Robinson, Viacheslav Kravtsov

Suns receive: Elton Brand
Jazz receive: Markieff Morris, '14 2nd round pick

Signings/Extensions

Warriors signed Andrew Bogut for 5yr/42.07M
Wizards signed Emeka Okafor for 2yr/6.89M

[Phil89]

Who would of thought the Celtics and Lakers would both be doing so horribly. Nice to see you hanging onto the eighth seed though

Pistons robbed the Warriors in that Barnes trade.

[Lamrock]

Finally got a chance to catch up with this. Love the team choice - though I think you'll fall short of the playoffs this year.

[Kenny]

Phil89, Nate Robinson is actually rated in the low 80s in my game. It's really strange, because the Pistons signed him to a ridiculous contract because of it. But yeah, the Warriors definitely got ripped off.

Lamrock, I have my doubts as well. Mainly because I still suck at this game and I'm terrible on defense. The sim games seem to turn out much better for me.

[Kenny]

Milwaukee Sneak Past Cleveland


Kyrie had a great game, but he missed the one that mattered most.

The Cleveland Cavaliers were dealt a devastating final minute 112-108 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks. Trailing 108-107, the Milwaukee Bucks went ahead by two, thanks to a clutch three by Brandon Jennings. Kyrie Irving had the game winning shot at the other end, but missed a wide open three from the corner.

Jennings' game winner capped off a huge game for the left-hander, as he scored 41 points. Dwight Howard was also instrumental in the win, scoring 18 points and blocking 2 shots. Ersan Ilyasova was deceptive once again, with 13 points and 9 rebounds, while Luc Mbah a Moute also contributed with 12 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists.

For the Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving had a double-double with 26 points and 12 assists. Dion Waiters also had a strong game with 23, while J.J. Redick and Tristan Thompson scored 12 each.

MIL@CLE

MIL: 112 (Jennings 41, Howard 18, Ilyasova 13)
CLE: 108 (Irving 26, Waiters 23, Redick 12)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Brandon Jennings 41 points (13-29 FG) 4 rebounds 6 assists 1 steal

Rebounds
MIL: Ilyasova 9
CLE: Zeller 8

Assists
MIL: Calderon, Jennings 6
CLE: Irving 12

Lakers Hold On in Cleveland


Chuck Shaw creating problems for Kobe's first team defense.

The Cavaliers lost against the West cellar dweller the Los Angeles Lakers. The final score was 113-105.

Kobe Bryant proved that any team with him shouldn't be counted out, as he had 36 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals and a block. Steve Nash had a double-double with 17 points and 10 assists, while Jodie Meeks (14) and Antawn Jameson (11) had their moments of hot shooting.

For the Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving flirted with a triple-double, as he had 29 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Chuck Shaw provided a good matchup for Kobe, as he provided the Cavaliers with 25 points and 7 rebounds. Charlie Villanueva (13) and J.J. Redick (10) had a slight impact off the bench, but it wasn't enough to win against the red-hot Lakers.

LAL@CLE

LAL: 113 (Bryant 36, Nash 17, Meeks 14)
CLE: 105 (Irving 29, Shaw 25, Villanueva 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kobe Bryant 36 points (15-28 FG) 5 rebounds 6 assists 4 steals 1 block

Rebounds
LAL: Hill 6
CLE: Irving 8

Assists
LAL: Nash 10
CLE: Irving, Waiters 7

Cleveland Overpower Toronto


Tyler Zeller keeps getting better.

The Cavaliers got back in the winner's column with a 120-109 victory over the Toronto Raptors.

It was a great team game for Cleveland, who had six double-digit scorers. They were led by Dion Waiters and J.J. Redick, who scored 23 and 22 respectively. Kyrie Irving filled up the stat sheet with 19 points, 1 rebounds, 15 assists, 6 steals and a block. Tyler Zeller continued his improvement, registering a double-double with 18 points and 13 rebounds, while Tristan Thompson (14) and Chuck Shaw (10) also contributed to the win.

The Raptors game was in direct contrast to the Cavaliers, as Rudy Gay (38) and DeMar DeRozan (26) carried them on the offensive end. Kyle Lowry (10) was their only other double-digit scorer, but he also had a great game as the playmaker, with 17 assists.

CLE@TOR

CLE: 120 (Waiters 23, Redick 22, Irving 19)
TOR: 109 (Gay 38, DeRozan 26, Lowry 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 19 points (6-9 FG) 1 rebound 15 assists 6 steals 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Zeller 13
TOR: Valanciunas 7

Assists
CLE: Irving 15
TOR: Lowry 17

Record: 24-25

[Kenny]

All-Star News

Kyrie Irving to Start for Eastern All-Stars

Cavaliers star Kyrie Irving will get his first start in the 2014 All-Star Game. He will join Chris Paul in the backcourt and will oppose Kobe Bryant and Russell Westbrook.

The forwards are the same as last season, while Dwight Howard switches back over to the East. DeMarcus Cousins will debut as the West's starting centre.


East

G: [DET] Chris Paul (7th Appearance)
G: [CLE] Kyrie Irving (2nd Appearance)
F: [MIA] LeBron James (10th Appearance)
F: [NYK] Carmelo Anthony (7th Appearance)
C: [MIL] Dwight Howard (8th Appearance)

West

G: [LAL] Kobe Bryant (16th Appearance)
G: [OKC] Russell Westbrook (4th Appearance)
F: [OKC] Kevin Durant (5th Appearance)
F: [LAC] Blake Griffin (4th Appearance)
C: [SAC] DeMarcus Cousins (1st Appearance)

Redick to Compete in 3 point shootout

Cleveland 6th man J.J. Redick will compete in the 2014 3 point shootout, while Kyrie Irving will be sitting out of this year's competition.

Participants

[IND] Danny Granger
[LAC] Chauncey Billups
[BKN] Joe Johnson
[DAL] O.J. Mayo
[POR] Nicolas Batum
[CLE] J.J. Redick

Griffin, Faried to Dunk Again

Former slam dunk champion Blake Griffin will compete in the 2014 contest, while 2013 participant Kenneth Faried will also return. Clark Samuel and Andre Drummond will compete for the first time.

Participants

[NOH] Clark Samuel
[LAC] Blake Griffin
[DEN] Kenneth Faried
[DET] Andre Drummond

Shaw to Start for Chuck; Waiters on the Bench

Team Chuck has selected both Chuck Shaw and Dion Waiters to compete in the Rising Star Challenge. Once again, Team Shaq are heavy favourites, but like last year, Team Chuck has enough talent to cause a boilover.


Shaq

G: [BOS] Gregory Daniel
G: [CHA] Len George
F: [NOH] Anthony Davis
F: [WAS] Matthew Burks
C: [DET] Andre Drummond

Bench

[MEM] Tyshawn Taylor
[WAS] Bradley Beal
[CHA] Michael Kidd-Gilchrist
[MIN] Andrew Nicholson
[TOR] Jonas Valanciunas


Chuck

G: [DET] Jonathon Baker
G: [POR] Damian Lillard
F: [PHX] Toby Robins
F: [CLE] Chuck Shaw
C: [ORL] Lonny Marks

Bench

[POR] Ray Lane
[CLE] Dion Waiters
[DET] Harrison Barnes
[NOH] Clark Samuel
[MIN] Rodney Gatling

Seven Debutantes Named As Reserves

Along with DeMarcus Cousins, seven players will be making their debut at the All-Star Game. For the East, the perenial snub Josh Smith will make his first appearance, along with Greg Monroe and Kemba Walker. For the West, Ty Lawson, Tyreke Evans, Nicolas Batum and Andray Blatche will all participate for the first time as well.

East

[PHI] Jrue Holiday (2nd Appearance)
[MIA] Dwyane Wade (10th Appearance)
[IND] Danny Granger (2nd Appearance)
[ATL] Josh Smith (1st Appearance)
[DET] Greg Monroe (1st Appearance)
[BOS] Rajon Rondo (5th Appearance)
[CHA] Kemba Walker (1st Appearance)


West

[DEN] Ty Lawson (1st Appearance)
[SAC] Tyreke Evans (1st Appearance)
[POR] Nicolas Batum (1st Appearance)
[MIN] Kevin Love (3rd Appearance)
[PHI] Andray Blatche (1st Appearance)
[POR] LaMarcus Aldridge (3rd Appearance)

[Axel The Great]

At just under .500, going on a decent win streak would definitely back teams like the Pacers, 76ers, and Knicks into a corner. Liked those two games from Charlie V; who would've thought that?

Nice to see Irving named All-Star starter. In my opinion, he's had a bit of a quiet All-Star season. All these first All-Star appearances also goes to show you that a new generation of stars is rising in the league.

[Martti.]

Wow, haven't even noticed this, probably because you've changed your username.

Interesting team choice and being near .500 with that roster is impressive. Will be following more closely from now on.

[Kenny]

Axel., it would be nice to be more firmly in the playoff picture. Playing the Heat in the first round probably wouldn't be too fun. And Charlie V is a better fit for my teams than he seems. I've always liked power forwards who have range and he definitely provides that. I've been thinking about trading Marreese Speights because of how CV has been playing, but Speights is such a better all-round player.

I love that Lawson, Batum and Monroe all got selected.


Martti., I was wondering if that would be an issue. A few team members knew about the change before hand because I talked to Andrew about it on Twitter, but yeah, I guess there are still a few people who haven't noticed it.

Hopefully the Cavs can see some success, so it won't be so frustrating to follow

***

Edit: I got bored with both games in the All-Star Weekend, so I simmed both til the end. The stats for the ASG ended up looking really odd.

[Kenny]

5 Simmed Games

BKN@CLE

CLE: 101 (Irving 34, Waiters 19, Shaw 14)
BKN: 94 (Lopez 18, Williams 17, Brooks 11)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 34 points (14-28 FG) 4 rebounds 11 assists 1 steal 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Varejao 8
BKN: Lopez 13

Assists
CLE: Irving 11
BKN: Johnson 6

NOH@CLE

NOH: 106 (Augustin 20, Davis 18, Gordon 18)
CLE: 74 (Irving 21, Zeller 12, Thompson 11)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Anthony Davis 18 points (7-16 FG) 19 rebounds 3 steals 4 blocks

Rebounds
NOH: Davis 19
CLE: Varejao 7

Assists
NOH: Augustin 9
CLE: Irving, Redick 4

CLE@IND

IND: 101 (West 21, Granger 20, Stephenson 15)
CLE: 99 (Waiters 31, Irving 22, Thompson 18)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Danny Granger 20 points (8-17 FG) 10 reboudns 3 assists 2 blocks

Rebounds
IND: Granger 10
CLE: Varejao 9

Assists
IND: Hill 8
CLE: Redick 9

SAN@CLE

SAN: 109 (Ginobili 27, Parker 21, Duncan 13)
CLE: 99 (Waiters 24, Redick 22, Irving 18)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Manu Ginobili 27 points (7-13 FG) 4 rebounds 6 assists 2 steals

Rebounds
SAN: Dalembert, Leonard 10
CLE: Irving 8

Assists
SAN: Ginobili 6
CLE: Irving 9

Injury Report: Tristan Thompson - Shin Splints, 1,2 weeks. Can Play Through

Note: With Thompson picking up an injury, he'll be rested, with Marreese Speights taking his place in the starting line-up.

MIA@CLE

MIA: 112 (Wade 41, James 29, Chalmers 19)
CLE: 104 (Irving 28, Speights 24, Waiters 14)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Dwyane Wade 41 points (18-29 FG) 6 rebounds 5 assists 4 steals

Rebounds
MIA: James 9
CLE: Speights 11

Assists
MIA: Battier, Chalmers, James, Wade 5
CLE: Redick 7

Record: 25-29

[Kenny]

Old Chuck Wins Again; Young Chuck Gets MVP


Chuck Shaw was the standout for Team Chuck.

Charles Barkley's team won for the second year in a row, defeating Team Shaq 91-83.

Cleveland's Chuck Shaw was the star of the showcase, scoring 29 points. Harrison Barnes (15), Damian Lillard (13) and Toby Robins (10) all had solid games, while Cleveland's other representative - Dion Waiters - had 9 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals.

For Shaq's team, Bradley Beal led the way with 17. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (15) and Anthony Davis (14) both contributed in the scoring. Andre Drummond was one point away from being the sole double-double of the game, as he had 9 points and 14 rebounds.

Rising Star Challenge

Chuck: 91 (Shaw 29, Barnes 15, Lillard 13)
Shaq: 83 (Beal 17, Kidd-Gilchrist 15, Davis 14)

MVP: Chuck Shaw 29 points (12-19 FG) 2 rebounds 2 assists 1 block

Rebounds
Chuck: Barnes 7
Shaq: Drummond 14

Assists
Chuck: Lillard 7
Shaq: Beal 4

West Blowout East in Lackluster Encounter


Kyrie top scored for the Eastern All-Stars... the team with the white jersey...

The Western All-Stars were overwhelming 94-73 winners in the 2014 All-Star Game.

Kevin Durant led all scorers with 18. Blake Griffin had 14 points and 8 rebounds, but Kobe Bryant was deemed as the MVP, as he scored 12 and filled up the stat line.

For the East, Kyrie Irving led the way with 12. Dwight Howard had 11 points and 8 rebounds, and LeBron James scored 10.

All-Star Game

West: 94 (Durant 18, Griffin 14, Bryant 12)
East: 73 (Irving 12, Howard 11, James 10)

MVP: Kobe Bryant 12 points (4-5 FG) 3 rebounds 3 assists 3 steals 2 blocks

Rebounds
West: Griffin 8
East: Howard 8

Assists
West: Harden 8
East: Wade 4

Coming Up Next: Better coverage of the trade deadline... hopefully.

[Kenny]

Cavaliers Lift Against Rockets


J.J Redick and Anderson Varejao were key players for the Cavaliers

The Cavaliers came away with a 118-107 win against the heavily favoured Houston Rockets. The Cavs were fast out of the gates, outscoring Houston 36-21. It proved to be the difference in the game, as the Rockets outscored the Cavaliers in the last three quarters 86-82.

J.J. Redick's three point shooting form carried over from the All-Star Weekend. He hit the first five of his threes, as he went 5-6 overall and scored 29 points. Potential trade chip Anderson Varejao proved he can still be productive offensely, scoring 20 points off 9-12 shooting. Tristan Thompson was also hot, scoring 17 points off 7-7 from the field. But the night once again belonged to Kyrie Irving. He was close to a five-by-five, with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals and 3 blocks. He wasn't the hottest shooter for the Cavs, but he orchestrated just about everything. Chuck Shaw also chipped in with 12 points.

For the Rockets, former Cavalier J.J. Hickson had a big night against his old team, with 32 points. James Harden was 1 assists away from a triple-double, as he had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 9 assists. Aaron Brooks (12 points, 8 assists) also narrowly missed a double-double, while Patrick Beverly scored 10.

HOU@CLE

CLE: 118 (Redick 29, Varejao 20, Thompson 17)
HOU: 107 (Hickson 32, Harden 20, Lin 14)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 15 points (6-12 FG) 5 rebounds 12 assists 3 steals 3 blocks

Rebounds
CLE: Thompson 8
HOU: Harden 11

Assists
CLE: Irving 12
HOU: Harden 9

Record: 26-29

[Kenny]

Just before the trade deadline, the Cleveland Cavaliers dealt swingman C.J. Miles in exchange for Austin Daye and the Grizzlies 2015 first round pick.

It was reported earlier in the season that C.J. Miles was unhappy with his decreased role. Now he'll be playing for a team well in the hunt for the NBA title.

In the 2013-2014 season, C.J. Miles only played 27 games for the Cleveland Cavaliers, averaging 5.4 points while shooting 47.7 percent from the field. Austin Daye on the other hand played 52 games for the Grizzlies, averaging 6.2 points off a shooting percentage of 43.4 percent.

One Trade in Quiet Deadline

It seems that most of the trades that teams wanted to make were made prior to the deadline, as Memphis and Cleveland were the only two teams involved in what's usually the busiest time in the NBA regular season.

Trades of February

Magic received: '14 1st round pick
Timberwolves received: Andrew Nicholson

76ers received: Andray Blatche
Hornets received: Spencer Hawes, '14 2nd round pick

Pistons received: '15 1st round pick, Jerome Alexander
Spurs received: Rodney Stuckey

Cavaliers received: '15 1st round pick, Austin Daye
Grizzlies received: C.J. Miles

[Kenny]

Cavs Blown Out in Capital


Varejao had more points, but Okafor grabbed more boards.

The Cleveland Cavaliers suffered a massive 110-92 loss to the Washington Wizards.

Nick Young was the top scorer for the Wizards. He scored 23 for the franchise that acquired him back. Bradley Beal however was the best for the Wizards, scoring 22 and assisting on 5 plays. John Wall had a great game as well against fellow number one pick Kyrie Irving, scoring 17 points, along with 9 assists and 4 steals. Delonte West had 12 points and 5 assists against his former team, while Matthew Burks added 10 points and 5 rebounds.

The Cavaliers only had three double-digit scorers on the night, who were led by Kyrie Irving. Kyrie had 26 points, 12 assists and 4 steals. J.J. Redick added 22, but came down awkwardly on his foot and will be day-to-day with a twisted ankle. Anderson Varejao added 14 points and 8 rebounds to be the last of Cleveland's double-digit scorers.

CLE@WAS

WAS: 110 (Young 23, Beal 22, Wall 17)
CLE: 92 (Irving 26, Redick 20, Varejao 14)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Bradley Beal 22 points (11-18 FG) 2 rebounds 5 assists

Rebounds
WAS: Okafor 11
CLE: Varejao 8

Assists
WAS: Wall 9
CLE: Irving 12

Injury Report

J.J. Redick - Twisted Ankle (Day-to-day) - Can Play Through

Cleveland Drop Another Road Game


Tristan Thompson continues to be efficient.

The Cleveland Cavaliers dropped another game to a lowly team in the Eastern Conference, as the Pistons came away with a 99-85 win.

Jonathon Baker was the high-point man for the Pistons, scoring 21 points. But the impressive display was directed by Chris Paul. The All-Star point guard was close to a triple-double, with 19 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. Andre Drummond was efficient, scoring 15 points off 7-9 shooting, while Greg Monroe (14 points, 8 rebounds) and Harrison Barnes (13) also contributed to the win.

For the Cavaliers, Kyrie Irving was the man once again, with 22 points and 9 assists. Tristan Thompson added great backup scoring with 18. But the stat-line of the night for the Cavs belonged to Dion Waiters. He almost had a 5x5 performance, and only missed out by 2 rebounds and 2 steals. He had 13 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals and an incredible 5 blocked shots. J.J. Redick on the other hand had a night he'd rather forget. He scored 11 points, but he was clearly troubled by his ankle, as all five of his three point attempts missed the mark.

CLE@DET

DET: 99 (Baker 21, Paul 19, Drummond 15)
CLE: 85 (Irving 22, Thompson 18, Waiters 13)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Chris Paul 19 points (9-14 FG) 9 rebounds 8 assists 2 steals

Rebounds
DET: Paul 9
CLE: Thompson 7

Assists
DET: Paul 8
CLE: Irving 9

Record: 26-31

Free agent point guard Mike Bibby has signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers for the rest of the season. Bibby hasn't played in the NBA since early 2012, where he had a short stint with the New York Knicks.

According to a source, Shaun Livingston and Jamaal Tinsley were also on the radar of the Cleveland Cavaliers, but Bibby was more inclined to accept limited minutes.

[Kenny]

Paul's Pistons Cause More Misery For Cavs


Tracy McGrady still has a bit left in the tank.

The Cavaliers suffered their second loss in as many days to the Pistons, to a score of 105-91.

Chris Paul showed off his MVP credentials, as he completed dominated the Cavs with 35 points. Greg Monroe and Harrison Barnes provided good alternate options for Paul, as they scored 15 and 13 respectively, while Ekpe Udoh and Jonathon Baker both scored 10.

With the absense of J.J. Redick, Tracy McGrady did his best to inspire his team from the bench. He scored 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds in a throwback performance. But he didn't have much support, as Dion Waiters (12), Tristan Thompson (10), Chuck Shaw (10) and Kyrie Irving (10) only had minor scoring contributions.

DET@CLE

DET: 105 (Paul 35, Monroe 15, Barnes 13)
CLE: 91 (McGrady 20, Waiters 12, Irving 10)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Chris Paul 35 points (15-29 FG) 6 rebounds 4 assists 2 steals

Rebounds
DET: Udoh 9
CLE: Irving 8

Assists
DET: Baker 6
CLE: Irving 7

Cavs Shutdown Cats in OT


One of many times Kyrie beat Kemba off the dribble.

It took an overtime, but the Cleveland Cavaliers came away with a 118-108 win over the Bobcats. It looked like Cleveland had the last possession to win the game, but Marreese Speights was in the paint for too long and was called for 3 in the key. But the Bobcats were unable to capitalise on the opportunity, as the contested shot by Kemba Walker missed. After that, it was all Cleveland, as the Bobcats scored only 9 points in the overtime period.

The key to the game was Kyrie Irving. Along with his 28 points, he got two crucial steals in overtime to give Cleveland the momentum. Chuck Shaw also had a strong game, with 17 points. Dion Waiters (16) and Alonzo Gee (14) both had solid games. Despite that one play that almost cost Cleveland the game, Marreese Speights had a pretty good game as well, as he had 13 points and 7 rebounds off the bench.

For the Bobcats, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist was in everything. He had 21 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 5 steals and a block. Kemba Walker had a decent game with 17 points and 8 assists, but he was also guilty of a few crucial turnovers down the stretch. Ben Gordon (15), Byron Mullens (14 points, 11 rebounds) and Nikola Pekovic (12 points, 8 rebounds) all scored in double-digits, but were simply outclassed in overtime.

CHA@CLE
(OT)
CLE: 118 (Irving 28, Shaw 17, Waiters 16)
CHA: 108 (Kidd-Gilchrist 21, Walker 17, Gordon 15)

Jordan Performer of the Game: Kyrie Irving 28 points (12-18 FG) 4 rebounds 7 assists 5 steals 1 block

Rebounds
CLE: Thompson 8
CHA: Mullens 11

Assists
CLE: Irving 7
CHA: Walker 8

LeBron Steals Game From Cavs


That guy...

The Miami Heat stole a 115-111 win against Cleveland, thanks to a reverse alley-oop dunk by LeBron James. Alonzo Gee missed a wide open three that would have put Cleveland up by one. LeBron grabbed the rebound on the missed shot and hit both free throws to close the game.

LeBron was Miami's best, with 31 points. Chris Bosh was also dangerous on offense, scorng 26, while Dwyane Wade (21) and Norris Cole (19) both provided headaches for Cleveland's guards.

For Cleveland, J.J. Redick was huge in his game back from an ankle injury. He scored a career high 34 points. Kyrie Irving had a hot start to the game, scoring the first 10 points for Cleveland. He ended up with 26, while Tristan Thompson (12) and Dion Waiters (10) had minor contributions.

CLE@MIA

MIA: 115 (James 31, Bosh 26, Wade 21)
CLE: 111 (Redick 34, Irving 26, Thompson 12)

Jordan Performer of the Game: LeBron James 31 points (14-21 FG) 4 rebounds 7 assists 3 steals 2 blocks

Rebounds
MIA: Bosh 6
CLE: Varejao, Waiters 7

Assists
MIA: Wade 8
CLE: Irving 11

Record: 27-33