Game 39: Cavs @ Lakers - Mon, Jan 19, 10:30pm [TNT]

[LoveThemCavs]

@

Cleveland Cavaliers at Los Angeles Lakers
Game Date: Monday, January 19th, 2009
Game Time: 10:30 P.M. ET
Location: Staples Center
TV: TNT, FOX Sports Ohio HD
Radio: WTAM 1100

Probable Lineups
Cleveland (31-7)
PG- Mo Williams
SG- Sasha Pavlovic
SF- LeBron James
PF- Ben Wallace
C- Anderson Varejao

Cavaliers Team Leaders
Scoring - LeBron James 27.8
Rebounds - LeBron James 7.1
Assists - LeBron James 6.7
FG% - Zydrunas Ilgauskas 51.8
FT% - Mo Williams 93.8
3PT% - Delonte West 40.9
Blocks - Ben Wallace 1.7
Steals - LeBron James 2.0

LA Lakers (31-8)
PG- Derek Fisher
SG- Kobe Bryant
SF- Vladimir Radmanovic
PF- Pau Gasol
C- Andrew Bynum

Lakers Team Leaders
Scoring - Kobe Bryant 27.2
Rebounds - Pau Gasol 9.2
Assists - Kobe Bryant 4.9
FG% - Pau Gasol 54.8
FT% - Derek Fisher 87.8
3PT% - Vladimir Radmanovic 45.2
Blocks - Andrew Bynum 1.7
Steals - Trevor Ariza 1.7

Season Series- Tied 0-0
Monday, January 19 - CLE @ LAL
Sunday, February 8 - LAL @ CLE

[Rise Against]

Going to be a great game. Let's hope we can pull out a victory like we have been doing the last couple of years.

[DEEP3CL]

Time for us to stop gift wrapping game for the Cavs, last couple of years we given the games away in my opinion. But all in all this is a good match up and with both teams having injuries it's gonna come down to the Nike brothers.

Truthfully we'll get a better game when the next match up is in Cleveland, hopefully both teams are at full strength.

[B Mac]

This will be tough. The X factor to me is Sasha. If he can D up Kobe and make him work as hard as he has in the past then we should be alright. If not, then LeBron is going to have to exert a lot of energy on both sides of the ball. Hopefully Walter and Boobie can come in off the bench and one of them can be hot from deep. I like the Ben vs Gasol matchup. Ben's physicality will certaintly hamper Pau's soft game, and I even like the Andy vs Bynum matchup as Andy's quickness and ability to frustrate the hell out of his opponent could give Bynum some fits.

[NEM]

best game of the day tomorrow. looking forward to it

[RevMan26]

Still a little nervous about this game without West and Z. Pavs will have to keep Kobe quiet to win this one.

[Benedict_Boozer]

I actually like Pavs on Kobe more than Delonte, historically he has matched up well. I think he will play well.

My concern is the bench. JJ needs to be ready and we need Wally and Boobie to be on target from the outside. If we can get 10-15 pts from 1 of JJ, Wally, Boobie we will be OK and in position down the stretch.

Lebron should come out and make an effort to keep the ball moving to get his teammates in sync. The Lakers swarm the pick and roll so he should look to catch the ball on the block more this game.

[mg]

This is a game where the Cavs will really miss Zydrunas going against frontcourt players like Gasol, Bynum, and Odom. Andy and Ben will have to have big games and a few other guys like Pavs and Boobie will have to step up big.

[Gordon Bombay]

sasha does do a decent job covering the shooting guards but i still dont like relying on him for anything spectacular

lamar odom worries me a lot because he would most likely be matched up with jj when he comes in during the first and third quarters off the bench...i think that is a big advantage for the lakers

hopefully the two off-days were enough to get lebron through that head cold he's been bothered by because we need a great effort tommorow

[Mr2400]

Time for us to stop gift wrapping game for the Cavs, last couple of years we given the games away in my opinion. But all in all this is a good match up and with both teams having injuries it's gonna come down to the Nike brothers.

Truthfully we'll get a better game when the next match up is in Cleveland, hopefully both teams are at full strength.

i don't think farmar/walton mean quite as much to the lakers as west/Z do to the cavaliers. missing 2 starters is tough.

[-G-]

The Lakers swarm the pick and roll so he should look to catch the ball on the block more this game.

We do? If I was playing us I'd run pick and rolls every possession, over and over. Bynum and Gasol are really lazy coming out.

[L&H_05]

It's hard to get a read on this game due to the injuries... It's very difficult so see how our defensive rotations will be... The Lakers don't get much dribble penetration, and operate a lot of out the post... Which actually plays right into our hands defensively... Problem is, our defensive rotations will be out of whack...

If we get to the finals, I'd much rather get this squad than the Spurs in terms of matchups...

[Nocioni28]

win our defence is just too good

[TylersLakers]

I actually like Pavs on Kobe more than Delonte, historically he has matched up well. I think he will play well.

My concern is the bench. JJ needs to be ready and we need Wally and Boobie to be on target from the outside. If we can get 10-15 pts from 1 of JJ, Wally, Boobie we will be OK and in position down the stretch.

Lebron should come out and make an effort to keep the ball moving to get his teammates in sync. The Lakers swarm the pick and roll so he should look to catch the ball on the block more this game.

Have fun against our pick and roll defense man.. It's horrible.

[TonyMontana]

Good game, a very good game and may the best team win.

[DEEP3CL]

i don't think farmar/walton mean quite as much to the lakers as west/Z do to the cavaliers. missing 2 starters is tough.

That's true, but we've been missing what Jordan gives our second unit which is a change of pace guard and speed on the break. And all Laker fans just want Walton off the team.

[DEEP3CL]

It's hard to get a read on this game due to the injuries... It's very difficult so see how our defensive rotations will be... The Lakers don't get much dribble penetration, and operate a lot of out the post... Which actually plays right into our hands defensively... Problem is, our defensive rotations will be out of whack...

If we get to the finals, I'd much rather get this squad than the Spurs in terms of matchups...

Don't wish for what you can't handle ! And besides...........we'll take care of the Spurs again bank on it. With the Cavs lack of size at this point due to injury they'll have to at least double our bigs.

But I like our chances against the Cavs (if both made the Finals), they only have Z, AV and Big Ben to counter our true 7 footers. To me 6'9" guys don't count as bigs...............and Big Ben isn't 6'9" like they list him at more like 6'8". We have ( 4 ) 7 footers on the roster ( 3 ) and 6'10" guys. Bottom line is it's how you use that size.

[INKtastic]

Andy is 6' 11" - I don't think 1 inch makes that much difference. And if it does, our 7' 3" center has a 3 inch advantage over your "true" 7 footer when the finals get here.

[gocavs23]

But I like our chances against the Cavs (if both made the Finals), they only have Z, AV and Big Ben to counter our true 7 footers. To me 6'9" guys don't count as bigs...............and Big Ben isn't 6'9" like they list him at more like 6'8". We have ( 4 ) 7 footers on the roster ( 3 ) and 6'10" guys. Bottom line is it's how you use that size.

So Ben Wallace doesn't count as a big... but Chris Mihm, DJ Mbenga, Lamar Odom and Josh Powell do? And that's because they use their size better? Huh? Not to start an argument over it because we're all entitled to an opinion, but i dont get your point... if the bottom line is how you use your size, then you kill your own idea that Ben Wallace is a bad way to counter the Lakers raw size.

[L&H_05]

It's hard to get a read on this game due to the injuries... It's very difficult so see how our defensive rotations will be... The Lakers don't get much dribble penetration, and operate a lot of out the post... Which actually plays right into our hands defensively... Problem is, our defensive rotations will be out of whack...

If we get to the finals, I'd much rather get this squad than the Spurs in terms of matchups...

Don't wish for what you can't handle ! And besides...........we'll take care of the Spurs again bank on it. With the Cavs lack of size at this point due to injury they'll have to at least double our bigs.

But I like our chances against the Cavs (if both made the Finals), they only have Z, AV and Big Ben to counter our true 7 footers. To me 6'9" guys don't count as bigs...............and Big Ben isn't 6'9" like they list him at more like 6'8". We have ( 4 ) 7 footers on the roster ( 3 ) and 6'10" guys. Bottom line is it's how you use that size.

Nah, I've watched this team plenty, and I don't need anyone to suggest to me that theyre not soft... Cause they are... It's not a perception, but more so a reality..

The Spurs have a couple guys that can consistently take the Cavs off the dribble... The Lakers have one, but they don't even utilize it to a main degree, and the bulk of their offense comes from the triple post, or transition...

Personally, I think in a finals atmosphere, Ben could pretty much neutralize Pau virtually by himself... And I know for a FACT that Z's 7-3 size and length will give Bynum fits (and should pull him away from the basket on offense)... Luckily, as been noted, the Lakers bigs are not aggressive whatsoever.... So it's not a main issue... It's not like the Lakers are going to be pounding it down on the low block...

Out of all the top contenders in the west, the Lakers worry me the least... And I'm talking about when they're fully healthy as well... (us too obviously)

But, teams like the Rockets, Spurs, healthy Jazz etc... are all matchups that present more of a challenge IMO based on certain areas of the court...

I think we'll get a better indication when the Lakers are here and both teams are healthy.. As I fully expect the Cavs to blow them out by 15-20 at the Q...