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Just watched Chicago beating Cleveland in overtime.

Quick observations:
-Willims,West and Gibson played really good and are besides Lebron incredible dangereus in offense.
-Lebron had a bad game 8-28fg, 8 to...Deng and T.Thomas played real good Don him, especially Thomas under the basket.
-With both Ilgauskas and Wallace out they had problems under the basket
-The turning point was injury to West in the end of 1 quatr.(doctors said that maybe his right wrist is broken, also got a cut over left eye...he said he will play on upcoming road trip...he is lefty dont forget)

So the Cleveland is hurt (Z out, Wallace has cold, West ?). Also Lebron reporters said didnt fell ok, also cold or something.

And the road games are ahead, before that New Orleans comes to Cle tomorow...and I belive could be the first team beating Cleveland at home...it is about time.

Lets look their upcoming schedule:
Thu, Jan 15 @ Chicago L

Fri, Jan 16 New Orleans
Mon, Jan 19 @ LA Lakers
Wed, Jan 21 @ Portland
Fri, Jan 23 @ Golden State
Sat, Jan 24 @ Utah
Tue, Jan 27 Sacramento
Thu, Jan 29 @ Orlando
Fri, Jan 30 LA Clippers
Sun, Feb 1 @ Detroit

Looks like only Sacramento and Clippers are sure win, all other games are really hard, also away game at GSW.

9 games

I belive they could lose 4...I hope on as many as posible.

To conclude, we need to go into playoff as number one to repeat, so every Loss of CLE and ORL counts.

This is first real test for Cleveland this season, they have not yet convinced me they can finish as nb.1. ... lets see how they will play.

Well I'm not hoping for any downfall here. If they start to fall off they're gonna make a deal that makes them an even better team. Lets hope they keep it up until after the trade deadline so the need for a deal isn't as desperate.

^^^ This.

Cleveland losing a few games could force their hand to make their team better via trades, and we don't want that to happen.

They will try to improve the roster regardler of a few added loses...

As long as we have home court advantage Im not scared of anyone...

West fractured his wrist... Z is out, they arent going to have a 'downfall' as such and will by right there at the end of the season

this is however, a great time for us to make a run... watch them drop a few games and maybe become the clear leader of the east

btw don't count out orlando they are playing great basketball

Magic really don't scare me to tell the truth. They're always gonna have trouble in the playoffs beating elite teams because they don't have "That Guy" to go to down the stretch in critical games. Those are usually the types of moments that decide the outcome of a series.

Their biggest problem is that their best player is actually a liability in those types of situations and they don't have a 1(a) type of player (like Kobe was for Shaq) to compensate for that.

Good post.

Looking at Cleveland's schedule, I agree that 4 losses or more by early Feb is likely. It's a long season and every team will go through their tough stretches. It looks like Cleveland's time is coming up now.

This will be a tough stretch for us, we don't know when Z will return. Ben should be back soon, but now DWest could miss significant time. And you already showed that schedule lol, but every team goes through it. Good thing the injuries are happening now and not close to the playoffs. (knock on wood). Good luck to your team.........

Doubt this is the downfall of Cleveland. This is cleveland going on a west coast trip in the middle of the season before all star break. Unless you consider what the celtics went through with their slump a downfall, then yes it is their downfall.

It is certainly not their downfall, but it'll be a tough stretch, just like the Cs went through. The Celtics have played the most difficult schedule and the most games so far. It is all about balance. In the end, they all have to play 82 games. The Cs schedule is more time friendly now, which will benefit them going towards the playoffs.

I don't think that it's a downfall. There just hitting a tough stretch right now and they are banged up. The Celtics went through a tough week or two also. Downfall or not the Cavs are still going to be a tough team in the Playoffs. Any Team with Lebron leading the way is capable of putting together a string of wins in the playoffs.

Lets just worry about our own schedule and hopefully the rest will take care of itself. I fully expect Jersey (who although stuggles at home) to play us very well tomorrow due to the fact that we embarrassed them. Next week is where is gets very tough for us, but if we get some W's people will all the sudden think we are back. Miami and Orlando back to back is a very tough task. Hopefully having two days to practice will help us out. Now that we have a few days off, I am finally realizing how often we had been playing because I feel like I have been watching C's games everynight.

I agree its not a downfall, just a tough stretch and few more losses, which doesnt mean much. The most important thing for Cavs to be healthy and in the good form when Playoffs time come, same for Celtics and LA.

This is by no means going to be a "downfall." It's a tough stretch of games made even tougher by injuries. The Cavs will lose their #1 spot and probably go to 3rd.

But if you think that this stretch of games where they are not healthy will dictate how they play down the stretch, you are the probably going to be wrong.

The team completely lost all of their energy after Delonte took that fall. I know even I did as a fan watching at home. I just lost all interest in the game and just wanted the game to be over with. Delonte is such a good dude and I hate to see him get hurt like that.

No Offense wrote:This is by no means going to be a "downfall." It's a tough stretch of games made even tougher by injuries. The Cavs will lose their #1 spot and probably go to 3rd.

But if you think that this stretch of games where they are not healthy will dictate how they play down the stretch, you are the probably going to be wrong.

The team completely lost all of their energy after Delonte took that fall. I know even I did as a fan watching at home. I just lost all interest in the game and just wanted the game to be over with. Delonte is such a good dude and I hate to see him get hurt like that.

Yeah, Delonte was a favorite of mine when he was here, I was glad to see him escape Seattle/OKC and end up with a good situation with the cavs. This was my sig when he was here-

LOL at this topic. Downfall? Maybe of they go 2-7 and lose 3 games to sub 500 teams perhaps. The lost 1 game big deal it happens. People are saying that the cavs schedule is hard coming up which is true but look at the celtics schedule in February.

Cavs are having some injuries but all of these people will be healthy in the play-offs when it matters most. Look at what happened to the celtics on Friday when the Cavs played at a high level.

No downfall. Cleveland can absorb losing a few starters cause they have a deep bench. This was going to be a very tough stretch with West and Z.. I'm betting they go 5 and 4..

Just watched them against New Orleans...could watch the game till the end because of New Orleans performance...devestating

About the game:

One time in 3th quarter Van Gundy(comentator) just said...get them out, the whole starting unit, no effort, no motivation, no will

I just cant belive, like NOH were on vacation...

I hate it because Cleveland should lost this game if NOH would show a little effort

And the style they play...Paol has the ball 15 sec. in his hands, lob pas to West, than he shots or gets ball back to Paul, then no solutions...no speed, no attacking, no passing

New Orleans just became my nb1. hated team

And how they played defense on Cleveland ...double teaming him, he just threw the ball to 3 pt and Cleveland destroyed them with 3pt. In the first quarter the score was 13:13 then Cle him 5 3pt in a row on same kind of plays.

The way this game went and the fact that it shows how Cle will miss West and Z I predict a blowout against the lakers and a loss against portland and Utah.

klemen4 wrote:Just watched them against New Orleans...could watch the game till the end because of New Orleans performance...devestating

About the game:

One time in 3th quarter Van Gundy(comentator) just said...get them out, the whole starting unit, no effort, no motivation, no will

I just cant belive, like NOH were on vacation...

I hate it because Cleveland should lost this game if NOH would show a little effort

And the style they play...Paol has the ball 15 sec. in his hands, lob pas to West, than he shots or gets ball back to Paul, then no solutions...no speed, no attacking, no passing

New Orleans just became my nb1. hated team

And how they played defense on Cleveland ...double teaming him, he just threw the ball to 3 pt and Cleveland destroyed them with 3pt. In the first quarter the score was 13:13 then Cle him 5 3pt in a row on same kind of plays.

The way this game went and the fact that it shows how Cle will miss West and Z I predict a blowout against the lakers and a loss against portland and Utah.

Who cares!!! Worry about the Celtics and the rest will take care of itself. I am really sick of all this talk about Cleveland, the Lakers, etc... The Celtics just need to take care of business; they don't control what the rest of the league does.