Game 56: Cavs @ Rockets - Thu, Feb 26, 8pm [TNT]

[LoveThemCavs]

Game Date: Thursday, February 26th, 2009
Game Time: 8:00 P.M. ET
TV: TNT, FOX Sports Ohio HD
Radio: WTAM 1100
Location: Toyota Center---- Houston, TX

Season Series: Cleveland leads 1-0
Dec 23, 2008: @CLE 99, HOU 90
Feb 26, 2009: CLE @ HOU 8:00 PM ET



(44-11)

Starting Lineup
PG: Mo Williams - 17.6pts, 3.2reb, 4.2ast, 0.93stl, 0.13blk
SG: Delonte West - 12.6pts, 3.1reb, 3.5ast, 1.47stl, 0.21blk
SF: LeBron James - 28.5pts, 7.3reb, 7.2ast, 1.76stl, 1.22blk
PF: Ben Wallace - 3.0pts, 6.6reb, 0.8ast, 0.90stl, 1.42blk
C: Zydrunas Ilgauskas - 13.6pts, 7.3reb, 1.2ast, 0.38stl, 1.28blk



(36-21)

Starting Lineup
PG: Aaron Brooks - 10.5pts, 2.2reb, 2.7ast, 0.55stl, 0.09blk
SG: Ron Artest - 16.3pts, 5.3reb, 3.1ast, 1.68stl, 0.34blk
SF: Shane Battier - 6.9pts, 4.8reb, 2.2ast, 0.77stl, 0.86blk
PF: Luis Scola - 12.4pts, 8.3reb, 1.4ast, 0.84stl, 0.12blk
C: Yao Ming - 19.8pts, 9.6reb, 1.7ast, 0.43stl, 1.72blk


**With a win, the Cavs will have matched their win total for all of last season(45-37).

[TheOUTLAW]

This ought to be interesting since Artest is going to want to post up Delonte on every trip down court.

[Roger Murdock]

Damn, I didn't realize that Ron was playing 2 now. If we can run we should win this one.

[Rise Against]

Win.

[RazorJordan32]

This looks like its gonna be a good game.

One of my favorite players goin against my team.

heres A good luck ( no injuries) (oh god please!) on 2morrows game!

Go Htown Rockets

[Blame Tracy]

Good luck guys, you've had a great season so far.

[Rise Against]

It's just a bit ironic that the Rockets are playing better without T-Mac. It just doesn't seem right at all.

[Mr2400]

It's just a bit ironic that the Rockets are playing better without T-Mac. It just doesn't seem right at all.

i agree. I don't really get it either.


i don't think the rockets have the offensive firepower to win this one. Artest putting delonte in the post is a concern, but we've got good shot-blockers at 3, 4, and 5. Yao doesn't have the size advantage over Z that he has over most other centers so i think we'll be okay in that regard.

Should be a W.

[RevMan26]

Should be a win, but I hate these road games in the west; they are always so unpredictable.

[DSe]

Cleveland should get the W. LBJ will get 10 blocks on Yao alone, and get the infamous quadruple-double only to get it taken away a week later.

[TheOUTLAW]

Did anyone else see ESPN say that the Cavs were the only title contenders that didn't lose a significant rotation player to injury this season? Seriously, who are their fact checkers? I can't see how anyone doesn't see Z and Delonte as significant rotation players.

[the edge]

Watch out for Ron, Ron if Cleveland handles the Rockets early.

He has gotten a little chippy a couple of times with Lebron, especially the last game in Cleveland.

He has been smart enough to not get the T, but he has clearly taken a couple of slight shots/harder fouls on Lebron.

Now of course at the end of the game they kinda give a shake and "good game" stuff, but, Lebron isn't stupid, if you can see it on TV, you know he'll be ready for it.

[prekazi]

We have to be aggressive and put them in foul trouble. LeBron should attack relentlessly.

[Amon_Ones88]

Plus Boobie is returning home and coming off a great game. Expect him to light it up tonight.

[smapor]

It's just a bit ironic that the Rockets are playing better without T-Mac. It just doesn't seem right at all.

A few things

-T-mac was playing injured, look at his numbers this year, its horrible. Its the worst year since his Rookie Year shooting 37%
-T-mac needs the ball in his hands to be effective, great if he was not injured. However in a motion offense, this was bad for the team. People would be standing around watching.
-T-mac defense is average, however when injured he couldn't keep up with his man. He walks up the court
- T-mac has stated, when he had a fast break "He wanted somebody to catch up, so he can pass it" right there tells you his mental aspect of the game is shot.
-Our current Roster is capable of playing without T-mac. In the past we had starters named (maurice Taylor, Glen Rice, Rod Strickland, Clarence Weatherspoon, Charlie Ward, David Wesely, Jon Barry, Scott Padgett, Ryan Bowen, Erik Pike, stromile swift, Juan Howard, Kelvin Cato........) So it was a huge deal when we lost T-mac, that roster couldn't do crap.

you get rid of the few things above, start Artest, and bam Rockets are playing better without T-mac. A lot of people just remember T-mac from Orlando.

Anyway hope this provides a little insight to why the Rockets are playing better.

Should be a good game but clearly you guys are a much better team but as a Rocket fan, we are going to win (what else can i say)

good Luck guys and after this game, good luck to the rest of the trip.

[Benedict_Boozer]

When is the last time we actually won a game in HOU? This will be a tough ball game.

Houston actually has alot of talent even without Tmac. This one will likely go down to the wire, and we will need good shooting from Mo/Delonte/Boobie/Wally.

[LoveThemCavs]

This should be a great game. I'm also shocked how much better the Rockets are without TMac. It's a shame how far he's fallen, hope he gets healthy enough to play well next year. Houston obviously matches up with the Cavs better than most teams. Cavs will need a big effort from LeBron to pull this off. As said by another person here, Artest is going to post up on our 2 guards all night. We might be better off letting Delonte/Kinsey/Wally guard Battier. And have LeBron man up on Artest. Yao and Z is always fun to watch. Brooks is fast as hell and I hope he doesn't kill us off the dribble. Mo should be able to put up his points. But if Brooks is breaking down the defense forcing our guys to leave their man to help, then we are in trouble. 4 road games in 5 nights. It would be huge to win this one(it's the toughest of the bunch IMO).

[smapor]

When is the last time we actually won a game in HOU? This will be a tough ball game.

Houston actually has alot of talent even without Tmac. This one will likely go down to the wire, and we will need good shooting from Mo/Delonte/Boobie/Wally.

I don't know but aren't you guys like 18-3 vs the west?

[Benedict_Boozer]

When is the last time we actually won a game in HOU? This will be a tough ball game.

Houston actually has alot of talent even without Tmac. This one will likely go down to the wire, and we will need good shooting from Mo/Delonte/Boobie/Wally.

I don't know but aren't you guys like 18-3 vs the west?

Houston is a bad match up for us personnel wise.

Big SG, center to match Z, quick PG, SF/SG to match up with LBJ - those kind of teams give us some problems (there aren't many who have all that, ORL/BOS/HOU is about it)

To me this is the toughest game on the road trip for CLE.

[Meatcookie]

Houston fan here... obvious that I want Houston to win tonight.

...but I do want the Cavs to win all the rest of their road games... it helps us move up in the standings

= )