Game 21 | Cavs at Grizzlies | Dec 8th, 2009 | 8:00pm EST

[L&H_05]

Very embarrassing effort. Though LeBron put up numbers, he played a disgusting 2nd half and it burned the Cavs.. The Grizzlies were playing scrappy defense, but LeBron took *3* heat-checks in this game..

I give the Grizz credit for playing hard and taking the game.. However, games and efforts such as this keep suggesting to me the Cavs are not true championship contenders.. The effort and level of play against the middle to lower tier of the NBA should be one of domination.. To toy around, get big leads and then lay off the gas pedal is disheartening for sure..

Just look at what the Cavs did from about the 7 minute mark throughout the rest of the game... LeBron up top looking for screens.. Same old-same old..

[JonFromVA]

I agree it wasn't pretty, but usually LeBron finds a way to close these games for us, but he seemed out of sorts. Andy fouling out of the game was really big, as typically we'd use him as our only big and spread the floor. Heck, Moon being out hurt that as well - he wouldn't be able to match Zach Randolph's bulk, but it's not like anyone was defending him very well. LeBron is not used to getting cut off on his way to the rim only to find nobody else open.

We actually need more games like this, so we can either figure out how to close out games with Shaq and/or Hickson in the game.

[mcfly1204]

To think any team could have had Randolph on the cheap, but they were too worried about him not playing defense or being a black hole on offense. He's averaging more assists than Bosh, Amar'e, and Aldridge. He would have been a high risk, high reward player that I feel could have done wonders with the Cavs.

[Benedict_Boozer]

To think any team could have had Randolph on the cheap, but they were too worried about him not playing defense or being a black hole on offense. He's averaging more assists than Bosh, Amar'e, and Aldridge. He would have been a high risk, high reward player that I feel could have done wonders with the Cavs.

Yeah Randolph has a bad rep but he is not a bad player in the right situation. He pretty much punked our entire front line with ease.

Also agree 100% with what L&H said. This team is not looking like a true championship contender...deep down I think we all know it too. Ferry will have to keep his eyes open for trades..