- [15-7]
[14-9]| December 11th, 2009 | 8:00 PM - ET | Quicken Loans Arena | Cleveland, OH |
.......................................................................................................................................................................................................| ESPN | WTAM 1100 |
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PF:
C:
SF:
................................................................................................................................................................ Hickson #21 .................. O'Neal #33 ............................... James #23
.............................................................................................................................................................. PG:
SG:
........................................................................................................................................................................................................ Williams #2 ......................... Parker #18
................................................................................................................................................................... PG:
SG:
.................................................................................................................................................................................................................. Blake #2 ...................................................... Roy #7
.........
PF:
C:
SF:
............................................................................................................................................. Aldridge #12 ....... Przybilla #10 .............. Webster #23
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__________________ Game Notes ____________
ESPN wrote:The Cleveland Cavaliers suddenly find themselves on a two-game losing streak against Western Conference opponents after winning their previous 13, but both of those came away from Quicken Loans Arena.
The Portland Trail Blazers know rather well they're much tougher to beat at home.
LeBron James has had a triple-double the last two times the Cavaliers hosted Portland, and he'll try to help Cleveland avoid a rare three-game skid Friday night as it seeks a seventh straight home win both overall and against the Trail Blazers.
The Cavaliers (15-7) won their final eight games against Western opponents in 2008-09 and their first five this season, but that streak was snapped Tuesday in a 111-109 overtime loss in Memphis.
Twenty-one turnovers plagued Cleveland against the Grizzlies, and they were a problem again Wednesday in Houston. The Cavaliers gave it away 20 times against the Rockets in a 95-85 loss.
"You have to take pride in avoiding them and we didn't. We just can't have unforced turnovers," said James, who had 27 points but committed five turnovers for the third straight game. "We needed to play with a sense of urgency earlier than we did."
Cleveland hasn't lost three straight since March 22-29, 2008.
James is averaging a career-high 3.8 turnovers, though he's also dish out a career-best 8.2 assists per game, and Cleveland is at its best when he's getting his teammates involved. The Cavaliers are 9-2 when he has at least nine assists, and 7-1 when he attempts 17 shots or fewer.
The production of point guard Mo Williams, Cleveland's second-leading scorer at 16.8 points per game, has also been consequential to the Cavaliers' success. Cleveland is 11-2 if Williams hits 40 percent of his shots and 13-3 when he scores 12 points or more.
Williams averaged 22.5 points as the Cavaliers swept Portland (14-9) last season -- pouring in 33 in a 104-98 win at the Rose Garden on Jan. 21 -- but James has been Cleveland's catalyst against the Blazers at home. The reigning MVP has averaged 27.7 points in leading the Cavaliers to a 6-0 record during his career when Portland visits, finishing with 26 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists in a 97-92 overtime victory March 19.
Three of James' 25 career triple-doubles have come against the Blazers.
Portland, meanwhile, has had to lean even more on its multitalented All-Star recently with its lineup depleted by injury. The Blazers lost Rudy Fernandez (sciatic pain), Greg Oden (knee) and even coach Nate McMillan to a ruptured Achilles' last week, and had lost four of five heading to Indiana on Wednesday.
Brandon Roy had averaged 25.0 points during that rough patch, but another big effort against the Pacers paid off. The 2007 rookie of the year had 29 points, seven rebounds and five assists in lifting Portland to a 101-92 win.
"I could almost fall asleep when (Roy's) got the ball," said assistant Dean Demopoulos, who's assuming head coaching duties while McMillan recovers. "That's how comfortable I feel with him. He always comes through."
Like the Cavaliers' success when James involves his teammates more, the Blazers don't typically thrive on Roy's big games -- they're 3-5 when he scores 25 points or more.
Roy has averaged 19.4 points on 40.5 percent shooting in his career against Cleveland.
Portland's biggest advantage may be up front, where Shaquille O'Neal has been battling foul trouble lately and J.J. Hickson has averaged just 2.9 points in the Cavaliers' seven losses.
Hickson and reserve Anderson Varejao will likely draw duty on Portland's LaMarcus Aldridge, who's averaged 23.0 points in his last two games against the Cavaliers.
