And LeBron thought he had it bad before.....

Although the parting of Sasha and Ben from the Cavs is not going to leave too much of a dent, is filling that dent with the likes of Shaq really the answer? I know that the Cavs seem to be feeling like they are playing against the clock (trying to get that championship win in before LeBron's contract is up), I am thinking having LeBron playing on the same side of the court as Shaq is going to create some leadership problems. I cannot see Shaq standing back and letting LeBron continue being the team leader.

This next basketball season is going to be 'interesting' to say the least.

The Cavs had one of their BEST seasons. They seemed almost unstoppable. The ease with which they played this year made it enjoyable for everyone to watch. They horsed around and there was lots of smiles. The only REAL wall they ever hit was when they came into contact with The Magic.

There was no Magic there. Granted some of the players on the magic had the 3-pointer down and the Cavs never seemed to be able to adjust to the moving pick-and-roll that they put out. However, smashing and bashing also helps win games...especially when the refs don't call it. Van Gundy said there was no magic formula...and that was true.

The Cavs could be one of those kinds of teams too..but they are not. I would rather have them go down playing the game with dignity than to have them win becuz they played like a bunch of thugs.

For LeBron to leave the floor on Saturday night without congratulating any of them...I don't blame him one bit. One only has to look at the stitches on Mo Williams' face to see the kind of ball that Orlando plays.

I saw that look on LeBron's face Saturday night. I don't know what Van Gundy (fat mouthed fat faced fat ass) said to him and the ref, but whatever it was you could see the look of "what's the use" on LeBron's face. I am not saying he didn't play his best...he could see the writing on the wall and so could the fans.

The rest of the team lost what they had found for the season. They let Orlando scare them, anger them, frustrate them and they lost their 'center'...their edge that had made them such a good team. Orlando handled them...they made the Cavs lose their composure.

Andy (who is opting out of his contract with the Cavs as I write this) had his best season yet. I was thrilled with the way he was playing. He was being quick and decisive. He was in the right place at the right time...stealing the ball, making the rebounds and even shooting and making baskets. But, his performance against Orlando was the Old Andy...the Andy that had played on the Cavs team up until this season. He got angry and lost his focus. He was chasing the ball...like the rest of the Cavs.

I was also very disappointed in Gibson. He could play so much better but he really didn't look like he was really part of the team this year. Like he had no 'juice' left.

As for Z...he had lots of good games but this series was NOT it. He moved slow, would not jump. He looked like he did in the playoffs of 2006. Should he retire along with Ben Wallace? Perhaps he should...or at least join the bench.

It looked like the team had finally come together and was working like a well oiled machine. They let the Magic zap it out of them.

Van Gundy and Ewing were great at teaching their brand of Thuganomics. It is sad when a team is not comfortable in their own real game playing abilities to win and they have to resort to trying to beat the other team out of play.

Of course there are plenty of ppl out there that are going to complain and say that LeBron showed no class in not handing out congratulations to the other team. WHO CARES? If they show no respect, then they get no respect in return. Perhaps he should have went over to the microphones and said into the cameras, "Congratulations Magic players on learning how to win a game by beating up the other team. Congratulations on learning your thug lessons so well. Congratulations on wanting this so badly that you would resort to mugging. The Cavaliers will walk out of this arena with our heads held high knowing that we played with our basketball skills and did not lower ourselves to your thug levels."

The Magic is/was a desperate team. Most of the games the Cavs lost in this season were games in which they were getting beat up...the other team was desperate and didn't have enough confidence in their playing skills to win.

Unfortunately for LeBron, it won't matter whether he stays in Cleveland or goes somewhere else...he will ALWAYS be the target of on-court beatings. From the day he was pinned with such monikers as "Chosen One" and "King James" he became a target...of disdain, of ridicule, of other's jealousy. Basketball will lose its joy becuz of all the notoriety and the weight placed on his shoulders. It would have been better for LeBron if he hadn't played so well.

He has been a great leader for his team. He infused some happiness and fun back into the game for his teammates. But it always comes down to the thugs. And until the refs start blowing their whistles and forcing the some of those thug teams to play the game without resorting to physically beating on their opponents...until the refs quit taking payoffs and turning a blind eye to the infractions...this will never be a fair game and the Cavs will never make it to be the NBA Champions.

Well, it looks like the Cavs are going to bring it home to Cleveland. They are the ONE bright spot in Cleveland sports.

The Indians as sucking it up...they are back in the mud pits.

I don't hold out ANY hope for the Browns this year. Of course, I thought they would have it the last couple of years but they were the usual disappointment. They looked REAL good on paper before the last season started but they managed to find a way to flush it all. That is their forte.

I am just happy to have one Cleveland sports team to watch that doesn't make me want to defect to being a fan of another team. Of course, close to Cincinnati you would think I would become a fan of their teams...but...that would be like trading in one totalled vehicle for another.

I am especially grateful that the Cavs and Andy came to an agreement on his contract last season. He is one of the biggest assets of the team! Watching him last night was amazing! The way he came out of nowhere to snatch the ball....!

Nothing matches the huge trouncing they gave the Celtics on Easter Sunday though!

Rigged. There is SOMETHING WRONG with the NBA! Even the announcers tonight were screaming that there needs to be an investigation.

The Lakers beat up on LeBron...Golden State beat up...And I mean almost broke his freakin' neck! and not one foul was called!

But tonight was the WORST by FAR out of all of the games...not only was LeBron not getting the foul calls he deserved called against the Magic (was THAT the magic?) but Andy was getting tagged without the fouls being called against the Magic, either. Flagrant fouls!!! It was bad enough to send Mike Brown screaming off the bench...something out of character for the man...and he got a technical. Un-freakin-believable. And I'm not saying this becuz the Cavs lost by 11 points (we WERE up on them by 20 at one point)...I'm saying it becuz it is hard to deny.

Then, of course,there will be the 'cry baby' idiots that come out and say that the Cavs and their fans are just cry babies. However, if Kobie or Kevin Garnett got beat on half as bad as LeBron, they would be throwing a holy fit themselves.

I really like to see the Cavs play. They are a phenomenal team that plays GREAT together...and they play basketball very well together too!

And LeBron the only one from the Cavs going to the AllStar Game? Like LeBron said...it is just another way of showing disrespect to the Cleveland sports teams. Mo Williams is a MUCH better player than Allen Iverson...Iverson sucks! The Pistons did WAY better without him than they do WITH him. He needs to pack his bag and go home and do the NBA a favor.

Cavaliers...your fans see the injustice and we all respect you and we love you for still doing it as well as you do!

The Cavs sure are good at turning the other cheek! I have NEVER seen a team that got beat up so very badly and the refs just stand by and pretend they didn't see ANYTHING! I mean, does LeBron and Anderson have to be carried out on a stretcher before they acknowledge a foul?

The Lakers had their thugs out in force...but I think the Jazz wins the prize for doling out the most beatings. Were you guys trained by the mafia? I mean, since the Italian Mafia isn't as big as it used to be, I guess they have to do something for money...apparently giving lessons on how to strong arm is one of the sidelines.

As a Cleveland Fan...I think the Cavs should be giving the Browns some lessons in how to take a beating and STILL win the game. The Browns are wimps...the Cavs are super stars! All of you guys! And Sasha even helped with Saturday night's win even as sick as he was. I could see it on his face Friday night. And no offense, Sasha...Saturday night you looked like you had died and fell in the ocean and was fished out a week later and warmed up!

And without two main players...the Cavs showed that they are still large and incharge! Congrats guys! You have given Cleveland something to truly be impressed with and proud of.