Hickson’s Big Game Keeps Promise Alive

By: T.J. Zuppe

Cleveland Cavaliers’ forward J.J. Hickson can be very frustrating to watch. There is no question his talent is special. There is no doubt he has the tools to dominate most nights.

But the most glaring question for Hickson seems to always find a way into conversation: When will the light bulb come on full-time for the third-year power forward?

Cavs Forward J.J. Hickson - Getty Images

In Friday nights victory over the Clippers, one that snapped an NBA record 26-game skid, the athletic big proved why he has such promise.

In a performance that was one of the most complete for Cleveland this season, Hickson was a key cog in helping the team do something they had not done since December 18th – win a game. And boy did the Cavs need it.

“It wasn’t a matter of playing against Blake (Griffin),” Hickson said. “I was motivated to get out there and just try to get the win and help my team get a W. We could have been playing some high school players, I would have still been motivated to go out there and compete and get a win.”

Motivated, he was but as much as he said he did not have any extra in the tank to play against the All-Star rookie of the Clippers, Griffin certainly seemed to bring the best out of Hickson. That included a stat line of 27 points and 14 rebounds, in what arguably could have been his best game sporting the colors wine and gold.

“I just think I played well on both ends and I think it shows up,” Hickson said. “I just think I played solid on defense and when guys like Mo (Williams) and Ramon Sessions penetrated, I made myself available and got on the offensive glass.”

Hickson’s play over the last seven games has shown a bit more consistency, averaging 19.6 points per contest in that stretch. But more surprising than the offensive game, was how physical he played the imposing Griffin on defense, which did not go unnoticed by his teammates.

“(Hickson) was great defensively,” Guard Mo Williams said, following his return from injury. “He was so good defensively we called off the double team. We said you got him, we’re not helping, we’re not doing anything, and he did a great job.

“It benefits everybody. We get to stay home. We don’t get backdoored and things like that. He was terrific.”

On top of that defense, everyone will remember Hickson’s performance for two very key blocks. One on Griffin in regulation, as he went up for another of his monstrous throwdowns. Hickson denied him and planted him on his backside, a play that seemed to energize the crowd, but more importantly, the team.

“I just wanted to be solid on defense,” Hickson said. “I used my athleticism… It was just a good play overall… It was nothing personal. I just think we’re both good athletic players and I just won that battle.”

Then at the end of regulation, Hickson denied a shot at the basket that ultimately sent the two teams to overtime.

“I just think it was a good block by me,” Hickson added. “I’m glad the referee didn’t call goal-tending because I think it was a great block. I got the ball at its highest point.”

Both blocks meant the world to the victory, for very different reasons. He finished with four rejections overall in the contest.

Which brings us back to the most important question: Is Hickson’s play of late something we can expect moving forward? Has coach Byron Scott’s tough love earlier this season began to sink into his psyche on the court? Or is this just another reasons to cause more frustration towards his game?

The rest of this season will be about finding that out about him and several other Cavaliers, as the team picks up the pieces, looking towards next season in the second half.

The mantra is always “one game at a time,” and with that being the case, the focus is now on the Washington Wizards on Sunday.

An Interesting Debate: Scott or Sloan?

By: Aaron Goldhammer

There was an interesting debate between Rizz, the Good Karma West Palm crew, and me tonight: Should the Cavs consider firing Byron Scott and hiring just resigned Utah coach Jerry Sloan at the end of the season?

While I can’t disagree with GM Chris Grant’s strong support of Scott this week, it’s hard to pass up the opportunity to hire one of the league’s all-time great coaches.

Former Jazz Coach Jerry Sloan

I understand that Byron has not had a ton of talent to work with, but the Cavs seem to be playing worse now than they have at any point this season. Good coaches get more of out of less and their players tend of get better over the course of an epically long NBA season.

Do you really think Manny Harris or Ryan Hollins is that much better now than they were in December? Isn’t it weird to watch defensive mastermind Mike Brown breaking down highlights on SportsCenter while the punch line Cavs are one of the worst defensive teams in the league?

Long term, Grant may be right. Scott may be the right man for this extremely difficult rebuilding project. But, you will have a hard time convincing me that Sloan would not be a better man.

While he was blessed with two hall-of-famers for the majority of his coaching career, Sloan also developed young players and used his system to stay competitive even when Stockton and Malone were long gone. Without Jordan, Sloan may have won multiple championships in the 90’s. Without Kobe, he might have had a finals appearance or two in recent years.

He’s about as consistent as they come in professional sports.

Finally, while I have great respect for Sloan the coach, I cannot think about his tenure in Salt Lake without first considering accusations from former NBA player John Amaechi. After coming out of the closet in his memoir, Amaechi called Sloan “the worst man I have ever met in my life.”

http://deadspin.com/#!241382/jerry-sloan-is-not-the-worlds-friendliest-man

I’m sure Amaechi’s comments have significant merit, but I also suspect that Sloan learned from that ordeal and is more considerate of his players now.

There is no way a Sloan team would have lost 26 in a row…and counting…just sayin’

Cleveland Sports New Year’s Resolutions

By Will Burge

It is that time of year again. It is time to make empty promises about your life for the next 365 days. It is time to “invest” in home workout equipment that will serve as an extremely expensive clothes rack. It is time to make our New Year’s resolutions.

Here are the resolutions of some Cleveland sports athletes, teams, and owners.

Anderson Varejao:  Find someone to punch in the face (besides himself) that will get him shipped to a contender. Aka the Braylon Escape Plan.

Antawn Jamison:  Have his agent explore a rehab endorsement. No one quits quite like Antawn.

Daniel Gibson:  Treat himself to a nice, long, warm vacation in Miami. He could plan his trip from late February to mid June possibly.

Byron Scott:  Find some “system” players. And by “system” he means “not JJ Hickson.”

JJ Hickson:  Spend a little money on himself. He is in the market for a very comfy seat cushion.

Dan Gilbert:  Kick his addiction to “Comic Sans” font. He would also like buy 2012 and get rid of it. The Casino opens in 2013!

Grady Sizemore:  Give up drinking coffee.

Carlos Santana:  Master the English language. You have to know the English language to negotiate a trade to the Yankees.

Larry Dolan:  Make it winter all year round. Snow Days were a hit!!

Peyton Hillis:  Practice his NCAA scouting skills. If the Browns cannot find someone to give him a rest, he will just do it himself.

Eric Wright:  Purchase a Snuggie. Eric even has trouble covering himself with a blanket.

Colt McCoy:  Start calling people “guy”, “chief”, and “buddy”. This will help with all the personnel change he will encounter in Berea.

Eric Mangini:  Find a home in Kansas City.  That’s where all the failed ex-Patriot assistants go.

Mike Holmgren:  Lose some weight. He has already started planning his weekly sideline pacing workout plan for next year.

Happy New Year’s everybody and let’s hope the next one is better than the last!

Cavs Admit Embarrassment, Try Damage Control

By: T.J. Zuppe

Back in July, during “The Decision”, former Cavalier Lebron James took to national television and embarrassed his former city by announcing to the world he was turning his back on Cleveland, heading to Miami.

In his return Thursday night at Quicken Loans Arena, the Cavaliers embarrassed themselves.

Cavs Foward Antawn Jamison Admitted Being Embarrassed on Thursday Night

Now in the aftermath of being destroyed, dismantled and emasculated at the hands of the Heat, the Cavaliers have begun some form of damage control, starting with practice on Friday, at the Cleveland Clinic Courts.

“Its been a while since I got beat that bad,” forward Antawn Jamison said. “As a team we’re embarrassed because we knew the severity of the game, how important it was for the fans and the people of Ohio. Being embarrassed by Boston the game before and coming doing the same thing is unacceptable.”

Jamison is absolutely right. The team should feel extremely embarrassed in their play against the Heat, not because of the loss but because the team went down without any form of a fight or pulse.

There is no question the talent disparity between the two teams was a large divide, however the fans deserved a better showing from their team, on a night the city has been anticipating since that fateful day, over the summer. The loss does not sting nearly as much as the lack of effort and complete destruction of the team.

“It was disappointing, the way that we played yesterday,” guard Daniel Gibson said. “We came to work today with the right mindset and get better from that. We don’t want to ever have that feeling again.”

They had better start, for it may be too late in the eyes of many of the faithful that were put off by the performance of the team.

And if that was not enough, the icing on the cake took place before and after the contest, when James made nice with many of the Cavalier players, slapping hands and hugging his former teammates. Smiles were abundant, as James seemed to toy with his former team throughout the evening.

However, Gibson had a different take on how the pre-game exchanges took place with his long-time friend.

“You might say I was laughing and that we we’re joking with him,” Gibson said. “That kind of rubs me the wrong way. We all know Lebron and know he enjoys being in front of the camera. But to say we were fraternizing and being friendly, no one knows what was said. Those things that were said probably couldn’t be repeated.

There was nothing friendly about the conversations that we had yesterday.”

That may be the truth, it may not. Unfortunately, we will probably never know.

Cavs Coach Byron Scott and Guard Daniel Gibson

However, as the old saying says, actions speak louder than words. The Cavs’ players could speak all day about how disgusted they were with the actions and antics of their former teammate, but the fact remains, no one did a single thing about it during the game.

James was never put to the floor with a good hard foul, pressured or made to work on either end of the floor. He was never made to feel uncomfortable, starting with the pre-game semantics, to the final buzzer, making a mockery of the court he used to call home.

For that, it all falls back on the team wearing wine and gold, no matter what any amount of words say. The perception of playing the friend card has totally and completely trumped what may, or may not have happened. That may be unfair but quite frankly, that is just the way it is.

And even though Gibson may have tried to push past the talk of his former teammate, the questions continued his way. What had not been addressed was where he stood with James.

Had his relationship with his friend soured?

“Yea,” Gibson simply stated.

Later Gibson was asked if his relationship with James had changed following the game. He remained quiet, forcing a half-smile, as if to insinuate that it had, for the worst. However, he would not give a definitive answer, forcing others to make up their own mind on what he truly meant.

The truth is honestly, none of that would even matter had the Cavaliers continued the same effort, intensity and fire they showed in the first five minutes of the ball game.

Instead, they let James walk all over them and played entirely into his hands, turning off the fans who let their passion flow out towards number six and were rewarded with a team that did not seem to echo their ‘want-to-win’. That is truly what was disgusting.

It is not about the hugs and kisses exchanged.

Would that still drive us crazy following a Cavalier potential victory? Probably, but it would not even be close to the huge story it has become over the last 24 hours.

It has to be more about what took place between the sidelines, on the court at the Q. The landscape of professional sports has changed, players will be friends and the days of viewing them as the enemy is probably gone.

Unfortunate, yet the world we now live in.

So removing that from the picture, we are still left with a team that seemed to mail it in, in the second half, getting used and abused by the Miami Heat. Losing by 12, with great effort would be forgivable.

Losing by 28, getting embarrassed and handing over your manhood on national television? That is truly what is unacceptable and will stick with Cavs fans for years to come.

Cavaliers/Heat Postgame Video Blog

Williams Helps Cavs Fight to Find Urgency Scott Wants

By: T.J. Zuppe

Throughout the early season woes the Cleveland Cavaliers (6-8) have experienced, one common theme that coach Byron Scott has tried to preach to his troops is developing a sense of urgency, both early and late in games.

As Scott’s squad tries to learn and embrace his philosophies, it seems more like an uphill battle. It becomes a war against themselves and coach Scott’s job is not an enviable one.

Cavs Coach Byron Scott

The team has played well in stretches of ballgames, however the Cavs have seemed to struggle internally, as they attempt to put together a full 48-minutes of good play, that is filled with the same level of intensity throughout.

They have also not grasped the importance of the defensive end of the floor, semi-surprising considering the emphasis they had put on defense in the past, under former coach Mike Brown. Scott has tried to teach his guys about how the offense will come, if the effort is put forth defensively.

The Cavs have yet to embrace that.

Even before Wednesday night’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks, Scott spoke about two common themes he considered important: Finding that elusive sense of urgency and getting the same effort from the starting-five that they had enjoyed from the bench bunch.

“We are in the early stages of this season,” Scott said. “We still have a long way to go, we’ve made some progress. (It is) about coming out and playing the way we’re capable of playing.”

Although Scott has touched on the amount of patience he possesses and needs to have when taking over a new team, it is not making his job any easier when his unit is not playing with the same level of play during games, that they are during practice. “I know it’s going to take time,” Scott said.

Needing time is one thing. However, the appearance of uninspired sleepwalking is another.

However, time may be growing short for one area of his team. For the Cavs, it has to start with the poor play of the starting-five and finding a way to change that.

“We do have to get more production from our starters and they know that, Scott added. “I’ve made it clear that they need to come out and get us out to a much better start.”

In the 83-81 last-second win over the Bucks, the Cavs starting line-up contributed 53 points, led by guard Mo Williams with 25, delivering the buzzer beating two-pointer, as time expired. It was one of the first times all season that the starters kept the team in the game, without the help of the reserves.

Cavs Guard Mo Williams

“Even as a kid, you count down and shoot it,” Williams said of his game-winner. “It’s a lot of pressure (on you) to take those shots. You have to be willing to take them, to make them… I’m not afraid to miss them”

Williams was able to come alive in the third quarter, scoring 21 points in the second half, en route to a great offensive effort. He also added five assists and single-handedly brought the Cavs back into the ballgame, encompassing the urgency that Scott pleaded for at the outset. His play in the second half brought electricity back to an otherwise dull Quicken Loans Arena, before cashing in on the final shot that sent the Cavs’ faithful home happy.

“We’ll I definitely have to be the guy to make plays but we have other guys that can contribute,” Williams said. “I’ll accept that role. I feel like I have to be that aggressive guy every single night… I got to set the tone.”

Even more importantly, the Cavs used Scott’s defensive philosophy to create easier looks for themselves on offense, in the second half. Williams could not agree more and referenced how important that defensive intensity was.

“Our defense kept it respectable for us to come out and go on a run in the second half, Williams added.

Anthony Parker contributed 14 and Daniel Gibson added 12 off of the bench, in a much better offensive effort.

It is yet to be determined how the team will use the victory, as something to build on or as an anomaly in an otherwise long season. The next step will take place on Friday, when the team travels to Orlando to square off with the Magic.

Follow T.J. Zuppe on Twitter @TJZuppe

Small Lineup Changes Could Start with Graham at Forward

By: T.J. Zuppe

When Cleveland Cavaliers coach Byron Scott spoke about possible lineup changes on the way at practice on Monday, instantly speculation began as to who could be shuffled in and out of the starting-five.

Coach Scott would not comment as to which areas he was looking to shake up and added he would not make a final decision until game time on Tuesday, in Indiana.

However, the forward position seems to be a good place to start, with Jamario Moon and J.J. Hickson the current starters.

Cavs Forward Joey Graham

With Hickson struggling of late and Moon out of sync offensively, it could be Antawn Jamison and Joey Graham being the beneficiaries of more minutes, if not straight-up starting.

Graham commented on the topic at practice and noted he would not be surprised if he got the call to start at small forward.

“We’ve had a set lineup going in these 10 or 11 games,” Graham said. “If I do or I don’t (start), I’m not worried about it. All I can control are the things when I get in the game, going in and playing hard and controlling the things that I can do.”

Graham has been a pleasant surprise at times for the Cavs coming off the bench, providing a spark in certain situations. Currently, he is averaging 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16 minutes per contest.

He was also held out of six games earlier in the season, as Scott tried different formulas to make the rotation work. Coach made it clear that Graham is now in the rotation and now could be an even bigger part of the team’s plans.

Yet for Graham, he is not concerned about his approach regardless, because he has been in this situation before and he knows how to handle it.

“In the six years that I have been (in the league), it’s been like that,” Graham said. “It’s nothing new. It’s just being ready when your name is called and going out there and producing.

“It’s a different mindset coming off the bench. You want to bring intensity while you’re in there the whole time, but starting the game off you want to be on point.”

The biggest reason for the lineup changes that could be on the horizon is due to that intensity that Graham spoke of. At points this season, it has been non-existent and Scott wants the same focus to carry over from practice, into game situations.

Known for his defense and toughness, Graham could be the perfect remedy to those struggles in the starting unit. Bottom line, he loves embracing the defensive end of the court, something Scott has been preaching since day one.

“I’ve always taken pride in playing defense,” Graham said. “I’ve always got enjoyment in shutting someone down. Scoring is one thing, but how many people you know that can come in and lock somebody up. You’ve got to take pride in that.”

If he were to get the call on Tuesday night, he would draw the task of squaring off with Pacers forward Danny Granger, who lit the Cavs up for 34 point in an earlier meeting this year. The mere thought of which drew a smile from Graham’s face.

Cavs Forward Joey Graham

“I’m going to lock (Granger) up,” Graham said emphatically and without hesitation. “I’m going to crowd him and make sure he is very uncomfortable shooting shots. I’m going to make him take tough shots.”

He also added that he wants to make Granger work just as much on the defensive end and hope that makes his own job easier, when matching up on the Pacers’ forward.

One thing Graham said that has to make you smile is his eagerness to play the best, defensively.

“Any time I get to play against a guy like Kobe (Bryant), Granger, Lebron (James), Dwyane Wade, I don’t sleep the night before,” Graham said. “I get excited for it.”

Come Tuesday, there is still no guarantee that Graham gets the starting nod. However, if he continues to say the right things, embrace Scott’s mentality and perform out on the court, he will continue to grow into a bigger role in the Cavalier plans.

Follow T.J. Zuppe on Twitter @TJZuppe

Cavs Approaching Tough Stretch As Measuring Stick

By: T.J. Zuppe

The Cleveland Cavaliers have spent the early part of their 2010-2011 season trying to develop an identity.

Most of all, they have tried to find out exactly what type of basketball team they intend to be, either starting with the highs of playing opening night against Boston or struggling through some of the poor third quarter stretches that have plagued this team, for the last couple of seasons.

Having to embrace the words team and hustle has been the Cavs game-plan, as they continue to evolve and grow into head coach Byron Scott’s new system.

Now the 5-5 Cavaliers face one of their toughest tests to date, when they take to the road to square off with the New Orleans Hornets (9-1), San Antonio Spurs (9-1) and a team they lost to at home, the Indiana Pacers (4-5).

Cavs Coach Byron Scott

Though playing two of the best teams in the NBA would normally look like an unfortunate occurrence, the exact opposite is on the minds of the Cavs players and coach Scott.

“We’re playing two of the best teams in the league right now,” Scott said. “It’s a great test for us. We feel in the last week or so we’ve gotten better on both ends of the floor, so this is a measuring stick.”

Coach Scott was absolutely right in that assessment. The next three games will teach us a great deal about this basketball team.

It is often when teams are faced with this adversity, you learn the most about your squad. It is for that reasons, Scott is greatly looking forward to New Orleans and San Antonio, as he should be.

It is then we will learn what this team is made of and what types of strides they have truly made.

“I think it is a measuring stick, as far as mentally can we handle the crowd (or) what happens if they go on a 7-0 run,” Jamison said. “Do we stop the bleeding early or do we let it drag on? We played some tough road games this season but this is by far our toughest challenge.”

“It’s us against not only the other team, (but) playing in some great arenas that pose a threat as far as crowd noise,” Jamison added.

However, seemingly playing on the road has not been a problem for Cleveland this season, at the outset. The transitional Cavs have been an impressive 3-1 on the road, as opposed to an underachieving 2-4 record at home.

Scott said earlier in the campaign, he believes the team is pressing at home, however on the road they are able to tune all of the pressures out. They seem to take more of a bunker mentality, them against the world.

Jamison agreed with Scott on the topic.

“We know that we have the 12 guys out there on the court,” Jamison said. “We don’t care about who leads the team in scoring. We are just trying to win basketball games. We are just trying to prove this is a playoff caliber team.”

“We haven’t been playing well of late but we did play a pretty good game (against Philadelphia). Now we have to carry that over, as far as doing the same things we did at home, on the road, against two teams that are on fire.”

And based on how the Cavs handled the early season match-up with Boston, there is no question the team will be motivated and ready to play. You can tell based on how members of the team speaks about their upcoming opponents.

“We know we have to go there and try to (out) work them, forward Anderson Varejao said. “They have a very good team. They have a great record but all we can do is just be focused, play hard on defense, play with a lot of energy and try to win those games.”

Through all the talk of how well the Hornets are playing, it is encouraging to see the players embrace playing the better teams in the league. It speaks to the character of the organization, that they are welcoming such a tough contest.

“I like the challenge,” Jamison concluded. “I think my teammates are up to it as well. It’s going to be some fun games.”

Those games begin when the Cavs battle the Hornets Friday night, with tip scheduled for 8:00pm in New Orleans.