Lebron’s 40 points left Cavs past Pacers

After watching the Cavalier play their worst defense in the first three quarters, I have watched the best defense they’ve played this whole season in the fourth to beat the Pacers 105-95 on Friday night.

The Indiana Pacers had turned a five-point halftime deficit into a five-point lead entering the fourth quarter. The Cavaliers allowed them to shoot 63 percent through three quarters.The Cavaliers went back to their identity and put some pressure on the Pacers defensively which caused them to start missing shots. Lebron James scored 10 of his season-high 40 points in the final 7:07.

James sucked the life out of the Pacers and sent the crowd to the exits with a 3-pointer over Dahntay Jones as the shot clock expired that gave the Cavaliers a 101-94 lead with 53 seconds left.

“That was huge,” Cleveland forward J.J. Hickson said. “I always have confidence in his shot, but that kind of sealed the game for us.”

After a rough outing on Wednesday in Washington, J.J. Hickson bounced back with a strong performance on Friday. He finished the game with 15 points on 7-9 shooting including a slam dunk and a layup in the fourth.

Pacers coach Jim O’Brien was ejected with 5:20 left in the first quarter after drawing two technical fouls for walking out to near midcourt to argue with officials. He said was objecting to a play in which he said James “leveled” Indiana point guard T.J. Ford.

Cavaliers beat Warriors for fifth straight win

LeBron James had 31 points and 12 assists, and J.J. Hickson continued his solid play with another career-high 21 points and the Cleveland Cavaliers held the short-handed Golden State Warriors, winning 114-108.

The Cavaliers were short handed, playing without Shaquille O’Neal and Anderson Varejao. Jamario Moon left in the third quarter with a sprained left ankle and will be out for tomorrow’s game at Washington. Also, coach Mike Brown doesn’t expect Shaq who missed his second straight with a strained shoulder or Varejao (hip contusion) to play against the Wizards.

Golden State dressed the league minimum eight players, including Raja Bell, who didn’t play because of a wrist injury that will require surgery next week.

Delonte West was activated and played 14 minutes off the bench, West finished 1-for-4 from the floor for two points to go with two assists and a blocked shot.

Before the game, the topic of football was brought up to LeBron, Lebron thinks he might be able to help the Browns:

“I’m not trying to speak high of myself, but if I put in the time and commitment and dedicate myself to the game of football, I could be good – no matter what team I was on,”

Warriors trade Jackson to Bobcats

Stephen Jackson

Stephen Jackson was traded from Golden State along with guard Acie Law to Charlotte for guard Raja Bell and forward Vladimir Radmanovic.

Stephen Jackson was at the center of numuros trade rumors the past few weeks. The Cavaliers were ready to part away with some of their core players for Jackson but at the same time didn’t want to give up size.

According to many sources, Cavs indeed had an offer that included Delonte West and a sign and trade for Wally Szczerbiak. Basically the Cavaliers were offering money dump for the Warriors. But the Warriors made it clear they wanted talents and size in return.

The Cavaliers were only willing to trade Z only if the Warriors agreed to release him and have him return to Cleveland in 30 days, which is permitted in the NBA under current rules.

Jackson asked to be traded to the Cavs, the Knicks or one of the Texas teams. But as Brian Windhorst writes: “Sending Jackson somewhere he didn’t want to go perhaps was a private goal in the Warriors’ front office after the way he appeared to use them to get a new big contract only to revolt less than a year later.”

Charlotte needed to boost their offense after struggling to reach the 80s in five of its nine games so far.

Bobcats coach Larry Brown told ESPN.com that Charlotte’s offensive struggles factored heavily into the decision to make the deal.

“I know Stephen, he loves to play, and we’ve got to make it work out — and I’m confident it will,” Brown told ESPN.com’s Chris Sheridan. “Stephen gives us a lot of flexibility, but we lost a lot. Raja’s probably as good a defender as there is in the league at his position, and tough, and Vlade was an unbelievable teammate. But you make a trade and hope it helps your team, and you hope it helps the other team, too.

Deal for Stephen Jackson may involve Delonte West

The Cleveland Cavaliers have shown interest in Stephen Jackson. However, dealing Zydrunas Ilgauskas for Jackson was off limits for Danny Ferry. However, recent reports suggests that Delonte West might go in a deal to bring Jackson to play along side Lebron and Shaq.

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein:

“If/when the Cavs and Warriors do reach that point, you can almost count on Delonte West’s inclusion in the deal. In spite of the considerable off-court tumult in West’s life already this season, I’m told that Golden State is not averse to taking him in a Jack deal. Especially not when West’s $4.5 million salary in 2010-11 can be bought out for $500,000 as long as he’s waived by Aug. 2, 2010.”

Mark Montieth says: “Jackson would give the Cavs another legit scorer and, more important, another stout-hearted defender. He respects coach Mike Brown, who was an assistant during Jackson’s first season with the Pacers, and would defer to LeBron James and Shaquille O’Neal, just as he deferred to Reggie Miller in Indiana”

Cavaliers beat Heat, Lebron wants a new number

Lebron James scored 34 points including the final eight points over the last 2:42. Dwyane Wade had 36 but wasn’t enough to rally his team from an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter.

The two superstars did not disappoint. James was 8-for-20 from the floor, and 16-of-18 from the stripe, and a game-high seven assists, and four rebounds, two steals and a blocked shot. Wade’s matched James almost in every category, going 9-for-21 from the floor and 15-for-21 from the line en route to a game-high 36 points.

Mo Williams made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points for the Cavs. J.J. Hickson, making his third consecutive start, had a career-high 18 points.

Over the last three wins, Mo Williams is shooting a scorching .614 from the floor. Over the past two games, Mo has gone 9-for-12 from long-distance.

This was a high energy game that included many highlights. The main one was a dunk by Wade on Anderson Varejao which you can watch on the above video. Give Varjao a lot of credit for trying to block Wade. Lebron said that dunk might make the NBA’s all-time top ten.

Later, Varejao and Wade drew a double technical for a heated exchange moments after the dunk.

“It’s like being in the backyard with your big brother or little brother,” smiled James. “You don’t want him to get the upper edge. You don’t want them bragging and talking about it all week.”

“We knew because of D-Wade it was going to be a high-energy game,” said the Cavs’ Shaquille O’Neal, who scored 14 points in a return to his former home court. “It’s very, very exciting watching him and LeBron going back and forth.”

Lebron_James_Back_JerseyLebron James is planning on switching jersey numbers after this season from number 23 to number 6. Also, James wants to lead a movement to get every player who wears No. 23 in the league to give it up as a tribute to Jordan.

“I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon,” James said. “There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant, no Dwyane Wade if there wasn’t Michael Jordan first. He can’t get the logo, and if he can’t, something has to be done. I feel like no NBA player should wear 23. I’m starting a petition, and I’ve got to get everyone in the NBA to sign it. Now, if I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it.”