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All-around balanced effort fuels Cavs to win over Suns 90 - 107
Dec 2, 2009
For one night, the Cleveland Cavaliers turned an NBA game into 48 minutes of garbage time. And for the second time in four days, they did it against one of the best in the West. This time, the victim was the Phoenix Suns, who came to Cleveland on Wednesday as one of just four teams with 14 wins -- and who departed with a 107-90 whipping. How did the Cavs do it? They played like the team they say they are: a team that can execute at any tempo, a team that can win via intelligent offense or uncompromising defense. Or both, as the case was Wednesday. The Cavs displayed depth, versatility, unselfishness and chemistry. They cut to the basket, swung the ball, hit the open man, made perimeter shots and pounded the ball underneath. It was a basketball workshop, the type of display you would expect from a team that has won 10 of its last 12 games. It's no wonder Cavs coach Mike Brown used words like "awesome" and "fantastic" to describe his team's performance, summing it up by saying "it was awesome to watch." At one point in the second half, the Cavs led by 30 and it seemed like significantly more than that. Or how about this: 10 different Cavs played at least 12 minutes.
Seven Cavs reached double figures in scoring, with none going for more than 14. Interestingly, the man who tallied those 14 points was center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who set the franchise record for games played (724) one outing after receiving a rare (and fairly controversial) DNP-CD. "It's terrific for him and his family that he accomplished that feat with everything he's been through," Brown said of Ilgauskas. Second year forward J.J. Hickson was next in line with 13 points (on 6-for-7 shooting), while LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal tallied 12 apiece. Mo Williams scored 11, and Delonte West and Anthony Parker each had 10. James also finished with a game-high 10 assists and eight rebounds. "We've been playing great offense because our defense is so strong," James said. "It has allowed us to get into our sets early and feel more comfortable. We executed and we shared the ball, and no matter who was open, they took the shot. If we don't have a great look, we'll find a better one, and it's great to know you have guys who are willing to give up their shot for a better look." Add it all up, and it's easy to understand how the Cavs burst to leads of 33-14 at the end of the first quarter and 57-29 at halftime. "They just kind of did to us what their trademark has been over the last 10, 12 games," said Suns coach Alvin Gentry. "They got off to such a good start in the first quarter. We got nothing going at all in the first quarter. It was an uphill battle from there."
For the Suns, there's hardly reason for panic. Yes, they were throttled in New York on the previous night. Yes, they seem to be lacking the offensive rhythm that enabled them to become the first team to win 10 games. And no, they aren't likely to beat you with gritty defense or rebounding should the offense falter. Still, they can't be heartbroken about the fact they are 14-5, despite having played just six games at home. And considering they pretty much gave O'Neal to Cleveland last summer (and got noticeably younger in the process), it's hard for the Suns or their fans to feel disappointed.
The Suns are merely viewing the past two games as a small bump on their fast-breaking trail. "We're a good basketball team, we're just struggling a little right now," Gentry said. "It's nothing we can't correct. We just gotta get a couple days of practice. It's not a major thing, just a blip on the radar." Channing Frye led the Suns with 22 points. Steve Nash, Amar'e Stoudemire and Goran Dragic each scored 14, with Stoudemire pulling down a game-high 12 boards. Grant Hill added 12 points. "Certainly, there are some things that are alarming, things that we need to fix," Hill said. "I think they can be corrected. We have shown we can do that."