Cavs Lose Fifth In A Row By 10 Or More Points; Sixers Latest Beneficiaries

Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) – The 76ers found a way to beat Cleveland at home.

Then again, everyone is picking on the Cavaliers these days.

Thaddeus Young scored a game-high 26 points off the bench to lead the Sixers to a 117-97 win Tuesday that snapped an eight-game home losing streak to the Cavs dating back nearly five years.

Jodie Meeks started for the second game in a row and scored 16 points and Jrue Holiday also had 16 for the Sixers, who have won four of five since a 1-8 stretch.

J.J. Hickson scored 18 to lead the Cavs, who have lost five straight games — all by 10 points or more.

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Cavaliers Fall Short Again; Pistons Win 102-92

Nam Y. Huh - AP

about 1 month ago: Detroit Pistons' Richard Hamilton, left, Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey, center, Ben Gordon, and Ben Wallace react after Rodney Stuckey missing a free-throw during the fourth quarter of an NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, Saturday, Oct. 30, 2010, in Chicago. The Bulls won 101-91. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

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The Cavaliers and the Pistons are a pair of struggling teams in the Eastern Conference. Which one can get back on track?

 

A pair of struggling Central Division clubs meet in Auburn Hills tonight when the Cleveland Cavaliers pay a visit to the Detroit Pistons.

The Cavs dropped the opener of a three-game road trip in Minneapolis last night when they were hammered by the Timberwolves, 129-95. Kevin Love scored 20 of his 28 points in the first half in that one as Minnesota built a large lead on its way to the easy win.

Cleveland, playing for the first time since being thumped by LeBron James and Miami on Thursday, got 18 points from Ramon Sessions and 17 from Antawn Jamison -- both in reserve roles en route to its thirst straight loss and seventh setback in nine games.

"We're just playing bad basketball," said Jamison, who couldn't think of the last time Cleveland played well on both sides of the court. "It's going to get out of hand if we don't solve the problem and start playing the right ways."

The Cavs, who will finish their current trek in Philadelphia next Tuesday, have been outscored by a staggering 81 points during their three-game skid.

Cleveland forwards J.J. Hickson and Joey Graham both missed the game against the Timberwolves with flu-like symptoms, and their status remains unclear for tonight's contest.

The Pistons haven't been much better and dropped their fourth straight game on Friday when Brandon Bass took over the offensive load for a short-handed Orlando team by scoring a career-best 27 points as the Magic, minus four key players, beat Detroit, 104-91.

The Magic were without All-Star center Dwight Howard and three other players due to a stomach virus.

Tayshaun Prince ended with 30 points for the Pistons, who suffered their sixth loss in seven contests. Charlie Villanueva had 15 points, Rodney Stuckey 11 and Richard Hamilton 10 for Detroit.

Cleveland has beaten the Pistons seven straight times, although the teams have not yet net this season and the Cavs no longer have James to rely upon.

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Cavaliers Try To Rebound In Minneostoa Against Timberwolves

Jim Mone - AP

11 months ago: Golden State Warrior's Vladimir Radmanovic, left, of Serbia watches as Minnesota Timberwolves' Kevin Love pulls in a rebound in the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Jan. 6, 2010 in Minneapolis. Love scored 23 points and had 16 rebounds in the Timberwolves' 107-101 loss. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

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Wine and Gold will try and put the embarrassing events of Thursday night with a win in Minnesota

 

A sense of normalcy will return to the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight as Byron Scott's club arrives in the snowy Twin Cities hoping to halt a two-game skid against the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves.

In his first game back in Cleveland as a member of the Heat on Thursday, LeBron James scored a season-high 38 points with eight assists and five rebounds, and led Miami in a 118-90 rout of his former team.

James, an Akron native, spent his first seven NBA seasons with Cleveland before becoming a free agent this past summer. Instead of choosing to re-sign with the Cavaliers, James opted to play with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh on the Heat.

But the boos didn't rain down on James on Thursday because he chose another team, at least not totally. They also rained down because James chose another team through a much-hyped ESPN special -- "The Decision" -- in July.

The nature of James' departure from the Cavaliers prompted the team to increase security in preparation for James' return, and there were guards by the Heat bench throughout the game. But if anything, it was the Cavaliers who needed protection.

And if Cleveland fans hoped James and his new team fell flat, it didn't happen. James shot 15-of-25 and scored 24 points in the third quarter, while Wade almost posted a triple-double, going for 22 points, nine assists and nine rebounds. Bosh added 15 points as the Heat shot 56.6 percent in a third consecutive win.

Meanwhile, the Cavaliers were focused on winning a basketball game, but lost for the third time in four games. The other losses in that stretch were to East heavyweights Boston and Orlando.

Daniel Gibson sank 4-of-6 three-pointers and scored a team-high 21 points off Cleveland's bench.

The theory that James generated such ire because it was how he left -- not necessarily that he left -- gained credence during introductions. While fans booed James, they cheered for center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who had played for the Cavaliers since they drafted him in 1996, then signed with Miami in July.

Fans had booed James during warmups and when he tossed powder in the air, as he so often used to do in Cleveland before tip-off. They continued to boo when James touched the ball, but James responded by making his first shot and never looked back.

"I thought he played great. Simple as that," Scott said of James.

Ramon Sessions finished with 11 points and seven assists for Cleveland, which shot 35.5 percent. Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams also finished with 11 points each.

"So many things went through my mind," James said of his approach to the game. "I have nothing bad to say about these (Cleveland) fans. It was seven great years. We grew from 17 wins in the year before I got here to the last two seasons I was here being the best team in the regular season. I understand their frustration and I was frustrated also because we didn't accomplish what we wanted to do at the end of the day. I wish this organization and these fans, which are great, the best."

The Wolves, meanwhile, lost their sixth straight game in San Antonio on Friday when Tim Duncan scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Spurs to a 107-101 victory over Minnesota at AT&T Center.

Michael Beasley scored a game-high 28 points and Kevin Love added 25 and 18 rebounds for Minnesota, which had a 15-point lead at one point against the 16-3 Spurs but the Wolves made just 4-of-19 shots in the fourth quarter as San Antonio rallied.

"That's what good teams do," Minnesota coach Kurt Rambis said. "Good teams have the confidence that they're going to come back and win. They've been in those kinds of situations before; they know how to dig themselves out of holes. Every good team knows how to do that."

Luke Ridnour and Corey Brewer both finished with 14 points in defeat.

Cleveland has won nine straight against the Timberwolves, but James had a big hand in all those victories, averaging 30.1 points per game in the span.

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The Cavaliers Were A Bit Too Friendly With LeBron James

Gregory Shamus - Getty Images

about 6 hours ago: CLEVELAND OH - DECEMBER 02: LeBron James #6 of the Miami Heat talks to the Cleveland Cavaliers bench during a game at Quicken Loans Arena on December 2 2010 in Cleveland Ohio. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

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Sure, the Cavaliers got beat....bad...by the Miami Heat. Did there have to be so many hugs and laughs between LeBron James and the Cavaliers during the game??

The Cleveland Cavaliers got blown out tonight.  Most of us saw it, or listened to it or by now heard about it.  The final score - 118-90 - is bad enough.  The way the Cavaliers reacted during the game was even worse.

For me it started even before the game when LeBron James and Antawn Jamison shared a hug at half-court.  I'm fine with guys being friends, off the court.  It was one of the criticisms I had of LeBron james when he was a Cavalier.  Who could forget his joking around with Detroit Pistons after Rasheed Wallace split open Zydrunas Ilgauskas' head?  No, tonight, of all nights, should have been about giving LeBron James the cold shoulder.  Like the fans, the Cavaliers players needed to make sure LeBron DID NOT feel at home at The Q.

Unfortunately, they failed.

Throughout the first half, as LeBron James was trying to get into a flow, he could be seen smiling, joking, talking with Cavaliers coaches and players.  At different time, LeBron had some fun with Daniel Gibson, Chris Jent and J.J. Hickson.  To be completely honest, the sight of it sickened me.  What has been missing in LeBron's game all season - the fun - came back tonight and much of it was provided and enabled by the Cavaliers.  It was like LeBron had never left.

In fact, it looked like the Cavaliers didn't want LeBron James mad at THEM.  "Hey, LeBron, it's the fans that are chanting all those mean things.  We still love you".  

Once LeBron got going, and we have all seen this before, LeBron really go going.  James scored 10 points in the first quarter, 4 points in the second and went off in the third quarter scoring 24 points.  The 24 points was the most James has ever scored in one quarter at The Q.

LeBron finished with 38, while Dwyany Wade scored 22.  James Jones came off the bench and scored 18 for the Heat.

As for the Cavaliers, they all appeared to be in awe of James and the Heat. Mo Williams was just 2-8 for 11 points.  Anthony Parker was even worse, scoring 3 points on 1-4 shooting.  Williams and Parker combined for 14 points and 8 turnovers.  Not the kind of production you expect from your starting backcourt.

In the end, however, I'll take a couple things away from tonight.  First, the fans came strong.  They had something to say, said it, and were ready to put this team on their backs and will them victory.  Secondly, the image of LeBron, with that big smile on his face, yukking it up with his former teammates.  Guys that talked the past few days about how they knew tonight was different.  Guys that LeBron had told, more or less, you aren't good enough to play with me when he decided to head to South Beach.  Today they showed why James may have felt that way.  They looked like lost puppy dogs playing against LeBron instead of professional basketball players playing for the pride and dignity of their city.

That is the biggest disappointment about tonight.  Once again, the fans seemed to care more than the players.  That's what hurts the most.

I'm hoping Byron Scott uses tonight as a learning opportunity with his team.  Otherwise, it's time to make some changes.

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Cavaliers Come From Behind To Beat Grizzlies 92-86

Ben Margot - AP

5 months ago: FILE -- This March 24, 2010, file photo shows Memphis Grizzlies' Rudy Gay (22) dunking over Golden State Warriors' Devean George, right, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, in Oakland, Calif. Memphis forward Rudy Gay has signed a multiyear contract with the Grizzlies and was greeted by about 100 fans and the Memphis mayor at the arena. The team announced the deal Thursday, July 8, 2010, though Gay had agreed to the 5-year deal for $80 million last week. (AP Photo/Ben Margot, File)

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Mo Williams scores 25 points as the Cavaliers rally from 16-points down to win.

 

 The Memphis Grizzlies look to extend their season high winning streak to four games tonight, as they pay a visit to the Cleveland Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena.

Memphis won all three games on its recent homestand following a five-game slide and recorded a 116-111 victory versus the Golden State Warriors on Friday at FedEx Forum. Rudy Gay scored 25 points and O.J. Mayo added 23 off the bench for the Grizzlies, who shot 53 percent from the floor.

"He makes shots," Memphis coach Lionel Hollins said of Mayo. "That's what he does. He's a shot-maker. He came out aggressive and made them."

Mayo has been coming off the bench in a move to bolster Hollins' reserves. The Memphis reserves outscored the Warriors bench 45-24. Zach Randolph and Mike Conley each netted 14 points in the win.

The Grizz hope to improve on their 2-5 road record tonight.

Cleveland has lost four of five games, including Friday's 111-100 loss at Orlando, and will begin a three-game homestand tonight versus the Grizzlies, Celtics and Heat.

In last night's loss in central Florida, Antawn Jamison finished with 22 points and seven rebounds off the bench for the Cavaliers, who got 20 points and eight assists from Mo Williams. Williams was the hero with a game-winning shot versus Milwaukee on Wednesday.

Cavs head coach Byron Scott voiced his displeasure of the officiating postgame.

"There were five white jerseys and three with stripes, and it's hard to play against all of them out there...I just don't understand it," Scott said. "I know there's going to be some bad calls, I understand that's a part of the game. They are human. But you can't miss 'em all night, especially on one end."

Scott hopes his team can get back on track tonight.

Memphis and Cleveland split a home-and-home series a year ago, with each team holding serve as the host. The Cavs have won 10 of the previous 12 matchups between the teams.

The Grizzlies are winless in their last six visits to the Q.

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Cavaliers Easily Beaten By Pacers In Indiana

Tom Strickland - AP

about 9 hours ago: Indiana Pacers forward Josh McRoberts dunks over Cleveland Cavaliers center Anderson Varejao, of Brazil, during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Tuesday Nov. 23, 2010. (AP Photo/Tom Strickland)

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The Cavaliers outscored the Pacers 33-17 to make the score respectable in a lopsided defeat.

 

Danny Granger finished with a game-high 24 points and Darren Collison added 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds, as the Indiana Pacers earned an easy 100-89 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Conseco Fieldhouse.

Brandon Rush netted 16 points off the bench for the Pacers, who shot 43.8 percent from the field and made 12 three-pointers.

Mike Dunleavy had 10 points and six boards for Indiana, which recorded a 93-77 victory at Miami on Monday and has won three of its last four.

Daniel Gibson and Ramon Sessions each ended with 15 points for Cleveland, which has dropped three straight and five of its last six contests. Antawn Jamison had a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards in defeat.

Rush threw in a one-handed runner from well beyond the three-point arc just before the first quarter buzzer sounded to give the Pacers a 24-16 lead after the opening 12 minutes.

Indiana then exploded for a 17-3 run in the early stages of the second half and grabbed 41-23 advantage after Collison's three-point play with 6:55 left before halftime.

James Posey hit a three and Granger made two at the stripe in the closing seconds to put the Pacers up by a commanding 62-37 score heading into the intermission.

It wasn't to be for the Cavaliers, as Dunleavy's trey and Rush's reverse layup put the hosts up by a healthy 32-point advantage, at 77-45, with 5:12 left in the third.

It was 83-56 after three quarters and Indiana never relinquished its double- digit lead in the fourth despite emptying the bench in favor of the deep reserves.

Indiana improved to 2-0 against Cleveland this season, but the Cavaliers have still won 17 of the last 24 meetings between the two teams...Cleveland, which got 11 points from Joey Graham, made 42.2 percent of its shots and finished 3- of-7 from three-point range.

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Cavaliers RIght Back On The Court In San Antonio Against Spurs

Eric Gay - AP

3 days ago: San Antonio Spurs' Tony Parker, left, of France, talks with teammate Manu Ginobili, of Argentina, prior to the team's NBA basketball game against the Chicago Bulls, on Wednesday, Nov. 17, 2010 in San Antonio. Less than four years after a storybook wedding in Paris, Eva Longoria filed court papers Wednesday to divorce Parker, citing irreconcilable differences. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

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Cavaliers face a red-hot Spurs team that has won 9 straight games.

 

 The sizzling San Antonio Spurs shoot for their 10th consecutive win Saturday when they entertain the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Alamo City.

Tim Duncan became the Spurs' all-time NBA scoring leader with 19 points on Friday, while Tony Parker added 24 points and seven assists to help San Antonio defeat Utah, 94-82, at EnergySolutions Arena.

Duncan, who became the franchise's centerpiece after being selected first overall in the 1997 draft, needed only 13 points to pass David Robinson. Robinson, who played alongside Duncan for his final six seasons, recorded 20,790 points in 987 games for the Spurs. Duncan also played in his 988th game to pass Robinson for the team record, and pulled down 14 rebounds.

"It was a great win for us. It was not particularly pretty, kind of ups and down but great defensively and great to get that kind of milestone behind me," Duncan said. "It means a whole lot. More than anything it's a bragging right. I'm going to stick it to him a little bit. He started my career with me. It's been a long career so far. It's just great."

George Gervin is the franchise's all-time scoring leader, including ABA games, with 23,602 points.

Manu Ginobili added 15 points while DeJuan Blair and Richard Jefferson each had 11 for the red-hot Spurs, who are off to the best start in franchise history at 10-1 and are riding their longest winning streak since taking 11 straight from Feb. 11-March 6, 2008.

The Cavaliers, meanwhile, opened up a tough three-game road trip last night by falling to a 10-1 Hornets team in New Orleans. David West scored 34 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in that one as the Hornets built a big lead early before holding on for a 108-101 win.

Antawn Jamison scored 20 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for Cleveland, which had a three-game win streak against the Hornets snapped. Jamison, by making three three-pointers, also became the third player in NBA history to record 7,000 rebounds, 900 three-pointers and 17,000 total points, joining Scottie Pippen and Dirk Nowitzki.

Friday also marked the return of former Cavs head coach Byron Scott to the Big Easy. Scott served as the head coach in New Orleans from 2004-09. He was fired last season after the club got off to a 3-6 start last season.

"I am very proud of our guys," Scott said. I thought we showed a lot of character tonight. We showed a lot of fight. We got down by 18 or 19 and we didn't mail it in. We kept playing and got it to a point in time that if we get a couple of breaks here and there we had an opportunity."

The Cavs, who will also visit Indiana on their trek, have won seven of nine over the Spurs but that was with superstar LeBron James, who is now with Miami.

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Late Rally Falls Short As Hornets Beat Cavaliers 108-101

Paul Bereswill - NBAE/Getty Images

5 months ago: EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ - APRIL 3: Chris Paul #3 of the New Orleans Hornets moves the ball up court during the game against the New Jersey Nets at the IZOD Center on April 3, 2010 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Nets won 115-87. (Photo by Paul Bereswill/NBAE via Getty Images)

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New Orleans outscores Cleveland 36-15 in decisive 2nd Quarter.

 

The New Orleans Hornets shoot for their 10th win of the season and look to stay perfect at home when they host former head coach Byron Scott and the Cleveland Cavaliers tonight in the Big Easy.

The Hornets had their eight-game winning streak to start the season come to an end against the Dallas Mavericks on Monday in Big D, but got revenge with a 99-97 home win two days later. Chris Paul had 20 points and 11 assists, David West and Marco Belinelli each scored 17 points and Emeka Okafor notched a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds for New Orleans, which is 6-0 at home this season.

"That's a really good team that we just played," said Paul, who is averaging 21.0 points, 10.0 assists and 3.0 rebounds in the last two games. "Every good team is going to make their run, but we weathered the storm and pulled it out in the end."

New Orleans used a 27-7 run in the third quarter to take over the game and hasn't surrendered 100 points or more to any team this season. It also outscored the Mavericks by a 40-24 margin in the paint and converted 15 turnovers into 23 points.

Okafor is averaging 13.7 points and 10.3 rebounds in his last seven games.

After hosting the Cavaliers, New Orleans will embark on a four-game journey out west against the Kings, Clippers, Jazz and Trail Blazers.

Scott, meanwhile, was fired after a 3-6 start to last season and was in his sixth season with the club. Scott compiled a record of 203-216 during his tenure in New Orleans, which began with a team that won just 18 games in his first year of 2004-05.

The Cavs are 5-5 so far under Scott and will begin a three-game road trip Friday against the Hornets, Spurs and Pacers. They are 3-1 away from Quicken Loans Arena this season and closed out a three-game homestand with a 1-2 mark following Tuesday's 101-93 win versus Philadelphia.

Daniel Gibson scored 18 points and dished out eight assists, while Jamario Moon and Joey Graham each scored 13 points for the Cavaliers, who got 10 points apiece from Anthony Parker and Antawn Jamison.

"We just kept up the pressure. We kept the pressure up on defense and we continued to move the basketball," Moon said. "It wasn't just in that third quarter; it was in that fourth quarter too. We have been struggling for a while in the third and fourth quarter, but (tonight) for 48 minutes, we pretty much put a complete game together."

Cleveland snapped a four-game slide at home and took a sizeable lead after outscoring the Sixers, 26-16, in the third quarter. It also forced 15 turnovers and shot 46.3 percent from the field. Forward Anderson Varejao (ribs) returned to the Cavs' lineup and scored nine points.

Another reason for the Cavs' recent success is their bench play. The Cavaliers currently rank first in the NBA in bench scoring, averaging 44.1 ppg, and their reserves outscored the Sixers' bench by a 54-41 count.

Jamison currently has 6,996 rebounds and 899 three-pointers made in his career. With four more rebounds and one more three-pointer, Jamison will join Scottie Pippen and Dirk Nowitzki as the only players in NBA history with at least 7,000 rebounds, 900 three-pointers and 17,000 total points.

In injury news for Cleveland, guard Mo Williams (adductor/groin) is listed as questionable against the Hornets. He has missed back-to-back games.

The Cavs have won three in a row and 11 of 15 matchups in this series with New Orleans, but have dropped 13 of the past 17 trips to the bayou.

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Cavaliers Look To Get Back On Winning Track Against Pacers

Darron Cummings - AP

about 22 hours ago: Indiana Pacers forward Danny Granger (33) works against Houston Rockets forward Shane Battier during the second quarter of an NBA basketball game in Indianapolis, Friday, Nov. 12, 2010. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)

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The Cavaliers have lost three straight games at The Q this season.

 

Now that LeBron James is in Miami, the Cleveland Cavaliers will try to continue their recent dominance of the Central Division-rival Indiana Pacers when the two teams collide tonight at Quicken Loans Arena.

Cleveland took three of four meetings a year ago and has won 16 of the last 19 meetings between the teams. The Pacers have lost 11 of 13 games at the Q.

The Cavaliers began a three-game homestand with Wednesday's 95-87 loss versus New Jersey, as J.J. Hickson scored 15 points and Antawn Jamison added 14 points and nine boards. The Cavs had a three-game winning streak stopped.

"They outworked us, especially in the fourth quarter," Cleveland head coach Byron Scott said. "You have to give them credit. They did a much better job of staying with our guys and getting through screens. We have a young team and we're going to learn from this."

Cleveland will also host Philadelphia on the residency. On the injury front for the Cavs, center Anderson Varejao (ribs) is questionable and guard Mo Williams (groin) is listed as doubtful for Saturday.

Indiana, meanwhile, suffered a 102-99 loss versus Houston Friday night and got 19 points from James Posey in defeat.

Roy Hibbert added 18 points with eight rebounds for the Pacers, who have lost three of their last four games. Danny Granger netted 17 points.

"They got it done on both ends," Posey said of the Rockets. "They came up with key rebounds on both ends of the floor and made shots when they had the opportunity."

Indiana, which was coming off a 144-113 win over Denver and scored a franchise-best 54 points in the third quarter, committed 22 personal fouls last night that led to 17 made free throws for the Rockets.

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SBNation: Cavaliers Up To 7th In Eastern Conference

Even a Wizards fan is impressed…kinda. Mike Prada over at SBNation released his power rankings today and the Cavaliers made a quantum leap – at least in the Eastern Conference.

After being ranked 11 last week, the Cavaliers now sit at #7.

Surprised? Don't be. Cleveland's three wins may not be incredibly impressive, but they're still finding a way to get it done. Role players have been freed from the shackles of LeBron James, and they're coming up big. Daniel Gibson, for instance, was the guy that sealed the win over the Wizards on Saturday. It's not clear how long they can keep this up, but as long as they have veterans and a hard-nosed coach in Byron Scott, they will at least play hard in every

game.

Surprising people all season long is going to be fun. You don't win 127 games in 2 regular seasons because of one player.

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Celtics Expand Lead But Cavs Still In It, 73-68 Entering Fourth Quarter

Boston expanded their lead to double figures in the third quarter but the Cavaliers have not quit and Cleveland heads into the final twelve minutes trailing the Celtics 73-68.

J.J. Hickson continues to lead the Cavs with 19, while Ramon Sessions has 12 and Jamario Moon has 10.

Rajon Rondo continues to lead the Celtics with 17 as the Cavaliers try desperately to win their season opener at the Q.

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