Cleveland Cavaliers

View full sizeA dejected Manu Ginobili answers questions after he and the Spurs lost Game 6 of the NBA Finals in heart-wrenching fashion. Wilfredo Lee, AP MIAMI -- Through heartbreaking losses and hair-raising victories, through Game 7s of the...

Last night’s game was the most demoralized I’ve felt as a sports fan since The Decision.  I have always been a huge Spurs fan (even during the LeBron era).  I loved how the Spurs always had an answer for gimmicky teams like the Suns during the 7 seconds or less era.  I felt that the Spurs were the best team in the league last year entering the playoffs and ran into their own version of the 2009 Magic when Serge Ibaka drained about 24 straight contested long 2s.  I’ve always thought the Spurs discipline, passing, and experience was the perfect antidote to the Heat’s hyper-aggressive defense.  In private I refer to their defense as “shamelessly” going for steals. I hate the Heat.  Nothing has cooled the ravaging beast that lives deep inside me that surfaces whenever I sense praise, adoration, and respect being doled out for this unholy hodgepodge of ring chasers, their undeserved fan base, and of course, LeBron.  I won’t deny reality – LeBron is the best player in this game by a mile and the only player that can dominate and entire league armed with only solid role players.  As I watched LeBron say “Screw it. I got this,” lose his headband, and take over the fourth quarter I thought, this is the finals I should have been watching as a Cavs fan. This Heat lineup is no different.  Ray Allen?  Shane Battier?  Mario Chalmers?  Chris Anderson?  Chris Bosh the spot up jump shooter and “energy guy”?  Headbandless LeBron is Cleveland LeBron.  I’ve been watching the 2009 Cleveland Cavaliers in the playoffs!  Only instead of going against a juggernaut Magic Team with a dominant center the Heat got a three round bye against three sub 50 win teams in the weakest Eastern Conference in almost 8 years. There’s just nothing fair about this. With 28 second left and the Spurs up five, the camera closed in on LeBron face.  He looked mere seconds away from crying.  He was defeated.  Parker’s insane three was reminiscent of J.J. Barea draining that dagger right in LeBron’s eye just two years earlier.  According to Kevin Pelton’s PER Diem, the Heat had only a 1.4% chance of winning the game at that juncture.  Unlike 2009, luck was on LeBron’s side last night.  The Spurs missed free throws, LeBron missed two threes so badly that the rebounds were difficult to secure and bounced the Heat’s way and gave them extra chances.  Then, after Allen’s unlikely three (after the Spurs allowed four 3-pointers to be launched without fouling – remember they were up five and then three) the referees stopped the game to review the call, eliminating any chance the Spurs had to push the ball and get a decent look with more than five seconds remaining on the clock.  This needs to be a rule change – if the referees FORCE a timeout to review a play, the team in-bounding the ball should get it at half-court.  In the overtime, the Spurs were gassed and still had a chance to win.  The referees inclined not to bail out the reckless Manu Ginobili or Danny Green.  They were denied five free throws due to the nature of the situation.  Next time Tony Parker should just uppercut Ray Allen when he’s shooting with less than 10 seconds. The Spurs were about to change the course of league history.  Just like they single-handedly dismantled the 7-seconds or less era, they were about to prove that you do not build dynasties with genetic engineering.  You draft players, grow them organically, and overcome an enormous athleticism gap with chemistry and execution.  You win because everyone accepts a role and puts the team ahead of all else – on and off the court.  The Spurs were about to exorcise my Decision demons.  They were 98.6% of the way there.  A selfless, fundamental, relentlessly cohesive franchise was about to overcome a flashy, preening, gimmick featuring the world’s best play

Cavs have reportedly been exploring trade possibilities but there's a lmited market for teams wanting the first pick. A report says Kansas guard McLemore is somewhat out of shape.

A reported growth-plate injury in his left knee suffered during high school and before his recent torn ACL seemingly has caused Kentucky center Nerlens Noel's draft stock to drop. However, a Cleveland Clinic doctor says such injuries are common and not necessarily cause for concern in and of themselves.

The Plain Dealer's Bud Shaw talks to CineSport's Noah Coslov about Cleveland fans' take on the NBA Finals and what a title for LeBron James would mean for his possible future in Cleveland.

The draft is rapidly approaching and workouts are in full swing, with the Cavaliers holding a very large workout coming up tomorrow. With only about one week left before the draft, I figured that I should release what my big board looks like for this upcoming draft. I'll also be releasing a mock draft either on the Wednesday prior to the draft or on draft day. So without further ado, here it is. Quick notes: -I'll be rounding heights to the closest full inch. So if someone is 6'10.5", they just got lucky enough to become 6'11". -I'll be keeping each blurb to around 50 words, so if I don't mention something about a prospect, don't yell. 1. Nerlens Noel, 7'0" 218 lbs, Kentucky Noel is just simply the best player in this class. From an advanced statistic standpoint, from a scouting standpoint, any way you look at Noel he is the real deal. Had he not injured his knee, I think we'd be looking at an Anthony Davis-style lock at #1 overall. His offense will be a work in progress in the pros, but he should have an immediate impact on the weak-side blocking shots in the NBA. The knee is a concern, but I'd take my chances on him at #1. 2. Trey Burke, 6'1" 187 lbs, Michigan This ranking is a little bit higher than most people have him, but he's the best pick-and-roll guard in the draft by a considerable margin and an excellent shooter that already has NBA three-point range. He is my pick for Rookie of the Year next season, and he could have a Damian Lillard-type impact if he lands in the right situation. 3. Otto Porter, 6'9" 198 lbs, Georgetown He's been considered the "safe" pick of this draft, and I'd agree that he's going to be an excellent player. From his passing to his defense to his shot, there probably isn't a more complete player in the draft. Having said that, he only turned 20 two weeks ago, so there's definitely room for improvement with his game. 4. Victor Oladipo, 6'4" 213 lbs, Indiana The best perimeter defender in this draft, Oladipo is going to be at worst a solid rotation player. Having said that, he's shown tremendous growth in each of his three seasons at Indiana, and there is reason to believe that his 44% three-point shooting could be for real. Definitely my top SG in the class. 5. Alex Len, 7'1" 255 lbs, Maryland A huge upside pick, Len could be the best player in this class or a bust. I tend to fall somewhere in the middle and think he ends up as a solid starting offensive center, which is probably worth a high lottery pick in this draft. I've talked about him at length recently here. 6. Anthony Bennett, 6'7" 240 lbs, UNLV Bennett is probably the most polished scorer in this draft, possessing range out to around 20 feet and explosive athleticism that allows him to attack the rim with authority. I just don't think he's going to be able to defend anyone, and he's kind of position-less because of the height. But the scoring ability makes him a high lottery pick. 7. Ben McLemore, 6'5" 189 lbs, Kansas Apparently falling because of substandard workouts, I've never been McLemore's biggest fan. He's not much of a creator for himself, doesn't exert his incredible athleticism defensively, and he seems passive on the floor. Having said that, he might have the most All-Star potential in this class if he ever figures it out. I just doubt he ever totally does, 8. Michael Carter-Williams, 6'6" 184 lbs, Syracuse Another boom-or-bust guy with All-Star potential, Carter-Williams shows an innate ability to get into the lane and to the rim. He's also probably the best passer in this class. If he could shoot, he'd be the clear #1 point guard. However, because of that I worry that defenses will be able to play off of him and hinder his ability to get to the rim. 9. Cody Zeller, 7'0" 230 lbs, Indiana One of the most fluid seven-footers I've ever seen, Zeller has an excellent post game and a developing 15-18 foot jumper. I worry about his ability to extend and finish over longer defenders, but if a coach can find a w

Will the Cavs find a trade partner on draft night? What's the worst thing they could do with the top pick? Chris Fedor answers those questions and more.

The Plain Dealer's Mary Schmitt Boyer and cleveland.com's Glenn Moore break down the top shooting guards in the 2013 NBA Draft.

If success in the NBA Finals is a leading metric in determining a player's legacy, LeBron James has a way to go.

The Nerlens Noel who is being criticized lately does not sound like the one Mary Schmitt Boyer interviewed in Birmingham recently.