The Cleveland Cavaliers followed up an exhilarating opening night win over Boston with two disconcerting performances against the Toronto Raptors and Sacramento Kings, leaving the team precisely where we thought they were: a work in progress, with much to overcome now that You-Know-Who has jumped ship.
Some random thoughts as they continue the 2010-11 "Pick Up the Pieces" tour:
Anderson Varejao Was, and Remains, a Key to the Cavaliers' Success
With the hue-and-cry over his flopping ways over with—he no longer employs the technique—fans around the country have begun to realize what NBA players and coaches have known all along: the guy is an impact player.
Last year, he had the third-best plus/minus rating in the league (a ranking of how a player’s team performs when he is on or off the floor), behind only LeBron James and Dwight Howard. He remained in the Top 20 in the adjusted numbers produced by BasketballValue.com—ahead of such luminaries as Kevin Durant, Dirk Nowitzki, Rajon Rondo and Pau Gasol.
The Cavaliers were energized with Varejao in the lineup against Boston, flat when he missed the Toronto game ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NBA
Article written by Tom Delamater
Cleveland Cavaliers: Lots of Potential Without LeBron James, But Long Way To Go
November 1st, 2010 by Tom Delamater Leave a reply »
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