Cavaliers 1 Point away from a championship | legendofnil's Blog

I keep hearing everyone say how terrible Lebron's supporting cast is. It's hard to dispute that while Lebron has been playing brilliantly, his teammates just don't seem to be on the same court most nights. Last nights over-time win against the Memphis Grizzlies -in which James scored 51 points to go along with 8 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block- is a pretty good example. The Cavs second highest scorer in this game, Daniel Gibson, also collected a whopping 2 assists and 1 rebound to go along with his 18 points... but does this mean that the Cavaliers are a team of duds, save for Lebron? I would argue not. I actually believe that the Cavs have all but one of the pieces they need to win a title. What piece? A good play making point gaurd.

You only have to watch the Cavaliers a couple of times to see what makes them rise and fall. Defense is what makes them competitive. Offense is what makes them vulnerable. Aside from Lebron, nobody else on this team seems capable of creating their own plays and breaking down a teams defense. The slowed down, attention to every detail pace the Cavs set in games is what really exposes their need for a good point gaurd. Guys like Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshal, and even Drew Gooden have proven throughout their careers that they can score in a good offense. Lebron James is a top 5 creator, and a gifted passer, but he does not seem to have yet mastered the art of running an offense. Daniel Gibson, Alexander Pavlovic, and Anderson Varajeao have each demonstrated an ability to make big shots and score big at times, but most of their big plays come off of great assists from James. Daniel Gibson may one day develope in to a great point gaurd like his hero Chauncey Billups, but for now he is just a very gifted shooter and defender. Imagine if this team had Chauncey Billups to run a crisp offense and set up big plays? I think that if they did, this roster could finish what it started in last seasons NBA Finals.

As for Mike Brown's contract extension? I think he totally deserves it, just like any other coach who has ever led a team to the NBA Finals in his second season. The man deserved to be compensated for that accomplishment. The jury is still out on Danny Ferry's player personnel decisions though.

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April 24, 2008 05:39 PM ET

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Who could have imagined so much would change in 3 months? Half the team has been traded, and it has been a very slow adaptation... but Lebron is doing his thing, keeping his team above water. Big Z is the steady hand the Cavs need in the post. Gibson is continuing his evolution, and the new guys seem to finally be on the same page, as evidenced by Tuesdays blowout of the Wizards... you'd like to see a little more from Varajao and Pavlovic's injury situation is disapointing, but I think this team is headed in the right direction.