Cavs vs Magic Preview

Published on February 11, 2010 in Original. 1 Comment

We got the real Superman b*tch

This is one of the games you circle on the calendar. This is the game that proves Shaq was worth the off-season signing (even though he’s already done that). This is the game you go out and try to drink 7 pitchers of beer just because you can and it’s a good excuse to get drunk on a non-weekend night. Couple of thoughts on the game:

-Orlando finally has their full squad out there. Delonte is a game-time decision for us. Obviously we don’t have Mo. But ya know what, we’re still going to bring it to them. As we’ve seen on this recent win streak we have a lot of players that can step up and fill the Mo void.

-The reason we win games like this (besides LeBron of course) is Shaq. That’s why our other injuries to Mo and Delonte aren’t as serious. What people don’t seem to realize is that Shaq may be the player that has stepped up the most during everyone’s absence. He controls the lane and limits other big men from getting second chance opportunities. And, of course, he’s going to be especially up for tonight’s game. The Real Superman is going to show the “less than 7 foot Superman” what being on the block is all about. Look for our O to flow through Shaq heavily in the first quarter.

-I’ve watched my fair share of Magic games this year, in fact I just watched Vince Carter come out of nowhere and drop 48 points on the Hornets, a game the Magic probably should have lost. With the loss of Turkoglu, Carter is the guy who should be filling the void, and he’s been doing a mediocre job of that at best. Again, every now and then he might explode for a high scoring night but he’s so streaky ya can’t count on it. I like our defense against their squad this year much more than last year.

-Let’s see the Moon man in there tonight shutting some people down. Jawad too.

-There’s not much more about this game. Both teams should be up for it, and both teams are going to use this as a barometer (it’s pronounced thermometer) to see where they’re at. Competitive but I like the Cavs 102-99.

Cavs vs Nets Preview

Published on February 9, 2010 in Original. 0 Comments

Today: Cavs vs. Nets
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: The Q
Spread: Cavs -16.0

Let’s pretend for a second that the Nets aren’t as awful as they are. Let’s pretend that a team in the NBA can’t go out and look as miserable as they do every night. Let’s pretend like today’s game should mean more than it does. Well, it doesn’t. Tonight’s game is just an opportunity for one of the worst teams in NBA history to knock-off one of the best. And if doing so it would be on sportscenter nonstop for the next 17 weeks. But it won’t happen, so let’s take a look at tonight’s game:

•The Cavs look to extend their 11 game win-streak. The Nets look to extend their six game losing-streak. I would almost consider this a trap game (a game a team overlooks and ends up losing because they were under prepared) but in order to be a trap game the other team has to be somewhat decent. If the Nets beat us it wouldn’t be a trap game, it’d be a fluke.

•With Devan Harris out there’s really one guys who can drop buckets against us, and that’s Brook Lopez. In our first meeting this year he put up 22 and is so athletic and tall he could do that again. However, in that same game, Harris put up 22 and drew a lot of our attention, especially with his cuts to the middle. Without him drawing attention from our bigs we’ll have more opportunity to camp down in the lane, preventing Lopez from getting too many easy buckets.

•Delonte’s still likely out for tonight’s game. I don’t mind this at all besides the fact that I love watching him play. Get some good rest, and we’ll keep on winning.

•Let’s also not forget that the Nets no longer have Rafer Alston, a guy who seems to always put up decent numbers against us.

•From the Windhorst front; word on the street is that the Cavs are still active in a trade but the market has frozen. This seems to happen every year. There’s tons of buzz and attention that gets thrown around the league but nothing ever happens until the actual deadline. Remember when we got Delonte and Walt Szczerbiak? Yewp, ten minutes AFTER the trade deadline. I had to make up a good excuse for work on why I was a half hour late. They didn’t really buy my “Dan Ferry called me at 4:29 pm to run something by me” bit. I was later fired for sexual harassment, or something like that.

•Might be competitive for a little while but the Cavs pull ahead and win this one 108-94.

Cavs vs Heat Preview

Published on February 4, 2010 in Original. 1 Comment

It's like I'm fun, he's fun and he's fun so it's like fun linked together. You know what I'm sayin cuz?

So the site’s been pretty weak lately, but that’s because I have Cavs Fever and have been too focused on the team. Also, tonight, I’ll be in attendance at the game cheering the boys onto a victory over D-Wyane Wade. Final Score 104-98 Cavs.

Cavs vs Clippers Preview

Published on January 31, 2010 in Original. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , .

The Sam Silk Shooooow

Today: Cavs vs. Clippers
Time: 6:00 pm
Where: The Q
Spread: Cavs -11.5

Most time I look at the spread and go “yeah, that seems about right” and then times like tonight I look at it and go “why is my life so miserable, and why am I so lonely?” Let’s dig in to this game tonight:

•Nothing like a good Sunday game to get the blood flowing. Last time we met in LA we only nipped teh clip show by one point, so let’s hope we get it together quicker tonight and not have to rely on last second tip-ins.

•This is a game where I feel like we’ll really miss Delonte and Mo. Eric Gordon has one of his best games as a pro against us earlier in the year, and boom dizzle can still go off for 30 on any given night. I don’t like Boobie on any one of these guards, and Parker can’t really do much so we need to limit them somehow. Let’s hope they are having an off night.

•Kaman is a game time decision tonight just like he was last game. This might be why the spread is so high tonight. Kaman is a huuuuuuge part of the Clippers and if he’s out then it completely changes the dynamic of the game. Without Kaman they really don’t have an inside out presence so that can only benefit us. Without the inside game you can’t focus on the outside game, which is where we’re vulnerable at the moment.

•This could be a weird one. The Clippers are on of those teams who know they suck so when they play sh*t teams they lose, but they know that they can have a few bright spots by beating teams like Cleveland, Las Angeles etc. I expect them to play up tonight but you never know. I thought the same thing about Indiana but they turned into a bunch of turkeys right before our eyes.

•Cavs 102-Clips 96.

Cavs vs Pacers Preview

Published on January 29, 2010 in Original. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , , .

Batman vs....The Savior?

Today: Cavs vs. Pacers
Time: 7:00 pm
Where: Conseco Fieldhouse
Spread: Cavs -6.0

I love the games against the Pacers. They’re loaded with talent and hustle, but just never seem to get a winning season under their belt. They’re never healthy, they lose tons of close games, and usually give the top teams in the league a run for their money. I love this game:

•LeBron vs Granger. One of the most underrated match-ups in the NBA. If you’ll recall last year they had their fair share of battles, and also their fare share of scrap. Granger doesn’t like all of the superstar treatment that LeBron gets. During a game last year they got in a little shouting match when LeBron took offense to a foul committed by Granger. Granger doesn’t get the superstar treatment, and he definitely has a chip on his shoulder. In our first game of the year LeBron went for 40, and Granger only 19. Look for tonight to be a little closer with their point totals. I can see Granger going for 25 and LeBron 37.

•Hibbert vs Hickson. The second most underrated match-up of the NBA. Well, not really but I like both these guys. They were both drafter in 2008 at and come draft day there was a hot chance that we we’re going to land Hibbert. He went 17th, we took J.J. at 19.  Hibbert was starting earlier in the year but now that Troy Murphy’s back Hibbert’s back on the bench, but that hasn’t limited his production. He’s been putting up some solid 20 points games and could be a threat if he gets hot. Hibbert Hibbert.

•This is the second time I’ve known of that a team has had to face the Lakers and then the Cavs in consecutive games. Wednesday night the Pacers played the Lakers, and now tonight they get us. Last team to have that honor, the Clippers. Let’s just hope this time we take a hint from the Fake Show and trounce this team, not just beat them by one.

•I’m thinking a close one tonight because the Cavs love keeping it close on the weekends. 105-100 Cavs.

The Wire Look-a-Like Coaches Edition

Published on January 29, 2010 in Original. 1 Comment Tags: , .

Paulie Walnuts, or Jungle Jim O'Brien?

Video of the Day – Know thy Enemy

Published on January 29, 2010 in Original. 0 Comments Tags: .

Today we’re going up against one of the most underrated scorers in the game. Now I’ll have much more about D Granger in the pre-game analysis but for now study this film, learn his moves, and be prepared to do battle. This will be no easy task young Paduan. I also heard his metachlorine count is off the charts, so he’s got that going for him too.

Site of the Day-Nicekicks.com

Published on January 29, 2010 in Original. 1 Comment Tags: .

Yeah, they're ok.

Whether you want to keep up on the latest Jordan release, check out exclusive player editions, or find out which New Balance go perfect with your jeans and blazer look, well nicekicks.com is the place to be.

I’ve been to a lot of shoe sites over the years (at one point I was obsessed, but I’m not going to claim to be a sneaker head) and I can assure you Nice Kicks has it all. The release dates portion is always up to date and they do a great job of actually showing the shoe. There’s nothing worse than a sneaker site that has sh*t photos of the shoes. That’s the point, right?

If I weren’t obvious enough I’ll just let everyone know, there’s a good chance that the next site of the day is going to be hot chicks wearing sneaker. Yes, there is a site, and since I’m pretty much a sleazeball looking for any excuse to look at women and calling it art, this will probably make an appearance soon on Make Your Free Throws. Don’t miss out.

Video of the Day…And 1

Published on January 28, 2010 in Videos. 0 Comments Tags: , .

There’s nothing like And 1 mixtape vol 1. It’s by far the best of the series and introduced the world to Skip. Now of course a part of us has to hate this video now since Rafer cut us up in the ECF’s last year but hey, I won’t let that ruin my enjoyment of this video.

Anytime you want to go play hoops on the playground I would suggest watching this video first. It’ll get you amped for runnin on the blacktop.

Site of the Day

Published on January 28, 2010 in Original. 0 Comments Tags: , .

What a solid idea...and good way to get girls.

Depending on where you work, and knowing the majority of you bums who read this I wouldn’t be too worried, but this might not be safe for work.

Shriiimp.com is a great sight that features artists work that has been applied to womens bodies. Mixing art and dime pieces is always a money idea, and if you’re good enough to do graffiti like this then I suggest you find a hottie immediately and get up on this website.

Some may find this site a cheap excuse to show women semi-nude and calling it a poor example of art. Well, you’d probably be right but who cares, this site’s pretty solid.

What does this have to do with basketball you might ask? Not much, but the lifestyle that a lot of hoops fans live is similar to that of the urban art world.

Anyway, I digress. Enjoy the site.

The Rumor Mill

Published on January 28, 2010 in Original. 2 Comments Tags: , , , .

Did you hear...about Greg Oden. Oh my!

Couple of rumors floating around the internets today. Keepin a close eye to these since the trade deadline is approaching.

From RealGm.com:
“I’m not going anywhere until they let my agent know,” Jamison said. “I got a pretty good relationship with [the Wizards' front office], and all things pointing forward is being here until my contract is over with, so that’s my mind-frame.”

Pretty bad start right there if you’re a Cavs fan, but wait, there’s more:
“That’s the only thing I think about is winning a title,” Jamison said. “That’s the reason why I’m still playing. That’s the reason why I’m still going hard. It’s the only thing that drives me and pushes me, so it’s the only thing left I have to accomplish, and I’m going to continue to do that.”

So, after reading this we basically find out that it’s more just basketball jargon. He wants to stay with the Wizards but wants to win the ‘chip. Obviously he’s just playing nice in Washington but you know he would absolutely LOVE to join the Cavs this year. What an opportunity it would be for him to thrive. And with Jamison you know you’re not going to get a lackluster effort. He wants to win, bad. I could only imagine the kind of beast number he’d be putting up on our roster.

Not so much a rumor, but just a fact:
According to a Twitter post from CNBC’s Darren Rovell, McDonald’s has signed LeBron James to a multi-year endorsement deal.

What a shame, I was always a Burger King kinda guy.

Also, LeBron will be the only All-Star this year for the Cavs. With the reserves just being announced you can take a look at everyone who did make it. Mo might have more of a case if he weren’t hurt right now so that point is kind of moot. Would have been nice to see Shaq steal a spot in there but it’s not a big deal.

The Wolves are Who We Thought They Were

Published on January 28, 2010 in Original. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

The Mysterious Case of J.J. Hickson

Good win for the Cavs at home. We took care of business and did what we needed to do. It was nice to finally put a game away in the third quarter and leave nothing to chance. Couple other observations about the game:

•I’m not going to brag about the fact that I called the game within two points. When they fouled Z and the Cavs got to 107 I was so happy, and I thought that Rambis wasn’t going to foul again…but he did. Two free throws later from Jawad and it’s 109-95 Wolves. Which makes me think, did Rambis have money on the game. Spread was 13.5, they lose by 14 and foul with ten seconds left down by ten, and then foul again and go down 14. Not accusing, just observing.

•J.J. was having a beast of a game by halftime when I received a phone call from a fellow Cavs fanatic who wasn’t able to watch the game tonight. I’ve been hard on J.J. before for not producing every night, but the truth is he’s a product of his environment. He’s the fifth option on our offense and is really a garbage man. Almost all of his points come within five feet of the rim, and he really isn’t an option besides that. So why has he had a couple of good games in the past few days? Because of Shaq. Shaq is drawing doubles again because he’s shooting so well from the field. With that happening J.J. has to just cut to the hole and throw the hamma–sorry, got a little excited there. Basically what I’m saying is J.J. is just going to have nights where he scored 18-22 and nights where he just scores 2. What’s more important for him is to focus on his defense and really show the hustle at that end of the court.

•Speaking of J.J. Hickson, how about Leon Powe. With all of these trade rumors swirling about Z and Hickson you wonder if the Cavs figure that with Powe back he’s an easy replacement for Hickson. And, in a way, they might be right. When Powe comes back we’ll have even more depth than we do now, and it might make Mike Brown’s minute sheet get a little hectic. I like J.J., a lot, and I’d hate to let a young prospect go. Having said that, I think he’s definitely a role player and if we have another guy that can step in and fill the void well then he might have to be apart of a trade. You give a little, you get a little.

•The best part of the night for me (besides LeBron getting a T and kicking his chair as hard as he could nailing people in the crowd with gatorade cups) was when Gomes was getting all of those junk points. He’s on my fantasy roster, so you can imagine how happy that made me. Going from 4 points to double digits in junk time, gotta love it.

•There isn’t much to this post game rise-up because the Wolves suck, so I’m more interested in what’s coming up for the Cavs. We need to keep this streak going but also improve on our game. It’s encouraging the way Shaq’s been stepping up and scoring and we’ll need to see that again Friday in Indiana…

Cavs vs Wolves Preview

Published on January 27, 2010 in Original. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

Howl at the moon!

Remember when we were 0-2 and certain people were on the ledge, getting ready to jump off and end it? Well, I wasn’t one of those people but I know a few. What happened next? We went to Minnesota and gave them the business for our first win of the season. Let’s hope we repeat the double digit win tonight:

•Games like this are so weird. We should win by 20 points. We should dominate the boards and own the Wolves in every category. Yet, for some reason this year we love to play down to our opponents. Let’s hope the Cavs don’t fall into a lull and let the Wolves keep this one competitive.
•Lebron…will he go for thirty plus again? I would think so because with Redz out we’re still going to need a big offensive output from him. I’d love to see Shaq continue his mini tear and really dominate down low. Al Jefferson might own Shaq a little on the offensive end so Shaq needs to put up some points to neutralize him.
•Does anyone really care that Arenas is out for the rest of the year? The Wizards are such a joke what’s the difference. They better “give” us Jamison or else that will be a real disappointment. With this season already gone for them why not right? Get us a ‘chip.
•Flynn was the leading scored when we first met earlier in the year, and he could go nutty again tonight with Boobie on him. In fact, I know he’ll go nutty because Boobie couldn’t guard a 24 hour 7/11. That reference doesn’t really make sense but I had no other options.
•Too much hustle and muscle, Cavs win 107-95.

Cavs vs Heat Preview

Published on January 25, 2010 in Original. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

LeBron's clearly a much better dancer.

Today: Cavs vs. Heat
Time: 7:30 pm
Where: American Airlines Arena
Spread: 0

Always exciting when Bron and Wade go at it and tonight should be a treat for NBA fans everywhere. Couple of things to think about when we play Miami for the second time this year:

•Wade had 36 points against us in the first meeting and look for him to have a high number again tonight. We didn’t have Delonte in that first meeting so guarding Wade will almost be the same as last time. Parker is going to have his hands full and that’s all there is to it. This could be time for Jawad to come in and show he can play some lock down D, although that’s a pretty tough assignment for anyone, let alone a second year guy who just started getting some minutes.

•Without Mo, obviously, we need some people to step up and score. This could be another game where Shaq can grab 20+ and it would be nice to see Hickson get his fair share. In the first meeting Hickson put up 18, but that was right after he got the nod for the start and was in straight up beast mode. Let’s see who’s going to step up today.

•The Moon Man is listed as questionable and participated in the morning shoot around. This is a game where we could definitely use his athleticism to help us out on both sides of the ball. I guess we’ll have to wait till tip-off to see if he’s a go.

•Can LeBron keep putting up awesome numbers and be Charlie Hustle every game? We’d all like to think so but sooner or later he might have an off night. I’m not saying that night will be tonight, because I think he wants to best Wade, but he might struggle a little at the start. Again, that’s why other people need to step up and put some points on the board.

•Tough one for the Cavs but they pull it out 101-98.

Weekly Rise Up

Published on January 25, 2010 in Original. 5 Comments Tags: , , , , , , , .

Where in the world is Christian Eyenga

While other basketball sites might have a weekly wrap-up, here at MYFT we only have the weekly rise-up, which will be every Sunday recapping the Cavs previous week…and what a week to debut it! Couple of thoughts about this past week:

•With the good comes the bad. Avenging our loss earlier in the year against the Raptors was a great way to start the week, and Thursdays win over the LakeShow was awesome…but we took some hits. The loss of Mo and Delonte can hurt the Cavs in a couple ways. Luckily Delonte’s broken finger isn’t as bad as Mo’s shoulder sparin and he’s listed as day to day. Now let’s think about Mo being out.

Earlier in the year I mentioned that Mo is our X factor. He’s the guy that needs to get his 18+ points and be there for LeBron in games where points are at a premium. What we witnessed on Saturday is that we can lose Mo but still need that X factor to show up. In this game it happened to be Shaq. Yes, that’s right, Shaq, not Boobie.

Shaq’s 22 was his Cavs high and the offense really flowed through him at times. This was a great sight to see because Shaq can create as well as anyone on our team. Is it just me or does it seem like he misses more shots than he does? He shot 80% on Saturday, which is awesome. He was everything we needed him to be, which still makes me wonder why people at the bars still ask the question “do you think the Shaq trade was worth it.” Sometimes it’s hard watching the games next to so many noobs, but hey at least they’re supporting the team.

•I’m convinced that Christian Eyenga, the Cavs number one draft pick, doesn’t exist. I’m convinced that the man shaking David Stern’s hand was a front man for a Dan Gilbert led pyramid scheme. I have no evidence to back this up but I have a gut feeling about it. I get certain feelings and vibes, just like John Edward.

•Yes, I’ll admit it, that shot by Boobie was awesome. I kind of felt like an ass for yelling NOOOOOOOO as it left his hands. But, in my defense, his +/- is still awful, which shows he can’t play any defense.

•Cedric Jackson  must have been so excited steeping onto the Q floor. Talk about awesome. Going from CSU to the D-League then getting called up by the Cavs. Unreal.

•Trade deadline looms. Do we think Ferry makes the big deal, or not? In my mind I was convinced that we’re making a deal no matter what, but at the end of the day (yeah, I use that term) it all depends on what’s out there. The bottom line is if a team doesn’t want to take Z or wants some ridiculous offer and draft picks as well then we might not make a move. I’m just getting people prepared for this possibility.

•I’m not going to bother posting power rankings tomorrow, because we all know who’s going to be number one across the board,

•The coming week is a four game set. I love these because who doesn’t love four games in one week. Tomorrow’s is probably the biggest against the Heat, in Miami. It would be nice to knock that one out and then go on a little run and take advantage of our seven game home win streak we have coming up. Lets-Go-Cavs Lets-Go-Cavs.