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Photo: Joshua Gunter/The Plain Dealer
In just one night and over the course of one 48 minute game, the Cleveland Cavaliers franchise may very well have been dealt a blow from which they may never recover. Throwing all their eggs into stopping Rajon Rondo, the Celtics' 2008 championship version returned with the Big Three of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen destroying the Cavaliers' defense without even a full amount of effort. Add that in with LeBron James's 4th lowest scoring game in his 70 playoff games, a game where he looked nowhere near an MVP, a mere shell of himself, plus below average performances from both Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison, and the Cavaliers now will be fighting for their playoff lives and so much more on Thursday night in Boston.
Pick your stat: 70 second half points for Boston, 40 in the fourth quarter, 64 points for the Big Three, 8-of-15 from three for Boston, 55% Celtic FG shooting, 41-31 rebounding in the C's favor, or 17 Cavalier turnovers. You can throw that all out the window because the two critical points in this game that show the Celtics are probably going to win the series stuck out like a sore thumb. The first was the 15-0 Celtics run that took place with Rajon Rondo on the bench and the Cavaliers leading 30-21 in the second quarter. That's when the Boston trio really got going, and the Cavaliers turned the ball over again and again and again. The next one was right out of the half, with the Cavaliers somehow down just six, Ray Allen came out and hit two heart-shredding three pointers. This was at a point where the Cavaliers needed to come out playing with their tails on fire. Instead, they went the other way, and Boston never looked back. Twice, in this series, the Celtics have absolutely murder-scened the Cavaliers on their home court... the same court they had lost on just 9 times in the past two years before this series. I never thought I would have to so thoroughly and undoubtedly question this team's heart, focus, and will in a second round playoff series, but that's exactly what I'm doing.
As for LeBron James, I am stunned. This was to be one of the turning points in his career, one where he took charge and willed his team to victory and put the Celtics on the ropes. Instead, he put his own team on the ropes with his dismal, unaggressive, uninspired, lazy effort with 15 points on 3-of-14 shooting, 6 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 turnovers. LeBron did not make a single basket until nearly halfway through the third quarter, and he looked like a defanged cobra out there for most of the night. To have just 37 points in the last two games, both losses by the wine and gold, when he had averaged 32 points per game in the playoffs and 29 points per game in the regular season is a flatout choke job. Don't give me the elbow bologna. The elbow could be a limiting factor... if he was giving 100 percent in attacking the rim and taking high percentage shots. He's not, so he has no excuse to lean on in my book. It's a double-edged sword, because if this truly is the end with LeBron, which I still don't believe it is, I don't want him to go out with me resenting him. But, how can't you after this display? The MVP x2 was nothing but tonight, and his team was deflated because of it.
The blame doesn't fall on LBJ alone. It certainly has to partially go to Mike Brown, who can't seem to motivate his team out of a paper bag right now. His defensive strategies, much like last year against Orlando, are not working. His offensive strategy relies solely on LeBron and his assistant coaches. His rotations are constantly shifting as he can't seem to find a lineup that does enough positive to stick with it.
As for Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison, they have been so overly disappointing, that I probably can't do them proper justice here. They've both been totally toasted on the defensive end by Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett. Regarding Mo, the whole Rondo problem and resulting Big Three Renaissance is a direct result from him being completely incapable of holding Rondo's jock. Jamison couldn't guard my grandma as long as she's on the block posting up. The only hope the Cavs have is keeping Anderson Varejao on KG, so he cannot elevate with the fadeaway quite as easily.
The ironic thing is that Shaquille O'Neal and Anthony Parker may be the two most offensively impressive performers in this series for the Cavs, considering their regular season production. Shaq led the team with 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting and 7-of-10 from the free throw line. AP had 14 points on 5-of-9 shooting in 40 minutes, while being asked to do all too much with Rajon Rondo in a matchup where he is doomed to fail.
The one person whose effort I applaud tonight was Zydrunas Ilgauskas. After sitting on his rear end for three straight games, Z was called upon and made an immediate impact out there. In 14 minutes, Z had 5 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 blocks while altering several more shots at the rim. I'd rather go down with someone who knows what it means to be a Cavalier, a guy who will bust his ass relentlessly, than some of the sorry ass performances from others in this game.
 goes to: Zydrunas Ilgauskas. In 14 minutes, Z made a definite impact early with his 5 points, 3 boards, and 4 blocks.
Team Grade: I
The Cavaliers get an incomplete because they failed to show up for the most important game of their season. Their repeated lack of interests for quarters, halves, and games at a time in this series is not one of a team with a championship constitution.
So, where do the Cavs go from here? Well, I for one hope we haven't seen the last of LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Mike Brown, Danny Ferry, and anyone else you can think of in the organization that stands to possibly move on if the Cavs fall to the Celtics on Thursday night. It's quite simple, really. If the Cavaliers play like the team that won 61 games during the regular season, the one that showed up for Game 3, then they'll win and force a Game 7 back in the Q. However, if they don't play with a sense of urgency, a do-or-die mentality, then Cavaliers fans will be left to face the harsh, unrelenting reality that LeBron's future just became way more of a tossup than it looked like just a few months ago.
All for one. One for all. 10 to go.
Kirk
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