Are The Cavs Done For The Season?
Posted on 12. May, 2010 in Online Wagering
NBA championship betting odds had Cleveland in the Finals since the beginning of the season, but the team with the best regular-season record looked like chumps at home in Game 5 against Boston. Do they have the heart to send this series back to Cleveland for a seventh game?
The Cavaliers pretty much gave up in a 120-88 loss at home to the Celtics on Tuesday, and they were beaten all over the floor after the first three quarters. The Cavaliers shot 41.2% from the field as opposed to 55% for Boston, they were outrebounded 41-31 by the Celtics, they had 17 turnovers as a team, and LeBron James picked the wrong time to have his worst game of the season, going 3-of-14 from the field for 15 points. The supporting cast was awful, especially Antawn Jamison and Mo Williams, who combined for 18 points on 7-of-18 shooting.
Game 5 was a game that showed the Cavs’ biggest flaws: they’re not competitive unless James scores 30-35 points, and the Celtics exposed a lack of mental toughness among the team, even James. The Cavaliers didn’t even put up a fight when they were down by 17 points heading into the fourth quarter as they were outscored 40-25 over the last 12 minutes of the game. Boston refused to let the Cavaliers back into the game, which is what a championship team does, instead of trying to turn it off and on when it’s needed. The Cavaliers would do well to watch the Celtics if they want to cash in on their sportsbetting odds next year, providing James is still in town.
