Friday November 25, 2005 7:30 pm
Live from San Antonio, TX
CLE: 20 | 21 | 22 | 31
| 94
SAS: 15 | 25 | 29 | 11
| 80
This was definently not at a very exciting period of basketball. You would think that two teams of such caliber would make for nearly an All*Star game but if you thought that, you were wrong. The Cavaliers and Spurs both were playing conservative ball, only taking the open shots, not driving and taking risks. Tim Duncan scores 8 of the 15 for the Spurs, and LeBron James leads Cleveland with 6 points. The Cleveland Cavaliers end the first quarter with a 5 point lead, (20-15).
Things picked up just a little bit in the 2nd quarter of play, both teams being a little less conservative and taking a few more risks. Manu Ginobili drove to the basket quite a bit, and Tony Parker took over from down town. Tim Duncan leads the Spurs though with 12 points and 8 rebounds at halftime. On the Other end, LeBron James was either scoring or dishing out assits, and he finished with 14 points and 8 assists. Ilgauskas owned the glass as he came out with 10 rebounds. Cleveland has the advantage though going into the locker-room with a 1 point lead, (41-40).
Zydrunas Ilgauskas gets into foul trouble early in the game, and it doesnt come to haunt him until now. He had 3 fouls going into halftime and he gets two in the 3rd quarter. He only has 1 left before as they say in the MLB "Your Outta Here!" So he has to play wisely. The Spurs go on a little run, nothing much but enough to give them the lead. Cleveland made a bunch of stupid mistakes and it cost them the lead and if they keep it up, it will be the ball game. San Antonio will try their best to keep their 6 point lead a lead in the 4th quarter, (69-63).
Things started to get out of hand for the Cavaliers as the Spurs headed off to victory, but that was early in the quarter. By mid-way through there was a turn for the worst for San Antonio, it wasnt that Cleveland was hitting everything, because they werent, they were shooting decent. But, it was that San Antonio couldnt hit much at all. If they drove it was blocked if they shot anywhere else it was brick. LeBron James is the leading man for Cleveland, he dropped 31 points and dished out 12 dimes on his way to victory versus the San Antonio Spurs, (94-80).
Overview: The first loss this season for the Spurs may have been a mystery but this one definently wasnt. The Cavaliers didnt do everything to perfection but thats not what it takes to top off a team like San Antonio, it take doing all the right things, and thats what Cleveland did. Now the Spurs are 9-2 but still dominate the Western Conference early in this season. They are just behind Memphis who is just playing Magnificent basketball. Tonight the Spurs still did great, stats wise. Tim Duncan finishes with 20 points and 16 rebounds, and Tony Parker knocks down 23 points. Manu Ginobili makes some great plays, all leading to his 19 points. Cleveland by the way had all of their starters in double figures. Damon Jones scores 24 points and Larry Hughes scores 17. Ilgauskas only scored 10 points, mostly because of LeBron's amazing passing skills, but he also gets 16 rebounds and 6 blocks.
LeBron James: 32 points -- 12 assists
Damon Jones: 24 points
Zydrunas Ilgauskas: 10 points -- 16 rebounds -- 6 blocks
Tony Parker: 23 points
Tim Duncan: 20 points -- 16 rebounds
Manu Ginobili: 19 points
Player of the Game
LeBron James
31 points
12 assists
Next game, Monday November 28, 2005 7:30 pm
vs. Washington Wizards at CLE