What a great game...we played like the Cavs we've seen all season.  What about the play of Boobie Gibson?  He was great under pressure....

LeBron...are there any words to describe his excellence?  We're truly Witnesses.

"Z" showing the heart he is famous for.

Ben Wallace leading the "do as I do"...effort and courage action.

"Mo" better Williams...stepping up, like he's been doing all season.

Delonte West...other than LeBron, the toughest one on one matchup on the team.

Andy Varejao...leaving the refs alone and playing from beginning to end.

Wally Szczerbiak...the Defense on Lewis.

The ball-movement (Extra-pass)

Balance scoring.

Defensive Rotations...we're getting to the shooters.

Making free-throws...

Making shots...

Making stops...

Getting better every game.

But most importantly:

COMPETING; On every play.

NO MATTER WHAT THE SITUATION..."Managing Circumstances" - LeBron

REMEMBERING:  EVERY TEAM HAS A BREAKING POINT (a point where they feel uncomfortable - loose focus and confidence  ITS UP TO YOU TO GET THEM THERE...SO KEEP THE PRESSURE ON THEM...DEFENSE AND OFFENSE AND EFFORT, NEVER SAY DIE, COMPETE, COMPETE...EVERY POSSESSION, EVERY DEFENSIVE STAND...NO MATTER WHAT THEY DO

YES, I NOW "TWEET" ON www.twitter.com/chones22  What are you Doing?

Observations and Concerns:

"Alas, thou the heart be warm and generous, the eye is a merciless critic"- Hjalmar Hjorth Boyesen, "A Good For-Nothing"

In your heart, you have shown appreciation for the Cavs.  We have expected them to play better.  We have expected them to take us there.

But what we have seen; is a team that slightly resembles the team that played in the previous two rounds.  It is obvious that Orlando is better than the first two team we defeated.  It is foolish and silly for us to expect this round to be on the same level. 

Orlando is skilled, and talented.  The question with them; is their heart.  Some of you have questioned our heart.  We have tremendous heart.  We will win this series.  But it won't be in a way you have seen in the past. 

We have been making adjustments and getting better with each game.  So stay warm and generous in your heart and don't believe anything you hear and only half of what you see. 

The humanity of words will not satisfy or define the feelings that most of us experienced last night.  From high expectations, frustrations and exhilarations...(A metaphor for life).  But let me try to make some sense of what we have WITNESSED.

For instance, last night I saw hope and belief, buried in doubt.  With one second left to play...we of such little faith...had made our way to the elevators, down the backstairs, while volunteering some season ending comments about the possibilities of winning 4 of the next 5.....

You've seen the video (ESPN) and heard the audio (The Great Joe Tait) no need for me to completely reference. 

Defense put us in position we faced last night (One Second).  Hedo Turkoglu...and that infamous High Dribble Screen action...was driving me crazy.... 6 seconds on the clock and in the game.  Hedo was looking for the open man (3ptr.) but the Cavs Helping Defense was in a prevent mode...he found no one open, he glanced at the clock and decided to take it on his own...he made a floater in the lane...up 2pts. (95-93) Orlando (Remember, better to give 2, than 3) DEFENSE. 

What about the Defense and Offense provided by "Z" on Dwight Howard....(Best way to beat Superman...attack him on Defense and Offense..make him a shooter rather than a dunker) TOUGHNESS

What about the Bench...Sasha - 9pts., 2asst., 1steal....21minutes...Ben Wallace - being physical with Howard....16minutes...(So "Z" and Andy could rest) CONTRIBUTIONS

Many times we become jealous and envious of Youth.  We criticize them for having the audacity to be hopeful and believing "anything is possible".  It is a hereditary shortcoming of those of us who still remember "The Beatles".  Last night THE POWER OF YOUTH was served....in the name of Lebron James.

What more need be said, than Lebron not only hoped the shot would go in, he believed it would...(HE SHOT IT LIKE HE MEANT IT)

Stay Tuned...Game #3...in Orlando

The problem with looking back - it can be too painful to be remembered.  Let's don't look back.  Let's look to the future...what lies ahead.  That's what successful people do. That's what great teams do.  That's what we have to do. In life and sports nothing is more important than what faces us now...at this moment.

Of course, we reflect back, but we don't dwell on the past.  We learn from the past. We move forward. 

The Cavs are moving forward.  Each new challenge has it's own possibilities for failure and success. We are ready to meet that challenge.  We played good enough to beat most teams they other night...but we know we can play better...and we will.

So, "Get Your Popcorn"...hang on tight...enjoy the game....

The formula for success is simple...DEFENSE, DEFENSE...DEFENSE Is Our Best OFFENSE.

ONE TEAM...ONE GOAL

KEYS TO VICTORY; Let our Defense be our Offense

DEFENSE AND MORE DEFENSE..."See The Ball"..."Helping Each Other"

Listen Cavs Faithful..."By definition everyone in the NBA is a star...the best in the world...how do you get these highly skilled individuals to believe in team-play? Starts with Defense - Bill Bradley

"The team that defends together - will control the tempo of the game...by taking the will out of the opponent...team defense leads to team offense" - Red Holzman, New York Knicks 1970.

Team Defense - is where team-play begins....

MAKING STOPS...MAKING SHOTS

ONE TEAM...ONE GOAL