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02/06/2007 -
CLEVELAND (AP) -LeBron James and the Cavaliers want to go on the run. Coach Mike Brown isn't ready to let his team loose.
With their offense sputtering during a rough stretch of an up-and-down season, some of the Cavaliers, most prominently James, are questioning the club's defense-oriented philosophy.
James, whose scoring average is down five points from last season, believes the Cavs would be better off playing at a faster pace, pushing the ball up the floor to quicken the game's tempo and score more points.
Larry Hughes has the same opinion, as do other Cleveland players.
That contradicts Brown's offensive style: a deliberate, half-court flow of screens and patience he learned working on San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich's staff - a system that helped the Cavs advance in last season's playoffs.
James, though, feels it's time for a change. It's time to run.
``I think so,'' he said. ``We've got enough athletes where we can get up and down the court. At times the coaching staff feels the same way, at other times, no. We're kind of playing basketball for the playoffs. Our offense is geared toward half-court basketball instead of getting out and running.''
James said he has told the coach that, too.
Brown, in his second season as Cleveland's coach, won't make any radical changes and he doesn't mind if the Cavaliers run more. But when they do press the action, he just wants them to be smart about it.
``This thing is ever evolving,'' he said. ``You tweak stuff, you don't make changes. I don't believe in that. Whatever you have, especially what's working for you, you make a tweak here and a tweak there and do use repetition and that's how you get better.''
Right now, the Cavs and their coach are begging to differ. It's a debate - nothing more. But having players on one page, and the coach on another is never a good thing for any team. And not when the resident superstar isn't satisfied.
The Cavaliers have lost eight of 12 and are sliding in the standings after being atop the Eastern Conference for much of the season's first half. However, since the opener they've had trouble scoring.
After a 90-78 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Sunday, the Cavs rank 24th in the league in scoring (95.3 points per game), 26th in field-goal percentage and 30th (last) in free-throw percentage.
Those numbers don't trouble James as much as the fact that the club has scored five or less fastbreak points eight times. In a game earlier this season, the Phoenix Suns outscored the Cavs 34-3 in transition.
``At the end of the day, if you don't put points on the board, you're not going to win basketball games,'' he said. ``You can hold a team to 42 percent shooting, but if they make enough offensive plays and we don't, you're going to lose.
``We don't get easy buckets. I don't get easy buckets like I used to. Easy buckets can always help, it doesn't hurt. At times, it's fun to get up and down and throw lobs, I've probably caught two lobs this year, that's a career low.''
Brown recently ``tweaked'' his lineup, replacing point guard Eric Snow in the starting lineup with rookie Daniel Gibson, who despite struggling in Sunday's loss, has played well. Forward Sasha Pavlovic is getting more minutes and has shown flashes of becoming a reliable scorer off the bench.
Gibson's speed has helped the Cavs initiate their offense more quickly than with Snow, their best defender. Still, the Cavaliers are frequently rushing shots to beat the 24-second clock.
``I think we do a lot of dribbling, when the time is running down, we can't attack, you have to settle for a jump shot,'' James said. ``For the most part, we want to play a half-court game. I'm not saying it's a negative, because we are at times a good half-court team.''
And while the Cavaliers (27-21) haven't played up to their expectations, they don't have any problems a little running can't cure.
``I still don't think it is time to panic, we need to keep an even keel,'' Hughes said. ``I definitely think we should run more, it suits our team. Somewhat, we're trying. I think that we're a much better running team than we've showed.''
Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
<< Kings' Cammalleri out with muscle strain
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -Los Angeles Kings center Michael Cammalleri sat out Tuesday night's game against Tampa Bay with what team officials called a muscle strain.No other details regarding the injury that sidelined the Kings second-leading scorer were pr
<< Rolston out with stomach virus
DALLAS (AP) -Minnesota Wild All-Star left wing Brian Rolston was scratched from Tuesday night's game against the Dallas Stars due to a stomach virus.Rolston, who has a team-high 25 goals and 46 points, had played in Minnesota's first 54 games this s
<< Official in booth for Oregon-Oklahoma loses replay booth job
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) -The Pacific-10 Conference official who missed a call during the Oklahoma-Oregon game last season has been told he will not return to the job in that capacity.Gordon Reise said he received death threats after a call on an onside
<< Byrnes and Diamondbacks settle at $4,575,000
PHOENIX (AP) -Outfielder Eric Byrnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks agreed Tuesday to a one-year contract worth $4,575,000.Byrnes made $2.25 million last year and had asked for $5 million in arbitration. Arizona had offered $4.25 million.He batted .26
Coyotes-Blue Jackets, Sums >>
Phoenix 1 2 0-3Columbus 0 0 0-0First Period-1, Phoenix, Reinprecht 4 (Jovanovski, Nagy), 15:17. Penalties-Konopka, Clm (unsportsmanlike conduct), 3:08; Ballard, Pho (roughing), 3:08; Foote, Clm (roughing), 9:29; Shelley, Clm (roughing), 13:43; Kono
Sabres-Thrashers, Sums >>
Buffalo 1 2 0 0-4Atlanta 1 1 1 0-3Buffalo won shootout 2-0First Period-1, Buffalo, Briere 22 (Paetsch, Drury), 8:01 (pp). 2, Atlanta, Kovalchuk 31 (Rucchin, McCarthy), 8:40. Penalties-Afinogenov, Buf (hooking), 5:12; Havelid, Atl (hooking), 7:
Super Bowl helps Nevada sports books set near-record for wagering >>
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -Nevada's legal sports books won big on Super Bowl bets as gamblers made a near-record $93.1 million in wagers.Figures released Tuesday by the state Gaming Control Board showed the state's 176 licensed books won $12.9 million
Predators-Penguins, Sums >>
Nashville 1 0 0-1Pittsburgh 0 2 2-4First Period-1, Nashville, Nichol 7 (Brookbank, Hartnell), 17:53. Penalties-Zidlicky, Nas (hooking), :21; Malone, Pit (holding), 9:12; Timonen, Nas (hooking), 10:08; Zidlicky, Nas (hooking), 13:20.Second Period-2,
Barry Bonds Watch: Giants Slugger Says He'll Be Back
With only 21 home runs standing between him and Hank Aaron, Barry Bonds is indeed planning on coming back for more in 2007. At least, that's what his agent told the Los Angeles Times.
"Barry's going to play in 2007," Jeff Borris of Beverly Hills Sports Council told the Times on Tuesday. "I've had many discussions with Barry and he's going to play. My intentions are to see to it he's in a big-league uniform next season. Those are my marching orders."
Contract negotiations could get started as early as next week. Let's see which team has the deeper pockets. Will MLB baseball betting lines despite allegations of steroid use? Bet On It at www.MySportsbook.com .
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Chicago, IL - New Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler and star linebacker Brian Urlacher shot down reports of a rift, saying they're simply not true.
"There's nothing between us," Cutler said Thursday, when he reported to training camp. "I just want to put that to rest. There never has been anything between us."
Urlacher added: "I never said what I was quoted as saying and that's it. I have a lot of respect for Jay. I think Jay knows that."
Former Bears receiver Bobby Wade caused a stir when he told Minneapolis radio station KFAN-AM that Urlacher used a profanity while questioning Cutler's manhood during a conversation in Las Vegas last weekend. Wade, who now plays for the Vikings, said Urlacher used a profane version of the word "wimp" during the interview that had to be edited out.
go radio station WSCR-AM also reported that Urlacher had to be restrained from confronting Cutler during organized team activities.
"I wouldn't go face-to-face with Brian, anyway," Cutler said. "No, that's never happened. I've hung out with Brian away from the facility numerous times and we've always gotten along."
Urlacher, noting he was limited by a groin injury, denied the reports in an interview with the Chicago Tribune and did it again when he reported to camp.
"I didn't practice this summer, so I don't know how I would fight the guy if I didn't practice," Urlacher said. "We have no problems. I'm excited about football starting. I'm excited to have him as our quarterback."
Why would Wade say that?
"I don't know," Urlacher said. "Maybe he's jealous because we have a good quarterback now."
Cutler said the first he heard of any friction was when he got a call from Urlacher to clear the air. Urlacher, however, said he had already taken several calls from teammates wondering if the reports were true when Cutler phoned.
"He called me and I said, What's up (expletive), what are you doing?'" a grinning Urlacher said, uttering the same word he allegedly used with Wade. "It's so dumb to me that this even got to this point, but it did and then here we are."
better place after going 9-7 and missing the playoffs for the second straight year. They have a franchise quarterback for the first time in decades after acquiring Cutler in an offseason trade with Denver. But there are questions about his attitude following a fallout with Broncos management and new coach Josh McDaniels.
His critics include former Bears coach Mike Ditka and former Indianapolis and Tampa Bay coach Tony Dungy, one of Smith's mentors. Smith, however, said Cutler has been a model teammate so far while denying any animosity with Urlacher.
"There's no issue with Jay and Brian, except Brian and Jay are both excited about being teammates for our club this year," coach Lovie Smith said. "No more than that. We can't spend a whole lot of time on something that isn't true. I have talked to the players. Whenever something comes out, you have to address it, but it's a non-issue."
In some ways, Cutler is getting a second chance in Chicago, an opportunity to repair his reputation.
Smith said another quarterback - Michael Vick - deserves one, although he doesn't see it happening with the Bears, who lack an experienced backup. The former Atlanta Falcons star, who served a 23-month sentence for running a dogfighting ring, said Thursday he is getting close to signing with a pro football team.
"A second chance, like everyone in society who has paid their debt to society," Smith said. "He deserves a second chance. As far as we're concerned, we like this team that we have right now."
Particularly the new quarterback.
"Me and Brian have been on a good relationship since I've been here, and I expect it to continue that way," Cutler said.
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