By Zac Jackson
FOX Sports Ohio
December 23, 2010
Some thoughts. On some things. Making them up as I go...
1. Another game, another double-digit loss for the Cavaliers. Another strong game for Mo Williams, another pretty good effort all the way around, a very nice effort by Antawn Jamison, but another loss. The Hawks were too good -- too tall, specifically, and then hit too many 3-pointers and were too efficient on the break. That's who they are. They're not an elite team, but they're a team with an identity, a bunch of veterans and loads of athleticism. They won the rebound battle, the points in the paint and had three different guys make multiple 3-point shots. The Cavs aren't going to keep up with a team like that and didn't. It started to slip away in the third quarter before Williams engineered a run to make it interesting, but Atlanta pulled away in the fourth as it got out and ran and made shots.
2. The Cavs don't make shots. They don't make enough, anyway. They did get a little from the bench -- a little more than usual -- but it was one of those games in which the talent gap was evident. Atlanta was playing without Jamal Crawford, a combo guard and one of the league's best scorers from off the bench, the kind of player the Cavs would love to have. In the first game in Cleveland, he and Joe Johnson played pass and catch, and whichever one was more open took a shot. Last night Johnson had 5 inches on Daniel Gibson and Josh Smith had a height and athleticism edge on the block. It's clear the Cavs need help in both the post and on the wing; Byron Scott is even admitting as much and saying a post-scorer who can draw double teams is atop his wish list. Understood. I still don't think they can give up Anderson Varejao because then they'd need two (or three) guys in the post, but if there's any silver lining in these losses it's that the decision-makers are getting a clear look at what they need, first to be competitive again (all these double-digit losses wear on everyone involved) and then to grow from there.
3. The NCAA couldn't possibly suspend Ohio State football players for accepting tattoos for autographs, could it? With Cam Newton not getting suspended for what his father did? The answer, unfortunately, is yes. The NCAA can do what it wants. The NCAA rarely uses common sense in doing what it wants. That said, I don't believe suspensions will occur. I do believe the players should have known better, and I know this investigation has some legs, but I really can't imagine the NCAA having the, um, guts to say a bunch of guys can't play in what's a huge game for one of its flagship programs because some guys didn't pay for their tattoos.
4. Back to basketball. If you're an NBA Draft junkie -- and if you're a Cavs fan, you're already thinking draft -- there's a pretty interesting matchup in Columbus tonight as Ohio State plays Oakland. Sounds strange, I know, but Oakland center Keith Benson is one of those under the radar, late-bloomer types who's been watched by scouts for a couple years now and really gets a chance to make a statement tonight when he goes against a likely top-five pick in Jared Sullinger. Oakland beat Tennessee a couple weeks back, played Michigan State to the buzzer and has represented itself well in some other big games, so this isn't the pre-Christmas laugher Ohio State was probably thinking/hoping it was going to get. Lots of NBA types will be in the house.
5. This Buckeye hoop team is pretty complete. It's not a finished product, and probably doesn't want to be in late December, but the pieces are in place. Last year's team was too reliant on Evan Turner and a little too thin. This team is certainly reliant on Sullinger, but he's surrounded by shooters, a top-notch athlete in William Buford, a true enforcer in 19th-year senior Dallas Lauderdale and some young guys who will keep getting better once Big Ten play starts. The experience Lauderdale, David Lighty and Jon Diebler have is matched only by the experience defending champion Duke has, and that's huge as the Buckeyes are going to get everyone's best shot every night and don't need to win 'em all. I do wonder who, exactly, besides Duke might beat them. I do believe Sullinger is good enough to carry them deep into March, and if the other guys hit shots I think they'll play into April. That would be fun, wouldn't it?
