a:16:{s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";s:8:"encoding";s:5:"UTF-8";s:5:"title";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:4:"link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"description";s:43:"Everything Cavaliers, on the court and off.";s:8:"category";s:19:"Cleveland Cavaliers";s:8:"language";s:5:"en-us";s:13:"lastBuildDate";s:29:"Wed, 26 Jul 2017 21:07:00 GMT";s:18:"lastBuildTimeStamp";i:1501103220;s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1501103220;s:7:"pubDate";s:29:"Wed, 26 Jul 2017 21:07:00 GMT";s:5:"items";a:20:{s:32:"c1e5354720c4aa725a9f2420f4bf46d1";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:77:"New Cavaliers GM Koby Altman describes situation with Kyrie Irving as 'fluid'";s:4:"link";s:183:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/new-cavaliers-gm-koby-altman-describes-situation-with-kyrie-irving-as-fluid-1.783278?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:1843:"

New Cavaliers general manager Koby Altman and owner Dan Gilbert would not get into the multiple scenarios they said were discussed with Kyrie Irving and his agent last month.

But when asked if the Cavs intended to trade Irving, Altman said, "We've been in touch with his representation and it's a fluid situation."

Gilbert and Altman spoke Wednesday at a press conference at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Irving asked to be traded, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Friday. But even if Altman is exploring all options, Irving might not be moved quickly. When asked if he expected Irving to report to training camp, Gilbert said Irving is under contract for three more years, the last at a player option, and at this point he would expect him to be there.

Both downplayed the idea that Irving and LeBron James cannot co-exist -- with Altman saying "a lot of that is overblown" -- and the flammable situation since the Irving story broke.

"This thing is not broken. We are a very successful organization and we're going to continue to strive for that success," Altman said.

That's despite the recent comments from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver, who said in reaction to the Irving news, "I feel bad for whatever is going on in Cleveland. I have no first-hand information, but I assume where there's smoke, there's a fire."

Gilbert said contacting Silver is on his to-do list.

I feel extraordinarily positive about this team," Gilbert said.

Both also stressed how helpful James had been this off-season, especially in the recruitment of free agent point guard Derrick Rose, who was signed Tuesday.

But as for James' future beyond next season, Gilbert said, "We do not control all the cards. As Koby said, LeBron has been as helpful as he's ever been."

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.783278";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Wed, 26 Jul 2017 21:07:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1501103220;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"c1e5354720c4aa725a9f2420f4bf46d1";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"4d5c4cb5b7721cc0d7f24c0870e71e02";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:88:"Chauncey Billups knew Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving was unhappy, but trade request baffles him";s:4:"link";s:194:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/chauncey-billups-knew-cavaliers-kyrie-irving-was-unhappy-but-trade-request-baffles-him-1.782921?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:2516:"

While interviewing and considering the Cavaliers' offer to become head of basketball operations, Chauncey Billups said he did his due diligence on the team's situation and learned much that the rest of the world doesn't know.

During an interview Tuesday on "The Vic Lombardi Show" on Altitude Sports 950 AM in Denver, Billups said he knew four-time All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving was unhappy.

Billups withdrew his name from consideration for the Cavs job on July 3; Irving told the Cavs he wanted to be traded on July 7, according to ESPN. Cavs owner Dan Gilbert promoted Koby Altman to general manager on Monday.

An ESPN analyst, five-time All-Star and 2004 Finals MVP, Billups does not understand why Irving would rather go elsewhere than win with LeBron James in Cleveland this season. He said the perception that Irving has another agenda besides winning could damage his reputation with potential trade partners.

Asked if he was aware of Irving's unrest and if Friday's Irving news surprised him, Billups sighed and said, "You know what, no, it didn't really surprise me. Obviously I knew. As they were doing their due diligence on me, I was doing the same thing. So obviously I knew so much about the situation that the rest of the world doesn't know.

"But that's unfortunate, man, because he's a special talent. In my opinion, so much of what he's been able to accomplish on and off the floor ... he's been a beneficiary of having LeBron James. That would be alarming to me if I was a team looking to get him. If it's all about winning, I mean, you've got a chance to win every single year. And not only that, you're getting everything you want. You're getting all the shots you want, you're playing for a great coach who's letting you go to work, the game's on the line they're coming to you, you're playing on TV every week. To me I don't get it, I just don't get it."

Billups suggested Irving may want Russell Westbrook-type stardom. The Thunder's Westbrook won the league MVP award in 2016 after Kevin Durant departed for the Golden State Warriors.

"Everybody has his own desires. He's won a championship already. Maybe he's saying, 'I won a championship, I did this, I did that.' Maybe he wants to be Russell Westbrook and go and try to win MVP and get all the shots," Billups told Lombardi. "To me it doesn't make sense because all I cared about was winning, not stats, not anything. That's the only sense I can make out of it."

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.782921";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Tue, 25 Jul 2017 19:27:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1501010820;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"4d5c4cb5b7721cc0d7f24c0870e71e02";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"c580d3eabfe189c8cbb7390a83a9f406";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:70:"Ready to compete for a championship, Derrick Rose signs with Cavaliers";s:4:"link";s:177:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/ready-to-compete-for-a-championship-derrick-rose-signs-with-cavaliers-1.782901?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:3215:"

In announcing Tuesday's signing of three-time All-Star Derrick Rose, new Cavaliers General Manager Koby Altman admitted that the 2011 NBA MVP could have gone to a number of other teams.

But as Rose said in a statement, he chose the place where he could best compete for a championship.

The Cavs have been to the NBA Finals for three consecutive seasons and won the title in 2016.

Free agent point guard Rose, 28, agreed to terms of a one-year contract for the veteran's minimum of $2.1 million on Monday. Traded from the Chicago Bulls in June, 2016, Rose spent a tumultuous season with the New York Knicks, averaging 18 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 64 games while shooting .471 from the field, his best percentage since 2009-10.

"I have a single focus and purpose of wanting to play to win," Rose said in a statement. "Being part of a roster and organization that shares that type of commitment and being able to play with the Cavaliers and compete for a championship is the only thing that matters for me. I am very happy to be in Cleveland and look forward to getting to work."

In his eight-year career, Rose has averaged 19.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6 assists in 34.7 minutes through 470 games (469 starts). In 2010-11, he notched career highs in points (25) and rebounds (4.1), along with 7.7 assists while leading his hometown Bulls to a league-best 62-20 record.

The No. 1 overall pick in 2008, Rose also was named the 2009 rookie of the year to go along with All-Star selections in three consecutive seasons starting in 2010.

"We are very excited to be able to add a player of Derrick's caliber and experience to the team," Altman said in a statement. "Derrick could have gone to a number of other teams, but his specific mindset, goals and total focus and commitment to winning are what resulted in him signing with the Cavaliers. We are confident he will be a very good fit with our organization and we look forward to the many ways he will contribute to the team."

With a player he respects in LeBron James, Rose will try to jump-start his career after a string of knee injuries. That began in the 2012 playoffs, when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Ten games into his return in 2013, he tore his right meniscus, which he re-tore in 2015. Last season Rose missed the final five games with a torn meniscus in his left knee that required arthroscopic surgery.

Rose also skipped a game in January without telling Knicks officials or teammates where he was going. But he averaged a career-high 10.1 points in the paint, second in the league for point guards behind the Raptors' DeMar DeRozan.

Rose is amenable to a starting or backup rose, according to The Vertical. His signing could be key as Altman copes with four-time All-Star point guard Kyrie Irving's recent request to be traded.

The Cavs' acquistion of Rose means every winner of the league MVP award from 2009-16 is playing in Cleveland or for the Golden State Warriors. James earned the honor in 2009, '10, '12, and '13, while current Warriors Kevin Durant (2014) and Stephen Curry (2015, '16) followed.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.782901";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Tue, 25 Jul 2017 18:16:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1501006560;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"c580d3eabfe189c8cbb7390a83a9f406";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"1cd73f7df16cbf2feb72fe5e249a2277";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:65:"Richard Jefferson sees no 'power struggle' among Cavaliers' stars";s:4:"link";s:170:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/richard-jefferson-sees-no-power-struggle-among-cavaliers-stars-1.782706?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:2519:"

Other than what may have been a cryptic tweet from Kevin Love and a rap song posted to social media by LeBron James that included the lyrics "heavy heart," there has been little reaction from Cavs players since news broke of Kyrie Irving's trade request Friday.

Richard Jefferson discussed the situation on the latest installment of his "Road Trippin'" podcast, released on James' "Uninterrupted" platform Monday.

"I don't think that there's a power struggle with LeBron and Kyrie and Kev," Jefferson said during the podcast that featured Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn, taped at Vonn's home Friday. "Kyrie is a hyper-intelligent kid, really, really smart, doesn't get enough credit for how smart he is. I think seeing that the franchise is in flux, seeing (general manager David Griffin) leave, the amount of coaches, I think Kyrie has had a much tougher time in this stretch of the organization than anyone ever really wants to fully....

"He's the No. 1 pick right after LeBron. He has three different coaches. LeBron comes back. Now there's trade rumors. Now it's LeBron's leaving. At some point in time, anybody would want some sort of stability, even if it's the unknown. I don't know if he asked to be traded. But I will say that he's had a tougher time if you look at it from start to where we are right now, of the ups and downs of a franchise more than most. Even though we've been successful and even though we've won a championship and he's been an All-Star, there's still been so much of a wave. To be like, 'We're going to sit here for a whole year on whether or not LeBron's coming back,' that's got to be tough on anybody, everybody."

Since being the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 draft, Irving has played for four coaches -- Byron Scott, Mike Brown, David Blatt and Tyronn Lue -- and the Cavs just named Koby Altman their third general manager in that span.

Although Irving told the Cavs he wants to escape James' shadow, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Jefferson tried to downplay any rift between Irving and James.

"I think Kyrie knows how important he is to our team. LeBron knows how important he is," Jefferson said. "They've been on this podcast together multiple times where LeBron is like, 'Dude, this is my guy. I need him. He is so important to me. My kids love him.'

"Just like any family, there's ups and downs, there's moments that you hate them, moments that you love them and you just kind of keep it moving."

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.782706";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Mon, 24 Jul 2017 22:52:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1500936720;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"1cd73f7df16cbf2feb72fe5e249a2277";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"6e79322cb7676f3041787904dd229915";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:57:"Derrick Rose commits to sign one-year deal with Cavaliers";s:4:"link";s:165:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/derrick-rose-commits-to-sign-one-year-deal-with-cavaliers-1.782594?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:3068:"

Free agent point guard Derrick Rose committed to signing with the Cavaliers Monday evening and underwent a physical, Shams Charania of The Vertical reported.

A league source confirmed that Rose agreed to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum of $2.1 million.

With Kyrie Irving's trade request creating a potential need for another point guard, the Cavs met with Rose in Ohio Monday, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported.

Rose, 28, was willing to take less money to join a contender. He suffered through a tumultuous 2016-17 season with the New York Knicks after being traded from the Chicago Bulls last June.

According to Wojnarowksi, Rose met Friday with the Los Angeles Lakers, who wanted him to mentor rookie Lonzo Ball.

The Lakers had the cap space to out-bid the Cavs, but Rose saw a better avenue to the NBA Finals with the Cavs, who have played for the title each of the last three seasons and won a championship in 2016.

Acquiring Rose might give the Cavs flexibility to look for a star player at another position as they explore trade options for Irving, who can't become a free agent for two years. But according to Wojnarowski, the Cavs are still including a point guard in discussions about an Irving deal.

On Friday, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported that Irving asked the Cavs to trade him earlier this month because he was tired of playing in the shadow of LeBron James. The bombshell left James "blindsided and disappointed," but James will stay out of the Cavs' front office moves in response, Windhorst said.

Last season, Rose averaged 18 points, 3.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 64 games. Rose skipped a game in January without telling Knicks officials or teammates where he was going. But he averaged a career-high 10.1 points in the paint, second in the league for point guards behind the Raptors' DeMar DeRozan, and shot .471 from the field, his best percentage since 2009-10.

In 2011, Rose became the youngest player in league history to win the NBA MVP award. In his career, he's averaged 19.5 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6 assists.

The Cavs had to weigh Rose's long list of knee injuries, but he comes at a cheap price as he tries to resurrect his career.

His issues began in the 2012 playoffs, when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee. Ten games into his return in 2013, he tore his right meniscus, which he re-tore in 2015. Last season Rose missed the final five games with a torn meniscus in his left knee that required arthroscopic surgery.

The Cavs already signed a backup point guard, adding Jose Calderon, 35, to take the spot held at the end of last season by Deron Williams. Also on the roster is 5-foot-9 Kay Felder, a second-round pick in the 2016 draft acquired from the Atlanta Hawks.

 

 
";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.782594";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Mon, 24 Jul 2017 13:30:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1500903000;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"6e79322cb7676f3041787904dd229915";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"0c7bdc3f979858df2d24312fce4c726a";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:56:"Report: Kyrie Irving asked Cavaliers for trade last week";s:4:"link";s:163:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/report-kyrie-irving-asked-cavaliers-for-trade-last-week-1.782153?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:4011:"

Seeking an opportunity to lead a franchise instead of being regarded as LeBron James' sidekick, Cavaliers guard Kyrie Irving asked owner Dan Gilbert to be traded last week, ESPN's Brian Windhorst reported Friday.

James was "blindsided and disappointed" when he learned of Irving's request, sources told Windhorst, who wrote that other teammates have since learned of Irving's intentions.

According to Windhorst, James is going to let Gilbert and the Cavs' front office take the lead in dealing with Irving's demand.

The Knicks, Timberwolves, Heat and Spurs (led by Kawhi Leonard, third in this year's MVP voting) were trade destinations Irving gave the Cavs, according to ESPN. Irving played high school basketball in Elizabeth, N.J. and his father Drederick still lives in the area. The Knicks are seeking a trade partner for 10-time All-Star Carmelo Anthony, who is close friends with James.

According to Joe Vardon of Cleveland.com, the Cavs had a trade offer on the table for Irving before the June 22 draft, but were unaware of Irving's feelings at that time.

Irving told Sports Illustrated's Maggie Gray on Tuesday that the Cavs were "in a peculiar place." Attending a Fashionable 50 event in Los Angeles put on by SI, Irving said, "The best thing we can do is handle things with class and professionalism. Obviously we have a great owner that's willing to spend a little money on guys that he believes in. At this point, we just see what happens throughout the summer."

There are rumors that James will leave the Cavs after next season to join the Los Angeles Lakers. Gilbert parted ways with General Manager David Griffin on June 19. Griffin has not been replaced, with Koby Altman acting as interim GM. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Friday that the hiring of Altman as the new GM is "imminent."

Irving is under contract with the Cavs through the 2018-19 season. He signed a five-year, $94 million extension with the Cavs in the summer of 2014 before James made the announcement he was coming home. Irving's salary for next season is $18.868 million and he is still owed over $60 million in his guaranteed deal.

Irving, 25, the Cavs' first overall pick in 2011, is a four-time All-Star. He made the winning shot in Game 7 of the 2016 NBA Finals against the Golden State Warriors that ended Cleveland's 52-year championship drought. He has his own "Uncle Drew" commercials for Pepsi Max and in June was selected for the cover of the NBA's 2K18 video game.

Behind the efforts of James, Irving and Kevin Love, the Cavs have been to three consecutive Finals, losing to the Warriors in June and also in 2015.

Irving reached career highs in scoring (25.2 points per game), field goal percentage (47.3) and free throw percentage (90.5) last season. In the playoffs, his 25.9 points and 90.5 percent from the line were career-bests.

Irving's agent, Jeff Wechsler, would not confirm Irving's trade request to Wojnarowski.

"Kyrie and I had a meeting with Cavs leadership where we discussed many different scenarios in reference to Kyrie and his future with the team," Wechsler told Wojnarowski. "The basis of those discussions and what went on in those discussions are between the Cavs and us. We are respectfully going to keep those private."

Irving's request clarifies why the Cavs are reportedly in talks with free agent Derrick Rose, who is coming off a disappointing season with the New York Knicks. They have already signed backup point guard Jose Calderon, 35, in free agency.

As for Altman, Wojnarowski reported he has been Gilbert's focus since Chauncey Billups turned down a reported five-year contract to head the Cavs' basketball operations. Canton Charge GM Mike Gansey is expected to be promoted to assistant GM, with a "top-level, experienced assistant GM" also to be added, Wojnarowski said.

 

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.782153";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Fri, 21 Jul 2017 20:34:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1500669240;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"0c7bdc3f979858df2d24312fce4c726a";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"fb323e36a99f5e92fa058c4de7a50825";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:69:"Report: Cavs reach three-year, $8.3 million agreement with Cedi Osman";s:4:"link";s:174:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/report-cavs-reach-three-year-8-3-million-agreement-with-cedi-osman-1.779819?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:2418:"

The Cavaliers showed a commitment to the future over the short term when they reached agreement with 22-year-old forward Cedi Osman on Wednesday.

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Osman will receive a three-year, $8.3 million contract, with approximately another $700,000 going towards his Euroleague buyout.

The 31st overall pick in 2015 acquired by the Cavs from the Minnesota Timberwolves on draft night, Osman has played for Anadolu Efes Istanbul of the Euroleague for the past four seasons. Osman, 6-foot-8, averaged 7.1 points and shot 48 percent from the field and 34 percent from 3-point range in 35 games in 2016-17.

Growing up with the Efes junior team, Osman carries career averages of 6.7 points and 2.9 rebounds in 98 games for Efes. He's also a member of the Turkish national team and participated in the 2014 World Championship and the 2015 European Championship.

Osman spent time with the Cavs recently during the NBA Summer League in Las Vegas, Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon reported.

According to ESPN's Bobby Marks, the Cavs have committed $211 million in salary and taxes for the 2017-18 season, including a league-high $70.7 million in luxury taxes.

The acquisition of Osman leaves the Cavs roster at 14. He joins forward Jeff Green and backup point guard Jose Calderon as newcomers next season.

The Cavs were in the running for guard Jamal Crawford after he received a buyout from the Atlanta Hawks, but Crawford, 37, wanted all of the Cavs' taxpayer mid-level exception of $5.2 million, according to Vardon, and some of that was being reserved for Osman. Crawford agreed to a two-year, $8.9 million contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to Shams Charania of The Vertical.

Marks reported that the Cavs have $2.4 million of the mid-level exception remaining after the agreement with Osman.

Crawford would have helped the Cavs' second unit in the 2018 playoffs, while Osman must prove he's ready to be a postseason contributor, especially at the level required if the Cavs reach the NBA Finals for the fourth consecutive season.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.779819";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Wed, 12 Jul 2017 14:16:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1499868960;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"fb323e36a99f5e92fa058c4de7a50825";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"ca717986462b1eb97c2504e4a022b01b";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:75:"Richard Jefferson says he's returning to Cavs next season in latest podcast";s:4:"link";s:183:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/richard-jefferson-says-he-s-returning-to-cavs-next-season-in-latest-podcast-1.778565?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:1330:"

Richard Jefferson will return to the Cavaliers next season, he said Wednesday during the latest episode of his "Road Trippin'" podcast.

Jefferson, who turned 37 on June 21, has one guaranteed year remaining on his contract at $2.5 million.

"I will be starting my 17th season next year, I am not retiring," Jefferson said on the podcast, now a part of LeBron James' Uninterrupted player platform.

Jefferson averaged 5.7 points and 2.6 rebounds in 20.4 minutes last season and played a vital role in The Finals for the second consecutive year.

James Jones' future with the Cavs remains uncertain. According to Cleveland.com's Joe Vardon, neither the Cavs nor Jones have made a decision on the 2017-18 season.

Jones, 36, has played with LeBron James for the last seven seasons, going to seven consecutive NBA Finals and winning three championships with the Miami Heat and Cavs. An unrestricted free agent, Jones earned the minimum $1.55 million last season.

"I told J.J., as long as I'm playing, he's going to be around," James said in December, 2015, per ESPN.com's Dave McMenamin. "He's not allowed to stop playing basketball. So, I'm going to make sure I got a roster spot for him. I love him. He's the greatest teammate I've ever had."

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.778565";s:7:"pubDate";s:30:"Wed, 5 Jul 2017 19:47:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1499284020;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"ca717986462b1eb97c2504e4a022b01b";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"c12b2f3af1d3eb6c0b756f1a37c6af3b";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:55:"Kay Felder, Edy Tavares head Cavs' summer league roster";s:4:"link";s:161:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/kay-felder-edy-tavares-head-cavs-summer-league-roster-1.778538?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:1882:"

Guard Kay Felder and center Edy Tavares head the Cavaliers' summer league team that opens play Friday in Las Vegas.

Also participating are forward Gerald Beverly and guard Roosevelt Jones, two members of the 2016-17 Canton Charge of the NBA G League, and 2015 draft choice Sir'Dominic Pointer, a guard/forward who most recently played for Ironi Kiryat Ata in Israel.

Cavs assistant Damon Jones will coach the Cavs team, with help from James Posey, Vitaly Potapenko and Phil Handy of Tyronn Lue's staff.

League action, which includes a tournament, runs through July 17 and will be televised by ESPN channels and NBA TV.  Each of the 24 teams is guaranteed to play at least five games, held at the COX Pavilion or the Thomas & Mack Center.

PRELIMINARY ROUND GAMES

Friday vs. Milwaukee, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN2)

Saturday vs. Houston, 10 p.m. (ESPNU)

Monday vs. Golden State, 8:30 p.m. (NBA TV)

ROSTER

(As of July 5)

(College and last team in parentheses)

Gerald Beverly, F, 6-8, 235 (Daemen College/Canton Charge)

Sam Cassell Jr., G, 6-4, 190 (Iona/Iona)

Kay Felder, G, 5-9, 176 (Oakland/Cavs)

Anthony Gill, F, 6-8, 230 (Virginia/Yesilgiresun Belediye, Turkey)

Roosevelt Jones, G, 6-4, 225 (Butler/Canton Charge)

Brandon Paul, G, 6-4, 200 (Illinois/Anadolu Efes Turkey)

Sir'Dominic Pointer, G-F, 6-6, 192 (St. John's/Ironi Kiryat Ata, Israel)

Casey Prather, F, 6-6, 208 (Florida/Ratiopharm Ulm, Germany)

Edy Tavares, C, 7-3, 265 (Gran Canaria, Spain/Cavs)

Malcolm Thomas, F, 6-9, 225 (San Diego State/Jilin Northeast, China)

Andrew White, G, 6-7, 210 (Syracuse/Syracuse)

T.J. Williams, G, 6-3, 205 (Northeastern/Northeastern)

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.778538";s:7:"pubDate";s:30:"Wed, 5 Jul 2017 17:07:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1499274420;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"c12b2f3af1d3eb6c0b756f1a37c6af3b";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"085ee7452363d464278a844e1d5df670";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:55:"Cavs, Kyle Korver agree on three-year, $22 million deal";s:4:"link";s:160:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/cavs-kyle-korver-agree-on-three-year-22-million-deal-1.778121?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:1203:"

Shooting guard Kyle Korver will be back with the Cavaliers after the two sides agreed on a three-year, $22 millon contract Sunday.

A league source confirmed the terms of the deal, which includes a partial guarantee in the third year.

Korver, 36, ranked first in the league in 3-point percentage (.451) last season. Acquired in a January trade with the Atlanta Hawks, he averaged 10.1 points in 26.2 minutes for the two teams. In the playoffs, he averaged 5.8 points and shot .391 from beyond the arc.

The Cavs made Korver an offer shortly after the opening of the free agency period at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Contracts can't be officially signed until Thursday.

The Cavs retained Korver's Bird rights in the trade, which cost the Cavs a protected first-round pick, meaning they could exceed the salary cap to sign him. But Bobby Marks of ESPN reported Sunday that the Korver contract will increase the Cavs' luxury tax bill from $20.4 million to $42.7 million for next season.

At this point, they will have 12 players under contract Thursday after they reached agreement on a one-year deal with Jose Calderon Saturday to become the backup point guard.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.778121";s:7:"pubDate";s:30:"Sun, 2 Jul 2017 20:16:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1499026560;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"085ee7452363d464278a844e1d5df670";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"1d657431b77f2b13a1747fb17cf32808";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:55:"Reports: Cavs, Rockets in trade talks for Iman Shumpert";s:4:"link";s:161:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/reports-cavs-rockets-in-trade-talks-for-iman-shumpert-1.777972?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:783:"

The Cavaliers are in talks to trade Iman Shumpert to the Houston Rockets, ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Saturday.

According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, the Cavs are seeking a draft pick and a trade exception for Shumpert, which would free up salary cap space to re-sign free agent Kyle Korver and give them assets for future deals.

Shumpert has one year and a player option remaining on a four-year, $40 million contract he signed in July, 2015. Shumpert carries a $10.3 million salary for 2017-18 and $11 million in his option year, according to spotrac.com.

Shams Charania of The Vertical reported that teams interested in Shumpert have discussed altering the player option year, but that caveat is not in play in the talks with the Rockets.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.777972";s:7:"pubDate";s:30:"Sat, 1 Jul 2017 20:56:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1498942560;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"1d657431b77f2b13a1747fb17cf32808";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"66f9d4f6d6cd64c68e99a774217b521c";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:100:"Cavs owner Dan Gilbert visits White House to share story of Detroit's and Cleveland's transformation";s:4:"link";s:208:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/cavs-owner-dan-gilbert-visits-white-house-to-share-story-of-detroit-s-and-cleveland-s-transformation-1.777249?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:2229:"

Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert didn't know he would be crashing the Chicago Cubs' party.

Gilbert, the founder and chairman of Quicken Loans Inc., visited the White House Wednesday with the mortgage company's CEO Jay Farner to share the story of Detroit's and Cleveland's transformation.

Gilbert's visit drew national attention because he was included in the ceremony for Cubs players, coaches and executives with President Donald Trump in the West Wing, although the timing of the Cubs' and Gilbert's arrivals was a coincidence. According to the Chicago Tribune, Trump asked if he could bring in Gilbert to pose with the group while the Cubs were in the Roosevelt Room.

The Cubs defeated the Cleveland Indians in the 2016 World Series and made their official White House visit days before President Barack Obama left office. This was an informal trip during the Cubs' four-game series against the Washington Nationals.

"Today we met with President Trump to update him and his team on the positive transformations that are taking place in Detroit and Cleveland," Gilbert said in a statement. "We also informed the President of some of the existing challenges that remain, as well as opportunities to solve them through public/private cooperation and/or partnerships.

"We look forward to continuing the valuable dialogue to develop the best strategies to accelerate the progress in our Midwest urban cores."

The initial statement put out by Quicken Loans did not include Cleveland.

Gilbert's trip to Washington was criticized on social media since the Cavs are in search of a head of basketball operations. Gilbert is waiting for an answer from former Detroit Pistons guard and current ESPN analyst Chauncey Billups, who reportedly has been offered a five-year contract. The Cavs have been without a general manager since June 19, when Gilbert parted ways with David Griffin after three seasons.

Along with Quicken Loans, Gilbert's Rock Ventures LLC is also based in Detroit. Rock Ventures has collaborated with the Downtown Detroit Partnership and Detroit Economic Growth Corporation to draw people and companies to the region.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.777249";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Wed, 28 Jun 2017 19:14:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1498677240;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"66f9d4f6d6cd64c68e99a774217b521c";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"0df35a719eadf20b519f279d5af8d118";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:73:"Carmelo Anthony wants to remain close to 10-year-old son, wife La La says";s:4:"link";s:180:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/carmelo-anthony-wants-to-remain-close-to-10-year-old-son-wife-la-la-says-1.776990?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:2606:"

Carmelo Anthony's insistence on remaining in New York despite Knicks president Phil Jackson's belief  he should finish his career elsewhere is rooted in is Anthony's desire to remain close to his 10-year-old son Kiyan.

That's what his estranged wife, La La Anthony said Tuesday on "The Wendy Williams Show."

Asked if they were divorcing, La La Anthony, who has known her husband since he was 19 and been married for seven years, said, "Not right now," and added of Carmelo, "We're the best of friends."

She said she will continue to live in New York.

There has been speculation that Anthony, 33 and a 10-time All-Star, would be a top target of the Cavaliers if the Knicks decide to buy out his contract, which has a no-trade clause. ESPN's Ian Begley said at this point the Knicks would prefer to trade Anthony.

"Every day I see a different team, that's for sure," La La Anthony told Williams. "The most important thing with that is to stay close to Kiyan. That's my priority. That's his priority. So wherever he ends up, of course we want him to be happy..."

Sources told Begley that Anthony was leaning towards leaving the Knicks when the regular season ended, but his family situation has changed his thinking.

Chicago's Dwyane Wade, another candidate for the Cavs in a buyout scenario, would have to return part of the $23.8 million player option he opted in on last week for that to happen, Bulls executive vice president John Paxson said in a press conference Tuesday.

Wade, 35, said in January he didn't want to be part of a rebuild and Paxson sent the Bulls in that direction Thursday when he traded three-time All-Star Jimmy Bulter to the Minnesota Timberwolves.

"I know [general manager] Gar [Forman] has spoken to Leon Rose, Dwyane's agent," Paxson said, according to ESPN.com. "As far as a buyout, it has not been broached. I will say this, that in this type of scenario, it would have to benefit us. It would absolutely have to benefit us. Dwyane was a great pro last year, and he's been around a lot of different situations. He was in Miami when they had a couple rebuilding years as well. So right now we're operating under the assumption that he'll be here. But like I said, if that subject is ever broached by them, then it would have to be advantageous for us."

Wade was a teammate of Cavs star LeBron James for four years with the Miami Heat and both Wade and Anthony remain close friends with James. All three were chosen in the top five picks in the 2003 draft.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.776990";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Tue, 27 Jun 2017 18:54:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1498589640;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"0df35a719eadf20b519f279d5af8d118";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"b1a8aedc49b5703243c383c94d5b7b59";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:87:"Report: Cavs still in pursuit of Paul George; Denver was third team in draft night deal";s:4:"link";s:193:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/report-cavs-still-in-pursuit-of-paul-george-denver-was-third-team-in-draft-night-deal-1.776664?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:1620:"

While the Cavaliers couldn't pull off a trade for the Indiana Pacers' Paul George on draft night, they are still in pursuit of the four-time All-Star, ESPN's Chris Haynes and Marc Stein reported Sunday night.

According to the ESPN report, discussions leading up to Thursday's draft had Kevin Love going to the Denver Nuggets, the Cavs landing George and the Pacers receiving a package of young players and draft picks. The Pacers are intent on trading George after his agent informed them next season will be George's last in Indianapolis.

A tweet from Haynes Sunday evening said one of the scenarios also had the Nuggets' Kenneth Faried coming to Cleveland. Faried, 27, a 6-foot-8 power forward, has averaged 11.9 points and 8.5 rebounds over six seasons in Denver.

According to the ESPN report, one of the Nuggets' off-season priorities is to upgrade the power forward position, which would be settled with the acquisition of Love.

Love, 28, had his best statistical season in his three with the Cavs, averaging 19 points and 11.1 rebounds. In the playoffs, those numbers were 18.9 points and 11.9 rebounds. He hit 20 points and 10 rebounds in four of 18 playoff games and recorded a double-double in eight of 18.

Haynes' and Stein's report also said the Cavs will be a leading contender to obtain Carmelo Anthony should the New York Knicks buy out his contract in the off-season. Anthony, 33, has two years remaining on his contract, the second a player option, but Knicks president Phil Jackson has repeatedly said Anthony should finish out his career elsewhere.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.776664";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Mon, 26 Jun 2017 00:37:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1498437420;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"b1a8aedc49b5703243c383c94d5b7b59";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"1947c3cf89b200f16a078fef7685b441";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:99:"Report: Chauncey Billups 'conflicted' over Cavaliers' multi-year offer to run basketball operations";s:4:"link";s:203:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/report-chauncey-billups-conflicted-over-cavaliers-multi-year-offer-to-run-basketball-operations-1.776109?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:1512:"

After two days of meetings, the Cavaliers have reportedly made Chauncey Billups a multi-year offer to become president of basketball operations, but ESPN's Brian Windhorst said Billups is "conflicted" over whether to accept the deal.

The Athletic reported Billups had been offered a five-year contract. According to Windhorst, Billups would be able to hire an experienced general manager to assist him.

Multiple web sites reported that Billups met with Cavs owner Dan Gilbert Tuesday and Wednesday, with the latter including a visit to Quicken Loans Arena to be introduced to executives who would work under him.

The Cavs are the second team to which Billups has talked. He also recently interviewed with the Atlanta Hawks.

Billups, 40, played in the NBA for 17 seasons and was a five-time All-Star and 2004 NBA Finals MVP, but he has no front office experience. He lives in Denver and commutes to Los Angeles to work at ESPN. He is close friends with Cavs coach Tyronn Lue. He reportedly is not scared off by the fact that Cavs star LeBron James can become a free agent after next season.

Of more concern is the fact that Gilbert has had four general managers in 12 years and none of them has received a contract extension. The Cavs seek a basketball chief who can build a team to help them defeat the Golden State Warriors, who have beaten them in two of the last three NBA Finals. The Cavs won Cleveland's first championship in 52 years in 2016.

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.776109";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Thu, 22 Jun 2017 12:52:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1498135920;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"1947c3cf89b200f16a078fef7685b441";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"e5fc4c96dd8016f83d9071101cda335b";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:74:"Draymond Green pays LeBron James back for 2016 diss with 'Quickie' T-shirt";s:4:"link";s:180:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/draymond-green-pays-lebron-james-back-for-2016-diss-with-quickie-t-shirt-1.774667?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:2362:"

Let the disses begin.

Forward Draymond Green wore a "Quickie" T-shirt to the Golden State Warriors' NBA championship parade on Thursday, with the "Q" copied from the logo of Quicken Loans Arena, home of the Cavaliers.

The Warriors eliminated the Cavs in five games Monday night to capture their second title in three years. The Cavs took the 2016 championship in seven games, beating the Warriors twice in Oracle Arena.

Asked to explain his shirt by Rosalyn Gold-Onwude of NBC Sports Bay Area, Green said, "The Q? That's what those guys' arena is called. We got 'em out of here quick. With the trophy. Quickie." The shirt also included a miniature version of the Larry O'Brien trophy.

"We actually got 'em made in Cleveland, how about that?" Green said.

The design was Green's idea, but he was not responsible for the production. He told Gold-Onwude he could have been bolder.

"I had a crazy idea for a shirt, and I waited too long to try to get somebody to draw it up. It was a bit much though," Green said.

As pointed out Thursday on Twitter, Finals MVP Kevin Durant also wore a shirt that included "The Q" logo after Game 5. It read, "Quickest and easiest path to a ring."

Green said he couldn't forget LeBron James getting off the plane in Cleveland a year ago after the Cavs won the title wearing an "Ultimate Warrior" T-shirt, or the cookies James served at his Halloween party in 2016. Some on the platter were shaped like tombstones with the names of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson and 2015-16 below. When Sam Amick of USA Today asked Thompson about them in November, Thompson said, "Yeah, I don't get it cuz I'm not dead."

"I was waiting on this moment," Green told NBC Sports Bay Area. "I'm petty. I've been waiting for a while."

James ended his social media ban on Thursday, posting a video and a photo of himself on Instagram that showed him with a shaved head. James was shirtless, working out in a gym.

Green was among those who commented on James' post, saying, "Them dubs finally made him go bald!!! Congrats bro @kingjames."

James' Instagram also included a shot of Green in the "Quickie" shirt.

In his interview with Gold-Onwude, Green conceded of James, "That's definitely my guy. That's family."

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.774667";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Thu, 15 Jun 2017 20:33:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1497558780;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"e5fc4c96dd8016f83d9071101cda335b";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"52dbb526e21d68e9d3e7149d4f2e754c";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:94:"Graphic: Here are the predictions you made during the NBA Finals between the Cavs and Warriors";s:4:"link";s:191:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/digital-desk/the-digital-desk-1.481514/graphic-here-are-the-predictions-you-made-during-the-nba-finals-between-the-cavs-and-warriors-1.774184?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:1254:"

Throughout the NBA Finals, we asked you several different questions as the games between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors progressed.

We started by wanting your prediction, where the majority of you said the Cavs would take the series in six games. But then as the series continued we changed the tone of what we wanted to know from you. How can the Cavs turn things around? Who needed to be a breakout player for the Cavs? Could they keep their momentum going after winning Game 3?

Thanks to our friends at the polling website Apester, here's how you voted in each of our NBA Finals polls:

If you want even more Cavs coverage, head over to ohio.com/sports/cavs to find stories, stats and more from the Finals. Sports writer Marla Ridenour has an idea where it all went wrong for the Cavs against the Warriors. Read that column here

";s:4:"guid";s:8:"1.774184";s:7:"pubDate";s:31:"Tue, 13 Jun 2017 21:31:00 +0000";s:12:"pubTimeStamp";i:1497389460;s:4:"kidx";s:32:"52dbb526e21d68e9d3e7149d4f2e754c";s:16:"guid_isPermaLink";b:0;s:6:"source";s:27:"RSS Feed for Cleveland CAVS";s:10:"source_url";s:35:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/1.301765";s:11:"source_link";s:63:"http://www.ohio.com/cmlink/rss-feed-for-cleveland-cavs-1.301765";s:11:"source_kidx";s:32:"5ea467788b199666fe680ae6a2d2f32b";}s:32:"1cffa5e846909217a6fd777fe0c92c83";a:12:{s:5:"title";s:82:"Cavaliers play through bizarre referee decisions to top Warriors 137-116 in Game 4";s:4:"link";s:190:"http://www.ohio.com/blogs/cleveland-cavaliers/cleveland-cavaliers-1.275356/cavaliers-play-through-bizarre-referee-decisions-to-top-warriors-137-116-in-game-4-1.773519?localLinksEnabled=false";s:11:"description";s:4719:"

CLEVELAND: The Cavaliers will step onto the Oracle Arena court on Monday facing elimination for the second year in a row in a Game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Last year the Cavs won Game 5 in Oakland, Game 6 in Cleveland and Game 7 in Oakland to erase a 3-1 deficit and beat the Golden State Warriors for the title.

Can they do it again?

That remains to be seen, but Cavs star LeBron James admitted after Friday's 137-116 victory in Game 4 that he would be leaving Quicken Loans Arena feeling "stressed out."

"[We] keep doing this every year," James said. "But listen, at the end of the day we just got some resilient guys. The Warriors have championship DNA, and we do as well.

"We're battle tested, they're battle tested. And getting swept is something that you never want to have happen. Especially at this point. You get all the way to the Finals, you hate to get swept, lose two games on your home floor."

James dunked on a teammate -- Tristan Thompson -- and posted a triple double with 31 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. His performance led to his NBA Finals record ninth triple double, passing Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his eight NBA Finals triple doubles.

Friday's game also included the Cavs setting an NBA Finals record for points in a quarter (49 in the first quarter), points in a half (86 in the first half) and made 3-pointers in a game (24-of-45).

The Cavs also got 40 points from Kyrie Irving, 23 points from Kevin Love and 15 points from J.R. Smith. Kevin Durant paced the Warriors with 35 points and Draymond Green added 16 points, and oh yeah he was ejected (briefly).

There were seven technical fouls, one flagrant foul and other confrontations that led to words being shouted and kicking (check the video on the Warriors Zaza Pachulia and the Cavs Iman Shumpert).

"It's The Finals," said Thompson, who had five points, 10 rebounds and five assists. "Guys are going to talk. We're going to respond but you ain't about to punk us. Not me. You ain't about to punk Tristan Thompson. You got the game [expletive] up with that one. You can talk all you want but I'm definitely going to bark back."

Smith said in the NBA Finals "everyone is heated" and "everyone wants to win."

The most confusing moment occurred in the third quarter when Green questioned a foul and received a technical foul at 6:18. At the time, it appeared to be Green's second technical foul after he received one with 1:55 to go in the first quarter.

Before Irving made the free throw to make it 100-85, the Cavs game day staff played "Hit the Road Jack" by Ray Charles and public address announcer Olivier Sedra declared that Green was ejected with two technical fouls.

Only he wasn't because the referees agreed that the technical foul in the first quarter should have been attributed to Warriors coach Steve Kerr.

Green said he knew "the first tech was on Steve, which I didn't understand. [Ref] Mike Callahan came up to [ref] John [Goble] and asked him who was the tech on and he said Kerr. So I knew I didn't have a technical foul."

Kerr said he thought the first technical foul was indeed on Green.

"I thought I heard the PA announcer say that it was on Draymond," Kerr said. "So then I thought the second one, Draymond was going to get kicked out, but they explained that the first one was on me."

Callahan and Goble spoke with a pool reporter after the game.

"When the technical foul was called on Draymond Green [in the third quarter], we reported it to the table," Callahan said. "The table informed us that it was his second technical foul and [he was] ejected. We informed the table that it was not his second technical foul."

Goble said he gave Kerr a technical foul in the first quarter for his "reaction" to a "loose ball foul on Draymond Green."

"In the moment, I thought I had verbalized to the table that the technical foul was on coach Kerr," Goble continued. "After looking at the video, I did not verbalize to the table, and looking at the video, I should have done a better job of making sure that the table knew the technical foul was on coach Kerr.

"At that time, we did not do a very good job of listening to the PA announcer and we did not hear him announce it. I take full responsibly for that."

Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said he spoke with the refs and pointed out that the halftime stat sheet indicated Green had a technical foul in the first quarter.

"Our scorers people said the same thing, but evidently he [Callahan] said no, it was on Steve Kerr, the first one."

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CLEVELAND: Here are some quick tidbits from the Cavaliers 137-116 victory over the Warriors in Game 4 of the 2017 NBA Finals at Quicken Loans Arena.

... 3-point shootout ...

Kyrie Irving led the Cavaliers from beyond the 3-point arc by making 7-of-12 shots from deep and Kevin Love made 6-of-8. J.R. Smith was 5-of-9 from long range and LeBron James made 3-of-8.

Iman Shumpert, Deron Williams and Kyle Korver each made one 3-pointer.

"They hit us first," Warriors guard Klay Thompson said. "We didn't have any type of good response, which is inexcusable at this point in the season. We missed a golden opportunity. . . . They blitzed us. They had almost 50 points [in the first quarter]. That's ridiculous. Eighty-six [points] in the first half."

... Chatter away ...

James said his teammates heard chatter coming from the Warriors before the game.

"I didn't hear it, but some of the other guys heard it and told me that that they wanted to celebrate on our floor once again and they wanted to spray champagne in our locker rooms," James said. "I think it came from Draymond [Green], which is okay, that's Dray anyway.

Irving, who made 7-of-12 shots from beyond the 3-point arc, said trash talking from the opposition can provide "extra motivation."

"You hear some chatter going on throughout the Warriors locker room in terms of them trying to end it here," Irving said. "It was another do-or-die game for us, and we had to leave it all out there."

James admitted once again that he was "emotionally and physically drained."

"If I'm not, then I didn't do what I was supposed to do," James said. "So that would be two games in a row where I felt like that, and now I got to get my mind ready once again."

... Green comments ...

Green is never one to shy away from a microphone, and after Game 4 he praised the Cavs for being "very aggressive," but also said "can't foresee them coming to Oracle and hitting 24 3's."

He also said he thought Durant and James' verbal exchange was "good for basketball" even though both were given a technical foul, and shared his view on Clevelanders.

"I don't pay much attention to anybody in Cleveland, honestly," Green said. "[They] don't seem to be the sharpest people around. So whatever."

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