"Cavs focused like never before"

Good read here:
https://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs/2010/columns/story?columnist=broussard_chris&page=CavsG2setup-100419

But I've never seen the Cavaliers like this.

There is a distinctively different feel around this team -- actually, it runs throughout the entire organization -- as it embarks on its quest for the 2010 NBA championship. Sure, the players, as fun-loving as any in professional sports, still fool around and rib one another. But there's a seriousness, a solemnity, that permeates the franchise like never before.

"Hours earlier, someone close to LeBron told me he'd never seen the superstar so serious."

This is their year

Any ideas I had of taking the Bulls + points tonight were quickly dismissed after reading this.  The Cavs are dead fucking serious right now.  Their elaborate pregame jerking off ritual has finally been scrapped because it's all business now. 

I like Cleveland 1H if anything, I'm scared of the backdoor cover

I know everybody and their brother is all over the Cavs today, but they have every reason to be.  Their trust in Lebron and his teammates is not misguided whatsoever.  I'm not sure if I'll even bet on Cleveland tonight, but I know enough not to bet against them.

last year they swept the 1st 2 rounds and beat everyone by double digits in each game

Couldnt agree more!!

anyone play 1Q lines?? a la Cleveland -2.5 or 3

Is there all the pressure in the world on the Cavs to win a ring this year?  Absolutely.  But this year they appear to be much better equipped in dealing with those huge expectations.  Not to mention their roster is infinitely better than it was a year ago when they crashed and burned in the East Finals.

Unfortunately the oddsmakers aren't dumb and just like us they are also well aware that the Cavs get off to quick starts at home.  They also know you want to take advantage of this so they're juicing these 1st quarter bets way up.  Same goes for the 1st half line.  Obviously Cleveland could still easily cover both of those bets, but you're betting into heavily inflated lines and that's never a good idea.  The best value on Cleveland tonight is laying the 10.5 for the full game.

And no other team is serious and focused...just the Cavs and LeBron...you'd be a fool to believe that no one else means business and is dead serious about winning right now.

Can they win a title? Yes, of course. But last time I checked, Phil, Kobe and company are pretty focused and have been there before, as are the Magic.

I'm not hating, but just pointing out that everyone is focused on winning the title...

 the only reason I'm riding the Bulls

Cavs were up by 15 @ halftime.  They were up by 20+ in the 3rd Q IIRC, but let Chicago cut the lead to 7 at one point. Eventually they won by 13.

Yeah, the oddsmakers have juiced the 1Q bet (my book has CLE -4) and the 1H bet (my book had CLE -6).  But I think they're warranted UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES.   Many of the heavy favorites - CLE, ORL, and LAL jumped out to big leads in the 1H and even 3Q, but gave most of it back before the game ended.

I don't think the full game pointspread favors Cleveland.  They only won by 13 on Saturday.  Even if they're up by 25, they could give back most of it in the 4Q.  But I think this game will be a blowout.

Of course every team is focused and hungry at this time of the year, but sometimes to differing levels.  Look at the Lakers last year for instance.  Even though they ultimately ended up winning the title, how many times did they not show up in the first three rounds?  In that Houston series alone they authored two blatant, unconscionable lay-downs.  Pau Gasol even had the gall after one of these games to say the Lakers could have won if they wanted to.  There is no way in hell Cleveland is going to do that this year.  I just can't see Lebron saying, "oh yeah no big deal about losing by thirty and not trying at all, we'll get them next game for sure". 

I'm getting the feeling the Cavs are taking absolutely nothing for granted during this post-season journey, that means even the mediocre Bulls.  The whole team learned a huge lesson last year when they got upset in the East Finals by the Magic.  I mean before that series most people had already penciled them in for the Finals.  They were already a little big-headed coming in, having steamrolled the competition in rounds 1 & 2, so this only added to that.  They absolutely took Orlando for granted and it ended up costing them dearly.  So even though they know beating these teams in the first two rounds this year is a foregone conclusion, I don't see them letting up and doing the bare minimum like the Lakers did last year.  I think they're going out looking for blood in every single game, regardless of the level of opponent.  And with the team they have, they're surely capable of it.

Cliff Notes: Even though Cleveland has a very easy road to the East Finals, I don't see them going through the motions and doing just enough to win at times, like the Lakers did last year.

I was going to take the Cavs throughout the series.  I laid the -11.5 gm 1.  For the most part Cavs dominated the game.  Once the Bulls started to threaten when they got it down to 7, Cavs took control and it went right back up and I felt fortunate to cover the -11.5...strangely.  With the way the Cavs dominated, one things really bothers me.  Why did they open the line for gm 2 at -10?  We just saw what happend yet we're getting a better line?  And LeBron didn't even have that great of a game.  So I switched my plans on taking the Cavs to backing the Bulls. 

For the Cavs being so focused I'm surprised they let was it a 22 point lead go all the way down to 7?  To make it worse.....at home!!  Thats not focus.  Perhaps they are focused before the game and in the beginning, but they need to hold it throughout.  Which I'll give them is very difficult.  But when you haven't won a title yet you have no excuse for slacking off. 

For now I'm still interested in taking the Bulls, but that can easily change. 

I'll have to add that I'm scared shitless of backing the Bulls and at this point I don't even have a wager on it yet.  Just the thought is scaring me.

Very good article.  

Your instinct is correct. I imagine it must be like what you feel like when you click "submit" and find out that yes, in fact, you HAVE backed the Los Angeles Clippers.

I think that human nature means you'll let up at some point during a 48 minute game.  But I can see the Cavs rallying around this very point for G2.  The ESPN article is why I have a hard time seeing the Cavs letting up altogether for G2 which is what you'd ordinarily expect from a #1 seed. (For the other big favs - ATL, LAL and ORL - the line has also dropped for G2 as well).

LAL's focus got lost b/c of Yao's injury. They thought they were playing a D-league team after that, when in actuality, Yao's injury allowed Houston to play a different type of offense that surprised LAL.  They didn't lose focus vs Utah or Denver.

Noah called our city a sh!thole, and while that may not be completely false, Del Negro should quiet him for his teams sake.

 gl.....thanks for the read