DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Miami (40-34) at Cleveland (45-30)

This is a big game for the CAVS!!!! Chicago beat PISStons last night and are 1 game away from tieing us...and that would drop us to 5th seed in the east frm #2 since they are 12-4 or something in the division and we are 9-something...

GOOOO CAVSSSSS!

Game Info: 7:00 pm EDT Thu Apr 5, 2007
TV: TNT Add to Calendar
Buy Tickets


By JUSTIN EINHORN, STATS Senior Editor

Neither Dwayne Wade nor LeBron James is at 100 percent. While the Cleveland Cavaliers are fortunate to have James back in the lineup, the Miami Heat are just happy to know Wade might return before the postseason starts.

Knowing Wade is on his way back, the Heat can wrap up a playoff spot on Thursday as their regular-season series with James and the Cavaliers comes to an end.

This is the second straight meeting which has been missing Wade, sidelined since Feb. 21 due to a dislocated shoulder. That injury kept Wade out of practice until Monday, when he worked out on-court for 90 minutes and absorbed contact for the first time since the injury.

Coming through that session pain-free left the Heat believing Wade could come back even before the playoffs begin, though there remains no definite timetable for his return.

"The fact that he's back practicing is huge," Heat coach Pat Riley said. "You go back to Feb. 23, it didn't look like there was going to be any of that stuff. So this is great."

Miami has done better than just stay afloat while Wade has been out, going 14-7 to get into the thick of the Southeast Division title race.

About a month removed from having their playoff hopes in serious doubt, particularly with the injury to Wade, the Heat will wrap up their spot in the postseason with a victory in this contest. They are looking for a fourth playoff berth in as many seasons since Wade came into the league.

Just as Miami has, Cleveland has done well without its fourth-year superstar in the lineup this season. The team had gone 3-0 when James was out, but that was before an achy right knee kept him sidelined Sunday as the Cavaliers lost to the worst team in the East, 98-96 to Boston.

Despite not being back at full strength, James returned Tuesday to score 31 points and grab 12 rebounds in a 101-88 victory over Minnesota.

"It's still not 100 percent," James said. "I'd say it's about 80-85 percent now. I still felt it a couple times. ... Just have to keep doing treatment and keep getting healthy, but I felt pretty good."

Even with Wade sitting out, James could not lead Cleveland to victory in the last matchup of these teams as his 29 points weren't enough in an 86-81 defeat at Miami on Feb. 25. That victory gave the Heat a 2-1 lead in the season series, but they've lost their last three games at Cleveland.

Miami did get healthier on Tuesday with the return of Jason Kapono in a 92-89 victory over Toronto. The 3-point champion at All-Star weekend, Kapono had seven points and made one 3-pointer after missing four weeks with a sprained ankle.

"We just needed to win tonight," Kapono said, "and the (playoff) seeding will take care of itself."

While the Heat have alternated wins and losses in their last six games, the Cavaliers have done so in their last eight.


Updated on Wednesday, Apr 4, 2007 5:54 pm EDT

Next 3 games against the Heat, the Wiz and the 'Stons.

I cant say I am very confident.

I hope they prove me wrong somehow.

Cavs are actually a 6 point favorite tonight

big game tonight so we need a big win

go cavs

The Heat haven't had much success in Cleveland lately... however the thing is, with Wade out, most of the team has been playing like they really do care. Wade has carried those guys for so long that they were just putrid for most of the season. When Wade went down, the rest of the team has really played hard since then (kind of bittersweet for Heat fans like myself). So even with Wade out, it probably won't be a cakewalk and the Eddie Jones signing was big for us since we have two solid perimiter defenders now with Posey also. Should be a good game.

I wouldn't want to play heat in the first round of playoffs when WADE most likely will be healthy...mayb not but i think he might be...but like you said the team is playing good even w/o wade...so they r def the dark horse this year or at least it seems that way since they won't get higher than 6seed

Quote:

---

you do know that gilbert arenas is gone for the year, right?

---

Actually at the time I posted it I didnt know.

Although, I still dont think its an easy game as we will be on the second night of a back to back on the road. Its still not a gimme. And really, what game is a gimme with this team.

GO CAVS!

Cavs battled back to tie the game with 42.4 left in the 4th. Heat ball.

I need to sue the sports commission in Cleveland. I think Cleveland Sports have cut at least 10 years off of my life so far, lol. Great comeback, now close it out

Wow, horrible shot, thats garbage LB, garbage.

talk to me.... what's happening!!!!!!!

nordawg

My wife has the tv tied up with recordings for the next 2 minutes then i can switch it over...

nordawg

00:37 left in OT
88-87 Heat
Heat shooting free throws

It's not looking good.

Man, I don't like days with two Cleveland teams lose games they should have won.

Cavs losing 90-87 with 00:37 left.

It is sad when Lebron is carrying the team!

Well the cavs lost to Miamiiiiiiiiiii....if...and that is a good possibility...cavs stay at #5 they will play Miami in the first round of playoffs.....

Chi-town tied us after we lost this game and they hold the tie breaker by 2-3 games i think....this makes sundays game even more important...and the next game a must win for the cavs

that game angered me...

it's like they don't care... they're just wanting to coast to the playoffs...

when they had the game tied, and the ball with 15 seconds left, could they make it any more obvious that lebron was taking the last shot, and all they could muster was an off balance three with 2 guys in his face? that's pathetic...

as far as chicago jumping us goes, we've gotta take it back... it's not life or death, because we are going to face detroit at some point, now whether it's the second or third round, it doesn't matter, because you still have to face them, and either way it will be a 7 game series

even though miami has killed us all year, i still believe we'd handle them in a playoff series, we'd have home court, and in the playoffs, our style is better suited to beat them, guys don't just throw up three pointers like they were last night, the game changes, and we're better suited for the playoffs...

new jersey matches up well against the bulls, so if we can win tonight, we may be able to jump back up...

It can go either way at this point...