Article Surfing Archive

Cleveland Cavaliers tickets have seemingly always been a chance for many to see what they feel is the 'next Jordan.' Of course, that moniker has been given to others before LeBron James, but as he progresses into his career, the parallels are becoming more prevalent. Early in his career, Jordan was criticized for not getting his teammates involved, but looking back, the apparent reason was that his teammates usually weren't good enough to close out games. Is LeBron finding himself in the same predicament?

The Cavaliers currently sit with a 30-21 record, which is more than good enough to get into the playoffs in the weak Eastern Conference. Not to mention, the Cavs pushed the Pistons to the brink last year before bowing out in a rugged, physical series. Their core from last season returned largely intact, and the Cavs have basically picked up where they left off in the playoffs.

However, are the Cavs headed for the same fate as last season? A look at a few of their other starters may help predict what will ultimately become of this team:

PG Daniel Gibson

Gibson only recently moved into the starting lineup, so it's too early to tell how this young PG will do, but so far, even though he's been solid, he's not yet a difference-maker.

SG Larry Hughes

Hughes is coming back from injury, so like Gibson, it's a little early to tell just how he'll contribute in the big picture. He's as athletic as any guard in the league, but he's shooting just over 40% from the field, and that needs to be better if the Cavs are going to take that next step.

C Zydrunas Ilgauskas

It wasn't too long ago that 'Z' was the biggest reason to get Cleveland Cavaliers tickets. It's always been the same story with him, however - highly skilled, can score with the best, but injury-prone. His minutes are down a bit this year and he's been healthy, but he'll have to remain that way if the Cavs are going to break through to the NBA Finals.

PF Drew Gooden

Gooden is a strong physical presence, and is a prototypical 'lunch pail' guy. He scores mostly off rebounds, gets a lot of boards, and plays decent defense. However, like so many others in the starting five, he's not the type to take over a game, but will play an important role in a playoff run.

What Does it all Mean?

In looking at the Cavaliers' lineup, you see a lot of role players and hard workers, but what the Cavaliers really seem to be missing is that second option for those nights when LeBron isn't feeling it. Jordan didn't start to win championships until he had Pippen to play that role, and if Hughes can continue to get better, he could be that guy. If so, get your Cleveland Cavaliers tickets now, as they'll be making a deep run into the playoffs.