Daily News - March 26, 2018

**NOTE: The news clips and articles listed don't necessarily reflect the views or beliefs of the Cleveland Cavaliers or their Basketball Operations staff, partners, or sponsors.**

Rodney Hood needed a day like this: Inside Cavs-Nets

Author: Joe Vardon
Publication: Cleveland.com

NEW YORK -- There was a game last month in the fourth quarter when Rodney Hood chucked a 3-pointer off the side of the backboard.

With 2:37 left and the Cavs ahead by just six over the Brooklyn Nets, Hood's 3-ball ripped through the center of the hoop. He scored nine in the quarter, 16 in the game, and the Cavs won 121-114.

"That was a big confidence booster for me," Hood said. "Especially the first couple games I played here, I had some similar shots, some similar opportunities that didn't go down for me. But this was a big confidence booster for me going into next game and for the rest of the season."

Of the four Cavaliers acquired at the trade deadline, things have probably gone the worst for Hood (which isn't to say things have gone that badly for him, or any of them, just, less spectacularly for him). - CLICK HERE to read full story.

LeBron James' 37 points, Cavaliers' team effort lead to 121-114 win over Nets

Author: Joe Vardon
Publication: Cleveland.com

NEW YORK -- The Cavaliers don't beat Brooklyn by playing pretty, and they didn't on Sunday, either.

But beating them at all, especially at this point in the season, with playoff seeding on the line, counts just the same.

LeBron James scored 37 points and buried a late 3-pointer that helped the Cavs finish off the Nets, 121-114. Cleveland has won five straight and six out of seven, and for the moment holds a 1.5-game lead over Philadelphia in the East.

"It feels like we're feeling the fact that this thing is winding down," Cavs acting coach Larry Drew said. "We know what the race is in the East. But the focus is just to play these eight or nine, I don't know how many we got left, but just to play these games and develop some kind of rhythm." - CLICK HERE to read full story.

Cleveland Cavaliers should keep 'X factor' Jose Calderon as starter - Bill Livingston

Author: Bill Livingston
Publication: Akron Beacon Journal

CLEVELAND, Ohio - Jose, can you see? They are best with thee?

Some people can. Campy Russell, the studio analyst on Cleveland Cavalier telecasts, calls 36-year-old point guard Jose Calderon "the X factor" for the Cavs' playoff chances.

Calderon is really the X, Y and Z factor, the end-all, if not the be-all. The latter role is customarily conceded to LeBron James, as far as national media coverage goes. - CLICK HERE to read full story.

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