Wine and Gold’s Winter Woes Continue
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"We did the same thing last year, as far as being up and down through the first three or four months of the season. It’s just about catching a rhythm, catching a flow, and understanding how we need to play to win." - Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes
Shannon Brown throws down the massive first-half dunk in Saturday's loss to the Sixers. 
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David Liam Kyle NBAE/Getty Images |
It was once again a lack of energy and execution for the Cavaliers, whose winter woes continue as they have now dropped eight of their last nine and, with the loss, now have the same record as the Sixers at 10-14.
“We had a couple of wide open looks and they just didn’t go in,” said Mike Brown. “It took the wind out of us and right now we’re reeling a little bit because of the losses that we had. We just have to fight through it and find a way to get it done.”
The Cavaliers were cruising along, opening up an 11-point lead early in the second quarter. But as in Friday’s defeat, the Sixers slowly chopped away at their advantage. By intermission, the Sixers led by five – 51-46.
In the second half, it was touch-and-go for most of the way. The Sixers – who shot only 38 percent from the floor – went up by seven – 82-75 – on Andre Iguodala’s free throw halfway through the fourth quarter, and the Cavaliers simply couldn’t catch up the rest of the way.
LeBron James finished with 21 points, but only netted five after intermission. In his third game back from a finger injury, James attempted only six shots in the second half, connecting on a pair – one on a layup in the final 10 seconds of regulation. For the game, LeBron was 10-for-18 from the floor and was good on the only free throw he attempted. He added six boards, six dimes and a steal.
“I don’t want to say it hurts, but losing any game at home or any game at all doesn’t feel good,” said James. “We have to regroup.”
Drew Gooden also finished with 21 points for Cleveland, going 8-for-11 from the floor with team-high 10 boards. Drew was 5-for-7 from the field in the second half but, like three-fifths of the Cavaliers’ starters, went scoreless in the fourth quarter.
The Cavaliers’ shooting guards struggled once again on Saturday night. Starter, Sasha Pavlovic was 2-for-9 from the floor and Larry Hughes relieved him to go 1-for-9. Over the last two ballgames, both players have combined to go 7-for-25 from the floor.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas was the only other Cavalier in double-figures, chipping in with 12 points, nine boards and a game-high four blocked shots.
Z’s opposite, Philadelphia’s Samuel Dalembert, was an absolute beast in the paint, finishing with a game-high 19 boards – including seven on the offensive glass – to go with 16 points and three blocked shots. Andre Miller and Andre Iguodala each finished with 20 points, with Kyle Korver adding 13 off Maurice Cheeks’ bench.
The Cavaliers get Sunday off, but will play their third game in four days on Monday night when they welcome the Milwaukee Bucks to The Q.
NOTES
“When I saw my man (Kyle Korver) bite on Larry, pushing the ball, I went back door,” said the soft-spoken sophomore, who broke out in a rare smile after his first quarter throw-down. “My teammates and the crowd got me going and I just tried to bring some energy to the game.”
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