Curse of the Z: Cavaliers Continue To Struggle After Trade

Another game without big Z, another loss for the Cleveland Cavaliers.

For the first time this season, the Cavaliers dropped their third consecutive game with another poor showing against the Orlando Magic.

If this is how our team is going to play post-Zydrunas Ilgauskas being traded, I may turn off the television until March 21, 2010. 

That day in March marks the first day that our beloved center can return to the team, and hopefully re-stabilize this lack of chemistry, poor free throw shooting, and downward-spiraling team that is barely holding onto the best record in the league. 

While I don’t think Z holds all the answers to fixing what has ailed the Cavs since his trade, his presence could sure help.

In the three games since Z has been gone, the guard play has been absolutely atrocious.  There are times to be patient, especially with Mo Williams and Delonte West returning to the lineup after extended times of not playing due to injury. 

And there are times, like right now, that you need to throw up the red-flag after a 4-for-24 shooting performance by your four guards in Orlando and say “NOT AGAIN”!

Not again is right!  This is the same exact thing that happened to the Cavaliers in the playoffs last year. 

They failed to upgrade at the guard position, and the bigger, more athletic guards of the Orlando Magic took advantage of them in the Conference Finals.  Well, this exposure happened again on Sunday.

Furthermore, the Cavaliers have seemingly forgotten how to defend in the last three games. 

Once known as the best defense team in the league, the Cavs are giving up an average of 109 points per game since the trade of Z.  That is WELL under their 94.9 points per game average on the season.

One thought on why the Cavaliers are experiencing such a problem at the defensive end of the court could be the infusion of players into the lineup.  For over a month the team was working without Mo and Delonte, and even won 13 games straight without assistance from them.

This means that the Cavaliers were comfortable with their rotation, and all had gotten used to being at certain spots on the floor.  This rotation included Z, which often called for him to set screens, and play the pick and pop effectively.

Now with the return of Mo and Delonte, they are attempting to get back into their flow, while the Cavs are attempting to work in the newly acquired Jamison.  This causes a lot of confusion on the floor because Mo and Delonte are trying to get their rhythms back, while Jamison is attempting to figure out where he belongs on the floor in the Cavaliers offense.

These two situations, along with the loss of one of the top shooters, rebounders, and leaders of the team have caused the Cavaliers to often look frantic and confused on the floor. 

While Z wasn’t the quickest person on the floor, you can tell his defensive length and outside shooting are greatly missed after just three games without him.

In the long run, I anticipate that Mo and Delonte will regain their pre-injury form.  Jamison will become comfortable in the Cavaliers lineup, thus removing some of the anxiety and confusion that the team is having on both sides of the ball. 

And big Z will return to a standing ovation at the Q on Sunday, March 21 vs. the Detroit Pistons.

However, until these things happen, the Cavaliers need to figure out a way to come together and solve these defensive lapses in the next 13 games.  Maybe the Hornets making a trip to the Q on Tuesday night is just what the doctor ordered to cure the curse of the Z!