When the Cavs are healthy, they have shown they are pote | Forum

ARDMORE, Pa. Mathieu Perreault Jets Jersey . -- There was at least one wiseguy waiting on more than a few of the holes. Despite that, Sergio Garcias charm offensive was mostly well received by the galleries during the opening round of the U.S. Open. Some three weeks ago, in the midst of a hissing match with Tiger Woods, the Spaniard made a racially tinged remark about inviting his rival over for dinner and serving fried chicken. Widely criticized at the time, Garcia has apologized to Woods both privately and publicly. Yet there were some lingering questions about how hed be received at Merion Golf Club this week by a sometimes-tough Philadelphia sports crowd. "There were a couple here and there, but there was -- I felt the people were very nice for the whole day. I think that almost all of them were behind me," Garcia said afterward, "and that was nice to see." The same unfortunately, couldnt be said for Garcias golf game. He shot a 3-over-par 73 Thursday, and that after recovering from a double-bogey, quadruple-bogey stumble at Nos. 14 and 15, where Garcia hooked both of his tee shots out of bounds. "The U.S. Open doesnt give you much room," he said, then conceded the margin for error at 14 and 15 wasnt his problem. "The out of bounds is close, but if you hit a bad shot, even if its far away, youre going to find it. ... I guess I was just making my week a little bit tougher," he added. "But I tried to battle as much as I could coming in." Garcia teed off alongside Padraig Harrington and Stewart Cink amid cheers and a few scattered boos on the 11th hole at 7:44 a.m., and was cruising until the 14th. No sooner had his tee shot flown the coup at that hole than heavy rains came down and caused a 3 1/2-hour delay. Garcia described his return this way: "Hit another 3-wood, 7-iron to about 16 feet and managed to two-putt for par. "Sorry," he added quickly, to some laughter. "Par with the second ball." The delay may have given the occasional hecklers around the course a chance to down a few beers and screw up their courage. As Garcia reached the first green, where he had an 8-footer for birdie, a fan holding a beer yelled, "Hey, head case! Lets see you blow it 10 feet by." Instead, Garcia drained the putt for birdie, then made eagle at the par-5 second hole with a big drive, another 3-wood to 16 feet and made that putt as well. That left him at 4-over. "But then I hit a couple of bad shots," Garcia said. "So I dont know. It was a pretty flat round for most of the day." Not for everyone, though. As Garcia started down the No. 5 fairway, a fan lining the ropes yelled, "I ate the bones!" -- the punch line from a new round of commercials for KFC, the fast-food chain formerly known as Kentucky Fried Chicken. Yet just another 100 yards, as Garcia passed by, another fan said, "I hate Tiger, too!" On and on it went at nearly all of the closing holes. Many fans cheered and a few expressed loud support for Garcia, only to have someone yell something like "Winner, winner, chicken dinner!" as one did standing on a patio of a pricey home alongside the sixth fairway. The wear and tear of a long day finally seemed to show on Garcia on the par-3 ninth, his next-to-last hole. When his tee shot there fluttered off to the right and into a greenside bunker, his shoulders slumped and he walked across the tee box dragging his club behind him like a broom. Yet he hit a terrific wedge into No. 10 that bounced twice and slammed on the brakes just two feet from the hole for birdie. If only his efforts to make up with Woods had gone that smoothly. Garcia walked over to where his rival was practicing on the range Monday and offered his hand. The two shook, and briefly exchanged a few words. Garcia also left a note in Woods locker. Asked if there was a response, he said simply, "No. I havent really seen him." Dustin Byfuglien Jets Jersey . Rinne played two periods in his first game since left hip surgery in early May. Gabriel Bourque scored 3:07 into the second period and Austin Watson tallied 5:15 later for Nashville. Dale Hawerchuk Jersey . Ivanovic was leading 7-5, 1-0 when Hantuchova withdrew after falling 0-40 behind in the second game. The match started slowly for Ivanovic, who surrendered her first two serves as Hantuchova took a 5-3 lead. http://www.jetsauthentic.com/authentic-blake-wheeler-jets-jersey/ .875,000, avoiding arbitration. Clippards deal Monday means all eight Nationals players who filed for arbitration wound up settling before a hearing. LeBron James has never had more fun than playing with this version of the Cleveland Cavaliers.This group may not end up with more victories than the 2008-09 team that won 66 games or the 2012-13 Miami Heat that won the same. It may not end up winning James his fourth ring. But after 14 years of stumbles, hard lessons and a long separation, the Cavs have finally built the team of James dreams.Loaded with shooters who give him an array of options, stocked with veterans who have learned the nuances of sharing the floor with him and playing alongside what looks like a future Hall of Famer entering his prime, James is reveling in it. It can all be encapsulated in one line: James is averaging the fewest shots (17.2) and the most assists (9.7) per game in his career.This is how he has always wanted to play. He has had flashes of it in the past. But never has he had a roster that so suits his talents and desires, which is to be a conductor, not a solo act.For the first time in his career, hes not leading his team in scoring. Kyrie Irving is averaging about a point more than him, Kevin Love is averaging just two points less.James has 37 assists in just the past three games; 22 of them set up 3-pointers and 13 of them set up layups or dunks. In none of the three games has James led the team in scoring. He has three triple-doubles in 14 games this season, the same number he had in 76 games last season.His recent numbers probably would be even stronger, but Channing Frye, the NBAs leader in 3-point percentage, missed two of the games following the death of his father, and J.R. Smith is in the biggest shooting slump of his career, missing 16 of his past 17 3s.Its just about peak efficiency, James picking apart teams with laser focus. Theres a long way to go yet, but this Cavs team is averaging 112 points per 100 possessions, which would be the best offensive efficiency of any James team in history. The 2012-13 Heat scored 110 points per 100 possessions and had a 27-game winning streak along the way.This is as impressive as Ive seen, Portland Trail Blazers coach Terry Stotts said after his team was ripped by the Cavs last week. You help on LeBron at the rim, and he gets them a corner 3. You help from the weak side, and he finds a guy and you give up a 3. Sometimes youre in good team defensive position, and the ball zips out of his hands and theres a 3-pointer. I dont know how you defend that.In the playoffs last season, Cavs coach Ty Lue started experimenting with lineups that featured four outside shooters and James. The result was record-breaking 3-point shooting in the series against the Atlanta Hawks, where the team made 46 3-pointers over a two-game span.Lue is doubling down this season, playing Love and Frye as his big men at times. It leaves the Cavs vulnerable at the defensive end, but they are wicked at the offensive end with those lineups. With James and Irving as the creators and Smith or Iman Shumpert, who is shooting a career-best 46 percent on 3s, the lineup is relentlesss. Mark Scheifele Jersey. LeBron breaks all the passing rules, said one scout who recently tracked the Cavs. Youre not supposed to leave your feet and pass, and he uses it as a weapon. Youre not supposed to pass through traffic. He throws backhanded fastballs that buzz the ears of two defenders. He always knows where everyone is going to be.James has to be careful with what he says publicly, because it often can be used against him. Those who know him will tell you he believes this style is the way to win a most valuable player award. Whether James will ever win another one is hard to project; he often has to compete with his past résumés.But right now hes averaging the fewest points since his rookie season, and his mastery of the game has never been more on display.We built a lot from last year, and we just want to continue that, James said, pointing to continuity as a source of his excellent start. With the team that we have, coaching staff that we have, we have to take advantage of that.The Cavs dont call many plays. Lue will spend whole minutes with his hands in his pockets, as he paces the sideline watching as James and Irving come down and flow into sets. When James moves on the floor, his teammates move with him, creating angles and windows where they know he can deliver the ball.Meanwhile, James has learned which teammates want the ball where. Like a long-snapper who has perfected delivering the football to the holder, James has mastered how to get the ball to his shooters.Its my responsibility to know how my guys want the ball, James said.If they like it with no seams or with the seams. I know that might not make sense -- some guys like it different ways. I get the ball right in my hand before I throw it. I know the guys on my team like seams or guys who like the ball high when they catch it. I know guys who like it low or midsection. I know where everyone wants the ball, and I just try to put it there on time and on target. All they have to do is catch and fire. Its those guys working on their craft that allows me to do that.Its a little more complicated than that. It is true the Cavs have enjoyed a reasonably easy schedule thus far. Theyve played 10 of their 15 games at home and have played the fewest games in the league. Their opponents winning percentage to this point is just under .500. It toughens later this week with a home game against the Los Angeles Clippers and then a road trip to Chicago and Toronto.So all these numbers and this stellar play might not hold. But it might. When the Cavs are healthy, they have shown they are potent. James is attracted to the idea of playing this brand of basketball, and he seems to only be getting stronger as he hands the scoring load off to Irving and Love, who is averaging six more points per game than last season.LeBron poses a lot of problems, Stotts said. At times it can make you just roll your eyes. ' ' '