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The away team don't stand much of a chance

The Wolves won just one of their last 12 games, and it's hard to believe they can make the Cleveland game into a close one

After their initial tuning up the Cavs won 11 of their last 14 games, which got them among the top five teams in the East, and it's only a matter of time before they rise above the rest of the pack along with the Bulls. David Blatt's team played one of their best games this season on Sunday, when they beat the Grizzlies, though weakened, with the final score 105-91.

After a furious opening by the Cavs the away team managed to get back in the game, but were behind most of the time. Midway through the last quarter the scoreboard showed 79-74 for the home team, and then Dion Waiters exploded for 13 points in just a few minutes, leading his team to a +17 lead (100-83) which pretty much ended the game.


- Dion is learning something new every day, he's a young player without much experience in this league and games like this are what he needs most- commented LeBron James on Waiters' performance, while he scored 25 points (9/15) and 11 assists himself. This was his eighth game already with double digit assists this season, while he had seven in his entire past season.


Waiters is one of the most inconsistent players of the league, and the fact he's surrounded by dominant players such as LeBron, Irving and Love is not helping. There was lots of talk about him getting traded for some muscle under the rim, which Cavs are in dire need of, but nothing came of it so far.


- When one of the main guys isn't doing too well, someone needs to step up. I try to have the same attitude in every game, show aggression and be constant. I let the game come to me and try to take advantage of what the opponents give me- said the Cavs shooting guard, who's been averaging 10.0 points this season.


The Cavs made 60.5% of their shots against one of the best defenses in the league and climbed up to just 3-6 against teams from the West. They'll look for their eighth win in nine matches against the Minnesota Timberwolves, who are nailed to the bottom of the Western ranking and will most likely stay there. Flip Saunders' team suffered their 11th loss in 12 games on Sunday, losing a home game against the Pacers with a close 100-96 score.


The Wolves missed 13 of their first 14 shots and allowed the Pacers had 55% shooting from the field in the first half, and a 16 point lead by halftime. The home team managed to catch up and even take the lead briefly in the second half, but the Pacers' experience gave them the win in the finish.



- I told the team what my biggest disappointment was, and that the energy of young players at the start of the game. When you use young players a lot and they spend a lot of time on court and waste a lot of minutes, the team will get in trouble- said coach Flip Saunders after his fifth consecutive defeat.


The two 19-year-olds, Andrew Wiggins and Zack LaVine, scored a combined 14 points with 4/14 shooting from the game, but veteran Mo Williams had a brilliant night with 28 points (10/16) and 10 assists.


The only chance the Wolves have tonight is on paper only. The home team are much more talented and actually want to win, unlike the away crew. This might be over by halftime.