|
|
When Kedrick Brown looks back on this season there likely won't be too many fond memories.
He was traded midseason from Boston to Cleveland, where he earned a starting
job only to lose it through no fault of his own. Then he sat on the bench for
nearly two months and lost his best friend on the team, J.R. Bremer, when Bremer
was cut earlier this month. Brown was put on the injury list with a fake problem
to make room for someone else and is often mentioned as likely to be headed
to expansion Charlotte in the off-season.
Don't worry too much for Brown -- like all NBA players he's richly compensated. But that doesn't do a whole lot for the competitive psyche.
Which was why Saturday night was so pivotal for Brown. He came off the bench
and played 27 key minutes in the Cavaliers' come-from-behind victory over the
New Jersey Nets, making all five of his shots and scoring 12 points.
It was the first time since Jan. 30 at Milwaukee, when he scored nine points
and grabbed five rebounds in 17 minutes, that he played meaningful minutes and
has triggered some second-guessing from the top.
"I'm not very smart because I have not been playing that kid," Cavaliers
coach Paul Silas said. "He came in and gave us a big lift."
Brown earned his chance Saturday after coming off the bench to score seven points
in eight minutes in garbage time in Friday's loss at Philadelphia. At that point,
it was just the second time he'd seen the floor since Feb. 11. The arrival of
Jeff McInnis at point guard switched LeBron James to shooting guard and pushed
Brown, who started his first 16 games in a Cavaliers uniform, to the end of
the bench in the process.
Now, the Cavaliers are in desperate need for his continued production starting
tonight as they begin a treacherous three-game road trip to San Antonio, Dallas
and Milwaukee. Especially with McInnis on the injured list with a deep shoulder
bruise and James called back to his duties at point guard.
"I've been in the same situation my whole career," said Brown, now
in his third season as a pro. "I played behind Paul Pierce (in Boston),
so when my chances come I just try to make the most of them."
At 6-foot-7 with good quickness, Brown is a solid defensive option on the perimeter.
He's also displayed a knack for hitting jumpers. Both traits are in high demand
for the Cavaliers as they try to muster a playoff run.
"I have no idea if I'll get more time," Brown said. "I'll be
ready to help the team any way I can."
Cleaves added today
The Cavaliers will officially sign point guard Mateen Cleaves to a 10-day contract
today, allowing him to be with the team for the next six games. Cleaves, who
was averaging 14.1 points and 5.8 assists for the Huntsville Flight of the National
Basketball Development League, was needed after McInnis was put on the injured
list Saturday. McInnis will miss at least the next four games. The Cavaliers
traded Jumaine Jones to the Sacramento Kings for Cleaves before last season,
but the Cavaliers ended up voiding the deal when Cleaves didn't pass a physical.
Cleaves was drafted in the first round by the Detroit Pistons in 2000 and played
in just 12 games with the Kings last season. He was in training camp with the
Boston Celtics prior to this season.
Alamo drought
The Cavaliers have broken a series of depressing streaks this season, including
a 34-game road losing skid, a 16-game losing streak to the 76ers and a streak
of 13 consecutive losses to the Boston Celtics. Up next is a 13-game losing
streak in San Antonio, where the Cavaliers haven't won since Dec. 8, 1988, when
LeBron James was still three weeks shy of his fourth birthday. Such an upset
would not be without precedent this year -- in January the Cavaliers won in
Utah for the first time since '88.