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Find out the scoop on the CAVS from award-winning sports writer Bob Finnan.

Wednesday, November 27, 2013

Game 15: Heat at Cavs

MIAMI HEAT (12-3) 95, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (4-11) 84
Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio, ESPN

WHAT HAPPENED?: The Cavs have lost their last eight games to the Heat, including their last four at The Q. LeBron James is 10-1 lifetime against the Cavs.

James, as expected, was sensational. He outscored the Cavs' starting five, 28-26. That's hard to do. Of course, the Cavs' starting five has two players on it that should never start an NBA game: Matthrew Dellavedova and Alonzo Gee.

The Cavs played hard on Wednesday and put forth effort. However, they just aren't very good right now, plain and simple. That might not be what you want to hear, but it's true. They don't shoot well at all. The offense is a joke.

Their best shooting guard, Dion Waiters, doesn't start. I've never really gotten a straight answer on that one. We've heard he doesn't fit with Kyrie Irving. Well, who does? Irving isn't playing up to his potential at all, much like the rest of the team.

Waiters was quite good against the Heat. He matched his season high with 24 points and six rebounds. He attacked the basket, went to the foul line 11 times (he made only six) and dished out three assists.

"He played the right way," Coach Mike Brown said.

They drafted Waiters No. 4 in the 2012 draft. They invested a lot of time and effort into grooming him. Then Mike Brown comes in and decides he's not a Waiters fan. So now there's trade rumors and he could be dealt. The whole thing stinks from top to bottom. This time last year, former Coach Byron Scott raved about Waiters' talent. Brown, maybe because of Scott's affinity for him, has benched Waiters.

The Cavs haven't beaten Miami since March 29, 2011. Tonight would have been a good time to snap that streak. However, I never thought the Heat were seriously threatened. They had control of the game the whole night.

I'm starting to wonder if the Andrew Bynum experiment is going to pan out. He was just 2 of 10 from the field against the Heat. Kyrie Irving, who was in a funk from the opening tip, was really bad with 6 of 19 shots.

I just can't figure out what's going on with Irving. I predicted big things for him this year. Thus far, they haven't worked out. Let's hope he snaps out of it. Without him, they don't have a chance.

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Boston at 7:30 p.m. Friday at TD Garden

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. LeBron James (6-8, 250)
PF Tristan Thompson (6-9, 236) vs. Rashard Lewis (6-10, 230)
C Andrew Bynum (7-0, 294) vs. Chris Bosh (6-11, 235)
SG Matthew Dellavedova (6-4, 200) vs. Dwyane Wade (6-4, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 193) vs. Mario Chalmers (6-2, 190)
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs - G/F C.J. Miles, C Henry Sims
Heat - C Greg Oden, F Shane Battier
OFFICIALS
Ed Malloy, Matt Boland, Michael Smith

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