reflections
November 26th, 2006 Zydrunas Ilgauskas

     Zydrunas Ilgauskas

     After Ilgauskas finishes this season out, he will be 6th on the Cavaliers’ All-Time games played list. After this season is over (assuming Big Z is healthy enough) he will have played over 548 games with the Cavaliers. Now that Zydrunas has entered his 9th year in the league and his second year playing for coach Mike Brown, you would think Zydrunas would have the offense down. Well, coach Brown decided to switch it up this year, doing something Zydrunas isn’t use to- speed.

      Coach Brown has decided to push the ball every chance the Cavaliers get. Using his combo guards effectively, he keeps the offense spread out and moving. Zydrunas is use to playing down low and this new offense is having him move all around inside the three point line. With being a big man and an older man, this has affected his stamina and game play, which we can see in his minutes per game. Only once in his career has he averaged less than he is now. He has been playing sloppy and soft. Not going up strong on offensive put backs, settling for more fade away jumpers (on smaller defenders) than usual, not being a low post threat down low, and other factors that have led him to his lowest points per game in the history of his career. Zydrunas says that this has to do a lot with the new offense. Something is finally starting to click, however.

     Coming off an embarrassing two point game against the Pacers, in a game that the Cavaliers should have won, Zydrunas and the new Cavalier offense clicks. Saturday, November 25th, the Cavaliers play the 76ers. Zydrunas was asked before the game about the new offense, he said, “It’s a new offense and things aren’t the same as in the past. I am not happy with my performance right now.”

    Zydrunas came out of the gate strong. In the second quarter alone, Zydrunas had two diving plays for the ball where he tipped the ball to a teammate to spring the Cavaliers on a fast break and points. He blocked a 76er and then sent the Cavaliers on another fast break which lead to the great alley-oop pass to LeBron James. Zydrunas was playing physical and took the ball hard to the hoop, dunking with two hands on a few occasions. He was boxing the opposing team out and grabbing rebound after rebound. Zydrunas Ilgauskas ended the night with an outstanding 18 point, 5 block shots, 15 rebound game, and 12 of the rebounds were all offensive. “It feels great to be involved in the offense.” He said after the game. Zydrunas tied his offensive rebound career best and found his place in the new offense. Zydrunas looked fresh and moved very well throughout the whole game, he even played close to 36 minutes, far above his season average so far this year.

    Zydrunas Ilgauskas played a great game. Hopefully the offense and himself have “clicked” for good and not just tonight. With play like this from him, a healthy Hughes, and LeBron James being LeBron James, a NBA finals appearance is just around the corner.

 

-Drake

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