A bad season just keeps getting worse for the Cavaliers as they dropped games Friday against the Bucks 102-88 and Saturday in Chicago to the Bulls 92-79. If there is a silver lining though it's that the Cavaliers are starting to get moderately healthy again. Anthony Parker, Christian Eyenga and Joey Graham all returned to action this weekend, but it still wasn't enough. Andrew Bogut scored 23 points on 11 of 14 shooting and Corey Maggette had 20 to lead Milwaukee on Friday night. On Saturday it was Derrick Rose getting 24, and 20 point games for Luol Deng and Carlos Boozer leading Chicago. Saturday's game was particularly rough as the Cavaliers shot just 32.1% from the field. Despite 18 offensive rebounds, the Cavs weren't able to crack the 80 point barrier. J.J. Hickson had 11 of those offensive boards, and 20 total rebounds, but shot just 5 for 19. Antawn Jamison was the only Cavalier to shoot over 50% hitting 12 of 22 shots and scoring 31 points. The rest of the team? 15 for 62. 24.2%. The Cavs are back in action tomorrow night taking on the New Jersey Nets, who at 12-32, are the last losing team that Cleveland will play until they face Indiana on the 2nd of February. The Bulls, meanwhile are quietly 30-14, 12 games ahead of 2nd place Indiana in the Central Division. All this despite Boozer missing 18 games, and starting center Joakim Noah now missing 20. Derrick Rose is quietly having an MVP-type season with career highs in points (24.7) and assists (8.0), and with the Heat, and Magic, and Celtics getting all of the attention, the Bulls are flying right below the radar. Keep an eye on this team down the stretch, especially if Noah can come back from his injury.
BLAKE GRIFFIN IS REALLY GOOD
Griffin continues to impress in his rookie season. His latest performance? Just a cool 30 points and his second straight 18-rebound game to lead the Clippers to their 4th win in 5 games over the Warriors 113-109. Griffin is now averaging 27.2 points and 14.5 rebounds in the month of January. Griffin also chimed in with a career high 8 assists. He also had a ridiculous highlight reel reverse alley-oop slam off an over the head pass from fellow rookie Eric Bledsoe and a 3-pointer, just his 6th of the year, to put the Clippers ahead for good late in the 4th quarter. Watch the highlights below, the guy is ridiculous.
Blake Griffin vs The Warriors
USA WOMEN BOUNCE BACK
After a tough loss to the Swedes on Friday, the U.S. women bounced back and got into the win column for the first time in 2011 with a 2-1 win over Canada. For the second game in a row, the U.S. blew a 1-0 lead, but this time they were able to rally for the victory. Lauren Cheney opened the scoring in the 54th minute with a flick from Lindsay Tarpley for her 12th international goal, but the lead was short-lived. Just two minutes later, Melissa Tancredi equalized with a just just inside the right post. It was Tarpley and Cheney again combining for the game-winner though, as this time Cheney set up Tarpley for her 31st international goal moving her into 11th place among U.S. women. The win, coupled with China's 2-1 win over Sweden, means all 4 teams now enter the final round of play with identical 1-1 records. Canada and China have the advantage in goals scored as they each have 4 while Sweden and the U.S. have 3. The U.S. takes on China and Sweden takes on Canada on Tuesday morning with all 4 teams having a legitimate shot to win the tournament.
AUSTRALIAN OPEN ACTION
Andy Roddick fell in the 4th Round of the Australian Open this morning leaving no Americans left in tournament. Roddick was beaten in straight sets by Switzerland's Stanislas Wawrinka 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 ending Roddick's title hopes. Wawrinka moves on to the quarterfinals to take on fellow countryman Roger Federer. One other quarterfinal match is set at this point, as Tomas Berdych will take on Novak Djokovic. The other four round 4 matches:
Robin Soderling vs Alexandr Dolgopolov
Milos Raonic vs David Ferrer
Jurgen Melzer vs Andy Murray
Rafael Nadal vs Marin Cilic
On the women's side, two quarterfinal matchups are set as well. Caroline Wozniacki, the tourney's top seed will take on Francesca Schiavone and Andrea Petkovic will take on Li Na. The four remaining 4th round matches:
Petra Kvitova vs Flavia Pennetta
Iveta Benesova vs Vera Zvonareva
Shuai Peng vs Agnieszka Radwanska
Ekaterina Makarova vs Kim Clijsters
ASIAN CUP SOCCER SEMIFINAL MATCHES SET
The Asian Cup is down to their final four teams. Australia's Harry Kewell headed home a winner in the 117th minute to give the Aussies a 1-0 win over Iraq and South Korea's Yoon Bit-Garam scored in the 105th minute to knock off Iran 1-0. Australia will now take on Uzbekistan in one semifinal and South Korea facing off against Japan in the other. Both matches are set for Tuesday.
AND THEN THERE WERE TWO
With Texas knocking off Kansas yesterday, we're down to just two undefeateds in Men's Division I Hoops. It's #1 Ohio State (20-0) and a bit of a shocker, #6 San Diego State (20-0). Ohio State is coming off of a hard fought 73-68 win at Illinois yesterday where they erased an 8 point second half deficit. Freshman Jared Sullinger had 27 points an 16 rebounds to lead the way for the Buckeyes. Makes you wonder if they could beat the Cavs right now... Next up, another tough matchup against #13 Purdue who despite being without the services of Robbie Hummel for the year, are still off to a 17-3 start. San Diego State meanwhile gears up for their biggest match of the year against conference rival BYU who is 19-1 and ranked 9th in the country. The Cougars boast the nation's leading scorer in Jimmer Fredette who will enter the game averaging 26.7 points. The Aztecs meanwhile will be led by 6'7" sophomore forward Kawhi Leonard who averages 15.7 points and 10.3 rebounds.
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