The Raptors long losing streak was nothing compared to what's still going on in Cleveland.
Even when the Raptors were in the midst of their 13-game losing streak, it never received a lot of national attention south of the border. Why? Well because there is an interesting subplot to the season that has developed around the Cleveland Cavaliers. In addition to being the only team to have back-to-back seasons with 60 or more wins and not get to the finals, they are now owners of a dubious record for the most consecutive losses at 25 in a row -- and counting after they lost 99-96 to the Mavericks in Dallas Monday night.
How much did LeBron mean to the Cavs? Is it his absence that is solely responsible for Cleveland's horrible output this season? Well yes and no. There is no question that the reigning MVP meant a lot to Cleveland but injuries have also made it difficult for them to field a competitive squad.
Anderson Varajao will miss the rest of the season as a result of ankle surgery, while starting point guard Mo Williams has missed 15 games. Not that these two would have had the Cavaliers in the playoff chase, but it sure narrows the margin of error when you can't field a consistently healthy line-up.
The Cavaliers have come full circle from where they were in 2002-03 when they finished with the NBA's worst record and had enough ping-pong balls in the barrel to land the right to draft LeBron James. The Cavs have surpassed the futility of the Vancouver Grizzlies as well as the 9-73 Philadelphia 76ers in the 1972-73 season and even the franchise's own mark spanning two seasons, when Cleveland lost 24 in a row in 1982-83.
With the NBA trade deadline approaching on Feb. 24, you are about to hear rumours about everyone and anyone where trades are concerned. Here is the latest concerning Carmelo Anthony, now that Mikhail Prokhorov has seemingly taken his New Jersey Nets out of the running.
It has been well discussed that Melo would love to play in New York but the issue for the Knicks is, do they trade for him so he can sign his extension and then have his money guaranteed regardless of what happens with the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, or do they just wait him out? If he really wants to play in "the Big Apple" then New York should just wait until he becomes an unrestricted free agent so they don't have to give up young pieces that are part of the future to get him.
Right now, Anthony wants it both ways. He wants to sign the extension to have his money guaranteed and he wants to be traded to New York. It will be interesting to see what transpires between now and the trade deadline.
Wasn't it P.T. Barnum that said "there's a sucker born every minute"? I guess that's what Kendrick Perkins and his agent Arn Tellem are banking on after reportedly turning down a contract extension from the Boston Celtics. Maybe they know something that others don't.
But, you would think with the uncertain labour climate in the NBA, some contentious bargaining ahead with a possible lockout looming, and a resolution that could drastically change the landscape of players' earnings, taking somewhere in the neighbourhood of a reported $7.5 million per season would be an easy decision to make. Now it could be just the start of the negotiations between him and the team but it's not a bad place to start for a guy coming off major surgery and without a truly well rounded game at both ends of the floor.
