The Cavaliers played about a half-quarter of outstanding basketball on Thursday night. The other three-and-a-half were a pit of relentless suck, a pit as deep as the 0-2 hole they’re in as they go back to Cleveland, having absorbed an 89-73 thumping at the hands of the Celtics. It was another horrific night for LeBron James, the second leg of probably the worst back-to-back performance of his career. Will things improve at the Q? They’d better. Or this series will be over, quickly.

Buff does not do justice to Cliff Lee in today's B-List, because no one can.  However, he does discuss how the Indians can actually score runs, how relief pitchers named Raffy are handy, and addresses a topic no man should have to: Travis Hafner and the Worst Plate Appearance in the World.  The Indians go for the sweep today in the Battle of the Old: go Tribe!

When it comes to Tuesday's game one heartbreaking loss to the Celtics, some fans have taken the optimistic view, some the pessimistic.  But the bottom line remains ... if we lose tonight, we need to win four out of five against the winningest team in basketball this season to avoid going home.  It's a big game this evening Cavs fans.  7 PM on ESPN.  And Jesse Lamovsky previews tonights tilt for us in this excellent column.  GO CAVS!

Never let it be said that professional sports has no bearing on real life. LeBron James, through persistent tormenting of the Washington Wizards and their fans, scored you a nearly-free Thursday dinner.  LeBron's response to the Papa John's crybaby t-shirts?  27, 13, and 13 in leading the Cavs to a rout over the Wizards in their own crib to finish them off in game six.  Now, coming off a 2-18, 10 turnover performance ... can the King respond again? 

The Pittsburgh Steelers surrendered the sixth most sacks in football last year, and lost seven time Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca to free agency.  Coach Mike Tomlin was on record heading into the 2008 NFL Draft with one clear goal: improve the offensive and defensive lines.  That's not what happened though.  Rashard Mendenhall and Limas Sweed slipped to their slots in the 1st and 2nd round, jumbling their draft strategy.  Will it pay off?  Bob Fergus takes a look at the Steelers draft.

Last night's game was one of those where the emotion shifts from despair to joy in one swing of the bat.  The swing came courtesy of David Dellucci, and Buff addresses this, the quality of the bullpen, why players with arms are valuable, and much more in today's B-List.  Can't wait for tonight's pitching matchup: Go Tribe!

What a weird basketball game.  The Cavs hold Ray Allen SCORELESS, Paul Pierce to 2-14 from the floor, force 21 Celtic turnovers, and hit 22-26 from the foul line.  And lose.  How you ask?  The Cavs shot 30% from the floor.  LeBron was 2-18 with 10 turnovers.  And KG just killed us, scoring 28 of the Celtics 76 points on a dizzying array of jumpers and bank shots over Ben Wallace and Joe Smith.  The Cavs fell, 76-72, and Nick Allburn checks in to tell us about it.

With pretty much everyone returning from an AL contending team that took the Red Sox to a seventh game in the ALCS, there was plenty of reason for hope and optimism that the Indians would finally win a ring this year.  However, the start of the 2008 season has been rough for the Indians and for many fans those feelings of optimsim have disappeared right along with the Indians hitting.  With a little over a month of the season in the books, Regano takes the half full and half empty approach to assess ownership, the front office, the coaching staff and players.

With all three teams in Cleveland now contenders all at once, for Cleveland to win a championship over the next few years in any sport that road will have to go through....Boston.  A rivalry is being born between the two cities, which was kickstarted last October when the Indians and Red Sox squared off in the ALCS.  Now, the Celtics arguably are the best team in the NBA after a 66-16 regular season and are poised to make an NBA Finals run, but the Cavaliers stand in their way.  With that, another war between Boston and Cleveland gets set to tip tonight, and our panel of writers offer up their predicitions.

Heading into the 2008 season, the Indians' offense was thought to be a decent offense built around a few exceptional hitters with the rest of the lineup filled with young projectable hitters or role players.  Instead, through the first week of May the Indians' offense has fallen flat on their collective face with no obvious turnaround and a lineup full of players not meeting (much less exceeding) expectations that were held for them as 2008 dawned.  Paulie Couz breaks it down in his latest.

It's reasonably accepted in baseball circles that good pitching tends to beat good hitting.  It's why general managers build teams from the pitching mound out.  But following the Cleveland Indians this season, particularly in the last seven days, what we've learned is that it's equally true that bad pitching also beats bad hitting.  Gary makes the case that after manager Eric Wedge's comments on Sunday that hitting coach Derek Shelton may be on the hot seat.

The Indians' best game of the three-game series against Kansas City came Friday, when they were rained out.  In today's B-List, Buff touches on a second straight excellent performance by Aaron Laffey, the return of the Inning of Crap, and an offense even a mother would not love, but would consider leaving on a hilltop to die of exposure.  Remember to mail Buff those contest entries as soon as you remember them.