Where do you measure up as a fan on the Cleveland playoff confidence barometer as Game 6 approaches?
Level 1: There’s a game?
1982 Browns at Raiders. The 8th-seeded 4-5 Browns lost to the eventual champion Raiders in this awkward, strike-shortened season. No playoff songs for these Browns.
1994 Game 3 Bulls at Cavs. Do you remember this overtime, series-ending loss? I don’t. I assume Jordan hit a game-winner. Just checked. Wrong. He was playing baseball.
Level 2: No Chance, but thanks for the ride.
2007 Spurs at Cavs Game 4: The surprising Cavs were supposed to be a year away from the Finals. The Spurs proved that notion.
Level 3: No chance, so put Old Yeller out of his misery.
1993 Bulls at Cavs Game 4: Jordan hit ‘The Shot II’, completing the sweep. This was the last hurrah for Lenny Wilkens and the Price-Daugherty-Nance-Ehlo-Hot Rod posse. Forget the pain and watch this and appreciate Michael’s magnificence.
Level 4: Just happy to be here.
2007 Cavs at Pistons Game 5: The Pistons were penciled in to make their third trip to the finals in four years. But then LeBron had his coming out party, scoring 48 points, including the final 25 for the Cavs, to win in OT and take a 3-2 series lead…
Level 5: I don’t feel so good. Let’s trash this place.
2001 Indians at Mariners Game 5: After blowing a 2-1 series lead at home with Bartolo Colon pitching, they had to face Tribe-killer Jamie Moyer. This was the end of the magical Jacobs Field era.
2010 Cavs at Celtics Game 6: This game followed LBJ’s infamousGgame 5 disappearance where Boston took a 3-2 lead. LeBron peeled his Cavs’ jersey off after the Celts closed the series out, and soon after, took his talents to South Beach.
Level 6: That Cat at the nursing home that curls up with the soon-to-be-dead person is now scratching at my door.
2015 Warriors at Cavs Game 6: With LeBron worn down by carrying the team all series, and Delly’s magic fading into the Australian Outback, the Grim Reaper had a courtside seat for this one.
2016 Cavs at Warriors Game 5: Even with Draymond Green out, the Cavs’ bandwagon was pretty empty heading into Monday’s Kyrie-LBJ masterpiece.
Level 7: The Mullet (seemingly confident in the front, but nervous Nellie in the back).
2015 and 2016 Cavs at Warriors Game 1: you can admit it. All of those ‘Cavs in 6’ predictions you threw out had all the confidence of that awkward, pimple-faced boy trying to date the hot cheerleader. Think Ben Stiller’s prom date with Cameron Diaz in There’s Something About Mary. But block out the ‘zipper’ scene. That’s more painful to watch than a love child of ‘The Drive’,’The Fumble’, and ‘The Shot’.
Level 8: The glass looks half-empty. (think a coin flip game while factoring in Cleveland bad luck)
1997 Indians at Marlins Game 7: Which supernatural power would triumph? Could a Tribe team of destiny vanquish the Cleveland Curse?
Of course not.
Level 8A: The glass looks half empty with a feeling that a case of diarrhea might be coming.
1987 Browns at Broncos: John Elway already had the ‘The Drive’ in his pocket to scare Browns fans.
Level 9: The glass looks half full.
1986 Broncos at Browns: Browns fans felt that their time had finally arrived for that long-awaited Super Bowl trip. Then John Elway acquired his gastrointestinal powers with ‘The Drive’
Level 9A: The glass looks half full with a feeling that a case of diarrhea might be coming.
1989 Bulls at Cavs Game 5: The ‘fear factor’ was high any time Michael Jordan was in the house. But we were at home!
Then came ‘The Shot’.
Level 10: We got ’em right where we want ’em
2006 Pistons at Cavs Game 6: After LeBron’s Game 5 explosion (see Level 4), fans could sense a shift in the East’s balance of power. Detroit looked broken as the Cavs rolled, 98-82.
Level 11: Wisdom of Han Solo: “Don’t get cocky!”
Cleveland fans aren’t afraid to show some swagger.
Sometimes it backfires:
2009 Magic at Cavs Game 1: The 66-win Cavs swept their first two playoff series, and were supposed to roll over Orlando, who just upset the Big-3 Celtics. But the Cavs blew a 15-point halftime lead in losing this one.
Sometimes it’s backed up:
1995 Red Sox at Indians Game 1: Even though it was their first play-off game in 41 years, Tribe fans were very cocky about their 100-44 powerhouse team. The Red Sox stretched this game to 13 innings, but big late game home runs by Albert Belle and Tony Pena got it done.
Level 12: We’re bigger, we’re bader, and we’re gonna rub your face in it.
In spite of all the suffering, many Cleveland fans have little sympathy for an underdog opponent. It’s hard to blame them for that reaction: Cleveland rarely has a chance to gloat.
2016 Detroit and Atlanta 4-0 sweeps. We definitely kicked some sand in the faces of Piston and Hawks fans.
2016 Cavs at Raptors Game 3: The 98-pound weakling smacked us back in the face after being outscored by 50 in Games 1 and 2.
So where to rate right now?
For Game 6, I was between a 9 and 10. Cleveland not only had the homecourt edge, but had won two of three while only putting together a complete team performance in Game 3. That 3-game stretch had shown the Cavs that they can play with the Warriors, even without their A-game going.
The WIne and Gold passed their Game 6 test with flying colors. Now come the ultimate challenge: Game 7 on the road.
The key is controlling ‘the comfort zone’. The Cavs need to keep the Warriors out of this ‘zone’ by continuing to play physical while minimizing easy 3-point looks for Curry and Thompson. LeBron is in Superman mode and is attacking the rim with authority. Add in some quick, decisive ball and body movement that I talked about in this recent article…
And Cavs fans will be doing some serious post-game Sunday tonight.
Just keep the Pepto-Bismol nearby.
Follow the author on Twitter: @macaljancic
Follow the author on Twitter: @macaljancic