Place: The Gund Arena in Cleveland, OH.
Time: 7:30 p.m. EST
TV/Radio: FSN Ohio/WTAM 1100 AM

Projected Cavaliers Starters:

PG: Kevin Ollie
SG: LeBron James
SF: Eric Williams
PF: Carlos Boozer
C:  Zydrunas Ilgauskas

Cavaliers Injury Report: C Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje (sprained ankle) and SG Kedrick Brown (knee tendinitis) are on the injured list.  PG Jeff McInnis (bruised shoulder) is doubtful and a game time decision.  PG Kevin Ollie (bruised leg), SG LeBron James (cold) and SF Eric Williams (bruised knee) are probable.

Projected Jazz Starters:

PG: Carlos Arroyo
SG: Gordan Giricek
SF: Andrei Kirilenko
PF: Tom Gugliotta
C:  Jarron Collins

Jazz Injury Report: C Curtis Borchardt (wrist surgery) and SF Matt Harpring (knee surgery) are on the injured list.

Key Matchups:

Gordan Giricek vs. LeBron James - Giricek is one of the better young shooters in the game and fits in very well with Jerry Sloan's well established system for the Jazz.  Since joining Utah in a trade deadline deal Giricek has averaged 14 ppg and 2.7 rpg on 44.7% shooting.  In his last five games he is averaging 20 ppg and 3.8 rpg on 48.6% shooting so it appears that Giricek is adapting very well in Utah.  Giricek is very good coming off screens catching and shooting as well as the spot up.  At 6'5-6'6 he has good size, a good release and a better athlete than given credit for.  The Jazz emphasize player and ball movement which helps Giricek get free since he isn't great at creating his own shot.  Defensively, James must continue to accept the defensive challenge against Giricek who has become the Jazz's second option.  James must remain focused and fight through all the screens the Jazz set and not get caught looking at the ball and lose Giricek.  Offensively, Giricek isn't a physical match for James and should continue his recent trend of attacking the basket even against the shotblockers Kirilenko and Greg Ostertag.  Ostertag has not started the past 10 games so James should try and set the tone early at home by attacking the Jazz inside.  Expect SG Raja Bell to see time against James and maybe even Kirilenko.

Andrei Kirilenko vs Eric Williams - If you ever wanted to know what Darius Miles should have been just watch Andrei Kirilenko.  The first time All Star is a very long athletic 6'9 who can run the floor, handle the ball some, has an improved jumper with solid three point range.  He is among the league leaders in steals and blocked shots and leads the Jazz in points, rebounds, blocks and steals.  Kirilenko is an extremely versatile player who is one of the top five defensive players in the NBA.  When the Jazz played the Cavaliers the first time Kirilenko was playing PF but has since moved to SF since the midseason acquisition of PF Tom Gugliotta.  He poses some unique problems defensively within the Jazz system and his versatility and athleticism causes matchup problems.  In addition to being able to move without the ball in the Jazz offense Kirilenko can beat defenders off the dribble with a good first step and shoot the jumpers when defenders lay off of him.  He can also go over the top of smaller players inside and his length helps him get almost three offensive rebounds per game.  Defensively, Williams who has a minor knee injury must be as physical with Kirilenko as the Jazz are with their opponents.  Williams cannot get beaten off the dribble and make Kirilenko a jump shooter but contest them.  When Kirilenko does drive funnel him to the shotblockers.  Williams, even though he is hurting, has to approach Kirilenko like he did McGrady and Vince Carter since Kirilenko is that player to the Jazz and use all the veteran tricks of the trade against the physically gifted Kirilenko.  Offensively, Williams should look to post up Kirilenko if nothing else to make him an on ball defender rather than a help defender which is what Kirilenko is very good at being.  Making him defend the ball rather than helping could help open things up for Boozer and Ilgauskas who have the advantage inside. 

When Cleveland has the ball: The offensive roll the Cavaliers have been on will take a hit if PG Jeff McInnis cannot play due to his shoulder.  He has been the catalyst for the Cavaliers averaging over 100 ppg during their winning streak.  Kevin Ollie takes over the PG spot where in 3 games as a starter averaged 7pts, 6ast, 7.5rbs, 1.5stls in 39.5 mpg.   He has picked up his play when needed and almost led the undermanned Cavaliers to a win against the Sacramento Kings nearly getting a triple double.  Ollie must continue to get the Cavaliers into the offense quickly and take advantage of transition opportunities when available which means pushing the ball and throwing it ahead.  The Cavaliers in general must handle the physicality of the Jazz.  They foul more than any team in the NBA and will push, grab and hit making very tough for teams to run their offense.  Fortunately, for the Cavaliers that style is better suited for at home and the Jazz usually aren't allowed to get away with such tactics on the road.  In the game in Utah the Jazz were beating up and outhustling the Cavaliers until the slap boxing fight between Ilgauskas and Ostertag woke the Cavaliers up.  The Cavaliers credit that fight as the turning point of their season and Ilgauskas has been a better player from that point on.  Cleveland should look to go inside to Williams, Boozer and Ilgauskas the latter two have been rolling for weeks.  PF Tom Gugliotta no longer has the quickness or mobility to handle a Boozer and he must be aggressive with his offense and going to the basket.  Paul Silas has said that he won't use James at the point so backup duties fall to DaJuan Wagner who must provide solid minutes at the point running the team as well as continue to score.  With Kirilenko playing the majority of the season at PF don't be surprised the Jazz go smaller using Kirilenko, Raja Bell and Giricek on the floor.

When the Jazz have the ball: Utah is frankly a system team with system players.  They play hard all the time and play team ball.  They run a motion offense that relies on sharp cuts, solid picks and good passing that allows shooters to get free for shots.  They aren't the pick and roll monster they were with Karl Malone and John Stockton but they do have a versatile player that can score in Kirilenko and some shooters on the perimeter that can make shots in Bell, Arroyo, Giricek and Raul Lopez.  The Jazz PGs are all young first or second year players that are very quick and can hurt you in some different ways.  However, they are the second most turnover prone team in the NBA at nearly 17 per game.  It would be a good idea for Kevin Ollie, the Cavaliers best on the ball defender, to pressure the young Jazz PGs and try and disrupt the timing of their offense.  The key will be to focus on the main weapons of the Jazz in Giricek and Kirlienko and not any of their X factors namely a Bell, Arroyo or Lopez to be a difference maker in the game.  Lastly, the Jazz are one of the better rebounding teams in the NBA.  They offensive rebound well and have a lot of guys contribute to the effort.  Denying penetration and showing on pick and roll situations will allow the Cavaliers big men to stay home and not let guys like Kirilenko and Ostertag to dive weakside for offensive rebounds.

Game outlook: You look at the talent the Jazz puts on the floor and you wonder how the Cavaliers could possibly lose this game.  Well, that kind of underestimation has allowed the Jazz to be very competitive and remain in the hunt for a playoff spot in the Western Conference.  Without their catalyst McInnis other Cavaliers like Ollie, Wagner, Nailon and Battie must step in a game that could be a grind-it-out affair.  The Cavaliers must respect the Jazz for what they have done this year and how they were beating Cleveland easily last year before the comeback in Utah.