Cleveland’s special season ends in disappointment as Cavs bounced from NBA playoffs

Cavaliers’ season ends sadly

INDEPENDENCE, Ohio — In the end, the greatest season in Cleveland Cavaliers’ history, the one supposed to end in a title triumph, was like all the others.

LeBron James and his teammates came up short.

James was selected as the league MVP. Mike Brown, coach of the year. The Cavs won 66 games in the regular season. They were nearly unbeatable at home and won their second Central Division crown in 33 years — by 25 games. They earned the top seed in the NBA playoffs.

They coasted through two rounds, winning eight straight games by double digits. They had the look of a champion. They had the King.

The Cavs had it all.

It all went for naught.

“It hurts, of course,” James said Sunday, less than 24 hours after the Cavaliers were eliminated from the postseason with a 103-90 loss to the Orlando Magic in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals. “We had an unbelievable season. But we got to work a little bit harder and I’ll make sure of that.”

One day after their season ended so bitterly, the Cavaliers gathered one last time at their training facility before parting ways for the summer. For a team that bonded as tight as a family, it was tough to leave. It had been a thrilling ride, but it was over.

“We only had one goal and that was to win a championship,” guard Mo Williams said. “There were special things that we accomplished as an organization. We were all on one page with everything. Last night I sat back and didn’t go to sleep until about 10 this morning. I thought back about everything we went through, and I smiled a lot. It ended with a frown, but I woke up with smile on my face.”

It was a familiar story for one of the city’s major professional sports teams. Still no championship since 1964.

So close. So Cleveland, home of heartbreak.

The Cavaliers went 76-20, a remarkable accomplishment that will be difficult to duplicate. But against an underrated Magic team that presented problems everywhere on the floor, Cleveland’s depth and talent were exposed. The Cavaliers, who went 3-6 against Orlando this season, were reduced to a one-man band as James was basically forced to take on the Magic all by himself.

“It’s just a team we haven’t been able to play well against,” James reasoned. “Of all the teams in the Eastern Conference, Orlando was probably the toughest matchup. We couldn’t match up with them.”

James did all he could, and more. He averaged 38.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 8.0 assists in the conference finals, a statistical line believed to be unsurpassed in league playoff history. His greatness, though, was not enough and he stormed out of Orlando’s Amway Arena without shaking hands with any Magic players and he skipped talking to the media.

As with everything James does, his actions were interpreted by some to indicate his displeasure with the Cavaliers or his teammates, who didn’t give him enough help. However, James said there were no hidden meanings and that he’s happy in Cleveland.

“I just didn’t have much to say,” he said. “I’ve always expressed the fact that I love playing here. Fans were great and have always been great. Losing this series doesn’t affect the way I will continue to approach the game here in Cleveland.”

But now that his sixth season has ended short of a title, James’ future moves front and center in Cavs Land and elsewhere. The 24-year-old has one more season remaining on a three-year contract extension he signed in 2006. In July, the team is expected to offer him another extension.

On Sunday, he was asked if he’ll sign it.

“I don’t know,” he said. “I haven’t thought about it just yet. I’m just going to take time off from basketball and not think about contracts or the (Orlando) game period. I’ll relax with my family, we’ll figure out once it comes from them.”

James may choose not to do anything about his contract this summer. He can also exercise a player option for the 2010-11 season.

Whatever he decides, James insists that not making the NBA finals will not influence his future plans. He likes the direction the Cavaliers are heading.

“I’m great. I feel great about this situation that’s going on,” James said. “You want to continue to get better, that’s all you can ask. We got better and I feel this team will be better next season. You don’t want to take a step backward. I think we went forward from the Boston series (a Game 7 loss in the semis) last year.”

“Hopefully we can go forward next year.”

Despite such a successful season, the Cavaliers could have a new look in 2009-10.

Center Ben Wallace, whose season was ravaged by injuries, said Sunday that he is considering retirement. A four-time NBA defensive player of the year, Wallace, nicknamed “Body” by his teammates, said his body is breaking down.

“Nothing is final for me,” said Wallace, who plans to sit down with his family before deciding his next move. “In this (Orlando) series I felt pretty good, I had some pep in my step. But how long will that last? Sometimes I wake up and my body is hurting so bad I don’t know how I’m going to get through the day. Sometimes I wake up and feel just fine.”

Wallace will make $14 million next season, but if he decides to retire or the team buys out his final year, Cleveland’s salary structure could change significantly and potentially impact the team’s role in free agency.

Forward Anderson Varejao and center Zydrunas Ilgauskas have opt-out clauses in their contracts. Varejao, who sat out nearly half of last season in a messy salary dispute, could look for a big payday with another team but the Cavaliers value his energy and potential.

Ilgauskas, who will turn 34 next week, plans to come back.

“There’s no greener pastures for me,” he said. “I’ve been a Cavalier and I’ll always be a Cavalier.”

Ilgauskas has been with Cleveland his entire career, and he understands that his chances of winning a championship are dwindling. Following Saturday’s loss, he noticed how some of his younger teammates were able to quickly put the loss behind them.

For him, it’s not so easy.

“I hope one day I get the chance to lift the trophy,” he said.