Cavs sneak past Bucks

By Brian Windhorst

The Plain Dealer

CLEVELAND

There were plenty of identifiable heroes for the Cavaliers in their latest victory Wednesday night, with usual suspects LeBron James and Mo Williams at the top of the list.

James even one-upped his usual performance by grabbing the greaseboard in the huddle to draw up a crucial late-game play that worked seamlessly in a 101-98 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

But the Cavs’ ninth victory in the last 10 games — a win that reduced both their magic numbers to clinch the top seed in the East and the No. 1 overall seed to two — probably wouldn’t have happened without an unsung stalwart.

That would be Fox Sports Ohio, whose cameramen and replay machine pretty much clinched the Cavs a second game in the last month.

There were plenty of game-defining moments and flaws that nearly had the Cavs (59-16) banging their heads against the wall. But the game didn’t turn in their favor until an instant replay with 13.4 seconds remaining.

That was when the Cavs, up two points, forced a turnover with textbook pick-and-roll defense by J.J. Hickson and Jamario Moon. The Bucks (41-33) were running a play with their top two offensive scorers in Andrew Bogut and John Salmons, but Hickson and Moon cut it off and Salmons fumbled the ball away.

Official Leroy Richardson awarded the ball to the Bucks. But he immediately asked for a replay, a new rule installed for late-game out-of-bounds calls this season.

The video revealed the ball bouncing off Salmons’ knee and the Cavs got the ball and the breathing room they needed to escape from an imperfect effort.