Fear The Sword

			FIELD GOALS				REBOUNDS
	POS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	+/-	OFF	DEF	TOT	AST	PF	ST	TO	BS	BA	PTS
D.West	G	35:29	2-4	0-1	2-2	-10	0	2	2	2	0	0	1	0	0	6
M.Williams	G	31:18	4-10	3-5	1-1	+3	0	3	3	2	5	1	4	0	0	12
L.James	F	36:00	9-21	0-4	4-8	-3	1	6	7	6	4	2	3	1	0	22
B.Wallace	F	19:03	1-1	0-0	0-0	-1	0	4	4	0	2	0	1	1	0	2
Z.Ilgauskas	C	30:24	3-5	0-0	9-10	+7	3	5	8	1	3	0	4	0	0	15
A.Varejao		26:09	3-6	0-0	3-5	-7	4	5	9	1	2	3	2	0	0	9
D.Gibson		22:38	2-8	0-2	2-3	-8	0	3	3	3	1	0	0	0	0	6
W.Szczerbiak		15:56	1-4	0-1	2-2	-3	0	0	0	0	4	1	2	0	0	4
A.Pavlovic		12:34	3-6	0-2	1-2	-3	0	3	3	0	1	0	3	0	0	7
L.Wright		10:29	1-3	0-0	0-0	0	0	2	2	1	4	1	1	0	0	2
J.Hickson			-	-	-
T.Kinsey			-	-	-
TOTAL		240	29-68	3-15	24-33		8	33	41	16	26	8	21	2	0	85
			42.6%	20.0%	72.7%	TEAM REBS: 14				TOTAL TO: 22

CAVALIERS THOUGHTS

• The Cavs went with a 10-man rotation, and all 10 players scored.  That was nice to see from a team that all too often saw little production after the top 6 or 7 lat season.
  
• After hittin 9 of their first 10 free throws, the Cavaliers struggled from the line, going 15/23 the rest of the way.  The Celtics weren't much better, but Cleveland has been poor from the stripe the past several years and teams know it.  They are going to send the Cavs to the line in the 4th quarter and force the Cavaliers to earn it.  Last night was no exception as the Cavs were in the bonus with 8 minutes to go in the game.  The result?  The Cavaliers go 5/11 from the line in the 4th quarter.
  
• Mo Williams showed flashes of what fans are so excited about, but he also looked a bit lost at times.  His turnover midway through the 4th quarter, when Rajon Rondo simply poked the ball away, was a huge moment and one that Williams has to avoid.  He knows it, and he will get more comfortable as time goes on.  Williams did miss several open jump shots he will make as the season goes on, so that isn't much of a concern.  One concern is Williams' defense, which left a little to be desired and was perhaps the reason Williams saw only 31 minutes.
  
• Hats off to Anderson Varejao, who what the only one that seemed to match the intensity of the Celtics i the second half.  He kept numerous possessions alive after perimeter misses, and was extremely active at both sides of the floor.  Time will tell if Andy is on the team come February, but if he gives this type of effort every night with will quickly endear himself to Cavaliers once again.
  
• I'll be keeping track of just how the Cavaliers play in 3rd quarters this season and last night was not a good start.  After leading by 7 at halftime, the Cavaliers came out flat and were outscored by 11 in the 3rd quarter.  What took the Cavaliers 24 minutes to build, the Celtics tore down in just over 2.  This has been a disturbing trend in the Mike Brown/LeBron James era, and demonstrates what many of us already know - Mike Brown does not do a good job of making in game adjustments.
  
• 22 Turnovers.....Enough said

			FIELD GOALS				REBOUNDS
	POS	MIN	FGM-A	3PM-A	FTM-A	+/-	OFF	DEF	TOT	AST	PF	ST	TO	BS	BA	PTS
R.Allen	G	40:39	2-9	1-4	3-4	-1	1	3	4	1	1	1	4	0	1	8
R.Rondo	G	29:57	4-5	0-0	6-10	+4	1	4	5	6	5	3	2	0	0	14
P.Pierce	F	38:13	10-19	2-4	5-8	+12	1	2	3	4	4	1	2	0	0	27
K.Garnett	F	36:09	5-15	0-0	1-4	+5	1	5	6	2	1	2	2	0	1	11
K.Perkins	C	20:50	1-2	0-0	0-0	-7	4	4	8	0	6	0	2	0	0	2
L.Powe		23:07	5-7	0-0	3-4	+12	1	1	2	0	4	0	1	0	0	13
E.House		18:03	1-5	0-4	0-0	+1	0	1	1	0	3	1	1	0	0	2
T.Allen		17:17	4-9	0-2	3-4	-2	1	2	3	1	2	1	0	0	0	11
G.Davis		15:45	1-3	0-0	0-0	+1	0	4	4	2	2	1	2	0	0	2
P.O'Bryant			-	-	-
G.Pruitt			-	-	-
B.Scalabrine			-	-	-
TOTAL		240	33-74	3-14	21-34		10	26	36	16	28	10	16	0	2	90
			44.6%	21.4%	61.8%	TEAM REBS: 11				TOTAL TO: 17

CELTICS THOUGHTS

• As was the case in the playoffs, the Celtics were able to overcome mediocre games by 2 of the Big 3 and win a tough game.  Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett combined to shoot 7-24 from the field, scoring 19 points.  Paul Pierce, on the other hand, had a huge game, scoring 27 points on 10/19 shooting.  
  
• Rajon Rondo is quickly becoming a thorn in the side of the Cavaliers.  He was able to get to the rim at will, save a couple of times when the Cavaliers sent him hard to the deck, and he dished out 6 assists.  If Rondo isn't the fastest player in the NBA, with the ball, baseline to baseline then he is definitely up there.
  
• Leon Powe is becoming a force off the bench.  Coming out of Cal, Powe was an injury risk despite all the talent.  Powe has put all those concerns to rest.  Whenever the Cavaliers went small, playing LeBron or Wally at PF, the Celtics responded with Powe and took advantage of the mismatch.  
  
• Credit to the Celtics for turning up the pressure.  They won a game they "should" win, on a night when all the mojo is in their favor.  Unlike the Miami Heat, who came into their Championship celebration with no hunger, the Celtics look like a team that has had a taste and craves more.  
  

That puts Game #1 to bed.  The Cavaliers have Wednesday off before opening their home schedule against the Carolina Bobcats Thursday Night.