Rest assured, Cavaliers fans - this year's edition of the Wine and Gold still know how to win basketball games. In an effort reminiscent of many of the 66 wins from last season, the Cavaliers slowly, methodically beat down on a young, talented - but overmatched - Minnesota Timberwolves team 104-87. For the Cavaliers it was a job well done - mission accomplished. Sometimes the hardest win is the first even when you know there will be more to come.
Tonight the Cavaliers looked like a team - and it goes deeper than the level of opposition. The Cavaliers looked much more comfortable in their own skin - finding the roles that will take them where they are going to go this season.
I'll start with the obvious - Shaquille O'Neal. It was obvious that Shaq was trying to do too much - and perhaps the Cavaliers were trying too hard to feed him the ball. Through the first two games, Shaq was averaging 27 minutes and about 12 shots per game. Tonight, Shaq played 19 minutes, and took 6 shots - scoring 6 points and grabbing 7 rebounds. That is more of how I thought Shaq would be used. He was open to passing out of the post - often to open players. Often the Cavs - Mo Williams and Daniel Gibson - were hitting those shots. If they didn't, Shaq was there to grab the rebound. That is how I thought this Shaq-deal would work
.
LeBron got to take the 4th quarter off, which was a welcome sight. He undoubtedly set the tone, however, in the first quarter that saw him score 11 points. You got the feeling that James was going to do whatever it took to win tonight - be it score 50 points or simplye what he did - 24 points, 9 rebounds and 6 assists in 33 minutes.
The defense was also back to form. While the 2nd quarter was once again a work-in-progress(29 points allowed), the Cavaliers were solid in the 2nd half again - 40 points allowed - and for the game held the Wolves to 42% shooting(21% from deep).
The Cavaliers had 5 players in doubles figures led by LeBron(24 points), Mo Williams(20 points), Zydrunas Ilgauskas(15 points), Daniel Gibson(14 points) and Anderson Varejao(13 points). The bench stepped up as well, scoring a combined 35 points.
The Cavaliers are not a finished product, of course, but it was good to see positive signs, and felt great to get a win. The Cavs won't have much time to enjoy it, however. The team is likely already on its way back to Cleveland for a date with the Bobcats tomorrow night.
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I'm watching the Lakers Mavericks game right now.
What a different team the lakers are without Gasoil.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
19 point Dallas lead
It’s as though it’s 2007 all over again.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Drew Gooden checks in for Dallas
I wonder how many Cavs fans miss him.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
20 point lead, Farmar turns it over all by himself, the crowd boos
-Gooden goes in for a layup all by himself, 22 point lead
-Three second violation by LA
All of this happening while I speak.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Kobe is stripped
Gets his rebound and misses again.
He is 4 for 14
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
That foul occured before the shot
But whatever. He misses
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Lakers cut it to an 18 point lead
BIG deal.
Poor Gooden has hit decent shots, but they keep popping out.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
I feel sorry for Pavlovic
Look where he ended up after we sent him away.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Dallas commits two fouls in the first 15 seconds
16 point lead
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
This game is a grind
There’s at least two fouls every minute
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Drew Gooden shaken up
Kobe goes to the line. Nowitzki has to come back in.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
another foul by Dallas
LA will catch up in no time at this rate
“Rick wants to slow the game down”? It’s as slow as molasses right now. Every possession ends in a foul.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Vince Carter apparently strained his ankle
in the Magic Nets game
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Dallas must be actively trying to let the lakers come back
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
JJ Barea didn’t even try there
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Dirk finally gets a bucket
The Mavs are contesting rebounds again
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
This game is so ridiculous
and not in a good way
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
An uphill climb for the lakers
But the Mavs are handing them elevators on a silver plater right now.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Nowitzki is trying his best
The rest of the Mavs aren’t
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
40 fouls called
What a great game, eh?
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Dallas is attempting way too many long range 3 pointers
It’s very sad when Jeff Van Gundy comes off as the voice of reason.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Rebound dallas after another botched 3
and Shawn Marion scores. They needed that.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Odom traveled
Dallas got bailed out. I thought Kobe was going to draw yet another foul.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Marion scores again
Dallas did well to acquire him. Kidd’s doing what he’s supposed to do, which is assists, not 3s.
That got the Staples crowd booing again. 16 point lead.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Powell steps out of bound
are things reverting back to how they were in the 3rd quarter?
16 turnovers by LA
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Shawn Marion scores again, 18 point lead
Without him, Dallas wouldn’t have held the rally off.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
Kobe hits a 3
Big deal. 5 minutes left, they need a lot more than that.
Nowitzki swats it away.
Marion scores again.
WaveOcean - October 30, 2009
15 point lead, 3:30 to go
You know, three years ago I would have been rabidly pulling for the Lakers. It’s so surreal to be rooting for the other team now.
WaveOcean - October 31, 2009
Staples center crowd leaving
PJ starts emptying out his bench. I feel dirty gloating about this sight.
WaveOcean - October 31, 2009
What's uneasing is that LA was more than capable of erasing this entire deficit
And they would have had it not been for the efforts of Dirk, Shawn, and Jason.
WaveOcean - October 31, 2009
Well
Maybe I should credit Dampier for pulling down rebounds when he needed to.
WaveOcean - October 31, 2009
DAL 42% field goals
LAL 28% field goals
WaveOcean - October 31, 2009
The announcers are making way too big a deal about the Clippers game
If they can trounce the Lakers at Staples, how hard can the Clippers be?
WaveOcean - October 31, 2009
Final score
DAL 94
LAL 80
Wow. The Lakers look pretty hopeless without Gasoil. When was the last time LA scored so little? And is this the same Dallas team that got trounced by Washington?
WaveOcean - October 31, 2009
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