WaitingForNextYear

I started writing about the Cavs game last night and it became absurdly long.  This recap will be split into two parts.  A second post on Delonte West’s return is coming up.

It was an eventful Halloween night at the Q as the Cavs beat the Charlotte Bobcats 90-79 to even their record at 2-2.  While the return of Delonte West may have been the lead, the real story of the game was the even contribution and all around solid play from almost everyone who received significant PT.  I really think Daniel Gibson was the only Cavalier who had a poor game.  Lebron let everyone else get in the flow of the game in the first half - his first field goal of the game in the last two minutes of the first half.  He took over when he was needed and extended the lead whenever it looked too close for comfort.  He deferred to the rest of the team scoring 14 points on 11 shots while adding 9 assists and 7 rebounds.

Mo Williams led the team in scoring with 24 points and 5 made threes.  He also looked good penetrating into the lane all night hitting a few floaters while he was at it.  It seems Anthony Parker is becoming more comfortable playing with LBJ. Parker was also in double figures and delivered at least twice when Lebron drove and kicked it to him in the corner for three.  He went 3 for 4 from beyond the arc and his one miss was in and out.  His minutes were obviously cut down with Delonte’s return.

While pretty much everyone on the roster played well, I thought Z had the best game and in only 20 minutes of work.  He was 5 for 5 from the field hitting long jumpers and hit on his characteristic deep turnaround/fadeaway where he gets about an inch off the floor.  He was incredibly active on the glass and on defense.  He was always keeping the ball alive with multiple tips.  He had 5 blocks and continually altered the shots of the driving Ray Felton and DJ Augustin.  I thought it was Z at his best (at this point in his career).

Shaq played well, relative to what we have seen so far (making his first FTs of the season!).  The Cavs started both halves making a concerted effort to get him the ball on almost every possession.  He definitely struggled early with the Bobcats and Felton when they ran the pick-and-roll; we knew this already.  But I thought his presence on D in the middle was extremely noticeable.  As I have mentioned, Felton and Augustin did have success getting into the lane and Shaq, or maybe just his presence, continually altered and changed their shot or forced an errant last second pass.  Both Shaq and Z missed rotations on defense but that is to be expected from the plodding centers and it did not become noticeable or epidemic (caveat that this was the Bobcats forthcoming).

I felt the Cavs coasted for the first 24 minutes of the game.  There was clearly not a sense of urgency against the Charlotte Bobcats.  They were fairly sloppy with the ball in the first quarter but shot such a high percentage (75% in the 1stQ) from the field that they were able to maintain a lead.  It was clear that they were trying to establish themselves in the paint to start the game scoring 20 of the first 25 points inside.  I noted that Lebron was generally passive but stepped up and affected the game when he needed to in the 3rd quarter.

I do not recall Mike Brown using Shaq and Z on the floor together.  He did switch up the rotations a bit with West available.  He started both the 2nd and 4th quarters with West-Gibson-Parker-Hickson-Ilgauskas on the floor – Parker being the only starter.  Last year we would typically see Mo here for some scoring stability.  I am sure we will not see this much but this group was able to hold its own and did actually extend the lead to 17 in the fourth.  There were a few instances when the 2008-09 starting 5 were on the floor and it seemed like old times with Lebron enjoying especially good chemistry with Andy breaking to the blocks.  One other note about the lineups – Jamario Moon was completely out of the rotation with Delonte’s return playing only 2 minutes in garbage time.

The Cavs were up by 20 in the fourth quarter before the 2nd and 3rd teamers were inserted and the game finished with the Cavs up 11.  Now…let me temper the enthusiasm.  The Bobcats, who are not very good to begin with, were both injured and tired.  Three of their best players – Felton, Wallace, Diaw – played fifty minutes the night before.  Ray Felton had an IV after Friday night’s game and had a significant calf problem stemming from that game.  Boris Diaw and Tyson Chandler were not 100% while Raja Bell and Flip Murray were out.  Statistically, they are the worst offensive team in the league this year and it showed last night.  The Cavs defense was improved and it contributed to their continuing offensive woes holding them to 79 points and a pathetic 13 points in the 3rdQ.  Has it simply been increased effort?

The Cavs won a game they were supposed to with what I thought was nearly everyone on the roster clicking.  The Bobcats are not good but I did not think this was a win with many warts.  The past two evenings have been a relief and should quell some of the national doom stories this week before Lebron plays in NYC on Friday.  They are now 2-2 and have 2 days off.  They are home against the Wizards and Bulls this week before playing in MSG on Friday.