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Cleveland Cavaliers Thread 2008-09

A good first impression: Cavs rookies Hickson, Jackson earn Brown's praise

by Mary Schmitt Boyer
Thursday October 02, 2008, 6:36 PM

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Cavaliers rookie forward J.J. Hickson impressed during his summer-league action in Las Vegas.

The Cavaliers' first exhibition game is not until next Tuesday, but their two draft choices have made good impressions so far.

First-round pick J.J. Hickson has displayed his talent quicker than expected, and second-round pick Darnell Jackson is tougher than expected.

"He reminds me of somebody like Dick Butkus," coach Mike Brown said of Jackson, who does not shy away from contact.

Hickson, who just turned 20, is a flashy 6-9, 242-pound forward who played one season at North Carolina State, where he averaged 14.8 points and 8.5 rebounds. Jackson, who will be 23 in a month, is a sturdy 6-8, 250-pounder who played four seasons and won a national championship at Kansas, where he averaged 11.2 points and 6.7 rebounds as a senior.

The two could not be more different on the floor.

"In the summertime, J.J. showed his talent level was really high," Brown said. "He's young, but his potential is unlimited. When you're as good an athlete at he is at that size, I think you can do a lot of things when it comes to running and jumping and getting by guys off the dribble. He can play with his back to the basket. He can step out and face up a little bit. He's a decent shooter.

"You take a guy like Darnell Jackson, he's a grizzled vet almost. His presence is almost similar to a guy who has been in the league three or four years. His talent is not J.J.'s, but D.J. does a lot for us that you wouldn't imagine a young kid having the capability of doing.

"I'm very excited about the potential of both those guys."
Tracy Boulian/PDCavaliers second-round choice Darrell Jackson brings championship experience from his days at Kansas.
Of course, whether than translates into minutes or a regular spot in the rotation has yet to be determined. Both seem to know the way to the coach's heart, though.

"I just want to work hard every day and hopefully earn my minutes," Hickson said after Thursday's practice.

"I'll be the dirty guy on the floor," Jackson said. "There's just so much to learn. I just try to do what I need to do, get the ball, get out, run down the court and play defense."

Hickson's confidence got a big boost while playing with the summer-league team in Las Vegas. He said he's eager to show Cleveland fans what he can do.

"I bring a lot of energy," Hickson said. "I think I run the floor really well. I can get the crowd into the game, or take the crowd out of the game. I think I'm explosive to the rim. I'm not the average big man, as far as height goes, but I can get the job done. My heart is bigger than most people I play."

Rookie mistake: Jackson said he was shocked when former Kansas teammates Mario Chalmers and Darrell Arthur were thrown out from the NBA's mandatory rookie transition program after being caught with women and marijuana in their room.

"I didn't know what happened," said Jackson, who was asleep in his room at the time. "When I found out I was kind of disappointed. I've been through a lot with those guys. But they made that choice. A lot of people make mistakes. They have to take their medicine and move on."

Inspiring story: Lance Allred, the first deaf NBA player, spent his summer editing his still-untitled memoir, which he hopes to have published by Christmas or early March. He also bought 20 acres of land in southeastern Idaho, where he hopes to build a home. He favors the Tudor style and is crazy about Stan Hywet Hall in Akron.

"I've traveled all over the world, and it's the most inspiring piece of architecture I've seen," he said.

McFamily nights: The Cavs and McDonald's have teamed up to bring back a special value ticket package which include four tickets and four McDonald's meals for as little as $72, or $18 per person. There are 15 games offering the package, some of which also include giveaways like the Daniel Gibson bobblehead on Jan. 7 against Charlotte or a James poster on Jan. 27 against Sacramento. The packages can be purchased by calling 1-800-820-CAVS or visiting cavs.com , The Q box office or any Ticketmaster location. The packages are available at The Q box office until the day before each of the designated games.

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2008/10/a_good_first_impression_cavs_r.html
 
Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

Season Outlook:
"I think this makes them the favorite in the East."
-- NBA insider

Those words, uttered moments after the Cavaliers acquired Mo Williams from the Milwaukee Bucks in one of those wild-and-crazy three-team trades on Aug. 13, may have some validity.

Think about it. Two seasons ago, thanks to one of the greatest playoffs series in history by LeBron James, the Cavs knocked off the Pistons and made their way into The Finals, where they promptly got a four-game beatdown from the Spurs. As brilliant as LeBron was against the Pistons, the Spurs put him on lockdown. The Cavs, lacking no other consistent option on offense against the Spurs, sputtered.

Williams instantly becomes option No. 2. Last season, Williams averaged 17.2 points and 6.3 assists for the Milwaukee Bucks. In the season before that, Williams averaged 17.3 points per game and 6.1 assists. For a team who has had only one man (take a wild guess) average more points and more assists than that the past two seasons, those numbers look like manna from heaven to Cavs fans.

After all, everyone knows the Cavs can play defense, but they didn't have the balance or firepower on offense to compete with the elite teams. Sure, you'll get a great game from Zydrunas Ilgauskas or a big three from Daniel Gibson, but consistency with the rock has been the Cavs' biggest concern. Cavs General Manager Danny Ferry knew this, and hence, the move for Williams.

"Mo is a player that excels as a traditional point guard, but also brings an extra dimension with his scoring and versatility. His ability to push the tempo, get inside the lane, shoot from the perimeter and distribute the ball will be very valuable for us."

That he does. As Cavs.com's Joe Gabriele notes, Cleveland hasn't had a consistent offensive threat that can take the heat off LeBron in his five years on the Cavs. LeBron, who learned of the trade as he was helping lead Team USA to gold at the Olympics, went all Fonzie on the trade, giving it an Ayyyyy.

''It can help us. I think Mo is a very good point guard,'' James said.

''He can create for himself and create for others, so it's a great move. I think it's an 'A.' ''

Williams' A-game wasn't always on display in Milwaukee, as he has missed 54 games in the past three seasons with a variety of maladies including a strained shoulder, a sprained thumb and something called pubic symphysis (you really don't want to know, but it sounds painful). If Williams misses his average of one month of games again, it could be the Cavs' offense that is painful to watch.

By re-signing Delonte West, the Cavs have a capable point to back up Williams or start alongside him if the Cavs don't mind moving Williams to shooting guard. They also have Daniel Gibson to provide firepower off the bench. Besides staying healthy, another thing Williams doesn't do particularly well is play D. But for a team that led the NBA with a +4.15 rebounding differential and was seventh in blocked shots at 5.2 per game, the Cavs' guards can have perimeter mistakes on defense erased by the front line of Ilgauskas, Ben Wallace and the Gumby-like Anderson Varejao.

And then there's Wally Szczerbiak, who could be an important part of the Cavs plans this year, ironically, if he's not a part of the Cavs' plans this season. Szczerbiak is in the final year of a six-year deal. His expiring contract could be used as a valuable trade chip if the Cavs feel they need a final piece to make a run for the Finals. Heck, the Cavs offered Szczerbiak for Vince Carter just before the 2008 Draft. So, it's out there.

Of course, the whole thing still revolves around LeBron, who will be a sure-fire MVP candidate. If he and Williams can sync quickly, the Cavs should be a major handful for the rest of the NBA.

-- Rob Peterson

Man on the spot:
Could one of the keys to Cleveland's season be where Zydrunas Ilgauskas positions himself on the key?

Ilguaskas, who, somehow still carries the "injury-prone" tag despite only missing 23 games in the last six seasons, has parked himself on the low post for most of his career, banging, bruising and bullying his way to the block. At 7-3, you would expect nothing less.

Yet, last season, Big Z, slowly (insert joke about Z's speed here) began to move away from the hoop. When called upon, Z has added a reliable 15-foot elbow jumper to his arsenal.

Z is following in other bigs' footsteps such as Jack Sikma, Bill Laimbeer and Patrick Ewing, who, as they grew older, moved themselves out of the post and developed mid-range or in the case of Sikma and Laimbeer, long-range games. Don't worry, Cavs fans, Z won't be shooting threes. Still it gives credence to the adage: old centers don't die; they just (shoot) fade away (jumpers).

By having Ilgauskas set up on the high post could open the Cleveland offense further by creating a solid pick-and-roll set and by opening the lane for guys like LeBron, Williams and West to slash through the lane. It also preserves his 33-year-old body, which, less face it, will hold up longer if he's not always in the post banging, shoving and pushing. Leave that to Wallace and Varejao, who seem to like mixing it up down low.

-- Rob Peterson

Scouting Report:
- LeBron is the most talented player in the East. His size and strength make him a beast to defend and game plan against.

- Throw in the fact that they finally have a half-way decent point guard and some above average role players – Ilgauskas, Szczerbiak, Varejo, Pavlovic - and this could be a very dangerous team, one that if things go right could find themselves back in the NBA finals.

- Big Ben isn’t what he use to be but is still studly enough to anchor one of the better defenses in the East.
-- NBA Scout

Source: www.nba.com
 
Cleveland Cavaliers ( Depth Charts)

Starting 5

C- Zydrunas Ilgauskas
F- Ben Wallace
F- LeBron James
G- Sasha Pavlovic
G- Mo Williams

Off the Bench

C- Anderson Varejao
C- Lorenzen Wight
F- JJ Hickson
F- Darnell Jackson
G- Wally Szrerbiak
G- Daniel Gibson
G- Delonte West
F- Terance Kinsey
 
Ready to ring out: Cavaliers' Big Ben determined to show vintage Wallace defense

by Jodie Valade

Saturday October 04, 2008, 8:12 PM
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Ben Wallace takes rookie forward J.J. Hickson to the basket to score during Saturday's scrimmage at Rhodes Arena in Akron.

LeBron James stood out in Saturday's Wine and Gold Scrimmage merely for who he is -- Olympic gold medalist, NBA MVP candidate and the self-proclaimed King of Akron who now has the key to the city to officially prove it.

Newcomer Mo Williams dazzled with the up-tempo point guard play the Cavaliers have coveted for years, and rookie J.J. Hickson's energetic athleticism earned him time in the spotlight as their Gold team topped James' Wine team, 49-45.

Meanwhile, at Akron's James A. Rhodes Arena, Ben Wallace tried his hardest to stay behind the scenes. He had 6 points, 3 rebounds and several defensive lessons to teach the neophyte Hickson.

"He's got to learn," Wallace grinned, explaining his sudden aggressive offensive-minded play against the rookie. "He's got to learn one of these days."

The 6-foot-9 power forward with the perpetual scowl is finally back to good health, finally alongside a coach with a defensive philosophy that matches his own approach, and finally ready to inspire the squad with perhaps the NBA's biggest star to play like a team with no standouts.

Most of all, Wallace, who had a roller-coaster season after arriving in Cleveland in midseason via trade, is eager for a full year with the Cavaliers. He averaged 4.8 points and 8.4 rebounds last season -- career lows since he became a regular starter with Detroit in 2000. He's confident his impact will change after completing training camp in Cleveland.

"You get a chance to see guys when they're playing at their very best at the start of training camp, and you get a chance to see guys when they're a little bit winded at the end of training camp -- when you really have to depend on teammates," Wallace said. "I think that's where you build that trust in your teammates."

Wallace, 34, knows a thing or two about team unity and trust. He won the 2004 NBA championship with a star-less Pistons team. His gritty, blue-collar style is focused on the team above the individual.

"We've all gotta move at the same time," Wallace explained. "We've all gotta learn what the guy beside us is doing."

That means teaching Hickson that he needs to move his feet and not just his hands when he's defending, even in scrimmages. That means being ready for James' over-the-head, blind pass Saturday to knock in a rare lay-up. And that means executing coach Mike Brown's defensive tilt with precision, flying to the ball if it's anywhere close to the basket.

Defense has always been Wallace's passion. He has four Defensive Player of the Year trophies (2002, '03, '05 and '06) and said his wife, Chanda, left him with some decorating instructions for this season. There's room in their house for one more trophy, she said.

"I've got this empty space on the shelf," Wallace said. "I gotta do what I gotta do to fill it."

Wallace stands out most by melding with his team, trusting in teammates and playing aggressive and scrappy defense. When it all is executed correctly, as he did in flashes during last season's playoffs with the Cavaliers, he'll roar with pleasure. Those are the moments Wallace craves.

"That was freedom, man," Wallace said. "That was what I want to get back to doing."

Team first, always. Well, except for Saturday's pregame ceremony, when James was singled out for his gold-medal achievement in Beijing in August. Akron mayor Donald L. Plusquellic presented the key to the city in a pre-game ceremony, as James' mother, Gloria; girlfriend, Savannah Brinson; and two sons, Lebron Jr. and Bryce; stood at midcourt with him.

It took James three state high school titles, an NBA Finals appearance, two NBA All-Star MVPs and an Olympic gold medal to finally earn the key.

"I don't think it took long," James said, laughing. "I'm only 23. It takes people a long time to get keys to the city. Don't make me feel old."

West excused: Guard Delonte West was not at Saturday's scrimmage, and is excused from training camp for an indefinite period to tend to a personal matter, coach Mike Brown said.

LeBron on voting: LeBron James left Saturday's scrimmage and headed directly to a rally in Cleveland to encourage voter registration. Rather than emphasize his support of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama -- James donated $20,000 to Obama's campaign earlier this year -- James wants to focus on encouraging American youth to vote. The voter registration deadline is Monday.

"It's all about trying to get young people to try to understand how important it is to vote," James said. "This is a time that could be life-changing for a lot of people, so it's very important."

http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2008/10/ready_to_ring_out_cavaliers_bi.html


Cavs get a lot of Mo in scrimmage

New guard struts stuff at Rhodes

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sports writer

POSTED: 06:14 p.m. EDT, Oct 04, 2008


It didn't take long for Mo Williams to show the different dimension he brings to the Cavaliers.

On the very first possession of the team's annual intrasquad Wine and Gold Scrimmage Saturday at Rhodes Arena, Williams gave a head fake and crossover dribble in transition and went right to the basket.

There wasn't a spectacular finish — LeBron James saved that for later. All Williams did was draw a shooting foul. But that wasn't the point; it was just what the Cavs hope is the start of a new offensive trend.

It certainly was the a start of a pattern Saturday afternoon. Williams scored 13 points in the Gold team's 49-45 win and was creating fastbreak chances throughout.

Once, he hit Anderson Varejao from halfcourt on an alley-oop. Another time, he tracked down a loose ball, spun and threw a long pass up the floor to start another easy break.

''That's one of my gifts. I can make plays in the open court,'' Williams said. ''That is an area we're trying to get better at. We've put an emphasis on it this year. We have guys who can run, and we're getting out there and doing it. It starts with me, guys see me doingit and it has to trickle down.''

In the fourth quarter with Williams' Gold team comfortably ahead, he switched jerseys and nearly led a comeback with the Wine team, combining with Daniel Gibson, who scored a team-high 16 points, in the backcourt.

''With Mo's quickness, we want to get the ball up the floor quicker,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. '' We don't want to be Phoenix. We have guys who are push guards, and we want to take advantage of it.''

James played only the first quarter and then retired to the bench and ate popcorn. He made just one basket but it left an impression — especially on Sasha Pavlovic.

In transition, Gibson bounced the ball off the backboard in a highlight pass attempt to James. Pavlovic got there first and thought he had the ball until James soared over his head and dunked it.

He also had four rebounds and two assists in his eight minutes on the floor.

Ben Wallace had six points and three rebounds and was quite active, especially when matched up against rookie J.J. Hickson. Wallace challenged Hickson physically whenever he could. The rookie did hold his own, even stepping up and drawing a charge on Wallace in the first half.

Hickson did have another strong moment when he blocked a shot and then hustled to the other end for a dunk on a fastbreak.

Big men Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who had eight points and three blocks, and Varejao, who had seven points and four rebounds, showed good form. As did Lorenzen Wright, who made all four of his shots for eight points.

James gets award

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic presented James with the key to the city before the game in honor of his performance at the Olympics in Beijing, where he helped Team USA win the gold medal. After the game, James attended a rally in Cleveland to support young voter registration. He has donated money to Barack Obama's campaign as well.

''It's all about getting young people to understand how important it is to vote,'' James said. ''This is a time that could be life-changing for a lot of people. You want to stress how important it is to vote. It only comes around every four years. If you want change, you have to be heard.''

West takes leave

Guard Delonte West was excused from training camp Saturday to attend to a family emergency. Brown said he was not sure when West would return. Camp invitee Michael Dickerson has been away from the team dealing with a family matter since midweek as well.

It didn't take long for Mo Williams to show the different dimension he brings to the Cavaliers.

On the very first possession of the team's annual intrasquad Wine and Gold Scrimmage Saturday at Rhodes Arena, Williams gave a head fake and crossover dribble in transition and went right to the basket.

There wasn't a spectacular finish — LeBron James saved that for later. All Williams did was draw a shooting foul. But that wasn't the point; it was just what the Cavs hope is the start of a new offensive trend.

It certainly was the a start of a pattern Saturday afternoon. Williams scored 13 points in the Gold team's 49-45 win and was creating fastbreak chances throughout.

Once, he hit Anderson Varejao from halfcourt on an alley-oop. Another time, he tracked down a loose ball, spun and threw a long pass up the floor to start another easy break.

''That's one of my gifts. I can make plays in the open court,'' Williams said. ''That is an area we're trying to get better at. We've put an emphasis on it this year. We have guys who can run, and we're getting out there and doing it. It starts with me, guys see me doingit and it has to trickle down.''

In the fourth quarter with Williams' Gold team comfortably ahead, he switched jerseys and nearly led a comeback with the Wine team, combining with Daniel Gibson, who scored a team-high 16 points, in the backcourt.

''With Mo's quickness, we want to get the ball up the floor quicker,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. '' We don't want to be Phoenix. We have guys who are push guards, and we want to take advantage of it.''

James played only the first quarter and then retired to the bench and ate popcorn. He made just one basket but it left an impression — especially on Sasha Pavlovic.

In transition, Gibson bounced the ball off the backboard in a highlight pass attempt to James. Pavlovic got there first and thought he had the ball until James soared over his head and dunked it.

He also had four rebounds and two assists in his eight minutes on the floor.

Ben Wallace had six points and three rebounds and was quite active, especially when matched up against rookie J.J. Hickson. Wallace challenged Hickson physically whenever he could. The rookie did hold his own, even stepping up and drawing a charge on Wallace in the first half.

Hickson did have another strong moment when he blocked a shot and then hustled to the other end for a dunk on a fastbreak.

Big men Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who had eight points and three blocks, and Varejao, who had seven points and four rebounds, showed good form. As did Lorenzen Wright, who made all four of his shots for eight points.

James gets award

Akron Mayor Don Plusquellic presented James with the key to the city before the game in honor of his performance at the Olympics in Beijing, where he helped Team USA win the gold medal. After the game, James attended a rally in Cleveland to support young voter registration. He has donated money to Barack Obama's campaign as well.

''It's all about getting young people to understand how important it is to vote,'' James said. ''This is a time that could be life-changing for a lot of people. You want to stress how important it is to vote. It only comes around every four years. If you want change, you have to be heard.''

West takes leave

Guard Delonte West was excused from training camp Saturday to attend to a family emergency. Brown said he was not sure when West would return. Camp invitee Michael Dickerson has been away from the team dealing with a family matter since midweek as well.

http://www.ohio.com/sports/cavs/30469689.html
 
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Raptors Down Cavaliers as James Rests

Raptors Down Cavaliers as James Rests

CLEVELAND, Oct. 7 (AP) -- LeBron James spent a rare night relaxing on the bench, Mo Williams showed why Cleveland traded for him this summer, and the Cavaliers opened their exhibition season with a 104-84 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night.

James played just 8 minutes in the first quarter before he raised his hand for a substitute and coach Mike Brown pulled his superstar for the remainder of Cleveland's preseason debut.

James, who won an Olympic gold medal this summer at the Beijing Games, missed his only three shots from the field, made one free throw and added two rebounds and two assists.

The wear and tear on James is a major concern for the Cavaliers. He has had little time away from the floor since last season ended because of his commitment to USA Basketball. Brown intends to reduce James' playing time - the 23-year-old has been among the league leaders in minutes played throughout his career - with the idea of keeping him as fresh as possible for the grinding, 82-game schedule and playoffs.

Toronto's Jermaine O'Neal, acquired from Indiana in a July trade, scored 11 points in his Raptors debut. O'Neal missed 40 games last season because of lingering knee problems and dropped weight over the summer to ease the pressure on his joints.

Will Solomon scored 17 points, Andrea Bargnani 15 and Kris Humphries 14 for the Raptors, who didn't attempt a 3-pointer in the first half but dropped six from long range after halftime.

Toronto's reserves outplayed Cleveland's during the second half, when the Raptors outscored the Cavs 57-37.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas scored 16 points and Williams, acquired in an August trade from Milwaukee, added 12 points, four assists and three rebounds in 26 minutes. The Cavs have craved a point guard for years and feel Williams can fill that void while giving James someone to share the scoring load.

When he had the chance, Williams pushed the ball up the floor and he wasn't shy about directing his teammates.

"Other side, Sasha,'' he hollered when Cavs forward Sasha Pavlovic was slow to react to a called play.

Brown has tried to cut James' minutes before. However, it's been tough to get him rest in games the Cavs needed to win. James averaged 40.4 minutes per game last season, nearly a half-minute less than in 2006-07. His minutes-per-game average has dropped the past three years, but except for his rookie year (39.5), James has averaged more than 40 minutes per game each season.

Ideally, Brown would like to limit James to 38 this season.

Brown was reminded that he said 40 a week ago.

"I'm going to keep giving you guys different numbers,'' Brown joked. "I don't have a number that's set. I would love to have it at 38 and under 40 would be great. Anything over 40, and I feel like I have not done my job well.''

James was asked is his ideal number was (the maximum) 48?

"Ha,'' James laughed. "It would be if I could play 48 at a high level. But I think with the team that we have now, and the players we have, I think around the 38 or 40 range, but we'll see how the season goes.''

source: www.nba.com
 
Some Cleveland Cavaliers Facts

When the Cavs reached the NBA Finals in 2006-07, they were the fourth-best defensive team in the league in the regular season, with a rating of 102.8. And they were the best defensive team in the playoffs, with a rating of 101.4.
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Last season, the Cavs fell off defensively in the regular season, ranking 11th in the league with a rating of 107.9. But they were once again the top defensive team in the postseason (even better than the Celtics), with a rating of 103.2. And of course, they were a possession or two from knocking off Boston in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

"I thought our guys did a great job, especially late in the season, of picking it up on the defensive end of the floor," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said Tuesday. "And then in the playoffs the last two years, we were the best defensive team out there. And that says a lot, because we played a lot of games."
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Don't be surprise if the Cavaliers advance in the NBA Finals next year because i agree with the author that the Cavaliers need to improve their offense because our team is already one of the best defensive teams in the NBA.

This is the year that the Cavaliers are going to win the Central Division, and maybe next year is the start of the LeBron James Era in the NBA.

Cavs are no longer a boring team.

Top Notch Defensive Team in the playoffs Plus Good Offense Plus LeBron James= Another Trip into the NBA Finals.
 
LeBron James with almost a Triple Double Performance. 22 points, 9 rebounds, 9 assists.

Great Game from Boobie Gibson with 25 points, and Mo Williams with 17 points, and 7 assists.

The Old Ben Wallace is back with 10 rebounds, 5 blocks.

Cavaliers defeated the Bobcats, 96-79.
 

James, Gibson help Cavs tame Bobcats


By TOM WITHERS, AP Sports Writer 21 minutes ago


CLEVELAND (AP)—LeBron James scored 22 points, Daniel Gibson had 20 of his 25 in the first half and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their home opener 96-79 over Charlotte on Thursday night, spoiling well-traveled coach Larry Brown’s debut with the Bobcats.

James just missed a triple-double, adding nine rebounds and nine assists in only 30 minutes for the Cavs, who bounced back from a sloppy season-opening loss at Boston with a much crisper performance. Mo Williams finished with 17 points.

Jason Richardson scored 24 and Gerald Wallace 13 for the Bobcats.

Gibson made three 3-pointers and eight of 10 shots in the first half, when the Cavs opened a 17-point lead. He is Cleveland’s best outside-shooting threat and the Cavs missed him last year in the final two games of the Eastern Conference semifinals against Boston after he separated his shoulder in Game 5.

Gibson’s shooting stroke looked as good as ever in the first half, and Cleveland pushed its lead to 19 in the third and appeared to be on its way to a rout.

But the young Bobcats, who went 0-8 in the preseason, rallied and cut it to 62-57 on Richardson’s layup late in the third.

The Cavs, though, responded while James was resting on the bench. Coach Mike Brown pulled his superstar with 3:12 left in the third quarter and didn’t put him back in until there was 7:27 remaining. While James was out, Cleveland outscored Charlotte 17-6 and opened a 79-63 lead.

Following the Bobcats’ winless exhibition season, Brown worried that his club wasn’t prepared for the opener.

“I’m not trying to make excuses, but I don’t think we’re quite ready right now,” he said.

The Hall of Famer was half right.

Charlotte was overmatched at times, but made a game of it in the second half before fading and falling to 0-8 in Cleveland.

The Bobcats did get their first look in more than a year at Adam Morrison, who missed last season with a knee injury. Morrison recently cut off his long hair and finished with seven points.

Leading by nine after one, Brown, who wants to limit James to 38 minutes per game this season, kept the Olympic gold medalist on the bench for the first 6-plus minutes of the second quarter. James checked in with 5:45 left and the Cavaliers quickly ripped off eight straight to push their lead to 18.

While James was on the bench, Cleveland rookie J.J. Hickson grabbed a loose ball in the lane and threw down a nasty, two-handed slam for his first points as a pro. James, usually on the receiving end of ovations, jumped out of his chair and screamed for Hickson, who didn’t play in the Cavs’ opener.

Notes

The 68-year-old Brown hasn’t lost any of his feistiness, picking up a technical in the third. … Cavs C Ben Wallace had five blocks. … James was thrilled with Wednesday night’s rally and free concert for Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama that he co-hosted with hip-hop star Jay-Z. “It was great,” said James. “It wasn’t just a concert for Jay-Z, it was a big-picture thing.” James previously donated $20,000 to Obama’s campaign. … Crews for TV’s “60 Minutes” have been trailing James for the past few days for an upcoming segment on Cleveland’s star. … At least for one night, the Cavs toned down their extravagant pregame ceremony, which used to include four fire-spewing swords on the scoreboard. During a visit to Cleveland during last year’s playoffs, NBA commissioner David Stern lamented the use of pyrotechnics around the league.
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LeBron James and Mo Williams tandem defeated the Dallas Mavericks.

Cavaliers 100, Mavericks 81

DALLAS -- How's this for a stretch of possessions to open the fourth quarter of a close game: Long jump shot, longer jump shot. Feed a teammate for a layup, then swish another jumper. Get another assist, then nail a 3-pointer from so deep that your defender walks away saying, "Whooo."

One of the Cleveland Cavaliers did exactly that Monday night -- and it wasn't LeBron James.

Fast Facts

• Cleveland dominated the boards, outrebound-
ing Dallas 52-35.

• Dallas lost for just the fourth time in its last 16 meetings against Cleveland.

• Dirk Nowitzki scored eight points on 3-for-11 shooting. It was the 14th time in his career he played at least 30 minutes without scoring in double figures, but the first since Dec. 14, 2007.

-- ESPN research

With James watching from the bench, Mo Williams powered that 13-0 run, sending the Cavaliers well on their way to a 100-81 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

"That's what they expect," said Williams, acquired in August to ease the load off James. "Tonight was a great sign. It was a long summer for me, two surgeries. I expected to get going kind of slow, but it was frustrating when you're used to making shots, making plays."

James still made his share of plays, including a key stretch in the third quarter after Dallas wiped out a 16-point deficit and tied the game at 63.

When Daniel Gibson missed a shot from the corner, James zoomed in, grabbed the rebound and banked it in, all in one motion. He followed with a three-point play and a pair of free throws. The Cavs ended the quarter up by six, then Williams put away the game, giving Cleveland its first road win after two losses.

"It's a nice win, a good way to close out the road trip," said James, who finished with a season-high 29 points despite shooting only 8-of-20. He also had a season-low three assists; he came in averaging 9.3.

"It's all about defense," he added. "We took a stand. When they tied it up, we buckled down and worked defensively. Then we made some shots. I didn't shoot the ball particularly well, like I know I can. I was in attack mode all night, but I missed some shots I know I can make."

Dallas' Dirk Nowitzki used almost the same words to describe his poor shooting.

After making his first shot, putting the Mavericks up 2-0, he missed his next seven tries. He didn't have another basket until late in the third quarter, and Dallas never led again.

"You're not going to totally stop Dirk Nowitzki, but the combination of Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao did about as good a job on Dirk as I've seen since he's been in the league," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said.

Nowitzki finished with eight points on 3-of-11 shooting, his worst performance since scoring seven against New Orleans last December. The Mavericks also fell to 0-2 at home.

"It just wasn't one of my nights," Nowitzki said. "We just never really got going. We looked slow, we looked sluggish."

Josh Howard led the Mavs with 18 points. Antoine Wright and Gerald Green were the only other players to hit double figures, each scoring 10. Jason Kidd had nine points and six assists.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas had 17 points and 11 rebounds for Cleveland. Delonte West added 14 points and Wally Szczerbiak had 10. Wallace didn't score, but had 13 rebounds.

Cleveland led 28-12 late in the first quarter. Other than the stretch that culminated in the third-quarter tie, the Cavaliers were hardly challenged. Fans began streaming out after Williams' big roll, while those who stayed seemingly stuck around just to boo.

New Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said his guys weren't aggressive enough in going after Cleveland's misses. It was that way from the start, he noted, recalling that the Cavs grabbed four offensive rebounds the first 3½ minutes.

"You've got to be pursuing the ball or making contact," Carlisle said. "We were doing neither."

Dallas goes to San Antonio on Tuesday night. The Spurs are 0-2.

"They're desperate for a win," Carlisle said. "There's no time for us to mope."
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LeBron James is back as the Cavaliers defeated the Chicago Bulls, 107-93

41 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals in less than 36 minutes.
 

James scores 41 in Cavs' 107-93 win over Bulls

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CLEVELAND (AP)—LeBron James scored a season-high 41 points—15 on free throws — and Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 15 points and 10 rebounds, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers to a 107-93 win over the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night.

James, who briefly left the floor in the first quarter after twisting his left ankle, missed just once from the line. In his past two games, James, who has struggled with his touch from 15 feet throughout his career, has made 28 of 31 free throws after going 15 of 24 in the season’s first three games.

While engaging in some friendly trash talk with former teammate Drew Gooden, James scored 14 points in the third quarter, highlighted by a reverse layup he spun in off the glass right-handed while driving to his left. Over the final 5:05 of the quarter, James had a hand in all 18 of Cleveland’s points, scoring 10 with three assists.

James added nine rebounds and six assists in 36 minutes. He arrived at the game wearing a T-shirt with president-elect Barack Obama’s likeness on it and was asked if he would consider a future in politics, perhaps as the mayor of Akron, his hometown.

“Mayor of Akron?” he said. “I’m already mayor of Akron. I’ve been that for about 10 years now.”

Ilgauskas made his sixth career 3-pointer and Delonte West had 16 points for the Cavs, who didn’t put it away until the final minutes.

Ben Gordon scored a season-high 31 and rookie Derrick Rose 20 for the Bulls, who dropped to 0-3 on the road. Luol Deng had 18 points after scoring just one on Monday in a loss Orlando.

The Cavs led by 12 entering the fourth, but with James on the bench, the Bulls made their move.

Gordon made two jumpers and scored seven points to pull Chicago within 90-83 with 6:54 left, prompting Cavs coach Mike Brown to send James back in.

It didn’t take him long to make a difference.

Following a wild scramble for a loose ball near mid-court, James drove to the basket and was fouled by Gooden while hitting a layup. He dropped his free throw to complete the three-point play, giving the Cavs a 10-point lead and breathing room. James then hit a short jumper and tipped in his own miss to make it 97-83 with 3:08 left.

James rolled his left ankle late in the first when he landed on Kirk Hinrich’s foot following a dunk.

As the Bulls pushed the ball up the floor, James was limping around under Cleveland’s basket when Wally Szczerbiak made a steal and passed it ahead to his teammate, who scored on a left-handed layup before going out.

The Cavaliers closed the first half with a 10-2 spurt, triggered by Ilgauskas’ first 3-pointer since Jan. 22, 2005.

Cleveland’s big man grabbed a pass from James on the right side in front of Cleveland’s bench and calmly set his feet before draining the long-range shot. The 7-foot-3 Ilgauskas is 6-for-38 in his career from beyond the arc.

Notes

Pitcher CC Sabathia, who still keeps a home in the Cleveland area, attended the game as did rapper/actor Ludacris. … With two steals in Dallas on Monday, James reached 700 in his career and became the youngest and fastest player to reach 700 steals, 10,000 points, 2,500 rebounds, 2,500 assists and 300 blocks. The 23-year-old did it in 395 games. Michael Jordan was the second fastest (417 games) and Kobe Bryant (26) the second youngest. … It was James’ 25th career game scoring at least 40 points.


http://www.nba.com/games/20081105/CHICLE/recap.html
 
It's a young season, but here are my impressions:
  • LeBron James is at it again. He's making great plays, even though he makes two or three terrible plays/shots a game. Just like last year, if he takes the ball to the basket, he's getting a lay-up or going to the line.
  • It looks like Mike Brown is trying to run plays for Big Z again. He stopped doing that early last season, then did it in the play-offs. Big Z remains one of the top 5 centers in the league.
  • Ben Wallace is getting old. He's getting rebounds, but he's getting old.
  • Anderson Varejao is still Anderson Varejao.
  • I'd rather see Pavlovic get more minutes instead of Delonte West and Szcerbiak. Pavlovic and Szcerbiak are both good athletes, but Pavlovic seems like a better shooter.
  • I still don't know what to think about Mo Williams. He's shooting only 43% and we need him to do better. His ball distribution is OK. Am I the only one who would like to see Daniel Gibson play more?
  • LeBron
  • James
 
Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Indiana Pacers, 111-107

Great performance from Danny Granger and LeBron James. Granger definitely deserve to be pick as a reserve in the 2009 NBA All Star Game.
 
Cavaliers defeated Bulls, 106-97.

It was a great game for both teams, and LeBron scored 41 points for the 2nd time in the last 3 days.

Deng, Gordon, and Rose are going to be a phenomenal trio. Cavaliers have a 3 days rest after this game.

I think LeBron James will win the MVP this season because he already paid his dues, and many people here will agree that the Cavaliers are the 2nd best team in the East.
 
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