CURSEDCLEVELAND.COM

On a night where the Cavaliers were supposed to be hanging a championship banner, they were instead hanging their heads.  (check out that witty lead Windhorst and Finnan  – and whoever the ABJ is furloughing these days).  But it didn’t take long for our beloved Cavaliers to produce some major championship doubts just 15 minutes into their supposed “revenge” season.

OK so before the game I promised not to overreact either way to the result.  But my expectations were so high. I expected them to get off to a great start.  Check.  I expected them to feed off the best fans in league.  Check.  I expected Shaq to come out and play like Neon Bodeaux from Blue Chips. Check.  I expected to hear I gotta feeling about ten too many times over the PA System. Check.

But then the second quarter started.

Have a city’s collective championship aspirations ever been dashed so quickly? In a pretty telling second quarter, the fans worst fears were realized almost immediately. This team’s bench scares nobody without without Delonte West. The Celtics’ additions, Rasheed Wallace and Marquis Daniels look like better moves than bringing in the 37 year old Shaq.

Oh don’t worry, more fears played out as the game wore on. Fans were wondering where the timeouts were to help quell some of the Celtic runs. Well in all fairness to Mike Brown, the Quicken Loans staff hadn’t set up Skype yet on the sidelines for John Kuester to help relay in the plays from Detroit.  Not to mention that the Cavaliers just flat-out don’t have a second scorer they can count on in fourth quarters. Apologies to No Show Mo, who is just not not ready for primetime. As much as he shows the potential to turn it on and get streaky, you see exactly what we’re missing with the ageless Ray Allen on the other side. A guy that sees a mismatch (Daniel Gibson) and attacks it with an eagerness and a savvy that almost immediately leads to a bucket. In Mo Williams, you instead get a chucker who’s made up his mind before the possession whether a shot is going up.

OK, so it wasn’t all that bad. Shaq showed he’s still got go-to moves in the pivot, even if they’re not exactly explosive.  Anthony Parker certainly showed off his game, although seeing 40 minutes next to his name in a box score is not something you want to see anytime soon. LeBron is LeBron, the best player in the league. He even kept his chase down blocks inbounds for once! Even if he refused to get back on defense after one of them which led to a pair of KG free throws, thus nullifying the block.

But seriously LeBron, 9 three point attempts? Get used to it Cavs fans, he’s going to hoist him, especially when he’s playing 40 minutes and his body won’t let him attack for an entire game. Oh wait, he played 45 minutes? In the opener? And we have a back to back on the road? In another country? Part of four games in five nights? What?!??!

And did you notice what the Celtics went to late in the fourth when they needed a basket and the Cavs were threatening? Yep, high screen and roll involving Shaq, which led to a wide open 15 footer by PP.  Get used to that.

Some random other thoughts.

OK so Shaq does look fat. Perhaps the team thought the wine jerseys would have more of a slimming effect?

When KG comes to down, does the Q have to get an extra shipment of talcum powder to support two stolen, contrived pregame rituals.

Was it me or did the Cavs seem a little too accepting of last night’s defeat. LeBron was all shaking hands after – which we blasted him for not doing last year after the Magic series. But at least be consistent. And aren’t the Celtics our big rival? Wasn’t there a skirmish just a week ago in a preseason game. Also, the comments afterward by Shaq and LeBron just seemed a bit too defeatist.

Shaq and Z on the same floor for roughly 6 minutes? Never again. Heck, I don’t want them in the same zip code for that long.  The Cavs have to seriously wonder how damaging using Z off the bench really is. The guy is a rhythm player who needs to be out there for his jumpers to fall. Using him off the bench just isn’t going to work, it’s like they really lost him in the Shaq trade along with Ben and Wally.

Windy tweeted that the Celtics played well. Ehh, I don’t know, I’ve seen Paul Pierce and Rajon Rondo impose their will much, much more than they did last night. I don’t think either team played particularly well.