Game Notes: Cavs at Celtics

IT'S BACK!!!!! WOO!!!!

Pre-game is quite emotional. seeing the faces of Paul, Ray and KG actually brought a tear to my eye. As expected, the cavs weren't present at the ring ceremony.

1st quarter:

• LeBron starts fast paced, scored his first jumper then missed a wild driving layup and a contested 3 (taken within the first 8 seconds of the shotclock). I actually seen him take a defensive stance against Paul Pierce. It appears this season LeBron is serious.
• Delonte West has new hair, and reminds me of an escaped Irish paedophile.
• Mo Williams hits an early 3.
• The Cavs are strugling to stop Pierce's penitration. he must have 2 layups and an and-one already.
• My TV says it's 16-8 and nba.com says its 52-49. It's great to live in England.
• Pierce gets another and-one. Perhaps LeBron is waiting until next season to start playing defense.
• 3:09 left, Celtics over the foul limit already.
• Leon Powe posts up Szczerbiak gets the celtic's 3rd and-one of the game.
• Delonte West throws it into Varejao in the post. He passes it out and runs a pick and roll from the wing. The screen is unsuccessful, so the play is ran again, resulting in a turnover.
• Varejo tries to defend KG, fails.
• LeBron is very Trigger happy tonight, bricks a 17 footer.
• LeBron runs the same Varejao play, and Varejao throws it into 4 celtics players
• KG scores on varejo again.
• The Varejao play actually works this time.
• Pierce finishes the quarter draining a buzzer-beater in Bron's face. Ouch.
• Cavs 28-22 Celtics.

2nd quarter:

• Mike Brown's offensive schemes puzzle me. Boobie ran a circle from the left wing past the baseline through 3 cavs, not one setting a successful screen, Gibson then gets the ball at the elbow and puts up an off-balance, contested shot. Brick.
• Szczerbiak passes out of bounds.
• More offensive rebounds for the celtics. The cavs are lacking a dominant inside presence.
• Ridiculous shot by Tony Allen, somehow scores.
• Not exactly a coaching duel. The Cavs offense involves unneccessary plays without results, and the celtics offense seems basic, i.e. give KG the ball in the post and get out his way. I guess its fair to point out that both teams play top notch defense.
• Varejao bricks the 15 footer. Why is he involved so much in this offense? He's a good offensive rebounder, but there running plays through him like he's Nowitzki or KG.
• Gibson scores an interesting layup, 35-28, next play gets the and-one.
• Cavs miss an open jumper from the elbow. Allen misses the long 2. Not the best of games offensively.
• KG and Ben Wallace (no he isn't dead) checks in.
• Cleveland somehow up 41-30 with 5:30 left.
• Bron checks in.
• Ben Wallace attemps to dribble, resulting in a turnover and fast break points.
• Bron takes ANOTHER ill advised shot, and misses. He's playing awful so far, but it seems like he's a ticking time bomb. It's only a matter of time before he explodes.
• LeBron dribbles out the majority of the shotclock but can't create anything. Credit to the celtics D, shotclock against the cavs.
• Williams misses an ill advised 3. pierce misses an open 3. Cavs get a turnover on the fast break. Rondo crosses up his man and gets contact at the rim.
• Cleveland still winning 42-36, 3:10 left.
• Cavs screen down for Szczerbiak, who runs a high pik and roll with Ilgauskas, the defense rotates well but Z absorbs the contact from Perkins and goes to the line.
• Wallace blocks a garnett jumpshot, only for pierce to drain his and beat the shotclock.
• West to Bron alley oop when pierce got caught ball watching. this was rather tasty.
• Alllen scores. West scores. 48-40 to the cavs.
• Beautifil move to the basket by rondo.
• Bron gets the foul, seems to be moaning about something. He has unbelievable talent, but I can't help dislike him.
• Last minute, Gibson dribbles out the clock, passes to Szerbiack who misses a constested three. KG misses the 3 at the buzzer. The cavs offense is ugly, but they end the half up 50-43

3rd quarter:

• Imagine if Kendick Perkins could shoot from mid-range. The celtics have one play that involves the ball in his hands at the elbow waiting for some off ball movement. As this occurs, his defender stands under the rim. I remember this happening countless times in the playoffs. Pierce scores an open three at the end of this play, so I guess it works anyway.
• ANOTHER bad shot selection from LeBron.
• and again.
• BEN WALLACE CAN DUNK!
• Allen sinks a 3. West misses one. West then misses a 18 footer on the fast break.
• Celtics within one now, 51-52. About time. Timeout Cleveland.
• Z screens down for James, who bounce passes to Ilgauskas' knees. Turnover.
• Rondo scores at the basket again.
• Hard foul on Rondo this time. He puts the celtics up 53-52.
• LeBron, do you have any consideration for how stupid or ridiculous a shot is? I thought you'd stop taking them kind if shots this year. Guess I was wrong.
• Ilgauskas slips on a post move, but manages to flip it in. Next possession he tries another post up against KG. Travel.
• Travel on Garnett, quite suprising.
• Williams scores a 3, cavs up 2.
• Cleveland turnover.Boston score.
• James scores on Pierce. 59-59
• Very accurate pass from Szczerbiak to Ray Allen.
• I miss a play finding out if I'm spelling Szczerbiak's name right.
• Hilarious 1 on 1 move by Varejao.
• James Drains a bad shot now.
• It's 3 am.
• I go brush my teeth during the break. I hear the english commentator try to explain what a shooting guard is; 'the 2 guard is the one taking a jumpshot.' I express my disgust for this nation's lack of interest for the sport. I eventually realise I'm talking in the present tense.
• A missed free throw was on course to land safely in Szczerbiak's hands, when stat-whore LeBron jumps in front of him and takes the rebound for himself.
• 3 from Pierce then a 2 from pierce.
• Szczerbiak misses an open 3, and chooses to not jump on his jumpshot.
• Cavs are over the limit and Powe makes it 65-63 with a minute left.
• This celtics lead has been inevitable all game.
• The cavs seem futile against the Celtics Defense.
• It seems that ticking time-bomb isn't going off tonight.
• The celtics defense is now destroying the cavs.
• end of the 3rd, 67-63

At the quarter break we get a glimse of the upcoming english TV schedule. Detroit @ San Antonio. No wonder this country loves this sport so much.

4th quarter:

• Pierce hits a layup over LBJ.
• Tony Allen and-one.
• It's just occured to me that I haven't decided who I want to win.
• Cavs miss a 3.
• Another and-one by Tony Allen, both very nice moves.
• Ugly shot from Pavlovic. It's a 6 point game but there's no way the Cavs will win this game.
• LEON POWE!!!!
• That was worth a rewind.
• LEON POWE!!!!!!!!!! FACIAL ON WEST. We're aloud a temporary break from the absolute boredom of this game.
• Powe calls a charge on defense.
• 7:26 left, celtics up 8 and KG checks in for Powe.
• Nice move by Mo Williams in the fast break, driving and dishing to Varejao for an and-one.
• Good D on KG by Varejao and the entire cavs team, shotclock on the celtics.
• James gets it in the post, doubled, takes it out to 3, uses a Varejo screen and gets to the basket, missing a layup contested by 3 different celtics.
• Beautiful dunk by the celtics mascot over some cheerleaders and a baseball player. I know this isn't important, but the basketball's getting boring.
• Rondo's playing very well. 82-76.
• James misses another 3, Varejao gets another offensive rebound.
• 4:00 remaining and a 4 point game, a bogus charge called on Ilgauskas.
• The balls bounces of Varejao out of bounds.
• Why does he have that hair? Does he try to look stupid?
• The refs actually call a travel on LeBron James. Hopefully a sign of things to come.
• Cavs run a high pick and roll and Ilgauskas Bricks from 20 feet.
• Allen blocked in the post, Williams to LeBron for a thunderous dunk.
• Garnett swishes the baseline jumper, 85-80 to the celtics.
• 1:30 to go, KG goes 1 of 2 from the line. Not on form tonight.
• Williams three! 83-86
• Pierce spins on James, dumps it into the post, airball with no foul, cavs have possession with 50 seconds left!
• James uses an Ilgauskas screen and misses the drifting bank shot in the lane!
• Celtics ball with 30 seconds left! I've overused the exclaimation mark!
• Timeout Boston. 14 second shotclock differential.
• Pierce misses a fadeaway over Varejao, timeout Cleveland.
• Expecting a LeBron James isolation out of the timeout.
• Mike Brown suprises us all with a LeBron James isolation out of the timeout.
• He drives and gets fouled, goes to the line for 2.
• I have a strange feeling he'll miss them both.
• He misses the first!
• Scoores the second. 84-86
• Powe dunks on Varejao, and the foul!!!
• Game over.
• There's actually 4.8 seconds left with LeBron at the line. He misses the first, makes the second again.
• Last play of the game; Varejao attempts , and misses, an open 3. Pointless, but slight comedic value.
• Final Score: Cleveland Cavaliers 85 - 90 Boston Celtics

First game of the season and it doesn't really tell us that much. The celtics are still serious, I've overrated LeBron, and I most certaintly won't be getting up tommorrow.

Milwaukee lost to the bulls tonight. The boxscore says Jefferson went 5-17 from the field, and top pick Rose went 3-9 from the field for 11 points along with 9 assists and 4 turnovers. He had a better night than LeBron.