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.
