Chiming in as the world passes by

I've been busy lately. The last game I took the time to sit down and watch, tip to buzzer was almost a month ago, so I have no first person opinions to share on the current happenings of the league.

The weekly shriek was a way for me to keep in touch with the league if I couldn't see any games for myself. Clearly this failed, so I'm abandoning this chain of posts and deleting the previous, giving this site a new look (I know it's not really a 'new look', I just wanted a reason to post a Michael Jackson picture).

I wanted to closely monitor the post-trade pistons, but the last game I watched was Iverson's Detroit debut. I'm doing live play by play game notes on the Pistons-Knicks game later today, and should hopefully give me an idea of how things are going in motown (apparently not very well).

This season I hoped to observe the MVP race closer than I have in the past. Respect to guys like Garnett, Williams, Duncan and Billups, but it's rather safe to say the top six candidates are LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Chris Paul, Chris Bosh, then Dwight Howard and Dwyane Wade. These six go head to head with another sixteen times this month, and I intend to see all sixteen of these games to getter a better grasp of who's legit.

Finally, I have a uniquely awful plan of an annual 'Race to the DPOY' post. More on this later.

Game Notes: Bobcats at Cavs

The Larry Brown era starts for Charlotte tonight as they play their first game of the season against the Cavaliers in Ohio. Cleveland play their first game at the home tonight, returning from an away loss to the defending champs.

1st Quarter:

• Cleveland start with a Ben Wallace turnover. He says he wants to get more involved in the offense but it doesn't look to be working.
• Richardson misses, Bron goes one on one and loses the ball, Charlotte score on the fast break.
• Slam from LeBron gets the crowd going. Okafor airballs on a fadeaway in the post.
• Williams drives and finds Ilgauskas for the layup.
• J-Rich misses a 3, offensive rebound for Okafor.
• Rejection by Wallace!
• Williams misses a 3. Felton misses a quick 2.
• James misses from the low-post. He still hasn't developed a go-to post move.
• Felton misses a layup. West gets fouled on the fast break. Richardson misses the contested 2.
• Richardson fronts LeBron in the post, so an alley-oop's thrown but James gets called for basket interference, very good call, followed by LeBron's whining to the refs.
• May gets 2 from the line, 5-7.
• West runs a pick and roll with Wallace, doesn't succeed, pick and roll with Z, fails again, West bricks a long 2.
• Gerald Wallace drains the baseline jumper.
• James drives, kicks it out to West who knocks down the corner 3.
• Richardson drives off a screen, draws help and kicks it out to Felton, money on the 3.
• LeBron misses a contested shot, timeout Charlotte, 10-10, 5:09 to go.
• Charlotte miss after the timeout, Szczerbiak called for a charge.
• Another missed jumpshot for the bobcats, Gerald Wallace this time.
• LeBron drives baseline and gets fouled, makes them both.
• Pick and roll by the bobcats, the bounce pass in the lane stolen by LeBron who does an equally poor pass next possession, deflected out of bounds. Gibson nails a corner 3.
• Another screen and roll by the bobcats, the screener isn't rolling to the basket though. Instead, rookie D.J. Augustin drives and scores at the rim. Finally some penetration from Charlotte.
• 4 point play from Gibson!
• Morrison makes a long 2. Why did he lose the caveman pornstar look?
• Bron scores at the rim.
• Another pick and roll for the bobcats, Varejao fouls.
• Mo Williams scores a jumper off a Varejao screen.
• Final possession, Augustin tries to take Williams one on one, fails, gives it to Morrison who unsuprisingly misses the off balance drifting 3. 25-16 to the cavs.

2nd Quarter:

• Okafor goes against Varejao in the post, gets the shot off and Cleveland rookie Hickson's called for the goaltend.
• Alot of pointless movement by the cavs results in a long missed 3 from williams, offensive rebound from Hickson who gets rejected by Okafor. Varejao tries a low-post move, fails to score.
• Adam Morrison posts up and gets the and-one. Maybe it is too early to label him a flop.
• Okafor rejects Hickson again, this time on a dunk.
• Williams steals and scores on the fast break.
• Augustin to Richardson, nails a corner 3.
• Pick and roll by the cavs, thunderous dunk by Hickson, finally scores at the rim.
• Charlotte miss a jumpshot, Gibson gets checked at the other end.
• Timeout Cleveland.
• Pavlovic misses in the lane.
• Alot of passing around the perimeter from Charlotte, they seem to be allergic to the paint. Augustin finally drives, Williams calls the charge.
• Williams makes another jumper.
• The bobcats finally get into the paint and get monster-blocked by big Ben.
• Pavlovic travels on a drive to the basket, next play Nazr Mohammed scores a jump-hook in low post.
• Gibson drains the 2 point jumpshot off a screen, timeout Charlotte.
• Out the timeout Gerald Wallace drives and misses. The bobcats are finding it impossible to get to the rim.
• Alley-oop to Ben Wallace fails, only for James to get the and-one on the putback.
• Mohammed scores at the rim, Cleveland turnover, Morrison bricks a 3 from the wing.
• LeBron crossover, drives and Gerald Wallace fouls. He misses both free-throws, 38-28 cavs.
• Mohammed airballs the jumper from the baseline.
• A few unnecessary picks on the baseline from Cleveland, Gibson chooses to go one on one and scores from 19 feet.
• West picks Felton's pocket, scores on the fast break.
• Charlotte turnover, again. 42-28 to Cleveland with 2:59 to go, timeout Cleveland.
• Gibson curls off a screen and knocks down the 3.
• LeBron threads a bounce pass through two players to boobie who makes the layup.
• Another missed jumper from charlotte, Ben Wallace rebounds.
• It seems Charlotte are trying to lose. No penetration, contested jumpers and awful defense.
• Morrison comes of a baseline screen, loses it, the ball's knocked out of play, bobcats ball.
• Gerald Wallace gets it in the corner, drives and scores.
• Ilgauskas blocked by Okafor in the post, West passes to LeBron who gets fouled before he can slam it down. Splits the free-throws.
• Cavs go fullcourt, Felton gets all the way to the rim, picks up the foul and heads to the line for 2.
• LeBron misses a lefty hook in the low post, he still can't consistently score down there.
• 21.8 to go, 20 second taken by Mike Brown.
• James dribbles down the clock, Williams sprints to give him a screen, James finds Daniel Gibson in the corner who knocks down ANOTHER 3. Cleveland making it rain from the outside.
• Halftime, Charlotte 33-50 Cleveland. LeBron has 12, 6 & 6, and Gibson has 20. It's not like he's even a dominant scorer, Charlotte just aren't getting a hand in his face on his jumpshot.

3rd Quarter:

• Start of the half Charlotte take, and miss, another baseline jumper.
• LeBron takes what the anouncers call 'a healthy 3'. Wasn't healthy enough to go in.
• West gets a nice steal on the other end, the alley-oop to James fails but Cleveland maintain possession and score.
• Richardson hits a jumpshot at the other end, next play he drives inside and initiates contact, makes both free-throws.
• LeBron curls off a screen, misses the runner only for Ben Wallace to make the putback.
• Richardson drains a baseline 2.
• James drives, hangs, Richardson goes for the block, instead fouls and knocks him to the floor.
• Another missed bobcats jumpshot, LeBron drives through four bobcats and finishes with the left hand.
• Foolish behind the back pass by James, stolen by Felton, Richardson scores on the fast break.
• Full court pass to James, who gets fouled on the dunk attempt.
• Charlotte miss a 2, rebound, Richardson drains a 3. 44-59.
• West bricks the corner 3, Gerald Wallace hits the open 2.
• Ilgauskas goes to the line, splits the free-throws. His head is as shiny as the buttocks of a donkey, reflecting off the sun on a Russian summer's day.
• Richardson tries to curl off a baseline screen but West stays on him like glue. J-Rich tries to get to the rim, good D and a turnover.
• Cavs take another jumpshot, miss. Gerald Wallace drives baseline on the fast break, gets the 3 point play.
• Szczerbiak drives, kicks it out to Gibson who actually misses the open 3.
• Okafor bricks it in the low-post, West gets blocked in the post at the other end.
• Okafor's fouled, makes the pair and its a nine point game, 51-60.
• James misses an ugly mid-range pull-up, offensive rebound, Gerald Wallace steals, Szczerbiak fouls and wallace makes 2 from the line.
• Wallace is defending James, he runs a pick and roll with Varejao, Varejao kicks it out to the corner, ball rotates around the perimeter to Szczerbiak, who misses a 3.
• Charlotte are finally managing to get to the basket, or atleast attempt to. Timeout Cleveland.
• Moving screen set on the baseline by Gibson, Larry Brown misunderstands the call, jumps up and gets a technical. Confusing stuff. Gibson misses the free-throw.
• Bobcats have the chance to make it a one possession game, instead an offensive foul is called on Okafor.
• More Cleveland baseline screens, Gibson gets the ball, leaves his feet in an attempt to draw the foul, doesn't get it, lands and commits the travel. 2:49 to go, cavs 60-55 bobcats.
• Timeout Charlotte. Cleveland are clearly the better team but Charlotte's coaching advantage is starting to show.
• Out the timeout the bobcats run several unsuccessful screens and Felton airballs the mid-range jumpshot, good D from the cavs.
• Cleveland get 2 from the line, Richardson spins to the hoop and scores.
• Ilgauskas elbows Okafor in the face, offensive foul.
• Gerald Wallace spins, loses it, gets it back and misses the layup.
• West to Varejao to Z, makes the layup. Nice ball movement from Cleveland.
• Richardson drives at Varejao, misses, West's fouled and heads to the line for 2.
• Cavs go full court, the ball ends up with Morrison in the corner, fakes the 3, airballs the 2. Charlotte still have it, Richardson's fouled by West with 1 on the shotclock.
• Mo Williams nails the 16 footer off an Ilgauskas screen.
• Richardson can't create anything with the final possession, end of the quarter. 68-59 to Cleveland.

4th Quarter:

• Ilgauskas starts the quarter hitting a 19 footer. Baseline jumper falls for Morrison at the other end.
• Williams nails it from mid-range. Morrison puts up a hook shot from the baseline, misses.
• Z's doubled in the post, good ball movement finds Williams open in the corner for 3, brick.
• Augustin fakes his man, draws the foul. Makes both shots, 63-73
• Good D from Charlotte, Ilgauskas misses the jumpshot, offensive board.
• Williams alley-oop to Varejao, not quite as pretty as when its LeBron.
• Cavs steal it, ugly shot by Gibson falls, 77-63 to Cleveland. Timeout bobcats.
• Ilgauskas fouled on the drive.
• Gerald Wallace drives, dishes to an open Richardson but a charge on Wallace.
• Next play Wallace drives past Varejao, draws the foul.
• James at the point, Williams curls of a baseline screen and nails it. The cavs are killing the bobcats from mid-range.
• Richardson misses the circus shot, tipped out, 3-ball missed, knocked out of bounds and it's called Charlotte basketball.
• Timeout Charlotte, down 65-81 with 6:41 to go.
• LeBron slams it on Augustin, and the foul!
• Bobcats offense has gone completely downhill now, Richardson settling for a contested 3. Brick.
• Ilgauskas misses an open 3, the play by play announcer blames it on him having 'too much time'.
• James spins in the lane and finishes with the left hand.
• Augustin fouled, Wallace sends it into the stands after the whistle.
• 5:12 left, no realistic chance for charlotte now, down 20.
• Gibson fouled shooting the 3. I've only just realised he has the batman logo shaved into his head. Awsome.
• Charlotte drive, miss, kicked out to Felton for 3, also a miss. It seems Charlotte are trying to miss.
• Gibson's money from downtown. Game, set and match.
• Final score: Charlotte Bobcats 79-96 Cleveland Cavaliers.

Not too much learnt from that game, Gibson can shoot, Cleveland can defend, and Adam Morrison, despite no longer possessing an incredible level of all-round sexiness, may not be a flop after all. Nothing new there.

LeBron quietly put up 22, 9 & 9. He wasn't involved in the game as much as usual, however he didn't really need to be, the way Gibson and Mo Williams stepped up offensively. Not really a challenge for the cavs, who took advantage of poor perimeter defense and prevented any form of penetration from the Bobcats.

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.

One Last Batch of NBA Predictions (awards)

MVP:LeBron James

6th man: Lamar Odom

Rookie of the year: Greg Oden

Coach of the Year: Phil Jackson

Defensive player: Ron Artest

Most Improved: Gerald Wallace