Rusy, but effective
WASHINGTON -- Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has preached about his team's defense since the day he was hired.
When the Wizards blew the Cavaliers off the court in the first quarter of last night's preseason opener -- to the tune of 41 points -- it had to shake the very fiber of his being.
But the Cavaliers responded after the putrid opening quarter to rout the Wizards, 116-94, at the MCI Center.
Washington went on a 15-0 run in the first quarter, largely because the Cavaliers couldn't stop their transition game.
The Cavaliers defense stiffened after the opening quarter and held the Wizards to just 53 points and 35-percent shooting in the final three quarters.
''It wasn't our defense,'' Cavaliers forward LeBron James said. ''We were turning the ball over. We had seven turnovers in the first quarter, and they had 17 fastbreak points off our turnovers. After that, you saw what we've been working on in two-a-days. It was great to see.''
If they hadn't made a stark turnaround, Brown would have blown a gasket.
''The biggest thing we've been preaching the whole training camp is defense,'' he said. ''If we defend, we'll be able to win on the road, like we did here tonight. In the first half, they jumped on us with the press. We just implemented our press break in today. Our guys responded well after we settled down. It turned into a rat race there for a while. They started to trust the system, trust their teammates, communicate and help one another.''
Forward Drew Gooden had 16 points and eight rebounds, both game highs. James matched Gooden's point total and added four steals and three assists.
Brown had to be happy with the play of backup center Alan Henderson, who had seven points and four rebounds, and Luke Jackson, who banged in 12 points, including two 3-pointers.
''I look at this team like I looked at Dallas last year,'' Henderson said. ''They had a lot of guys who could do a lot of things. What I bring to the table is defense and rebounding. That's what I do.''
Cavaliers shooting guard Larry Hughes, making his first return to the MCI Center since signing with Cleveland as a free agent, added nine points and three assists. He was booed when he was introduced and just about every time he touched the ball.
''That's what fans do,'' he said. ''They support their team. It wasn't so much as they were booing me as a basketball player. It was more that I played here last year and they wanted me to come back.''
Brown said he loves the addition of Hughes.
''We weren't thinking Michael Redd,'' he said. ''We were thinking Larry Hughes. I went to visit him at home. Forget him as a basketball player. He's a tremendous person.''
And not a bad basketball player, either.
The Wizards averted possible disaster with 8.5 seconds left in the third quarter. On a strong drive to the basket, guard Antonio Daniels was blasted by Cavaliers forward Donyell Marshall. Marshall was assessed a flagrant foul, and Daniels lay motionless for several seconds. He got up and shot his free throws. He'll need an ice pack today.
Daniels, who grew up in Columbus and attended Bowling Green State University, had 13 points and two assists in his first game with the Wizards. He was wooed by the Cavaliers in the offseason before signing with Washington.
