Game 1, Cavs vs. Celtics, Wednesday, 27 October 2010, 7pm EDT

[jlj3184]

Game 1, Wednesday, October 27th, 2010, 7pm EDT

Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0) vs. Boston Celtics (1-0)

vs.

Locale: Quicken Loans Arena

Media:
TV: FSN-OH
Radio: WTAM 1100

<object width="640" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/2H5uWRjFsGc?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/2H5uWRjFsGc?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/IxuThNgl3YA?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/IxuThNgl3YA?fs=1&amp;hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Starting Lineups:

Cavs:
PG, Mo Williams

SG, Weak Sauce

SF, Jamario Moon

PF, JJ Hickson

C, Anderson Varejao

Boston:
PG, Rajon Rondo

SG, Jesus Shuttlesworth

SF, Paul Pierce

PF, Kevin Garnett

C, Shaquille O'Neal

Key Reserves:
Cavs:
F, Antawn Jamison; G, Ramon Sessions; G, Boobie Gibson; F, Joey Graham; F, Leon Powe; C, Samardo Samuels

Boston:
F, Pooh Tits Davis; G, Marquis Daniels; G, Nate Robinson; C Jermaine O'Neal

Keys to victory:
1) Get out and run
2) Transition defense
3) Limit turnovers
4) Crash the boards

Game Preview:
From STATS, Inc.

The Cleveland Cavaliers’ season ended in bitter disappointment when the Boston Celtics knocked them out of the playoffs in May. That setback paled in comparison to the blow absorbed two months later when LeBron James made “The Decision” to leave his home state to join Miami.

The Cavaliers are no longer one of the league’s marquee teams and may be hard-pressed to even make the playoffs as they begin to pick up the pieces following the departure of James in their season opener Wednesday night at home against the Celtics.

The date of July 8, 2010, will forever be remembered in Cleveland (0-0) after James - an Akron native who became an iconic figure in Ohio after being drafted first overall by the Cavaliers in 2003 - used a nationally-televised, prime-time special to utter the infamous words that he was “taking his talents to South Beach” to try to earn his first NBA title with the Heat.

The loss of James capped a tumultuous offseason in which popular coach Mike Brown was fired and general manager Danny Ferry opted to leave the organization.

The moves were thought to be orchestrated by owner Dan Gilbert in an effort to re-sign James. Gilbert was rebuffed by Michigan State coach Tom Izzo, and eventually hired former Nets and Hornets coach Byron Scott on July 2.

When the two-time MVP departed six days later, Gilbert lashed out in an open letter to Cavaliers fans, guaranteeing that Cleveland will win a championship before “the self-titled former ‘king’ wins one.” A local radio host hired a witch doctor Tuesday to try to jinx James and his attempt to win a title elsewhere.

Cleveland won the most games in the NBA the previous two seasons (127), but never reached the stated goal of winning the franchise’s first title. The expectations are far lower now.

“I love the underdog theory,” Scott said. “Being a guy who came in and was put in the same situation, I can relate to it. I know it’s a very motivating factor for a lot of players.

“As much as possible, I’m going to keep bringing it up. I don’t want them to forget what people are saying and writing about them. If that’s the thing to keep them motivated and playing at a high level, I’ll say it every single day.”

There are solid players left for Scott, albeit no superstars. Former All-Stars Mo Williams and Antawn Jamison join center Anderson Varejao and improving third-year forward J.J. Hickson to form the core.

Williams - the leading returning scorer at 15.8 points per game - is questionable for the opener after missing most of the preseason with a groin injury.

“So yes, it was a time where I felt their same pain,” said Williams about losing James. “But at the same time, when you get here and get around this organization and the new team and Byron and the new coaches, you feel excited.”

A less notable departure for Cleveland was the loss of Shaquille O’Neal to Boston (1-0). The declining 38-year-old center had a minimal impact in his lone season with the Cavaliers in 2009-10, and signed a two-year offseason deal with the Celtics.

O’Neal and Boston got the NBA’s first look at James in an 88-80 victory over Miami in the ballyhooed league season opener Tuesday. While James scored 31 points, the Celtics held Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh to a combined 21 and limited the Heat to 36.5 percent shooting.

Rajon Rondo, who averaged 20.7 points and 11.8 assists in last season’s playoff series against the Cavaliers, handed out 17 assists. Ray Allen scored 20 points, and O’Neal was limited to nine and seven boards in 18 foul-plagued minutes in his Celtics debut.

Attractive Women:

 

[MoGottiFor3]

I'm ready to get raped, but GO CAVS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Silky Smooth]

If we can contain Rondo and just run the hell out of the Celtics we will have a chance to win. Their frontcourt is old and will not be able to keep up. If we make it a halfcourt game we will lose horribly.

 

[InBoobieWeTrust]

Key to this game is our front-court. They were a huge mis-match for Boston last season and were under-utilized and injured in the playoffs. Need to exploit that mismatch if we want to have a chance to win.

 

[Kouki]

YYYYYYYYYYYYYYESSSSSSSSSS

Who else is going besides me!?

Also LMAO at Pierce in the wheelchair.

 

[nime]

Williams questionable for opener
by JASON LLOYD on OCTOBER 26, 2010 - 5:31 PM

Mo Williams is questionable for tomorrow’s season opener against the Boston Celtics. Williams returned to the Cavaliers late Monday night and went through Tuesday’s light practice, but coach Byron Scott said his previously injured groin needs re-evaluated and he needs brought up to speed on the offense. Scott instilled some new components over the five days while Williams was in Mississippi attending his father-in-law’s funeral.

“We have to bring him up to speed,” Scott said. “It’s a matter of our team talking to him and looking at him. The therapist has to get his hands on him and see where he is as far as the injury he had. We’ll re-evaluate him and go from there.”

Ramon Sessions will start at point guard if Williams is scratched.

Other notes from Tuesday:
*** This marks Byron Scott’s 28th season opener as both a coach and a player. He said they’re all exciting in their own way, but he was most nervous for his debut as a rookie. “As a rookie, it’s a little different excitement because you’re nervous as hell,” he said.

*** The Celtics have been a forgotten team in the East because of their age and all the moves the Heat made this summer, but Scott still loves Doc Rivers’ talent. Scott considers Rivers one of his closest coaching friends in the league — not surprising since both are former players. “They’ve got some size. When you add Shaq and Jermaine (O’Neal), that’s a lot of size. They’re a team a lot of people have forgotten about, but they’ve been to two of the last three Finals. By no means should people disregard them because of Miami.”

*** As a side note, a Boston radio station was encouraging fans to print out and wear Delonte West masks to “welcome” LeBron James tonight. West will not play tonight or tomorrow since he is serving a 10-game suspension for his felony weapons arrest last year while with the Cavs. In the story linked above, Shaq took a swipe at LeBron when he said West didn’t respect anyone on the Cavs but him. “Last year, I don’t think he (West) respected anybody but me on that team,” O’Neal said. To be fair, O’Neal takes almost as many shots at former teammates as he does at a basket.

Jason Lloyd update

 

[Akron330]

Lets see if all that conditioning paid off......run em out of the gym

 

[Pyro]

Can't wait to see what this team can do.

 

[Typhoon]

Mo w/ groin pain > D Wade last night

 

[Backstage]

Speed, speed, speed. Get Shaq in foul trouble and we have a shot inside.

Rondo will be the weak spot for us, as per usual. I think JJ can hold Garnett back and wear him down. Let's see what Boobie can do on D, see how Sessions gels, and complain in this thread that Harris/Eyenga aren't in yet.

 

[Hydroponic3385]

Thanks for the game preview! I'd replace Samuels with Hollins though for Cavs' key reserves.

I'm so pissed I can't watch the game live, damn evening class. But I'm SO pumped for the season to get underway. Great thing is I have zero expectations for the game tomorrow, just looking forward to seeing who steps up and how our new offensive and defensive systems look. If by some miracle Boston is tired and the Cavs come out running and playing tough D, then a close game would just be icing on the cake.

 

[DFX]

God, I'm so pumped for this game. Let's shock the world boys.

Also, Andy needs to regrow that killer goatee+stache combo.

 

[Aussie]

Cavs are going 82-0 this year, I'm feeling it. World Champs. Yeeeeeewww

 

[Adam]

We need andy and hickson to rebound like crazy on our defensive backboard so we have a chance to get some transition buckets. Mo being injured means more minutes for boobie, who actucally probably has the best chance of slowing down rondo.

In the half court cavs need to limit their turnovers and remember althought the princeton is equal opportunity they need to look for the hot hand and get players the ball in their scoring zones.

go cavs

 

[Karma]

So who will be inactive?

Will it be the three rooks in Samuals, Harris and Eyenga? I guess Mo's status will effect this. If Mo is out, will Harris or Eyenga go?

This team is just as interesting at the bottom as it is the the top...... unfortunately.

Boston winning tonight is a positive. Hopefully it will take a spring out of their step.