LeBron James never ceases to amaze me, which is why he is most definitely The King. James returned to the Cavaliers’ lineup after missing five games with a sprained index finger. He asked Mike Brown to not start him, but rather to bring him into the game with holdout Anderson Varajao to minimize any booing the Brazilian might receive. I think we all knew what a great player LeBron James is, but we forget that he is a great teammate as well.
James played and the wine and gold put together a 118-105 win over the Pacers at The Q last night, as the boys were finally back in town. It was the first time since the NBA Finals that the Cavs had all of the pieces to the puzzle together, and the result was quite impressive. Granted, nobody is comparing Indiana to the San Antonio Spurs, but after a six game losing streak, it looked like a work of art.
Varajao’s return was an initial success, as he scored six points and had nine rebounds in his season debut. The bigger story was the much maligned Larry Hughes. Hughes scored 36 points in his second straight good game. He looked like the man who teamed with Gilbert Arenas for a potent backcourt with the Washington Wizards before signing with Cleveland. He hit shots from outside, he went to the basket, and he hit the open man. Maybe Hughes is finally healthy, and perhaps he will show why Danny Ferry gave him the big cash three years ago. It is only two games, but it is something to build on.
All of the injuries and holdouts have one positive; they have given Brown a deeper roster. Dwayne Jones showed he could be effective in spots. Devin Brown does a solid job off the bench at the big guard and small forward. Even Shannon Brown did well with some extended minutes. Last night, Daniel Gibson didn’t even play after having his wisdom teeth removed on Monday. The added depth will mean players will be fresher as the regular season winds down, provided the coaching staff uses all of the squad’s pieces.
Keep in mind, there is still four months to play in the NBA regular season. The Cavaliers have played three more road games than home games, and they are in a part of the schedule where they are starting to play some of the lower ranked teams in the association. There is plenty of time to ascend to the top of the Eastern Conference standings, or at least in the top four so they can secure home court advantage in the first round. With all of its parts intact, this is a good basketball team.
With LeBron back in the lineup, the Cavs can make up ground quick. Also, his return also meant the play where the ball goes to Zydrunas Ilgauskas in the post has returned. For his next unselfish act, perhaps James can teach his mates how to get the ball in the low post. The boys are back in town. Let’s see how the real Cavs play for a while. Remember, before James was injured, this team beat the Celtics the night before.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 