It looked bleak for the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of Thursday night’s game against the Celtics in Boston. Their defense was non-existent and Rajon Rondo’s penetration was killing the wine and gold. Boston was shooting over 60% from the floor. The only thing to hang your hat on was the fact the Cavs were still in the game, trailing only by eight at halftime, 56-48.
The second half was a different game.
In the first half, Mike Brown substituted freely trying desperately to find a combination who could slow down the green. He used 10 players in the first quarter alone, with even Jawad Williams making an appearance in the opening stanza.
In the third quarter, Brown went to a lineup of LeBron James, Delonte West, Antawn Jamison, J.J. Hickson, and Jamario Moon with 3:27 left and the Cavaliers still trailing by six at 70-64. The Celtics scored four points the rest of the quarter, and the Cavs trailed by just one at the end of the period, 74-73.
Mo Williams replaced James at the start of the fourth quarter, and by the time LBJ came back in for Moon with 7:48 remaining, the wine and gold was ahead 84-78. In the meantime, Anderson Varajao replaced Jamison.
You could say the defense of West and Moon, two athletic wing defenders, sparked the Cavaliers to a 20-8 run over an eight minute stretch.
Suddenly, Rondo was contained. Ray Allen stopped getting wide open looks from outside. Hickson even blocked a short shot in the paint by Kevin Garnett.
It just confirms what has been written here before. This team needs the athleticism on the wings that West and Moon provide, and the coaching staff needs to realize it.
From then on, the game became a boat race with Cleveland outscoring Boston, 24-10 for the rest of the game, and 44-18 since that point in the third quarter that West and Moon entered the game. The defense turned the game completely around. The final score was Cleveland 108, Boston 88.
There is no doubt that Mo Williams’ four three pointers helped the cause as well. Williams’ shot has been off since he returned from his shoulder injury, but he rediscovered it in the fourth quarter, and was the recipient for some wide open looks because of the attention the incomparable James receives.
This is also not to minimize James contributions in the 20 point win. He finished with 36 points, 7 rebounds, and 9 assists. He also played just 35 minutes, which could pay dividends tonight against Toronto.
After struggling in the first three games since the Jamison trade, the Cavs have now won back to back contests. Last night, they did it the way Mike Brown likes, with defense.
JK
Cleveland Sports Perspective 