Check back later for tonight’s game blog featuring the Cavs. v. the Celtics. Gee, sound familiar.

I’m about to head out the door and hit the road for the trip, which is more than I can say for big man Ben Wallace, who’ll be staying in Cleveland to get treatment on his tight back. 

Sasha is doubtful for tonight’s game.

PROVIDENCE - Quick learning curve regarding this beat.  Not a lot happens during the preseason.

In a nutshell:  don’t expect to see a lot of the LeBron – again.  And any Cavs fan should get that.  But you have to question the wisdom of marketing this exhibition contest based on his cameo as I saw today on a local Providence television station.

Game:  Cavaliers (0-1) vs. Boston Celtics (0-1)

Broadcast: WAKR (1590 AM); WTAM (1100 AM), WHBC (1480 AM)

Starters:

Cavs:  Zydrunas Ilgauskas (C); LeBron James (F); Wally Szczerbiak (G); Ben Wallace (F) and Mo Williams (G).

Celtics:  Ray Allen (G); Kevin Garnett (F); Patrick O’Bryant (C); Paul Pierce (F); Rajon Rondo (G).

What to watch:  Wally Szczerbiak will start at the two gaard tonight as Coach Mike Brown tries to work out who he plans to start in that position.  Sasha Pavlovic – who didn’t travel to Rhode Island with the team – started against the Raptors.  In the past, Brown has said that it’s not necessarily important who starts in that position. Look for how the Cavs first round draft pick, JJ Hickson continues to develop.

Pre-game:

Quotable:

In the locker room:  “I don’t let stuff like that hang over my head.  We had an opportunity to win and we didn’t.  I thought about it a little bit, but I had to get ready for the Olympics, so I really didn’t dwell on it too much.” – LeBron James on losing to the Celtics in the NBA Eastern Conference Semi-Finals last spring.  

When asked about the Celtics ring ceremony, which will be against the Cavs on opening night, James said. “It won’t bother me.  See if I’m out there or not when they receive their rings.  We’ll see what happens.”

When asked about whether it will motivate him to see the Celtics get a ring, James said he didn’t need another team’s ring ceremony to motivate him.

From the coach’s office:  Mike Brown said the Cavs will continue to take the Delonte West situation one game at a time.

Post game analysis:

The Cavs lose: 96-94.  Just as anyone might expect in the preseason, this was a tale of two games.  By the way don’t believe the quotes you’ll see in stories from the Cavs saying this was  game of little consequence. The first team showed some serious intensity in their limited minutes.  LeBron James scored 15 in just a little over 13 minutes of play.  The team’s two rookies showed some flashes to me.  I am shocked by the toughness of J.J. Hickson, who in uniform looks slight but holds his own with fellow big men.  The highlight of the night:  him going nose-to-nose with Glen “Big Baby” Davis, a guy with almost 50 pounds on him.  Davis drew the foul, but he also ended up on his backside courtesy of Hickson’s defense.

A key question in training camp:  Who will start at that two guard spot?  Sasha Pavlovic got the start Tuesday against the Raptors and looked like…well…Sasha Pavlovic.  Wally Szczerbiak opened against the Celtics tonight and scored 13.

The first team overall put up 37 in the first quarter, but allowed 28, losing their defensive focus.

Quotable:

From the coach’s office: 

Mike Brown on the game:   ”t was a great show for the people of Providence,’’ Coach Mike Brown said. ‘’They got their money’s worth.  I think Doc (Rivers) and I would have had different teams on the floor had it been a different ball game.”

On the team’s defense:  ‘’We scored a lot of points (in the first quarter), but I didn’t see a lot of intensity on the defensive end of the floor.’’

 The Cavaliers reduced their roster to 17 today by releasing center Lance Allred whose tenure with the team began with a 10-day contract last season and releasing guard Michael Dickerson.

The team excused Dickerson, who was trying to return to the league after a five-year absence, to tend to some personal matters on Oct. 1 and he hasn’t been able to return. He plans to resume his comeback when that is resolved.

To those who continue to read this, I may be walking around in a haze for just a couple weeks, so be it.  Everything has a learning curve, even covering an NBA team with the most popular player on the planet in his hometown paper…errr…blog…Yeah, well you know what the heck I’m trying to say.

Ran across one piece while browsing the innertubes this a.m. comparing the offseason moves made by the Cavaliers and Toroto Raptors.  How apropos considering they just squared off last night. Everyone in the league knows that the Cavs got Mo Williams in an off-season trade.

The Raptors, they got Jermaine O’Neal from Indiana Pacers.  With big moves, come big expecations and HoopsWorld’s Tommy Beer has a great take on it.  O’Neal attracted plenty of interest in the offseason - even from the Cavaliers, Mike Brown said last night.

And on a completely different note:  I mentioned in this part of cyberspace Cavaliers owner Daniel Gilbert got some heat regarding his comments and continued insistence on the national level that LeBron James will eventual bolt the snowy roads of Northeast Ohio for the Great White Way of New York City.  Hey, after all, it’s the only city big enough for him.

James told fans at a voter registration rally that he wouldn’t be going anywhere.  Apparently, even the prospect of James not taking a bite out of the Big Apple is unfathomable to Joe DeLassio of New York Magazine.  It’s must reading.

Anyone whose read me in my nine years at the ABJ knows that for the first seven, I was the paper’s movie critic.  I’ve spent a lot of time in New York and Los Angeles.  At times it felt like too much.  New York, great place to visit but…  You can finish the sentence.  Most New Yorkers, depending on where you are in the city are a down home lot.  While covering movies, however, I felt more comfortable with the hotel staff then I ever did with studio executives.

With that Manhattan crowd, there was always this sense of disbelief that I could never want to live in NYC with its $2,500-a-month rent for 900 square feet of space, the smell of horse sweat, horse urine, and pretzels. With my proclamation also came a hint of condescension.  You know, NYC is the center of the universe.  Yada, yada, yada to borrow from its native son, Jerry Seinfeld.

If you’re poking around the Internet (as you obviously are now) take a look at a piece from the News Herald’s Bob Finnan regarding Anderson Varejao’s future with the Cavaliers.  It makes for some interesting reading for Cavs’ fans.

Looking for humorous take on the Varejao situation? Check out Marcel Mutoni over at Slamonline.com.  He takes a look at Finnan’s article, but you gotta love a guy with a sense of humor.  The money quote:

Sign him to a long-term deal, don’t sign him. I don’t really care either way. Just don’t make me think about Sideshow Bob too much.

What’s with financial institutions in Detroit and Cleveland?  National City Bank, headquartered in Cleveland, signed a deal to be a Detroit Pistons sponsor Wednesday. Methinks that they have identity crises.  Quicken Loans Arena is named for owner Daniel Gilbert’s other little baby.  At least that deal makes some sense.

CLEVELAND – The Cavaliers open their exhibition season tonight at Quicken Loans Arena, with a roster of 18, two of whom – guards Delonte West and Michael Dickerson – who aren’t here.

Coach Mike Brown is treating this exactly how it should be – a glorified practice. Don’t look for the starters to see a lot of minutes, primarily because Brown wants to get a look at everyone.  That means LeBron James will see limited action in the first quarter, primarily because he gave his hometown a show on Saturday at the James A. Rhodes Arena in Akron.

Game:  Cavaliers (0-0) vs. Toronto Raptors (0-0)

Broadcast: WAKR (1590 AM); WTAM (1100 AM), WHBC (1480 AM)

Starters:

Cavs:  LeBron James (F); Ben Wallace (F); Zydrunas Ilgauskas (C); Sasha Pavlovic (G); Mo Williams (G)

Raptors:  Jamario Moon (F); Jermaine O’Neal (F); Anthony Parker (G); Jose Calderon (G)

What to watch:  The Cavs will unveil their new look with point guard Mo Willaims as the helm.  If last Saturday is any indication, the offense will be looser and looking to run more. Cavs fans heard all about the exploits of rookie J.J. Hickson during the team’s summer league.  Brown said that they will get a chance to see the first rounder out of North Carolina State.  Be sure to watch his defensive game as on more than one occasion during last Saturday’s Wine & Gold Scrimmage, he stood toe-to-toe with Ben Wallace not giving an inch.

In the coach’s office:

On how many minutes starters will play: “We’re going to be conscious of our guys age and body and stuff like that,”  Coach Mike Brown said.

On how much he’d like James to play each game this season:  “I’d love to have it around 38 minutes per game.”

In the locker room: James is already sounds as if he trusts his team.  “I think with the team we have, (I’ll play) right around 38-40.”

Injury update:  Anderson Varejao who injured his left quadriceps at some point this week will play, he said.  Lorenzen Wright will sit out with ingrown toenails.

Game analysis:   The 104-84 loss to the Raptors tonight wasn’t exactly pretty.  Actually, it was pretty damned ugly in spots.

But there are a couple of things to take away.  First the Cavs got out of that lumbering offense that put people to sleep at The Q last year. You could hear Coach Mike Brown screaming “Push It! Push It!” through much of the game and that they did.

They outscored the Raptors 21-9 in the transition game and it was due primarily to the effort of Mo Williams, whose quickness, along with Delonte West, But Willaims showed that he has a downside as well.  There were plenty of times in transition when he chose to pull up and settle for a jumper as opposed to driving the lane and working for an easier look.  Could that be a function of LBJ not plaing much?  Of course.  But it bears watching during the regular season.

Coach Mike Brown said that J.J. Hickson played like rookie tonight.  I can’t dispute that, but there were more than a few times he looked mighty impressive on defense and just athletically.  Take the steal in the fourth quarter.  He snatched the ball from Toronto’s Will Solomon and raced down the court to finish the play with a thunderous two-handed dunk.  Nice work.   Other times, however, he looked as if he were lost.

Hey, they don’t call them rookies for nothing.

First, let’s deal with the two-ton elephant in this cyber room if you will.  I ain’t Brian Windhorst.  Although he and I possess the same physique, I’ve got about 13 years on him and I have a much better tan - much better.  I’d like to say he’s a friend. He’s taught me a few things about hoops and the Cavs in particular, but he and I are different people.  So, by all means, feel free to bash me in different ways.  That being said, let’s take a look at what’s happening with the Cavaliers in the NBA and a couple of things fans may want to check out:

First stop John Hollinger  at espn.com and his look at the Cavaliers and their prospects for the season.  I’ve never been one for trying to predict how sports teams will perform in any given season.  Why? Look at the Cleveland Browns right now.  Nor can you ever account for X factors such as team chemistry.

No one knows what effect that the addition of Mo Williams will have on the Cavs.  Judging from just one performance Saturday, the upside will have fans salivating.  Williams brings a dimension that the team’s not seen since Andre Miller wore the wine and …err…orange and blue.  Hollinger in his preview expects the Cavs to be a five seed for the playoffs. Yours truly can only say:  we shall see.  He may have something with this thought, however:

Filling out the rotation is Pavlovic, who has had four absolutely horrible pro seasons and one halfway decent one. Anybody want to take odds on how this season turns out?

Looking for just a little insight into who Mo Wiliams is?  Take a look at this piece  from the Cleveland Free Time’s Vince Grzegorek - a little over a month in town and Williams is already enjoying a local delicacy - pierogies.  Yes, there’s more to it than the fact that Williams enjoys ethnic foods.  After the debacle that was Larry Hughes, it’s refreshing to hear someone brought here to help LeBron James talk about playing as part of a team.

There’s been a lot of speculation - LOTS - about LeBron Jamesleaving the Cavs for pastures that may not necessarily be greener, but more in the spotlight.  Holding court on Media Day last week, James, the Akron native tried to end speculation.  Will those words suffice?  Some would say that you handle politicians and athletes the same way - you take what they say with a healthy dose of skepticism.  But since signing his contract, James consistently has said he’s happy here.

It’s quite evident they have an owner in Dan Gilbert, for whom money is no object (the team has one of the highest payrolls in the NBA) and when James’ contract is up in 2010, the team will have a pile of cash under the salary camp.  Realistically speaking, however, the speculation won’t end until James re-signs or leaves.

Gilbert knows this, but still his remarks related to James’ leaving made a bit of news nationally.  So much so that it set off the snark-o-meter of Lang Whitaker on his Slam Magazine blog.  Yes, the next two years will be tons of fun.

Brian Windhorst, Cavaliers beat writer for the Akron Beacon Journal, has been unable to cover the run-up to the 2008 NBA Draft. He is recuperating from an illness at an area hospital.

His family asks that Brian’s readers keep him in their thoughts.

There has been an uptick in Anderson Varejao rumors bouncing around the last couple of days. Today, ESPN’s Chad Ford floated one involving the Golden State Warriors. Earlier this week, Beacon Journal columnist Patrick McManamon wrote an excellent column summing up Varejao’s situation.

So with all that out there, let me tell you what I know about what has been going on.

–The Cavs have had trade talks with at least five teams about Varejao. But these talks have three sides, the Cavs, the potential trading partner and Varejao’s agent, Dan Fegan. Because Andy has to give permission to be traded before Dec. 5 (a stipulation when a player has an offer sheet matched by his team), he must be in the loop before a deal can be done. This permission will be given (he cannot be traded to the Bobcats under any circumstances until Dec.) only if Fegan likes the chances of Varejao getting big minutes and having an important role at his new destination. The reason is this is Varejao’s contract year essentially and a big season would mean a chance at the big deal Andy has wanted for a year. I also know that at least one trading partner has already been told “no” by Fegan. I do not know which team, but keep in mind as the Cavs are linked to the Milwaukee Bucks in trade rumors that Fegan also represents Yi Jianlian and probably would not like Varejao and Yi fighting for minutes with one another.
–Because of all these moving parts — there are three different sides able to pitch trades — any deal involving Varejao will be difficult to pull off right now. The Cavs do not have to trade him and they may wait and let the Dec. 5 deadline pass so they have more freedom. But obviously there is a market for Varejao and with the draft coming up, there’s an uptick in trying to get things done.
–The Cavs were pleased with how professionally Andy handled playing with Ben Wallace and even went to him and thanked him at the end of the season. But it is clear to both sides that Andy was not happy yielding crunch time minutes to Wallace and that is an issue that may become problematic next season when Varejao starts feeling the heat of playing another contract. With that in mind and the fear of losing Andy for nothing and/or going another 15 rounds with Fegan next summer, it is easy to see why the Cavs are open to trading their only big man under 30.
–There are a number of players the Cavs like in this draft. If anything, they are looking to move up in the draft or get a second pick instead of trading out as rumors have suggested. In addition, unless there is another rock solid plan in place, it is doubtful the Cavs would only trade Varejao unless they were getting another big man in return. It is questionable whether they can get an immediately contributing big with the 19th pick and losing Varejao would leave a huge hole because he is the team’s only legit backup center.
–I’ll have more on the draft over the weekend or early next week.

ESPN’s Marc Stein tells us that the NBA has decided that it will start fining players for flopping next season. There are a lot of people who I know that hate, hate, hate flopping. One of them is the Plain Dealer’s Branson Wright, who fancies himself a bit of a purest. We’ve sat next to each other for hundreds of games over the years and each time he sees one he’ll let out a prolonged moan. I am not in this camp, I think it is part of the game just like other gamesmanship plays are. But the league is obviously trying to reign some things in.

In the 2006-07 season there was a play when Anderson Varejao — king of the timed response to defensive contact, oh, OK, the flop — hit the deck on a jump ball. And he was doing the jumping! And he got the call! I felt this was one of the greatest moments of the season, a signature move by a maestro. Branson literally got up from the table and walked away.

Actually, Andy’s great play from that season was taking a charge from Rasheed Wallace in the fourth quarter of Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. Sheed had just been called for a bad loose ball foul at the other end and was steaming. He pushed and shoved Varejao up the court, he must’ve hit him five times before he got the ball. Then setting up in the post he hit him twice more. Andy took them all. Then, at just the correct moment when Sheed was making his move, Andy went to the deck. Sheed was hit with the charge and then he freaked out, tackled LeBron and was ejected. To me, that was sheer mastery. And, as Andy’s often criticized yet not incorrect agent Dan Fegan once said to me: “A charge is just as good as a block.” Actually, it’s better because you get the ball and a foul on the other guy.

I think the key phrase in Stein’s story is fines will only come on the “most egregious type of flops.” Or as some in the NBA would call them: Ginobilis. I certainly recognize that this will change the way the game is played and there’s no doubt Andy is a target and will probably feel this rule at some point next season. More than likely, the league will pass out a bunch early on and announce them all with the hope that it will stem the tide, then will let it go in the late season and playoffs.

When there were first rumors of this sort of action last year I asked Andy about it. He pretty much shrugged and told me that it is easier to get a charge called in the NBA than any other league in the world because of the no-charge zone. “Easier to get charges because of the no-charge zone?” I repeated. “Yes, because if you set up outside of it and there is contact the officials have to make the call. In international games, they can let it go. The line makes them blow the whistle,” Andy told me. And, you know what, he’s right.

So these fines may not be great news for Andy, but I suspect it won’t change the way he plays the game at all.

–One more thing more I go, people are still asking me about why I didn’t address Carmelo Anthony rumors in my previous blog. I mean, I was giving you guys some credit. Why would the Nuggets trade their franchise player for any reason? I don’t care what rumors have come out of New Jersey or anywhere else, this is crazy. And you sure don’t trade him for expiring contracts. C’mon folks. Now, if Denver gets off to a bad start next season I could see them looking to trade Allen Iverson (heading into the last year of his deal) and maybe start a bit of a rebuilding because they have a sky-high payroll and have yet to win a playoff series with this group. But you don’t trade Melo, you build around him.
–Also, on the Jermaine O’Neal rumors. When Chad Ford wrote it he said he checked it out and it wasn’t true. You never say never, but I don’t see Danny Ferry trading Zydrunas Ilgauskas and I don’t see the Pacers moving O’Neal for a guy in his 30s. How does that make sense for the Pacers. He’s their franchise player, even if he’s been hurt for the last couple of years.

I’ve gotten lots of e-mails over the last week asking me about players the Cavs may want to trade for this offseason. Nobody asked about the draft, which I wrote about in Sunday’s paper. I guess LeBron’s comments at the end of the season are the reason for that. Anyway, let me go over some things to answer some questions I’ve been getting.

A couple of things before we start.

1. The Cavs probably aren’t going to be signing anybody to a significant contract straight up this summer. All they have is their exceptions ($5.5 million mid-level and $1.8 million bi-annual). Neither of those are likely going to attract impact players. Considering the staggering size of their payroll, I don’t expect the Cavs to use all or maybe any of this money.
2. The Cavs have plenty of trade assets, but there are circumstances. Most of them are expiring contracts, especially Wally Szczerbiak’s $13 million Teams who are looking to clear cap space and rebuild want these deals. Not everybody wants to rebuild in the summer, usually that decision happens mid-season. So, in general, expiring contracts tend to become more valuable as the season progresses. That means a major move might well not happen until during next season. Not that it is impossible. Last season the SuperSonics broke down their team and the Celtics cashed in with Ray Allen. The Cavs also have two restricted free agents in Daniel Gibson and Delonte West they could use in sign-and-trades. However, the team likes the both and probably wants to keep them.
3. The season isn’t over yet, the draft hasn’t taken place, and not all coaches or general managers are in place. Which means there’s mostly just speculation at this point and all talk of roster movement would be by definition premature. From the Cavs perspective, I don’t even believe their coaches and front office have made certain decisions yet. So anything about the Cavs would be total conjecture. But I am paid to do it, so I will. As I did in Sunday’s story.

Ok, now…

–People are asking me a lot about Elton Brand, there is apparently some rumor that the Cavs want him. Well of course the Cavs would want him, so would almost every team in the league. He is going into the final year of his contract, which he has an option to terminate. But since he is coming off an Achilles tear nobody is 100 percent sure he will do that. Either way, the only way the Cavs would be able to get him is in a trade (straight up or in an sign-and-trade). The Clippers don’t like spending money, but they wouldn’t trade Brand just to clear cap space. He’s their franchise player right now and Corey Maggette may be leaving them soon. At this moment, I don’t think it is possible.
–Lots have e-mailed about Michael Redd. The Bucks have a new coach and a new general manager and may be looking to move numerous players as they look to rebuild. In time, this could be a legitimate scenario. The Bucks have not prospered with Redd as their centerpiece and his maximum contract ties them up. However, this is not the same Redd from three years ago. He’s suffered a knee injury since, his shooting percentage has dropped two straight seasons (he only shot 36 percent on 3s this year) and he’s coming off his lowest scoring average in four seasons. Now, he is a highly skilled shooter who has experience playing with LeBron on Team USA. We’ll have to see how things develop and what the Bucks do with the No. 8 overall pick.
–Baron Davis. Several have raised this one to me. Baron is another player who has an opt out in his contract that no one is sure he will use. The Warriors are at a bit of a crossroads, they have numerous free agents to deal with. It appears Davis wants an extension and probably a massive one and the Bay Area media has reported early talks have not gone well. So it makes sense that his name would be floated in rumors. No one has told me the Cavs would have interest and it is questionable as to whether his style would mesh with LeBron because he is a shoot first guard. But it is a situation that could be worth watching.
–Andre Iguodala, Ben Gordon, Emeka Okafor (I’ve gotten questions on all) or any other restricted free agent from the draft class of 2004. The Cavs do not have cap space required to give out an offer sheet that would scare anyone. As for sign-and-trades, the Cavs don’t have the young talent that would make such a deal possible. Teams don’t want to give up their young stars, just as the Cavs wouldn’t.

I’ll have more as things develop and more about the season as a little more time passes. People still aren’t talking much.