As I sat watching the Cleveland Cavaliers look like a CYO basketball team last night, something else struck me - the fans - or more appropriately, their expectations and behavior.

I sometimes wonder what state of reality Cavaliers fans live.  Judging by comments from other posts on this blog, it's a state of denial.  Let me start off by saying that right now the Cavs are a good - not great - young team.   But from the reactions of some fans you'd expect them to be contending for the NBA Championship series this year.   Ummm…hold on…it's reality check time.

Former Cavs guard gave a sobering assessment of this year's team when someone asked him how the 1992-93 Cavs that went to the Eastern Conference Finals would do against this one.  He said that other than LeBron James, his team would hold an advantage over this incarnation of the Cavaliers.  Sounds about right to me.

To anyone who thought LeBron James and his teammates would steamroll the Nets think again.  This is a team that features three front line players in Jason Kidd, Richard Jefferson and Vince Carter all of whom could be all-stars.  From the start this was going to be a tough one, but from the grumblings of Cavs fans you'd think the opposite were true. 

 You could feel and hear it last night at Quicken Loans Arena in the boos directed the team's way, most of which were deserved because the team played dismally.  Considering the "quality" of the basketball they played, refunds could have been in order.

But one aspect of fan behavior last night that proved troubling to me was the reaction to a hard foul that Sasha Pavlovic laid on Mikki Moore in the early going of the game.  There is this misconception that basketball isn't a physical sport.  This black-and-blue series that the Cavs and Nets are currently playing should debunk that myth.  However, when Pavlovic laid Moore out, it was completely unnecessary for the the crowd to behave like beer-drenched cretins.

No, Northeast Ohio, right now you don't have a championship caliber basketball team, but, to be quite honest, I'm not sure you deserve one.

I was sitting in the press area at Quicken Loans Arena Sunday, I looked up and suddenly realized that Larry Hughes had dropped 27 points on the Washington Wizards.  Normally that would be LeBron James, but this afternoon, Hughes was on display.  Maybe that $2 million bonus he got for the team's 49th win put a little pep in his step.  Or, perhaps, there's something else.

In his second season with the Cavs, Hughes suffered through an injury plagued first season and the tragic death of his brother.  There exists some validity to the argument that he never got into any kind of playoff groove last season because of that.  If his performance today is any indication of what the playoffs could be, then Cavs fans will be saying "Welcome, Larry." 

Since being moved to the point guard position, Hughes and LeBron James have played in harmony - certainly a little out of tune on occasion - but for the most part it seemed as if they are on the same page.

Dare we think that Hughes might be LBJ's Scottie Pippen?  No one is likely to go that far, but if Hughes can continue the consistent play, the Eastern Conference Finals are certainly attainable.

Last week LeBron James made the statement that he was getting ready for the playoffs when asked about his production in recent games.

Apparently one statement has never been so true - at least after tonight.  I purposely held off judgment on LBJ and crew until after this particular game.  This game is a benchmark for the second half of the season.  It showed Cavs fans a number of things.

Including:

LeBron James has a switch that shifts to "on" after the All-Star Break.  I'm not suggesting that James has been dogging it for much of the season, but you cannot deny that there's a certain intensity that you see in his eyes that was lacking for much of the season.  Read tonight's stat sheet and you'll find 41 points. Just as importantly, however, look at the intensity in his eyes and in those of his teammates.  That was lacking for much of the season.

Will that guide the Cavaliers deep into the playoffs?  No one knows, but I certainly like what I see of this version of the team than I do the one who played from the beginning of the season until mid-February.

I don't know whether he was slacking or pacing himself, but LeBron James has found a second wind and is ready to lift the Cleveland Cavaliers on his back and carry them into the playoffs.

Consider tonight that LBJ tallied more than 29 points for the eighth game in a row when he dropped 32 on the Houston Rockets.  The difference in his game has been noticeable since just before the All-Star break.  While he settled for jump shots much of the time then, he's being more aggressive going to the hoop more now, yet his the jump shot is still working.  When he's able to drive and hit the J, he's unguardable.  What continues to be troublesome, however, is the inability to hit free throw shots. 

Also give some much deserved respect to Larry Hughes, the man brought in to be James' Scottie Pippen.  So far - primarily due to injuries - Hughes has been missing in action.  Apparently not anymore because as go  James, so goes Larry.  And Hughes knocked down 22 points Monday night.

It's tempting to think what could be if James and Hughes, along with help from Andy Varejao, Zadrunas Ilgauskas, Sasha Pavlovic and a benched bolstered by two rookies - Daniel Gibson (though currently injured) and an energized Shannon Brown.   But I'll wait, thanks.  There are six weeks left in the NBA - an eternity and the Cavs' current surge of energy could dissipate as quickly as it arrived.