After 16 games, the Cavs are off to their best start in franchise history. They lead the Central Division, boast the league's third-leading scorer and are shooting the third-best collective shooting percentage in the league, while holding opponents to the second-lowest shooting percentage. The team has twice eclipsed 50 wins in recent history, and there's no reason it shouldn't shatter that mark this season.
Three other championship-caliber teams, the Boston Celtics, New Orleans Hornets and Detroit Pistons, delivered their three losses. The Cavaliers held a lead during all of those games, showing they can compete with the best. Meanwhile, they've been soundly handling teams they are supposed to — an Achilles heel of the past and cause for lower playoff seeding.
"We were still figuring things out when we lost to Boston and New Orleans early in the year," coach Mike Brown told the Plain Dealer, "but now, we're putting it together. I can coach a little bit when I get better offensive players."
There's no doubt Brown has a few of those in his arsenal. Small forward LeBron James astounds crowds and critics on a nightly basis, while Mo Williams and Zydrunas Ilgauskas are both averaging 15 points per game. Daniel Gibson and Wally Szczerbiak are combining for more than 16 points off the bench, while Ben Wallace and Anderson Varejao continue harrassing post players and rebounding effectively.
LeBron and the Cavs
Ever since James emerged from St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in 2003, the Cavs have fought the stigma that they're a one-man show. In most seasons, that criticism was fair, with the numbers proving it. In 2008, though, Cleveland's organization appears to have surrounded James with pieces that should enable him to get back to the NBA Finals with a realistic shot at winning it all.
Gone are inept shot-chuckers Damon Jones and Donyell Marshall and ballstopper Larry Hughes, whose massive contract threatened to disable the franchise for at least another year had he not been traded. Now, the Cavs have players capable of running Brown's offense, who are not content watching James go one-on-five.
Delonte West has hit open looks and drained the big shot when called upon. He's shooting nearly 52 percent from the field, a figure he never reached in his previous five years as a pro. He's certainly undersized as a shooting guard, but he's met the challenge of locking down longer, more talented opponents. Stephen Jackson of the Golden State Warriors was visibly vexed facing West during several moments of Friday's 112-97 victory.
Ben Wallace has played with a renewed youth few expected him to find. He's recorded several double-digit rebounding efforts and averages two blocks per game. He swatted three balls in a row during the Golden State game. Earlier this year, he bothered Dirk Nowitzki into a 3-11 shooting night and held Kevin Garnett to 11 points on 5-15 shooting on opening night.
Are the Cavaliers for Real?
The season is very young, but the Cavs are clicking on all cylinders. Players should also be credited with not letting talk about James' 2010 free agency decision steer them off course. Their unquestioned leader was bombarded by media types twice in a week during visits to New Jersey and New York. Still, they beat both of those teams in a convincing fashion.
Cleveland must still prove they can beat Boston at home and give better effort against the Pistons when they face off again this year. But the Cavs' grit, focus on offense, and elimination of third-quarter lulls must be encouraging for hungry fans living in a champion-deprived city.
