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Point guard Williams eager to show offense to fans at opener tonight
By George M. Thomas
Beacon Journal sports writer
Published on Thursday, Oct 30, 2008
INDEPENDENCE: After watching the Boston Celtics raise their championship banner and receive their rings, the Cavaliers (0-1) are looking forward to home, even if it's a one-game stay before heading out on the road again.
The mangy Charlotte Bobcats, a team that endured an 0-8 preseason, arrive for the Cavs' home opener tonight and the Bobcats' first game of the year. They sport a new coach in the much-traveled Larry Brown, who has won a championship at the collegiate and professional levels.
Zydrunas Ilgauskas said that's reason enough for the Cavs not to treat the Bobcats like harmless kittens. Still, Cleveland will be looking to correct mistakes that it made in the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston in a 90-85 loss to the Celtics.
''We approach it like it's our last game of the season, like it's a game we need to get into the playoffs,'' forward LeBron James said.
More importantly, the Cavs need to continue to get point guard Mo Williams comfortable with the offense. He gave the team 12 points Tuesday night against the Celtics, and said he is eager to get in front of the home fans.
''I'm excited. I'm excited. You feel the electricity that Boston had with their fans. I'm just looking forward to [tonight] with our fans, because their fans really got the gym rocking,'' Williams said. ''To go in a hostile environment like that and play well, especially for the first 24 minutes like we did, that says a lot about our team.''
The Cavs sport a 13-25 record in home openers.
James said the game represents a chance for the fans to get a look at a team whose makeup has changed drastically from the group that began the season last year. Williams agreed, but said that it's more important for him to get used to running the offense.
''Basically myself, being new, learning the offense, we're still feeling each other out,'' he said. ''At times on offense. we're looking like we're searching, and it hurt us at times, because we didn't get good shots [against Boston].''
How long will it take for Williams to have a handle on his teammates?
''I don't think it will be long. I don't think it will be long at all. You've got 81 games left in the season, playoffs, etc,'' he said. ''It's not the time to get bent out of shape. It's good that we played Boston the first game. They give you a real test in things you have to get better in and things that you have to tighten up in a lot of different areas.''
Cavs coach Mike Brown agreed. ''We look at this as a journey,'' he said. ''We don't look at it as one game is going to determine everything or two games or anything like that.''
Tick, tock
Steve Kroft of 60 Minutes took a break from covering Iraq to film a segment with James.
The Cavs' superstar considered it another day in his life, much like helping to host a Jay-Z concert to get out the vote Tuesday.
For Mike Brown, it was a different story. He is not even a casual viewer of the CBS newsmagazine, and reporters at the team facility had to tell him that when the show's cameras rolled, there usually was something bad happening.
''Now I'm concerned. People telling me 60 Minutes is here,'' Brown joked. ''They're with Danny [Ferry].''
CBS did not comment on an air date for the segment.
That was blunt
James had the pleasure of playing for Bobcats coach Larry Brown during the 2004 Olympics on the team that came home with only the bronze medal. At the time, there were reports of tension between the two over playing time.
James did little to quash that.
When asked what he learned from Brown, he replied quickly: ''Nothing.''
''Nothing?'' a reporter asked.
''No,'' he said, then jogged away while screaming playfully.
Quick shots
The Cavaliers will have to adjust to pachyderms in their parking spaces. The circus is in town, causing the team to make some adjustments. . . . Brown plans to continue with a 10-man rotation during the early part of the season. . . . AT&T's Uverse service will have Cavs' games in high definition. Beginning Monday, the video service will have both FSN Ohio and STO available in HD.
George M. Thomas can be reached at sportswriterabj@sbcglobal.net. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/.
INDEPENDENCE: After watching the Boston Celtics raise their championship banner and receive their rings, the Cavaliers (0-1) are looking forward to home, even if it's a one-game stay before heading out on the road again.
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