Cavs-Wizards Bullet Points

• After an abysmal first quarter, the Cavs’ defense ratcheted up to the type of serious suffocation we’ve come to expect from them over the course of the past 3 years or so.  The Wizards scored only 59 points in the final 3 quarters, with only 36 of those coming in the second half.
• Shaq had easily his best game as a Cavalier:  21 points on 7 of 9 shooting (including 7/10 from the line), 8 rebounds, 3 assists, a ferocious block of Mike Miller that was erroneously called a foul, and the first signs of some sustainable passing chemistry—especially with Andy
• Also thanks to Shaq and some inspired play by Andy, for the first time in as long as I can remember, the Wizards’ big men had no answer for us instead of the other way around.
• Though his +/- numbers were very good (+16), Anthony Parker was killing me tonight. 2 of 12 from the field, 1 of 6 from three, 1 assist, and 3 fouls in 28 minutes.  Also, every time he ball fakes and shoots a mid-range fade-away my face now turns the color of an eggplant.
• Parker has replaced Boobie as the bottom rung on my Cavs’ totem pole—a statement that really makes me sort of wish I had an actual totem pole with carvings of all of the players’ faces that I could rearrange in Power Ranking fashion after each game.  Isn’t it amazing I’m single?
• That’s not just a back-handed compliment to Boobie: he played extremely well tonight, though his continued inability to hit a technical free throw baffles me. Still, 5/8 from the field, 4/5 from distance, 2 ast, 1 reb, 1 stl, generally good decision-making when the ball was in his hands, and surprisingly stout perimeter D on Gilbert Arenas puts him in the positive category tonight.
• McLeod mentioned that Danny Ferry told him that Boobie was actually the Cavs’ best perimeter defender. This forced Mike and I into a discussion of whether McLeod had somehow caught Ferry on a bender or a nitrous oxide high.  However, after his play tonight, it’s possible that he’s making real strides, which will make a huge difference in the second unit.
• On the same subject, there was a Jamario Moon sighting tonight too. While he still only played 9 minutes, all at the ends of quarters, this was the first night where he stayed in front of his man with any real success. We’ll see if he can keep it up and start sneaking his way further into the rotation.
• McLeod paraphrased a quote of Gilbert Arenas’s that typified why, to me, he’s never going to be a great player:  he basically admitted that he didn’t want to have to work all that hard in the off-season. He called his time with renowned trainer Tim Grover a “last resort.” 
• For those who missed it, I want to go back to an Austin Carr anecdote from the Bobcats game. When asked by McLeod what his favorite Halloween costume was, AC replied, “Superman, I think. But after a few years, I started just putting something black on my face and grabbing a candy bag and that was it. Heh heh heh heh…”  Classic.
• Also, if you didn’t see it, Orlando got waxed by Detroit tonight. Big up to John Kuester.
• Overall, definitely the Cavs’ best game of the season. They dominated a playoff team that hates them for the final three quarters and made it look for the first time like the offseason moves could pay dividends. Yeeeessssss.

-T