Cavaliers Defeat Wizards in Game One: LeBron James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas Clicking

The country of Lithuania is torn right now.

On one hand, everybody in the basketball hut of Europe wants Z to raise that trophy above his bald head.

On the other hand, they all want him to lose the series so that he can rest up and join the National Team for the first time in his too-long-for-his-aching-feet career.

I mean, the guy is not getting any younger. This might be the last chance for him to participate in the Olympics, let alone play alongside his countrymen. One of them is his best friend, Sarunas Jasikevicius (ex. Pacer and Warrior, a.k.a. the Golden Boy of Europe).

But let us not be egoistic. Z needs the NBA title and he deserves it.

As does LeBron.  For different reasons, though.

The season that he is having right now, re-writing the record books of the Cavaliers franchise, must end in a title. Period. Sorry Kobe fans and CP3-fans. Mr. LBJ is the MVP this year.

Why? Don't tell me you went outside for a walk in the sun on Saturday afternoon to enjoy the mid-April weather. You probably missed, in my mind, one of the most exciting games of basketball over the last few months (Jayhawk-Tiger extravaganza probably tops it by a little bit.)

The Cavs took it this time. It looked like they wanted it more, even though the execution was slightly off. (25 percent from three-point range? Wally, where art thou?) It’s okay, first games ain’t easy.

LeBron was held to four points in the first quarter, but please do remind me who is leading the NBA in the fourth quarter points?

Mr. Hibachi? Not quite. He may be leading the NBA in the number of self-absorbed blog entries, but not the fourth quarter points.

Agent Zero looked a little out of sync with his team in the last minutes of the game, making three desperately selfish plays that allowed the Cavs to get the W and make him sort of a laughingstock.

No, Gilbert is not clutch. LeBron is. With a 32-point, six-rebound, four-assist performance, he dominated the field on both sides of the court (“Overrated”? DeShawn, you are overrated.)

Add Z’s 22 points and 11 rebounds, and we have a pretty nicely clicking duo. Did I mention Delonte looking mature over there and Anderson hustling his behind off on the court?

All of that adds up to a pretty bitter experience for the Wizzies visiting Ohio. Hopefully Caron Butler’s birthday party had been more fun for the team. I hear it was good. Gilbert, please write more about it.

More to follow. Thanks for reading!