One Goal 10': The Cleveland Cavaliers Preview

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All for One, One For All: 2009-2010 Cleveland Cavaliers Season Preview by Adam aka Cleveland's Finest

Team Profile:
08-09 Record: 66-16 (Finished 1st in Central Division)
Head Coach: Mike Brown
General Manager: Danny Ferry
Arena: Quicken Loans Arena

I. A season to remember….and to forget

Coming off of a second round elimination, the Cavs went into the 2008-09 season with the acquisition of Mo Williams. To say that might’ve been the best move of the season, as the Cavs went on to win twenty one more games that season that the year before, is understandable in the least. Winning the East, clinching home court advantage fully in the playoffs, and having a league best 39-2 record at home were certainly not expected by Cavs fans. At most, maybe a second seed at best and a win total amounting in the mid 50’s at best would be a successful regular season.

Mo Williams, however, turned to be the point guard the Cavs never had in the LeBron James era. He was the player that Larry Hughes was supposed to be. He knocked down shots, made plays, and could keep the Cavs in the game when the King was not on the floor. Mo proved successful as the Cavs outscored their opponents when LeBron was on the bench. For the first time, the Cavs had two options.

As the season game to a close, fans speculated that this was “The Year”. Never had the Cavs looked so dominant in the LeBron era. From the “One Goal” moniker to LeBron James MVP season to Coach Mike Brown’s Head Coach of the Year award to even Joe Smith’s playoff song, the Cavs seemed destined in a sense to win the first title for the city of Cleveland in over almost fifty years. The Cavs success against the elite was somewhat downplayed at the time. With a 3-6 against the next best three teams, Orlando, Los Angeles, and Boston, it would only be a matter of time before the Cavs felt the backlash from the other contending teams.

Key 08-09 Season Team Stats
-> 1st in opponents points per game (91.4 ppg)
-> 1st in point differential (+ 8.9 points)
-> 1st in winning percentage when scoring 100 plus points (.950)

The playoffs began. This was the year and this was the moment in which Cleveland would win a championship. It couldn’t begin any better than it did. The Cavs swept their first round opponent, the Detroit Pistons. They were hot, sweeping their second round opponent, the Atlanta Hawks, in the second round. Capping off a successful start, the Cavs now paid their attention to the Orlando Magic, a team coming off of a comeback series win in seven games against the Boston Celtics. Game one of the Eastern Conference Finals began. To say the Cavs were prepared was an understatement. Game one began with a 19-6 lead by the Cavs and the Cavs lead by fifteen at the first half. At this point, the Cavs fans were expecting a shutdown second half by the Cavs. And there was no reason to not expect that. After all, this was the best team in the NBA. But this second half wasn’t what the Cavs fans expected. Something happened, and that something influenced the series and put the Cavs in a corner. The Cavs were outscored by sixteen in the second half. Magic forward Rashard Lewis hit a key three pointer to take the lead with seconds left. Sure, the Cavs had the lead in the final minute, but what is the excuse for blowing a lead in such an important game?

Game 2 began. No way could the Cavs lose this or else they’d have to go to Orlando for two games down 0-2 in the series. They blew another first half lead, this time a twelve point lead. The Magic yet again took control and were winning by two with 1 second left. It was time for LeBron James to be a star, and he went to the next level with a three pointer to get the Cavs back in the series with a spectacular win.

The Cavs went to Orlando and fell apart in Game 3, never getting control. Game 4 was a thriller, and the Cavs had the lead with seconds left until Rashard Lewis sent the game into overtime with a three. In overtime the Cavs fell apart yet again in the series. The thing is, they lost both game and were down 3-1. One more loss and they are out.

The Cavs won Game 5 at home after guess what, blowing another lead. Now down 3-2, Cavs fans believed that their superstar could recreate his magic from Game 6 against the Pistons in the 2007 Eastern Conference Finals. To no avail, the Cavs didn’t come within single digits the whole second half and the season ended prematurely with a 4-2 series loss to the Magic. Was this surreal? Weeks ago they had just gotten their sweep against the Hawks and had all the momentum riding. And at the first half of game 1 of the ECF, ev

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