Cavs @ Kings Season Opener Preview Wednesday, 10:30 pm PT Arco Arena, Sacramento California TV: WUAB (Cleveland) ESPN Head Coaches Paul Silas/Rick Adelman Probable Starters Zydrunas Ilgauskas/Vlade Divac* Carlos Boozer/Brad Miller Darius Miles/Peja Stojakovic Ricky Davis/Doug Christie LeBron James/Mike Bibby * Kings center Vlade Divac is a gametime decision due to an ankle sprain he suffered in the pre-season. If Vlade is a no-go, Brad Miller will be moved to center while Tony Massenburg and Darius Songaila will split the PF duties. Injury Lists Cleveland Cavaliers Dajuan Wagner Ira Newble Bruno Sundov Sacramento Kings Chris Webber Lawrence Funderburke Keys To The Game Cleveland - How will LeBron James handle the starting point guard duties when it matters? Can he make that open jump shot consistently? Not that it's no big deal or anything, it is just the most anticipated rookie debut in NBA history. Zydrunas Ilgauskas must get many touches as he can get the Kings into some foul trouble as they already have a thin front line without All-Star Chris Webber and backup Lawrence Funderburke. The Cavs must shoot the basketball well or Sacramento will just dare them to take those open shots. Sacramento - Get Peja involved heavily, it is really that simple. Mike Bibby must drive to the basket and force the Cavaliers to come off of their men so that they can get some open looks. If Vlade plays he must go directly at Big Z and use some of those veteran moves to try and draw some fouls to get their All-Star on the bench.
What happened to Silas saying that he was going to bring James on slowly and at a gentle pace conducive to learning?! James is being thrown to the wolves! Bibby is a great PG and has the ability to make James look silly if James decides to breath at any point. ..and then there are the Sacramento fans...! I?m going to go with the Kings on this one but I can see the Cavs. growing into a team that can beat the kings in the near future.
Still it's quite the place to start your career. Might as well jump in I guess?the water?s not going to get any warmer. Any predictions for the game?
Arco may be too rowdy a place for the Cavs to be able to focus the way they have to so they can win. I'll say Kings 92, Cavs 85 No real reasons for the exact numbers, I just feel that the Kings will edge them even without Webber. The cavs must be perfect to win, so I doubt that will happen.
Should be a good game...Divac might be out also but thats not confirmed...Predictions for Lebron tonight 16 points 6 rebounds 5 assists
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">Should be a good game...Divac might be out also but thats not confirmed...Predictions for Lebron tonight 16 points 6 rebounds 5 assists</div>wow...thats mighty generous. I say the kings win by 15-20. I really hope Lebron plays well. A lot of people will be watching and I would like him to live up to all the hype...if thats even humanly possible.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting Rudeezy:</div><div class="quote_post"> I say the kings win by 15-20</div>Bah, I was only one point off. And, yes, I know the game was closer than the score indicated.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting King James:</div><div class="quote_post">oh, and Rudeezy, I just saw2 more highlights when Bron went around Christie, poor Doug. lol</div>Bron is going to create a lot of mismatches. Fun to watch.
<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">LeBrilliant -- except for the result. LeBron James more than lived up to his hype in the first regular-season game of his NBA career, playing like no other 18-year-old ever had in his professional debut as the Cleveland Cavaliers lost 106-92 Wednesday night to the Sacramento Kings. James had 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals, mesmerizing one of the league's loudest crowds with skills no teenager had ever displayed at this level. "I think that was LeBron's statement to the league that he's here. He's for real," said James' agent, Aaron Goodwin. James' point total was by far the most by any prep-to-pro rookie since Kobe Bryant made the jump in 1996, eclipsing the 10 points scored by both Jonathan Bender of Indiana in his 1999 debut and Amare Stoudemire of Phoenix last year. In fact, James' 25 eclipsed the combined totals of Bryant (no points), Jermaine O'Neal (two), Kwame Brown (two), Eddy Curry (two), Tyson Chandler (one), Kevin Garnett (eight) and Tracy McGrady (none) in their professional debuts. "They've had great careers already," James said. "I'm just going to try to do the best I can." That he did, leading the Cavaliers back from an early 19-point deficit and giving Cleveland its first lead by feeding J.R. Bremer for a 3-pointer that made it 85-83 with 10:05 left in the fourth. That, however, would be James' last assist, and Sacramento regained control with a 6-0 run. The Cavaliers never made a game of it down the stretch, and James capped his night by shooting an airball from 3-point range just before the final buzzer, drawing taunts from the fans. Those taunts, however, were only halfhearted. James had entertained the fans too much to be treated too shabbily. "It was the first I've seen of him, and I was real impressed. He's the real deal," Sacramento center Vlade Divac said. "He's a talent. Look at how he plays. The best thing about him is how he distributes the ball. He does it extremely well," Kings guard Bobby Jackson said. Though the Cavaliers often were uncreative running their halfcourt offense, James made things happen whenever he was moving with the ball -- using his first step to get around defenders and initiate action. He momentarily lost control of his dribble in the third quarter, causing Doug Christie to lunge at him in an attempt for a steal. James deftly recovered and moved quickly into the lane, finding Darius Miles along the baseline for an alley-oop dunk. James' best stretch of the third quarter included a high-arcing bank over Divac on a 1-on-3 break, followed by a left handed finger-roll from 5 feet away in the lane. As impressive as that stretch was, it was equaled by what James did right from the get-go. Just 88 seconds into the game, James earned his first professional assist on an alley-oop pass to Ricky Davis for a dunk. His first shot was a 12-footer from the right corner that swished and was followed by an identical shot from the opposite corner. Next came the jumper of the night, James twisting and releasing a shot simultaneously from a tough angle in the right corner over the outstretched arm of 7-footer Brad Miller. Swish again. "He obviously was good tonight. He's got a lot of talent. He gets to the basket, he sees the floor. For the first game, you had to be impressed," Kings coach Rick Adelman said. James finished the first quarter with a lookaway pass on the fast break for a dunk by Carlos Boozer, along with a dunk of his own following a steal. James had a chance moments later for another breakaway dunk, but he unselfishly underhanded the ball to Davis and let someone else throw down something for the highlight reel. James ended the quarter 6-for-10 from the field with three assists and two rebounds. He was 12-for-20 from the field for the game following a preseason in which he struggled with his shooting touch. "Coach Silas told me not to start too early. I like criticism. It makes you strong," James said. Though James did not attempt a shot in the second quarter, there was a buzz in Arco Arena at halftime -- and it had almost nothing to do with the Kings' exceptional play. "That was Mike-like," one fan said of James' third jumper. "That steal and dunk, I can't believe I had my head down and missed it," one Kings employee bemoaned. There would be more in store for them and for everyone else who watched the second half, and there's no doubt that James will be doing this again in the future. He was worthy of the hype, no question, and the hype won't stop if James plays this way every night.</div> Link
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ObieCent:</div><div class="quote_post">WOW! He did awesome! 25 pts, 9 ast, 6 reb! I think he will be Rookie of the Year</div> Abit early..but Lebron is the early pace setter.although it is only one game so far...I still reckon Melo will get it Melo faced one of the best defenders in the league last night and many others....Lebron faced a good defender in Christie...Lets see what happens tonight.. The battle between Melo and Lebron has started
Who cares who wins ROY, it's gonna be a treat to watch . I think Wade is an outside shot too, but LJ has set the bar first up.
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting allnet:</div><div class="quote_post">Abit early..but Lebron is the early pace setter.although it is only one game so far...I still reckon Melo will get it Melo faced one of the best defenders in the league last night and many others....Lebron faced a good defender in Christie...Lets see what happens tonight.. The battle between Melo and Lebron has started </div> Yeah i guess it is early to predict,but i think it is a 4 person battle for ROY(Bosh,Melo,James, and Wade)
<div class="quote_poster">Quoting ObieCent:</div><div class="quote_post">Yeah i guess it is early to predict,but i think it is a 4 person battle for ROY(Bosh,Melo,James, and Wade)</div> NM Bosh if he's comin off the bench
Its only the first week. Some one could get injured, Bosh could step in and play real well, who knows.
