Basketball Diaries - October 28, 2010

For their careers, the Cavaliers point guard trio of Ramon Sessions, Boobie Gibson and Mo Williams has shot a combined .800 from the free throw stripe.

I’ve always wanted to write a diary, but I don’t usually have the patience or persistence for it. But now that I have an obligation to Cavs.com, I’m looking forward to checking in regularly. If Wednesday’s win was indication, this just might be one of those wild seasons. I hope you stick with me.

Wednesday’s 95-87 win over the Celtics was one of the best regular season victories of the last three or four years. It was beyond a playoff atmosphere. Actually, there have been playoff crowds over the past couple years that weren’t that amped. The last time I can remember enjoying a regular season home game at The Q was a January 22 game against Washington.

The Cavaliers had just made the huge deal for Delonte West, Wally Szczerbiak, Joe Smith and Ben Wallace. It was a snowy Friday night and none of the new Cavaliers had taken their physicals. Cleveland had only eight players – including two NBDL call-ups – and rallied to beat Washington, 90-89.

I realize that game doesn’t mean everything. But this year, every game means something.

After Thursday’s practice, Anthony Parker talked about his three-point with 2:27 to play – with one second remaining on the 24-second clock – that gave Cleveland a five-point edge. Doc Rivers quipped that it was the longest one second in NBA history. (To which Byron Scott replied: "We're at home. It's supposed to be a long second.")

“Seeing it on film, everyone says it was a long second; I didn’t think it was that long,” said Parker. “There was no dribble, really no extra movement. I located Rondo and shot it.”

After everyone filed off the floor at Cleveland Clinic Courts on Thursday, Mo Williams stayed behind and shot with a couple Cavaliers player development guys – Coach Scott’s son, Thomas, and Jordi Fernandez.

Coach Scott said Mo is questionable for Friday’s matchup in Toronto. He’ll see how Williams feels in the morning.

For what it’s worth, the new-look Cavaliers are much more punctual. The Cavaliers travel schedule, for example, is more rigid than it’s been in the past. Cleveland’s charter to Toronto was leaving at 2:30 p.m. and, according to staff that have traveled so far – (I haven’t yet) – 2:30 means 2:30.

That might seem petty to some, but with a young team and a coach trying to establish himself as the unequivocal leader, structure and deadlines like these go a long way.

[Insert question/answer here...]

Anderson Varejao started at center in last night’s opener. Shaq was last year’s opening night center and Zydrunas Ilgauskas started the previous six. Who was the Cavaliers’ starting center in the 2002-03 opener?

Joe Gabriele is the official beat writer for the Cleveland Cavaliers on Cavs.com. You can follow Joe and send him your questions on Twitter at @CavsJoeG.