Final Dime: Cavaliers 104, Timberwolves 87

Anderson Varejao doubled-up in Friday night's win in Minnesota. Glenn James NBAE/Getty Images

The young Timberwolves were just what the doctor ordered for a new-look Cavaliers team that had dropped their first two ballgames before rolling into the Twin Cities and handing Kurt Rambis’ squad a 104-87 drubbing.

“We still know that we can increase our effort level,” said Mike Brown. “It was good enough to get a win on the road against a young team that plays hard. We just have to keep trying to get it as close to 48 minutes as possible.”

LeBron set the tone by halftime, torching the trifecta of Damien Wilkens, Corey Brewer and even Sasha Pavlovic – leading everyone with 18 points. James only netted six more points, all in the third quarter, but it was all Cleveland would need to sink the T-Wolves.

“I came into tonight really determined and focused on the game and task at hand, and did whatever it took to help us get a win,” asserted James.

The Cavaliers showed some of the best ball movement of the young season, highlighted by a first-half possession that saw them pass the ball no less than six times before finding a wide-open Mo Williams, who buried a trey from the right corner to put Cleveland up four.

Cleveland shot 47 percent as a team – including 56 percent from long-distance – with Mo, LeBron and Boobie Gibson combining to go 9-for-15 from beyond the arc.

LeBron finished with a game-high 24 points to go with nine boards, six assists and a block. Mo Williams followed up with 20 points and Anderson Varejao doubled-up with 13 points and 11 rebounds.

“We’re trying to get this thing gelling, moving in the right direction,” added Williams. “I’m trying to be more assertive, more aggressive. I made a concerted effort myself today to be more aggressive.”

Cleveland’s bench, which had been thoroughly outplayed in the first two losses, came up big on Friday night, with Gibson netting 14 points and Zydrunas Ilgauskas adding 15 and five rebounds.

The scrappy T-Wolves clawed into a tie early in the second quarter, but the longest-tenured Cavaliers – LeBron and Z – keyed a 22-9 run that put Cleveland comfortably in the driver’s seat by halftime.

The Cavaliers will look to even their record on Saturday night when they complete their opening four-game stretch of the season against Larry Brown’s Charlotte Bobcats at The Q.

2. Cleveland has now won eight straight over the Timberwolves. The last time Minnesota topped the Cavaliers was an 89-85 squeaker at The Q on November 26, 2005. The eight-game run is their longest run against any opponent. (They’ve topped Memphis seven straight.)

3. The last time the Cavaliers started 0-2 was in 2004-05. The previous season – LeBron’s first – the Wine and Gold dropped their first four.

4. Sasha Pavlovic – looking lean and donning No. 11 – seems like he’ll get some good run with the young Wolves. “He’s been doing very well,” praised Coach Kurt Rambis. “There have been moments in ballgames where he’s been very good for us. I’m challenging him to play defense better than he ever has in his life.”

5. LBJ has averaged 29.8 ppg in 11 games against the Wolves, including 33.7 over the last six games.

6. Several Viking were on hand for Friday night’s affair, including Sidney Rice, Pat Williams and Chester Taylor. Adrian Peterson, who was on hand last time the Cavaliers visited, was not seen. But a Minnesota reporter still asked LeBron whether he could beat A.P. in a footrace. Without hesitation, LeBron replied: “In the 40 or 100?”

7. After scoring 24 more points on Friday night, LeBron now has his highest three-game point total to start the season with 85.

8. Minnesota forward Big Al Jefferson dropped 30 pounds between his rehab and the start of this season. Before Friday’s game – with a date against Shaq in the post – he remarked that he wishes he had “those 30 pounds back, just for tonight.”

9. In their home opener, impressive T-Wolves rookie, Jonny Flynn notched the second-best debut in franchise history with 18 points. Minnesota’s record-holder in that category is still a fresh-faced Donyell Marshall, who dropped 26 on the Nuggets as a freshman from UConn.

10. The Cavaliers starting guard combination of Anthony Parker and Mo Williams committed just a single turnover in over 68 minutes of combined floor time.