Cavs use franchise-best start to overwhelm Clippers

By Sam Amico, For NBA.com
Posted Sunday January 31, 2010 10:05PM

CLEVELAND -- Anyone who remembers the old American Basketball Association would have appreciated Cleveland's 114-89 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Sunday.

That was especially the case in the first quarter, when the only things missing were disco music, bell-bottom pants and a red, white and blue ball.

After all, the Cavs turned the first 12 minutes at Quicken Loans Arena into the type of 3-point party that has rarely been experienced since the ABA brought us the shot back in the 1970s.

Consider:

* In the first quarter, the Cavs tied an NBA record for threes in a period with 11. And we're not talking about just any old threes here, folks. We're talking about ones that came from deep along the baseline, ones with defenders in their face, and in the case of LeBron James, ones from near mid-court where you could only shake your head and continued to be amazed.

* Just as remarkable is the fact the Cavs missed just two of those threes for a sizzling 84.6 percent. For the quarter, James was 5-for-6, guard Daniel Gibson was 2-for-2 and reserve forward Jamario Moon was 2-for-3.

* James finished 8-for-9 shooting for 23 points in the first. Yes, that was just the first quarter. And in the event you thought the king of Cleveland basketball didn't hold enough records, those 23 points were the most ever by a Cavalier in one quarter.

* By the end of the first, the Cavs held a 46-20 lead on 76 percent shooting. The 46 points tied a franchise record, and kickstarted the Cavs (38-11) to a season-high eighth straight win.

James, who finished with game-highs of 32 points and 11 assists, said the first quarter was all about being in a groove.

"Everything you put up felt like it was going in," he said. "It's a great feeling to be in a zone like that on the basketball court."

Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy offered another view -- although not necessarily one that anyone actually wants to see.

"I've got money that you could put them alone naked in a gym and they couldn't make 11 of 13 (threes) from the same spots that they were making them in the game," Dunleavy said.

That's not to say Dunleavy wasn't impressed. He was just stating that sometimes, things simply do not go your way, regardless of how well you might defend.

"Thirty years of being in the NBA, and I haven't seen a team shoot and make shots like they hit (in the first quarter)," he said.

And having to face that type of shooting was about the last thing the Clippers (20-27) needed, considering they entered the game riding a three-game losing streak and were playing their second straight without injured starting center Chris Kaman (ankle).

The Clippers are now 0-6 without Kaman.

Not to be lost in all this talk of perimeter shooting was the inside play of Cavs center Shaquille O'Neal, who gave one of his more efficient performances of the season. O'Neal finished with 16 points (on 7-for-12 shooting), 12 rebounds and passed for three assists. His presence in the low post was also a big help when it came to opening up shots for his teammates.

Among the beneficiaries were Gibson (14 points), and Moon and forward Jawad Williams (12 apiece).

"The big thing is, we were taking good shots," Williams said. "LeBron got it going first, and it was just contagious after that."

For the Cavs, the news keeps getting better, as they still have six games left on their longest homestand in 15 years. Also, guard Delonte West (broken finger) could return as soon as Tuesday, when Memphis rolls into town.

"This is probably one of the best months we've had since I've been here," James said. "We have guys that want to work, we have guys that want to win, and we have guys that show up every day to get better. We know every game is different, and the opponent is going to be different. But the one thing we control is how we play."

Baron Davis led the Clippers with a fine night of his own, scoring 30 points and passing for seven assists. Meanwhile, usually steady second-year guard Eric Gordon struggled, finishing with 12 points on 5-for-16 shooting.

The Clippers have two games remaining on their seven-game trip through the East and Midwest.

"There's some frustration brewing, but one thing I want to do is talk guys out of it and keep them motivated," Davis said. "That's my role on this team, to keep everybody happy and keep them encouraged."

• Clippers: Griffin, Kaman, Telfair
• Cavaliers: Powe, West, Williams

• Clippers: --
• Cavaliers: --

• Lead Changes: 0
• Times Tied: 2

• Arena: Quicken Loans Arena, Cleveland, OH
• Officials: #10 Ron Garretson, #52 Pat Fraher, #68 Marat Kogut
• Attendance: 20562
• Duration: 2:13