Game #3 - Cleveland Cavaliers at Minnesota Timberwolves

by John Bena (aka CavsBlogger) on Oct 30, 2009 6:52 PM CDT in 2009 Game Day Thread

Cleveland Cavaliers at Minnesota Timberwolves, Oct 30, 2009 7:00 PM CDT

2009/2010 NBA Regular Season
	VS
1-0		0-2
October 30th, 2009
Target Center, Minneapolis, MN
8:00 PM
Radio - WTAM 1100 / TV - FSOhio HD
Probable starters:
Jonny Flynn	PG	Mo Williams
Ronnie Brewer	SG	Anthony Parker
Damien Wilkins	SF	LeBron James
Ryan Gomes	PF	Anderson Varejao
Al Jefferson	C	Shaquille O'Neal

Here's hoping the 3rd time is a charm. The Cavaliers travel to Minnesota having lost their first two games of the season for the first time since 2004-05. On paper, this is a game the Cavaliers should win. The Wine and Gold are still a work in progress, however, so nothing is a given. ONly hard word and maximum effort by everyone in that locker room is going to get the Cavaliers out of this....

Tonight I think they do.

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Some more Game Notes after the Jump -- >

The Cavaliers will finish their first road trip of the season tonight against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The team holds a seven-game overall winning streak against Minnesota, including a two-game series sweep last season and the last four games playedat the Target Center. This overall streak is the tied with Memphis as the team's longest active winning streak against anyopponent. The road winning streak is tied for second with Sacramento for the team's longest road streak, trailing onlyPhiladelphia at five games. Last season's two wins against the Wolves was by an average margin of 22.5 points.
Last season's 93-70 win at Minnesota, LeBron James scored 32 points to go along with six rebounds, three assists, two blocks andtwo steals and Anderson Varejao tallied a double-double with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Through two games, LeBron James has scored 61 points, which matches his career-best from the 2006-07 season. With 27 pointstonight, he would set a new mark of 88 points scored through the first three games of a season. He scored 87 in the 2005-06season. (STATS, Inc.)
Despite the loss on Wednesday, the Cavaliers are 12-3 (.800) against Toronto, which the best record of any Eastern Conference teamin the last four years. Only three other teams have a winning record against the Raptors (Detroit, Boston and Chicago). (STATS, Inc.)
Against Toronto, LeBron James recorded his 25th career triple-double (20-5) and his third against the Raptors with 23 points,11 rebounds and 12 assists. James is the first Raptors opponent to have three regular season three-doubles (Nov. 24, 2007 - 37points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists) and (April 20, 2005 - 27 points, 14 rebounds, 14 assists) and two of the three have been inToronto. James' 12 assists are also the most the Raptors have ever given up to one player in a season opener. James has averaged29.2 points per game at Toronto throughout his career (11 games), the most of any player all-time (minimum of two games).(STATS, Inc.)
Against Toronto, four other Cavaliers notched double-figures led by Mo Williams' 16 points in 40 minutes. He also added six rebounds and in two games is averaging 14.0 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists in 37.5 minutes (3rd highest on team).
Shaquille O'Neal chipped in with 12 points and seven rebounds on Wednesday and through two games, is averaging 11.0 points and8.5 rebounds in 29 minutes. O'Neal is second among active players with a career mark of 26.1 ppg (44 games) versusMinnesota, trailing only Allen Iverson at 26.7 ppg (STATS, Inc.)
Anthony Parker, in his return to Toronto, added 12 points and five rebounds, and is averaging 11.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.5assists in two games while playing 39.5 minutes, (2nd highest on team).
On Wednesday, Daniel Gibson led the Cleveland bench with 12 points, three rebounds and three assists. Gibson connected on 4-8(.500) of his three-point attempts. For the season, Gibson is averaging 7.0 points off the bench.
Jamario Moon, in his return to Toronto, added nine points and six rebounds in 19 minutes.