Oh this could end up being a long season.
Everything looked like sunshine and roses tonight at the Q at haltime, when the Cavaliers enjoyed a 67-53 lead built on 59% shooting. A 2-1 record after three games looked like a pretty safe bet.
Then, for the second night in a row, the Cavs were undone by a poor third quarter.
Sacramento, after storming back and taking the lead after three on the strength of a 31-15 quarter, fended off the Cavaliers in the final minute with expedient fouling, and made just enough of their own free throws to hold off Cleveland 107-104 as Daniel Gibson's mid-court heave missed at the end -- a crushing loss for a team trying to find an identity.
A full recap will no doubt come later tonight or early tomorrow. For now, suffice it to say that -- if the Cavaliers do not figure out a way to come out of the locker room after intermission and hold their own in the third quarters of these games -- this could get ugly fast. A 34-point first quarter, a 33-point second quarter -- and then a 37-point second half?
Yes, this one hurt.