Having a fourteen-point halftime lead last night was nice enough, but to have scored 67 first-half points to get that lead was even better. It was that kind of effort that could give one hope that maybe -- just maybe -- the Cavs would be able to compete this year, that maybe they had just had a "hangover" game against the Raptors on Friday and that they would be able to thump a team like Sacramento when their focus was on the game from the start.
I will not repeat ad nauseum that I am not able to see the Cavs play live. Thus I obviously miss out on a lot of in-game momentum shifts, on questionable calls, or shots that go in and out; I miss out on bad ball-handling decisions, questionable substitutions when someone is hot, leaving someone in when they are obviously cold -- you get the idea, it is not easy to write with knowledge about something you can only read about.
But I can see the numbers and follow the games online on Yahoo and watch as a big lead is frittered away. There is no disguising that. And frittering away a big lead and only managing 37 points in an entire half after coming out so hot in the first half -- that I could see as well, could see and feel my stomach sink a little in contemplation of another 79 games in this season.
For the full story of last night's loss to the Kings, please take a look at SB Nation's fine recap.