Cleveland Cavaliers 107, Phoenix Suns 90

That the Suns lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers Wednesday night, or even that they lost badly should come as no surprise. All the signs were present: 2^nd game of a back-to-back (where the Suns are 3-3), on the road versus a contending team (where the Suns are 1-3), and a highly-motivated Hall-of-Famer waiting to prove his worth to his old team.

Even beyond those excuses, which account for diddly-squat at the pro level, the Suns coughed up their worst half of basketball this season, managing only 29 points (on their lowest shooting percentage since 2002) while yielding 57 points, many uncontested lay-ups.

The Cavaliers took the lead after their second field goal, and never looked back, at one point commanding a thirty point advantage.

Lebron James and Shaquille O’Neal had pedestrian numbers, but it hardly mattered, because for the first half the Suns were beating themselves. What they lacked in defensive intensity they compounded with errant jump-shots and ill-advised passes. You would think the previous night had exhausted them – even though it was largely a lay-up drill for the New York Knicks.

The second half went better – how could it not? In the 3^rd quarter the Suns played even with the third-place Cavaliers. They forced a few stops, grabbed a few rebounds, and started to find some narrow seams in the tight Cleveland defense. Even so, they were still down by 21 at the start of the fourth quarter.

In the final quarter, in what should have been the depths of garbage time, Goran Dragic and Channing Frye led a comeback of sorts, slowly working their way back to within 12 points. King James had to take off his warm-ups with 4 minutes left in what should have been a done deal. But Cavs point man Mo Williams put the game indisputably out of reach by sinking a three pointer with 2:06 left in the game, ending a 12-4 run by the Suns.

Some other observations:

• Live by the three / die by the three. While the Suns shot better than their 23% average from 3 point-land vs Knicks, their final mark of  10-23 (43.5%) is still below par, and is padded by Frye finding the range in the fourth quarter.
• Rebound – or else! The Suns spotted both the Knicks and the Cavs ten rebounds. Their 41 rebounds tonight was also ten below their season average.
• The Cavaliers had good results from switching on the Suns’ pick-and-roll.
• The Suns were beat from all corners. Seven Cavaliers scored in double figures. None scored more than 14.
• Lebron James finished just shy of a triple double: 12 points, 10 assists, 8 rebounds.
• Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas set the franchise record for most games played as a Cavalier, and was also the team high scorer with 14.
• Shaq had a good game in limited minutes (12 points, 8 rebounds in just over 20 minutes). More importantly, he provided the one element he provides without equal – brute force in the paint. As much as we have jeered The Big Obstacle, the Cavs have won 10 of their last 12 with and without  Shaq. For the record, neither the Suns nor O’Neal blame each other for the failures of last season, though O’Neal contends that with the coaching change and Stoudemire’s injury, last year’s Suns weren’t given a chance to shine.

“I’ve been in the league 17 years,” Shaq told the East Valley Tribune. “My way has been proven.”