Opening night in the NBA.  First game of the season on TNT – because “they know drama”.  The location is none other than the Quicken Loans Arena – AKA “The Q”.  Home of the Cleveland Cavaliers and their 39-2 home record last season.  Home of new Cavalier and 4-time NBA champion Shaquille O’Neal.  Home of 2008-2009 NBA MVP LeBron James.

The stage was set for a grand opening for the Cavs in their opener against their rivals, the Boston Celtics.  But a funny thing happened on that grand stage…the Cavs flamed out.

For Cleveland, its Cavaliers are a big deal.  They’ve sat through a rebuilding baseball season, which ended with the Indians hiring a head coach that came from a team that lost over 100 games this year.  And the town is in the midst of enduring what could be the worst football campaign that the Browns have ever put together.

In their 95-89 loss on Tuesday night, Cleveland looked much like they did when we last saw them (in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Orlando Magic) – a one-man team.  LeBron James put up 38 points, 8 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals…he even bagged four triples.  What about his new sidekick, Shaq?  Well, he looked pedestrian with a mere 10 points and 10 rebounds.

LeBron and Shaq have lacked chemistry in their first two regular season games.

No problem, right?  I’m sure the Cavs thought they’d just reload and get ready for Wednesday night’s game in Toronto.  Wrong.  Cleveland marched into the Air Canada Center and gave a lackluster first-half effort which led to a 101-91 defeat to the Raptors.  Again, James put up his stellar stat line which included a triple-double (23 points, 11 rebounds, 12 assists).  And while the Cavs finished with five players scoring in double figures, there was very little flow to their offense.

The Cavs will get a night off before heading into Minnesota, which is about as much of an automatic win as you can ask for in the NBA.  And while the Celtics game was billed as a tough showdown between two of the Eastern Conference’s front runners, no one really expected Cleveland to be down 0-2 going into the game against the Timberwolves.

But what’s been even more surprising than the record, has been the Cavs’ unspectacular play.  They haven’t looked sharp.  A couple of their new additions – Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon – haven’t looked like players who are going to be difference-makers.  And Shaq needs to warm up in a hurry if Cleveland doesn’t want LeBron to lose his legs before the postseason.

After a much hyped offseason of “roster improvements,” the time is now for them to begin paying dividends.  If not, the stage may be set once again.

For a departure by LeBron James.

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