CLEVELAND -- Random dribbles from the host Cavaliers' 113-87 walloping of the Washington Wizards:
1. This was more like it. Actually, this was it -- and by "it," I mean much closer to the type of performance everyone's been expecting from the Cavs. They moved the ball, defended and easily dispatched of a quality opponent.
2. And you'd better believe the Wizards are quality. They return as a team that reached the second round of the playoffs, with all of its key parts back. The Wizards also laid down the hammer on the Cavs last week. But on this night, they were simply manhandled.
3. It really is true. The Cavs really did most of this with defense, suffocating the Wizards' talented backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, and just playing with more emotion, and being more physical, than at any time in this young season.
4. As Cavs coach David Blatt said, "When we defend, we get out on the break. That fosters team play better than anything."
5. Offensively, well, it was also a night to behold. LeBron James (29 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists) shot four free throws in the game's first minute -- and eight in the first quarter. The rest of the team followed his lead, as the Cavs were in attack mode from the start.
6. James went 7-of-14 from the floor. Kevin Love (21 points) was a sizzling 7-of-10. Kyrie Irving (18 points, five assists) went 7-of-15, and Anderson Varejao 5-of-5 for 10 points. Varejao was 4-of-4 in the first quarter.
7. Oh, and let's not forget Tristan Thompson (10 points). He shot 4-of-4. On the downside, he grabbed zero rebounds, which almost makes no sense. Thompson has been the one guy who's refused to be denied at crashing the boards. I don't suspect this is something we'll see again this season.
8. Thompson also exchanged words with Wall in the third quarter, following a Beal foul on James. "I thought last week, Washington really pushed us around," Blatt said. So the Cavs' point of emphasis before the game was to not let it happen again. It worked, as they were much more physical Wednesday.
9. OK, I realize I haven't mentioned Dion Waiters shot a shaky 6-of-17 from the floor (including several air balls). But he still managed 15 points -- and as long as Waiters is staying within his role, Blatt and his teammates don't seem to mind.
10. Blatt on Waiters: "Dion is a shooter and a scorer and he needs to take shots. What I liked was Dion's involvement and his intensity on each and every play. He defended extremely well. He took the shots, for the most part, he needed to take. He's our scorer off the bench and that's what he needs to do."
11. Meanwhile, poor Joe Harris is struggling mightily. The rookie shooting guard began the year fairly strong, but has really struggled lately. He's made one field goal in the past four games (1-of-9 in that span). It would be nice if the kid could get going again -- both for the Cavs' sake and his.
12. Beal started for the first time this season and was held to a season-low 10 points. Wall was held to a season-low six. Shut down those two, and you get results like the one the Cavs got Wednesday.
13. Blatt said: "I thought Kyrie, once again, did a terrific job. More importantly, the team did a really good job of swarming and not giving (Wall) gaps to get to the rim or find open looks. He's not a guy you guard with one person only. You gotta guard him with a team effort."
14. And that's what I've said all along: The Cavs aren't a team of good individual defenders. But they can become a team of good team defenders. And if they score 113 a game, or even 108, that will be good enough.
15. So the Cavs have won two straight, improved to 7-7 and look like they're pulling it together. There will certainly be a few more bumps in the season. It's too long and this team is too new for it not to happen. But it is nights like Wednesday that can have them really believing. If everything comes together, they're darn near unbeatable. At this point in the season, with a new coach and a extremely new cast, that's saying something.
