More Boobie, Please

So ... that's what it feels like to watch a NBA game with your team involved?

I'm not sure I like it.

Ugly, ugly game for the Cavaliers for 7/8ths of the game. The offense never looked in rhythm, the defense seemed unprepared, and the team never got an advantage on the boards, which has been their coup de grace all season.

And yet, despite that, they had a chance to make a game of it. A better shot, and it's a five point game with 90 seconds left. And then who knows.

At least the solution seems simple:

More Boobie. More minutes. More touches. More shots.

Less Hughes. Yes, it's a gutty performance to play through the injury, but he's not in a flow of the game at all on offense. And if you just want his defense, play Eric Snow, who has much better defense.

I actually wouldn't mind seeing a rotation of Snow, Gibson, James, Gooden, and Illgauskas. Snow can play the point and distribute to four guys who can hit shots.

The analyst in me wants to say that this game proves the Spurs are the better team, with better experience and better coaching, which trumps the best individual player on the court. The fan in me still believes though.

Game two will really tell the story ... if the Cavs can respond and win or make it a last possession game, they've got a real chance to win when they go home and win the series. If they come out flat and get beaten down again ... the series might be over.

One last thought to hang my hat (and hopes) on: The Cavs have never lost consecutive games in the NBA Finals.