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The Sonics are 1-1 so far this season with a game tonight against the Memphis Grizzlies. The Cavaliers did not practice on Tuesday, so they should be well rested for Wednesday nights game. I expect a good crowd, after all it is Lebron James Bobblehead night sporting the new alternate jersey. For a quick look at some fun facts regarding the Sonics as written by Aaron Lopez of the Rocky Mountain News:

Last season: 52-30, first in division, third in West; lost to Spurs in six games in Western Conference semifinals.

• Coach: Bob Weiss (seventh NBA season, first with Sonics, 210-282).

• Best new threads: G Rick Brunson (free agent, Clippers); F Mikki Moore (free agent, Clippers).

• Out of style: G Antonio Daniels (free agent, Wizards); C Jerome James (free agent, Knicks).

• Design trends: The Sonics were the biggest surprise of 2004-05, playing a run-and-shoot offense that has become en vogue throughout the West.

• Possible fashion faux pas: Despite the stunning success, Seattle chose not to bring back talented coach Nate McMillan and replaced him with a coach batting .427.

• Will walk the playoff runway if . . . : Nick Collison and Danny Fortson can combine to replace James, an underrated big man who turned a strong playoff performance into a free-agent payoff.

The Raptors made a special pre-game presentation to Marshall for his three-point performance last season but that wasn’t enough to get them their first win for this season.

LeBron James scored 27 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-93 over Toronto on Monday, dropping the Raptors to 0-4 for their worst start in franchise history.

The Cavs outrebounded the Raptors 47-30. Both teams shot 49 per cent from the field

While it is way too early based on 3 games to answer this question, I thought an article written by Charley Rosen, FoxSports.Com is worth sharing.

“Like San Antonio and Miami, the Cavaliers sought to add several impact players during the off-season.

After King James failed once more to lead Cleveland into the playoffs, the team’s most glaring needs became apparent: A couple of reliable perimeter shooters, at least one more big-time scorer capable of creating his own shots, and — above all — Cleveland needed a host of defensive stoppers.

What the former general manager, Jim Paxson, and the current one, Danny Ferry, came up with were Larry Hughes, Donyell Marshall and Damon Jones. After thumping the Hornets at home in their season opener, the new and hopefully improved Cavs faced a much sterner test Friday night in San Antonio and were simply annihilated 102-76.

Larry Hughes
Just because Hughes led the NBA in steals (2.89 per game) last season doesn’t necessarily make him an outstanding defender. Excessive gambling on defense, no matter how many times it may succeed, is no substitute for playing solid position defense. Indeed, his being voted to the All-NBA Defensive Team (by the league’s coaches!) was an instance of style being valued more than substance. Given that the Spurs are arguably the most fundamentally sound team in the league, Hughes was nevertheless repeatedly embarrassed when the champs ran their offense.

Donyell Marshall
Marshall rotated well when the Spurs’ guards penetrated into the lane, climbed the boards, hustled on the break, made a couple of nifty reversal passes and played poor defense on several screen/rolls. In all, he was intent on going with the flow and letting the game come to him — but it never really did. Coach Brown only called Marshall’s number once — for a post up that led to a traveling violation.

In short, Marshall’s considerable offensive skills were wasted. For the Cavs to be a serious contender, he must get more involved in the offense.

Damon Jones
This guy is strictly a one-dimensional player. When he played the point on offense, the Cavs were slow getting into their sets because Jones over-handled the ball. He also took four bad shots (and made one).

But Jones’ defense was downright atrocious. Both Ginobili and Tony Parker simply destroyed him with the most elementary fake-and-take maneuvers. On one first-quarter play, Parker began a move to the basket from 20-feet, and by the time he scored an unobstructed lay-up, Jones still trailed TP by 15-feet. Jones’ off-the-ball defense was even worse.

There’s no way that Jones can play the point in what’s supposed to be a quick-hitting offense. At 6-foot-3, 185 pounds, he’s a No. 2 guy transplanted into a No. 1’s body. But wherever he plays, Jones’ defense is a distinct liability.

Sure, the Cavs have only taken two steps in this long marathon of a season. But, even with their highly touted newcomers, King James dominates every aspect of the offense. The trouble here is that it’s too easy for the NBA’s elite teams (like the Spurs) to commit regicide.” Click HERE for a complete review of his story.

I don’t know about you but I had higher hopes for the team going into the weekend on Friday. The Cavaliers 1-3 are in last place in the Central Division. And while it is obviously very early, it is clear that the team needs more time on both offense and defense to “gel”. San Antonio’s defense looked like a well orchestrated dance recital. Players moving in step with locked arms. The Cavaliers on the other hand reminded me of wide eyed kids at the Prom showing off their latest moves.
The Memphis Grizzlies relied on Pau Gasol inside early and their 3-pointer shooters late.
Gasol scored 29 points and had seven rebounds to lead the Grizzlies over the Cleveland Cavaliers 113-106 on Saturday night. Gasol made 11 of 15 shots from the field for Memphis, which won its second straight game. Eddie Jones added 19 points and Mike Miller finished with 13. Memphis shot 56 percent from the field and made 11 of 18 3-pointers.
LeBron James led the Cavaliers with 36 points and six assists. Larry Hughes finished with 21 points, while Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas each had 14. Ilgauskas had 11 rebounds and Gooden grabbed 10.
Memphis led 82-81 entering the final period, but 3-pointers by Miller and Jackson were part of a 13-2 run to open the quarter. Memphis took its biggest lead at 95-83 on Dahntay Jones’ dunk with just under nine minutes left.
“Bobby Jackson’s shot went all the way to the roof before it went in,” James said. “It wasn’t meant for us to win when you’ve got guys making shots like that.”
Cleveland eventually cut the lead to 111-106 on a 3-point play by Hughes with 19.2 seconds remaining, but Cleveland could get no closer.
“Part of it is the inexperience of us building and hanging onto a lead, and part of it is the newness of the system,” said first-year Cleveland coach Mike Brown.
The teams stayed close through the early stages of the second half until a powerful dunk by James followed by a 3-pointer extended the Cleveland lead to 78-71. But a pair of free throws by Miller gave Memphis an 82-81 lead entering the fourth.

Let’s hope the Memphis Grizzlies offer a better opportunity for a win Saturday night. After Friday nights loss to San Antonio, the Cavaliers have a chance to rebound against a respectable Memphis team. The Grizzlies, 1-1, are projected to finish 4th in what arguably may be the best conference this year. Aaron Lopez of Rocky Mountain News give us some insight below:

• Last season: 45-37, fourth in division, eighth in West; lost to Suns in four games in first round.

• Coach: Mike Fratello (16th NBA season, second with Grizzlies, 612-495).

• Best new threads: G Eddie Jones (trade, Heat); G Raul Lopez (trade, Jazz); G Bobby Jackson (trade, Kings); G Damon Stoudamire (free agent, Trail Blazers); F Hakim Warrick (draft, Syracuse).

• Out of style: G James Posey (trade, Heat); C Greg Ostertag (trade, Jazz); F Stromile Swift (free agent, Rockets); G Earl Watson (free agent, Nuggets); G Bonzi Wells (trade, Kings); G Jason Williams (trade, Heat).

• Design trends: After a quiet off-season in 2004, the Grizzlies shook things up in search of a combination that will try to survive in the West’s toughest division.

• Possible fashion faux pas: On paper, it looks as though general manager Jerry West might be losing his touch. An aging shooter (Jones) and two injury-prone point guards (Jackson and Lopez) for Posey, Wells and Williams?

• Will walk the playoff runway if . . . : Forward Pau Gasol suddenly turns into Kevin Garnett and plays point guard, shooting guard, both forward spots and center. There are still too many holes on the roster.

Neither Eric Snow, Damon Jones, Mike Wilks, or Larry Hughes were able to keep Toney Parker from ripping up the Cavs defense. Their French point guard skillfully and quickly broke down every defender whom the Cavs threw at him.

After an impressive season-opening victory over the lowly New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets, the Cavs received a reality check with a 102-76 blowout loss to the Spurs on Friday night during a nationally televised game at the SBC Center.

The Cavs, hoping to show off their new attack, were a scrappy bunch. They were moving the ball well and helping on defense, and had built a 41-37 lead in the first half.

The, Parker came off the bench after a rest and took charge. He led a 13-2 run that gave the Spurs the lead for good. When they opened the second half with a 15-5 spurt, thanks to four baskets from center Tim Duncan (21 points), it turned from a test game into what the Cavs feared most, another rout.

“We were feeling good about ourselves, and then, they cranked it up a notch,” Cavs coach Mike Brown said. “They’ll play with you, let you think you can play with them, and they the crank it up.”

Damon Jones was the leader of that misadventure, tossing up shots out of sequence in going just 3-of-11 from the floor.

The Spurs shot 60 percent after halftime and handed out 13 assists.

The Cavs resume action tonight against the Grizzlies in Memphis, Tenn.

Donyell Marshall hurt his left calf in the third quarter. His status for the game tonight in Memphis against the Grizzlies is uncertain.