For a moment it looked like LeBron James’ much-hyped NBA homecoming to Cleveland would be saved by his Australian team-mate Matthew Dellavedova.
James, the world’s best basketballer and back in a Cavaliers’ singlet, was suffering a case of stage fright.
With three minutes left in the Cavaliers’ season-opening game James remained icy cold, the New York Knicks were up 86-77 and Dellavedova was at the top of the key looking to give his floundering team of All-Stars some spark.
The 24-year-old from Maryborough, Victoria, stepped up and buried a three pointer.
It appeared to do the job, picking up the Cavaliers and sending them on a last-ditch run.
But, with the Knicks’ own All-Star Carmelo Anthony lethal down the stretch, and despite another long bomb by Dellavedova, James never owned the moment and New York hushed the 20,000-strong sellout crowd in Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena.
The Knicks won 95-90.
Bookmakers had the Cavs as the favourites to win the NBA title and that’s unlikely to change on the strength of just one game but there’s no question is was a fizzer as James began his new union with fellow superstars Kyrie Irving and off-season recruit Kevin Love.
“My shooting was out of rhythm,” James said.
“The turnovers, some of it was careless and some of it was chemistry.
“I was throwing passes where I hoped my team-mates were.”
In the first half James hit just one-of-nine field goals, had four points and nerves led to four turnovers.
James ended the game with 17 points from five-for-15 shooting, including one-for-five from the three point line, five rebounds and an uncharacteristic eight turnovers from 43 minutes on the court.
“First of all, that was an emotional night for him and he wanted badly to win the game and help the team play well,” new Cavs coach David Blatt said.
“His effort was there. His efficiency was not what it normally is.”
Dellavedova had six points from two-for-three shooting, three assists and no turnovers in 18 minutes while Irving and Love led the way for the Cavs with 22 and 19 points respectively.
Anthony had 25 points.
The game was dubbed “Return of the King” and expected to be an easy win for the loaded Cavs, with the Knicks destroyed by the Chicago Bulls 104-80 in Wednesday’s opening game.
The hype for James’ return to Cleveland began on July 11 when the 29-year-old, who grew up not too far away in the working-class Ohio city of Akron, announced he was going back to the team that drafted him number one in 2003.
James devastated the city in 2010 when he departed to the Heat to partner Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, winning two NBA Championships.
It was also a sorry night for Australian duo Dante Exum and Joe Ingles with their Utah Jazz still winless after another drubbing.
The Dallas Mavericks easily beat the visiting Jazz 120-102, following Wednesday’s opening game of the season 104-93 loss to the Houston Rockets.
Exum had just two points, a dunk, from one-for-four shooting and two turnovers in 19 minutes while Ingles dropped the first bucket, a jump shot, of his NBA career to end with two points from 11 minutes on the court.
mushi
Guest
Was good to see him get time, bad to see him have two brain snaps
Shaun Mancini
Roar Pro
The Cavs will take a little time. Was good to see Delly getting plenty of minutes on Saturday vs Chicago. Blatt went with him over Waiters in the backcourt with Kyrie for large parts of the game.
mushi
Guest
Sorry half of my post didn't get there :) That si from the second half of the bulls game - think we need to give them 15-20 games to get everything clicking.
mushi
Guest
Guys not looking setting screens when the ball handler is calling for them, passes going to an expected cut that never happened and plenty of sets where team mates are looking at each other confused as to who is moving and who is remaining in the space. Kyrie took some really bad contested shots two of which he got the ball wide open and then took two dribbles into a contested jumper. It’s like he is stuck in the mindset he needs to create his shot and still hasn’t come to terms with the fact that he’s the third best guy out there and he’s going to get a lot of open looks and just needs to pull the trigger. But I’d expect those issues to go away over time. Also On D (admittedly it was against Captain Kirk) when Irving tried he actually seemed to affect the play, [problem was his effort was inconsistent, which is still a massive upgrade over the non-existent label that his first three seasons. He just needs to care all game and he’ll be at least an okay defender.
Jason Pollock
Roar Guru
LeBron looked much better in the Cavs OT win against the Bulls. I just think it was opening night nerves for LeBron, combined with being back home, the emotion and the expectations etc that had him performing poorly against the Knicks. I'm a Knicks fan (unfortunately), so trust me when I say the Cavs should have won that game... The Bulls and Cavs matchup really showed us what we might expect if these 2 teams meet in the ECF.. it will definitely be a 7 game series for sure. D-Rose is out next game with an ankle injury, and if he goes down again this season, expect to see Cleveland in the NBA Finals.