I can’t imagine Chicago selling its fans on this trade. They lost a disinterested power player and a solid professional, and got a 17 foot happy brain cramped forward, and a #2 guard to join 4 others on the roster. Not to mention ANOTHER #2 in Shannon Brown.
If Sunday was any indication, Ben Wallace can get 10-12 boards every night, run the high flash, and finish at the rim. That’s more than Drew could do. Plus, Delonte West wasn’t shooting, but he still dished out 6 dimes, and played tenacious defense on the ball. That’s as much as Hughes did. Joe Smith gave us 14 points with shooting economy, something Drew didn’t do. And none of these guys knows our system.
Meanwhile, the Bulls were jacking up 24 footers and watching T-Mac bury them. They looked like pygmies in the rain forest.
The final blow to Chicago fans will be watching Big Ben grabbing 11 boards a night, and causing precious turnovers. It will convince them that their boos shouldn’t be directed at the players, but at the system that has converted Michael Jordan’s team into team marshmallow. We’ll see how long it takes for Larry and Drew to get boo-ed. Or how long before the fans mug John Paxson in the parking lot after a game.
There will be tough nights ahead for the Cavs. But the difference I saw in one night was amazing. The guys didn’t always know where they were going, but they went there HARD. They came out with energy. By the time the fumes wore out, the new starting 5 picked it back up with defense in the 4th quarter. No silly drizzling gestures, or Larry smug smirks. Just a bunch of guys with a job to do. Amen.