Winning without LBJ

Cavs blog by Bob Finnan

The Cavs had a first on Wednesday, winning a game with LeBron James on the bench. Sure, the Bobcats are not a playoff squad. But winning in Charlotte is not easy for anyone. The Cavs just seem to struggle in North Carolina.

The Cavs have now won 12 of the 15 all-time meetings against the Bobcats. They've also won three of four this year against them. But it's never easy, especially when James is on the bench.

They were 0-7 this year when he was unable to finish a game this year. Guard Devin Brown played very well, even though his shooting numbers (4 of 14) were off. It was one of Wally Szczerbiak's best games. He had just 11 points, but nine of them came in the fourth quarter.

Imagine if Wally suddenly starts making shots. Imagine what kind of boost that would be to the Cavs' offense. He's been getting wide-open looks. But he hasn't been able to knock them down on a regular basis. Even after Wednesday's 5-for-8 performance, he's still shooting just 34.8 percent from the field.