Mo Money? Mo Problems for the Celtics...

I can't remember the last time I watched a Cavs game and someone other than Lebron James left me saying "Wow, did he really just do that?" Until tonight. The Cavs are up 1-0 in the Eastern Conference semi for one reason and one reason only: Mo Williams. His third quarter outburst of scoring carried a sluggish Cleveland team to victory tonight.

Where was Lebron the whole time? Watching Mo go to work. The NBA's MVP played a very quiet role in the first three quarters of play. He wasn't the dominate force he's been all season, leaving all of Cleveland concerned about that right elbow. LBJ seemed to be going through the motions, lacking aggression and intensity. The same could be said for all the Cavs too.

Early in the third quarter, I began to think of the implications a series loss to the Celtics might have on Lebron's upcoming free agency decision. I can't stand Boston, but I thought to myself, "Wait, if the Celtics upset the Cavs, might he go to the Knicks? Should I be rooting for the Celtics?" Then Mo Williams said, "If proving to Lebron he can win a title with us is going to keep him in Cleveland, I'm going to prove to Lebron he can win a title with us". That's when Mo did his best impression of Lebron's "no regard for human life!" dunk over KG two years ago.

The best part about that dunk wasn't the emphatic thrown down over a wincing Pierce's face. It wasn't the fact that it was Mo's first dunk as a Cleveland Cavalier. It was the glare he gave Pierce as he hopped in celebration after the slam. His eyes basically took Pierce's wife out to a seafood dinner, and dipped out on the bill when she went to use the restroom. They said, "I'm about to go off, don't even bother trying to guard me". And he did. For 10 straight Cleveland points, which set up the buzzer-beating layup James made to give the Cavs the lead going into the fourth.

Mo single-handedly won them the game. You can say Lebron's 12-point fourth quarter performance was the difference, especially since his team stood around and watched him the last 12 minutes of the game. But it was Mo's efforts that won the Cavs that game. For once, someone made Lebron stop and watch somebody else go to work.

The Cavs were out of that game, already looking onto Game 2. They had me thinking Lebron in blue and orange next year. But Mo Williams wasn't out of that game. He was locked and loaded, ready to take on the Celtics all by himself. And he did.

Funny how James and his elbow is the story catching sports headlines.

Image taken from espn.com