Rested Cavaliers ready to keep magical run

CLEVELAND – Finally, a foil.

Frankly, this shadow boxing – or maybe it should be called shadow basketball – was getting rather dreary for the Cleveland Cavaliers, who last played a game of real meaning on May 11.

Only it’s not defending champion Boston showing up on Wednesday night for Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals; the guests will be the Orlando Magic, who beat the Celtics in Game 7 on Sunday. Time for the sabbatical-happy Cavaliers to get back to work.

“We’re very anxious,” Cavaliers forward Joe Smith said on Monday after practice. “It got this way between round one and round two when we were tired of beating up on each other. We’re ready for some new action. It almost makes you miss basketball a little bit.”

Men at work also meant men watching film, including a viewing of that fateful 29-point drubbing on April 3 at the hands of the Magic. Orlando also won the season series, 2-1.

“We watched clips today from all three games,” said Cleveland Coach Mike Brown. “They really hammered us in transition. I think they outscored us in the three games, like 58-22, in transition. They didn’t just do it in the third game. They did it in the first two. We have to do a better job in that area.”

For all of Cleveland’s ease in the playoffs – its closest game was an 11-point victory in Game 2 vs Detroit in the first round – the Cavaliers were answering questions about not being favored against the Magic. Most likely because one of the biggest doubters holds the largest media pulpit: TNT’s Charles Barkley.

“I think the best answer to that is winning,” said center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who earlier said he wouldn’t be surprised if this series went seven games. (AP)