Hey, Cleveland! It's A.C. checking in from Minnesota. What's happening?

It's nice to be here early in the season for a change. Usually it's below zero and you can't even see the tops of the buildings.

Right now, the Cavaliers are feeling their way through the new lineup. The first game, against Boston, was definitely played in preseason mode. Once they got the lead, and the newness of the season and crowd wore off, they looked like they didn't know each other. And the tempo slowed way down.

They played the same way in the first half of Wednesday night's game. In the second half, they started looking like themselves.

You can see right now they have to get used to playing with Shaq - a low-post presence they have to honor. Because when the small unit was in, Mo started looking like Mo, and guys started looking like themselves. It sounds simple, but they have to start feeling that with Shaq in the ballgame. You can see that everything's in place. It's just not clicking.

On the defensive end, I'm concerned that the pick-and-roll is going to continue to hurt us going against big men who can shoot. We have to learn to defend that, because every team is going to do that to us. And we're going to see that on Friday night in Minnesota, because they have big men who can make the 15-foot shot consistently.

So, it's going to be interesting to see what we come up with to handle that, because the pick-and-roll is really the biggest problem we have right now. We're allowing too much space, and it's hard to cover that much space.

Mike Brown's staff will get that ironed out. It's early, and there's no reason to panic. We started out 1-2 last year and if we get a win on Friday night, we're 1-2 again. There's no need to worry, but the sense of urgency should start to pick up.

Shaq even mentioned that on Wednesday night. They didn't pick up the intensity until the second half. The Cavs need to start the game with that intensity. And I think the team is learning what level of energy, what level of execution on both ends of the floor is needed to win as they are constructed now. Forget about last year. The fans have to forget about last year - it's a different team now.

The thing moving forward is how do we handle the new situation. The Cavaliers are going to continue to tinker with rotations. I don't know if the Twin Towers is going to be a consistent thing. It might be situational.

With the way the team was banged up in the preseason, this first week is almost an extension of it. You've heard Coach talk about it. He wishes he had another week of preseason, but October 27^th came along too early.

I think they have been somewhat in a preseason mode, but on Wednesday night, in the second half against Toronto, we saw the Cavs starting to feel more like themselves. I think we'll see that heading into the weekend. And that's very encouraging.

Hey, everyone! It's AC - checking in. What's happening?

On the other end of the weekend is the regular season, and I'm chomping at the bit to get rolling. I can't think of a better team to start out with than the Boston Celtics. It's going to be a war.

We might not be as well-oiled as they are right out of the gate - because we have new guys that have to work themselves into gametime situations. (The preseason is not the real thing.)

So we might be a little behind as far as that's concerned. But our competitive nature - and having enough guys who know the system - will make it a competitive game. It'll be a great game to start the season off with, and right away it'll let us know where we are and what we have to work on.

Again, I look at the season's big picture. It's important to be the best team we can be going into the playoffs as opposed to always fighting to stay on top. We're going to have to work to become that well-oiled machine come playoff time. I think we're talented enough to stay close to the top while we're in the process of becoming better.

I figure out of the first 20 games, we should be able to win between 13 to 15 games. And if we do that, we'll be ready to roll. If it's a little less than that, that's OK. But after around the first quarter of the season, I think you'll start to see this team start to become that well-oiled machine, completely understanding one another on the floor.

After watching the Cavs throughout the preseason, you can see the chemistry is getting there, but not quite where it needs to be just yet. The new guys are still feeling their way. That's natural, it's going to happen.

And you can see Shaq is still figuring out the system. It's not an easy system to learn. And it definitely takes more than the preseason to adequately learn it. We're a better team on paper than the team that finished up last season. Longer, younger, more athletic. It's just a matter of how soon it'll all come together to where night-in, night-out we're playing at our top level.

The most important part of that chemistry will be between Shaq and LeBron. And it's starting to develop. Watching them play from the first exhibition to the last, you can see the synergy starting to develop. Shaq's feeling it out - learning when to roll to the basket, learning where and when guys want the ball. It's starting to happen and Shaq's a veteran who knows how to fit in.

You have to remember: most of these guys are used to Big Z's way of playing center. Z - being a pick-and-pop guy - never clogged the middle up. So certain plays just don't work the same - it's a simple matter of spacing. They have to get used to operating with less space with Shaq in the game.

That's a big difference, but towards the end of the preseason, I began to notice that they're figuring out how to play with each big man.

And I've noticed, too, as the preseason went on, that Shaq was starting to dominate down low. He's such a load to handle down there. Teams are going to have to double-team him. And if you put Shaq and LeBron on the same side of the floor, I don't know how opponents intend to handle that.

Teams will have to play a zone. Shots are going to be wide open on the weak side. And we're going to have to knock them down.

I'm still a little concerned about the defense. The newness has made their reaction time just a little slow. They're still thinking their way through things, rather than reacting. Teams are going to throw a ton of pick-and-rolls at us - especially when Shaq's on the floor. We're going to have to be able to deal with it. The anticipation on the weak side defense will be key. Guys have seen how Z plays the pick-and-roll. Now they're going to have to get used to how Shaq plays it.

Of course, we'll find out soon enough. And like I said: It's gonna be a war. The Celtics and Cavs really don't like each other.

I don't see anything wrong with that. This rivalry goes all the way back to the days that I played. I didn't like them either. It's just the way it is. I think it's a healthy thing. It's good for the league.

The Celtics have a cockiness about them. Granted, they've won all those Championships and they're a famed franchise. But they've always had this arrogance to them that I have never been able to swallow. I just don't like that. And that's just something that has stuck with me. I just HATED to lose to them.

The Celtic and Cavs rivalry is just something that's been passed down over the years. And I think it's time that someone knocked them off their throne.

Hey Cavs fans - it's A.C. here! What's happening?

Well, I liked what I saw on Tuesday night in the first exhibition game. The starters didn't play much, but they looked good when they did.

When Shaq and LeBron are on the same side of the floor, it leaves a lot of open avenues - not only for those two, but for players on the opposite end of the floor. It really puts the defense in a bad position.

There was one play where LeBron got the ball, was headed to the basket off a pick-and-roll from Shaq, and the defender was caught between the two. (That's a bad choice to have as a defender.) He chose to double Shaq, and LeBron went right in for the layup.

If Anthony Parker is going to start at the two-guard, they're going to have to get him more shots. He's doing a lot of running around and didn't get many touches. We need to get into his game - find out where he likes the ball - because you're going to need points from that position. The two-guard has to put points up to balance Shaq and LeBron.

It's no secret that the Cavs have some adjustments to make. They've never really had a low-post guy who demands the ball as much as Shaq does. They have to understand that a lot of our offense is now going to run through Shaq. Shaq passes the ball well - he gives it up. But when he gets low-post position, you have to give him the ball. You have to. That's his position. And he can still overpower one man.

There are adjustments they have to make; they see it.

One player that really impressed me against Charlotte was J.J. Hickson - someone we talked a lot about over the offseason.

J.J. looks like a new man. His confidence is there - he's more sure of himself. He knows what Coach Brown wants now as far as his defensive effort is concerned. A couple times he got beat because he didn't close out properly. That'll come with time. But as far as reacting offensively and protecting the basket defensively - it's like night and day.

His confidence is there and that's huge for a young player. It's positively affecting his free throw shooting and his jump shot.  You can see that he's ready to break out.

That was a smart move by LeBron this summer - taking J.J. under his wing and showing him the ropes. You can see that's helped him mature and he's starting to understand what it takes to be a professional on a nightly basis.

That's all you need as a rookie or a young player - just to learn the ropes. He's beginning to understand how to act socially and professionally, on the floor. It's good to see.

When I was a young player, the guys who did that for me were Lenny Wilkens and Nate Thurmond. Lenny came first - I learned so much from Lenny. And then Nate came in and put on the finishing touches.

Young guys need veterans to help them understand the ins and outs of professional life - on and off the floor. And that's just a solid job by LeBron.

There were less distractions than when I played, but you still need that guidance. But the key is if you're willing to listen. If you're not willing to listen - I don't care if you have the most experienced NBA vet showing you the way - you're going to fall on your face. You must be willing to listen.

A lot of people that go back into Cavaliers history are comparing Shaq's arrival to Cleveland with Nate Thurmond's. And that's an apt comparison.

Shaq brings that energy. (He's already brought the excitement. The community has welcomed him with open arms - as they did with Nate.) Now, he just needs to bring the play on the floor. Nate's presence galvanized our team. And we were extremely tough to handle when that happened. And I see Shaq's presence as similar to that.

You saw it firsthand on Tuesday night. Guys came to the rack and Shaq put them on their butt. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it. Don't come in here.

We've not had that. And the beauty is, Darnell Jackson does that to the next guy that comes into the paint. The mentality, the toughness of protecting the lane seeps into the whole team. Even the guards start thinking that way.

Defensively, that makes you a lot tougher, when teams know that there's no going into that paint.  And we all know that this team takes great pride in their defense. And that should make for another successful season. 

Hey Cavalier fans! It's A.C. checking in. What's happening?

Well, we're almost getting down to the nitty-gritty here, people. Summer's over, the kids are back in school, and the Cavaliers season is right around the corner.

Anybody who reads my blog - or hears me on TV for that matter - knows that I love the game of golf. And with Training Camp coming, I know my days out on the links are numbered this summer.

Over Labor Day, some buddies of mine and I play in a three-day event. It's about 25-30 guys and we do it every year. We have a big picnic on Monday with crabcakes and the whole affair. We've been doing it for quite a while, so it's become a staple in our summer vacation.

After the knee replacement, it's taken a while for me to get used to transferring the weight on my swing, because I had played so long with that bad knee that I didn't realize that I was compensating for it. I'll play five or six great holes and - BAM! - I'll have a couple bad swings putting weight on the wrong leg, but little by little it's getting better.

Right now, I'm playing at about a seven handicap. And I want to get that back down to normal, but it might not happen until next year.

I love this time of year - right before Training Camp. You start to get that feeling of anticipation. And mentally, you start to gear yourself back toward the routine. Even though you've been doing it all summer, there's something different about doing it when it counts. When the lights come on and all the statistics start adding up, that's a big difference from messing around in the gym during the offseason.

And so, you get that anticipation of being ready to go. And it was always good to feel like you made the necessary improvements to get better over the summer. The closer you get to it - like now, being only two weeks away - you can't wait anymore. And I think that any player that loses that excitement needs to get out of the game.

I'm excited to see what this year's team is all about.

If you look at the team from last year and compare it with the team we've put together this year - with the addition of all the new pieces - we are a much better squad on paper.

First of all, our bench is going to be much better. You're going to have live action coming off the bench. They have length, they have experience. That's going to be a big help right away. If you look at our bench, there aren't many teams in the league that can bring guys of that caliber into the game. That's a huge advantage.

That's how we won back in the day. Our bench was like a "second line" to our starters.

The addition of new faces actually helps the young guys like J.J. and Darnell, as far as getting them more acclimated to the team. It will help them mature much faster. And they'll just know what's going on this year.

As a team, I think we'll be better because - depending on Yao's health - we have the last two conventional centers in the league. If we use them both correctly - using good floor spacing and spreading the floor for Shaq and then playing to Big Z's strengths away from the basket - I think that should really help us.

Mike Brown has to figure out how to make all these pieces work together but, let me tell you, that is one good problem to have. You don't want to be in a situation where you'd like to have a low-post offense and you don't have anyone to put down there. As a competitor, you know Coach Brown is ready to accept the challenge. And again, it's a good challenge to have. It'll be interesting to see how we're able to use both big men to our advantage.

Some people have quietly criticized Shaq for doing his reality show this summer. But the way I look at it is, I'm hoping he's like LeBron. And by that I mean, LeBron does things like this during the summer, but he always has his workout as part of that day. He keeps focused on the main goal - improving for next season.

And I'm hoping that Shaq has a similar regimen. I don't know much about Shaq, as far as that's concerned. But I do know LeBron's habits. And those habits are outstanding. You can do things outside of basketball as long as you keep your mind on your job. And if Shaq does that - and as a four-time Champ, I'm sure he will - we're in for another incredible season here in Cleveland.

For as big as he is, I'm sure Shaq will still blend right in. Chemistry was a big factor last year and it will be again this year.

It depends on the individual players. And it sounds to me like Shaq really wants to fit in. And if he wants to fit in, he will fit in. From Anthony Parker's comments and Jamario Moon's comments, they just want to be a part of this team. And if they have that attitude, things will just fall in line under LeBron's leadership.

The bottom line is that everybody's after the same goal. So if everyone stays focused on that same goal, chemistry will be there automatically. Everyone's working towards the same end result and I am too.

I want LeBron to get his first Championship this year, and I'd love to see Shaq get his fifth ring before Kobe does.  

Hey, Cavalier fans! It's A.C. - what's happening?

I've been passing the summer enjoying the great outdoors out on the links, but I'm starting to get that bug for basketball. Training Camp is basically right around the corner.

This will be a new-look Cavaliers club in 2009-10. The big difference - figuratively and literally - will be in the middle, where Shaq will move into the starting lineup ahead of Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who's been a fixture there.

I don't think moving to the bench will be a problem for Z.

I remember when I got to that point in my career, because of the numerous knee operations. I was only a 24-minute-per-night guy anyway. And I think that's about where Z wants to be.

Whether it's at the beginning of the game, the midst of the game or the end of the game - he just wants his minutes. And he's going to get them, regardless. Because Shaq can't afford to play more than 25-30 minutes, himself. So the minutes are going to be there. Where you get them doesn't really count. What does is that you make them productive. And I think that's how Z's going to look at it.

You have a different mindset, coming off the bench - and Big Z will begin to understand that.

As a starter, you focus on the guy that you have to guard and how he fits into their system. As a starter, you know who's coming off the bench, but you don't focus on one particular guy. It's a different mindset when you come off the bench.

When I came off the bench, I wanted to make sure that I brought energy to the game and that I knew what was going on within the game. In other words, if they're fast-breaking us, you want to stop the outlet passes, rebound better, and so forth. When we wanted to speed the game up, you'd try to create turnovers and get out on the floor more. The tone of the game has already been set. The starters set that tone.

And to be honest, Big Z going against second team centers can't hurt either. With Yao out until who knows when, we have the last two conventional centers in the league. And to able to take advantage of it is really going to help our team.

Danny Ferry made some nice moves over the summer. But I'd also like to see some of our current guys step up from last year to this year.

I was looking for J.J. to do that, and I'm hopeful that his back situation is improving.

If he's worked on his 15-foot jumper, that young man has a chance to be really effective this year. But he's got to be consistent with that shot, because he's going to get a ton of those. You can improve on everything else - almost through pure experience - but you have to work on your jumpshot. His jumper is loose. He has to get consistent and tighten it up a little bit. If he can do that, he has potential to become an All-Star.

For last year's rookies - J.J. and Darnell - the game will slow down for them. Once you know what you're going to face, it changes everything. When I started out, I was in awe of all the names: Walt Frazier, Jerry West, Oscar Robertson, Phil Chenier, Nate Archibald. I was all into that. I was wide-eyed. But the next year I knew what to deal with. I knew that I had to be ready every night.

LeBron's contract situation is back in the news. I don't put much into it; it's just the media looking to stir the pot.

It could become a distraction for LeBron if it's not handled right. But it's already started and the situation's been talked about for years, so LeBron knows how to deal with it. The team already knows how to deal with it. They know it's going to be there.

Shaq's going to deflect a little bit of it. But LeBron's a man; he knows how to deal with this situation. And his objective is to win a Championship. So I don't think LeBron is going to let some gossip about where he might play next season affect his pursuit of the Championship. He's already been disappointed after last season, so he should have intense focus this year, because he knows: it ain't over until you cross the finish line.

Just because you have a lead in the race doesn't mean squat. It's like Satchel Paige said: "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you."  LeBron understands that in that race to the Championship, you don't look back. You just go full-go until you pass that finish line.

One thing about LeBron's offseason that's made me happy is that he took the summer off - no Team USA for the first time in, I believe, the past three summers.

It's a matter of self-preservation. I'm glad he didn't go because he has to give his body a rest. He takes a great deal of punishment during the season and then he'd go through a summer of basketball, taking even more punishment. He needs to take a rest - let his body cool out. Let the muscles get back to normal. (Maybe even get a little flabby.) And build yourself back up. You have to take a break because sooner or later, it'll catch up to him. Then you're talking about nagging injuries. And you certainly don't want that.

Like everyone else, I've already started marking up next season's schedule. Naturally, we'll be in L.A. for Christmas. (Usually, we're home.) And I think we'll be gone over Thanksgiving, as well. But that's what happens when you have Shaq and LeBron on your team. So, it's an interesting schedule. I think our longest road stretch is the one that culminates with that Christmas game against the Lakers.

We have 24 of our last 40 games at home, so that's a good ratio to establish ourselves down the stretch. That helps you establish any type of postseason positioning that you might be looking for.

Again, I really think this year they understand, it's not the best record that counts. It's playing the best basketball you can play, heading into the playoffs. That has to be the mindset.

They have experienced a lot of the ups and downs of what it takes to win the Championship, and I think they're about ready to cross that finish line now.