After getting badly outplayed by journeyman Rafer Alston in last season’s Eastern Conference finals against the Orlando Magic, Mo Williams vowed to have a better showing in this year’s playoffs.

Well, it’s already the conference semifinals and the Cavaliers’ so-called All-Star has been MIA so far.

It’s the same old story for the underperforming point guard. He got destroyed by Chicago’s Derrick Rose in the first round, but the Cavaliers still managed to knock off the Bulls in five games. Now, through four games of the Boston-Cleveland series, Williams is getting embarrassed by Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo – and embarrassed might be an understatement.

The Cleveland Cavaliers need Mo Williams to step up his game.

Rondo is averaging 21.8 points, 8.3 rebounds and 13.0 assists in the conference semifinals, while Williams is averaging 12.3 points, 3.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists. Rondo is shooting 51.7% from the field, while Williams is making just 40% of his shots and a pitiful 15.4% from behind the arc.

Rondo is killing Williams in phases of the game: scoring, defending, setting up teammates and running the offense. If this was a MMA fight, Rondo would have Williams in a deadly submission hold and all Mo could do is tap out.

Williams’ problem begins on the defensive end. He has not been able to keep Rondo out of the paint on dribble penetrations, which has compromised the Cavaliers’ interior defense.

Rondo’s ability to blow by Mo allows Boston to collapse the Cavs defense, which has opened up uncontested 3-point shots from Ray Allen and wide-open jump shots for Kevin Garnett on pick-and-pop plays.

Cleveland coach Mike Brown has tried different strategies to combat Rondo’s relentless attack, using taller guards such as Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon on occasion and even LeBron James has helped out on Rondo and may have to take on the task full time.

When Parker switches to Rondo, Williams is forced to guard Allen, which is no picnic either. Allen puts Williams through a gauntlet of screens and, when the Cavs are late on close-outs, the Celtics’ shooting guard has punished them with dagger threes.

So, how can the Cavs counter Rondo? James believes Williams needs to be more aggressive on the offensive end and make Rondo defend him, which is easier said than done because Williams has been on an extended shooting slump since hurting his left shoulder midway through the season.

“We need to do better screening, allowing Mo to come off against bigs,” James said. “Either Rondo or Tony Allen stayed on his hip all night, so we have to find a way to get Mo free because he’s really good off the dribble. He’s also good coming off screens.”

James added: “We all play well as a team when Mo plays well. And I know he’s looking forward to the next game.”

James said that after Game 2 and the Cavs are still waiting for Williams to make some kind of a dent in the playoffs and string together two good quarters.

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Dear Santa:

Last June, I was deprived of a Kobe Bryant-LeBron James matchup in the NBA Finals when LeBron and the Cleveland Cavaliers were unceremoniously dumped by the Orlando Magic in the Eastern Conference finals. I know I’ve already asked a ton of gifts this Christmas but I would like one more present. I would like to watch Kobe and LeBron play on Christmas Day.

Sincerely, OneManFastBreak

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Dear OneManFastBreak:

You’ve got your wish.

The main course on the Christmas Day menu that has everyone salivating is the matchup between the Lakers and the Cavaliers at Staples Center (5 p.m. ET, ABC), featuring arguably the two best players in the Association in reigning NBA Finals MVP Kobe Bryant and reigning regular-season MVP LeBron James.

LeBron James will try to uncrown the real king, Kobe Bryant, on Christmas Day.

And, oh by the way, Shaquille O’Neal returns to the city he helped produce three NBA championships – as well as two very bad movies: “Kazaam” and “Steel.”

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

L.A. enters the marquee event with a league-best 23-4 record while the Cavaliers carry a 22-8 mark. The Cavs are on the tail end of a four-game trip while the Lakers have barely left the West Coast for two months.

The Lakers – playing in their 36th Dec. 25 game which is second only to the Knicks, who have been scheduled on Christmas 45 times – are 12-6 at home on Christmas and 20-15 overall. The Cavaliers are relative newcomers to the NBA’s long-standing tradition, making only their third appearance on Christmas in the LeBron James era and ninth overall. Cleveland is 5-0 when they play at home and 0-4 on the road.

As much as the general public and the suits at ABC would like this game to be competitive, the reality of it is the Lakers are far more superior than the Cavaliers, and the only thing Cleveland can hang its hat on is the fact that James could have a huge day and single-handedly influence the action.

However, one ace can’t trump a full house.

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

With the exception of guard Derek Fisher, who is barely 6 feet tall with shoes on, the Lakers boasts five studs 6-6 or taller: Bryant (6-6), Artest (6-7), Odom (6-10), Gasol (7-0) and Bynum (7-0).

The Lakers’ talent and length have been overwhelming the opposition since stealing Gasol from Memphis in February of 2008, winning a remarkable 109 of 121 regular-season games.

Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak is probably not going to get any Christmas cards any time soon from Grizzlies owner Michael Heisley. In fact, Heisley just told me to send over a bunch of coal to put in Kupchak’s stockings.

Needless to say, the Lakers have benefited greatly from the presence of the 7-foot Spaniard, whose high basketball IQ and low-maintenance personality has been the perfect complement to the hard-driven, super-confident Bryant.

In two meetings against the Cavaliers last season, Gasol averaged 20 points and 12.5 rebounds. He made 11 of 13 shots from the field in the Jan. 19 game at Staples, and three weeks later Gasol and Odom combined for 46 points and 29 rebounds in a 101-91 Laker win on Feb. 8.

The Lakers’ frontline thoroughly dominated the Cavs, 104-52, in points in the paint in the two games. Add Artest in the mix and the Lakers will have an even bigger advantage.

Cleveland tried to fix its frontcourt issues this offseason by trading for O’Neal. The problem is, O’Neal’s best days are behind him and his level of play is more in line with DJ Mbenga than Bynum.

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

With Shaq no longer Shaq, the Cavs have been leaning Mo Williams to help LeBron on offense. Unfortunately, Williams is more like a starting pitcher than a starting point guard, finding his groove on every fifth day.

So, unless Williams and O’Neal have an out-of-body experience and play out of their minds, expect two things to happen on Christmas Day: the Lakers should dominate the Cavs…again…and Nike will blitz the audience with an endless stream of Kobe and LeBron puppet commercials.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Ho!…Ho!….Ho!….

Sincerely, Santa

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The Cleveland Cavaliers will not win an NBA championship this season.

Sorry, Cavs fans. You’re all going to have to wait a little bit longer to taste the champagne because this Cavaliers team, the way it is currently constructed, is not good enough to win in June.

Here are four reasons why the Cavaliers won’t win an NBA title:

1) MIKE BROWN CAN’T COACH OFFENSE
The Cavaliers head coach came from the Gregg Popovich school of defense, but that seems to be the only thing he took with him to Cleveland. Brown can preach and teach defense, but he is an awful offensive coach. His set plays are so basic you might think the Cavs are running an offense from the 1960s. LeBron James is the most explosive, athletic and dynamic offensive player in the league but yet Brown has not been able to get him enough easy shots to help ease the gigantic burden placed on James’ shoulders to win games by himself. All too often, James is at the top of the circle running Brown’s 1-4 set. TNT”s Charles Barkley has said, in more than one occasion, that LeBron needs to play in a system that will take advantage of his speed and athleticism. Going one-on-three 80% of the time can be a bit taxing. Night after night, LeBron has had to work extremely hard for his baskets, and Brown has not done a thing to help his superstar. This kind of vanilla offense may work during the regular season, but it’s not going to get it done in the postseason. Brown’s latest concoction is this ridiculous experiment that has centers Shaquille O’Neal and Zydrunas Ilgauskas on the court at the same time. This makes the Cavs extremely slow on offense and defense, and it curtails James’ urge to push the ball and create fastbreak opportunities. As long as Mike Brown is the coach, the Cavaliers are not a championship team.

Coach Mike Brown and point guard Mo Williams don't seem to have that championship quality.

2) MO WILLIAMS IS NOT A STAR
To win an NBA title, you have to have a great 1-2 punch. I’ve always believed that if you give LeBron James an All-Star player to play with, the Cavaliers will be a powerhouse. I think it’s safe to say that the Cavaliers should keep looking for that All-Star player because it is certainly not Mo Williams. The much-celebrated offseason acquisition in 2008 has been somewhat of a disappointment. Sure he made the All-Star team last season, but that was only because LeBron begged the league to select him. Williams is not a clutch player, and it clearly showed during the playoffs. Though he finished with decent statistics, when it mattered most, Williams was MIA. He was outplayed by Rafer Alston in the series against Orlando and his decision-making got progressively worse as the games got close. The biggest play he made during the 2008-09 playoffs was his inbounds pass to James that resulted him LeBron’s game-winning shot in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. If Mo Williams wants to be the Scottie Pippen and be the No. 2 guy behind LeBron, he has to step it up big time. He has a career average of 17 PPG, but those numbers were built on against inferior opponents. Williams has to realize he’s no longer in Milwaukee where games don’t matter. He’s playing with The King in Cleveland. If Williams wants to be considered an All-Star, he needs to play like one.

3) TOO MANY OF THE SAME SLOW PIECES
The addition of Shaq made the Cavs bigger up front but it didn’t fix the Cavaliers’ vulnerability against quicker and more athletic big men. Matter of fact, Cleveland became more rigid and are now even more susceptible to quicker and more athletic frontcourts. At this stage of his career, O’Neal is a liability on defense and struggles against the pick-and-roll offense. The same can be said about Ilgauskas. Big Z got exposed big time in last year’s conference finals when the bigger and quicker Dwight Howard ran circles around him. The third part of Cleveland’s three-headed frontcourt problem is Anderson Varejao. Now, Varejao is a unique player who brings boundless energy to the court. However, he’s very limited offensively and lacks a consistent jump shot to space the court when he plays with Big Z or Shaq. In an ideal situation, Varejao is a backup at best. He’s great when he plays just 20 minutes, but when you stretch him to 30 minutes his effectiveness is compromised. He is much more effective in spurts where he can change the tempo with his hustle and can frustrate opponents with his nonstop action. When the Cavs got Shaq, they should have signed a big man who can shoot.

4) LEBRON’S LONG-TERM COMMITMENT
It would help the franchise if LeBron just said “Yes” to a contract extension and put all the rumors to bed. But his continued posturing and constant hints about playing elsewhere doesn’t exactly put the Cavaliers management, coaches, players and fans at ease. LeBron holds all the cards and he’s playing them like he has all the chips on the table – which he does. I find it amusing that he’s even considering playing in New York. The Knicks are a mess. Why would LeBron sign with a team that is about to unload half of its roster just to accommodate him? The allure of playing in Madison Square Garden and being in the center of the media storm can’t be that attractive when you’re playing for a lottery team. If LeBron James is serious about making Cleveland a champion, he needs to commit to the franchise long term.

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Despite a record-setting performance during the Eastern Conference finals, LeBron James is out of the playoffs. (GETTY IMAGES)

LeBron James was so disappointed his Cleveland Cavaliers are out of the NBA playoffs, he immediately left the Amway Arena floor as soon as the final buzzer sounded, skipped the postgame news conference and rushed to the team bus without speaking to reporters.

It was an indication James feels that his Cavaliers, as they are currently constructed, do not have the right pieces to contend for a championship. Cleveland won 66 games during the regular season and James won MVP, but that is all for nothing because the Magic bounced the Cavs in six games and, at the end of the conference finals, The James Gang is still a one-man team.

Eric Snow, who now works for NBA TV, was disappointed his former teammate bypassed the mandatory media session. “He has to come out and talk. Enough said, Bron. You gotta come out and talk. You’re the leader of this team. You come out, you lead, you answer questions, represent your team like you’ve done all season long and you go back on the bus.”

Snow continued, “I know you’re upset; everyone is upset for you. But that’s what you have to do. That’s what leaders do. Leaders go out there and they do the things that are hard. The things that you don’t want to do. That’s what you come out there and get that done. You move on, set the example and the tone for your team to get by this and move on for next season.”

Cleveland coach Mike Brown blamed the loss to poor execution in crucial times. How about lack of talent? It’s the 800-pound elephant in the room that everyone, including Brown, seem to be ignoring.

“We had one goal in mind and we came up short. We came up short because we didn’t execute early on – on both ends of the floor,” Brown said. “It wasn’t about a lack of effort, it wasn’t about a lack of passion, it wasn’t about a lack of heart. Our guys have that. They displayed that the entire year.”

No one is questioning Cleveland’s effort. It’s amazing this team got this far for having so many flaws. They don’t have a consistent second scorer, they’re bench is very average at best and if Anderson Varejao gets in foul trouble, they don’t have a reliable power forward off the bench. Ben Wallace was nonexistent throughout the series and made a crucial mistake by getting picked off by Dwight Howard late in Game 4 that allowed Rashard Lewis an open look at a 3-point shot.

Though James – who averaged nearly 40 points per game, eight rebounds and eight assists during the series – will not publicly call anyone out, much of the blame points to Mo Williams. The Cavaliers point guard had a forgettable series and his unreliable jump shot kept a second and sometimes a third defender in James’ path. When Williams was asked if there was anything more he could have done in the series, he replied, “No.”

Even though Williams averaged a decent 18 points in the series, his 35% 3-point shooting was far below his playoff average. Williams also added extra pressure on himself by guaranteeing that the Cavaliers would advance to the NBA Finals. Big words for someone who has never done anything in the playoffs. We ain’t in Milwaukee anymore, Mo!

ESPN’s Chris Broussard brought up LeBron’s quick exit from the locker room to the bus, to which Williams responded by saying: “Obviously, you’re gonna be disappointed, obviously you’re gonna be hurting inside because you know that you had a team to get it done. And I can understand that disappointment because I’m feeling that same disappointment. At the end of the day, LeBron is a great professional. He’s a very intelligent basketball player. This is motivation and drive for him. I’m 110 percent sure that he’ll be alright.”

Williams continued, “Basically, it’s like you’re at Christmas time and you want that remote control car you’ve been beggin’ you’re mom the whole time. Christmas comes and you open up a present, you open up another present, another present and you never see that remote control car. You could have 10 presents, you don’t have that remote control car you’re gonna be sad and disappointed. But you’ll get over it.”

Funny how Williams would use the Christmas toy analogy because guess what LeBron will be wishing for during the offseason? A player who can help him win a championship.

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Mo Williams did not score in the fourth quarter and in overtime in Cleveland's 116-114 loss in Game 4. (NBAE/GETTY IMAGES)

The Cleveland Cavaliers just put Mo Williams’ face on the box of a milk cartoon because they can’t seem to locate their starting point guard.

According to the Game 4 box score, Williams had 18 points on 5-of-15 shooting, had five rebounds and had two assists and two steals. That’s odd because when the LeBron James needed help when things got hot and heavy in the fourth quarter and in the overtime period in Orlando, Williams was nowhere to be found.

With Williams missing in action, James had to do too much on offense and could not save the Cavaliers from going down 116-114 to the Orlando Magic in Game 4 and could not save the Cavaliers from going down 3-1 in the Eastern Conference finals. Only eight teams have overcome a 3-1 deficit in a seven-game series.

“I’m a leader on this team. Whatever I can do to spark this team and give us confidence, I’ll do,” Williams said. “If I have to take the heat, so be it.”

Did you guys hear something? I swear I just heard Mo Williams say “I’m a leader on this team.” Is Williams living in the same planet? Has he been paying attention to this series? Obviously not based on his comments. A leader? I know Williams has a sense of humor, but that last one was just hilarious. And this is coming from a guy who just guaranteed that the Cavs will win this series.

Before Williams is allowed to make any predictions, he needs to get in the game first – and when I say “get in the game” he needs to have a bigger impact in the game other than inbound the ball to LeBron, who is averaging 42 points in the conference finals but yet finds his team on the brink of elimination.

To say that Williams is having a hard time in this series is the understatement of the year. Williams is 23 for 71 from the field in the series and has been hardly as efficient as he was in the regular season, when he averaged a career-high 17.8 points.

For someone who was tabbed as the LeBron’s wing man and made the NBA All-Star Game this season, Williams is playing like a guy who is afraid to make a play. The fact that he made the guarantee shows that he’s lacking confidence and he needed to pump himself up with some verbal bravado.

He had 18 points through three quarters on Tuesday, but took just two shots (missed them both) in the fourth quarter and overtime. He is getting outplayed by Rafer Alston and is still reeling from the elbow he took to the face from Anthony Johnson.

Johnson is getting the last laugh in his matchup with Williams as the veteran guard was seen smiling from ear to ear in the Orlando locker room and was poking fun at Williams’ botched guarantee. “The guy’s out there chirping and talking and all that kind of stuff,” Johnson said. “They were, all of them, doing a little more talking than usual. But as long as none of them put their hands on me, I’m cool.”

If the Cavaliers are going to extend this series, Mo Williams needs to man up and let his presence be known.

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Mo Williams' 17 points was not good enough to back up LeBron James' game-high 49 points in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference finals. (GETTY IMAGES)

If Mo Williams wants to be Robin to LeBron James’ Batman, he needs to play a lot better and be more of a factor in the Eastern Conference finals.

Williams, Cleveland’s much-celebrated offseason acquisition and a first-time All-Star this season, made just 6 of 19 shots from the field and was 2 for 8 from 3-point range in Cleveland’s 107-106 loss to Orlando in Game 1 at the Q. His 17 points may have been good enough for a regular-season victory, but these are the conference finals – a place Williams has never been in. He admitted before the game that he missed his pre-game nap because he was so anxious to play.

It almost seemed like James was playing one-on-five against the Magic for most of the game as the rest of the Cavaliers showed up late to the dance. James scored a career-playoff high 49 points, making 20 of 30 shots. The rest of team made 23 of 58 shots.

James hinted that he may have shot his team out of rhythm in Game 1, but Williams knew better and immediately squashed any criticism headed in James’ way for taking too many shots.

“Offensively, we were stagnant at times. Maybe because I felt the hot hand. I got back to the one-on-one play I had in the past,” James said. Before another reporter could ask the next question, Williams said, “I want to add to that last (statement). I don’t think him (LeBron) going one-one-one was the factor. I think he had it going and that’s part of our offense; him to attack his man. The biggest key to the game was myself. I have to take pressure off (LeBron).”
“I’m looking at the stats, and I’m looking at Dwight (Howard) and I’m looking at Rashard (Lewis) and I’m looking at Hedo (Turkoglu), and those three guys were terrific,” Williams said about Orlando’s big three. “And I look at myself … 6 for 19, Bron is 20 for 30 from the field. He can go one-on-one all he wants but I got 19 shots still. It wasn’t him.”

Howard scored 30 points and had 13 rebounds, Lewis scored 22 points – including the game-winning 3-pointer – and Turkoglu had 15 points and 14 assists.

Williams had a chance to atone for his poor Game 1 performance when James whipped a pass his way with under 10 seconds left and the Cavs down by one. Instead of pump-faking his defender and taking one dribble to step into a potential game-winning jump shot, he swung a pass to Delonte West in the corner for a 3-pointer, which he missed.

At the end of the day, James was bleeding and cramping after playing 41 hard minutes. Williams knows he needs to step his game up if the Cavaliers are going to advance to the NBA Finals. He knows full well that Batman cannot do it alone. Every once in a while, Robin needs to take the steering wheel of the Batmobile and drive Batman out of harms way.

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