Inspiration can be a funny thing.  People can derive it from different events and different situations whether they are good or bad.  At the same time one could say that what kind a character a person has is brought to light in the face of adversity.  Carlos Boozer faced a tragedy last weekend as his grandmother passed away.  Boozer chose to handle his adversity by playing the two best games of his basketball life when his team really needed him.  More than show what kind of basketball player he is Boozer showed what kind of man he is.

       People, including myself, tired of former Cavaliers GM Wayne Embry constant stressing of character.  The Cavaliers went overboard in that regard but the recent performances by Carlos Boozer shows that it is truly important.  Since Embry was kicked upstairs and Mike Fratello fired too often have Cavaliers teams and players rolled over when things got tough or clinched their behinds tight enough to turn coal into diamonds when the pressure was on.  

       The situation against the Seattle Supersonics Tuesday night was pretty simple.  The Cavaliers were without LeBron James and Zydrunas Ilguaskas due to injury and suspension and someone had to pick up the scoring load.  With DaJuan Wagner still getting back into the flow the logical choice was Carlos Boozer.  Boozer's 32 point 20 rebound night was brilliant in its simplicity.  He didn't do anything spectacular but rather expended on the elements of his game that we have seen before. 

       The strength of Boozer's game has always been his rebounding and he pounded a Sonics team that is among the worst in the NBA with two big men in Jerome James and Calvin Booth that have trouble getting out of their own way.  Another strength of Boozer's game is his ability to hit midrange jumpers.  Besides settling for a few too many quick outside shots Boozer hit enough of them to make the Seattle of defenders respect his shot.  Here is where the variety in Boozer's offensive game help define the performance.  Instead of constantly settling for outside shots when Boozer was forced off the block on the catch he turned, face up and took some power dribbles to the basket and drew fouls getting to the line.  Last year Boozer would go hard left from the wing or from the high post to the rim but it has been more rare this year as he has increased his range a bit and subsequently he hasn't been getting to the free throw line.  Another important aspect was catching the ball with good position in the paint.  At Duke Carlos Boozer was one best finishers in the country around the basket.  It was more evident in the Utah game but Boozer was able to catch the ball more often with at least a foot in the paint.  In college, Boozer was able to do with that and use his touch around the basket to score effectively.  In the NBA and him being undersized for his position and going up against bigger players he no longer is able to get that same kind of position which has forced him to improve and extend the range on his shot.  Against Utah and Seattle, Boozer got as good position inside as he has his entire young pro career.  Even when he was double teamed Kedrick Brown awoke from his deep slumber to make three straight three pointers out of those double teams to further add to the mix that became Boozer's Perfect Storm.

       This writer isn't ready to anoint Carlos Boozer anything.  Two games isn't a big enough sample to determine anything.  There have been hastier false declarations about the greatness of a player under longer pretenses than what Carlos Boozer has shown the last two games.  Boozer still has his flaws as a player.  He is still regularly late as the weakside help defender and because of his physical deficiencies he has problems guarding long, athletic power forward types and more mobile power forwards who can step out on the perimeter.  But, more important than the actual numbers Boozer has put up the last two games it affirms what many have said about him.  Former Cavaliers coach John Lucas before the 2002 draft talked about finding players who would get down the foxhole with him and it is clear that Carlos Boozer is that kind of player.  If the Cleveland Cavaliers are to defy the odds beset by their own incompetence and build a championship team then they are going to need players like Carlos Boozer.  Players who are selfless and have that kind of character that doesn't just have that "be kind to puppies and kittens" variety but who will continue fighting when times are rough.  Players who can play any role given, step up when called upon and not just serve to not get in the way of the team's stars.    

Carlos Boozer has only been a Cavalier for exactly one and half season but is hard to envision the Cavaliers without him.   

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