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It was May 31st and the Cavaliers 2009 season had come to a sudden halt the night before. A 103-90 loss to the Orlando Magic had ended the team’s championship run in the Eastern Conference Finals. A franchise-record 66-win regular season, but no title to show for it. You could see the disappointment in Mo Williams face as he spoke to the media. Still, the point guards words remained optimistic.

“We will be back,” said Williams at Cleveland Clinic Courts that day.

With the 2009-10 season about to start, the Cavaliers are back and, arguably, better than ever. They traded for All-Star center Shaquille O’Neal and signed several free agents, including Jamario Moon and Anthony Parker. O’Neal, Moon and Parker are all potent scorers, adding depth to an already talented roster. What these acquistions will do is give Williams a chance to become more of a distributor this season, which is something he is embracing.

“My shots will be down, but my assists definitely will be up,” said Williams after a recent preseason game. ”It’s fun for me because I’m finally getting a chance to show that side of my game. “

The seventh-year pro averaged 4.1 assists per game last season, ranking him just 37th in the league. LeBron James’ passing skills and court vision are partly to blame for Williams’ low assist rate, but don’t expect him to use that as an excuse. The former second-round pick is confident in his ability to set up his teammates.

“I know where my guys need to be on the floor,” said Williams. ”I know when my guys need the ball.”

The 6′1″ guard struggled during the 2009 playoffs, which was  just his second postseason appearance. His poor play reached its peak in the Conference Finals. In that series he shot 37 percent from the floor and averaged a lowly 3.7 assists, both below his regular season averages.

To Williams’ credit, he did play better in the final two games of that series, putting in games of 24 and 17 points and shooting 50 percent from the field, but it was too little, too late as the Cavaliers fell in six games to the Magic.

Maybe the failure was what Williams needed. He seems more determined than ever than to prove the critics wrong, and it has shown through in his play.

He is averaging 6.3 assists during the preseason, including an 11-assist game against the Mavericks. The Cavaliers won that game 96-66, in large part due to Williams willingness to set up his teammates. 

“I’m an experienced point guard now,” said Williams. “I’m not learning the game anymore. I’m continuing to get better, but I’m not learning the game.”

Thanks to the Cavaliers success last season Williams now has big-time playoff experience under his belt, something he didn’t get during his tenures with the Utah Jazz and Milwaukee Bucks. So what’s the next step for the 26-year old Williams?

“Win a championship. That’s the global goal.”