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Consistent minutes have been tough to come by for Jamario Moon all-season long, but it wouldn’t be surprising if that changes after his performance Monday night.

In 20 minutes of action, the 29-year-old forward scored 12 points on 4-of-5 shooting, all from the three-point line, and also added two blocks to help the Cavaliers to a 112-102 victory over the Chicago Bulls.

Moon was on the floor for the entire fourth quarter — even though he played just seven total minutes in game one — as the Cavaliers built up a double-digit lead.

Even though he hasn’t been a mainstay in coach Mike Brown’s rotation this season, Moon was prepared to make his contribution when his number was called.

“I didn’t put any pressure on myself,” Moon said after the game. ”I understand the business and I understand you have to stay ready to play because like I said, you never know when your name is going to be called…it’s just all about staying professional and staying ready to play.”

Moon played in just 12 of 17 games in March, during which time he averged 2.7 points and 2.1 rebounds. It looked as if he had fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, but he kept working.

“It’s just all about doing what you have to do to stay ready to play,” Moon said. ”Everyday after shootaround, the coaches and I get together and shoot some extra jumpers after we’re done with the walk-though. It’s all about getting up those extra shots to stay ready.”

When the Cavaliers clinched the NBA’s best record near the end of the season, they decided to rest LeBron James for the postseason. With James out of the lineup, Moon’s playing time rose dramatically.

Moon played well during that time, scoring in double figures in the final four games of the regular season. He saved his best for the team’s final game, where he scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds. He was hot from beyond the arc in those final games, hitting 7-of-14 three-point attempts.

The momentum he gained from those games was evident on Monday night, when he led the team with his four threes.

“There are going to be certain guys that come in a make a difference,” Antawn Jamison said about Moon’s performance. ”… Coach always says ‘you have to be ready’ because you never know when your opportunity is going to come. He did an awesome job of knocking down shots when we needed him.”

Moon’s journey to the Cavaliers has been a long one.

Although he is approaching 30 years old, this is just his third year in the NBA. Before the Toronto Raptors signed him in 2007, Moon played a variety of teams, even the Harlem Globetrotters at one point.

“Coming from where I came from and the road that it took for me to get here, it feels great,” Moon said. ”To understand the opportunity that this team has this season, it feels wonderful.”

Moon’s three-point shots in game two weren’t anything for the Sportscenter Top 10 — like some of the high-flyer’s dunks have been this season – but they certainly were clutch.

Two of his four threes came in the fourth quarter as the Cavaliers tried to hold off a late rally by the visiting Bulls. Chicago was doing all they could to stop Cavaliers’ superstar LeBron James, leaving Moon open to hit his big shots.

“He stayed and he waited, and when they went to double or they made a mistake on LeBron, LeBron did a terrific job of getting that ball out and Jamario was ready to catch and shoot,” Brown said. ”Not only did he make shots, he had a couple of big blocks for us and he had some nice rebounds. He contributed in a lot of different ways for us tonight, which was good to see.”

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It took some time, but Mike Brown seems to be finding a place for Jamario Moon in his rotation.

Moon, in his first campaign with the Cavaliers, struggled to find minutes over the first few weeks of the season. He averaged just 9.7 minutes in the team’s first six games and seemed hesitant on both ends of the court. The low point off that stretch was a Thursday night bout with the Chicago Bulls in which the 29-year-old didn’t leave the bench. Since that game, though, Moon has become one of the Cavs most intrical bench performers.

The Cavaliers have won seven of their last eight after the one-point loss at home to the Bulls. Over that time Moon has averaged 19.4 minutes and scored in double-digits twice.

Although he isn’t the only reason for the improved play of the Cavs as of late, Moon’s abilties are hard to ignore.

“He is long,” said Brown. ”He is athletic. He runs well, and he’s going to get out in transition and he’s going to finish.”

Moon’s strengths took center stage against the 76ers on Saturday. The Cavaliers trailed by six entering the fourth quarter but were able to come away with a 97-91 win, helped by a four-point quarter from the former community college standout.

Moon even added one for the highlight-reel, dunking off a Mo Williams assist to give the home team a six-point lead with just 4:35 remaining. He was also vital on the defensive end, guarding shutting down Andre Iguodala, who scored just two points in the final period.

“The thing that I like about Jamario is defensively he’s starting to be a physical presence and you can really see his length,” said Brown.

Moon’s has been known as a “high-flyer” since he came into the league, but he is much more than just a finisher around the rim.

“He’s a lot better shooter than what I thought coming in,” said Brown. ”I thought he was a solid shooter, but I think he’s a pretty good shooter.”

The stats seem to agree with Brown.

Moon is shooting 47 percent from the floor and nearly 38 percent from the three-point line. He also has the third-highest foul shooting percentage on the team, hitting 83 percent from the charity stripe.

Although it has been a rollercoaster season for Moon so far, he will continue to make the most of the opportunites he receives.

“Regardless of the situation you’ve got to come out and do your job,” said Moon. ”It’s just all about being ready when your name is called.”

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Year seven of the ‘LeBron James Experience’ in Cleveland is set to begin on Tuesday night against the Boston Celtics. Yes, in case you didn’t realize, the 24-year-old superstar has already been a part of the Cavaliers for a full six seasons.

Time sure flies when you’re having fun.

Since he was drafted by the team in the summer of 2003, James has led the Cavs to four playoff appearances, including an NBA Finals berth in 2007. He also brought immediate national attention to a struggling franchise upon his arrival. The Cavaliers had been in a five-year playoff drought before the addition of the high school phenom, including a disastrous 17-win season in 2002-03, which led to the club receiving the first overall selection in the ‘LeBron Sweepstakes.”

For all the good James has done for the Cavaliers and the city of Cleveland, an NBA title has continued to escape the team. The Cavaliers won a franchise-record 66 games during the 2008-09 regular season, but fell short in the playoffs.

“We had an unbelievable season,” said James after the team’s playoff run ended. ”But we gotta work a little bit harder.”

James did all he could as he averaged 35.3 points, 9.1 rebounds and 7.3 assists in the team’s 14 postseason games. After their elimination, questions began to arise about whether the Cavaliers had built a good enough cast around their star to win a championship. General Manager Danny Ferry quickly responded, trading for former MVP Shaquille O’Neal in June.

At 37 years old, O’Neal isn’t the unstoppable force that led the Lakers to three champions in the early 2000s. But he still has the ability to demand a double team, something James hasn’t had alongside him during his tenure with the Cavs.

“He is the most dominant force to ever play the game of basketball,” said James this summer. “There will never ever be another like Shaquille O’Neal.”

O’Neal averagd 17.8 points and 8.4 with the Phoenix Suns last season, earning his 15th career All-Star selection. Whether Shaq can duplicate last season is still unknown as he enters his 18th year in the NBA.

James is immensely more predictable than his aging center. The reigning MVP’s career averages are 27.5 points, 7 rebounds and 6.7 assists. Penciling him in for something similar to those numbers this season is a virtual lock.

Nobody in the NBA is counted on to do more for their team than James. The 6′8″ forward failed to score at least 15 points just four times last season, and that is including the regular season finale against the Indiana Pacers in which he didn’t even leave the bench. Although the team will surely look to alleviate some of the burden on his broad shoulders, at the end of the day the Cavaliers only will go as far as ‘King James’ takes them.

“He’s a great player,” said O’Neal during training camp. “He’s a very, very unselfish player. ”

That unselfishness is one of the things that separates James from many of the other great players in the NBA. His knack for finding open teammates is second to none and helped lure in free agents Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon this summer.

“He’s gonna make my job a lot easier,” said Moon when he signed with the Cavaliers in July.

Things won’t be so easy for Cavaliers opponents this season. Not with James on the other side. Not with the young forward still so hungry for his first championship.

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The Cavaliers knew they had a project on their hands when they drafted J.J. Hickson with the 19th pick in the 2008 NBA draft. The 19-year-old forward was just a year removed from high school, making him one of the most unpolished prospects coming out of college. But the Cavaliers didn’t draft him on what he was at the time, they drafted him on what he could become in the future.

“He clearly has the potential to be a very good NBA player,” said General Manager Danny Ferry at the time. “Now it’s up to him and us to work on some things and get better.”

Hickson’s rookie season for the Cavaliers was hindered by his lack of familiarity with the NBA game. He averaged just four points for the year and rarely cracked Mike Brown’s rotation.

 ”Last year I was playing on egg shells,” said Hickson. ”But I think this year I’m more comfortable with the offensive schemes and I’m a little bit more comfortable with the players I’m playing with.”

One of those players is LeBron James, who tutored the young forward for the majority of this past summer.

“Everywhere I went, I had him with me working out with me because I knew the potential that he had,” said James. ”And he’s definitely implementing everything he learned this summer from myself and from himself, and doing it on the court.”

Hickson scored in double-figures in the team’s first three preseason games, which were all victories. In six games he has averaged 9.8 points and shot nearly 52 percent from the field. He has been consistent around the basket, showing off the inside skills he improved on all summer.

The Cavaliers traded Ben Wallace this off season, which could make Hickson starting forward Anderson Varejao’s primary backup. If that is the case, he will be counted on by his teammates nightly to make plays.

“The main thing everyone’s stressing to me is be consistent,” said Hickson, who is the youngest player on Cleveland’s roster.

With talented forwards like Darnell Jackson and Jawad Williams following close behind him, Hickson will have little room for growing pains. Jackson and Williams will be ready for their opportunity to play if Hickson struggles or goes down with an injury. Injuries are always a concern with athletes and Hickson is no different. A back injury ended his season last year in early April, but plenty of rehab over the summer has him in good condition.

“The back feels great.” said Hickson. “I’m back to 100 percent.”

Good news for the former McDonald’s All-American, who seems ready for a breakout season. Although he would love to see major floor minutes in his sophomore season, Hickson is ready to help his team in any way possible. He will continue to work hard and take in the knowledge that his teammates feed him.

“I’m like a sponge,” said Hickson. ”I’m just soaking everything up right now.”

Hickson is a rare talent, with abilities few in the NBA possess. If he blossoms into the star he can become, then the  summer of 2009 may be looked back on as the definitive off season in J.J. Hickson’s career.

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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.”

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The 2009-10 season marks the 40th year of the Cleveland Cavaliers, although the team has yet to win an NBA championship. Shaquille O’Neal is entering his 18th NBA season and has four championship rings to show for his efforts.

Let’s just say the Cavaliers wouldn’t mind adding a fifth ring to his collection this season, which in turn would get them off the 14-team list of NBA franchises without a title.

It’s probably just a one-year rental, as O’Neal will earn $20 million dollars this season in the final year of his current contract. But if the team wins that elusive championship the acquisition will be well worth it, especially since they only gave up Sasha Pavlovic, Ben Wallace, a second round pick and cash considerations to the Phoenix Suns for the “Big Diesel”. (In case you were wondering, neither Pavlovic nor Wallace will play for the Suns this season as they were both bought out of their contracts.)

Aside from championship experience, O’Neal brings a long history of low-post domination. He is the leading active scorer in the NBA, with 27,619 points. To put that in perspective, 34-year old center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has 10,142 points in his career, over 17,000 less than Shaq.

Even though he is a future Hall-of-Famer, O’Neal is in Cleveland for the chance to win, not to pad his stats.

“I’m not really here to grab any individual accolades,” said O’Neal. “I’ve been here 17 years and I’ve won almost every award you can imagine.”

His list of personal achievements would make even Wilt Chamberlain sweat a bit. O’Neal is a 14-time All-Star, former Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star game MVP, a one-time league MVP and, most importantly, a three-time Finals MVP. Not much left to accomplish for the 7′3″ center, but a fifth ring would give O’Neal one more championship than fellow big man Tim Duncan and would help his case for being the best player of his era.

Although he has been limited to just 19.2 minutes per game in the preseason, O’Neal has played fairly well for the Cavs. He is averaging 10.2 points and 6.2 rebounds in the team’s five games and has looked in sync with fellow superstar LeBron James.

The question of how the two top-notch performers would mesh together has been thrown around throughout training camp, but Shaq insists he and James will co-exist just fine.

“He’s a great player and a very very unselfish player,” said O’Neal. “We’re not gonna have any problems.”

James was ninth in the NBA in assists per game last season at 7.2, which was good for first among non-guards. That number could climb even higher this season with a 58 percent shooter like Shaq around the basket. O’Neal has led the NBA in field goal percentage 10 times in his career, including last season when he shot over 60 percent from the floor with the Suns.

Last season’s high field-goal percentage was part of an All-Star season for O’Neal in which he averaged 17.8 points and 8.4 rebounds in 75 games.

Don’t expect the 37-year old center to play 75 games again this season or average near the 30 minutes per game he was playing a year ago. The Cavaliers won a franchise-record 66 regular season games last season and should be able to capture one of the Eastern Conference’s top seeds no matter how little O’Neal plays. Having Shaq fresh for the playoffs is the team’s main concern, where he will be expected to slow down each opponent’s center, especially Orlando’s Dwight Howard.

The NBA season is often referred to as a marathon, as opposed to a sprint. Think of Shaquille O’Neal as a distance runner, pacing himself until it is necessary to break away from the pack. He will reach a sprint during the postseason, at which point he will look to bring history to the city of Cleveland.

Namely, an NBA title.

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Fourteen players are under guaranteed contracts with the Cavaliers, leaving one spot available for the team’s training camp invitees.

Which of those six players will make the team is still a mystery, but one player in particular, namely Andre Barrett, has caught my eye.

The 27-year-old Barrett has seen significant minutes at the point guard position due to the absence of Delonte West and an injury to Mo Williams. West has missed nine days of training camp due to personal problems and has yet to play in any of the team’s three preseason games. Williams has been battling a groin injury, causing him to miss the Cavs’ latest game. The only other point guard on the team’s roster is Daniel Gibson.

Barrett has fit in nicely on the defending Central Divison champions and head coach Mike Brown has taken notice.

“He’s played well so far,” said Brown. “He’s done a solid job of trying to run the team when he’s come in the game.”

Barrett has just one turnover in three games, an impressive statistic for a player who has bounced from team to team since leaving Seton Hall University in 2004. He has been a part of six NBA teams, not including the Cavaliers, and has also played overseas and in the National Basketball Development League.

His NBDL career has been impressive. He averaged 17 points and 6.6 assists with the now-defunct Florida Flame during the 2005-06 season, and followed that up with by posting 18.4 points and 8.7 assists during the 2007-08 campaign, which he split between the Bakersfield Jam and Austin Toros.

Barrett’s NBA career has been less than stellar. In 67 career regular season games he has averaged 3.3 points and 2 assists, while shooting just 37 percent from the floor.

The jury is still out on whether Barrett has the talent to play in the NBA, but the Cavaliers like some of the skills he possesses.

“He can do some things offensively,” said Brown. ”He can knock down a shot if he’s open. He can get to the rim or get into the paint to collapse the defense and make a play.”

 The former McDonald’s All-American’s ability to make plays was on display in the Cavaliers’ latest game against Olympiakos. In 20 minutes of action he scored nine points on 2-4 shooting and also dished out five assists, numbers any NBA team would gladly take from a reserve point guard.

At this point Barrett may be the frontrunner for the Cavs’ final roster spot, although all Brown would say is that he has been “impressed with him so far in training camp.”

The Cavaliers have five preseason games left before they must decide on their regular season roster.