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He's still not pain-free after his high ankle sprain, which caused him to miss 18 games this season. But after two games in the playoffs, he's averaging 12 points and 4.0 assists. He's shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 57.1 percent from the 3-point line.
"I feel great," he said. "It's a process you dread going through."
Gibson's shooting was off-kilter upon his return. But he's made two 3-pointers in each of the playoff games.
"I haven't been shooting the ball very well for a while," he said. "I knew it was only a matter of time before it showed up in a game. It was good to see a couple go down for me."
He was fouled on a 3-point miss in Monday's game and made all three foul shots. It was part of the Cavs' 17-4 run to close the second quarter.
"When I shoot, I jump forward on my delivery," he said.
Gibson insists he's not acting on the play.
"A lot of times it hurts," he said. "(Monday) my head snapped back and I woke up with a crook in my neck."
Z at line
Cavs center Zydrunas Ilgauskas has been red-hot at the foul line in the series, making 10 of 11 (90.9 percent).
"Five or six years ago, I was in the low 70s," he said. "I just changed my technique. It's not my jump-shot form. I keep my elbow connected to my body. The only way to miss it is to go short or long. I can't miss left or right.
"One summer I started shooting like that. It worked for me, and all of a sudden, I'm an 80-percent free-throw shooter."
Wally likes starting
Guard Wally Szczerbiak loves being in the starting lineup, and it shows. His production has picked up in the first two games of the series.
He's averaging 11.5 points and is shooting 42.1 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from the 3-point line.
"It's been great," he said. "I'm really enjoying the starting position. It's given me the opportunity to build good chemistry with the starting unit, especially LeBron (James).
"I'm getting back to the mindset that I'm starting games, something I've done for pretty much my whole career. Sometimes people forget I've made the All-Star team as a starter. When I'm out there, it helps my production."
He's also defended Wizards swingman Caron Butler well in the series. Butler has averaged 13 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
"I'm trying to make him work," Szczerbiak said. "LeBron said it best: We're taking on the individual challenge of defending our guys one-on-one. We're not relying on help."
Szczerbiak said the Cavs are doing a lot of good things in the playoff series.
"We're taking care of the ball," he said. "We're not giving them easy buckets in transition, our turnover ratio is high, we're attacking the basket and getting to the free-throw line and we're rebounding. Now, with our shots falling down, it's like icing on the cake."
Watch parties
When the Cavs go on the road during the playoffs, there will be two watch parties.
The Cavalier Girls, the Scream Team, Moondog and Ahmaad will entertain fans.
The watch party for Game 3 will be at the Winking Lizard in Lakewood (14018 Detroit Ave.) on Thursday.
Fans will get together at Johnny Malloy's in Coventry (2781 Euclid Heights Blvd. in Cleveland Heights) on Sunday for Game 4.
