CLEVELAND — Apparently, Larry Hughes is having more fun losing with the Chicago Bulls than he did reaching the NBA Finals with the Cavaliers.
“Winning a championship is not everything I base things on,” said Hughes, whose Bulls lost to the Cavaliers 95-86 Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena. “I wouldn’t take being unhappy, not being myself and winning. I’d rather enjoy traveling around, having fun and playing basketball.”
Playing his fifth game and making his second start since the three-team, 11-player trade that also involved Seattle, Hughes finished with 23 points, five rebounds and four assists against his former team while being booed throughout the afternoon.
Former Cavaliers power forward Drew Gooden, who was cheered when introduced, started for the first time with Chicago and had 11 points and 10 rebounds, all coming in the first three periods.
“I wouldn’t say it was an unhappy memory,” Hughes said of his two-plus seasons in Cleveland. “It was an experience. I learn from everything I do.
“I don’t blame anybody for it. That’s just the way the situation was. I can move on.”
Though the Cavaliers reached the NBA Finals last season, Hughes said that wasn’t enough to compensate for being misused at point guard and being unhappy on the court.
“We won some games, but I honestly thought we could have won more games,” the 6-foot-5, 185-pounder said. “It doesn’t matter if you’re not happy about it.
“I’m happy now. I learned a lot. I’m able to just be me. It’s a fresh place. The style of play that we play (in Chicago) fits me better as far as getting up and down the court.”
Hughes, who said he didn’t have any problems with superstar LeBron James or any other Cleveland player, never mentioned Cavaliers coach Mike Brown by name, but everything that came out of his mouth indicated he was not happy with how he was used after signing a five-year, $65 million contract.
“As players, we had a great relationship,” Hughes said of James. “There was never any beef on the court. Off the court, we played cards, hung around. Not just LeBron, but everybody.
“I was asked to sacrifice for the team to win and for everybody to, I guess, get paid,” he added. “That’s what was told to me and I wasn’t happy with that.”
Gooden was his normal cheerful self, though he did walk in the wrong direction after exiting the visiting locker room to go out for pregame warmups.
“I’ve been in this boat before and been successful, so it’s time to start all over,” said Gooden, who was also traded by Memphis and Orlando. “It’s tough, but once you go through it the first time, you know how to adjust. The transition is a lot easier.
“There’s no going back or trying to make things right. I know it’s a business. What’s done is done and I wish (the Cavaliers) the best of luck.”
Cleveland’s Brown expressed similar sentiments when asked about his two former starters.
“They were terrific here,” he said. “They helped us win and they helped us win big. I’m sure they just want to be in a position to help their new club win.”

Ben braces for boos

While Hughes was booed in his return to Cleveland, Cavaliers power forward Ben Wallace will likely get a similar reception Thursday when he returns to Chicago for the first time.
“I don’t have one complaint about him,” said Brown, who coached Wallace as an assistant with Washington in the late 1990s. “His passion, his presence, his energy is something we needed. He’s brought it to the table for us.”

Big Z, big hurt

Cavaliers center Zydrunas Ilgauskas did not play due to a strained back and will miss the next week.
He was examined Saturday at the Cleveland Clinic by head team physician Dr. Richard Parker.

To the Max

Wally and Shannon Szczerbiak are the parents of 8-pound, 20-inch Maximus Jack, born Saturday in New York.
Szczerbiak flew back early Sunday morning and was in uniform for the 1 p.m. tipoff against the Bulls, but planned to return to New York after the game.
The current plan is for him to meet the Cavaliers in The Big Apple for their game against the Knicks on Wednesday.
“It’s been a whirlwind, it really has,” said Szczerbiak, who got up at 6 a.m. Sunday to fly to Cleveland and 6 a.m. Saturday for the birth of his son.

Back for seconds

The 10-day contracts of Billy Thomas and Kaniel Dickens expired after the game. Given the Cavaliers’ current injury situation, Brown strongly indicated both players will be signed to a second 10-day deal. After that, they must be released or signed for the rest of the season.

First things last

This was the first of four meetings between Central Division rivals Cleveland and Chicago. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it was the latest point in the season at which two division rivals had ever met for the first time. The previous record was a Feb. 24, 1996 meeting between Charlotte and Indiana.

Tip-ins

James’ 37-point performance was his 15th game of 35 points or more this season. He has now scored at least 25 points in 18 straight games and at least 20 in 36 in a row.
l Talk show host Jerry Springer was among those in attendance.
l Cavaliers guard Damon Jones walked into the arena wearing bright red suede shoes. His 1-of-6 shooting performance was much quieter.
l Hughes and Gooden did not wear their trademark headbands at all.
Noland may be reached at rickn@ohio.net or (330) 721-4061. 

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