Fans nearly fill The Q for Game 2 watch party

Austin Carr has seen it all with the Cavaliers as a player, team executive and, now, as the analyst on Fox Sports Ohio telecasts of the team’s regular-season games.

Carr has been a fan favorite here since the Cavs made the All-America guard from the University of Notre Dame the first overall pick in the 1971 draft. He spent nine of his 11 NBA seasons in Cleveland, averaging 16.2 points per game.

On June 3, Carr was joined by former Cavs teammate and Fox Sports studio analyst Campy Russell as well as studio host Jeff Phelps in doing a live halftime telecast during the NBA Finals Game 2 watch party at Quicken Loans Arena.

The first thing on Carr’s mind was the first half of the game between the Cavs and Golden State Warriors at Oracle Arena. The Warriors took a 59-46 lead at halftime en route to a 122-103 victory.

“Our defense was terrible, especially in the paint,” Carr said, referring to a series of uncontested or lightly-contested Warriors baskets at the rim during the first half.

Golden State has a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series that now shifts to Cleveland for Game 3 on June 6. Tipoff is 9 p.m.

Carr also was asked for his thoughts on the turnout for the latest in a series of watch parties staged at The Q for Cavs road playoff games.

There was no official announcement of attendance, but a reasonable estimate of turnout would have been in the 15,000 to 16,000 range. Capacity is 20,562 at the downtown arena.

“It just shows you how involved these fans are and how invested they are in the success of the team,” Carr said. “The players should be proud to have these people as fans.”

The fans at the Game 2 watch party stayed in their seats until the game got out of hand late in the fourth quarter. The NBA Finals-record ninth 3-pointer by Warriors sharpshooter Steph Curry sent thousands of patrons streaming for the exits.

Admission is $10 for the Finals watch parties at The Q. During the three earlier playoff series in this postseason run, individual tickets were $5.

To be sure, there is no substitute for being in the arena to witness an actual game. However, the experience of watching away games on the arena’s giant video screen, together with thousands of fellow fans, makes this one of the best buys in Cleveland professional sports.

For there to be another watch party at The Q, on June 11 for Game 5, the Cavs must win either Game 3 or 4 (June 8) on their home floor.