Wizards-Cavs

Lets have a frank discussion about the Wizard's 30 point loss to the Cavs last night: there is absolutely no excuse for this to happen against a division rival in the playoffs.

I don't care if Gilbert's wrist hurt or the Cavs "got hot" down the stretch. This should not have happened under any circumstance, even during the regular season. When you think about it, this loss is flat-out pathetic considering how much trash the Wizards were talking before the series. You would like to think the Wizards could make it closer than 30 points after essentially calling out King James.

(Note: after last night's performance, I will be refering to Lebron as King James. I now know why everyone calls him that)

But instead we got a disaster of a game last night. On every single account the Wizards played badly against a Cavalier team with just one good player (okay, he's great). The big three combined for 28 points TOTAL; the team shot 18% from three point range (after shooting over 40% during the regular season); the team shot 38% from the field to the Cavs 52%; and the team was outrebounded 84 to 57.

Keep in mind this is a team with three players averaging over 20 points a game and a player who finished second in league scoring in 2006. This is also a team which beat the Celtics, Hornets, Magic, and Pistons by sound margins this year. But the box score I'm reading right now is what you would get if a WNBA team played the Lakers. Actually, the Mystics would have made this one closer than the Wizards last night.

The stats really don't tell the whole story. The game was a total disaster on all fronts. For instance, the Wizards were playing scared and seemed nervous at times. Roger Mason, usually an 80% free throw shooter, shot 45% from the line and looked visibly nervous. Butler and Jamison, usually the guys taking most of the shots down the stretch, decided to pass up on multiple possesions and failed to convert when the team needed them the most.

Making matters worse was good old Brendan Haywood flagrantly fouling King James not once, but twice. Gee thanks, Brendan. Now we don't have you and your shot-blocking ability for Game Three. Guess what? You'll be suspended under league rules for those fouls and now James can drive through the paint unimpeded.

The good news is that Caron Butler and Antawn Jamison probably understand what I'm saying here, and will most likely show up for Game Three. As much as I don't always trust guys like Haywood or Arenas to pull through in clutch moments, I really think Caron and Antawn can pull this one out through sheer toughness and leadership.

What Coach Jordan needs to say is this: start believing in yourselves, foul Lebron in the paint, relax at the foul-line, give the ball to our scorers down the stretch, don't take threes unless they're open, and crash the glass on every possesion. The big three also need to get their ass in gear and start putting points up. Home court should be good for the Wizards and Game Three is really just do-or-die as far as I'm concerned. If we dont win this next game and win it by a lot, then this series may be over.

We can only hope for the best.