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Cavs Regular Season

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ABJ

2/11/06

Cavs lifeless against Wizards

James has off night, limited to 18 points

By Brian Windhorst

Beacon Journal sportswriter

<!-- begin body-content -->WASHINGTON - With a win in their back pocket already on a brief road trip, perhaps the Cavaliers didn't view Friday night's affair with the Washington Wizards as any sort of must-win game.
At least that's what it appeared like in their lethargic 101-89 loss at the MCI Center. The Wizards (25-23) are indeed streaking, with four consecutive victories, and they certainly played at a much higher level than when the Cavs last saw them in November. But the visitors looked awfully willing to go along for the ride.
The only fire the Cavs (29-20) displayed ended up hurting them as they played with low energy on offense and allowed a bad defensive team to show them up.
``We got our behinds kicked. I got my behind kicked. It happens sometimes,'' Cavs coach Mike Brown said. ``We were a little flat, but you have to give them credit.''
True and true.
Gilbert Arenas, named an All-Star replacement earlier in the day, was on his game. He scored 32 points and flirted with a triple-double with eight rebounds and 10 assists. Antawn Jamison was on his game, too, with 28 points and five rebounds.
Add Caron Butler, who scored 18 points, better than any Cavs player.
The Cavs had no response at any juncture for that trio or just about anything else the Wizards did.
Giving up an average of nearly 100 points per game, the Wizards are no defensive juggernaut. In their last foray on Wednesday night, in fact, they surrendered 124 points in regulation to the Golden State Warriors. Their scheme combined with the Cavs' lack of attack had the Wizards looking like the Detroit Pistons on Friday.
It was obvious from the outset that LeBron James was going to have an off shooting night as he made just three of his first 12 attempts. A few times he diligently tried to attack the basket, but the Wizards were packing the paint, daring him to shoot, and he was often happy to oblige.
James finished 6-of-23 from the floor for just 18 points, one of his worst offensive showings of the season. He did have nine rebounds and eights assists but just two came in the second half.
``Those are shots I usually make,'' James said. ``It didn't bother me as much because I know I can make them.''
None of the Cavs seemed bothered as they continued to bomb away from outside instead of working for better shots. The most telling stat proves it -- they managed just 26 points in the paint, their second-lowest total in a game this season.
It is why they shot just 41 percent, though they did make some of the open 3-pointers Washington freely encouraged to somehow stay close.
Things went from bad to worse three minutes into the fourth quarter when their potential salvation, Zydrunas Ilgauskas, got into it with Brendan Haywood. They'd been bouncing off each other all night and things boiled when the two scuffled for a rebound and were called for matching technical fouls.
A moment later, they were smacking each other again when Haywood crashed to the deck and got a charge call. Ilgauskas snapped at official Mark Ayotte, who promptly tossed him from the game. The Cavs were still within five points but without Ilgauskas or any other legitimate offensive plan, it was over.
``I should've kept my emotions for the sake of the team. I can't afford to be kicked out,'' said Ilgauskas, who had 14 points. ``What I really want to say I can't say or it will cost me more.''
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crazybuckfan40 said:
Yeah it is always tough to play that last game b4 coming home b/c all you want to do is get home.

Hopefully we put a nice hurtin on the Warriors tonite.
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Since the 7-game winning streak, they've avoided (so far) the slump that usually follows. Winning this game tonite is important to insure that they continue to dodge what has been plaguing them all season long.
 
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Bad calls or no bad calls, you can't struggle to hit 40% of your shots and expect to win. Why in God's name did they find it necessary to hoist 28 threes up in this game? I don't recall them being down by more than 7-8 points at all during the game. This has to be the most frustrating team in the NBA; one night they can look like world beaters, then the next game like they don't have a clue.:grr:
 
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Can anyone explain to me what the hell LBJ was doing in the 4th quarter.

He has got to take the game over that is his time and he didnt do shit. 2 points in the 4th quarter while he had 31 the rest of the game.

Hopefully they come to play on Monday.

I also can't figure out what is with us letting one guy beat the shit out of us every nite.

The last 3 games it was Davis, Arenas, and Richardson. Besides Arenas not really guys that should be putting up the numbers that they did.

It is also obvious we need the all-star break to get here fast, our guys are tired and arent playing with that fire and emotion.

Just a couple of other things to add, I like this Grahm kid, he has impressed me quite a bit. Wouldnt mind seeing him stick around, but I think when Jackson comes back there won't be a spot for him.

Also I like the zone defense we have went to over the past couple of weeks, just for a change of pace especially against some of the teams that have the players that we can't match up to one on one.
 
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tibor75 said:
yeah, it's the refs fault you can't beat mediocre teams at home. :roll1:
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Why are you even on this thread? Who's your fucking team in the NBA Tibor? And don't tell me "no team." Because then you are just here to cause shit, and another fucking racist that thinks he hates the NBA because he doesn't actually watch it because there's too many black people out there in the open.

NBA teams get calls at home. I hate it. It's bullshit. But if it's going to happen, the Cavs should get the calls too.

**** This is a post made while drunk (PmWd).****8
 
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StadiumDorm said:
Why are you even on this thread? Who's your fucking team in the NBA Tibor? And don't tell me "no team." Because then you are just here to cause shit, and another fucking racist that thinks he hates the NBA because he doesn't actually watch it because there's too many black people out there in the open.

NBA teams get calls at home. I hate it. It's bullshit. But if it's going to happen, the Cavs should get the calls too.

**** This is a post made while drunk (PmWd).****8
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Grew up in Toledo - have been a Piston fan since 1987, thank you very much dumbass. You know, a team that actually can win titles ever so often. I know that concept is foreign to Cleveburg fans. :slappy:
 
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