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Wizards talk tough; Cavs have all the fun
By Patrick McManamon
Beacon Journal columnist
Published on Tuesday, Apr 22, 2008
CLEVELAND: Which moment shall we pick?
The one when DeShawn Stevenson waved his hand in front of his face after he made a 3-point shot with his Washington Wizards down 19?
Or when Brendan Haywood was ejected after a blatant and ugly flagrant foul on LeBron James as James drove to the basket?
Or when Gilbert Arenas spent much of the third quarter trying to bait Delonte West?
How about this one, more than any: When James answered Stevenson's ridiculous gesture by sinking a 3 of his own — right in front of Stevenson.
That shot summed up Game 2 between the Cavaliers and the Wizards better than anything.
While the Wizards were engaged in tomfoolery, the Cavs just played. Which is why they won 116-86, and why they lead the series 2-0.
The Cavs played as good a game as anyone could have hoped.
The Wizards deteriorated, and by the second half, they looked desperate — or like punks.
Take your pick.
Stevenson's signature move is to wave his hand in front of his face, but doing it when his team is getting shellacked was as amateur as it comes.
The same guy who called
James overrated has shot 14-for-62 in playoff games against the Cavaliers — 22.6 percent on your radio dial.
His team has lost eight in a row to the Cavs.
And he's going to wave his hand in front of his face to James?
Please.
By game's end the Cavs were having fun with Stevenson's wave. Damon Jones did it after a late 3, and James did it on his way into the locker room.
Haywood's ejection? It was deserved. He shoved James from behind as he went to the basket, making no attempt to go for the ball. Anderson Varejao rightly was called for a flagrant foul earlier in the game, but at least he could say he swung at the ball.
Haywood's shove was dangerous and reminiscent of the way the Detroit Pistons used to play when they prided themselves on being the NBA's bad boys.
The Pistons had the people to play that way.
The Wizards' game is based on ball and player movement. Their offense is fluid. For them to try to play like thugs is taking themselves out of their game. Even Stevenson conceded the Wizards worried too much about the calls and were fouling ''for no reason.''
The Wizards might lament that Cavs coach Mike Brown complained about James not getting calls. They will argue that Brown's cries were heard.
Too bad. Playoff series have that kind of gamesmanship.
And the Wizards started things in the first game with two hard fouls of James. The way they played in Game 1 determined how Game 2 was officiated, as the league sent a crew of no-nonsense referees to take care of things.
When the Wizards went too far in Game 2, they were called on it.
Their frustration went deeper than officiating, though.
Especially on the part of Arenas. He spent most of the third quarter baiting West, the guy who did such a good job defending Arenas in the fourth quarter of Game 1.
At one point, Arenas stuck out his hip to trip West in the backcourt. This seemed to be a response to West tripping Arenas on a drive to the basket — something that happens in the game. Arena's hip check came in the open court, and he followed with jawing and posturing.
Arenas' frustration started in a second quarter when he and the Wizards could do nothing, and the Cavs turned a 36-36 tie into a 53-40 lead.
That happened because Brown did a masterful job of creating defensive matchups he liked.
James started the game guarding Arenas — Agent Zero could barely get off a shot and went 1-for-7 in the first half. Yes, he missed practice Sunday with a wrist injury, but he also missed the first half and went grade school in the second.
Antawn Jamison started the game 4-for-9, but Brown then put Joe Smith on him. Jamison missed his final two shots of the first half and fumbled the ball out of bounds. He then missed his first two of the second half.
Caron Butler? Perhaps the hip that sidelined him the final three games of the season is bothering him, but he was just not good. He shot 1-for-8 the first half and in two games is 9-for-23 with Wally Szczerbiak guarding him.
The Wizards' big three shot 27.8 percent in the game (10-for-36). For the series they are 38.4 percent (33-for-86).
As the Cavs pulled away in the second half, the Wizards played like a bunch of kids. They tried to be thugs, then they quit. The Cavs beat them to every loose ball, made almost every smart play.
And the Cavs just played.
Do not underestimate that statement.
The Cavs took the lead of their coach and their leader and just played the game.
Time and again, James called his team together to remind them not to get to the Wizards' level. On the court, he pulled West aside at least twice to remind him not to play Arenas' games.
He was an extension of Brown, who stayed above the garbage before the series and planted a wise seed after Game 1.
Did his message work?
Check the score. There's not much that didn't work.
''Our play speaks for itself,'' James said.
Patrick McManamon can be reached at pmcmanamon@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/
CLEVELAND: Which moment shall we pick?
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