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By Brian Windhorst
Beacon Journal sportswriter
POSTED: 11:56 a.m. EDT, Apr 18, 2008
POINT GUARDS
DELONTE WEST
6-foot-3, 180 pounds, 4th season
Stats: 10.3 ppg, 4.5 apg
vs. Wizards: 10 ppg, 7.0 rpg
Scout's take: Left-handed combo guard who likes to push it full court. Often will reverse dribble behind his back, allowing for steal chances. Excellent finisher in traffic but almost always goes left and uses right side to create space. Average outside shooter. Suspect on-ball defender, especially against quick guards.
ANTONIO DANIELS
6-4, 205, 11th season
Stats: 8.4 ppg, 4.8 apg
vs. Cavs: 7.0 ppg, 7.3 apg
Scout's take: Combination guard who has been playing more point guard than any other time in his career, but dribbles a lot and looks for his own shot a lot. Looks to push the ball on the offensive end. Pretty good first step to basket but usually goes with right hand. Effective mid-range player, not a great distance shooter. Average on-ball defender.
Edge: Even.
SHOOTING GUARDS
WALLY SZCZERBIAK
6-7, 245, 9th season
Stats: 8.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg
vs. Wizards: 6.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Scout's take: Above average spot-up shooter who can also shoot off dribble. Below average defender but has good size and width than can be used to make up for some quickness issues. Will crash glass for rebounds, which slows him in transition.
DESHAWN STEVENSON
6-5, 220, 8th season
Stats: 11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.1 apg
vs. Cavs: 9.5 ppg, 2.8 apg
Scout's take: Athletic wing player who is known for playing hard every night. Much better driver than shooter, but will often settle for jumper which has improved this season. Good crossover move and can drive right or left. Uses hands a lot on defense, does not handle dribble drives well.
Edge: Wizards
SMALL FORWARDS
LEBRON JAMES
6-8, 250, fifth season
Stats: 30.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.2 apg
vs. Wizards: 27.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 7.7 apg
Scout's take: One of the league's best scorers. You must not allow him to get any momentum toward the basket because he can finish with both hands and is too strong to body. Improved mid-range jumper but still a weak 3-point shooter, which he will settle for. Picks his spots defensively, solid on ball defender but doesn't stay attached well on help defense as he looks for steals, rebounds and blocks.
CARON BUTLER
6-7, 230, 6th season
Stats: 20.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.9 apg
vs. Cavs: 18.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg
Scout's take: Highly athletic and strong player. Strong rebounder but sometimes looks to leak out on the defensive end to start fastbreaks. Prefers to score on mid-range jumpers but is an effective driver, right-handed but prefers to go left. Can score from the block, but always prefers right shoulder moves. Average defender, does help weakside.
Edge: Cavs.
POWER FORWARDS
BEN WALLACE
6-9, 240, 12th season
Stats: 4.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg
vs. Wizards: 8.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Scout's take: Physical defender who uses athleticism and positioning. Thrives on the weakside, coming off for rebounds and blocks and in help capacity. Not as strong on baller defender, but hard to move in post. Has little offensive game, but will again stay on weakside for dishes and offensive rebounds.
ANTAWN JAMISON
6-9, 235, 10th season
Stats: 21.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg
vs. Cavs: 15.0 ppg, 8.5 apg
Scout's take: Highly talented offensive player who moves well without the ball and has a strong low post and mid-range game. Average 3-point shooter. Looks to cut back door and for offensive putbacks from the weakside. Not a good defender, slow lateral movement and instincts
Edge: Wizards
CENTERS
ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS
7-3, 260, 10th season
Stats: 14.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg
vs. Wizards: 14.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Scout's take: Very long big man who is effective inside and out. Excellent offensive rebounder and can score from the post, though highly favors the left block. Above average mid-range shooter, especially off pick-and-rolls. Good shot blocker but not a strong defender and has slow recovery on pick-and-rolls.
Brendan Haywood
7-0, 265, 7th season
Stats: 10.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg
vs. Cavs: 13.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Scout's take: Aggressive and athletic big man who had the best season of his career. Chases rebounds, especially offense and blocks, which sometimes gets him out of position. Has post moves, including a hook shot, but the Wizards never run plays directly for him. Emotional player who tends to be streaky depending on mood.
Edge: Cavs.
BENCH
CAVS
G Devin Brown, G Daniel Gibson, F/C Anderson Varejao, F Joe Smith.
Comment: The Cavs will play their bench heavy minutes, especially at the end of the game. They have a solid big-man rotation, and Brown is a good defender. Gibson is the team's best shooter but has been in a slump since returning from an ankle injury.
WIZARDS
G Gilbert Arenas, F Darius Songalia, F Andray Blatche, G Roger Mason.
Comment: The Wizards have decided to leave Arenas coming off the bench, which gives them an excellent scoring punch as he will see major minutes. Songalia and Blatche are both versatile with good size and are good shooters. Rookie Nick Young also may see playing time.
Edge: Wizards
COACHES
CAVS
Mike Brown, third season, 145-101 regular season, 19-14 postseason.
Comment: A defense-first coach whose style has proven to be very effective in the playoffs. His offensive concepts have come under question, and he is often not quick with in-game changes. He is, however, 2-0 against the Wizards in playoff series and 4-2 overall.
WIZARDS
Eddie Jordan, seventh season, 229-278 regular season, 6-14 postseason.
Comment: Excellent offensive coach who has installed a complex and effective system. Has gotten the Wizards to play better defense and guided them through major injuries this season. However, defense issues have often caused problems in tight playoff games. He is 1-3 in playoff series as a coach.
Edge: Cavs.
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/
POINT GUARDS
DELONTE WEST
6-foot-3, 180 pounds, 4th season
Stats: 10.3 ppg, 4.5 apg
vs. Wizards: 10 ppg, 7.0 rpg
Scout's take: Left-handed combo guard who likes to push it full court. Often will reverse dribble behind his back, allowing for steal chances. Excellent finisher in traffic but almost always goes left and uses right side to create space. Average outside shooter. Suspect on-ball defender, especially against quick guards.
ANTONIO DANIELS
6-4, 205, 11th season
Stats: 8.4 ppg, 4.8 apg
vs. Cavs: 7.0 ppg, 7.3 apg
Scout's take: Combination guard who has been playing more point guard than any other time in his career, but dribbles a lot and looks for his own shot a lot. Looks to push the ball on the offensive end. Pretty good first step to basket but usually goes with right hand. Effective mid-range player, not a great distance shooter. Average on-ball defender.
Edge: Even.
SHOOTING GUARDS
WALLY SZCZERBIAK
6-7, 245, 9th season
Stats: 8.2 ppg, 3.2 rpg
vs. Wizards: 6.0 ppg, 2.0 rpg
Scout's take: Above average spot-up shooter who can also shoot off dribble. Below average defender but has good size and width than can be used to make up for some quickness issues. Will crash glass for rebounds, which slows him in transition.
DESHAWN STEVENSON
6-5, 220, 8th season
Stats: 11.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 3.1 apg
vs. Cavs: 9.5 ppg, 2.8 apg
Scout's take: Athletic wing player who is known for playing hard every night. Much better driver than shooter, but will often settle for jumper which has improved this season. Good crossover move and can drive right or left. Uses hands a lot on defense, does not handle dribble drives well.
Edge: Wizards
SMALL FORWARDS
LEBRON JAMES
6-8, 250, fifth season
Stats: 30.0 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 7.2 apg
vs. Wizards: 27.0 ppg, 10.0 rpg, 7.7 apg
Scout's take: One of the league's best scorers. You must not allow him to get any momentum toward the basket because he can finish with both hands and is too strong to body. Improved mid-range jumper but still a weak 3-point shooter, which he will settle for. Picks his spots defensively, solid on ball defender but doesn't stay attached well on help defense as he looks for steals, rebounds and blocks.
CARON BUTLER
6-7, 230, 6th season
Stats: 20.3 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 4.9 apg
vs. Cavs: 18.7 ppg, 6.0 rpg
Scout's take: Highly athletic and strong player. Strong rebounder but sometimes looks to leak out on the defensive end to start fastbreaks. Prefers to score on mid-range jumpers but is an effective driver, right-handed but prefers to go left. Can score from the block, but always prefers right shoulder moves. Average defender, does help weakside.
Edge: Cavs.
POWER FORWARDS
BEN WALLACE
6-9, 240, 12th season
Stats: 4.2 ppg, 7.4 rpg
vs. Wizards: 8.0 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Scout's take: Physical defender who uses athleticism and positioning. Thrives on the weakside, coming off for rebounds and blocks and in help capacity. Not as strong on baller defender, but hard to move in post. Has little offensive game, but will again stay on weakside for dishes and offensive rebounds.
ANTAWN JAMISON
6-9, 235, 10th season
Stats: 21.4 ppg, 10.2 rpg
vs. Cavs: 15.0 ppg, 8.5 apg
Scout's take: Highly talented offensive player who moves well without the ball and has a strong low post and mid-range game. Average 3-point shooter. Looks to cut back door and for offensive putbacks from the weakside. Not a good defender, slow lateral movement and instincts
Edge: Wizards
CENTERS
ZYDRUNAS ILGAUSKAS
7-3, 260, 10th season
Stats: 14.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg
vs. Wizards: 14.7 ppg, 8.0 rpg
Scout's take: Very long big man who is effective inside and out. Excellent offensive rebounder and can score from the post, though highly favors the left block. Above average mid-range shooter, especially off pick-and-rolls. Good shot blocker but not a strong defender and has slow recovery on pick-and-rolls.
Brendan Haywood
7-0, 265, 7th season
Stats: 10.6 ppg, 7.2 rpg
vs. Cavs: 13.8 ppg, 6.3 rpg
Scout's take: Aggressive and athletic big man who had the best season of his career. Chases rebounds, especially offense and blocks, which sometimes gets him out of position. Has post moves, including a hook shot, but the Wizards never run plays directly for him. Emotional player who tends to be streaky depending on mood.
Edge: Cavs.
BENCH
CAVS
G Devin Brown, G Daniel Gibson, F/C Anderson Varejao, F Joe Smith.
Comment: The Cavs will play their bench heavy minutes, especially at the end of the game. They have a solid big-man rotation, and Brown is a good defender. Gibson is the team's best shooter but has been in a slump since returning from an ankle injury.
WIZARDS
G Gilbert Arenas, F Darius Songalia, F Andray Blatche, G Roger Mason.
Comment: The Wizards have decided to leave Arenas coming off the bench, which gives them an excellent scoring punch as he will see major minutes. Songalia and Blatche are both versatile with good size and are good shooters. Rookie Nick Young also may see playing time.
Edge: Wizards
COACHES
CAVS
Mike Brown, third season, 145-101 regular season, 19-14 postseason.
Comment: A defense-first coach whose style has proven to be very effective in the playoffs. His offensive concepts have come under question, and he is often not quick with in-game changes. He is, however, 2-0 against the Wizards in playoff series and 4-2 overall.
WIZARDS
Eddie Jordan, seventh season, 229-278 regular season, 6-14 postseason.
Comment: Excellent offensive coach who has installed a complex and effective system. Has gotten the Wizards to play better defense and guided them through major injuries this season. However, defense issues have often caused problems in tight playoff games. He is 1-3 in playoff series as a coach.
Edge: Cavs.
Brian Windhorst can be reached at bwindhor@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his blog at http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/cavs/
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