Crank That White Out

Game 3: Washington 108, Cleveland 76

The Wizards finally put up a fight - on the floor as opposed to in the media - in Thursday's game three at the Phone Booth, giving the sold-out, white-out crowd the kind of performance fans have been waiting two years to witness.


Speaking of witnesses, all those who showed up wearing their No. 23 red or white or navy jerseys or those lame Nike ad campaign shirts got to witness a complete dud from the King.

It was a pretty spectacular turn-around from Monday's humbling defeat and one that, at least to this first-hand spectator, lacked a great deal of effort from the visiting team. I expect a much tougher test in Sunday's game four. But for one night at least, DeShawn Stevenson couldn't feel his mow hawk-crested face, Andray Blatche could do the sprinkler with the really old guy in the stands, Caron Butler could pirouette his way to the rim and a sea of white could wave their towels in wild abandon.

It was quite a night in D.C. indeed.

I'll have more from game three and a preview for game four tomorrow so stay tuned.

-- The Tar Heel
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Bleck! Wizards in 0-2 Hole

Game 2: Cleveland 116 - Washington 86

Forget not being able to feel their faces, the Wizards would rather not be able to see their faces in the mirror after yesterday's whooping. The whole "let's be physical against LeBron and not let him dunk on our heads" gameplan completely backfired with Brendan Haywood's ejection after a hard foul - maybe worthy of a flagrant 1, but certainly not a flagrant 2 with the accompanying ejection.

Gilbert Arenas was awful, Caron Butler was bad and Antawn Jamison wasn't much better. None of the starters showed any of the toughness, intensity and most importantly, the focus, that they displayed through three quarters of play on Saturday.

I'm much less excited about having tickets for Thursday's Game 3 at the Phone Booth than I was coming into the series, and it wouldn't shock me if this one is over in five or if it ends up to be another sweep.

And for crying out loud, now is the time to stop with the trash talking and the stupid "I can't feel my face" taunting and play basketball.

I think I'm too disenchanted and frustrated with this team at the moment to even throw up a decent breakdown of what went wrong last night and what needs to change before Thursday. Maybe I'll get it together by tomorrow. Until then, pardon me while I ralph in the rubbish bin to the left of my computer.

Thank goodness for the Caps. I'm glad I had Game 6 to watch last night instead of the massacre at the Q, and I'm even more excited to watch Game 7 tonight. Let's Go Caps!

-- The Tar Heel
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Deja Vu All Over Again

Game 1: Cleveland 93, Washington 86

After weeks of trash talk leading up to Game 1 between the Wizards and Cavaliers, it doesn't look like much has changed in the last two years. With a healthy big three on the floor for the Wiz and a few new faces here and there on both teams, the first game in this best of seven series played out true to the form set back in 2006.

The two teams battled back in forth in Cleveland in a competitive, physical playoff game. Washington appeared to have the upper hand early in the fourth quarter with a two-point lead and the Cavs in the penalty with 7:30 left. But that's when the best player on the floor took over, just as he did last April...and the April before that.

The Wizards - who could have (and should have) put themselves in a position to win by driving to the rim and getting to the free throw line - settled for outside shots. They missed three-pointers and long jumpers from all over the floor and LeBron James took advantage. He drove to the rack on back-to-back possessions to give the Cavs the lead. Gilbert Arenas tried to do the same for the Wizards but turned the ball over in the lane and then threw up a wild shot that landed in a Cleveland rebounders' mits and pretty much sealed the game.

Before those final deciding minutes, Antawn Jamison had more than outplayed James. He was getting to the basket for his patented flip shots and runners, rebounding like Ben Wallace circa 2000 and even picked up a technical for defending a teammate (and fellow Tar Heel) when Brendan Haywood and LeBron got in a brief scuffle at mid-court. Sadly, it was Jamison who started forcing shots in that critical stretch - including a long jumper followed by two bricked open threes on consecutive possessions - to let Cleveland take control.

The Wizards were right there, but as was the case in 2006, they just could not seal the deal. Now they find themselves in a similar situation. Down 0-1 with a second game to come in Cleveland - one which they desperately need. It's not quite a must-win, but psychologically, with how inept the Wizards have been at winning at the 'Q', essentially it is just that.

Game 2
Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers
Tonight, Monday, April 21 - 7pm
Quicken Loans Arena

The game-plan was there on Saturday. The Wizards limited LeBron James early on, got scoring from Jamison (23), Caron Butler (14) and even Brendan Haywood (15). Gilbert Arenas was his old, flashy self, scoring 24 in just under 28 minutes and drilling a 30-footer just before the first quarter buzzer. They held the Cavs to under 40 percent shooting (39.5) and limited the damage behind the arc (5-19). With those stats, even factoring in LeBron's 32 points, you have to figure the Wizards come out on top.

But the areas where Cleveland edged Washington, proved key and costly. The Cavs out-rebounded the Wiz 43-42 (we know the Wizards almost never win when they lose the battle of the boards), had eight more assists (24-16) and most importantly, out-shot the boys in gold 37-17. You're never going to win a game with that kind of discrepancy at the line.

With a 20-free throw difference, you might think the referees were to blame. Hardly the case. With just under eight minutes remaining and the Wizards leading, the Cavs were already in the bonus - meaning any foul would result in two free throws for Washington. But after playing aggressive basketball all afternoon, it was then, at the worst time possible, that the Wizards got tentative and started settling for jump shots. Cleveland out-scored Washington 28-14 - more than enough to make up the seven point winning margin.

The plan for the Wizards tonight has got to be - get to the rim, get to the free throw line and get easy points. They've got to keep up the intensity, keep giving good hard fouls to any Cavaliers - particularly James - willing to drive to the basket, and keep crashing the boards. I like the Wizards to win this game because they clearly have more talent on the floor and more scoring options.

The main question is can they play a full 48 minutes of aggressive, intelligent basketball and get over the psychological advantage that LeBron and the city of Cleveland continue to hold over their heads.

Now is the time. If they lose this game, I think you can pretty much kiss the series goodbye. Eddie Jordan knows this, and I think you'll see the inspired squad you saw for three and a half quarters on Saturday get it done tonight.

All photos AP/Getty by way of Yahoo!

-- The Tar Heel

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Cavs - Wiz: Act Three

All season long there seemed to be a certain sense of inevitability about this matchup. I don't know what the record is for consecutive first round playoff meetings, but the way things have gone in recent years, I wouldn't be surprised if this pairing doesn't break it. But while the Eastern Conference might have lacked the on-court drama down the stretch of it's left-ward counterpart, there's certainly been no short of drama off the hardwood. And that, more than the fact that there will be five current or former all-stars going toe-to-toe, makes this one of the most intriguing first round series of 2008.

The Story So Far

Two years ago, LeBron James almost single-handedly knocked the Wizards out of the first round with multiple baseline drives for game-winning layups. Washington fans cried "Travel!" while Cleveland fans praised their monarch. And there was also that little whisper and pat on the chest from LeBron just before Gilbert Arenas stepped to the line for the second of two critical free throws. Of course Gilbert missed it long, Damon Jones sank the shot of his career and the rest is history.

Last season, the Wiz limped into the postseason sans Gilbert and Caron Butler and, not surprisingly, got swept, despite a tremendous effort from their captain, Antawn Jamison.

As if two tough first-round losses wasn't enough to get the Wizards amped up for a rematch, DeShawn Stevenson decided to stir the pot following Washington's 101-99 home win against Cleveland on March 13, calling LeBron "overrated." LeBron came back with his "It's almost like Jay-Z saying something bad about Soulja Boy" line. DeShawn responded with "I hope we play Cleveland. I'm going to get Soulja Boy courtside seats and have him wear a DeShawn Stevenson jersey. Maybe he can have Jay-Z there since LeBron's all on his (shorts) anyway." And then just in case he didn't get the message, "And tell LeBron to cut that beard off and stop copying me."

Then this week Mr. "I'm not talking to the media" Arenas throws this up on his blog:

"I think everybody wants Cleveland in that first round. They’ve been a .500 team ever since they made that trade and everybody wants a chance at that matchup. We want Cleveland for our own reasons, we don’t think they can beat us in the playoffs three years straight. It’s hard to beat a team three years straight. We want to try our luck."

Upon reading this, Charles "Soon to be the governor of Alabama if he can ditch the gambling addiction" Barkley called the Wizards "the dumbest team in the history of civilization."

Suffice it to say, there are plenty of story lines to watch in this series that go well beyond the play on the court. But while this little war of words is fun for the media, and those involved, ultimately, this series will come down to execution on the court. Surprise!

This Season

The two teams split their four-game season series with each winning twice at home and losing twice on the road. Gilbert Arenas missed all of the games and a couple other key players weren't in action in two more of the meetings.

Dec. 5 @ Washington - Wizards 105, Cavaliers 86
No LeBron James = a Wizards' walloping.

Jan. 23 @ Cleveland - Cavaliers 121, Wizards 85
This one was ugly from the start with the Wizards completely breaking down on the defensive end and allowing Zydrunas Ilgauskas to score 24 points on 10-for-10 shooting from the field...without even playing in the fourth quarter. The Cavs shot 56.6 percent from the field while Washington's starters combined to score just 42 points.

Feb 22 @ Cleveland - Cavaliers 90, Wizards 89
Even without Caron, Washington nearly dug this one out behind double-figure scoring from Jamison, Haywood, Stevenson, Blatche and Songaila off the bench. James scored 33 to lead all scorers and hit the game-winning free throws with 7.8 seconds left to lift the Cavs - who were without new additions Ben Wallace, Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West and Joe Smith.

Mar. 13 @ Washington - Wizards 101, Cavaliers 99
This was the one that started all the trash talking. Caron Butler returned to score 19 and DeShawn Stevenson drew a charge from James with 19.4 seconds left to preserve the victory and start the jawing.

The Matchups

Point Guard: Antonio Daniels (8.4 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 4.8 apg) v. Delonte West (8.3, 3.2, 3.8) - AD has the most playoff experience of anyone on the Wizards' roster from his years in San Antonio (see his ring) and Seattle. His wrist has bothered him over the last couple months but he lives for the postseason and has proven his playoff worth many times in the past. Look for him to elevate his play, despite a decrease in minutes with the return of Arenas. This will be West's first trip to the postseason, but the former St. Joseph's star has the quickness to give Daniels trouble on the defensive end. Neither player is relied upon to score a great deal - and with Stevenson, Arenas and Butler for the Wiz and LeBron for the Cavs, both frequently lose their bringing the ball up responsibilities - but whoever can best dictate the tempo and limit his turnovers will give his team an important edge in the back-court. Edge: Wizards (barely)

Shooting Guard: DeShawn Stevenson (11.2, 2.9, 3.1) v. Devon Brown (7.5, 3.4, 2.2) - Defensively, the Locksmith has requested the assignment of taking on LeBron James - which would give him a chance to put his money where his mouth is. But on the offensive end, the Wiz will rely on Stevenson to make big buckets from the perimeter and take care of some of the ball-handling duties. He has taken a leadership role on this team in Gilbert's absence, delivering clutch shots down the stretch in close contests and he'll need to continue his hard-nosed play for the Wizards' to win this series. Brown is a spot up shooter who can also get to the rim but shouldn't be the type of factor Damon Jones was in the 2006 series - unless the Wizards decide to leave him open every time down the floor. They he could hurt them. Edge: Wizards

Small Forward: Caron Butler (20.3, 6.7, 4.9) v. LeBron James (30.0, 7.9, 7.2) - In a huge matchup between two all-stars, the edge has to go to LeBron, simply because of how much he does for his team. Heck, he IS the team. Each year, James elevates his play and his ridiculous numbers in the playoffs, and expect the same from him this time around. He must play well for the Cavs to even have a chance...and if he does, they could easily win it. Butler has been dinged up lately but sat out the last couple games and will be ready to go. He competes like a lion every night and is really the pulse of the Washington team. The Wiz need him to do everything LeBron does - score, rebound, find the open man and get steals - but he doesn't have to do quite as much of it for the Wizards to be successful. Edge: Cavaliers

Power Forward: Antawn Jamison (21.4, 10.2, 1.5) v. Ben Wallace (4.8, 8.4, 1.5) - This will be a very intriguing matchup with one of the best offensive and rebounding forwards in the game going up against one of the best defensive and rebounding forward/centers in the last decade. Big Ben should give Jamison some trouble when the Wizards have the ball, but with his unorthodox shots and his knack for getting his brand of flip-shots and runners up on the backboard, Antawn will get his points. Wallace isn't much of a threat on the offensive end, but Jamison has to box out the bigger man to prevent Cleveland from getting second-chance points. Edge: Wizards

Center: Brendan Haywood (10.6, 7.2, 0.9) v. Zydrunas Ilgauskas (14.1, 9.3, 1.4) - Big Z killed the Wiz on the inside earlier this season and he could be the X-factor again in this series. Haywood has really raised his level of play on both ends since last season and he's going to have to play physical on the block with Ilgauskas and Wallace crashing the boards and James slashing to the hoop. If the Wizards can get double-digit rebounds and between 7 and 15 points from their big man, they'll be happy. Edge: Cavaliers

Bench: The Cavaliers restocked before the trade deadline, picking up Wallace, West, Wally Szczerbiak and Joe Smith. They also have Anderson Varejao on the inside and Damon Jones and Daniel "Boobie" Gibson to throw up threes on the perimeter. It's a nice group of guys but no one can match what the Wizards have coming off the pine pony in Gilbert Arenas. He changes the complexion of the game entirely with his speed and ability to pull up from outside or drive to the basket. He's looked great in the last week and a half and I expect him to play like the Gilbert of old in this series. But he still needs to play within himself and his new role. Arenas won't hold anything back, but the team chemistry has been great since his return and it would be a shame to throw that out so Gilbert can be the prime-time star he has been in the past. Washington also has very capable guys in Darius Songaila and Roger Mason (another potential X-factor) to go along with young-guns Andray Blatche and Nick Young. Edge: Wizards

Coaching: Eddie Jordan has done a tremendous job considering all the injuries this team has sustained to key players. He won't get coach of the year but should be up there on the ballot. Mike Brown has often struggled to find the best lineup and he hasn't really had to do much other than get the ball in his star's hands. Edge: Wizards

Series Prediction: I'm taking the Wizards in 6. The series could very easily go 7 and it would probably be a fitting conclusion. Either way, it's going to be physical, the games are going to be close and I'm looking forward to all the trash talking and drama that comes with LeBron v. DeShawn/Gilbert. I'll be at Game 3 Thursday in D.C. and here's hoping Soulja Boy is court-side in a Locksmith jersey.

-- The Tar Heel

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Wiz Close Out Regular Season in Orlando

Washington Wizards (43-38) at Orlando Magic (51-30)
Tonight, Wednesday, April 16 - 7pm
Amway Arena

The Wizards travel down to Disney World tonight to wrap up the regular season against the team that ran away with the Southeast Division title. Orlando (No. 3) and Washington (No. 5) are both locked into their playoff seeds so expect to see a lot of reserves getting plenty of court time in this one.

Speaking of bench players, Roger Mason went bonkers on Monday with 31 in Washington's 117-110 victory over Indiana in the home finale. Mason - who apparently has a new nickname - has been very productive for the Wiz off the bench this season, draining threes and playing a steady back up point role when Antonio Daniels was dinged up. I was a little concerned that Mason would be the main guy who lost minutes when Gilbert Arenas returned, but with performances like this, there's no doubt he'll find his way onto the floor in the playoffs. They guy is a savvy, smart veteran basketball player and whether he's the 6th man or the 10th man on the roster, he's going to give you quality minutes.

As for tonight's game, it's a toss up. The Wiz dropped both meetings at the Phone Booth and then smothered Dwight Howard to win in Orlando. I'm hoping the same doesn't happen this time because I could use some blocks and boards from Superman on the last day of fantasy basketball championship week, however, should Washington prevail, they would finish the season a perfect 8-0 on the road against divisional opponents.

-- The Tar Heel
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Hibachi Heating Up Just in Time for Playoffs

It was another adventure of a week for the Wizards as they knocked off the top seed in the East, got drilled in D-Town and then stormed back at home to beat Philly. This kind of up-way down-and way up again play has been the calling card of this team all season, but if you're a Wizards fan right now, you've got to feel good about the way this team is coming together with the postseason only two games away.

4/9 - Washington 109, Boston 95

First let's talk about the win against Boston on Wednesday. Oh, by the way, it was the third straight victory for the Wiz over the best team in basketball. Say what you will about Doc Rivers resting his troops - that's not what I'd call having KG, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen all on the floor in the fourth quarter - but how intriguing would a second round matchup with the Celts be? Talk about star power!

In only the second game since Gilbert Arenas' return that the Wizards had their entire Big Three on the floor, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Agent Zero reminded fans why they were the highest scoring trio in the league last season before injuries struck. Jamison was stellar in his first game back from a sprained shoulder sustained in the loss to Milwaukee the night Gil returned.
AJ had 11 rebounds and a team-high 27 points including two on a vicious baseline dunk over Kevin Garnett. For a guy that would usually prefer to flip it in off the glass from his waist, dunking over one of the best defensive players in the game was a big-time statement.

This game had the feel of a playoff game - sell-out crowd, national television, and multiple all-stars on the floor including Arenas. The Hibachi had his best game back to that point with 13 points, three assists and four steals, giving the Wiz a big spark off the bench when Boston went to its reserves. He's not trying to do to much, which is very important because of his injury and the chemistry this team developed in his absence, but having someone with his motor and ability to catch fire out there has been big for Washington and will continue to be as they head into the playoffs.

4/11 - Detroit 102, Washington 74

In typical Wizards fashion, they followed up a big win with a complete stinker against the Pistons on Friday night. Jason Maxiell went nuts on a non-existent Washington post defense, dropping a career-high 28 on 11-of-13 shooting off the bench, and the Wizards shot a dismal 27.1 (23-85) percent from the field.

Somehow, Washington trailed by only five points at the break, but they were outscored 34-13 in the third quarter - including seven from Maxiell during that stretch.

After an impressive victory at home against the Pistons on March 23, this was a pretty troubling no-show for a team that had a lot more to play for than their hosts. The Wizards were flat and didn't show much fight in the second half, despite the fact that Detroit was giving plenty of time to its bench. Meanwhile, the Pistons - who had been sleep-walking through the final month of the season and had lost back-to-back contests to the Knicks and Sixers coming into this one - looked a lot more like the tough, defensive-minded Pistons we're used to seeing in April and May.

4/12 - Washington 109, Philadelphia 93

Gilbert Arenas might have returned to game action a week prior, but this game - against a team jockeying for playoff positioning with the Wizards - was Agent Zero's official "I'm baaaaaack" announcement to the rest of the league.

One night after getting throttled in the Rock City, Arenas had the sold-out Phone Booth rocking as he led the way in a 31-9 fourth quarter that saw the Wizards come-from-behind to secure the fifth seed (Toronto's loss yesterday made it official) and dash Philly's hopes of anything higher than the sixth spot.

With Caron Butler on the sideline with a bruised right knee, Arenas scored 12 of his 20 points in the final period including his own 7-0 run to give Washington the lead for good. Gil shot 7-for-14 from the field and orchestrated the offense brilliantly with five assists in 25 minutes of action. He looked sharp in all facets, nailing his patented long jumper (4-for-9 from three) and setting up teammates with precision passes. I think this is the Gilbert we're going to see from here on out this season (knock on wood). He's focused (still not talking to the media), motivated and accepting of his role as the best sixth man in the game.

The Sixers - one of the hottest teams in the league since the All-Star break - had no answer for Gil and Washington's efficient offense in the second half, falling apart from the perimeter because they couldn't force turnovers and missed shots to generate their fast-break offense.

Let's hope the Wiz can continue to get this kind of effort from Arenas and Jamison (just another ho hum 25 and 13) and rest Caron these last two games so he's ready to go for Game 1 of their series against...yup...Cleveland.

Quotable

“It’s just letting the young fellows know I still got it. I joke with them all the time. For me, it was an aggressive move going to the basket, and I was able to find it.” -- Jamison on his dunk over KG

“He’s getting his mojo back. He’s pushing the ball up fast, doing his moves like he usually does. I was just glad to see him out there looking like the old Gilbert.” -- DeShawn Stevenson on Gilbert's performance against Philly

The Playoff Picture

With Washington's win against Philadelphia on Saturday and Toronto's loss to Detroit yesterday, the Wizards have locked up the fifth seed. That means for the third year in a row, they'll take on their buddies LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

This was pretty much inevitable. Not just because the Wizards and Cavs failed to get their acts together all season and make a dent into the upper echelon of the conference, but also because of the drama, the recent history and the smack talk between King James and the Locksmith. With Gilbert and Caron back, this series will have all the star power that last season's sweep lacked, and all the drama of a playoff matchup between two teams that frankly hate each other's guys.

What's not to love?

The two teams split their season series with both winning twice at home. But don't forget, the Wiz were without Arenas four all four of those games, James missed the first meeting (a Wasington win at home) and Butler missed the third (a one-point loss in Cleveland).

Next Up

Indiana Pacers (35-45) at Washington Wizards (42-38)
Tonight, Monday, April 14 - 7pm
Verizon Center

The Wizards face a desperate Pacers team in need of two wins and serious help to steal the final playoff spot in the East in their home finale tonight at the Phone Booth.

You can bet Indiana will come out firing, knowing that they have to get this one to even have a chance. It should be another great, playoff-type atmosphere in D.C. and another opportunity for Eddie Jordan to work on fine-tuning his rotation and on-court pairings before the playoffs.

Caron Butler will probably sit this one out as he continues to rest that knee, but even though the Wiz have their spot locked up, I don't expect them to mail this one in. They've won four of five and want to keep playing solid basketball and carry this momentum into the Cleveland series.

The Wizards close out their regular season schedule Wednesday at Orlando.

All photos AP/Getty by way of Yahoo!

-- The Tar Heel
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Wizards Hit the Home Stretch

Boston Celtics at Washington Wizards
Tonight, April 9 - 7pm
Verizon Center

After three much-needed days of rest, the Wizards are back in action tonight when they take on the Boston Celtics at the Phone Booth. Antawn Jamison is expected to return after missing two games with a sprained right shoulder and Gilbert Arenas will be back on the floor after sitting out Saturday's win over Chicago as a precautionary measure.

Washington (40-37) currently sits in 5th place in the Eastern Conference playoff race, has a one-game lead on Philadelphia and trails Cleveland by two games for home-court advantage in the first round. It's crunch time for the Wiz as they take on some of the East's best over their final five contests. Yet, with Boston, Detroit and Orlando locked into the first three spots, they will likely be giving some of their starters a rest over the last week and a half of the season, giving Washington an opportunity to possibly overtake the struggling Cavs.

Most importantly, Eddie Jordan will be toying with his lineups to figure out how Agent Zero best fits into the rotation. Having an All-Star with 20+ ppg potential coming off the bench is a luxury most coaches in the East don't have. So finally, after enduring countless injuries to key contributors all season, the Wizards might actually have an edge in the personal department when it matters most.

The Celts (62-15) come into D.C. having won seven straight, but lately they've been giving the bulk of the playing time to their bench. In their 107-104 overtime win last night against the Bucks, none of the Big Three played more than 22 minutes. Doc Rivers has the right idea, resting his stars and giving his role players a chance to build some confidence heading into the post-season, but don't forget, the Wiz knocked off Boston in back-to-back games with the Big Three on the floor earlier this season and with a healthy Big Three for Eddie Jordan, they should be able to handle the C's tonight.

-- The Tar Heel
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HIBACHI!

"The guy marches to the beat of his own drummer."

That's what a team source said when asked about Gilbert Arenas' decision to return to the court last night after being cleared to play the day before...and saying he wouldn't.

There's really no other way to put it. Agent Zero is an enigma. And what that makes him incredibly frustrating to follow as a coach, a fan - hell, as a blogger - and yet it's also what makes him the face of the Wizards' franchise and what made the Verizon Center go absolutely bonkers for a second consecutive night on Wednesday.


Yeah, Washington lost to Milwaukee and sustained some potentially crippling injuries in the final sequence, and we'll get to that, but the big news is that Gilbert Arenas is back. He brings a certain swagger and an extra level of energy - much like Caron's impact when he returned last month - that elevates this team. And boy did Gil look good last night.

With 5:30 remaining in the first quarter, Arenas emerged from the locker room in typical Gilbert Arenas fashion. Nine seconds later he checked into the game and received a standing ovation and on the ensuing Wizards' possession, Gilbert scored on a reverse layup - his first bucket since November 16. He finished with 17 points in 20 minutes, including two free throws to tie the game at 109 with seconds remaining. But while he didn't have trouble getting into the offensive flow after his four and a half month layoff, he lacked the ability to move laterally on the defensive end and was a liability.

So with 16 seconds left, Eddie Jordan pulled Arenas for Antonio Daniels. The Wizards got the stop they needed and Antawn Jamison sacrificed his body, jumping into the front row to tip the ensuing loose ball down court to Daniels to ice the game. But Daniels didn't show the same hustle, allowing former D-Leaguer Ramon Sessions to snatch the ball from behind and call timeout with 1.1 seconds left. In a stunning, and yet all to fitting, finale, Sessions got the final shot, letting a 19-footer fly just two-tenths of a second before the final buzzer. It swished through the net and Gilbert's return was spoiled.

The final sequence was just one of numerous defensive break-downs on the night for a team that seems to have lost their edge on that end of the floor after playing so well in consecutive games after Butler's return. Washington shot 56 percent from the field but allowed the Bucks to shoot 55 percent and despite leading for nearly the entire game, the Wizards never could put the game out of reach. The Wiz were out-rebounded by Milwaukee 41-34, with Andrew Bogut (20 points, 10 boards) and Charlie Villanueva (24 points, 12 boards) posting double-doubles.

With a win and Indiana's loss to Boston, the Wizards had an opportunity to lock up a playoff berth and maintain a half-game lead over Toronto and Philadelphia for the fifth spot. Instead they dropped into a three-way tie and must regroup before tomorrow night's game against the listless Miami Heat. What's worse, Jamison (sprained right shoulder) and DeShawn Stevenson (sprained ankle) both suffered injuries in the waning seconds and could miss time. Had the Wizards stepped up and made one or two more stops down the stretch, they wouldn't be in this situation.

It'll be interesting to see how Jordan decides to use Gilbert down the stretch. He came off the bench last night and I really like him in that role. Even though it would essentially turn opponents' offensive possessions into 5-on-3 power plays, being able to bring in a one-two combo of Gil and Nick Young off the bench could be a lightning in a bottle for the Wiz. If the Hibachi continues to come off the bench in the next two weeks, he will be able to gradually get back to game fitness and it'll be a much easier transition for him and the team. Remember, the Wizards' have been doing pretty well without him all season, and I think he realizes that and doesn't want to disrupt the chemistry these guys have developed.

Noteworthy

• Last night's loss wasn't bad enough to put a damper on DeShawn's 27th birthday bash at Collaborations. Dan Steinberg was there to take in all the 80's themed apparel - trust me, there was plenty - and MC Biz Markie's musical stylings. Note: Check out that boom box the Locksmith is carrying. And when was the last time you saw a cell phone as big as Gil's?
• Earlier this week, Arenas told reporters that he would be willing to take a pay cut to keep the Wizards' current roster in tact. He has said all season that he plans to opt out of his contract and Jamison will also become a free agent this summer. "I want to see Antawn taken care of first and then I'll take the pay cut to keep the team intact," he said. It remains to be seen whether the erratic All-Star will stay true to his word on this, but the reality of the situation is that the he wants to remain in Washington (no other playoff teams have the salary to sign him for what the Wizards can offer) and he knows that Jamison is a key part of the core of this group. It's a kind and practical gesture from Arenas and one that I'd love to see come to fruition.

Tonight I'm headed to the Phone Booth to be a part of another Red-Out as the Caps try to get one step closer to the playoffs with a win against the Lightning. Should be fun.

All photos AP/Getty by way of Yahoo!

-- The Tar Heel
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Banged Up Wiz Return Home After 2-3 Trip

Sunday night the Wizards were one big shot or one defensive stop away from stunning the Lakers in an overtime thriller in Los Angeles. A victory would've secured a winning road trip and bolstered Washington's chances of holding on to the 5th spot in the East and perhaps even catching Cleveland for 4th.

Instead, the boys in blue lost that game 126-120, suffered two key injuries, got drilled by 42 points in Utah last night and limped home with a 2-3 mark on the West coast trip. It was an ugly way to end an otherwise encouraging trip for the Wiz, who mounted impressive comebacks in each of their two wins and to force overtime against the Lakers.

In Friday's 114-108 win in Sacramento the Wizards climbed back from 16 down in the third quarter and thanks in large part to former-King Darius Songaila's 17 points in 18 minutes, they were able to hold on at the end.

Two nights later, it was another bench player who almost single-handedly kept the Wizards in a tight game in L.A. Making his first trip back to the city where he starred for USC, rookie Nick Young exploded for his most impressive offensive game, dropping a career-high 27 in a career-high 31 minutes. Eddie Jordan put the ball in his young scorer's hands time and time again down the stretch - a little too much for my liking, even with his hot hand - and showed tremendous confidence in Young against one of the best teams in the league.

The Wizards lost the game in overtime, in another one of those physically and emotionally draining defeats. They also lost Antonio Daniels (sprained left wrist) and Caron Butler (sprained left hamstring) at least for last night's loss in Utah. Butler - who hit a ridiculous three with Derek Fisher all up in his grill to force overtime - might be able to return for tomorrow' night's game against the Bucks. Daniels could also play but his injury, which forced him out of Sunday's game after just three minutes on the floor, appears to be a bit more serious.

What to Take Away from the Road Trip

• The bench is geared up and ready to play. With a few exceptions - read Andray Blatche - the Wizards' reserves are pulling their weight and then some in recent weeks. Roger Mason has been the unsung hero all season, filling in for the injured Arenas and Daniels at the point and providing timely long-range buckets to go along with veteran backcourt play. But now Songaila and Young are pitching in on a nightly basis, giving Washington more reliable scoring options off the bench than they've had all season. Check out the Numbers Game below to see their improvements.
• Tough Juice is in playoff mode. Since returning to the Wizards' lineup on March 13 against Cleveland, the Wiz are 7-3 in games in which he has played. Butler was firing on all cylinders against his old team on Sunday, notching his third triple-double of the season (17 points, 12 boards and 12 assists) and watching his reaction to that three to force overtime sent a chill down my spine. I just wish Eddie would've put the ball in Caron's hands in overtime rather than Young's. Nick had a great game but Caron is the captain and hitting big shots go with that title. You've got to give him touches in the extra period. Assuming his hamstring injury isn't serious, I can't see Caron allowing this team to fall any lower than the 5th spot. Everyone on that roster would love to get another shot at the Cavs and with the way CB3 is playing right now, it would be a tasty matchup.
• Speaking of guys drooling over a possible Cavs-Wiz first round series, how about DeShawn Stevenson on Sunday night? The Locksmith was locked and loaded in L.A., dropping 27 on 8-for-12 shooting from behind the arc. Stevenson seems to step it up big in the big games and if he gets another chance to go opposite his not-so-good buddy LeBron, you can bet he'll be looking to make a statement for himself and his team.

The Numbers Game
The bench has been producing for the Wizards lately, and they made their presence felt on the five-game road trip. Here's a look at how the reserves played during that stretch compared to their season averages. Note: One of these things is not like the others. Scoring numbers are up for every reserve except one.

Player------------PPG---RPG---APG
Mason (07-08)----8.8----1.5-----1.7
Mason (Last 5)---12.2----2.2-----3.0
Songaila(07-08)---5.9----3.1-----1.6
Songaila(Last 5)---7.4----2.8-----1.2
Young (07-08)----7.5----1.6-----0.9
Young (Last 5)---11.4----0.6-----1.0
McGuire (07-08)-1.2----1.9-----0.5
McGuire (Last 5)-2.8----1.6-----0.4
Blatche (07-08)---7.1----5.0-----1.1
Blatche (Last 5)---4.8----3.6-----0.8

Quotable

• "I'm happy for Nick Young and I'm proud of my guys but we just played a team that executed down the stretch. And we just couldn't come up with the one big play at the end." -- Eddie Jordan on the loss to L.A.
• "I wouldn't say we were tired; I would say they are good and you have to give credit to them. They attacked us early, kept attacking, they had great ball movement and they just continued to play well. They're running the same offense they ran when I was here and if you don't come out focused, they'll keep screening and get open shots and that's what happened." -- Stevenson on the loss to Utah

Stay tuned for some news on Gilbert possibly taking a pay-cut to keep the Big Three in tact and Washington's matchup with the Bucks tomorrow night.

-- The Tar Heel
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Gotta Keep Winning

The Washington Capitals must win every game remaining on their schedule and hope the teams above them falter. They fell behind the 8-ball early this season and have been clawing back into contention ever since Bruce Boudreau took over.

The Washington Wizards are in a similar situation, although not nearly as dire. They've pretty much got a playoff spot locked up with the dismal state of most of the teams behind them in the Eastern Conference standings, but if they're looking to hold onto their current 5th seed, they can't let up. The Philadelphia 76ers are playing the role of the Caps to the Wizards' position as the Carolina Hurricanes (or Boston/Philadelphia). Once out of the race, they're now smack dab in the thick of it.

The Sixers (37-35) were a dreadful 16-28 on January 25th, well out of the playoff picture and talking about rebuilding. With the exception of the Houston Rockets, no team (not even the mighty Celtics) has put together a better mark since. With a 21-7 record since then, Philly has stormed back into contention and with just one-half game separating them and the 5th spot, they're breathing right down the Wizards' necks.

So the only solution for Washington (37-34) is to take care of what they can control and just keep winning.

The Road Trip So Far

The Wizards faltered on Monday in the first test of their current five-game West Coast road trip, suffering a 102-82 drubbing in Portland.

The Trail Blazers withstood the loss of leading scorer Brandon Roy to a groin injury at the end of the first quarter, and Washington was never really able to make it a competitive game. Portland shot near 50 percent (49.4) as the Wizards managed just 35.8 percent from the field. Caron Butler scored 19 but was just 6-for-20, Antonio Daniels had 14 to go along with 8 assists and Antawn Jamison finished with 9 on a terrible 3-of-13 shooting performance.

Maybe the Wizards' were a little tired from the cross-country flight, but when you consider that Portland had dropped an 97-84 contest to the lowly Seattle Sonics the night before, the excuse didn't carry much weight.

Eddie Jordan's troops bounced back two nights later against those same Sonics in a game that was much closer than it should have been.

With 5:47 left in the third, the Wiz found themselves trailing by 18 - 73-56 - but that's when they turned things around. Brendan Haywood jump-started a 10-0 Washington run with his put-back and with 8:25 left in the game, Roger Mason's triple gave the visitors their first lead of the second half at 84-83.

The Wizards relied heavily on their bench to get it done for them down the stretch and they were rewarded with a 104-99 victory.

Mason was fantastic, draining five of his career-high six threes in the fourth to lead Washington with 22 points. Darius Songaila was also huge down the stretch, scoring eight of his 10 points in the final frame.

Caron and Antawn were better offensively, combining for 38 points on 12-of-33 shooting and Haywood (13) and DeShawn Stevenson (11) also cracked double figures. The somehow managed to overcome a 32-49 rebounding disadvantage - a real sign of fatigue and a result of Nick Collison's 21-board night - and it certainly helped that they made 10 threes to Seattle's one.

Regardless, the big story here is the reserves coming through in the clutch. With weary legs and banged up bodies this kind of bench support is exactly what the Wizards need during this trip. If they can make it home with a 2-3 mark or somehow sneak a win in either Los Angeles or Utah to make it a winning trip, it would huge in the standings and also for morale.

Quotable

“Roger Mason really bailed us out tonight,” -- Eddie Jordan after the win in Seattle

"We just came with some energy. Obviously, Roger got hot and hit some shots and then we got some stops on defense and that turned the game around." -- Darius Songaila

Noteworthy

• As has been the word out of the Phone Booth all season, the Wizards sound like they're committed to bringing the core of this year's team back next season in its entirety. That means upcoming free agents Jamison and Gilbert Arenas included. Today Washington Post beat writer Ivan Carter reported that Eddie Jordan, President Ernie Grunfield and owner Abe Pollin all expect to re-sign both All-Stars this summer. The NBA has announced that the Wiz will be playing preseason exhibition games in Berlin and Barcelona as part of the NBA's Europe Live Tour - and the Commish is expecting them to showcase a healthy Big Three.
• "We've said all along that our intention is to have those guys here over the long haul and that hasn't changed at all," Grunfeld said. "Even with Gilbert injured this season, we've shown that we can beat some of the best teams in the league, we like the development we are seeing from our young players and we feel that when we are healthy, we can compete with anyone in the Eastern Conference."
• After missing back-to-back games with a bruised thigh, rookie guard Nick Young played in both of the Wizards' first two road games. He scored four points in 16 minutes in Portland and scored one basket in six minutes against Seattle. The Bean Burrito hasn't been able to maintain a consistent level of offense off the bench this season - often showing flashes of his ability to put the ball in the cup for stretches and then losing his aggressiveness for games at a time. Youth, inexperience and inconsistency go hand-in-hand, but the more Young can give the Wiz off the bench on a nightly basis, the more confidence Jordan will have in him this postseason.
• The most entertaining saga involving the Wizards lately is the war of words between Stevenson and LeBron James. In case you missed it, here's a bit of a recap.
  
• After the Wiz deafeated the Cavs 101-99 on March 13, The Locksmith finally had a platform to say what he'd be waiting to say for quite some time: "He's overrated. And you can say I said that."
  
• Someone did tell LeBron, who came back with "With DeShawn Stevenson it is kind of funny. It's almost like Jay-Z saying something bad about Soulja Boy. There's no comparison. Enough said."
  
• Of course, Stevenson felt compelled to respond, and he did. "I hope we play Cleveland," he said. "I'm going to get Soulja Boy courtside seats and have him wear a DeShawn Stevenson jersey. Maybe (James) can have Jay-Z there since LeBron's all on his (shorts) anyway." Stevenson wasn't done. "And tell LeBron to cut that beard off and stop copying me."
• Here's one particularly ornery take on the whole deal. Personally, I find it incredibly amusing and it's just one more reason - beyond the beard, the bathrobes and last season's shootout with Gil - to love this guy. And it's just one more reason fans of the NBA should be crossing their fingers for a third straight Wiz-Cavs opening round series.
  

Next Up

Washington Wizards (37-34)
at Sacramento Kings (32-39)
Friday, March 28 - 10pm
Arco Arena

Friday's tilt in Sacramento is a game the Wizards must win if they want to make this a winning road trip. The Kings had dropped three straight before a 107-106 home win over Memphis on Wednesday. They always play well at home, so by no means will it be a cake-walk for Washington, but if they can shoot a respectable percentage and contain point guard Kevin Martin, they should have the upper hand.

The Wizards have had their way with the Kings in recent years. They haven't lost to Sacramento, regardless of venue, since Feb. 27, 2005. Washington won their first matchup 92-79 on Dec. 15.

Seven players average double-figures in scoring for the Kings, including Martin (23.2), Ron Artest (20.2) and Brad Miller (13.7) and at a 101.9 points per game clip, they certainly like to get up and down the floor. Normally that style plays to the Wizards' advantage, but if fatigue continues to be a problem, Sacramento could run away with this one.

It should be an exciting matchup between two teams that like to run and gun and also get to the rim. The Sixers host Phoenix tonight, which means it could be a great opportunity for the Wiz to get a little breathing room in the standings. With that said, Philly already knocked off the Suns 119-114 in Phoenix earlier this month and in the last two weeks they've picked up impressive wins against San Antonio, Denver and at Detroit and Boston. But the Wizards can't waste time watching the standings, they simply have to keep winning.

All photos AP/Getty by way of Yahoo!

-- The Tar Heel
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On a Roll at the Right Time

Don't look now but the Washington Wizards are heating up. In the past 11 days the boys in white and blue have knocked off three of the four teams above them in the Eastern Conference playoff standings and are playing as well as they have at any stretch this season.

With Sunday night's nationally televised 95-83 victory over Detroit, the Wiz have won six of their last seven and are 8-3 in the month of March with five games to go. After two weeks of watching the Philadelphia 76ers creep up on their 6th spot, Washington continues to keep Andre Iguodala and company in its rear-view mirror and last week leap-frogged struggling Toronto to take control of 5th place.

The return of Caron Butler has helped kick-start the recent hot streak, but he's not the only reason the Wizards are putting things together just in time for the critical 5-week stretch before the playoffs. The Tar Heel made it over to the Phone Booth and got a first hand view - albeit from halfway up the stairs in section 404 - of a team that's really in a groove right now.

The Wizards (36-33) shot 52.8 percent against one of the league's best defensive teams, took the lead late in the first quarter and never gave it up. They out-scored the Pistons 50-20 in the paint and out-shot them by five at the stripe (17-12).

I saw several quotes from Pistons players after the game - like Tayshaun Prince saying “We didn’t even much at all run our normal plays,” - well, whatever. Sure, you've got a playoff spot locked up but don't give me that we're just experimenting with sets and coasting into April bullcorn. (Also, you wonder why so many people prefer college ball to 'The League' - teams don't have the luxury of taking nights off there).

Essentially, the Wiz out-played the Pistons in all facets of the game. Antawn Jamison had yet another double-double (24 & 12), Caron Butler looked the best his has in any game since his return with 17 points, 5 boards and 6 assists and Brendan Haywood came up big with 16 points. Darius Songaila gave the home team 10 points off the bench and Andray Blatche showed some toughness banging with Rasheed Wallace and baiting the Big Bald Spotted One into a technical - the 13,452nd of his career...or something like that.

Lettuce Ketchup

My apologies for abandoning you over the tail end of last week and through the weekend. I was a bit preoccupied entertaining three British imports and showing them all the best spots and things about our great city (including last night's prime time matchup). So let's re-hash a few noteworthy tidbits to get us ready for the up-coming five game road trip out west.

• Wow! That was the first word that came out of my mouth when I saw the score from the Wiz-Magic game last Wednesday. Bouncing back from a 122-92 home loss with an 87-86 road win against the division leaders is one thing. But holding Dwight Howard to 3(!!!) points and 14 boards is just ridiculous. The guy is a walking double-double and yet the combination of Brendan Haywood and Andray Blatche transformed themselves into Kryptonite in Orlando. Their activity on the offense end was even more effective than their defense, as Howard was forced to ride the pine pony for much of the night after getting into early foul trouble. Great performance up and down the lineup and yet another credit to Randy Ayers' ability to coach defense.
• Gilbert Arenas was nowhere to be found when last night's tilt tipped-off (I would know, I had the binoculars in hand). Well it turns out the Hibachi was expecting to make his triumphant return in front of ESPN's Sunday night hoops national audience until the team doctor checked out Gil's knee and determined he needed one more week of rest. Naturally, Agent Zero was a little miffed - apparently more than a little - and he stormed off, telling reporters, “I’m not coming back this year.”
  
• The fact that he didn't have a sport coat to wear on the bench only added to his frustration (and was the reason he wasn't on the bench until midway through the half). It's a $10,000 fine if you show up in street clothes that don't include a coat and Gilbert has already shelled out for that one. Hard to say when/if we will in fact see him on the floor next week, but the good news is he did make the trip to Portland for tomorrow night's game - the first stop on a five-game road swing.
  
• Nick Young missed his second straight game with a bruised right thigh, leaving the Wiz with only five reserves on the bench. This doesn't sound too serious though, so expect to see the Bean Burrito back on the court at some point in the next couple games.
• One of the best moments from last night came as the Kiss Camera made its way around the Verizon Center during a timeout. After pausing on several couples, one brother & sister and a father and daughter (not everyone is into robbing the cradle), the camera locked in on former Wizard Jarvis Hayes - who had been booed all night - and a teammate sitting to his left. Hayes simply smiled and shook his head but the camera man didn't flinch. The fans continued to boo as the teammate turned away and put a towel over his head. At the last second, Hayes obliged and gave the teammate to his right a peck on the cheek. It was no Buckhantz-Chenier smooch, but good sport on his part nonetheless.
• Another highlight: Whenever a Piston would step to the line, the jumbotron operator would flash a giant DOOK (sorry, that's how we spell it) logo on the screen. Naturally, people were already booing and trying to distract the shooter but this made them bring the noise about 50-fold. I know we're in Terps territory and the Devils had just lost to WVU the night before, but really? When it's not even a Dookie at the stripe? Sure. I'm all for it.
  

Quotable

• “Our big guys really took the challenge to make it difficult for him. Not to get him bouncing around and dunking and Supermanning and all that stuff. We really wanted to prevent as many points in the paint as possible and have them beat us from outside.” -- Jamison after the win in Orlando.

Up Next

The Wizards kick-off their five-game road trip in Portland tomorrow night. On their last left-coast jaunt, they managed a single win in four games and it took a last-second tip-in against the Clips to avoid coming back with a bagel in the win column.

This time they're riding some momentum and they've got Tough Juice back in the lineup.

The two teams met way back on November 17 with the Wizards blowing out the visiting Blazers 109-90. Six Wizards scored in double-figures in that game, including AJ's 30 and 11 boards and Haywood's 17 and 10.

Portland (37-33) comes into this one having won three-of-four, beating the Clips back-to-back in a Friday-Saturday home-and-home series. And while they're record would be good enough for 5th in the East, they're 6.5 games back of Golden State for the 8th and final spot in the West.

Joel Pryzbilla had a career-high 25 points in Saturday's win and leading scorer Brandon Roy scored 23 for the Blazers.

After their stop in Portland, the Wiz head to Seattle, Sacramento and L.A. for a date with Kobe and the Lakers before finishing things up in Utah. It's a critical trip for Washington as they look to hold onto and potentially increase their 1.5 game lead on Toronto and Philly. The first three games are all very winnable and with the way these guys have been playing over the last week and a half, a victory in L.A. or Utah wouldn't be a shock either.

All photos AP/Getty by way of Yahoo!

-- The Tar Heel

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Defensive Lapses Doom Banged Up Wiz

Just when you thought the Wizards had figured out how to beat the teams they're supposed to beat, they go and lose to another sub-.500 club, and they have the nerve to do it at home.

I'll admit it, the guys had me going there after coming back to beat the Clippers over the weekend. But then they go and lose to the Atlanta Hawks 96-105 on Monday and now those pesky Philadelphia 76ers are just a half game back of Washington for the 6th spot in the East.

If you're looking for an explanation for the letdown, the first stat that jumps out to you is Atlanta's field goal percentage. The Hawks shot a blistering 55.4 percent from the field. Translation: very poor defense from the home team. Atlanta also shot 53 percent from long-range thanks to new addition Mike Bibby who was 5-for-6.

Next, take a look at the bench production. After a string of very strong performances from role players - especially Nick Young and Darius Songaila - the Wizards got zilch from their reserves save for Roger Mason's 14. The Hawks bench out-scored Washington's 28-22 as Young and Songaila combined for only eight points. And what is going on with Andray Blatche? He was a real spark off the bench after Songaila replaced him in the starting lineup, but recently he's just disappeared. Sure, Eddie Jordan only gave him five minutes on Monday, but the guy has to do something in the minutes he's allotted if he wants that number to increase. Blatche would've been the perfect counter to Atlanta's slew of lanky forwards.

Next Up

Washington Wizards (33-33) at
Orlando Magic (45-24)
Wednesday, March 19 - 7pm
Amway Arena

The Wizards now must travel to Orlando to face one of the league's hottest team, and one they have yet to defeat in two meetings so far this season. The most recent matchup turned into a blowout very quickly as the Magic hammered Washington on its home floor, 122-92 on March 5.

Orlando has won 11 of its last 13 including a 104-90 rout of Cleveland on Monday. And while the Wizards would love to prove that they can play with Dwight Howard and company - if the season ended today the two teams would be matched up in the first round - their biggest concern right now might be to just get healthy.

Caron Butler returned for Thursday's win against Cleveland, but his wrist is banged up and the same goes for Antonio Daniels. Meanwhile Brendan Haywood just returned after missing one game due to a strained left patella tendon and Antawn Jamison has been playing with back pain for several weeks now.

But with the Sixers licking their chops as they close in on Washington's sixth seed, the Wiz have got to come together and continue to pick up wins. Unfortunately, I don't see that happening tonight against the Magic.

-- The Tar Heel
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Two Captains are Better than One

Atlanta Hawks (28-38) at
Washington Wizards (33-32)
Monday, March 17 - 7pm
Verizon Center

With Caron Butler back in the lineup over the weekend, the Wizards put together back-to-back wins - one big and one much, much bigger.

I imagine you'd say Thursday's 101-99 home win against LeBron James and the Cavs was the by far the better of the two. CB-3 gutted out a ridiculous 41 minutes in his first game back and Washington proved that they can in fact handle Cleveland every now and again.

Well, you'd be wrong.

Yes, that was a great win for the Wiz on national television, and a tremendous confidence boost for everyone fretting another possible Wiz-Cavs first-round playoff matchup. But the Wizards' have beaten good teams several times this season - Boston (twice), Dallas (twice), New Orleans (twice).

What really impressed me was their ability to avoid throwing away that win against Cleveland by storming back to beat the Los Angeles Clippers two nights later and get back above .500 for the first time since early February.

The Clips are not in the same class as the Cavs, and they shouldn't be discussed in the same breath as the Wizards, but they're exactly the kind of team that has plagued Washington all season long. The Wiz love to make statements by winning big time games but then they fall apart against the middlings and the bottom-feeders. They tried to do it again on Saturday, too. But thankfully for the boys in white, their captain simply wouldn't let them.

Down four points with seven seconds left, Antawn Jamison nailed a three-pointer and after two Corey Maggette free throws pushed the margin back to three, he drew a foul on another attempt from beyond the arc and went to the free throw line, where he has missed several key free throws late in the fourth quarter.

This time AJ calmly sank all three, sending the game into overtime where he carried the Wizards on his back to 119-109 victory. The All-Star forward had 36 points and 11 boards in 45 minutes and Washington maintained its one-game lead over the surging Philadelphia 76ers. That determination is just one of the reasons Jamison is a co-captain on this squad, and one of the many reasons Ernie Grunfield would rather not give him up when his contract expires this summer.

Noteworthy

• Washington was out-rebounded 51-36 by the Cavs but managed to pull out the win by outshooting Cleveland 48.6-to-42 percent from the field. The Wiz also had seven players in double-figures. (Stevenson, Daniels, Haywood, Butler, Jamison, Songaila and Young)
• The Wiz again had seven in double-figures against the Clips. Jamison led the way with 36 while Butler, Daniels, Stevenson, Songaila, Young and Mason all had at least 10.
• Steve Buckhantz got to pull out that infamous "DAGGER!" call late in the overtime period Saturday after Antonio Daniels nailed a trey from the corner with the shot-clock winding down to put the game on ice.

Up Next

Tonight the Wizards host another potential playoff team when the Atlanta Hawks come to town. Washington has won two of the team's three meetings this season including a 102-98 overtime victory on January 11 in Hot-lanta, but the Hawks (28-38) have won three straight and are playing much better ball since the addition of Mike Bibby just before the trade deadline.

Again, this is the kind of the team the Wizards have to beat to maintain and have any hopes of improving their playoff positioning down the stretch. The Hawks have an All-Star in Joe Johnson and heaps (about six first-round picks-worth) of power forwards to throw at the Wizards. Fortunately, Washington has Tough Juice back and it looks as though he and Jamison won't let their team fall apart like it did at the end of last season.

-- The Tar Heel

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Wizards Get Juice Back for Tonight's Tough Test

Cleveland Cavaliers (37-28) at
Washington Wizards (31-32)
Thursday, March 13 - 8pm
Verizon Center

Barring any unforeseen discomfort before tonight's tip-off against the Cavs at the Phone Booth, the Wizards expect to have two-thirds of their big three on the floor together for the first time in 17 games. After watching helplessly as his team slowly slipped down the Eastern Conference playoff standings while he rested his strained-then-torn hip flexor for the last month, Caron Butler is probable for tonight's game against Cleveland.

Tough Juice turned 28 today and his teammates would like nothing more than to celebrate his birth and his return with a victory over a team that has managed to beat them in every way possible over the last three seasons. Washington is looking to build on a strong performance Monday night in a 105-97 win over Milwaukee that was highlighted by a career night for rookie Nick Young.

The City/The Bean Burrito (anyone know what he settled on?) scored a career-high 22 points on 9-of-15 shooting in 27 minutes. He also pulled down five boards, tallied three steals and threw down several vicious dunks - including one on Andrew Bogut's head that resulted in Young's first NBA technical after he insisted on letting Bogut know that it was indeed the rookie who had just posterized him. Young's effort helped the Wiz avoid another big-time let-down in a game they desperately needed. Washington - which shot at even 50 percent on the night - came out firing early and took a 57-44 lead into the break. But the Bucks out-scored their hosts by 11 in the third to get themselves right back in it. Young responded with two key three-point plays in the final quarter to give the Wizards their sixth win in their last nine, although with Philadelphia hot on their heels, each win is crucial.

The high shooting percentage reflects the team's ability to get high quality looks in the lane and knock them down. The Wiz scored a ridiculous 66 points in the paint with man-sized efforts from Brendan Haywood (15 points, 6 boards and 5 blocks), Andray Blatche (15 and 7) and Darius Songaila (11, 5 and 5 assists). And that Antawn Jamison character had another 23-point, 8-rebound effort...yawn.

What does it all mean? Not a whole lot if the Wizards continue to lack the consistent play needed to make a playoff run - OR - Everything if the young guns can produce off the bench night in and night out to help the starters as they wait for their top dogs to get back to 100 percent.

Quotable

"I’m tired of Brendan Haywood calling me a practice dunker and all kinds of stuff. So it was my way to kind of show them that I belong here—and I can jump a little bit." - Young on his aerial exhibition

"I'm going to be rugged and hard-nosed. That's my style and that's what the fans come to see. That's my niche. That's how I got my name in this league." - Butler on how he plans to play coming off the injury

The Last Time

Talk about leaving a bad taste in your mouth. The way the Cavaliers have tormented the Wizards over the past three seasons, no amount of Listerine could possibly do the trick.

On February 22, in just another disappointing ending to a Cavs-Wiz matchup, LeBron James sank two free throws with 7.8 seconds remaining to give Cleveland a 90-89 win. James finished with 33 points, 15 boards and 8 assists to will the short-handed Cavs to victory. They didn't even need newly acquired Ben Wallace, Joe Smith and Wally Szczerbiak, not to mention the injured Anderson Varejao. In fact, it only took three Cavs (James, Zydrunas Ilgauskas - 15 and Devin Brown -10) to out-rebound the hapless Wizards 33-31.

Key Matchup

Anderson Varejao/Joe Smith v. Brendan Haywood/Andray Blatche/Darius Songaila
With 66 points in the paint Monday night against the Bucks, the Wizards showed that they are committed to getting good looks, rather than settling for jump shots every time down the floor. Not surprisingly, they shot a much-improved 50 percent from the field as a result.

Now Andrew Bogut and Charlie Villanueva are not Ilgauskas and Wallace - the Cavs big free-agent pickup - but fortunately for the Wiz, neither guy is expected to play due to recent back injuries (phew!). Instead they'll bang with Varejao, Smith and Devin Brown on the block. Still, for Washington's bigs to put up anything close to that number tonight, they're going to have to work on every possession, battle for offensive rebounds and get to the free throw line.

Haywood has played with increased aggressiveness over the past few games and Blatche has really been coming on of late. If those two can keep the intensity up on both ends of the floor - they'll be asked to play help defense quite a bit when LeBron blows by his defender on the perimeter - and Songaila can step it up again - he had a season-high 19 in the last meeting - it'll give Jamison and Butler a big boost. Varejao isn't nearly as big of an offensive threat as Z, but he does bring a lot of energy to the floor and has a knack for getting offensive put-backs. Washington will need to keep him and Smith from getting open looks and easy boards, but the Wiz should definitely have an edge in the paint tonight.

Prediction

It seems like Washington always has an advantage coming into this matchups, at least on paper. And yet LeBron and company always get the best of them. With it being Caron's birthday and this being their third of five straight home games, I don't know what more motivation the Wiz could possibly need. Basically it's going to come down to the question that every team going up against Cleveland must face: Can you stop the King? So far, Washington has answered that one with a resounding "Nope." But it's not so much that they need to shut James down as it is that they simply can't let him take over the game. Make Damon Jones beat you. Honestly, I won't be that upset if Daniel "Boobie" Gibson hits a game-winning triple. I'll be upset, but at least the Wiz will have found a new way to lose to these guys.

Just please, for the love of Abe Pollin, don't let LeBron drive to the hoop for the game-winning bucket tonight.

That said - and I don't want to jinx anyone - I've got a good feeling about this one (knock on wood).

All photos AP/Getty by way of Yahoo!

-- The Tar Heel

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