Series Thread: #4 Cleveland Cavaliers vs #5 Washington Wizards

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<p align="center"><font face="Verdana">2008 NBA Playoffs: Eastern Conference First Round

Game 1: Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers - Sat 19 April 12:30 (ESPN)

Game 2: Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers - Mon 21 April 19:00 (TNT)

Game 3: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards - Thu 24 April 12:30 (TNT)

Game 4: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards - Sun 27 April 12:30 (ABC)

Game 5: Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers - Wed 30 April TBD (TBD)

Game 6: Cleveland Cavaliers @ Washington Wizards - Fri 2 May TBD (TBD)

Game 7: Washington Wizards @ Cleveland Cavaliers - Sun 4 April TBD (TBD)
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<p align="center"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">#4 Cleveland Cavaliers

(45-37)</font></p>


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<p align="center"><font color="#006A8F" face="Verdana">#5 Washington Wizards

(43-39)</font></p>


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<h4 align="center"><font face="Verdana">Projected Starters</font></h4>
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<font face="Verdana" color="#b90456" size="2">PG Delonte West SG Devin Brown



SF LeBron James PF Ben Wallace C Zydrunas Ilgauskas</font>



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<font face="Verdana" size="2" color="#006A8F">PG Gilbert Arenas SG DeShawn Stevenson



SF Caron Butler PF Antawn Jamison C Brendan Haywood</font>



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<h4><font face="Verdana">Season Stats</font></h4>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Points</td>
<td>96.4 ppg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">FG%</td>
<td>43.9%</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">3pt%</td>
<td>35.8%</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Rebounds</td>
<td>44.6 rpg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Assists</td>
<td>20.0 apg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">Points</td>
<td>98.8 ppg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">FG%</td>
<td>44.6%</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">3pt%</td>
<td>35.6%</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">Rebounds</td>
<td>41.6 rpg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">Aassists</td>
<td>19.6 apg</font></td>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">Season Team Leaders</font></h4>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Points</td>
<td>James 30.0 ppg</font></td>
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<td>Ilgauskas 9.3 rpg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">Assists</td>
<td>James 7.2 apg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">Points</td>
<td>Jamison 21.4 ppg</font></td>
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<td>Jamison 10.2 rpg</font></td>
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<td class="strong"><font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">Assists</td>
<td>Arenas 5.1 apg</font></td>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">Key Matchup #1 - <font color="#b90456">LeBron James</font> v <font color="#006A8F">DeShawn Stevenson</font></font></h4>
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<font face="Verdana"> v

These two players have embarked upon a war of words in the media recently. Essentially, Stevenson branded James as overrated, to which LeBron responded that DeShawn was Soulja-Boi to his Jay-Z. Since then there has been a bit of back-and-forth in which Stevenson has said that he wants to guard LeBron James 'to give Caron Butler a rest on defense'. Stevenson had better watch his words carefully; the last people to call out LeBron James were Chris Bosh's girlfriend and cousin sitting courtide when the Cavs were in Toronto. LeBron exploded for 24 points in the 4th Quarter to give the Cavs a 93-90 victory. This time it's a fellow player. This time it's the Playoffs. Who knows what LeBron might do this time?</font></p>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">Key Matchup #2 - <font color="#b90456">Delonte West & Devin Brown</font> v <font color="#006A8F">Gilbert Arenas & Caron Butler</font></font></h4>
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<font face="Verdana"> & v &

This is where the Wizards really have to try to exploit the Cavaliers. Arenas and Butler are capable of combining for over 50 points if they are on song, whilst Delonte West and Devin Brown are quite simply not. Nor are they quite capable of stopping the Washington duo. The best they can hope for is to contain the pair with high intensity defense to force them into mistakes. However, they are not quite capable of keeping that up for a full game, so I expect serious points to be scored by the Washington Guards.</font></p>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">Key Matchup #3 - <font color="#b90456">Ben Wallace</font> v <font color="#006A8F">Antawn Jamison</font></font></h4>
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<font face="Verdana"> v

Statistically speaking, the Wizards fall apart when Jamison is on the floor more than any other team without any other player (see RealGM for stats). As usual, therefore, expect to see Jamison see a lot of floortime in this series. It will be vital for the Cavs to try to contain Jamison who can be a real force on offense. If Big Ben Wallace can get the better of Jamison for prolonged periods in the series, he might pave the road to victory for the Cavs.</font></p>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">Key Matchup #4 - Backup Guards - <font color="#b90456">Daniel Gibson</font> v <font color="#006A8F">Antonio Daniels</font></font></h4>
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<font face="Verdana"> v

I think Gibson could have a huge role to play in the postseason once again this year. His streaky shooting ability enables him to get into a zone where he seemingly cannot miss (see Detroit game 6 last season). If he is left open on the court, the Cavs will get him the ball, and he will shoot. However, Boobie has been shooting poorly since his return from a high ankle sprain but, if he can reverse his fortunes and drain the shots, he could propel the Cavs to victory with timely three point shots.</font></p>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">Keys to the Game</font></h4>
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<font face="Verdana" color="#b90456">[*]Win the Battle of the Boards - This is one way in which the Cavs have an advantage over the Wizards in and, if you want to progress in the Playoffs, one must play to one's strengths. The Cavs must hit the boards hard to earn second-chance opportunities and restrict those of the Wizards.

[*]Restrain Gilbert Arenas - Arenas is a player who knows no boundaries, who can take on the seemingly impossible to make shots. He has a knack for making huge shots at crucial junctures within a game. If they can stop him getting into a rhythm, the Wizards will suffer greatly.

[*]L B J - Need I say more?</font>
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<font face="Verdana" color="#006A8F">[*]Play uptempo - This might seem surprising given the Wizards' pace factor of just 89.5 (27th in the NBA), but last season with Gilbert Arenas playing in 74 games, they had a much quicker pace factor of 94.1, good for 5th in the NBA. With a Point Guard like Arenas at the helm, it seems sensible to play uptempo, so it seems like the best thing Washington could do is to put the Cavs out of their comfort zone by playing uptempo basketball.

[*]Contain LeBron - DeShawn Stevenson has certainly talked the talk, but whether or not he can walk the walk is yet to be seen. LeBron James can literally carry the Cavs on his back to win games (see Detroit Game 5 last year) and I would not bet against him doing it again. If Stevenson can somehow stop him, the Cavs ought to fall out of the Playoffs at the first hurdle.

[*]Play through the guards - Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas have such a monumental advantage over Delonte West and Devin Brown that it would be idiotic of the Wizards not to exploit the mismatch at every opportunity. If they can exploit it often enough, they might just be able to knock the Cavs out.</font>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">The Cavs since 2003 v Washington</font></h4>
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<td colspan="2"><font face="Verdana">Including the two Playoff series, the two sides have met 28 times. The Cavs average 100 points per game and have won 17 of the matchups, whilst the Wizards average 98.9 points per game and have won the other 11 games. LeBron James has missed just one game against the Wizards in his career, but averages 28.3 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.3 assists in the 27 games in which he has played.</font></td>
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<h4><font face="Verdana">Prediction</font></h4>
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<font face="Verdana">The teams tied the season series 2-2, so the series looks as though it will be close. The Cavs, I think, will need Daniel Gibson or Damon Jones to come on and make big three point shots at times within the series. It should be a fantastic series in which we should see exciting plays, tenacious defense, high-flying dunks and no doubt a small dose of controvesy. Overall, I think the Chose One will be able to do enough in this series where, of course, There Can Only be One.</font></p>


<font face="Verdana" size="4"><font color="#b90456">4</font> - <font color="#006A8F">2</font></font></p>
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Whichever team wins this, I just hope they're ready for Boston. Both have given Boston trouble, especially the Wizards.

I really don't know what team to root for. I mean, I like both teams, both have players I like to watch. Eh, I'll root for Eddie Jordan and Etan Thomas (even tho he hasn't played a game). Go Wizards!

 

Get out of my thread! Cavs all the way

 

Nice job on the thread, chingy, although you won't be happy with my prediction - Washington in 7. I think the matchups are in their favor. Daniels and Gilbert, even at 75%, can have their way with Delonte West and Boobie Gibson. Antawn Jamison is a mid-range/perimeter big, and he'll take Big Ben out of the area he is most effective - the defensive paint. Haywood can body Z, and he moves his feet defensively. Z stepping out to 15-17 feet should make him a bit uncomfortable, but he can manage.

Then again, nobody in the entire world can deny LeBron James, so I could see this series going either way. But right now, I like Washington to finally pull this off.

 

Any update on Lebron's back? I'm hoping its not serious, because this series could be really interesting.

 

Delonte West looks like an ice junkie

 

Your table doesn't suck, I'd fix it, but it's great.


Washington is 7.

 

does anyone know what channel this is on for Canadian tv

EDIT: looks like its on RapsTV

 

At least you get it in Canada. How ironic is it that the only Cavs fan here can't even watch the game on TV?

P.S. I know it's probably not really irony, but that's the way people use the word, even if it's wrong.

P.P.S. It's also Manchester United v Blackburn starting in 35 mins, with the Cavs starting in 50 mins. I have to go to a pub to watch Man U, so I'll miss most of the Cavs game

P.P.P.S I'll find a way to see the end

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Jonah @ Apr 19 2008, 10:49 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Delonte West looks like an ice junkie</div>

If he'll grow his hair out, he'll look like T-Bag from Prison Break.

 

Washington getting into a groove here, Cavs better find a way to play some better defense or this is going to get ugly.

 

Haha, check out that 30 footer, calmly taken and made by Arenas.

 

Hope Antonio Daniels plays well...

Great player, one of my fav.

 

this game's pretty entertaining.

I love watching Gilbert Arenas play.

 

That was one of the most impossible, vicious alley oops I have ever seen. Damn.

 

UH OH FIIIIIIIGHT!!!!

 

How's the game been going guys? Just got back from watching United draw 1-1 with Blackburn to make the title race in the EPL much more exciting

 

Really exciting, competitive, entertaining.

There's been a small scrap between Haywood and Bron, and Jamison stepped in, and then the rest of the team stepped in for each team respectively. All three got a tech.

It's been close through the whole game. Gil, Jamison, and Bron have really stepped up for both teams, with the role players doing their thing. Judging from this game, it's gonna be a great series, and should definitely not be overlooked.

 

Arenas 4-5 from 3. Has this just been Gil being awesome, or being left open?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (chingy0007 @ Apr 19 2008, 02:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Arenas 4-5 from 3. Has this just been Gil being awesome, or being left open?</div>

It was a lil bit of both, but mostly Gil being awesome in the 1st half, hitting from everywhere. 30 feet out, with someone on him. It was ridiculous. He's cooled down a bit since then.