Game 3 | Cavs @ Wizards - 5:30 PM--ET - TNT/FSN Ohio

[Smooth]

EASTERN CONFERENCE PLAYOFFS | ROUND 1 | GAME 2 | CAVS LEAD SERIES 2-0

-- Saturday April 28th, 2007
-- Verizon Center [Washington D.C.]

-- 5:30 PM | ET
-- TNT --- FSN Ohio/NBA TV
-- Cavs Alternate Uniforms

-- Wizards Home Uniforms

Head Coaches

Mike Brown -- Eddie Jordan


Starting Lineups & Bench


Starting Backcourt

Point Guards

Larry Hughes -- Antonio Daniels ​

Analysis: Hughes and Daniels are very similar players with both of them being good defenders, slashers and decent outside shooters. Both are more of a shooting guard but can play the point and will need to lead the team.

Hughes has been a whole different player this series with him taking better shots, shooting better and playing solid defense. We are starting to see what a healthy Larry Hughes does for this team.

Daniels has been ineffective scoring this series but has really stepped up in the assists column and was close to a tripe double in the first two games. He's the key to their offense with his penetration, so if Larry can continue to stop it, we'll be in good shape.
The Key: Daniels' penetration
Advantage: CLEVELAND

Shooting Guards

Sasha Pavlovic -- Deshawn Stevenson​

Analysis: Both players have been good surprises for their team as both stepped in and provided production at the shooting guard spot. Stevenson is more of a defensive oriented player who will the be the 2nd option in the Wizards offense, while Sasha is the player who spaces the floor for this Cavs unit.

Sasha has been quiet so far in the playoffs but it's all a part of the adjustment process of entering the playoffs for the first time and getting big playing time.

Stevenson has been solid but ineffective this series, much like Sasha and I think it's because of the same reasons why and on top of that, he's being asked to be their 2nd scorer on offense which is not his role.
The Key: Stevensons' shooting
Advantage: CLEVELAND

Starting Frontcourt

Small Forwards

LeBron James -- Jarvis Hayes​

Analysis: With Caron Butler not going to be active for this game, it will be important for LeBron to take advantage of that and Hayes' challenge to stop him. LeBron put up amazing numbers on the Wizards last year and he's likely to do it again on a player who was injured for most of the season last year, in Hayes.

LeBron has had a quiet 25, 7 and 8.5 playoff series so far but seems to be taking it easy and waiting to assert him self in selected spots. His jumper is off and it's something he needs to crank up.

Hayes had a big game 2 scoring wise but is struggling to stay with LeBron even though he is around the same size LeBron is.
The Key: LeBron’s jump shot
Advantage: CLEVELAND

Power Forwards

Drew Gooden -- Antawn Jamison​

Analysis: On offense these two players are completely different. Jamison is a perimeter oriented power forward while Gooden will bang down-low and hit the occasional jump shot. While on defense, both are average defenders but make up for it with above-average rebounding.

Gooden had a huge game in game 2 and showed he can produce in the playoffs and made Jamison work on defense, something he didn't do much of in Game 1. He's continued to be a solid defender on Jamison but can't seem to stop his perimeter shot.

Jamison is doing all he can to keep his team in the series but he simply can't. He's putting up points, hitting key 3's but he can't carry the team.
The Key: Goodens' defensive offense
Advantage: WASHINGTON

Centers

Zydrunas Ilgauskas -- Etan Thomas​

Analysis: Ilgauskas will be out on a mission with him struggling in the playoffs last year against Thomas and Haywood. He has the height advantage on both centers but both of the centers are solid rebounders and play tough defense.

Ilgauskas has been dominant defensively of Thomas and the centers while producing well on offense and hitting his jump shots.

Thomas has been ineffective on both ends of the floor and has been really quiet in production. His size is starting to catch up with him.
The Key: Thomas' scoring
Advantage: CLEVELAND

Benches

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

Damon Jones -- Eric Snow -- Anderson Varejao -- Donyell Marshall -- Daniel Gibson -- Ira Newble -- Scot Pollard -- Shannon Brown -- Dwayne Jones -- David Wesley​

Analysis: The Cavaliers bench has been up and down all season long, there have been stretches of brilliance and there have been stretches of lackadaisical play. While the Cavs have solid big men who add different dimensions to the game, the guards and how they shoot will have the biggest impact on this team. Especially on rookie Daniel Gibson responds.

So far the bench really hasn't produced all that well. Varejao and Snow have given us solid minutes and that's where it ends. Marshall has been given minute playing time and hasn't produced in that playing time. Gibson played a little and didn't do much either.
The Key: Outside shooting

WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Darius Songaila -- Roger Mason -- Calvin Booth -- Asshole -- Michael Ruffin -- Andray Blatche -- Donell Taylor -- Mike Hall​

Analysis: With the Wizards missing key pieces in Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas, their two best bench players in Hayes and Daniels are now in the starting lineup. The Wizards bench is very strong in big men but lack firepower and experience at the guard spot.

Songaila has given them solid production out of the big man spot and has really stepped up. Other than that there really isn't much production. Mason has been solid but unspectacular.
The Key: Scoring

Advantage: CLEVELAND

=====>Key Matchup<=====

PF | Antawn Jamison

VS


PF | Drew Gooden

--- The other night, Gooden dominated offensively, making it tough for Jamison on the defensive end constantly posting him up or fading away for two. That wore Jamison and didn't give him enough energy to expend on the offensive end.​

Injury Report

WIZARDS​

--- Caron Butler | F = Butler will have the cast removed from his right hand on Monday and hasn't ruled out a return should the Wizards' opening round playoff series against the Cavs go long, the Washington Post reports. (Apr 19)

--- Gilbert Aremas | G = Gilbert Arenas will miss 2-3 months after tearing the lateral meniscus in his left knee during Wednesday night's game against Charlotte, the team announced.

CAVALIERS

NONE​

Smooth32's 3 Keys to Get the "V"

1). Playing on the road. The Wizards might not be the greatest team without Arenas or Butler, but I think they'll be a whole different team playing at home with their fans behind them. So I'll want to see how the Cavs react when they are down and the fans against them.

2). Potato Head. He made some nice adjustments in game in game 2 and made some good adjustments from game 1 to game 2. I want to see if he can continue that and make some more good ones in game 3.

3). Finishing. We had a big let down at the end of the 4th quarter and if that were 2-3 minutes later, we might be tied 1-1. We can't afford to do that in any of our games. We've gotten better at finish quarters and games but we can't let up until the horn sounds at the end of 48 minutes.

Game Prediction

Cavs - 101
Wizards - 96


GO CAVS!!!!

 

[cdt]

Yeahhhh I'm in this bitch from Oakland got a handful of spalding better grab an umbrella I make it rain..I make it rain on them hoes..

 

[SOA]

predictions for this game

Wahington's bench will continue to be as effective it was last game

Our bench will continue to provide little other than a bit of hustle and rest for our starters

larry Hughes and Z will continue to play well

Gooden will not be as effective as last game

sasha will still not assert himself again

Lebron will step his game up

jamison will try and be the man for the Wizards

If the Wizards lose this game , they will lose the next one as well

hows that for sticking my neck out for this one

 

[Deadlock]

Lets shut their crowd up early and for good. Thats all I have to say.

 

[highplainsdrifter]

Cavs better play with some intensity or they might lose, they dont have the home crowd to back them up, gotta come from within.

I prediect Cavs win by 10+

 

[SOA]

GAME TIME

 

[SOA]

sasha looking bad ;McDaniels abusing Hughes

all 12 points from the frontcourt

 

[Smooth]

Why are we playing at their pace? Slow it down and give it to Z and Gooden...

Anybody LeBron's new shoes?

 

[Kypus]

Yeah, we need to get it to Gooden early, he looks fired up from last game still.

I can't believe Jamison was crying about that Sasha foul on the breakaway, all he did was slap his hands down :vio:

 

[SOA]

Sasha now has 4 assists

Cavs have to get back on D

Snow and AV in for Z & Sasha

Z has been a non-factor so far

 

[SOA]

Doug Collins comparing Eric Snow to Dennis Johnson

I think the peroxide has effected his good judgement

2nd time Drew looks bad trying to get a flop

 

[Kypus]

^LOL, well it's confusing to visiting announcers when Snow hits an open jump shot.

Washington's defense is in disarray, we're getting a lot of open looks at 3-ptrs and deep jumpers.

 

[Kypus]

I can't get over the Geico caveman commercials.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2Z9zlGauK4

 

[SOA]

Am I the only one who thinks Gibson should be guarding Daniels and Snow on Stevenson

Gibson shooting 3 FTs

 

[Kypus]

That would be OK, I don't know if Brown will leave Gibby in for long. Roger Mason looks like he wants to take some of the scoring load on, but Boobie's looks like he could cancel him out too.