highplainsdrifter
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GAME #1
Washington Wizards (0-0) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0)
Saturday, April 22, 2006
3 PM ET
TV:ABC
The Q, Cleveland OH
Head Coaches
Mike Brown / Eddie Jordan
Probable Starters
Eric Snow / Gilbert Arenas
Larry Hughes / Jared Jeffries
LeBron James / Caron Butler
Drew Gooden / Antawn Jamison
Zydrunas Ilgauskas / Brendan Haywood
Cavaliers Bench
Damon Jones / Flip Murray / Anderson Varejao / Donyell Marshall
Wizards Bench
Antonio Daniels / Michael Ruffin / Billy Thomas / Etan Thomas
Washington Wizards (0-0) @ Cleveland Cavaliers (0-0)
Saturday, April 22, 2006
3 PM ET
TV:ABC
The Q, Cleveland OH
Head Coaches
Mike Brown / Eddie Jordan
Probable Starters
Eric Snow / Gilbert Arenas
Larry Hughes / Jared Jeffries
LeBron James / Caron Butler
Drew Gooden / Antawn Jamison
Zydrunas Ilgauskas / Brendan Haywood
Cavaliers Bench
Damon Jones / Flip Murray / Anderson Varejao / Donyell Marshall
Wizards Bench
Antonio Daniels / Michael Ruffin / Billy Thomas / Etan Thomas
Wizards Notes
The Washington Wizards are in the playoffs for the second consecutive year. Last season as a #5 seed they beat the Bulls in 6 games, to face the Miami Heat who swept them out of the playoffs. Larry Hughes was a big part of that team, who this season was replaced by Caron Butler in the starting lineup. Caron with Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison forms a new Wizards "big three".
Gilbert Arenas, the main man on the Wiz, apparently likes to play poker at halftime. Will he do this in the playoffs?..."I just have a different way of approaching things," Arenas said as he relaxed in the Wizards players' lounge for an interview with The Associated Press. "I'm a little offbeat. I think of myself as the Dave Chappelle of the NBA, that nobody knows about. Like, at halftime, while everybody's getting ready, I'm playing poker online. It's just a mental challenge, to keep my mind going."
The Wizards feel they can beat the Cavaliers, who they beat in the regular season 3-1. Backup Etan Thomas, who hasnt played lately, is day-to-day with a lower back strain. He may be ready for the playoffs.
Cavaliers Notes
The Cavaliers are playing their 36th season of NBA basketball. They have made the playoffs 13 times. They have made it past the first round only 3 times, twice to the E Conf Finals, and once to the E Conf Semis. 5 of the 13 times they were eliminated by Jordan's Chicago Bulls. It has been 8 years since the Cavs have tasted the post-season.
This season is only the fourth time the Cavs have won 50+ games. After barely missing the playoffs in his first two years, LeBron James is ready to lead the Cavaliers into the post-season. A true MVP candidate, LeBron is ready to do some damage in the playoffs, where legends are born.
Larry Hughes is back and ready. Z and Flip are playing strong. Time will tell how far the Cavs make it this year.
HPD's Prediction
Containing the Wizards 'big three' will be essential for success. All-Star Gilbert Arenas is a load, Im guessin Larry will check him. We cant let Jamison get good looks from three, he shoots a high %. Butler has a nice all-around game, Id like to see LeBron on him. The Haywood/Z matchup should be good, I remember they got into it one game and Z got ejected. Z aint gonna back down from nobody. The Wizards are a tough team and I think itll be a competitive series. However I think the Cavs 'big four' of LBJ, Larry, Flip, and Z will outplay the Wiz.
The Wizards may be feeling overconfident since they won the season series. However they have yet to face us at full strength, playing our A game. I think in game 1 the Cavs come out strong, and remind the Wiz the Cavs are the better team. Feuled by the fans, who havent seen playoff basketball in C-Town for years, the Cavs beat down the Wiz by 15+!!!
Oh yeah, and we got this player named LeBron James, who wants to be one of the best ever. He knows he has to play big in the playoffs to be considered one of the Greatest. If the King is on his A-game, the sky's the limit for the Cavaliers!!!