Wizards
Over

I’ve got to work today, so I won’t be around for the comments. Keep the comments on the up and up y’all!

also drops a column on the Jay-z /Club Love/Damon Jones smackdown on DeShawn. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/26/AR2008042602240.html

Seriously though, this game (and series) is basically the litmus test. If this version of the Wiz fails, injuries notwithstanding, then I don’t see how we stand pat this offseason.

Good lord…...I’ll save my comments on the goings ons in the Wizards community for the game blog.

Just got back from Israel, and I can’t believe the all-white I’m seeing. Is this really the same DC atmosphere that has been criticized all season.

I don’t like that they’re calling that foul on DeShawn. That means they’re calling this one tight.

Or everyone at the game right now?

Varejao sucks. Jamison rocks.

Butler needs to post up more, methinks.

Bad call. Brown wasn’t even controlling the ball.

Gilbert, AD, and Mason in at the same time. I imagine that will stop as soon as LeBron comes back into the game.

Rebounding: To be expected.
Turnovers: Not to be expected.

I mean, Ben fouled him, but LeBron fouled him first.

Gotta keep plugging the lane.

And Caron has to stop shooting 20-footers.

This was the major concern coming into the series. It’s finally showing.

Mike Brown cannot do that. He can’t just run all the way out of the coaching box.

Brendan’s right. Calm down, please.

And please, Caron barely touched him.

It’s a good thing the TV timeout is happening now. We’re losing our composure.

prada’s right. no composure; our heads aren’t in the game. we just need to settle down and play the damn game.

Except the passing really isn’t crisp at all.

It’s almost getting to the point where Arenas shouldn’t play as much. He’s clearly out of rhythm.

The offense just doesn’t exist right now.

Get Haywood and Mason back in the game.

this half is the season right here. We arent winning 2 in cleveland. Put up or shut up time. Thing is, we can totally take this team but unless we want it more than them it’s just not happening. I’d like to see Butler put the team on his back. (I’d even say Arenas but he is godawful today). We need our own hombre to match Lebron – and let’s face it: he may be a whiner but right now he wants this game more than anybody else out there, and that’s the difference.

The ABC crew (mostly Tirico and Salters) are pointing to Stevenson’s flagrant as the turning point, but really, it was those two breakdowns in the transition defense.

I’d like to see Eddie ditch Gilbert and go mostly with an AD-Mason backcourt. We should also get Haywood involved more.

In the end, though, I think this half will tell it all about Caron Butler’s career. Is he simply a good second banana, or is he really a borderline franchise guy? He needs to be spectacular for us to win.

Forced shot by Caron, open shot for Z

He hasn’t forced anything this half. Two nice passes, one to Jamison, one to Haywood.

It’s the other guys who aren’t doing much right now. Again, where is Butler?

The fourth on Z is big, because it brings Joe Smith in, and he’s not as good a rebounder.

Five straight great possessions.

That’s ridiculous.

15 offensive boards for Cleveland. Can we keep Haywood in the game?

The only way Cleveland can score is through an offensive rebound. We can’t let them do that.

Why is he so slow and trying to block a much bigger man than him? Ugh.

We will not win this game if they keep getting this many offensive rebounds. If I see a small lineup ONCE in the fourth quarter I might break my TV.

is the most important 4th quarter of the year.

Adjustments can be made…..let’s have faith.

This isn’t going to happen, but a lineup of BTH, AB, AJ, CB and AD would be interesting.

And how can that not be a travel on LeBron.

Need more of that.

Defense!

Not sure what more you can do there. That was a pretty good close-out by Antawn.