Blogs > Cleveland Cavaliers Blog

Find out the scoop on the CAVS from award-winning sports writer Bob Finnan.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Game 65: Wizards at Cavs

WASHINGTON WIZARDS (19-46) 96, CLEVELAND CAVALIERS (21-44) 85

Quicken Loans Arena
Wednesday
Radio/TV: WTAM (1100 AM)/Fox Sports Ohio

WHAT HAPPENED: The Wizards have won their last five games. The biggest reason they won on Wednesday was because of the play of guard John Wall, along with the decision by the Cavs to rest several key performers.

Let's start with Wall, the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft. If this guy could shoot from the perimeter, he'd be an All-NBA selection. He finished with 21 points, seven rebounds, 13 assists and seven steals. Just a crazy night. Of course, he turned the ball over six times in 32 minutes.

The Wizards' hot streak might be enough to save interim Coach Randy Wittman's job. On the other hand, it might not. That's a decision for General Manager Ernie Grunfeld, who recently signed an extension.

The Wizards have spent most of the season cleaning out some of the knuckleheads. They got rid of most of them, even though Andray Blatche and Jordan Crawford still remain on the roster. There's always the offseason ...

Wall is one of the most athletic players in the league. When he's leading the fastbreak, he's just a blur.

Cavs guard Kyrie Irving started and played 10 minutes. Then he sat, along with several key performers. Alonzo Gee was the only starter to play more than 18 minutes. The reason Irving played just 10 minutes was a "preventative situation," Coach Byron Scott said.

One smart aleck in the press room said, "Tank you very much."

The reason the Cavs didn't play their best players was because they want a better draft pick. They were tied for the third-worst record in the league. They want to make sure they don't win any more games.

That's why they won't play Irving on Thursday. And why many of the regulars will sit. We'll see a lot more of swingman D.J. Kennedy, who paced the Cavs in scoring with 12 points.

Irving was listed as doubtful for Wednesday's game because of the stomach flu. Then, after the game, he said he was "100 percent."

That's very odd.

He did say he got sick at around 4 a.m. Is he sick or isn't he?

When I asked him if he'd play before the game, he said, "I have to go lift weights," and walked out of the locker room.

Veteran forward Antawn Jamison said after the game his run with the Cavs will end after Thursday's game. He said it's time to move on and that he'd like to play for a contender.

The same can probably be said about guard Anthony Parker, who is expected to retire. 

UP NEXT: The Cavs travel to Chicago at 8 p.m. Thursday at United Center. 

STARTERS
SF Alonzo Gee (6-6, 219) vs. Chris Singleton (6-9, 225)
PF Antawn Jamison (6-9, 235) vs. Jan Vesely (7-0, 235)
C Tristan Thompson (6-9, 227) vs. Kevin Seraphin (6-10, 278)
SG Anthony Parker (6-6, 210) vs. Cartier Martin (6-7, 220)
PG Kyrie Irving (6-3, 191) vs. John Wall (6-4, 207) 
INACTIVE LIST
Cavs – G Daniel Gibson, C Semih Erden
Wizards - F Rashard Lewis, F Andray Blatche
OFFICIALS
Tom Washington, Curtis Blair, Eli Roe



0 Comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]

<< Home