Cavs 07-08 Season Thread

[osugrad21]

CPD

Washington Wizards players cruise downtown Cleveland mall before Game 5 against Cavaliers


Thursday, May 01, 2008Branson Wright
Plain Dealer Reporter
All of the trash-talking, rap songs and hard fouls did not prevent the Washington Wizards from walking around Tower City in downtown Cleveland on Tuesday night.
Even public enemy No. 1, Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson, paced the shopping mall among Cleveland fans. Stevenson called Cavaliers star LeBron James "overrated" and committed a flagrant 1 foul on James during the Cavs' 100-97 win in Game 4 on Sunday in Washington.
As expected, Cavaliers fans let Stevenson know their displeasure.

Cont...

[osugrad21]

CPD

Clemens' comeback pitch

Now, it's Roger and pout
Thursday, May 01, 2008Bud Shaw
Plain Dealer Columnist
Brendan Haywood calling LeBron James soft is like Larry Brown calling somebody "restless."
It's Ricky Davis declaring another player "stats-conscious."
It's me making fun of somebody's receding hairline.

Charles Barkley said the Wizards were "the dumbest team in the history of civilization" for calling out James even before the series began. Well, at least they've been consistent.
Down, 3-1, entering Game 5 Wednesday and having been pistol-whipped on the boards, 51-31, the Wizards decided against the low-key approach. Instead, Haywood mocked James for saying the Wizards were trying to hurt him.
It's difficult to imagine a smarter strategy . . . unless you count Lee ordering Pickett's charge at Gettysburg.
A philosophy worth sharing
Says Ben Wallace, "I don't need to score . . . to affect the game."
This is a quote worthy of a place above a locker.

Cont...

[osugrad21]

CPD

Cleveland Cavaliers' supporting cast doesn't help LeBron James late, Bill Livingston says


Thursday, May 01, 2008Bill Livingston
Plain Dealer Columnist
The Terminator went down the lane, and the crowd rose like believers about to be delivered from defeat and doubt. As LeBron James crashed into Washington's Darius Songaila, his 4-foot shot banked off the backboard and struck the rim. It was the death rattle for Washington's season.
Except it bounced out with no time left.
"I said to LeBron before the play, 'Make it an interesting series and go back to Washington,' " said the Wizards' Caron Butler, who scored 32 points to James' 34.

Cont...

[osugrad21]

CPD

THE Q With Washington Wizards forward Darius Songaila



Thursday, May 01, 2008

Q: Are you trying to persuade [Cavaliers center] Zydrunas Ilgauskas to play on the Lithuanian Olympic team with you?
A: No. That's his decision.
Q: Do you hope he decides to play?

Cont...

[osugrad21]

CPD

Wizards come out fighting early to beat Cleveland Cavaliers to the punch



Thursday, May 01, 2008 Mary Schmitt Boyer

Plain Dealer Reporter
Most of the attention will be how the Cavaliers finished their 88-87 loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night in Quicken Loans Arena.
After all, they did squander a five-point lead with 1:47 left as the Wizards scored the last six points to pull within 3-2 in the best-of-seven first-round series and force a Game 6 on Friday night in Washington.
But some of the focus should be on how the Cavaliers started the game. Or, rather, how they didn't start the game. With a jacked-up crowd ready to rock, the Cavaliers came out and promptly fell behind by six points.

Cont...