For the 3rd time in a row these two teams hook up in the playoffs. The Wiz are determined to not let Bron Bron and his imps eliminate them.

They have a good chance of reversing the curse this time around as improved play by Brenden Haywood and an improved defense will face a new look Cav team that seems out of sync.

I say Wiz in 6!

God i am rooting for the wizards in 4... i swear everytime that punk opens his mouth i hate him more... he seems to think everybody in the world but him trash talks.... everybody but his team takes cheap shots at him... I hardly respect his game since most of it is going to the basket and getting calls... I hated bird and jordon in the day but they didn't have to have the refs in there pockets to be good.

I don't think Wizards have enough to win the series, although I do hope they do win.

I think wizards can win this series as long as refs don't take it from them or one of their key players is lost to an injury. So far the first game has been physical and somebody looks to get hurt in this series. Still al long way to go but if the wiz hang on to win game 1, Fred Mcleod's exhuberance last week will be all for naught:)

I think wizards can win this series as long as refs don't take it from them or one of their key players is lost to an injury. So far the first game has been physical and somebody looks to get hurt in this series. Still al long way to go but if the wiz hang on to win game 1, Fred Mcleod's exhuberance last week will be all for naught:)

Wizards need to take advantage of the times when Bron is on the bench. Instead of that they let Cavs go on the run.

I hate both these teams, but I would much rather see Lebron go home in the 1st round.

I hate both these teams, but I would much rather see Lebron go home in the 1st round.

I'll 2nd that... i guess i root for the team that will wear out boston the most in the next round.... sigh

Wiz definitely blew this one when Lebron was on the bench and then took to many outside jumpers in crunch time when the Cavs were cold for that 2 minute spell. Lebron rested and then got those two hoops to put it away.

Still if the Wiz get game 2 then they might take this series. Although Arenas did his thing, looked like he may have tried to do to much in the end and the other players faded with him out there.

GO WIZARDS!!

Any member of the Pistons would be facing a suspension for the elbow LeBron threw at Haywood.


If you slow down ESPN's closeup, you will see that it was purposeful and it was a swing. Funny no one in Washington's talking about it.

Any member of the Pistons would be facing a suspension for the elbow LeBron threw at Haywood.


If you slow down ESPN's closeup, you will see that it was purposeful and it was a swing. Funny no one in Washington's talking about it.

You are absolutely correct. Nobody here is talking about that elbow, if that would have been Sheed he might have been ejected.

This game was lost by Eddie Jordan - or his players just didn`t listen to him. The Cavs were in the penalty with over 7 minutes to play, instead of attacking the basket they played as the Pistons sometime do, launching jumper after jumper.

One thing they did do and that`s make James pay for going to the basket a couple of times by putting bodies on him pretty good, which resulted in his elbow throwing.

When asked about the physical play from the Wiz James replied, "I was built for this, I am not 6-9 260 pounds to shoot jumpers, I go to the basket and create contact"

Was that a shot at the Pistons?

The WIZARDS need that guy on the side of the van. Make LeBron Disappear...

I agree with what Bill Simmons of ESPN said in his playoff podcast. The Wizards MUST win in 6, because Lebron James is going to the free throw line at least 25 times if there is a game 7.

So Lebron led the Cavs in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks while holding his man to a 4-13 shooting night. Also, he had more free throws than the rest of his team combined. +34 on the night.

That sort of sounds like MVP stats to me. 12 assists to 1 turnover? Come on.

So Lebron led the Cavs in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks while holding his man to a 4-13 shooting night. Also, he had more free throws than the rest of his team combined. +34 on the night.

That sort of sounds like MVP stats to me. 12 assists to 1 turnover? Come on.

Isn't MVP a regular season award? I don't think these playoff games count. Not that it isn't impressive. But I'm a proud LeTravel hater. Any chance to erode his supremacy and image I will take. I can't help myself. :gun1:

Isn't MVP a regular season award? I don't think these playoff games count. Not that it isn't impressive. But I'm a proud LeTravel hater. Any chance to erode his supremacy and image I will take. I can't help myself. :gun1:

Finals MVP, then. :stirthepot:

Finals MVP, then. :stirthepot:

Coynejeremy, we aren't going to tangle on LeTravel and the Dastardly Spurs on the same day, are we? :pound:

If LeBron makes it to the NBA Finals I could see him being Finals MVP. Hasn't he been All-Star MVP already? I could see that the League would be so giddy to have him in the Finals that they would give it to him even if his team lost, if there was anyway to do it without showing obvious favoritism unlike last year.

Yeah, he probably has that in his future. But not this year. I do look forward to him skipping around the arena declaring his unending fealty to Jay-Z with the triangle hand signal. You can never get enough of that stuff with Lebron. He brings so much more than basketball to the court, you know. :stirthepot:

Coynejeremy, we aren't going to tangle on LeTravel and the Dastardly Spurs on the same day, are we? :pound:

If LeBron makes it to the NBA Finals I could see him being Finals MVP. Hasn't he been All-Star MVP already? I could see that the League would be so giddy to have him in the Finals that they would give it to him even if his team lost, if there was anyway to do it without showing obvious favoritism unlike last year.

Yeah, he probably has that in his future. But not this year. I do look forward to him skipping around the arena declaring his unending fealty to Jay-Z with the triangle hand signal. You can never get enough of that stuff with Lebron. He brings so much more than basketball to the court, you know. :stirthepot:

:pound:Nah, we'd better let it go. LOL. I don't care much for Lebron, either, I was just stirring the pot. :MusicBigGrin:

I had thought the Wizards would win this series, but man, that wasn't much of a prediction. I certainly can't recall many instances of a team recovering from going down 0-2 after a 30 point loss.

Well if the Cavs were the Pistons, it could happen...

The Pistons had two nail-biting wins last year to go up 2-0 in the ECF. Getting obliterated in Game 2 makes it pretty hard to recover.

Although I guess the Pistons did more or less do that in the '05 finals against the Spurs, rebounding from butt-kickings in the first two games with two blowouts of their own in the Palace. But this year's Wizards...well, I'm not feeling much faith anymore.

I'm no fan of either one of these teams, but I think it is impressive how Lebron responded to the trash talking. I'm embarrassed for Washington.

I've never thought that trash-talking in the post-season matters as much as a lot of people say it does. Maybe it could get someone riled up for a regular season game that they might not have been as motivated for otherwise, but in THE PLAYOFFS, why should anyone need extra motivation?

On the other hand, maybe we should try to arrange for Deshawn Stevenson to talk some smack about the Pistons.

The dig "they may have the #2 player in the game, but they don't have the best player at the end of the quarter, half, or the last 2 minutes of the game." (paraphrased cause I don't remember the exact quote). That is a pretty sharp dig. You aren't the best, and you're a choke.

Unless you are the #1 player saying that, you're asking to be beaten senseless.

I've never thought that trash-talking in the post-season matters as much as a lot of people say it does. Maybe it could get someone riled up for a regular season game that they might not have been as motivated for otherwise, but in THE PLAYOFFS, why should anyone need extra motivation?

On the other hand, maybe we should try to arrange for Deshawn Stevenson to talk some smack about the Pistons.

I don't know about you all.... but If I need somebody to talk trash to get me motivated to win a championship..... there is something wrong with me.

I don't know about you all.... but If I need somebody to talk trash to get me motivated to win a championship..... there is something wrong with me.

How many Championships have you won?

How many Championships have you won?

2 Cross-country 3 Track and 1 Wrestling... mind you all highschool, but if winning a championship isn't enough motivation then i lose a bit of repect for you as a competitor.

I mean your more interested in beating me because I said something about you then the idea of being crowned the best? Could be just be me but I play to win.... having fun in the process yes, but what is the point of playing something that has a winner/loser if your not trying to be the winner.

I know there are times I won't be able to win, but doesn't mean i give any less effort.... maybe a lesson some bballers in detroit could learn.

If I was in "the association" I'd make sure that my agent put a no-trade clause in my contract preventing any possibility of me going to the Washington Wizards. There's NO WAY you could get BDL in THAT gear!
Those uniforms are just hideous!

...The Wiz look like they're wearing their Vegas summer-league gear! ...It looks like their equipment manager forgot to pack the right shorts or something! ...They look like they should be playing in a developmental league in Eastern Europe! ...They look like the 1952 Purdue Boilermakers out there!

I tuned into the Cavs/Wiz game yesterday and thought that it was a scrimmage!

I wouldn't put Lebron in the complacent category. Just because he's beating up on a guy who was trash talking doesn't mean that he needed that as motivation.

There's NO WAY you could get BDL in THAT gear!
Those uniforms are just hideous!

...The Wiz look like they're wearing their Vegas summer-league gear! ...It looks like their equipment manager forgot to pack the right shorts or something! ...They look like they should be playing in a developmental league in Eastern Europe! ...They look like the 1952 Purdue Boilermakers out there!!

I agree. It's got to be the uni's. They must be embarrassed just to come out onto the floor.

I had thought the Wizards would win this series, but man, that wasn't much of a prediction. I certainly can't recall many instances of a team recovering from going down 0-2 after a 30 point loss.

Me too D4E. I said the Wiz in 6!!!

The problem with the Wizards; they are trying to play thug ball, when that`s not what got them to where they are. Eddie Jordan was quoted as saying, he wanted his players to be physical in the paint. Well, newsflash Coach, your team has just had a revelation that playing defense can win ball games.

It`s not like they have been playing the hardnosed physical defense all year, however their defense was much improved in the latter part of the season, all without one Gilbert Arenas I might add.

Bottom line, the Wiz are trying to play a physical type game, a style they haven`t played all year and it`s backfiring big time.

Wizards showed up tonight on their home court...you got to wonder where this series would be if the Wiz had the home court. Who would have thought that the Wiz would get beat by 30 one night and then win by 36 the next game...:sssh:

Gilbert Arena's gets injured, The Wiz go insane in the 2nd half. Ball starts moving. Coincedence?

They were doing OK is the 1st half as well, but Arenas has really scrwed up the chemistry on that team IMO.

Damn refs at the Philly game. Screwed up two series.

Also, when Lebron was asked about the Overrated chant, and playing in front of a tough crowd, he basically smirked, and said i played in the ECF in DET. There's no tougher crowd than that.

I've always thought the crowd hasn't been as good the last 2 years or so. Guess we're still pretty mean. :)

Gilbert Arena's gets injured, The Wiz go insane in the 2nd half. Ball starts moving. Coincedence?

They were doing OK is the 1st half as well, but Arenas has really scrwed up the chemistry on that team IMO.

Damn refs at the Philly game. Screwed up two series.

Also, when Lebron was asked about the Overrated chant, and playing in front of a tough crowd, he basically smirked, and said i played in the ECF in DET. There's no tougher crowd than that.

I've always thought the crowd hasn't been as good the last 2 years or so. Guess we're still pretty mean. :)

This thing could get very interesting if the Wiz takes game 4. I have been saying for a while that the Wiz look better without Arenas. You can`t deny Arenas`s abilty to score, however, without him on the floor the remaining players have more of a sense of urgency IMO.

For example, the ball movement is better, despite the fact Arenas avg about 6 asst a game, it`s like they are meaningless asst, if that makes any sense. Basically, dude doesn`t pass the ball much, or play defense.

Should be interesting if he remains with the Wiz.

What a strange series. A point swing between two consecutive games in one playoff series of SIXTY-SIX has gotta be some kind of record.

I don't care for both teams... but looking at the winners next opponent, i prefer the wizards. Also, i don't like to have worn down team to compete with the celtics. This will reduce our chances to win the EFC.

I don't care for both teams... but looking at the winners next opponent, i prefer the wizards. Also, i don't like to have worn down team to compete with the celtics. This will reduce our chances to win the EFC.

Let's talk about us getting past the 1st round first. ECF seems far far away at this moment.

I've just become a huge Brendan Haywood fan:

ESPN - Wiz's Haywood says LeBron should stop complaining about rough play - NBA (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3372615)

Agent 0 done for the season....maybe the Wiz can come out and win without him now...after all they were winning before he came back.

Wizards not doing themselves any favors with 13 turnovers in the first half as they have a 2 point halftime lead.

It still physical as Songalia back handed lebron in the face and couple more flare-ups and techs surfaced in the first half...

Wow, clutch finish by the Wizards to stay alive! Aided in no small part by the Cavs choking, big-time. They were pathetic down the stretch.

Well, Wizards stay alive in the series after scoring final 6 points of the game and winning 88-87. Looks like they don't need Agent 0 after all, they are a better team without him. Cleveland blows away a chance to wrap it up being up by 5 with about a minute to go.

Wow, clutch finish by the Wizards to stay alive! Aided in no small part by the Cavs choking, big-time. They were pathetic down the stretch.

Amazing how neither team could score for a stretch there. Wiz finished it though. LBJ was looking for the call at the end there, that would have been a stretch.

NO FREE CHILI!

Amazing how neither team could score for a stretch there. Wiz finished it though. LBJ was looking for the call at the end there, that would have been a stretch.
I thought he got enough calls shooting almost 20 throws all by himself.

I thought he got enough calls shooting almost 20 throws all by himself.


I agree, they call fouls in his favor even if someone breathes on him.

I thought he got enough calls shooting almost 20 throws all by himself.

It's not easy making free throws when you're shooting them all by yourself. :pound:

Someone f-ed up in the NBA marketting department. They just could not wait with LBJ. Now at a time when he could be great and popular no one outside of Clev ( and a few slappy reporters ) seems to like him. Is it just me or is LBJ not very likeable? I was sick of him in his rookie season.

Someone f-ed up in the NBA marketting department. They just could not wait with LBJ. Now at a time when he could be great and popular no one outside of Clev ( and a few slappy reporters ) seems to like him. Is it just me or is LBJ not very likeable? I was sick of him in his rookie season.


I don't like LeBron. I liked the fact that the officials didn't bail him out on that last shot, too. This blows apart a lot of those NBA/Stern conspiracy theories.

I don't like LeBron. I liked the fact that the officials didn't bail him out on that last shot, too. This blows apart a lot of those NBA/Stern conspiracy theories.

didn't you get the memo.... its boston/lakers this year... and the league did itself no favors with the lack of suspensions for the boston/atlanta game. I am sure there are a few suns that are going what gives... last year it was we go by the letter of the law, this year it intent....

Someone f-ed up in the NBA marketting department. They just could not wait with LBJ. Now at a time when he could be great and popular no one outside of Clev ( and a few slappy reporters ) seems to like him. Is it just me or is LBJ not very likeable? I was sick of him in his rookie season.

It's a pretty close contest at this point who is the least likeable superstar: Kobe or LeBron. Kobe was winning by a landslide for a while there but now LeBron is catching up fast.

Anybody else notice that on today's edition of ESPN's Daily Dime that LeBron got "Wednesday's Best" honors, even after missing the game-winning shot? Nice call there.

How about maybe Caron Butler, who put up 32 pts / 9 boards / 5 assists AND hit the game-winning shot in an elimination game on the road?

I saw the end of the game and loved the no-call. Instead of taking 3 steps to get closer to the rim he probably should have pulled up for a jumper after 2.

They are going to wait until Lebron is in a bigger market before they really start making sure he wins.

Stern provides more aid to Bron Bron suspending Songaila for what looks to be incidental contact with LeBron. There's your NBA consistency:

ESPN - Songaila suspended for Wizards' Game 6 at Cavs - NBA (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3378490)



Jordan watched video of the play and his opinion hadn't changed.

"I stand my ground. I thought he got tangled up with LeBron, and LeBron tried to get untangled. And in his method of trying to get untangled, Darius' arm just flew at his chin," Jordan said Thursday. "And LeBron's a terrific actor. We've seen some of his commercials."

Songalia the enforcer?

They are going to wait until Lebron is in a bigger market before they really start making sure he wins.

Stern provides more aid to Bron Bron suspending Songaila for what looks to be incidental contact with LeBron. There's your NBA consistency:

ESPN - Songaila suspended for Wizards' Game 6 at Cavs - NBA (http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/playoffs2008/news/story?id=3378490)

If "The Bron" got traded to Boston, I'm convinced that they'd go 82-0 and 16-0!