tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10484377.post4627593264621506332..comments2023-12-11T06:36:57.237-05:00Comments on Random Thoughts: Washinton 108, Cleveland 72Benhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17210862608619471273noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10484377.post-90711068866655525932008-04-25T12:33:00.000-04:002008-04-25T12:33:00.000-04:00Well I'm an idiot. Game 1 and 2 somehow made me f...Well I'm an idiot. Game 1 and 2 somehow made me forget what players comprise this roster. We all can dissect this game a bunch of ways, but these games happen when you starting guys like West, Wally, Wallace, who are being backed by guys like Devin Brown (and to a lesser degree, Gibson - he's not a sixth man and perhaps not even a seven.) I know intensity had a lot to do with it, but generally, you overcome that with good players, and Cavs just don't have many of them.<BR/><BR/>It simply not a a very a roster of an NBA contender, and it's not even close. They can play well at times, but that's not what you need for the playoffs.<BR/><BR/>It was also depressing to see them get totally worked by a bunch of clowns. To allow Stevenson, Haywood, and Mason go off was a sad sight. <BR/><BR/>Who knows what will happen the rest of the way. They could win game 4 and close out in 5, they could lose 4 straight, or anything in between.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10484377.post-11942782188188299432008-04-25T09:56:00.000-04:002008-04-25T09:56:00.000-04:00Longtime Miami Ohio coach Charlie Coles had a grea...Longtime Miami Ohio coach Charlie Coles had a great quote about these types of games once:<BR/><BR/>Approximately, he said "The one team figures, 'If we win this game, we clinch the best record in the conference.' The other team figures, 'If we win this game, we still get to show our faces in public.'"<BR/><BR/>In other words, it's really difficult to win the motivation battle against a team that's essentially fighting to keep its season alive. Particularly after you just blasted said team by 30 points the previous game.<BR/><BR/>Obviously, the Cavs were not prepared mentally for setting foot in Washington's house, with a sold-out, revved-up crowd and a desperate opponent. We've seen this before. The Cavs look great at home, but on the road, they suddenly become listless and mistake-prone.<BR/><BR/>The good thing about this game is that every Cavs player had a lousy game, save for LeBron, who was mediocre by his standards. You'd think that confluence of crappiness wouldn't happen again in this series.<BR/><BR/>That bad thing is, no one on the Wizards really had a great game. Stevenson led the Wiz with 19, they had five in double figures, but no one really went ballistic. Heck, Arenas score two freaking points in just 10 minutes.<BR/><BR/>If this is the best team effort the Wizards can manage and the Cavs reclaim their manhood in Game 4, this series should still end in five. But if the Wizards are just warming up and the Cavs continue to pull this Larry, Curly and Moe act on the road, Game 5 is going to be the pivotal contest instead of a closeout game.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com