CLEVELAND - Six months later, the Cleveland Cavaliers still have the
Wa****ngton Wizards' number. Larry Hughes scored 27 points, LeBron James
added 26 and Cleveland opened a season its fans and players believe can
end
with an NBA champion****p by beating the Wizards 97-94 on Wednesday night.
In last season's playoffs, the Cavaliers and Wizards went down to the
final
seconds nearly every time they hooked up. Cleveland defeated Wa****ngton in
a
tense six-game opening-round series, winning three games by one point,
including Games 5 and 6 in overtime.
This one almost went to OT, too, but Wa****ngton's Antawn Jamison missed a
3-pointer that would have tied it with 2.9 seconds left.
Hughes, who missed 46 games last season when he had to undergo two
surgeries
on a badly broken finger, added nine rebounds and five assists. As usual,
James stuffed the box score with 10 rebounds and five assists in 40
minutes.
But Cleveland's superstar was only 2-for-6 from the line and Cavaliers
were
an abysmal 15-of-30 on free throws.
Caron Butler scored 23 points, Jamison 20 and Etan Thomas 14 for the
Wizards, who spent the summer thinking about what might have been if they
had been able to sneak by the Cavs in the postseason.
Gilbert Arenas had just seven points on 2-of-12 shooting but added 11
assists.
Each time the Cavaliers, who led 84-76 with 6:36 left, appeared on the
brink
of putting the game away, the Wizards fought back, using a 10-2 run to tie
on two free throws by Antonio Daniels.
James then hit a 3-pointer, and this time Arenas, who matched his close
friend basket for basket in the playoffs, made his only 3 to even it at
89-all.
Jamison's basket gave the Wizards their first lead of the second half but
Hughes soared down the lane for a dunk to tie it. James scored on a scoop
to
put the Cavaliers ahead by two before Jamison split a pair of free throws.
Cleveland's Anderson Varejao went to the line with a chance to put
Cleveland
up by three but made only 1 of 2. He was fouled again after Jarvis Hayes
missed a 3, but again Cleveland's frizzy-haired forward could only make
one
attempt.
With the Wizards needing a 3, Arenas inbounded the ball with 6.1 seconds
left to Jamison, who instead of giving it back to his teammate, launched a
3-pointer that was long and James grabbed the rebound.
As is almost always the case, James was involved in the night's most
spectacular moments.
With Cleveland leading by six in the third, he blocked a runner by Arenas,
hustled to the offensive end and drove the baseline to deliver a reverse
dunk to make it 65-57.
Then, following a steal, James tipped an alley-oop pass back out to
Hughes,
who drained a 3-pointer to give Cleveland an 11-point advantage.
The Cavaliers are beginning the season with higher expectations than at
any
time in their franchise's 36-year history. Because of their strong showing
in the playoffs, the Cavaliers have become a trendy preseason pick to
contend for a champion****p.
Before the game, coach Mike Brown expressed concern about his players
letting the preseason predictions go to their heads.
"I'm walking into the building and I've got people pounding me saying,
'Let's get a champion****p,'" he said. "We haven't even played one game
yet."
It showed. The Cavaliers got off to a seriously sloppy start, committing
eight turnovers in the first quarter and 12 in the first half (they
averaged
13.4 last season) and Cleveland went just 10-of-18 from the free-throw
line.
Arenas's point total matched his jersey number - 0 - in the first half,
missing all five field-goal attempts.
Notes:@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert said the club is close to finalizing
an
agreement to hold some of its training camp and play a preseason game in
China next summer. ... Brown will not give his opinion to James about
playing for the U.S. national team next summer. Miami coach Pat Riley said
recently he hopes Dwyane Wade will take some time off to rest his body
after
a busy offseason. "That's LeBron's decision," Brown said. "Maybe if I had
a
few champion****ps under my belt I could ask him."
--
My only concern is should I hide my true identity? A costume maybe?
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