Wizards Playoff Game 3 Running Diary

The Wizards are minutes away from beginning Game 3 of their playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Right now, the Cavs lead 2-0 in the best-of-7 set, and the third game shifts to the friendly environs of the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. The Wizards are playing without All-Star starters Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, which pretty much makes the entire series against the Cavs a mere formality for Cleveland. I love the Wizards to death, but there's no way they're beating the Cavs in this series. So what recourse do I, a Wizards fan, have in a season that is just days away from reaching its conclusion? Put together a running diary of the events of today's contest against LeTravel James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.

4:27 p.m.: The Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons are still playing. Right now, the Magic have climbed back into the game and taken a slight 83-80 edge. The Pistons are unraveling with just 3:30 left in the game.

Over on ESPN, the interminable NFL Draft continues. Some initial thoughts: Steve Young is an underrated analyst. He's articulate. He's thoughtful. He's not as pretentious as that blowhard Ron Jaworski. (For the record, Jaworski is great on NFL Match-up. Not so good elsewhere.) But what's with Steven's hair. He needs to grow out that quaff a little more because close-cropped hair really accentuates his ears. In fact, I'm about to put string together a few words that no one else has ever uttered: Steve Young needs to take hair-styling tips from Mitch Albom, who hides his huge ears beneath that oddly high tuft of hair. Seriously, it's the closest a male can get to a Marge Simpson style haircut.

4:32 p.m.: Rasheed Wallace hits a 3-pointer to bring the Pistons to within two points. Meanwhile, Steven Young still looks frustrated because of how difficult it is to get a word in edgewise with gasbags like Mel Kiper Jr. and Morten Anderson never shut up. I know Mel only comes out of hiberation once a year, but he isn't the only man on the dais. His rambling reminds me of the episode of The Larry Sanders Show from Season One when Bob Saget is his guest and he won't shut up about this and that and who cares. (The NFL Draft will take some getting used to without Paul Tagliabue. The Lurch-like imagery Tags brought to the proceedings were always mildly amusing. And what's with the Jets fans not booing their team's selection in the draft, Darrelle Revis? That's unnatural.)

4:37 p.m.: Before Game 1, I said the Wizards would lose by 12 points. They lost by 15. Before Game 2, I said the Wizards would lose by eight points. They lost by seven. Before Game 3 this afternoon, I have no idea. I'll say the Wizards win by three points. That's my prediction for the day.

Meanwhile, Detroit leads by three points after a high-arching lay-in from Chauncey Billups.

4:43 p.m.: There are 10.6 seconds left in the Pistons-Magic deciding Game 4. Pistons are up by two points. The Wizards game is still not on yet, and who knows how long these last 10 ticks will take. The inbounds pass and the foul took 2.5 seconds of game clock. Billups is shooting free throws. Nails the first. Hits the second. Pistons up four points. Magic take the lay-up and foul the Pistons on the inbounds. Now, there are 2.8 seconds remaining. Rip makes the first FT and the second to end the game. Pistons win 97-93 and earn the sweep. Detroit made its last 19 free throws, which just gives you another example of how seasoned the Pistons really are.

(Why is Steve Kerr doing the Pistons-Magic game. He's better than that. He's one of TNT's finer analysts, and he deserves to be doing a better series.)

4:48 p.m.: Kevin Harlan will be calling the Wizards game, which excites me more than the game itself at this point. It doesn't look like the Wizards sold out the arena for a playoff game. That's awfully sad, if true. Wizards win the tip. A true shocker.

4:50 p.m.: Arvis Hayes hits his first jumper. (Arvis instead of Jarvis because Hayes has no J.) Stevenson has missed his initial jump shot, which isn't a good sign because he has been struggling with his offensive game since Gilbert got hurt. AD has taken it down the lane three times already in the game's first two minutes, which is important because he can get to the rim whenever he wants.

Hayes hits another shot, drawing a collective, "Holy Crap!" from the crowd. At least, that's I was saying.

4:56 p.m.: The Wizards interior looks shakey again, as usual. Etan Thomas is playing awful basketball again, which is said to see. He's providing no help relief under the basket and he's going for no offensive rebounds. I don't like Brendan Haywood at all, but he may need to get more run than Etan today.

DeShawn Stevenson just took a jump shot on a one-on-three break, where he was the one and the Cavs were the three. That was utterly stupid basketball. Stevenson's jumper is off, so he shouldn't hoist up quick J's. He should pull it out and run through the offense. His decision results in a miss and quick transition for the Cavs. Hayes is forced to foul Larry Hughes as a result. The Wizards are not a smart team, and that reflects directly on their adequate head coach, Eddie Jordan.

5 p.m.: Time for me to find something to eat.

5:06 p.m.: I sit down with my cereal (great lunch, eh?) and Etan promptly blocks a LeTravel lay-up. Awesome. Jamison converts on the other end. Antawn has really stepped up his game in this playoff series, as he's become the No. 1 scorer for this team. He's done a nice job, but he must be wondering when the rest of his cast is going to pick up their games.

5:14 p.m.: The Wizards defensive problems continue as they allow wide open lanes to the rim and lose their men in screens and flexes. They're down only four after the first quarter, but they don't appear to be focused and interested in this game so far. I don't get the feeling that they're "into" the proceedings. They look sluggish and lazy. They seem to be sleepwalking. And Washington is getting no help from the zombies in the stands. My God, people. Get up and cheer a little bit. The silence in the arena is pitiful and inexplicable. Sure, Arenas and Butler aren't playing, but the rest of the team is still competing in a playoff game. Show some support. The Wizards may not be the same team you married when the season started in October, but they're still your NBA companion. Get going and pump this team up.

5:18 p.m.: It's the start of the second quarter, and the Cavs are up 26-22. LeTravel has 11 points. Haywood is in the game for the Wizards, and his sloth-like tendencies are evident today. So I guess the Wizards will get nothing from Etan or Brendan today. LeTravel just scored an easy lay-up because, again, a Wizards center is no where in the scene. They either refuse to step over and stop penetration, or they're just too lazy to get down the floor.

At least AD showed up.

5:30 p.m.: Hayes missed a lay-up. It's time for him to NEVER PLAY BASKETBALL AGAIN!

5:38 p.m.: This entire team is playing like a bunch of losers with their heads in the sand. This is absolutely pitiful and inexcusable. They're sluggish. They have no energy. They have lousy fans in the building. It might as well be empty. EJ refuses to go bigger to combat the rebounding problem. I'm more pissed off at this team right now than I have been at any other point this year.

5:49 p.m.: It's halftime, and the Wizards are losing 61-44. I wish I could say the Wizards are getting blown out because they're outmanned, but I can't. This isn't even about talent anymore. This is about character, integrity, hustle and passion. The Wizards have shown none of that. They're quitting on themselves. They're quitting on their coach (and I don't even like their coach). They're quitting on their fans (even though the fans ins the arena are awful today). There's nothing good about this game and about this team. I don't know what EJ can do to change the attitude of this team, but this bunch of losers isn't worth our time today. Good riddance to this team.

6:02 p.m.: Charles, Kenny and EJ just had some nice things to say about Grant Hill, whose tenure is ending in Orlando today. I think the Wizards should make a push to sign this guy. He would give them a 20-minute scoring option off the bench, and he wouldn't have to play recklessly. He would be a good fit. Ernie Grunfeld should consider it. His first priority, though, is finding a center who knows how to sprint up and down the court.

6:12 p.m.: The Wizards put together a 15-4 run to open the second half draws the Wizard to within six points. Now they're showing that fire and intensity of a team that absolutely has to win today's game to even have a chance at disrupting the Cavs future playoff hopes.

6:25 p.m.: I've been engaged in a debate with a know-nothing from the ESPN Wizards Message Boards. He's contending that the game went sour because of Haywood. I think he's giving the sloth too much credit. Anyway, the Wizards are down 73-68 with about three minutes left in the third quarter. They've fought their way back into the game, but they have to continue to push forward and take a lead. Trading baskets isn't going to work.

6:33 p.m.: It's 77-75 after three quarters. The Cavs lead. The Wizards have shown more passion, poise and character in this quarter than they have at any point in the series. That's why they've drawn back to within two. Antawn carried this team in the quarter. Arvis Hayes hit a couple of shots. Even DeShawn made a long jumper. Etan finally played with the hustle that's defined him during his career. An overall excellent effort from the guys for 12 minutes. Let's see if it continues.

6:39 p.m.: The Brazilian flopper Varajeo is the Cavs own personal Vlade Divac. His dives are pretty soft and ridiculous. Flopping is a sign of a weak, whimpy defender. He just tried to draw a charge on Jamison with a flop, but the refs didn't call it, and now the score is tied at 81. Varajeo really has limited skill offensively and defensively. He has high energy and good hustle, though, which is better than nothing. In fact, his motor is really the only thing that separates him from someone like Jared Jeffries. It's why Varajeo is probably more valuable to an NBA team than Jeffries, whose defense was constantly overrated and whose offense was truly nonexistent.

6:47 p.m.: The Cavs have taken a four-point lead because head coach Eddie Jordan has gone to his befuddling small ball lineup. The Cavs, meanwhile, aren't going to match up. They're going to leave their big guys in the game and beat the Wizards on the blocks. EJ's coaching has been questionable and downright ridiculous all year long, and he's about to blow another game for this team. He is, quite possibly, one of the top five worst coaches in the NBA. His substitutions are terrible. His team's focus is often poor. His grasp of game flow and general in-game management is less than average. He's truly held the Wizards back this year.

6:51 p.m.: DeShawn Stevenson landed hard and appeared to hurt his right hip. I hope he's OK, but it's probably good he's coming out of the game for a moment. He needs some rest. In fact, most of the guys on the court need a rest because AD, AJ and Arvis have played the whole second half.

7 p.m.: It looks like the Wizards have blown another opportunity to steal a game by losing their composure late in the game. The Cavs got a couple of wide open shots, and the Wizards look out of sorts on offense. I don't think they can come back from a 93-86 deficit with 1:56 left in the game. AJ is about to shoot three free throws. AJ made all three. It's 93-89 now.

The Wizards just forced a shot clock violation on Cleveland. This is a big possession for the Wizards right now with 1:32 remaining. And on that possession, AJ shot a baseline airball. He had the smaller Eric Snow on him, and he settled for a jumper, rather than backing Snow down. Not smart.

7:06 p.m.: There are 37.5 seconds left, and the Wizards are still down 93-89. Etan is at the line. He misses the first, which is not surprising. He makes the second, also not surprising. He shoots about 50 percent from the line. Wizards are down by three points. It'll be interesting to see if the Wizards foul immediately or try to stop the Cavs from scoring. I'm not sure if Jordan can count on this team making a stop, and he certainly can't count on them to make a shot when they absolutely have to have one, so I think he should foul immediately, send someone to the line, get the ball back and score a quick two.

7:11 p.m.: The Wizards didn't foul immediately, two defenders fell, AD had to come off Pavlovic to cover LeTravel, LeTravel passed to Pavlovic, and Pavlovic hit a 3-pointer. It's 96-90 Cavs now. This is why they should've fouled immediately. This is also why EJ is a terrible coach.

7:12 p.m.: It's still 96-90. The Wizards don't get the shot they want and end up missing a 3-pointer. And with 5.7 seconds left, the game is pretty much done. Wizards are down 3-0 in the series. This thing will probably wrap up on Monday night.

It's a tale of two halves, as the cliche goes. In the first half, the Wizards players quit and allowed Cleveland to take a 61-44 lead. In the second half, Eddie Jordan lost the game for his team with questionable coaching decisions and terrible substitutions.

The Wizards lose 98-92, another close loss, as has been standard for this Wizards team without Arenas and Butler. They usually play tough, but they can never put a game away because they're missing both their closers. Oh, well. It looks like the Wizards 2006-07 campaign will end Monday in Washington. I can only hope Eddie Jordan's tenure as head coach ends at the same time.