INDEPENDENCE — Up 13 at halftime of Game 2, the Cavaliers shook a season-long trend of quickly letting an opponent back in the game and instead stomped the Washington Wizards into submission.
Now up 2-0 in the best-of-seven series heading into Game 3 in Washington on Thursday, the Cavaliers have an opportunity to stomp the Wizards into submission, period.
Teams have come back to win a series after being down 2-0 just 13 times in 204 prior occasions, but the Cavaliers know it can be done because they accomplished the feat against Detroit last season.
The Wizards, who beat Chicago four straight times after being down 2-0 in the first round in 2005, also know it’s not impossible.
“They held their home court and that’s what home-court advantage is all about,” Washington guard Gilbert Arenas said. “We’ve got two at home and we have to win those two. We’ve been in this situation before against Chicago. The series doesn’t start until the visiting team is at home.”
That sounds all well and good, but whether the Wizards really believe they can come back against the Cavaliers is another story.
Cleveland has now beaten Washington eight straight times in the postseason dating back to 2006. Not only that, the blank expressions on the faces of Washington’s players near the end of their 116-86
beat-down on Monday gave the impression this team is really starting to doubt if it has what it takes.
Washington, a free-wheeling, run-and-gun group that is usually at its best when it plays like a traditional Western Conference team, has tried the tough-guy approach against LeBron James, but it has failed miserably.
Whether it’s been a blow to the head from Andray Blatche, a flagrant foul by Brendan Haywood, who will not be suspended for Game 3, or an attempt by Arenas to grab him on the break — James ran right through the Wizards guard for what turned into a three-point play — the
6-foot-8, 250-pounder has been relentless when it comes to attacking the hoop.
“They still have, in a respectful way, the monster player,” Washington coach Eddie Jordan said. “He’s taking over the series.”
Though he’s made just 18 free throws, James has gotten to the line 31 times over the first two games. He’s had games of 30 and 32 points and he’s shooting .553 from the field (21-of-38) in the series.
Suddenly, DeShawn Stevenson isn’t calling James “overrated.” Suddenly, Arenas doesn’t seem so thrilled to be playing the Cavaliers in the postseason for the third straight year. Suddenly, the Wizards are complimenting the Cavaliers left and right instead of talking trash.
“We didn’t underestimate anyone,” Washington forward Antawn Jamison said. “I don’t want to have what was said a month ago (by Stevenson) — and it was said a month ago — to have the effect of this is how we view this team.
“We know this is a very special (Cleveland) team. Like any veteran team, they elevate their game for the playoffs. They have started to play inspired basketball. So let’s be honest. Some guys talked, but it’s over with.”
That last statement may also apply to the series if the Wizards don’t come up with some answers real soon.
Arenas, Jamison and Caron Butler shot a combined 10-of-36 in Game 2, a large reason why Washington was just .375 from the field as a team (27-of-72).
“When you have three scorers like we do, it’s easy for one of us or two of us to have a bad night,” Arenas said. “But when all three have a bad night, that never equals a win. We’ve got to find a way to get each other open and get other people open.”
That will be easier said than done given the way the Cavaliers have started to play defense.
In what may have been his best coaching job of the season, Cleveland’s Mike Brown put James on Arenas, and James’ length totally disrupted the Washington guard, who is still far from 100 percent after coming back from knee surgery late in the regular season.
Ben Wallace, Anderson Varejao and especially Joe Smith did an excellent job of not losing Jamison, who is 4-of-18 from the field over the last five quarters.
Wally Szczerbiak, meanwhile, continues to do a surprisingly good job on Butler, whose sore knee is the only logical explanation for why he hasn’t attempted to capitalize on his quickness advantage and get to the hoop more.
Toss in the fact Cleveland seems to have suddenly found ways to get secondary scoring options like Szczerbiak and Daniel “Boobie” Gibson the ball at the right time and place, and the Cavaliers have a great opportunity to completely take the life out of the Wizards in Game 3.
The suddenly quiet Wizards, it seems, know that better than anyone.
“We have to win,” Arenas said. “The pressure is on us now, not them.”
Noland may be reached at rickn@ohio.net or 330-721-4061.

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