Wizards' tall task: Find way to stop Z

Washington had no answer for Zydrunas Ilgauskas in Game 1.
CLEVELAND (AP) -- At the mall or at the movies, Cavaliers 7-foot-3 center Zydrunas Ilgauskas stands out in a crowd. On the court, he's usually the biggest of the big men in the middle. Tough to miss him.
But for some strange reason, the Washington Wizards couldn't find him in Game 1 -- until it was too late.
With a huge size advantage down low, Ilgauskas scored 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter when Cleveland finally stomped out Washington for a 97-82 victory in the opener of their first-round playoff series.
It wasn't LeBron James or Larry Hughes who did the Wizards in. It was the guy nicknamed 'Z' who fittingly put them to sleep.
If Washington has any notion of evening this best-of-seven series in tonight's Game 2, the Wizards must do a better job of containing Ilgauskas, who is five inches taller than Etan Thomas, Washington's starting center.
However, Ilgauskas, Cleveland's gentlemanly giant, thinks the Wizards' priorities will remain elsewhere.
"I think they should be worried about LeBron and Larry more," he said.
James says he'll play
James didn't practice on his sprained left ankle Tuesday but will play in Game 2. He got hurt on a drive to the basket in Sunday's third quarter and has spent the past two days getting rest and treatment.
"I'll be ready," he said.
The undermanned Wizards had better be, too.
They've spent the past two days regrouping and practicing in Washington. On Monday, forward Caron Butler had the cast taken off his broken right hand. While he thinks he can be back in time for Game 3, coach Eddie Jordan isn't planning to have Butler unless the Wizards can advance.
Although they were without leading scorer Gilbert Arenas or Butler, the Wizards did enough to hang around with the Cavs in the fourth quarter of Game 1. They were within striking distance when Jordan switched to a smaller lineup hoping for an offensive spark.
Instead, he left the Wizards vulnerable on defense and the Cavaliers made them pay.
They pounded the ball into Ilgauskas, who scored nine points in a decisive 13-4 burst that put Cleveland up by 15.
Defenders struggle
At various times, Ilgauskas was guarded by Thomas, Atawn Jamison (6-foot-9), Darius Songaila (6-foot-9) and Michael Ruffin (6-foot-8). Not one of them could handle him as Cleveland's big man shot over the top, drew fouls and made free throws.
"Obviously, he's a lot bigger and taller," Songaila said. "You have to stay between him and the basket. You can't let him back you down under the rim. With his height he can easily reach over and get the tip and some rebounds and stuff like that."
Surprisingly, while Ilgauskas was having his way with the Wizards, Jordan kept 7-footer Brendan Haywood on the bench. Haywood played just five minutes -- zero in the fourth.
The Cavaliers, meanwhile, want to hold serve at home against a shorthanded opponent.
James took exception to critics who felt Cleveland should have won the opener more decisively.
"We're not looking to blow this team out," he said. "We're looking to come in and win a ballgame. It don't matter if it's by 1 point or by 15."
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