Friday, April 27, 2007
Washington is struggling without Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler.
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Two months ago, Washington Wizards guard DeShawn Stevenson fancied calling himself "Mr. Fifty." He was so proud of the number -- which represented his shooting percentage -- that he jokingly said he would no longer speak to any teammate who wasn't making at least half his shots.
On Thursday, Stevenson humbly walked off the court as Mr. Thirty-Two.
That's his shooting percentage since Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler were both sidelined with injuries, a fallout of the different roles all the Wizards have had to adopt without their two All-Stars.
Stevenson went a meager 3-for-12 in each of the first two games -- both losses -- of this week's playoff series against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and that's why he was taking all those extra shots long after the other players were done with practice.
"I'm not getting the rhythm like I used to," Stevenson said. "It's tough because it's the playoffs. I'm not shooting the ball well, but the only way to go through that is to shoot a lot of shots."
Needs help for Jamison
Stevenson then declared that the series will be a Cleveland sweep unless he or Jarvis Hayes starting scoring more to take the load off Antawn Jamison. Jamison had 31 points in Wednesday's 109-102 loss in Game 2, while Hayes and Stevenson combined for 13 points on 5-for-25 shooting.
"We're not going to win a game -- point blank -- if 'Tawn is scoring all the points," Stevenson said. "We need another person to go out there and score 18, 20 points. ... It's me and Jarvis. Point blank."
While the Cavaliers took the day off, the Wizards held their light workout to start preparing for Saturday's Game 3 and did their best to conjure up scenarios that would give them a realistic chance to win the series. Much to their credit, the severely undermanned squad hasn't been a pushover. The team has been scrappy and has shown plenty of heart -- but it's just hasn't been enough to beat a Cleveland team that, to be perfectly blunt, looks at times like a big disinterested bully that is doing just enough to stave off a pesky, annoying brat.
"This is a learning process for us," Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes said after Game 2, when the Wizards rallied to make the game close in the final minutes. "We definitely got the win, but I think we made it harder than what it needs to be."
After two games, it's easy to look at the series from several different vantage points:
If the Cavaliers keep playing this way, the Wizards might win a game or two and get back in the series.
The Wizards are in trouble because the Cavaliers are playing this way and still winning.
The Wizards are in serious trouble because the Cavaliers will eventually hit all cylinders, not to mention the fact that LeBron James is due for a monster game.
Difference is in rosters
Still, there's no hiding the fact that the difference in the series is that the Cavaliers have a full roster and the Wizards don't. James and Zydrunas Ilgauskas led Cleveland to victory in Game 1. James and Drew Gooden were the winning partnership in Game 2. For the Wizards, it's Jamison and not enough of anyone else -- because Arenas and Butler aren't there.
That's where Stevenson and Hayes come in. A big game from either or both could be enough to take the pressure off Jamison -- and put more than just a scare into the Cavaliers.
"It's very exhausting after the games, very frustrating, knowing we were right there at the end and we couldn't get over the top," Hayes said. "But we'll keep fighting, keep fighting."
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