James, Cavs wallop Wizards

CLEVELAND (AP) — In the span of a few hours, the Washington Wizards lost their leading scorer, their on-court leader and maybe their season.

Taking the court only hours after star guard Gilbert Arenas was suspended indefinitely by pitiless NBA commissioner David Stern, the Wizards were beaten 121-98 by the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, a possible preview of darker days ahead for Washington.

“It’s like a black cloud over us,” guard DeShawn Stevenson said. “Hit us over the head again and we might break.”

LeBron James piled up 23 points, eight assists and seven rebounds in just three quarters, and Shaquille O’Neal added 17 points in 17 minutes as the Cavaliers took no mercy on the Wizards and posted a season-high for points to win for the 13th time in 15 games.

Washington ended a long, draining day with a lopsided loss.

The Wizards played for the first time this season without Arenas. He was suspended by Stern, who in a scathing statement called the gregarious guard’s recent behavior “not currently fit to take the court.”

Stern handed down his stiff sentence on Arenas while the three-time All-Star is being investigated by federal and local authorities after admittedly bringing unloaded guns to Washington’s locker room.

Antawn Jamison scored 26 points and Randy Foye 18 for the Wizards. Earl Boykins started for Arenas, whose 22.6 points per game, sweet stroke, leadership and jovial personality will be missed.

Arenas’ problems began after an alleged dispute over card-playing gambling debts and a heated discussion in the locker room with teammate Javaris Crittenton. The New York Post reported that the two drew weapons on each other. Arenas said in a statement that he took unloaded guns from his locker in a “misguided effort to play a joke” on a teammate.

No one around the Wizards finds any of it funny now.

“This situation has put the whole organization in a bad light,” Jamison said. “It’s an unfortunate situation, but we have to find a way to play through it and put it behind us. It’s sad, but this is not what we are. It’s a bad decision on two people and we have to pay for it.”

With every game he sits, Arenas, who was punished by Stern on his 28th birthday, stands to lose about $147,200 of his $16.2 million this season. He’s in the second year of a six-year, $111 million contract. And while the financial loss is substantial, Arenas will also miss the game he so loves.

He may only have himself to blame.