For the third straight postseason, the Cavaliers opened their playoff run against the Wizards – and the bad blood began coursing through the series before it ever began – with Washington guard DeShawn Stevenson labeling LeBron James “overrated” less than a month earlier.
The Wizards gameplan was to get physical with James and Game 1 was a slugfest throughout. Things almost boiled over when former Cavalier, Brendan Haywood, flattened LeBron on a screen at midcourt and towered over him for a few seconds. But the pounding barely slowed down Cleveland’s young forward – who finished with 32 points, including a pair of big shots in the closing moments as the Cavs took Game 1, 93-86.
"I was built for this," said postgame James. "I'm not 6-9, 260 pounds to shoot jumpers all night. I go to the hole and I create contact. Don't ever think I'm the only person feeling that."
Zydrunas Ilgauskas followed up with 22 points and 11 boards and Delonte West added 16 points, including four straight free throws in the game’s closing seconds.
Gilbert Arenas scored 24 points off the bench for Washington – but Eddie Jordan's squad missed 10 straight shots in the fourth quarter and only managed two points in the game’s final 4:39 as Cleveland won its seventh straight postseason game against the Wizards.
As for the simmering feud between LeBron and Stevenson, the King’s postgame commentary was brief.
"93-86 are the only words I need to say."