Cavaliers-Wizards Preview

By JEFF MEZYDLO
Posted Apr 13 2012 11:50PM

With the playoffs out of the picture, all that's left for the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers to do is salvage something positive in the final weeks of the season.

The Wizards look to bounce back from another embarrassing defeat and continue their recent success against the visiting Cavaliers on Saturday night.

After winning 113-85 at Charlotte on Monday and 93-85 the next night at home over Orlando, Washington (14-45) reverted back to its old form in a 103-65 loss at New York on Friday. Jordan Crawford scored 17 points as the Wizards recorded their second-lowest point total of 2011-12 while shooting a season-low 27.8 percent.

Continuing to play without injured starters Nene (plantar fasciitis), Trevor Booker (plantar fasciitis) and Rashard Lewis (knee), the Wizards went 4 of 20 from 3-point range and committed 22 turnovers. Point guard John Wall was 2 for 12 from the field and finished with eight points and seven turnovers.

"It's embarrassing is what it was," coach Randy Wittman said. "Our effort was uncharacteristic of what we have been doing. I don't know. It looked like we were overwhelmed from the jump ball when we walked in the arena. Maybe that happens to young guys."

The only team with a worse record in the NBA than the Wizards is Charlotte (7-51). Those two clubs are the only ones lower than Cleveland (19-38) in the Eastern Conference.

"The thing in this league is you've got to bring it every night," said Wizards guard Roger Mason Jr., who had 11 points and six rebounds Friday. "Thank God we have a game (Saturday) and try to make up for it."

Washington has won three of four against the Cavaliers, including the last two at home. Crawford scored 31 points and Wall added 24 in a 101-98 victory in the nation's capital in the teams' only meeting this season March 3.

Crawford is averaging 26.0 points, 7.0 assists and 6.5 rebounds while making 21 of 40 shots in the last two games against the Cavaliers at the Verizon Center.

Cleveland began its stretch of three games in three nights Friday by falling to Indiana for the second time in three days, 102-83. Omri Casspi matched a season high with a team-best 14 points off the bench as the Cavaliers shot 35.4 percent and were outscored 34-13 during a game-changing third quarter.

"We did a bad job of playing 48 minutes," said veteran forward Antawn Jamison, who was held to 12 points. "The second half, we had a lot of open shots and we didn't convert on them."

The Cavaliers continue to play without star rookie Kyrie Irving, who is likely to miss a seventh consecutive game with a sprained shoulder. Irving is averaging 18.8 points and 5.7 assists.

Journeyman guard Lester Hudson had averaged 23.3 points in the previous four games while playing on his second 10-day contract before being held to seven Friday.

Jamison had 29 points, nine rebounds, five assists, four steals and two blocks against the Wizards last month.

Harangody's 16 leads Cavaliers past Wizards, 98-89

Posted Apr 14 2012 11:11PM

WASHINGTON (AP) Luke Harangody had a one-night audition as an NBA starter thanks to the compact scheduling in the lockout-shortened season, and he capitalized on the chance.

Harangody had 16 points and 10 rebounds, leading six Cavaliers players in double figures as Cleveland beat the Washington Wizards 98-89 on Saturday night. Harangody played for Canton of the D-League on Friday night and he'll play for the Charge again on Sunday.

"He was the MVP tonight," Cleveland coach Byron Scott said.

Anthony Parker had 15 points, Tristan Thompson 14 and Donald Sloan had a career-high 13 points to help Cleveland win a game featuring teams that had combined to lose 23 of their 28 coming in. Alonzo Gee had 11 points and Lester Hudson scored 10.

Scott told Harangody that he was getting his first NBA start after warmups. Harangody was recalled from Canton earlier in the day because Scott wanted to rest 35-year-old Antawn Jamison in the middle game of a stretch of three in three nights.

"I saw a guy who just looked real comfortable," Scott said.

Harangody was sent to Canton on March 6, and found out late Friday night that he was coming to Washington. He caught an early flight, slept a few hours, and then shot 6 for 11 with three steals.

"The last week has kind of just been a whirlwind for me and nothing surprises me now," Harangody said.

When Scott told him he would start, "I was like `this is my opportunity and don't try and do anything special, just make the best out of it,"' Harangody said.

Cleveland was already missing rookie standout Kyrie Irving, the teams' leading scorer, who sat out his seventh consecutive game with a bruised left shoulder. Without Irving and Jamison, the Cavaliers' leading scorer was Hudson, who's working under his second 10-day contract. Hudson, playing in his 10th game of the season, was averaging 14.1 in his first nine.

With lots of Cleveland injuries, there are plenty of chances for no-name players. They have seven with D-League experience.

"In order to be an A-lister, you have to have the opportunity. Everybody who's an A-lister has had an opportunity at some point, and they've performed," Parker said. "This is a beginning for a lot of our guys. It can carry over for where it takes them in the next couple of years."

John Wall scored 19 points to lead the Wizards, one night after missing 10 of 12 shots in a 103-65 loss at New York. Jordan Crawford had 18 points and Kevin Seraphin added 15.

The score was tied at 73 early in the fourth quarter before Cleveland took over. Parker made two free throws with 4:24 to go, giving the Cavaliers a 93-83 lead.

"We never had any control of the game," Washington coach Randy Wittman said. "Our focus coming out of timeouts was not very good."

Cleveland shot nearly 66 percent in the first half, but led only 50-43 at the break. The Cavs' 12 turnovers prevented the lead from being even larger.

Washington didn't get any scoring from its reserves in the half. They missed on all of eight of their field-goal attempts.

The Wizards tied the score at 52 early in the third quarter, then watched the Cavaliers build a nine-point lead, before pulling to 73-71 heading to the fourth.

The Wizards were trying to forget Friday's near record-setting performance - when they scored just one point more than their all-time low - in the 38-point loss at Madison Square Garden.

Before the game, Wittman said that the only positive was that his team could play again quickly. He wasn't going to show his team a tape of their 28.7-percent shooting performance.

"I threw that out in LaGuardia," Wittman joked. "I didn't even look at it."

NOTES: Wizards C Nene and F Trevor Booker missed their ninth straight games, both with left foot injuries. Wittman said that he hopes they'll be able to play in a few of the final games. ... Scott said Irving would like to play, but the coach will wait until after Sunday's game with Orlando before he'll consider bringing him back.

Notebook: Cavaliers 98, Wizards 89

Posted Saturday April 14, 2012 11:16PM

By Rich Dubroff, for NBA.com

THE FACTS: Luke Harangody, recalled earlier in the day from the NBA D-League, scored 16 points to lead the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Washington Wizards 98-89 on Saturday night. Harangody, who was sent down to the D-League on March 6, will return to the Canton Charge on Sunday. He played so the Cavaliers, who are in the midst of three games in as many nights, could rest Antawn Jamison.

Anthony Parker added 15 points, Tristan Thompson had 14 and Donald Sloan had a career-high 13 for Cleveland, losers of 12 of their previous 14.

The Cavaliers took the lead early in the fourth quarter and the Wizards, who have lost 12 of 15, couldn't mount a serious challenge.

Washington was led by John Wall with 19. Jordan Crawford had 18 and Kevin Seraphin had 15.

QUOTABLE: "He was the MVP tonight. To play in a D-League game last night and come up here tonight and start right off the bat and play the way he played; you've got to give him a lot of credit."
-- Cleveland head coach Byron Scott on Harangody's play.

THE STAT: Not only was Harangody the Cavaliers' leading scorer with 16, he led them with 10 rebounds and three steals.

TURNING POINT: Cleveland took a nine-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, and Washington couldn't get within seven.

QUOTABLE II: "In order to be an A-lister, you have to have the opportunity. Everybody who's an A-lister has had an opportunity at some point, and they've performed."
-- Parker on the opportunity afforded Harangody and several of his teammates.

HOT: Parker hit four of five from the field and seven of eight free throws. He added five assists.

NOT: The Wizards bench was scoreless in the first half and missed all eight field goal attempts.

GOOD MOVE: Cleveland making the phone call to summon Harangody from neighboring Canton.

BAD MOVE: The Wizards didn't show up for the second straight night. On Friday, they scored just 65 points in a 38-point loss to New York.

NOTABLE: Cleveland shot 65.7 percent in the first half, but only led by seven points at halftime.

NEXT: For the Cavaliers: Sunday vs. Magic, Tuesday @ Pistons, Wednesday vs. Sixers. For the Wizards: Monday @ Bulls, Wednesday vs. Bucks, Saturday @ Heat.

• Cavaliers: Erden, Varejao
• Wizards: Blatche, Lewis

• Cavaliers: --
• Wizards: --

• Lead Changes: 6
• Times Tied: 3

• Arena: Verizon Center, Washington, DC
• Officials: #41 Ken Mauer, #38 Michael Smith, #44 Eli Roe
• Attendance: 17200
• Duration: 2:14