Can the Wizards beat the Cavs in the playoffs?

cfan79 · Post #1 » by **cfan79** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:11 pm

I think they can if they are at full strength. Of course Cleveland has one of the best players in the league, but they have little else. It won't be a cakewalk this year for them.

Washington has there own big 3. Antawn is having maybe his best season ever leading the way to a decent record. Plus they aren't even playing with their franchise guy Arenas. Whose Cleveland going to put on those guys? Big Ben who has been playing like an old man and Boobie Gibson who doesn't show up every game?

The Chicago trade looks like it has really hurt the Cavs. Gooden is an underrated player who provided offense for them. Offensively challenged Ben Wallace his replacement couldn't get a shot in by himself.

cisco · Post #2 » by **cisco** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:10 pm

I think they can. Personally, I think the Celtics would have a tougher time with Washington than with the Cavs. I really believe the Cavs trade made them worse, but we'll see.

billfromBoston · Post #3 » by **billfromBoston** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:21 pm

...Cavs will lose to Washington in the first round if Gilbert comes back and learns how to play off his teammates...Washington is playing defense for the first time in ages and their two current stars are playing the best ball of their careers....if Arenas comes back and works himself into what they are doing they'll continue to give effort defensively and have 3 legit go-to options...

..I've got Washington in 6 with Arenas back...

Rasheeed!!! · Post #4 » by **Rasheeed!!!** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:55 pm

The Wizards cause Cavs, Boston and Detroit problems w/o Arenas. Now if Arenas gets back and plays well then it's not so outrageous to suggest that Washington could oust any of those teams - unlikely, but possible.

keltickings · Post #5 » by **keltickings** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:27 pm

Rasheeed!!! wrote:The Wizards cause Cavs, Boston and Detroit problems w/o Arenas. Now if Arenas gets back and plays well then it's not so outrageous to suggest that Washington could oust any of those teams - unlikely, but possible.

They are the DARK HORSE come playoffs.

The Celtics are not scared of anyone but the Wizards WITH Arenas can beat anyone in the second season. Everyone talks about the Cavs and Magic in the East but do not, do not sleep on the Wizards. If Arenas is with them in the first round of the payoffs Lebron's Cavs could be ousted. We will be ready for any opponent in all 4 rounds but the Wizards are the most dangerous team we could face in the playoffs. Detroit and about 8 west teams are better but look out for the returning superstar and his team under the radar with no expectations.

cfan79 · Post #6 » by **cfan79** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:33 pm

whoa, I didn't think I'd have so many people that agree with me.

If Gilbert is in top form it is very hard to stop him. Plus they will have Antonio Daniels coming off the bench. He'll have a lot of confidence from starting so many games in Arenas place.

celticfan42487 · Post #7 » by **celticfan42487** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:40 pm

Butler is my favorite wing player, Howard is one of the more unknown best post defenders in the league.. so I"m a pretty big fan of the Wizards.

I think if Areneas comes back Cavs are going to have a 60-40% chance of winning that series.

One thing that makes me happy to know is now CLE will at some point have a stiff defender in Wally, and during crunch time if Wallace is in there you automatically have a way to stop Lebron [Wack a Wallace].. it's unlikely for them to make this mistake but if he is under two minutes just foul Wallace and he has to go to the line...

That said I'd still give the BIG men on CLE the advantage because I believe in possesions> 3pointers when it comes to big men [Antawn Jamison I'm looking at you].. That said how Jamison does on the defense glass could decide the series

cfan79 · Post #8 » by **cfan79** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 9:47 pm

celticfan42487 wrote:Butler is my favorite wing player, Howard is one of the more unknown best post defenders in the league.. so I"m a pretty big fan of the Wizards.

I think you mean Haywood or Jamison.

Post #9 » by **Bleeding Green** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:05 pm

Yeah, I would pick them as the favorite probably. With or without Arenas. The Cavaliers are a really poor team. They've allowed more points than they've scored and people talk about them like they're a threat in the Eastern Conference to the Pistons or Celtics. Please.

celticfan42487 · Post #10 » by **celticfan42487** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 2:14 am

cfan79 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

I think you mean Haywood or Jamison.

Yeah Haywood.. I'll be complementing Jamison's post defense right after I get to [enter average defeder here] :wink:

Al n' Perk No Layups! · Post #11 » by **Al n' Perk No Layups!** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:48 am

Cavs will not make it out of the first round wether they play the Sixers or Wizards.

IEcelticfan · Post #12 » by **IEcelticfan** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:59 am

celts in 5, max

P2 · Post #13 » by P2 » Thu Mar 27, 2008 6:28 am

celticfan42487 wrote:Butler is my favorite wing player

Really? After we lost back-to-back games against Washington? Not Pierce or Ray?

DowJones · Post #14 » by **DowJones** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:42 pm

As a Cleveland fan, Washington doesn't scare me at all. Not 1 bit. I have seen Cleveland beat a healthy Washington team in the playoffs just 2 years ago. LeBron now is 10x better than the LeBron we saw in that series, so what would make me think that an injured Washington team could take Cleveland down?

Cleveland is a team that struggles to play game to game because they have a pathetic head coach. When they dig down for a best of 7 series, they play much better. I have seen the proof the last 2 years against a very good Detroit Piston team.

tombattor · Post #15 » by **tombattor** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:47 pm

Al n' Perk No Layups! wrote:Cavs will not make it out of the first round wether they play the Sixers or Wizards.

Are you serious or do you just hate Lebron? I can see a case made for the Wizards, but Sixers? They are hot right now, but come on. There is no way in hell, the Sixers win more than 2 games in a 7 game series against the Cavs.

Shanghai Kid · Post #16 » by **Shanghai Kid** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 4:48 pm

DowJones wrote:As a Cleveland fan, Washington doesn't scare me at all. Not 1 bit. I have seen Cleveland beat a healthy Washington team in the playoffs just 2 years ago. LeBron now is 10x better than the LeBron we saw in that series, so what would make me think that an injured Washington team could take Cleveland down?

Washington has much a better roster than two years ago and plays better defense. You're talking about a Wiz team two years ago that started Jared Jeffries, had no bench, and had the third worst defense in the league.

Al n' Perk No Layups! · Post #17 » by **Al n' Perk No Layups!** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 5:36 pm

tombattor wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Are you serious or do you just hate Lebron? I can see a case made for the Wizards, but Sixers? They are hot right now, but come on. There is no way in hell, the Sixers win more than 2 games in a 7 game series against the Cavs.

I'm absolutely serious. The Sixers are a better team. The match up well with the Cavs. Daly has the size to match up with Big Z, Evans is a big rebounder to neutralize Wallace, Miller is much better than West, Iggy is good enough to keep up with Lebron.

tombattor · Post #18 » by **tombattor** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:16 pm

Al n' Perk No Layups! wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
I'm absolutely serious. The Sixers are a better team. The match up well with the Cavs. Daly has the size to match up with Big Z, Evans is a big rebounder to neutralize Wallace, Miller is much better than West, Iggy is good enough to keep up with Lebron.

You do have a point and as you said, I agree that they have the players to matchup with Cavs. However, you need more than just to be able to match up with the Cavs to beat them in the playoffs. Because when it comes down to it, Lebron will take over and there is no one or two or three on the Sixers that can match him down the stretch.

IMO, the Cavs are the most dangerous team to face in the playoffs because of Lebron. He's the only player in the league that can carry a team through any playoff series.

cfan79 · Post #19 » by **cfan79** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:28 pm

DowJones wrote:As a Cleveland fan, Washington doesn't scare me at all. Not 1 bit. I have seen Cleveland beat a healthy Washington team in the playoffs just 2 years ago. LeBron now is 10x better than the LeBron we saw in that series, so what would make me think that an injured Washington team could take Cleveland down?

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/matchups?season=2008

The season series is tied 2 to 2 without Gilbert. Plus they won't be injured this time around in the playoffs. Cavs will have to play the Wiz with all their players healthy.

tombattor · Post #20 » by **tombattor** » Thu Mar 27, 2008 7:58 pm

cfan79 wrote:-= original quote snipped =-
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/matchups?season=2008

The season series is tied 2 to 2 without Gilbert. Plus they won't be injured this time around in the playoffs. Cavs will have to play the Wiz with all their players healthy.

You are right, but do you think when the game is close and the Cavs are going to Lebron every time, the Wizards can match that? He shredded Detroit's D last year and the Wizards don't have defense that comes close.

I'd like to think that the Wizards can take out the Cavs, for our sake, but I see Lebron being too much for them...