Clev Game Thread: Guns Allowed

[Donkey McDonkerton]

all I can do right now..in a meeting

[WizStorm]

[fishercob]

Well at least there will be some context when Lebron gets bumped and reacts as if he was actually shot.

[verbal8]

I think the Wizards will likely get blown out. They seem to have played pretty poorly in back-to-backs. Also the Cavs will be able to take advantage of no Haywood, even more than the Sixers did.

[MJG]

It'll certainly be fun to see the Cavs' fan reaction when Arenas has the ball. Should make an already intense game even more so.

[miller31time]

It usually doesn't matter how terrible we are, we always seem to beat Cleveland in the regular season. I think it will actually be a close game.

[DaRealHibachi]

It usually doesn't matter how terrible we are, we always seem to beat Cleveland in the regular season. I think it will actually be a close game.

+1

Although we never seem to win in Cleveland... Most of the time we (or the refs) blow it down the stretch...

[LyricalRico]

Cavs win easily if Haywood is still sick (or still being traded). We have nobody else who can check Z or Shaq. Not even Blatche.

[closg00]

It usually doesn't matter how terrible we are, we always seem to beat Cleveland in the regular season. I think it will actually be a close game.

If Wood plays we might have a chance given the bizarre history, but last game they were missing both Shaq and Sideshow. DS got in LeBron's head last game, that won't happen again.

The Cavs will man-handle us in the paint and get enough rebounds and 2nd-chance points to win going away.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

This one will not be close. We might keep up for a quarter and a half or so. But playing on the road, back to back against LeCrab and his referee minions, without Wood, after working hard in the second half for a win last night... we have no shot at this one.

At the end of the day, you still couldn't pay me enough to live in Cleveland.

[AceDegenerate]

I could see Gilbert having a good game (being his birthday and all), maybe 30+, but I doubt the Wiz can win this one.

[nate33]

I'm just hoping for another 34/14 game from Jamison so Cleveland will give up the farm in a trade for him. My ideal trade:

Cleveland trades: Z + Powe + 1st
Washington trades: Jamison + Stevenson

[dlts20]

I wonder if Miller will play tonight and I wonder did Nick’s performance change Flip’s lineup. Will he still go big with Blatche or will he considering starting Nick since he started the 2nd half last night. Also, if we go big with AJ at the 3 then how will he guard Lebron? Will we zone him up? Also, how will Lebron guard Caron?

Call me crazy but I still think stuff looks alot better for Gil if we manage to make a long win streak against good teams before Stern’s decision comes down. We have to win these games or else he may be cooked. Some might dont think it matters but I do. Flip’s comments before the game last night was basically him saying that he doesnt think we need to blow it up and there hasnt been enough time yet. If we play smarter and with energy like last night then I think we can turn it around and then Stern might be hard pressed to kill Gil if he thinks we can compete for the East, espically of the Pollins tell him privately that they want Gil and dont want to void his contract because its now finally working

[nate33]

Call me crazy but I still think stuff looks alot better for Gil if we manage to make a long win streak against good teams before Stern’s decision comes down. We have to win these games or else he may be cooked. Some might dont think it matters but I do. Flip’s comments before the game last night was basically him saying that he doesnt think we need to blow it up and there hasnt been enough time yet. If we play smarter and with energy like last night then I think we can turn it around and then Stern might be hard pressed to kill Gil if he thinks we can compete for the East, espically of the Pollins tell him privately that they want Gil and dont want to void his contract because its now finally working

If that's the case, then I hope for a blowout loss. I don't want this delusion to continue further. Blow this team up before we lose the opportunity. After the Trade Deadline, all hopes of a quick rebuild are lost.

As of this summer all of our trade assets will be gone. Jamison becomes more unmovable as his contract grows and he gets older. Butler becomes an expiring contract so that he isn't worth much as a one-year rental. And Haywood and Miller probably bolt. We will limp along as a capped out, sub .500, veteran team with nothing but late lotto picks to give us hope. We'll be Indiana, or Charlotte.

[dlts20]

Call me crazy but I still think stuff looks alot better for Gil if we manage to make a long win streak against good teams before Stern’s decision comes down. We have to win these games or else he may be cooked. Some might dont think it matters but I do. Flip’s comments before the game last night was basically him saying that he doesnt think we need to blow it up and there hasnt been enough time yet. If we play smarter and with energy like last night then I think we can turn it around and then Stern might be hard pressed to kill Gil if he thinks we can compete for the East, espically of the Pollins tell him privately that they want Gil and dont want to void his contract because its now finally working

If that's the case, then I hope for a blowout loss. I don't want this delusion to continue further. Blow this team up before we lose the opportunity. After the Trade Deadline, all hopes of a quick rebuild are lost.

As of this summer all of our trade assets will be gone. Jamison becomes more unmovable as his contract grows and he gets older. Butler becomes an expiring contract so that he isn't worth much as a one-year rental. And Haywood and Miller probably bolt. We will limp along as a capped out, sub .500, veteran team with nothing but late lotto picks to give us hope. We'll be Indiana, or Charlotte.

Saunders was asked before the game to address demands for the Wizards to blow up their underachieving roster. "We haven't been together yet," Saunders said, rattling off the injuries to Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller and Gilbert Arenas's return from a two-year hiatus. "When you really think about it. Until you talk about breaking things up, you want to see what you have when they are all together."

[closg00]

It's not up to Flip to decide. Ernie understands that he won't be able to use the injuries held us back excuse any more and he is already looking to make trades to save his job.

[no D in Hibachi]

I'm just hoping for another 34/14 game from Jamison so Cleveland will give up the farm in a trade for him. My ideal trade:

Cleveland trades: Z + Powe + 1st
Washington trades: Jamison + Stevenson

+1

[no D in Hibachi]

Cavs win easily if Haywood is still sick (or still being traded). We have nobody else who can check Z or Shaq. Not even Blatche.

Does anyone know if any Western Conference players were 'sick' last night?

[nate33]

Saunders was asked before the game to address demands for the Wizards to blow up their underachieving roster. "We haven't been together yet," Saunders said, rattling off the injuries to Antawn Jamison and Mike Miller and Gilbert Arenas's return from a two-year hiatus. "When you really think about it. Until you talk about breaking things up, you want to see what you have when they are all together."

I don't blame Flip for saying this. Any coach is going to try and rationalize why he is losing. I just don't think the analysis is sound. The team has been healthy all season except for Miller. I'm willing to write off the first 12 games because Jamison was out and Arenas was shaking off the rust, but since then, we're still only 8-12 with a cake schedule, a healthy Big Four, and Arenas playing pretty well.

Maybe we can play .500 ball for the rest of the season if Miller gets back, but .500 ball after an 11-21 start just isn't going to cut it. Who are we kidding here? We've got an $80M payroll and we're hoping to finish with 36 wins?

It's over. It's a failure. Blow it up. It's now or never. All of our veteran players lose all of their trade value on February 19th.

[miller31time]

I think Jamison wants off of this team more than anyone, at this point. He knows his best years are behind him and wants to win big with what time he has left.

I would assume he's heard the Cleveland rumor that they want his services and he is probably dieing to get shipped over there.

He'll play some of his best, most inspired basketball tonight. We might even see some solid defense. I have no doubts.