Wizards at Cavaliers
THE STORY: Both the Wizards and Cavs will finish this season with worse records than they had last season. For the Cavs, that was evident the night LeBron James left. But the Wizards enter the season finale with three fewer wins than last year despite adding heralded rookie John Wall and getting another year of development out of guys like JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche. The Cavs need a victory to assure they won’t be the first team in NBA history to fall from the league’s best record to the worst in consecutive seasons.
TV: 8 p.m. ET, Comcast, Fox Sports Ohio
ABOUT THE CAVALIERS (18-63): After lugging around the league’s worst record for most of the season, the Cavaliers have caught fire and played near-.500 basketball the last few weeks to climb one game ahead of the Minnesota Timberwolves in the standings. They’re 6-10 over their last 16 games, which may not sound like much, but this is the same team that lost a historic 26 games in a row and 36 of 37. Now coach Byron Scott and the players are lamenting the fact the season is over. Scott said Tuesday he’d like to play another month because he believes the youngsters are finally beginning to grasp what he has spent the last six months teaching. The Cavaliers never heard from the league Tuesday regarding Ryan Hollins’ scuffle with Detroit’s Charlie Villanueva, so they’re assuming Hollins will be active and available. He will start if Semih Erden’s injured right heel prevents him from playing in the finale.
ABOUT THE WIZARDS (23-58): Andray Blatche has missed considerable time this season to hip, knee and shoulder injuries. Still, he is averaging 18.2 points and 8.4 rebounds in his last 22 games. He whipped the Cavaliers two weeks ago when he set a team record with 16 offensive rebounds. He ended with career-highs of 36 points and 19 rebounds, mostly against Cavaliers forward J.J. Hickson. After getting outplayed so badly, Hickson grew irritated and promised that tonight’s rematch would be circled on his calendar so he could get another crack at Blatche.
WHO'S HOT/WHO’S NOT: Cleveland’s J.J. Hickson is averaging 19.4 points and 12.4 rebounds in his last 12 games. Anthony Parker has been slowed by a bad back lately, but he’s going to try and play. Parker is 4 of 19 shooting over the last week and is now dealing with a sore back. Washington’s JaVale McGee had five blocks Monday against the Celtics, giving him at least one block in 10 straight games and 19 of his last 21. Rookie John Wall shot 29 percent (5 of 17) in the Wizards’ victory over the Celtics on Monday.
KEY STATISTIC: The Cavaliers and Wizards have two of the worst defenses in the league. The Cavs allow 104.6 points to rank 23rd in the league. Washington ranks 25th at 104.7 points.
SEASON SERIES: Washington has defeated Cleveland twice, including a 115-107 win at home on April 1 and a 115-100 road victory on Feb. 13. On Nov. 6, the Cavaliers triumphed over the Wizards in Washington, 107-102.
KEY INJURIES: CLEVELAND: F Samardo Samuels (groin); G Anthony Parker (back). WASHINGTON: F Trevor Booker (foot); F Rashard Lewis (knee); G Nick Young (knee); C Hamady N' Diaye (knee).
LAST WORD: “I'd like to play another month or so. I think our younger guys are starting to get it and understand what’s going on. If we played another month, we'd have Andy (Varejao) and A.J. (Antawn Jamison) back as well.” – Cavs coach Byron Scott, on his desire to keep playing after tonight’s finale.