A few minutes into his press conference late Sunday night, someone asked Gilbert Arenas about the duel he waged with LeBron James in the Wizards’ Game 4 victory. Arenas smiled, knowing the role he’s played in this series.
“This is the LeBron James show,” he cracked, “we’re all just witnesses.”
Arenas laughed after referencing the ad campaign built around James. Reporters laughed and the line was re-used for the next few days. But it spoke a truth: the Wizards are secondary players in this best-of-seven series to the gifted third-year Cavalier forward.
And they don’t mind.
“We look like we’re under the surface,” Arenas said. “No one is focused on us and that’s good for us. Whatever we do, no one thinks we’ll win anyway. Most think we’d get swept or lose, 4-2. So we’re under here and then at the end we just strike and before you know it we’re on to series two.”
The Wizards can take a huge step toward earning a spot in the next round with a win in Game 5 tonight in Cleveland. Washington is hoping for a repeat of their Game 5 in last year’s first-round playoff series against Chicago. Then, Arenas buried a last-second jumper for a win and 3-2 lead.
“Let’s hope it doesn’t get to the point where we need a shot like that,” Wizards forward Antawn Jamison said. “[But] it’s like deja vu almost. We need to work some of our magic again.”
The Wizards have to figure out a way to play consistently for 48 minutes. They led by 14 in Game 3 and lost. They trailed by 14 in Game 4 and won. Thus continues a season-long pattern. Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said his players tend to over commit defensively when they have a lead. They don’t take as many charges and they don’t attack offensively like when they’re trailing.
There’s another problem.
“It’s human nature to put your guard down a little bit and get comfortable,” Wizards forward Caron Butler said.
And it’s natural for so much focus to be heaped on James in this series. After all, he’s the new face of the NBA and this is his playoff debut. He added to the hype with a triple-double in Game 1 and he’s averaging 34.3 points thus far.
The Wizards, though, can alter the focus.
“We have an opportunity to make a name for ourselves,” Arenas said, “because the whole world is watching.”
High Five
» In playoff series that have been tied at 2, the Game 5 winner has won 107 of 128 times. The home team in those series is 95-33.
» Cleveland is 19-5 at home this season against playoff teams; the Wizards are responsible for two of those losses.
» Four of Washington’s starters (all but Brendan Haywood) have averaged at least 36 minutes per game in this series; only two Cavs starters are playing that much (LeBron James and Larry Hughes).
