Despite their winning record, the Wizards know what it’s like to be blown out. In an injury-filled season, it’s often about self-preservation. When a game is out of hand, such as Monday’s 116-86 loss in Cleveland, it’s best to pack it in early, rest, and prepare for the next game, final score be damned.
For the Wizards this season, few of those blowout defeats have had lingering effects. After games they’ve lost by more than 20 points, the Wizards have rebounded to win five of seven times.
Going into Game 3 on Thursday night, down 0-2 in their best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarterfinal against the Cavaliers, the Wizards face their most important bounce-back of the season.
“I think it’s definitely easier to come back from a blowout because everything becomes more real to you,” said center Brendan Haywood. “When you get blown out, you really have to sit back and take a look at yourself. Everybody on our team is doing that right now.”
Playoff series in the NBA can turn in an instant. Two years ago, after losing the first two games of their playoff opener at Chicago, the Wizards ran off four straight wins. Now the task is to even the series with home games Thursday and Sunday.
“I think we can take care of business here at home. Of course we’re gonna need the fans to come out and support us,” said Haywood. “They’ve got to give us that energy, like a couple of years ago, in that Chicago Bulls series, it was great. We came out and all felt like, ‘Yeah, this is our time.’”
