Here we are in Washington, D.C., and no matter how many times a person visits — or even lives here (which I did in a previous life) — there's always something special about arriving and seeing the monuments and the neighborhoods and the centers of government. Great town. With a great subway system (the Metro). There's something about a city that has a great subway system … kind of makes it more civilized. Not that the Metro is the RTA, mind you.

Of course, the Metro ought to be good. We all paid for it with our tax dollars.

At any rate, the Verizon Center folks are handing out white T-shirts. They want a "white-out" in the arena. With all respect, these folks really haven't lived a white-out until they've been in our parts in January or February.

Hot rumor making the rounds — and it's posted on the Washington Post site — is that Gilbert Arenas will start and not be the sixth man. This will push Antonio Daniels to a substitute role, but it raises questions. Will Arenas have his minutes extended? He has been limited as he comes back from a knee injury. What is the thinking? Instant offense? A fast start? Get the crowd excited right away? Is he uncomfortable coming off the bench?

To me, it sounds a bit desperate. But then again, we're not even totally sure it's true. The answer will come when starting lineups are announced.

I saw it live and didn't quite believe it. It's still amazing the second and third time.

Some random thoughts with the Cavs in the air heading to Washington for Game 3 –

–Cavs have a longer trip than one might think. They had to fly into Dulles, not National. Some post 9-11 security thing about private planes, I presume.
That means busing from Dulles to the team hotel in our nation’s capital. Said town is a great town, but driving is a nightmare. Picture your typical 20-minute drive here. That drive would take 100 minutes in D.C. The conversion rule for driving in Washington, D.C., is pretty simple: Quadruple the time you expect a drive to take, then add 20. Standard formula.

–First Roc Boys reference of my career. For those keeping score. James was asked if he had his Soulja Boy dance ready, something he apparently did in Cleveland one time. He said no, he’d have his Roc Boys dance ready. Soulja Boy is the hip hop singer James compared to DeShawn Stevenson. Roc Boys is the new song by James’ friend Jay Z. Soulja Boy apparently took offense to James’ slight, and he may attend the game as a guest of Stevenson. Oh to be invited to a game by that guy, eh?

–James spoke to the media with his typical maturity. Said he’d be ready for hard fouls. Wouldn’t say if he thought the Wizards’ physical style had hampered their play. And he said that the key to the first two games was the Cavs defense: “Guys understand that defensively when we are in tune we are very good.”

–The Wizards have to believe that Caron Butler will eventually get the better of Wally Szczerbiak. James said Wednesday that Szczerbiak has done a good job of staying in front of Butler. Butler is an All-Star and he’s made nine shots in the series (in 23 attempts). This struggle seems to indicate Butler is still slowed by a bum hip; Szczerbiak has never been known for his defense.

–Wouldn’t be surprised if it turns out Butler (hip) and Gilbert Arenas (wrist, knee) are both hurting more than they’ve let on. This is why the Cavs have adopted their “no excuses” attitude. It’s the playoffs, and if someone is hurting the other team will not and should not feel any sympathy.

–Charley Rosen of Fox Sports points out that even though the Wizards were out to foul him, James made five-of-six layups without being touched. Rosen also wrote that Szczerbiak was “routinely chumped on defense.”

–The Guardian in London wrote this story about Lebron James.

–Mike Brown was going to give the Cavs Monday off, but talked to his leaders – James and Z. He asked if he thought they should have the day off. They said, “We need to come in.” So the Cavs practiced at noon. “That was because the players wanted to,” Brown said.

–Wrote Tom Knott of the Washington Times regarding the hard fouls of James: “The NBA is inclined to indulge James because of his marketing power.”

–Said Mike Brown of Brendan Haywood criticizing him for being overprotective of James: “Brendan, I like him. He can say what he wants about me.”

–What happens in Game 3? If the Wizards don’t try to change their approach, I say the Cavs sweep. James is too determined, too good, too talented to let that kind of play affect him. Hard fouls … fine. Cheap fouls … takes Washington out of their game. If Washington plays their style, though, the game goes to the wire.

For more on this series, check out what my esteemed colleague Brian Windhorst has to say on his Cleveland Cavaliers blog.

Returned from the Cavs practice facility a bit ago, and LeBron James said he thought Brendan Haywood would be suspended for shoving him in Game 2 (Haywood was not suspended). James said nothing the Cavs have done in the playoff series against Washington compares to what Haywood did to him. Clearly, James thought that was waaaay beyond the pale in terms of acceptility.

Also, James was asked if Haywood had apologized to him, which Haywood claimed. James' response? A terse "no."

Clearly that foul was uncalled for, but the Cavs haven't been innocent bystanders in this series. They've given their share of hard fouls too. I'm writing about that for Thusday's Beacon-Journal.

That was a pasting. No other way to put it. Well, there are a few more ways to put it. A drubbing. A rout. An embarrassment – for the Washington Wizards.

Your Cleveland Cavaliers played a sound, smart game, stayed above the junk and had Washington dragging itself out of town for Game 3.

LeBron James led the way, and at this point it looks like the Wizards are wondering what they have to do to beat James and the Cavs. Monday night makes eight games in a row the Cavs have defeated Washington. In this playoff series, the Cavs won a close one, and they won a rout as the Wizards fell apart and lost their composure.

Much will be made of the Wizards’ poor efforts, and the flagrant foul on Brendan Haywood that led to Haywood’s ejection. TV announcers said it was the kind of play that can end a career, and they were right. James said the play was “scary.” The referees rightly threw Haywood out – and did so after reviewing the play.

But the Cavs offense was outstanding. Cleveland moved the ball, had Z and Ben Wallace driving the baseline and passing and shot 10-for-19 from three-point range.

As good as the offense was, the defense was better – and the game swung Cleveland’s way in the second quarter when James guarded Gilbert Arenas and frustrated him to no end. Caron Butler may be playing hurt, but he’s not playing successfully. And Antawn Jamison seemed flustered when Joe Smith started covering him. Smart moves by Mike Brown – a guy who did a lot right in this game, from the offensive calls to the defensive matchups to just making sure his team kept its composure.

Playoff series are not over after two games, though, so the Cavs cannot coast after this one. Washington will play better in their arena, and the Cavs won’t have as much go right in D.C.

Too, the crowd will be hostile.

But the Cavs have effectively answered Washington’s Game 1 physical-play statement with a statement of their own. That statement equaled a 30-point win, the biggest playoff win in franchise history. Is there a stronger statement a team can make?

One note: To the Wizards’ credit, they did not blame the referees or the officiating. In fact, the opposite was true. They said they had to stop worrying about the officiating. At game’s end, 28 fouls were called on Washington, 25 on the Cavs.

Some quotes, especially from Antawn Jamison of Washington, who was most candid and impressive:

“I don’t want what was said a month ago to have the effect of, ‘This is how we view this team.’ We know this is a very special team, and like any veteran team they elevate their game for the playoffs. They have started to play inspired basketball. So let’s be honest, some guys talked, but it’s over with. We have a lot of respect for this team, and we know that they are capable of going past the first round and more. Once the playoffs started, we didn’t say this was going to be an easy series whatsoever.”

More Jamison:

“This is playoff basketball and it’s played differently than in the regular season. We know LeBron is a special talent and he draws a lot of attention. My hat goes off to him and his group, but when we get on our home court we expect things to be different. That’s the game of basketball and it has to be played more physically. That means he can’t have any easy layups, but it also doesn’t mean that every time he comes down the lane he’s getting hit.”

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan:

“We are playing the (East) champions and I know they changed their team but they still have the same coaching and in a respectful way, the monster player. And he’s taking over the series.”

Cavs coach Mike Brown:

“Tonight our guys did a nice job of trying to keep their composure. It’s going to be huge for us throughout the playoffs because we’re going to face adversity at different times and we have to make sure that we stay level-headed and we stay composed no matter what we face out on that floor.”

James on the foul that led to Brendan Haywood being ejected:

“It was scary, honestly. That’s the only thing I could think of when I was in the air was hopefully I can get one foot under me so I can break my fall. I knew it was going to be a tough fall. … It was definitely not a basketball play in any way, shape or form.”

Gilbert Arenas on the physical nature of the first two games:

“The fouls they’re calling out there are like golf compared to what the ‘Bad Boys’ (of Detroit) used to do to Michael (Jordan) and each other. So if it is getting out of hand, I must have been blind when I used to watch basketball.”

Will LeBron James need special protection tonight when the Cavs play the Wizards?

Maybe.

Consider these statements from the Wizards in Monday's Washington Post. The first is from Andray Blatche, about the elbow that James threw to his jaw in Game 1.

"Yeah, he got me, but I didn't really have a problem with it," Blatche said. "I fouled him twice pretty hard so I expected it. Just basketball."

And this from Brendan Haywood about the mid-court altercation that started when Haywood knocked James to the ground, then stood over him, James said, "in a disrespectful manner."

"It was nothing really," Haywood said. "I set a blind screen and I thought he flopped on it. I went to talk to (the official) about it; James took offense that I was standing over him. At that point in the game, he's not going to get up and do anything. What's he gonna do? Throw a punch? Get thrown out of the game? Shoot, I would've been the MVP like Robert Horry if I got him to do that.

"He should just chill out, play ball. It's going to be a rough-and-tough series. He's going to get fouled if he comes to the basket, but no one's trying to hurt him."

Said Caron Butler: "We're going to give good, clean, hard fouls at the rim, when guys get in the paint. We're not trying to give up [three-point plays], you know, make them earn it at the foul line and try to be aggressive at both ends as much as possible."

Clearly, the Wizards' game plan is to continue to be physical when James drives. To knock him down when he gets near the basket. It was for this reason that Cavs coach Mike Brown talked about it yesterday. He wants the officials aware. This is playoff basketball, as Joe Smith said, so it shouldn't be surprising. James just has to be ready to deal with it. And winning the game pretty much deals with it in the best way possible.

On a separate topic, remember when Delonte West stole a Washington inbounds pass late in the Game 1 win and officials ruled it a jump-ball? Well, apparently this is what happend. One official thought West crossed the inbounds line to steal the pass. He didn't of course, so instead of giving the Cavs a technical (the result of crossing the inbounds line), they ruled both players crossed over the line and made it a jump. My guess is this was their way of fixing a mistake.

Game time is at 7. And Gilbert Arenas showed no problems in the morning shootaround. Arenas missed Sunday's practice with a sore right wrist. I repeat a thought from yesterday: If the Cavs think Agent Zero and Antawn Jamison are going to keep missing shots in the fourth quarter they also believe in the tooth fairy. Those two guys are too good to keep missing.

This Washington Post writer was not very kind to the Cavs. Kind of reflects the national image of the home team.

Tell me, when exactly did the Cavs turn into the Washington Generals?

And this columnist from the Washington Times seems less enamored with LeBron James than we are. Wants him suspended for the next game because of that elbow he threw at Andray Blatche. My esteemed colleauge from the Beacon Journal, Brian Windhorst, tells me that this writer has never really been too high on James. Appears not.

That elbow James threw was pretty blatant, though. If you don't think so take a look at the seventh picture here. Arms don't usually go up that way by accident. It will be interesting to see if the league takes some money from James' pocket for this.

That being said, I still think it was necessary for James — or someone — to do something like this. The Cavs could not allow James to be pushed around, or knocked down, without standing up and doing something. James did.

By the way, late in Game 1 Delonte West stole an inbounds pass and for some reason the refs called it a jump ball. I asked West what that ruling was, and he said he had no idea. "I was just trying to play until it was all zeroes on the clock," he said.

Apparently in the NBA these days when a guy steals an inbounds pass it's not fair.

Random thoughts from the first game of this series … won by the Cavs.

Ben Wallace had his afro back. I walked by the locker room prior to the game and heard an animated scream from inside: "Ben Wallace is back." Wallace did not have a dramatic impact on the game, but he played well. Probably his best game in a week or two. He also was the first person to come to the side of LeBron James in James' late-first half altercation with Brendan Haywood.

Couple comments on that little brouhaha — James: "He was standing above me in a very disrespectful manner." Haywood: "I think it was an unfortunate incident. I felt I set a good screen on LeBron and they called a charge on it. I was trying to talk to (referee) Bob (Delaney) about the play and I guess I was over top of him and he got a little razzle-dazzled. That's how things go."

The Cavs got a big break in the fourth quarter when Anawn Jamison missed some open shots. Jamison missed three open and very makeable shots with the Cavs down 84-82.

What the heck is Anderson Varejao doing? His driving, spinning, twirling attempts at offense have got to stop.

Zydrunas Ilgauskas had a huge game. He was the team's offense in the first half, and he was the glue throughout the game. Z gets much credit for this win. Ilguaskas and Delonte West (great defense in the second half) gave James the help he needed. West was the subject of my column in Sunday's Beacon Journal.

DeShawn Stevenson heard it from the fans for his comment calling James "overrated." He then shot 1-for-9 while James pretty much lit him up, especially in the second half. Said James: "93-86 are the only words I need to say."

James may be fined by the NBA for his flagrant elbow of Andray Blatche after Blatche had knocked James down twice. Joe Smith called them "playoff fouls." James clearly was going to let the Wizards know he would not take things lightly. It was an important message to send — and if it didn't come from James someone else on the Cavs should have taken matters in their hands and sent a Washington player flying as he drove to the basket.

James called his alley-oop slam on the break in the first half "an emotional, electrifying play, not only for the team but for the fans." He continued: "I told Boobie to just throw the ball anywhere and I'll go get it. So he really took that literally." Amazing slam … at fullspeed.

Some closing comments —

Stevenson: "I'm going to do what I have to do to get under (James') skin and make it hard for him."

Wizards coach Eddie Jordan: "We have enough faith and belief in our system to say … we held them to 39 percent. We did a good job of rebounding. They won some skimishes but now we have to make some adjustments, not a lot because if we score on four or fve of those (last six) possessions, and get good looks, it's a different ballgame."

Mike Brown: "When (James) drives, it's a tough situation for him because he's such a big, strong man. When smaller guys drive, if they get bumped and they holler (officials) are making the call. When LeBron drives, he's getting hit, hit, hit and it's got to be a blow for the whistle to be called. Yes, he had 14 free throws, but if you go back and watch the tape, he's getting clobbered."

The Cavs have now won seven playoff games in a row over Washington.

All the talk that the words of the Washington Wizards didn't matter … forget that. This is going to be a heated, intense series. The first half was near violent, with LeBron James twice getting clubbed on the way to the basket and then responding with an elbow to the jaw of Andray Blatche, the guy who clubbed him. Late in the half, things got very heated when Brendan Haywood gave James a cheap foul at midcourt, and then stood over James without moving while James was on the ground. LeBron didn't like that.

In a halftime interview on ESPN, James said: "Both sides need to calm down. Including myself."

Mature viewpoint from James, who clearly is the object of the Wizards' attention. Washington has decided to play thug-ball with James, with Blatche the guy who did the first muggings. James' elbow was a response — though it would be nice to think a teammate might also respond. Haywood's late foul got things ratcheted up more, and even got Zdrunas Ilgauskas — who does not like Haywood — involved. Z was quite pointed as the two sides pushed and shoved at midcourt.

Clearly there are bad feelings between these teams. Prior to the game, James shook hands with no one. James always, always shakes hands and greets opponents. This time, he walked to his position next to DeShawn Stevenson and did not even acknowledge the Wizards.

The officials did not help — they totally missed Blatche clubbing James in the mouth at the end of a drive. That led to a second hard foul by Blatche, a foul the Wizards seemed to appreciate. Which led to James throwing an elbow at Blatche's jaw. It was evident early this game could get out of hand. And it almost did.

The animosity between these teams is palpable (like a buzz). It will be intense. Look for the officiating to tighten up considerably as it progresses. The feelings in this first game are as intense as many longtime courtside observers could remember.

By the way … James' slam on the break, one-handed, fullspeed, on a pass from Gibson … amazing. And were it not for Z, the Cavs would not be in this game.

Your Cleveland Cavaliers met the media today to discuss the upcoming playoff series with Washington.

A couple quotes that stood out to me were:

LeBron James: "As long as I'm on the court, we'll be all right. And I mean that."

No argument here.

James: "I can't tell you if we're a better team than last year until we get in the playoffs."

Again, no argument here.

Z: "I don't do any trash talking."

No he does not.

Joe Smith: "I don't think that's too smart."

He referred to DeShawn Stevenson calling James "overrated," which is as preposterous as caling this blog interesting. I mean, get real. James and overrated … nah.

Mike Brown admitted his team has been up and down, and said if the team is not playing better he will not be talking to the media in two weeks. Because the season will be over.

Gilbert Arenas brought up an interesting point, talking to the Washington media. Arenas said that it was the Cavs who trash talked a couple years ago. He's right, to a point. In that series, Arenas stepped to the foul line in game six to take two key free throws with the Wizards up one. He missed one and James walked up to him and said if he missed the second the game was over — meaning James would end it. He did with a pass to Damon Jones, who made the series-winning shot.

You remember Damon Jones, right? Guy who makes more than four of 10 threes. His shot won that series.

At any rate, as Arenas said, when James did some talking on the court, it was bravado. When Arenas and Stevenson talk off, it's a controversy.

Me, I find Arenas entertaining as all get-out. He's a clutch player, and if he opts out of his contract after this season it'd be wonderful to dream of him and James on the same team. But now he's a Wizard.

Brian Windhorst, my esteemed colleauge (has any colleague not been esteemed?) and renowned basketball scholar — he knows the game that well, to be honest — has his five keys to the series here. I say any analysis that includes the words "tempo," "distribute" and "putbacks" is spot on.

The Cavs seemed ready to play. That's a good thing. Now we have to find out if the team has gained enough chemistry following the trading-deadline moves to win a series. As Brown said, last year things were more positive at the end of the season. This year, it's one day, one game, one quarter, one possession … which sounds like a cliche but in this instance is true.

Do the Cavs win?

I answer that question with a question: Are you gonna pick against No. 23?