One down, 15 to go

My apologies for not posting anything for a few days. I've had a lot going on.

Anyway, it was good to see our Cavaliers pull out the win yesterday against the Wizards. I've had my doubts about this team in the playoffs, and one game doesn't magically erase those doubts, but still. The Wizards did a lot of good things in that game, but the Cavs took all their punches and were left standing at the end.

I don't mean that literally, of course, though it was a physical game that threatened to turn into a brawl at the end of the first half. LeBron took at least one absolute mauling that wasn't even called. I should have saved the game recording so I could look at it again, because I don't remember who the Washington player was on the play, but he swatted across at the ball and wound up smacking LeBron across the jaw. But there was no whistle.

At least a foul was called on the play that led to some pushing and shoving in the last minute of the second quarter, when Brendan Haywood flattened James with a screen. The Cavs wound up shooting a free throw on that one because the Wizards got two technicals to the Cavs' one, and Wally Szczxzqzerbiak hit the shot. That one point may have made a bigger difference than you might realize. The game was tight until the last couple of minutes, and if the Cavs had one point fewer, the strategies would have been different.

This was the matchup the Wizards wanted, and it's not hard to understand why. But there's an old saw about exercising care in choosing your wishes.