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 Eleven games into the current season, the All-Star forward, his
teammates and coach have little explanation why they're so in the
dark when it comes to scoring.
The Cavaliers lost their third straight game and scored their fewest
points this season, falling 91-78 to John Wall and the Washington
Wizards on Friday night.
James and guard Kyrie Irving each had 22 points for the Cavaliers
(5-6). The start this season is the worst for any team with James
since the Cleveland Cavaliers opened the 2007-08 campaign with the
same 5-6 record.
After scoring at last 118 points in three straight wins, Cleveland
is averaging 88.3 during the skid. Despite the Wizards (8-3) only
scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter, the Cavaliers never
rallied. Going without a field goal for the final 9:15 didn't help.
"Obviously, right now we're struggling," Cleveland coach David Blatt
said. "We're a little bit in the dark and we have to find our way
out."
Wall had 17 of his 28 points in the third quarter as the Wizards led
comfortably most of the second half before the sellout crowd of
20,356.
 "He's our leader, man," forward Paul Pierce said of Washington's
point guard. "He's asked to carry a big load for this ballclub.
...That is why you are going to see a lot of his jerseys in the
stands."
Help came from the bench. Washington's reserves finished with a 40-9
scoring advantage. Center Kevin Seraphin and guard Bradley Beal each
scored 12 points.
The Cavaliers rarely helped themselves on either end of the court.
Washington scored 50 points in the paint and turned 19 Cleveland
turnovers into 24 points.
"Irresponsible play with the ball and bad decisions," Blatt said. "I
can think off the top of my head five or six clear break situations
where we don't finish with a shot. That is just not high-level
basketball."
Cleveland lacked vigor, failed to come up with several 50-50 loose
balls and seemingly played without purpose for stretches.
"That's something I cannot explain right now," James said about the
lack of energy. "That's something we have to have. ... Losing
doesn't help; it saps the energy away. But I think for us we're
worried about the in-game too much instead of going out there
playing, competing."
The four-time NBA Most Valuable Player went 8 of 21 from the field
in 39 minutes. The Cavaliers shot 36 percent from the floor.
After missing his first eight shots in Wednesday's home loss to the
Dallas Mavericks, Wall sank 12 of 20 from the field. Historically a
poor perimeter shooter, the All-Star drained several open jumpers
when Cleveland defenders went under screens in the third quarter.
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Wall scored 10 of Washington's final 16 points in the quarter as the
Wizards led 80-65.
"That's a concept a lot of teams give me in certain situations,"
Wall said. "I didn't shoot the ball well against Dallas and I was
very disappointed. I stayed after practice Thursday, got extra shots
up. ... Just getting back to the basics of it. Got to take those
shots if they're there and tonight I was able to knock them down."
The Cavaliers didn't receive a point from any reserve until guard
Dion Waiters' jumper with 3:25 left in the third quarter. By that
time -- led by Seraphin and Beal - the Wizards' subs had 29.
James' return to Cleveland and the Wizards' return to the Eastern
Conference playoff mix recharged a rivalry that this week the
two-time NBA champion recalled as "must-see TV." The teams met three
straight seasons in the first round of the Eastern Conference
playoffs, with the Cavaliers winning each time.
Seraphin played the entire second quarter, carving out space inside
to lead the Wizards with 12 points in the quarter and into the
halftime locker room with a 55-42 halftime lead.
NOTES: Wizards forward Nene had 10 points. ...Garrett Temple has
started all 11 games at guard for the Wizards this season, including
the last two with G Bradley Beal back after wrist surgery. Temple is
0 of 8 from the field in his last three games. ... C Brendan
Haywood, now with the Cavaliers, was a Wizards starter when
Washington and Cleveland met in the playoffs. He entered in the
first quarter and played three minutes after sitting out four of the
last five games. ...The Wizards play at the Milwaukee Bucks on
Saturday night. Washington is 2-0 in the second of back-to-back
games this season. ... Cleveland starts a five-game homestand
Saturday against the Toronto Raptors.
[© 2014 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
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