The birthday boy, all-star F Caron Butler (28), returned to the line-up yesterday after missing 17 straight games-20 overall- due to a left hip injury.  Butler put on a first half show with a variety of moves, but down the stretch, G Deshawn Stevenson provided the defense the Wizards needed to hold off the angry Cleveland Cavaliers-101-99.

           
    “ If I wake up (Thursday) feeling the same way, I’ll definitely be on the court”, was the responds Caron Butler gave after Wednesday’s practice about his return for last night’s game.  Butler picked the right time to come back as the Wizards looked to be .500 for the first time since February 6^th and strengthen playoff position.  Butler started strong with 13 points in the first half, finishing with 19 points off of 8 for 18 shooting and 6 rebounds.

              
After the lost to the New Jersey Nets the night before, F LeBron James and Cavaliers appeared to look at the Wizards’ game as the make up game to get back on track.  But the Wizards did not get that memo.  James, the NBA’s leading scorer, finished with a quiet 25 points off of 9 for 22 shooting and 7 rebounds.  Largely to the aggressive one-on-one defense of Deshawn Stevenson, the Wizards contained James.  The Wizards played a trap defense on James for most of the night, taking the lanes away from him.  The key was Stevenson, who guarded James underneath forcing him to take tough shots and force passes.  For a moment in the 2^nd quarter, the Cavaliers were making the Wizards pay for keeping a lot of attention on James, as he founded the open man and hit tough shots.  After the break, Stevenson took on the challenge in guarding James man-to-man and came out on top.

          
    It was a playoff atmosphere as the Cavaliers tried to bully the Wizards.  The Wizards did not back down.  F Andray Blatche got into early foul trouble, but that helped set the tone for the Wizards.  Cavaliers pushed, but the Wizards pushed back as they dominated the paint, 42-28.  All-Star F Antawn Jamison finished with 17 points off 5 for 14 shooting, but it was his aggressive rebounding that stood out as he snatched 10 hard fought rebounds.  C Brendan Haywood contributed 14 points off 6 for 9 shooting and 7 boards, in which 4 were offensive.  The Wizards’ starters finished with double figures and off the bench, F Darius Songaila had 15 points and the new crowd favorite, Rookie G Nick Young had 10 points.

           
   “They felt they could come in here and push us around and I’m tired of that,” Stevenson said.  “ He’s (LeBron James) bigger, weighs more than me and is hard to guard, but I was ready”.  Stevenson was ready and the Wizards look ready to finish strong for the next 18 games.

Written By 2B