G Gilbert Arenas suited up to play, but realized he couldn’t go because his left knee is still sore.  With reports stating Arenas is out for the season, it is clear that the Washington Wizards belong to all-star forward Caron Butler.

Butler started out aggressive and was hitting from all angles, including a circus shot in the 2^nd quarter.  With 11 seconds left in the game, Butler drove to the basket against all-star G/F Lebron James and made a tough lay-up to give the Wizards a one-point lead.  James tried to duplicate Butler with 3.9 seconds, but his shot banked off the backboard and the rim.  Butler’s final shot gave the Wizards a 88-87 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers to force a game 6 Friday night at the Verizon Center with the Cavaliers leading this best-of-seven series of the eastern conference first round match-up, 3-2.

              
Butler finished with career high 32 points from 11 for 22 shooting.  Butler also grabbed 9 rebounds and had 5 assists.

            
   It was a total team effort, an effort Wizards’ fans are familiar with.  It got a little heated in the 1^st quarter when James and forward Darius Songaila got tangled.  James was tying to free his arm and when he got it loose, Songaila left hand, by mistake, hit James in his mouth.  All the players on the floor had to be separated, but Cavalier’s forward Anderson Varejao had his hand on guard DeShawn Stevenson when suddenly Stevenson slapped Varejao’s hand off of him.  No one was ejected, but Songaila, Stevenson and Varejao were all given technicals.

       
        The Wizards big men struggled to put the ball the basket, but the guards came through.  All-star forward Antawn Jamison finished with 8 points on 3 for 10 shooting and center Brendan Haywood finished with 4 points on 1 for 6 shooting.  For the most part guards Antonio Daniels and DeShawn Stevenson were clutch.  Daniels finished with 12 points on 5 for 9 shooting and 5 rebounds. Stevenson finished with 17 points on 5 for 14 shooting and 5 rebounds.

        
      This win for the Wizards was the first in Cleveland since 4/25/06.  The Wizards have a good chance to be the 9^th team to come back and win after being down 2 games in a best of seven series.

Written by Barry Barnes