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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME FLOW
CLEVELAND (AP) – Less than 24 hours after presumably hitting
their low point, the bottom dropped out on Randy Wittman and the
Cleveland Cavaliers.
Mitch Richmond scored 17 points and the Washington Wizards
rallied in the final four minutes Wednesday night to snap a
seven-game losing streak with an 88-83 victory over Cleveland,
handing the Cavs their sixth straight loss.
The Cavs have dropped 18 of 20 and 31 of 38 to put coach
Wittman's job in serious jeopardy. Cleveland followed up a 13-point
loss Tuesday in Chicago to the lowly Bulls -- the NBA's worst team --
with another dud against the league's second-worst squad.
"Everybody's so down right now," said Cavs guard Bimbo Coles.
"We're playing not to lose, and we really don't have much
confidence."
Before the game, Wittman wouldn't comment about his future,
saying his job was to get his team ready to play. Afterward, he was
testy with reporters.
"What do you want me to say? I answered all your questions
before the game," he said. "Did I not?"
Lamond Murray, who has been benched by Wittman, refused to
comment on speculation Wittman might be fired. He did say he has no
feelings either way.
"You feel for us," Murray said. "We're out there busting our
butts. Everybody's struggling."
Coles said there hasn't been much internal talk about Wittman,
who is in his second year with the Cavs.
"I haven't thought about it," Coles said. "The guys have not
talked about it. I don't think it (firing Wittman) would do any
good right now. Randy has done a good job of coaching and getting
us ready. The bottom line is guys aren't getting their jobs done."
The Wizards trailed 79-70 with 3:54 left and converted just
three field goals in the fourth quarter. But they made 14 of 16
free throws in the final period to win for just the second time in
16 games.
Richard Hamilton scored 17 points, Hubert Davis 14 and Jahidi
White had 13 rebounds for the Wizards, who didn't score their first
field goal of the fourth until 4:34 remained when Michael Smith hit
a scoop underneath.
But Washington made the most of its 22 trips to the foul line,
making 20. Cleveland was 6-for-8 from the line and didn't
attempt a free throw in the fourth quarter.
"That was huge," Davis said. "We hit our free throws and we
got into the penalty early. That was the difference."
Davis, forced to play some point guard with Chris Whitney
injured, scored 10 straight points in a 1:43 span as the Wizards
grabbed an 80-79 lead with 2:11 left on two free throws by
Hamilton.
Richmond's two free throws put Washington ahead 84-81 with 18
seconds left, and after Lamond Murray missed a 3-pointer, Courtney
Alexander and Richmond made two free throws each to seal the win.
Murray scored 21 points -- 17 in the second quarter -- and Chris
Gatling 13 for the Cavs. Cleveland's second unit outplayed its
starters and was the reason the Cavs seemed in control at 79-70 on
Murray's layup with just under four minutes left.
But Cleveland started standing around on offense and once again
lacked the killer instinct to put a reeling team away.
"We think about the mistakes and get too tentative, lose our
confidence," said Robert "Tractor" Traylor. "We're just not
getting it done."
The Wizards couldn't do anything right in the first six minutes
of the fourth period, making seven turnovers and missing their
first four field goals as the Cavs opened their lead.
Murray, who didn't play in the first quarter and has been coming
off the bench lately, scored 17 points in the final 8:23 of the
second period as the Cavs' second unit overcame a 12-point deficit
for a 50-49 halftime lead.
Cleveland scored 11 straight points in an 18-4 run and made 14
of its first 18 shots while shooting 67 percent (14 of 21) from the
floor in the quarter. Murray was 7-for-9.
Game notes
Wittman, who has one year left on his contract, said he
recently spoke with team owner Gordon Gund but would not be
specific about the conversation. Asked if his job was assured
through the rest of the season, Wittman said: "I'm not going to
get into that. Some of you have already speculated on what should
be done." ... Christian Laettner scored just 2 points after
averaging 15.6 in his first five games with Washington, which
traded for him on Feb. 22. ... Washington's starters outscored
Cleveland's 72-25.
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ALSO SEE
NBA Scoreboard
Washington Clubhouse
Cleveland Clubhouse
RECAPS
Milwaukee 101
Boston 94
New York 79
Indiana 75
Philadelphia 102
New Jersey 94
Houston 104
Atlanta 98
Washington 88
Cleveland 83
Dallas 93
Miami 86
Orlando 112
Detroit 102
Sacramento 100
Phoenix 89
Utah 86
Seattle 82
LA Lakers 97
Toronto 85
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