Cleveland Cavaliers (16-33) at Washington Wizards (24-24)
Venue: Verizon Center, Washington, DC.
TV: 7 p.m., FOX Sports Ohio (Cavaliers Live pregame at 6:30 p.m.)
Projected Starters
CLEVELAND: C Anderson Varejao; PF Tristan Thompson; SF Luol Deng; SG Jarrett Jack; PG Kyrie Irving.
WASHINGTON: C Marcin Gortat; PF Nene; SF Trevor Ariza; SG Bradley Beal; PG John Wall.
Pregame Notes:
-- I'm keeping these short because I'm planning to go from my hotel in DC to the arena via foot, and it may take a bit. Besides that, I think the Cavaliers have us all feeling a bit worn out lately.
-- Just talking to random people here in the nation's capital, it's pretty clear folks are fired up over the Wizards. It has been a while since they've been relevant, and with the exciting young backcourt of John Wall and Bradley Beal, they should only become more fun.
-- What does the firing of general manager Chris Grant do for the Cavs? Well, on the floor, not much. All it really does is show owner Dan Gilbert is ready to drop the hammer. And that actually counts for a lot. Mike Brown will either get his team's attention over these next 33 games or he won't. But no matter what happens, the Cavs' passionate owner isn't going to sit still this offseason. He trusted his basketball people, and they've let him and the fans down. He'll trust them again for the rest of the season. If the train doesn't get back on the tracks, it's no secret Gilbert will take further action.
-- I had a great conversation with Grant prior to his final game as GM (Wednesday vs. the Lakers). He was as regular of a guy as ever. We talked about staying in shape, playing college basketball, and even poked a little fun at each other. We said nothing about the state of the Cavs. I've had quite a few breezy talks like that with Grant, and I hope they continue. Several league execs have already told me they'd hire him for an assistant-type role. The man can work a trade.
-- Also, if you follow me on Twitter, you already know what opposing execs think of Cavs acting GM David Griffin. He's respected by his peers as a bright basketball mind. One even said Griffin should have been running a team already. Another predicted Griffin will remain the Cavs' GM for quite some time. Let's hope.
-- I have plenty of other columns on the site, so make sure to visit the home page. That includes a write-up on the Wizards and, from yesterday, a take on the firing of Grant.
-- By the way, "Cavaliers Live" studio host Jeff Phelps and analyst Campy Russell are also in DC. This is their first road trip of the season (They usually host away games from our FOX Sports Ohio studios in Broadview Heights). I'm anxious to see how they respond.
-- Other than that, I've got nothing. Enjoy the game, I'll have a column coming after, and try to stay sane. This will get better. Maybe not this season, but soon.
