Finally, some pride restored at Verizon

Perhaps it has the hint of being a series now.

Perhaps the Wizards see what needs to be done after overwhelming the Cavaliers 108-72 in Game 3 last night.

Perhaps the Wizards have purged the doubt that comes from losing eight consecutive playoff games to the same opponent.

Whatever the case, the Wizards feel considerably better about themselves today after being embarrassed in Game 2 in Cleveland and appearing not to have an answer for LeBron James.

It may be only one game, it may close the deficit to only 2-1 in the best-of-seven series, but the Wizards were able to restore a measure of their pride and dignity.

Eddie Jordan said he and his assistants made their displeasure known to the players after Game 2.

“We read them the riot act after that game,” Jordan said. “We then spent the next two days telling them how great they were.”

And the players tried to deflect the rising tension.

Andray Blatche and DeShawn Stevenson decided to get Mohawk haircuts before Game 3, and Caron Butler carved “Tough Juice” into the back of his head.

Jordan said he and the players noticed the white T-shirts being draped over each seat after their shootaround yesterday.

“That meant a lot to us,” Jordan said. “That meant unity. I said before the game, let’s bring the crowd with us. And the crowd ended up being big for us.”

With Gilbert Arenas writing in his blog that he and his teammates wanted another shot at the Cavaliers in the playoffs and Stevenson calling James “overrated” last month, the Wizards opened themselves up to ridicule.

The Wizards finally put some muscle behind their word. With a raucous crowd lending support, the Wizards showed a level of efficiency on offense and defense that was conspicuously absent in the first two games of the series.

Their efficiency on offense was especially needed after they were held to 86 points in each of the first two games.

For all the hosannas that have been tossed in the direction of James, it was easy to forget that the Wizards are not equipped to be successful if scoring fewer than 90 points, as their 3-17 record in the regular season attests.

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