Wizards-Cavaliers Preview

By KEVIN MASSOTH

(AP) -- In order to fix their struggles on the road, the Washington Wizards will have to solve the Eastern Conference's best home team.

The Cleveland Cavaliers hope to just continue carving out wins however they can.

The Cavaliers look to reach double-digit home wins without a loss while the Wizards try to climb back to .500 away from home Tuesday night.

Cleveland (13-4) is off to its best start in seven seasons thanks to a 9-0 record at Quicken Loans Arena. The Cavaliers won 23 home games to open the 2008-09 season en route to a franchise-record 66 wins.

That was LeBron James' second-to-last season during his first stint in Cleveland. In the second campaign of his second go-around, James is still finding new ways to win.

James finished with a familiar line of 26 points, nine rebounds and five assists in Saturday's 90-88 home victory over Brooklyn. It was the way he ended the game, with a hook shot over 7-footer Brook Lopez, that even James said was a bit different.

"I've made layups, I've made pull-ups, obviously I've made step-back jumpers," he said. "I might go for the sky hook next time."

What likely won't change is the ball in James' hands, whether he's facilitating or shooting. The Cavs have found success in late situations, ranking toward the top of the league with a 55.6 field-goal percentage in the final 24 seconds of the final quarter when the game is within three points.

Cleveland also ranks among the league leaders with eight games ending in that scenario. Not surprisingly, James has made 3 of 5 shots in those situations for 10 points, nearly half of the Cavaliers' 21.

When asked if James' hook shot was a play he drew up in the huddle, coach David Blatt laughed and said, "Yeah, just the way I drew it up. Yep. Give it to No. 23."

James is averaging 25.0 points, 9.3 rebounds and 6.0 assists in the last three games, but he isn't the only reason for the Cavs' surge. Kevin Love also scored 26 against the Nets and has followed a season-low seven-point performance Nov. 13 by averaging 23.6 points and 11.6 rebounds in his last eight games.

Washington (6-8) fell victim to a clutch shot Saturday when Toronto's Cory Joseph drained a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Raptors an 84-82 win and the Wizards their fourth straight loss.

The Wizards are 3-4 away from home and have lost four of five there. Their previous three losses, at home against Indiana and on the road against Charlotte and Boston, came by an average of 21.3 points.

"We felt like we let this one slip away," point guard John Wall said. "But you can kind of deal with this, the way we competed. And that's the most important thing."

Wall scored 18 points but made 6 of 25 shots as part of another miserable Washington shooting performance. The Wizards made 32.9 percent from the field to finish under 36 percent for the third straight game.

"We've got to cut the negativity we have coming from players, coaches, staff, media," said center Marcin Gortat, who finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds. "It's not even fun coming here anymore."

Washington, which has lost three straight in this series and 12 of 16 in Cleveland, waived forward Martell Webster on Monday and signed 7-footer Ryan Hollins. Webster, who had hip surgery Nov. 20, didn't play this season.