With the Cleveland Cavaliers 87-88 game-5 loss on Wednesday, the Washington Wizards have forced the NBA Playoffs series to a sixth game back in Washington Friday night. The Cavaliers have a 3-2 series lead and with a win Friday can conclude the series and move on to the second round. A Wizards win in game-6 will force a game-7 final back in Cleveland. Game-6 will be televised on ESPN2.
Fortunately for the Cavaliers, they seem to like playing in the nation’s capitol having won five of the seven meetings with the Wizards in Washington. The Cavaliers have won three of their last four road “close-out” games including each of the last two meetings at Washington (Game-4 in 2007 and Game-6 in 2006).
Entering Game 6, Washington boasts the Eastern Conference’s top rated defense in terms of opponent field goal percentage during the 2008 NBA Playoffs. Through five games, the Wizards have allowed Cleveland to connect at a .418 clip from the field, the lowest percentage in the Eastern Conference during the postseason. In the West, only Dallas (.401) and Houston (.413) have been more errant. The Cavaliers however, have taken a 3-2 series-lead in part due to attempting more free throws per game than any other playoff team, having visited the charity stripe 31.6 times per game on average.
Now facing a 3-2 deficit in this first round playoff series, Washington is bidding to do what eight NBA teams have done before, rally from a 3-1 deficit to win a best-of-seven playoff series. Most recently, the Phoenix Suns trailed the L.A. Lakers 3-1 in a 2006 first round match-up before rallying to win the final three games of the series. Washington also trailed 2-0 this series, and is trying to become the 14th NBA team ever to rally from an 0-2 deficit to win the series; including the 2004-05 Wizards who trailed the Chicago Bulls 2-0 before rallying to win the series, 4-2.
NBA Playoffs Pick: Cleveland Cavaliers +4
