Defensive effort like this will not beat anyone in playoffs

LeBron James, as dominant as can be most nights, cannot save the Cavaliers when they play statue defense like they did March 25 in a 127-115 loss to the Washington Wizards.

The Cavaliers did not play like defending NBA champions. They played like a team that has no interest in the final three weeks of the regular season. The game looked a lot like the one in Denver on March 22 when the Cavs lost, 126-113, to the Nuggets.

James was listed as questionable with a right eye corneal abrasion three hours before the game.

The Cavs superstar was injured the night before when he was inadvertently poked in the eye by Jeremy Lamb of the Charlotte Hornets as James scored on a layup late in the third quarter.

James easily could have sat out the game against the Wizards and no one would have complained, but of course he played.

“It’s a physical game and it’s a contact sport,” Cavs coach Tyronn Lue said before the game. “You’re going to get hit. He always gets up. It doesn’t surprise me he’s playing again tonight.

“He’s one of the toughest players in this league. He’s accustomed to it. He gets up and keeps on playing.”

The Cavaliers are 0-6 this season when he doesn’t suit up. But even James couldn’t save the Cavs.

James’ only concession to not really being Superman is he wore protective glasses to start the game. He must have figured they were affecting his performance, because he chucked them before the first quarter ended.

James finished the night with 24 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists, but as has happened way too often this season, defense was practically non-existent. The Wizards built a 40-26 lead after the first quarter by hitting 18 of 22 shots from the field — 81.8 percent — and the Cavaliers spent the rest of the night trying in vain to catch up.

The Cavaliers before facing the Wizards were tied for 20th in the league in points allowed, allowing an average of 106.6 points a game. Washington pushed past that mark with 9:05 left in the fourth quarter on a driving layup by Kelly Oubre Jr. for a 107-98 Wizards lead.

The Cavaliers can play defense when they set their mind to it, but that happens too inconsistently against the good teams in the league. The Wizards (45-28) are third in the Eastern Conference behind the Cavaliers and Celtics.

The Cavaliers (47-25) sliced the Washington lead to 109-105 on a 3-pointer by Kyle Korver from deep in the left corner.

Then the Wizards built their edge back to 12 points on two free throws by Markieff Morris with 4:19 left. They expended their energy getting close and had nothing left for a final push.

Washington scored 21 fast-break points in the first three quarters and a six more in the fourth quarter.

The Wizards outscored the Cavaliers in the paint, 58-46. That is the most alarming number of the night.

The Cavaliers will have to play better defense around the rim to bring home another Larry O’Brien Trophy.

The solution might be in Canton in the form of Larry Sanders.