Originally published Friday, April 25, 2008 at 12:00 AM

LeBron James, Cavaliers walloped by Wizards 108-72

LeBron James was serenaded with chants of "over-rated! " as he stood at the free-throw line late in the third quarter. He was so distracted...

By JOSEPH WHITE

The Associated Press

WASHINGTON — LeBron James was serenaded with chants of "over-rated!" as he stood at the free-throw line late in the third quarter.

He was so distracted he missed the free throw. Didn't really matter. By then, the Cleveland Cavaliers were trailing by 28 points, a stunning reversal from Game 2 to Game 3 in their first-round series against the Washington Wizards.

There were plenty of reasons the Wizards routed their playoff nemesis 108-72 on Thursday. DeShawn Stevenson, who started the "overrated" talk, had 19 points. Caron Butler (17 points) and Antawn Jamison (15) also found their games. James didn't have his. And, yes, those 15 first-half Cleveland turnovers had a lot to do with it, too.

"It was a good old fashioned behind-kicking," Cleveland coach Mike Brown said.

The victory took the Wizards off the ropes by cutting Cleveland's lead to 2-1 in the series.

Washington took control with a pair of 9-0 runs in the first half. It led 49-33 at halftime, and the Cavaliers never threatened to make a game of it in the second half.

But, oh, the subplots!

The crowd's big chant was a reference to Stevenson's claim that James was "overrated" following a Wizards victory over the Cavs last month. James said responding to that remark would be like Jay-Z responding to Soulja Boy — a hip-hop mogul answering a one-hit wonder.

Stevenson had to eat his words after Games 1 and 2, but he had Soulja Boy dancing in the Verizon Center aisle Thursday while going 5 of 7 on three-pointers.

"If I was disrespected as an artist, I would have came, too," Stevenson said.

The Wizards tried to force James, who scored 32 and 30 points in Games 1 and 2, to shoot more from outside, and it worked. The Cavaliers All-Star couldn't get into a flow, and he finished with 22 points on 10-for-19 shooting, taking just four free throws.

The one major issue for the Wizards is Arenas, who injured his surgically repaired left knee in the first half. He is listed as day-to-day.

"I think he's going to be OK for [Game 4 on] Sunday," Washington coach Eddie Jordan said.

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