WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The series unfolded as a battle between LeBron James and the Wizards’ mouths. But when this series is over — and at 3-1 in favor of Cleveland, it could be over tonight — the aftermath will be about anything but those two.

Instead, it’s worth asking: is this series, and the lack of success, a referendum on who the Wizards are and where they’re heading? Is Eddie Jordan the right man to get them there?

Barring a three-game winning streak, the Wizards’ season will end in the first round for the third straight year. 

One scout said via email that, “It’s more just a series of unfortunate events. Injuries last season and injuries again this season. I questioned how much they would mesh with [Gilbert Arenas’] return. I believed Gil’s return would affect [DeShawn] Stevenson’s play the most. [Antonio] Daniels is back to being an afterthought again. If he doesn’t contribute, he gets frustrated. Just a tough deal to work out in two weeks.”

Though many in this area, and a few nationally, picked the Wizards to win, one coach disagreed.

“You weren’t favored to win, so I don’t know why you’d put that on Eddie,” the Eastern Conference coach said. “They’ve never been favored in a series against Cleveland. If they were the No. 1 seed and got beat by the No. 8, now you’re talking a different story. But is that team better than Cleveland? They don’t have the best player and the best players win when they step up — and LeBron steps up in the playoffs.

“Eddie’s game plan has been sound; but when you have a guy who can put people on his back, it’s a huge difference. The only thing I didn’t like is, don’t give him extra incentive. Washington should have kept their mouths shut and killed him with kindness.”

Barry Zito: A $126 million long reliever

1 Are you kidding? Do the Wizards ever learn? Now Brendan Haywood accuses LeBron James of being a crybaby. Um, how has the other trash-talking stuff worked out? For a team that’s never achieved anything, they sure are mouthy.

2 Money for nothing. Seven years and $126 million bought San Francisco this: an 11-19 record by lefty Barry Zito. He’s lost some zip on his fastball, leaves it up in the zone, and is now in the bullpen. This is why you don’t give pitchers seven-year deals.

 

3 In all honesty. If only Roger Clemens had been a little more, well, honest before Congress then he wouldn’t be in yet another mess. But because he wasn’t, more digging ensued and — yada, yada, yada — Mindy McCready has confirmed the long-time affair.

4 Buyer’s remorse. We can’t imagine anyone, especially the Suns and the Mavericks, still thinks it’s wise to trade for aging veterans who are past even the twilight of their careers.

5 Bungled pick. The Cincinnati Bengals (sponsored by Chico’s Bail Bonds), once again paid lip service to character. In the fifth round, they drafted defensive tackle Paul Shirley, who, as a senior at Fresno State, was suspended three times — and arrested!

Rinehart could make an immediate impact

The primary focus was on the Redskins’ first three picks, but the selection that caught one evaluator’s eye was offensive guard/tackle Chad Rinehart, their third-round choice.

“Don’t get me wrong, he’s not a rookie Pro Bowler,” the evaluator said. “But he has a legitimate chance to start as a rookie and I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t start in a year or two.”

The Redskins privately say they would be very surprised if Rinehart became a starter this year, knocking out either guard Randy Thomas or tackle Jon Jansen. But one team source said they definitely project him as a starter down the road, though they’re not sure yet which position.

The evaluator said Rinehart was one of the two or three best lineman at the Senior Bowl and that convinced many teams that he was more than just a late-round guy.

“He’ll surprise people with how good he is,” the evaluator said.

In case you missed it

The Jason Taylor saga continues in Miami. The defensive end, and participant on Dancing with the Stars, wanted to be traded, but the Dolphins declined to do so despite several requests, including from Jacksonville. Things might get worse. According to the Miami Herald, Taylor dropped by the Dolphins facility and hoped to talk to team president Bill Parcells. But Parcells declined the offer and, with Taylor in the room, looked up at him, then returned to watching film.

On the record

“The calls for change are external. Ask others here how strongly they feel for a call for change. I don’t see it.”

— Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney on the outcry for a major college football playoff system.

“Every time you do something good you have to go out to the top step? That’s not baseball.”

— New York Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado explaining why he failed to answer a curtain call after hitting his second homer of the game.

By the numbers

10.5: Scoring average of sophomore guard Ben Hansbrough, brother of AP Player of the Year and North Carolina forward Tyler Hansbrough, who announced he is transferring from Mississippi State to Notre Dame.

25,000: Dollars Celtics forward Paul Pierce was fined by the NBA for making a menacing gesture in Game Three in Atlanta. The gesture is believed to an L.A. Piru Bloods gang sign