Cavaliers superstar LeBron James said he wasn't surprised that the Wizards were more than ready for the showdown with the Eastern Conference leaders.

"Records never matter when we play the Wizards," James said. "It's always going to be like that, whenever we play them."

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Interim Wizards coach Ed Tapscott admitted that the game meant more than usual.

"We get prepared to play them like no one else," he said.

Washington squandered a 14-point second-half lead but held on for the victory.

"We hope that this will give people a bit of a preview of what we will be next year," Tapscott said. "It's what we thought we would be this year."

Arenas was playing his second game of the season as he bids to return from knee surgery. He scored 11 points with 10 assists and six rebounds.

Haywood, also playing his second game of the season after a serious wrist injury, chipped in 12 points with 10 rebounds.

Caron Butler added 25 points and Antawn Jamison 19 for Washington, who ended a three-game losing streak.

Cleveland's James scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half and finished with six assists and nine rebounds.

Arenas said the victory was satisfying, even if the Wizards are out of the playoff hunt.

"For us, it's a real win. Because they're trying to be the best. He (James) is trying to win an MVP award, so they had everything to lose, and we had everything to gain."