As expected, the Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the injury riddled Washington Wizards 97-90 on Monday, completing the team's first ever sweep in franchise history.

Washington's loss, however, meant that every team representative from the Southeast Division has been swept in the opening round.  Chicago took care of Miami, and Detroit defeated Orlando.

LeBron James was close to a triple double, finishing with 31 points, 11 rebounds and 7 assists, while Antawn Jamison again tried to carry his team, matching James' 31 points.

The Wizards were without two All-Stars, Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler, throughout the entire playoffs, making their chances of advancing a long shot at best.

The Cavaliers will now play the winner of the New Jersey-Toronto series, which the Nets lead 3-1 and have an opportunity to close out Tuesday in Toronto

The criteria for whether Gilbert Arenas decides to leave the Wizards following the 2007-2008 season will be whether or not they have a legitimate chance of winning a championship.

"I have one more year to see how everything pans out," he said. "So going into next summer it is going to be either this team is going where I think it can go or is it my time to move on?"

All-star guard Gilbert Arenas says he plans to spend this summer rehabilitating his surgically repaired left knee, not lobbying for major changes to the Washington Wizards' roster.

Arenas, who met with reporters before last night's Game 3 against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Verizon Center, said he plans to come back "better than ever" next season. He has been out since tearing meniscus in his left knee against Charlotte on April 4 and underwent surgery the following day.

"I have a long summer, I'm not going on vacation this summer," said Arenas, who will be featured on the cover of the popular video game "NBA Live" when it is released in October. "We'll stay here and make sure this knee is 100 percent. I'm going to come back stronger than I was last year. Faster. I have to work at it."

Arenas said he hopes the Wizards keep their core group together.

In an attempt to inspire the crowd and their teammates, Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler were introduced with the Washington Wizards' starting lineup. Arenas gingerly limped down the steps and across the court on his surgically repaired knee as the crowd went wild.

The undermanned Wizards rallied from a 17-point third-quarter deficit, but again couldn't finish the job in the final period. The Cleveland Cavaliers, mastering the art of doing just enough to win, held on for a 98-92 victory Saturday to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series.

LeBron James had his best game of the series with 30 points, nine assists and six rebounds for the Cavaliers, who are one game away from sweeping a playoff series for the first time in franchise history. Zydrunas Ilgauskas added 24 points and eight rebounds, but the most glaring statistic was the Wizards' 6-for-20 shooting in the fourth quarter.

According to sources with knowledge of the situation, Gilbert Arenas will appear on the cover of EA Sports' "NBA Live."
   
Popular on multiple video game consoles, "NBA Live" has featured Tracy McGrady, Dwyane Wade, Carmelo Anthony, Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan on the cover.

According to the source, Arenas was chosen over Cleveland's LeBron James.

Gilbert Arenas is believed to be considering Jeff Wechsler as a potential agent, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.
   
Arenas, who can opt out of his contract next summer, parted ways with former agent Dan Fegan last summer with no explanation. Fegan was Arenas' agent when the player signed a six-year, $65 million deal with Washington in the summer of 2003.

Arenas has taken control of marketing his image on his own, and has done so rather well. However, according to sources, Arenas knows he will need an agent and is said to be seriously considering Wechsler.

On Wednesday night, Drew Gooden poured it on for the Cavaliers.

Usually a member of Cleveland's supporting cast, Gooden co-starred with LeBron James by scoring 19 of his 24 points in the first half in leading the Cavaliers to a 109-102 victory over the Wizards and a 2-0 lead in their first-round series.

LeBron James didn't practice. He did promise to play.

Resting his sprained left ankle for another day, James was kept out of Tuesday's workouts as the Cleveland Cavaliers prepared for Game 2 of their Eastern Conference series against the Washington Wizards.

"I'll be ready," James said.

During the 15-minute segment of practice open to the media, James stood on the baseline and watched as his teammates took jump shots. He did try a few free throws, but that was it.

LeBron James says his sprained left ankle -- swollen, sore and stiff -- won't keep him out of the playoffs.

He spent most of Monday getting treatment after twisting his ankle Sunday during the third quarter of Cleveland's 97-82 win over Washington in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference series.

"It's OK," James said. "It's what I expected, soreness and stiffness. If we had a game today [Monday] I'd definitely be able to play, so I'm headed in the right direction."

Washington Wizards forward Caron Butler had the cast removed from his broken right hand Monday and was told to avoid contact for a week to 10 days.

Even before Butler's cast was replaced by a splint, Wizards coach Eddie Jordan ruled out having the All-Star back for the team's first-round playoff series against Cleveland.

"He is not in our plans, right now -- not as a player," Jordan said after practice Monday. "If we get deeper in the playoffs, possibly, but not in the first round."

Asked whether there's any chance Butler could face the Cavaliers, Jordan said: "To me? No. Not to me."