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The Washington Wizards crushed the Cleveland Cavaliers — one of the NBA’s doormats — by 29 points last night.
Stomp wins can be more than a feel-good night where the starters get some rest and the scrubs get to frolic. Those big wins are a better signal of a team’s relative strength than its record in close games.
Now, the Wizards are just 5-8 in games decided by 20 points or more this season so don’t go too crazy. But they’re 3-1 in stomp games since they started their winning binge on April 7. True, those wins are beating up on the league’s weaklings — Detroit Pistons, Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers. But, good teams pummel weaker opponents.