By Howard Fendrich
Associated Press
WASHINGTON ó Add LeBron James’ “crab dribble” to the lengthy list of talking points in the Cavaliers-Wizards rivalry.
“I’ll have to check in my book to see what a ‘crab dribble’ is. I’m not quite sure,” Washington interim coach Ed Tapscott said with a smile Monday. “I do know that we don’t seem to get away with very many of them, whatever they are.”
The Cavaliers were given Monday off, so the world will have to wait for more thoughts from them as to whether James did, indeed, travel a day earlier when driving for a potential tying basket in the closing seconds of an 80-77 loss at Washington.
Referee Bill Spooner waved off the play and called the violation. Asked to clarify his ruling, Spooner wrote in an e-mail to a pool reporter: “Three steps on the move to the basket. Basic travel call.”
The NBA didn’t immediately respond to a request seeking comment on whether Spooner made the right call.
On Sunday, James said it was a “bad call” and that “they need to look at it and they need to understand that’s not a travel.”
In giving his take on what happened, James said: “I watched it again, and I took a ‘crab dribble,’ which is a hesitation dribble, and then two steps.”
Asked Monday if he knows what a “crab dribble” is, Wizards All-Star forward Antawn Jamison said, “I know what a traveling is. … I think we all know what traveling is.”
Caron Butler gave a similar answer.
” ‘Crab dribble’ is when you, uh, travel,” he said. “That’s the hottest thing on the market right now.”
Turning to a more serious explanation, Butler said he thought James switched his pivot foot.
SUNS
PHOENIX ó Jason Richardson is facing charges of driving under the influence of alcohol in an American Indian tribal community in metropolitan Phoenix.
Richardson is accused of having a blood alcohol level above 0.08 percent. He’s also accused of failure to drive in one lane.
THUNDER
OKLAHOMA CITY ó Rookie forward D.J. White had a second surgery to remove a benign growth from his jaw and is expected to miss at least the next 12 weeks.
WARRIORS
OAKLAND, Calif. ó Golden State waived rookie guard DeMarcus Nelson and recalled forward Jermareo Davidson from the D-League’s Idaho Stampede.
Nelson, an Oakland native and former Duke star, was the starting point guard on opening night. He averaged 4.1 points in 13 games.