Written by DCist contributor Matthew Yglesias.

The scheduling gods decreed that for tonight’s season-opening game, the Wizards face off against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the very team that sent the Wiz packing from the playoffs last year in a heart-breaking six game defeat.

Despite the superficial difference in records (50-32 for Cleveland, 42-40 for Washington), the two squads were extremely closely matched last season in terms of point differential and expected wins. The closeness of the matchup was reflected in the outcome of last spring’s playoff series where the Wizards actually managed to outscore the Cavs over the course of the series, while still losing thanks to three stunning late-game failures in which Cleveland prevailed by just one point

Stat-heads attribute such defeats to dumb luck and would tell you the series was a wash, while traditionalists, believing in clutch play, can point to the fact that James made specific efforts to psyche Wizards star Gilbert Arenas out before he uncharacteristically bricked two free throws at the end of Game Six to pave the way for Cleveland’s victory.

Either way you look at it, Washington enters the game with plenty to prove. Most analysts see divergent fortunes for the two teams this season, with King James widely anticipated to lead his team to new heights of greatness and many foreseeing a slip out of the playoffs for DC in an Eastern Conference that’s seen improvements to many cellar-dwelling squads.