Washington Wizards Blogs

When you are in the midst of a franchise-worst road losing streak, there are a few things a team must do to break out of its funk. The Wizards have one half of the game going in the right direction. Over the past few weeks, they have been holding their opponents under 100 points. It is at the offensive end that they have failed to heed the tried and true rules of NBA road success. Flip, guys, pay attention please. We’ll use today’s loss to the Pacers as a teachable moment.

Continue reading "Formula for Road Success Eludes the Wiz"

I side with those who believe that Gilbert’s move to sunny Orlando was in the best interest of the Wizards. His departure provides fans the opportunity to look back on the full impact of his time spent in the Nation’s Capital. Despite his hand in bringing our franchise to some of its lowest points ever, Gilbert’s overall impact on this team has been positive. Here’s why:

Continue reading "Five Reasons We Should Be Glad Gilbert ..."

     The findings from the Washington Institute for Advance Roundball Research’s half-decade long Andray Blatche experiment are in; conclusive evidence indicates he is not worth the continued investment of time or money by the Wizards franchise. Blatche is nearly impossible for an NBA GM to resist. He puts up pretty solid numbers, has length and decent agility, and he is young despite having spent five years as a professional basketball player. Only close observation over a long period of time can reveal that his minuses outweigh his pluses.

Continue reading "Results are in from Wizards' Blatche Experiment"

Dallas Mavericks' new players played well last night, beating the top team in the east in Orlando Magic.

Caron Butler and Brenden Haywood combined for 73 minutes 16 rebounds and 31 points.  A really good bigman and another scorer.  Good Job Dallas.

Continue reading "New faces, early dividends"

Cleveland just got a lot better.   They traded Zydranus Ilgauskas and his 11million dollar expiring contract to Washington for Antwain Jamison who has the same salary.      This adds a power scorer to the lineup while giving up nothing.  Anderson Varejo has been the backup at both power forward and center. This will continue.  Hickson's minutes may decrease, but he is still developing so that is ok.  The first pick won't matter if they win the title.       Also acquired is Sebastian Telfair an up and down career since joining the NBA.  They have point guard injuries so that is an added bonus.

Continue reading "Cleveland set for title run"

Dallas and Washington traded talent this week. 

First Dallas---they get Caron Butler an all star that is almost averaging 17 points and 7 rebounds.  He will replace Josh Powell which is a huge up grade.  Brendon Haywood also joins the Mavs.  This was a good move because Eric Dampier hasn't been effective since hurting his knee.  Haywood is averaging 10 rebounds a game.  The Mavs also get Deshaun Stevenson.  A decent backup.

Continue reading "Mavs A Wizards--gambling"

Houston has been shopping Tracy McGrady all year and something is a about to happen.  The leading candidate is the New York Knicks.  McGrady could be a 20pt scorer again with the up tempo style of play New York has. I think he would be a perfect fit for them. 

Continue reading "McGrady sweetstakes---Knicks?"

As if things weren’t bad enough for the Washington Wizards, Gilbert Arenas and Javaris Crittenton have now apparently decided that the locker room is the right place to show off their guns.

Continue reading "No place for guns in Washington"

   On Wednesday night I attended the Wizards game vs. Cleveland and it was great to see Washington come away with a win, especially in front of a legion of Cavalier fans (where they came from I don’t know).  While the Wizards were able to seize a victory against one of the best teams in the East and an immanent rival, it is still hard to ascertain whether this team is any good.  After a dreadful first half by just about every player on the team I was absolutely fuming in my seat.  It didn’t help to be transplanted in between a Cleveland fan who would say “terrible shot” during all of Antawn Jamison’s trick hooks and a Ohio family of six that probably amassed a total of 3,000 pounds.  The father of that Lebron-rooting herd fittingly donned a t-shirt with the slogan “I’m not going to call you stupid, but I’m thinking about it.” 

Continue reading "Thoughts on the Wizards: Are They Good?"

Last night I was listening to an interview with former NBA head coach P.J. Carlesimo on 106.7 The Fan.  He was commenting on the opening days of the NBA regular season, specifically about the Eastern Conference and his thoughts on who were the better teams.  Not surprisingly he named the top three teams as the “factors,” those being Cleveland, Boston, and Orlando.  He said that there are not any teams even close to those three but on the outside looking in is the Washington Wizards.  The Wizards were the only team he mentioned as the fourth best team and he said this about three times.  These comments got me thinking about what the Wizards need to do this regular season to take the next step and breach that label, in what areas can they improve to develop into the fourth Eastern Conference power? 

Continue reading "How Can the Washington Wizards Improve ..."

After it has ended, it is fairly unclear how much stock can be taken out of this year’s Washington Wizards preseason.  As usual in preseason games the stars generally saw limited minutes, particularly at the end of the game.  When the Wiz played the Cleveland Cavaliers they did not have to deal with Lebron James and the Wizards had to cope with a “swine-flu backcourt” for several games.  It was ironically against those same Cavaliers that workhorse power forward Antawn Jamison endured a shoulder injury that could prove onerous in the beginning of the season.  Flip Saunders remarked that Jamison’s injury is better to occur at the beginning of the regular season rather than the end.  That’s a glass-half-full perspective but far from appeasing for a fanbase that is sick and tired of injuries plaguing promising seasons.  As fans we could revert to what’s become an old adage, that “at least it will give time for the young players to develop,” but after three essentially lost seasons, that contrived positivity has run its course.  It is hard to believe that the trio of Arenas, Butler, and Jamison hasn’t played a regular season game together since April 1, 2007. 

Continue reading "Washington Wizards Preseason Analysis/Season ..."

With the Washington Wizards’ season set to get underway, there remain questions about the team’s chances to compete in the Eastern Conference.  Will Gilbert Arenas stay healthy and be his old self?  Will Andray Blatche fulfill his potential and be the player he can be?  Will the Wizards regret getting rid of Oleksiy Pecherov? (just kidding).  One major concern that will be definitive of the Wizards’ season is whether they can play defense, especially against teams of the East’s top tier such as Boston, Orlando, and Cleveland.  Upon taking a closer look at the Wizards’ personnel, there are several reasons to believe that they can. 

Continue reading "Why the Washington Wizards Will be ..."

  1. Gilbert Arenas will average over 8 assists per game –            It is quite obvious that with all the new offensive weapons and a healthy roster, Gilbert Arenas’ scoring average is going to go down.  He isn’t going to be able to keep up a 29.3 ppg season like he did in 2005-06.  My guess is that his numbers will drop down to around his career average of 22 ppg.  Maybe even a little bit lower as there are going to be plenty of guys begging for the rock.  Scoring averages aside, with Gilbert Arenas back in the line-up everyone will benefit.  Gil still gets respect for his scoring capabilities, as evidenced in the two games last year in which he tallied 20 assists and no turnovers.  He has the ability to draw the double team and help defense, much like Kobe, Dwyane, and Lebron, giving him opportunities to pass the ball off to the open man.  In the two games he played last year, you could see that Gilbert still has a quick first step but is more cautious with it.  That hesitancy makes opponents play on their heels which allows Gilbert to blow by them on a drive and get the basket or draw the foul.             What is going to happen is Gilbert will come out this season as a type of player we aren’t used to seeing wear number “0.”  His essentially two years away from the game have undoubtedly changed his perspective as a floor general.  What will emerge is a Gilbert Arenas that involves his teammates while still showcasing the killer instinct that makes him the great scorer he is.             Gilbert’s career assist average is 5.5 apg, a great figure for a small forward but not up to par with the best point guards in the league.  Here are his assist averages over a few seasons:

Continue reading "5 Predictions for the 2009-10 Washington Wizards"

The 2009-10 Washington Wizards’ roster seems to finally be shaping up as the addition of Fabricio Oberto solidifies their frontcourt with a viable back-up who has significant playoff experience.  Oberto made his name with the San Antonio Spurs, complimenting Tim Duncan and fulfilling that role admirably.  His statistics are unimpressive but he will essentially be asked to fill the Shrek-sized hole left by the departure of Michael Ruffin.  Let’s just hope his number isn’t called to guard a Lebron crab-dribble on the baseline at the end of a playoff game.

Continue reading "The New Look Wizards and What it ..."

Thursday, June the 25th has officially passed as the Washington Wizards remain in a state that few could have foreseen a week ago.  After months of speculation and a calamitous draft lottery, Wizards fans can relax and look at back at what has happened.  No Blake Griffin, no Ricky Rubio, no 5th overall pick, no 2nd round pick.  It was fun but you kind of wish Ernie Grunfeld could have let us know that all of our mock drafts and trade scenarios would be obsolete.  What’s left of the Wizards roster seems to be an incomplete project… still. 

Continue reading "Analysis of Washington Wizards Draft ..."

Thursday, June the 25th has officially passed as the Washington Wizards remain in a state that few could have foreseen a week ago. After months of speculation and a calamitous draft lottery, Wizards fans can relax and look at back at what has happened. No Blake Griffin, no Ricky Rubio, no 5th overall pick, no 2nd round pick. It was fun but you kind of wish Ernie Grunfeld could have let us know that all of our mock drafts and trade scenarios would be obsolete. What’s left of the Wizards roster seems to be an incomplete project… still.

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Washington traded away it's 6th pick in the draft along with Darius Songalia, Etan Thomas, and Oleksey Pecherov to the Minnesota Timberwolves for Randy Foye and Mike Miller.  Two years ago the Wizards were an up and coming team.  That changed last year when Gilbert Arenas was injured and out all year.  Brendon Haywood was also out most of the year  With Arenas back, there will be ample fire power.  The roster all of the sudden looks really good.

Continue reading "Washington Wizards make a bold move--is ..."

It has just been reported by The Washington Post that the Washington Wizards have dealt the 5th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft to the Minnesota Timberwolves.  The package includes Etan Thomas

Continue reading "Washington Wizards Trade 5th Pick, ..."

The last week has been quite interesting in that an influx of trade rumors and draft scenarios have flooded the Washington Wizards internet community.  Michael Lee of The Washington Post has reported rumors of trades involving the Wizards’ 5th pick going to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Cleveland Cavaliers (gag), and the New York Knicks.  While nothing really seems to be of substance, as www.bulletsforever.com has acknowledged, they are impossible to ignore.  Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, and Javale McGee are some of the notables that many teams, as many as 14, have expressed interest in.  As we approach the draft, the fans’ opinions seem to be forming an almost consensus for Davidson guard Stephen Curry.  The Washington Post conducted a poll that resulted in nearly half the votes garnered by Southern Conference product.  DraftExpress.com now has the Wizards slotted for Jordan Hill with the 5th selection while both SI.com and ESPN.com are predicting James Harden.  What do the Wizards need?  And should they draft for need or get the best player?  Both possibilities, in my opinion, may indeed overlap.  
I believe the most glaring need for the Washington Wizards is at the guard position.  The Wizards have addressed the frontcourt pretty aggressively in recent years with the draft of McGee, Pecherov, and grooming of Andray Blatche.  What appears to have happened is a negligence of the need for a guard, evident in the acceptance of Roger Mason, Jr.’s departure.  Right now as the roster stands the Wizards possess a superstar in Gilbert Arenas but no significant contributor behind him.  Stevenson could very well be done as the only thing he can do these days is talk trash.  Even at his best he would be most effective coming off the bench.  His occasional 3-point hot streak and solid defensive play would be a nice commodity in a reserved role.  Nick Young is on the verge of being a solid 2 guard but an upgrade is certainly possible given the team’s draft situation.  He might be at the point in his career when a little competition wouldn’t hurt.  Mike Jones might not be a Wizard for long but I believe he could give quality minutes in a reserved role.  He is not good enough to be the back-up point guard any more.  I could see his best-case-scenario being reduced to the role of an Anthony Johnson, not the primary back-up but a solid third option for sporadic minutes.  I like Jarvaris Crittenton a lot, he is around 6’5” with good speed and a nice work ethic.  With the overstock of combo guards in this draft the Wizards may be able to pick a player that would still allow Crit room to develop as a role player.  You have to like his prospects with his size and athleticism, he is just a classic case of a player who entered the pro’s too early, only he has a chance to actually make it in the Association.  


Continue reading "Washington Wizards Best Options for ..."

The Wizards were the second worst team in the NBA this year and will get the 5th and 32nd picks of the draft.  Anawn Jamison and Caron Butler had to carry the load and did what they could. 

Continue reading "Washington Wizards and the draft"

19-63.  That was Washington's record this past season.  Dead last in the East. Ouch.  But it seemed like just yesterday they were battling with the Cavs in the playoffs year after year.

Continue reading "Wizards An Eastern Conference Threat?"

http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/workouts_090616.html

This link has a photo gallery of several NBA prospects including Johnny Flynn (Syracuse), Brandon Jennings (Italy), Stephen Curry (Davidson), and Brandon Costner (N.C. State).  There is also a video which is great, I wish I could have been there.  Curry is dropping everything and Brandon Jennings looks real nice running point. 

Continue reading "Washington Wizards Work Out Stephen ..."

Sports Illustrated has reported a possible trade between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Washington Wizards involving Antawn Jamison and Mike James.  It was originally brought up by DraftExpress and it would land the Wizards Ben Wallace, who may retire, and Sasha Pavlovic who is under a "non-guaranteed contract for next season."  And what I am assumng is a joke, they said the Wizards may possibly have to surrender the 5th pick.  A deal involving those players in return would make sense financially but the Wizards need to get some value for a player as good and consistent as Antawn Jamison.  If the mindset is win now, Antawn's 20 and 10 production would need to be replaced, and quickly.  I could see this deal if they were bringing in Blake Griffin but acquiring a replacement power forward is just unrealistic at this point.  Also, it would be interesting to see Ben Wallace's opinion on returning to the Wizards.  I am not sure of how his departure went but I know his teamate on the Detriot Pistons, Richard Hamilton, did not enjoy his stay. 

Continue reading "Sports Illustrated Reports Cavs-Wizards ..."

The Washington Post’s Michael Lee reported yesterday that the Wizards are “possibly leaning toward Davidson point guard Stephen Curry.”  It is now a rumor that the Washington Wizards are intrigued by the scoring phenom whom many teams have expressed interest in, including the New York Knicks and Charlotte Bobcats.  Stephen Curry was originally projected outside the top five, closer to the tenth pick.  If it is true that Ernie Grunfeld is interested then the Wizards may be looking to draft more for need than just going with the best player available.  This assertion contradicts Grunfeld’s statements last month about picking the best player still on the board.  This could also mean that the Wizards are indeed looking to trade back in the draft, possibly around the mid-to-late lottery or even later.  This is a theory fueled by Michael Lee of The Washington Post who reported that the Wizards were working out Louisville’s Terrence Williams today. 

Continue reading "Washington Wizards Possibly Interested ..."

According to Chad Ford of ESPN, the Wizards are in preliminary talks to discuss a trade with the team holding the no. 3 choice in the NBA Draft, the Oklahoma City Thunder.  It is said that Ricky Rubio's agent is somewhat driving a potential deal because his client would prefer not to play in Memphis or Oklahoma City.  It is the same agent as Yi Jianlin with the same desire, for the player to play in a larger market.  They see Washington and Sacramento as having fanbases more suitable for Rubio who is, I am assuming, looking for a latino population to attract to his games.  Fair enough, if this means the Wizards could get Rubio I am for it.  It is said that we would have to give up Javale McGee and our no. 5 pick but that may be worth it for Rubio.  I think Grunfeld is taking a chance on this because he really wanted Griffin or Rubio, the two players who are most likely to be All-Stars in the NBA.  I think ideally we would get a player that can contribute and for cheap on a rookie contract.  If this doesn't work out, many, including those at ESPN, think that Grunfeld will trade the choice for a veteran and/or cap relief.

Continue reading "Wizards May Trade to Pick Rubio"

After all of the anticipation had mounted it was a surprising revelation to hear the Washington Wizards envelope be the fifth pick, the worst possible pick for the team to receive.  It instantly shattered to hopes for Blake Griffin or Ricky Rubio and started what will surely be a hectic guessing game for the next month.  Where do journalists start in predicting what the Wizards will do?  This draft class becomes increasingly hard to decipher after the second pick. 

Continue reading "Washington Wizards Get 5th Pick in ..."

As the 2009 NBA Draft Lottery Looms…

As we near the 2009 Draft Lottery it is time for the Washington Wizards community to get serious about the future of the franchise.  There is an evident window of opportunity for the current squad, made clear by the hiring of Flip Saunders and the extension of Antawn Jamison.  It is Ernie Grunfeld’s belief that the Wizards are one piece away from making a deep run in the Eastern Conference Playoffs.  One thing is clear, the Wizards need to add a player that can consistently contribute right away.  They don’t need another project big man or an offensive-minded guard who needs a few years to learn how to play defense, and they want to get something significant for the value that beholds a top five pick. 

Continue reading "As the 2009 NBA Draft Lottery Looms..."

Say Swine Flu keeps spreading. Say it gets worse, like "Outbreak" worse, and the majority of people in the US get it, including LeBron James. I still don't think I could beat him one-on-one. Even if it was first to score. Or if we played "PIG." Remember when Jordan had the flu in the '88 playoffs, and he dropped 47 against the Knicks, AT the Garden??? We spectators/bloggers/sports fans seriously over-estimate the flu. If LeBron had swine flu, not only would he stuff me like a Quizno's Torpedo, he would still be able to beat the following athletes/teams:

Continue reading "LeBron could beat me with Swine Flu"

Final Score: 113 - 86.

Sheed wasn't kidding when he said that the Pistons are ready to step their game up. If the Pistons continue to play like they did Wednesday night, there is great hope for them in the playoffs. THIS is the team I know and love. I've been waiting for this and I know all you other fans have too. I knew it was going to be a good game after watching the first 2 minutes. Yes, 10 points within the first 2 minutes. They brought their A-game and the Knicks weren't ready for it. Richard "Rip" Hamilton (#32) scored the most points, 22 points to be exact, and had the most assists for the team. Of course, the rest of the team contributed to this victory. Each player was a prominent player this game and were all looking for a win. This is the chemistry the Pistons have been searching for all season. It's crunch time and the Pistons are finally ready to play. After this game, the Pistons are now No. 7 in the East, right next to the Chicago Bulls.

Continue reading "The Pistons RIPPED it up ! (NY Knicks)"

Arenas, Haywood, and What Could Have Been

Up 7, three minutes left in the Washington-Cleveland game. Still plenty of time to blow it, if these are the same Wizards who've been playing all year. Then Mo Williams puts up a shot from the perimeter as Brendan Haywood stands intimidatingly in the paint. The Cavs have taken a lot of perimeter shots on this night, especially when Haywood's been on the court. Williams' shot clangs off the iron, and Gilbert Arenas, like Haywood playing in his second game of the season, goes up for the clutch rebound. As he comes down, Arenas whips the ball down the court to a streaking Antawn Jamison for the breakaway dunk. Up 9. Now it's real. All game long, the crowd has wondered if it should believe, wanted to believe, hoped to believe, and the players on the court seemed to be doing the same. Now they believe. You can see it on Nick Young's face as he takes an Arenas pass and charges to the hole with 1:30 left. You can see it in Caron Butler's eyes as he leaps up to steal the Cavs' inbounds pass down 5 and with 50 second remaining to essentially put the game away. You can see it in the body language of all the Wizards as LeBron does what LeBron does, finding open teammates, hitting long three after long three, and generally defying every rule about how basketball is supposed to work. The Wizards team that has played most of this season would have collapsed, folded, stopped playing defense and started throwing up bad shots on the offensive end. Instead, they keep hustling, keep getting after the boards, and let an eerily calm and collected Arenas take control of the offense. And, lo and behold, Arenas, Haywood, Butler, Jamison and the crew make more plays down the stretch than the King.

Continue reading "What Might Have Been: Wizards - Cavs ..."

I have been watching college basketball since the age of on and have seen some really good college players fail miserably in the NBA.  This mock draft is my own version of who I think should take

Continue reading "The New Hope for Bad Teams"

 As a portland blazer fan, it is hard for me to want a trade. Trades, especially midseason, can screw a team. shank them to high heavens and back. When we are talking about, sending youth away for a "proven" commodity, we don't know how that youth is gonna ball when he is a big assed man, no longer smooth like babies bottom. Jermaine O'neal for Dale Davis, anyone? That shit is not always a good idea! LaMarcus Aldridge is not an inside beast, but he can jam it with authority and hang time. So I'm glad we apparently got off the Amare band wagon. Amare Stoudemire deserves his props, he can dunk it. He can energize a building. He sometimes wears cool goggles. And he's physically huge.  But he's got more NBA milage. And he's got, potentially future knee complications from his microfracture surgery, the same as Oden, but worse. Longer recovery. Came back and left again. DO we need our two main bigs with bad knees, or at least bigger risks? Aldridge, less Nba Miles, younger, less prone to injury. He may not be the physical specimen, but the dude's only 23. Give him time for those things. He'll end up.. 70 percent the size of stoudemire, but with a better jump shot, and hopefully some defense and motivation! horrah!

Continue reading "Blazer trade scenarios"

Tied with the hapless Los Angeles Clippers for the worst record in the NBA at 10-38, the Washington Wizards are quickly becoming a laughingstock of a franchise. The funny part is, the 10-38 record isn't their biggest problem in my eyes -- it's their decision makers in the front office.

Continue reading "The Washington Wizards are a joke."

Portland Trailblazers stomp Wizards! Like there was any doubt.

So I went to the game last night and not surprisingly the Blazers ended up beating the snot out of the Wizards. Considering the Wizards dismal record - now 9-34 - it was almost everything I expected. The biggest shock of the night was Rudy Fernandez performance. He couldn't buy a basket through most of the game and he's been one of the best things about this season to date. It had to be about  the worst game of his so far. I've also noticed that when Travis Outlaw starts out missing shots it really takes him awhile to get it together and I nearly feel a personal disappointment when that happens because since last season he's been my favorite player. His decisive dunks in the fourth and great rebounds through the second half made up for a so-so first half thankfully! All the way through the first half I couldn't help but wonder how we didn't have a twenty point lead and it just seemed like the guys were playing kind of sloppy. Didn't seem like they were assuming the Wizards weren't there to play, maybe just that they weren't really a threat. Nice to see Oden putting up another double double. His consistancy is getting much better and one of the things I noticed early on is that he was going down with the ball before putting up a shot under the basket and often getting it stripped away. It seems like he's corrected that. It's definitely helped his shot and his confidence appears to be building. Everyone out there needs to step back and give him time and he'll turn into the force of nature so many expected right off the bat. Brandon Roy gave us all a little surprise with the 10 steals he pulled off. So cool how he can really do everything! Now I want to talk a little about something I read in the paper regarding trade speculation between Bayless and Rodriguez. Joe Canzano has written eloquently about subjects such as Katie Shearer and the Christmas game she got to see as well as the sadness of her passing. His articles about her completely brought me to tears and were extremely touching. With all due respect to his knowledge and years writing I did find an article last week baffling. In Wednesday's paper he suggested that Rodriguez should be the one considered as a trade option and Bayless should stay and take over the bench position once Blake is back. Is he nuts!?! I do like Bayless, don't get me wrong, but Rodriguez and Fernandez have a great rapport and since Sergio has been starting he has continued to be consistant and productive. It really seems to me that Sergio is the one who will help us the most come playoff time. Bayless is agressive and obviously has talent but Rodriguez is having a terrific season so far and it doesn't seem fair to suggest that his opportunity be taken away. Everything Kevin Pritchard has put out in the media so far indicates that this team is going to be kept together as is through the season so I'm hoping when Blake returns McMillan can find a way to give Bayless some more minutes without robbing Rodriguez of what he's definitely earned. Last thing I want to mention tonight (and I'm sure some people will find this silly or weird) is that I have been doing Tarot card readings for each game as a fun way to teach myself how to interpret the cards. There's absolutely nothing scientific about it and it's not a serious thing but right now I do have about a 65% accuracy rate and I will probably for future posts put up my win or lose "prediction" before game time. Kind of like Mike Rice doing his Confucious bit. Superstitous people out there PLEASE don't make bets based on this stuff. As the lottery disclaimers say, this is for entertainment purposes only! I'm just hoping it makes my entries a little more interesting and unique.

Continue reading "Wizards really aren't and other musings ..."

In a development that seems to be straight from the "You Have Got to be Kidding Me" line of reasoning, the Grizzlies have reportedly agreed to send guard Javaris Crittendon to the Washington Wizards and a second-round draft pick to the New Orleans Hornets in exchange for a conditional first round draft pick they had sent to the Wizards last year.

Continue reading "Grizzlies involved in three-team ..."

[quote][b]In the second night of back to back games the Trailblazers head to Washington to take on the WIzards

Gametime is four pm Pacific time.

Since this is our first look at the WIzards this season here is a video preview of the 2008 Washington Wizards

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Being a native Washingtonian, this is a painfully broken record. 

I've been living it since their last championship 30 years ago when I was 10 years old. I can still remember the literal dancing in the streets outside my father's restaurant in Georgetown. But then the lights went out.

Continue reading "Washington Wizards/Washington Bullets ..."

A big thanks to everyone who participated in the "Inbound Link Contest".  We have a winner!  A big congratulations go out to Marija.  Thank you for all your hard work on this.  While we had a lot of people participate, Marija was able to win with only 4 links!  So it wouldn't have taken a lot to win this contest!  We'll be having another contest soon so stay tuned.

Continue reading "Inbound link contest winner announced!"

To try and motivate our bloggers to get inbound links we're going to have a contest to see which blogger can get the most inbound links to their blog. The contest begins now and ends July 31st, 2008. To be entered in to the contest all you have to do is go out and get as many websites to link to your blog as you can and at the end of the month send us an email listing all those links. All links must be active from August 1st through August 7th when we'll be judging the entries - a winner will be announced on August 7th. All entry emails must be received by Midnight on July 31st, 2008. You can email them to sportsfan@nbabasketballonline.com

Continue reading "Inbound link contest - Win $100!"

I firmly believe there was no real "winners" in the NBA Draft this year, as you could read on my ealrier blog about the drafts winners. Which by default makes most everyone...well... a loser. But seeing that I am trying to get a job back into the sports world I am only going to identify the three biggest, most miserable, should lose their jobs instantly, abhorrantly disgusting losers of the 2008 NBA Draft beginning with...

Continue reading "NBA Draft 2008- The Losers Addition"

Hey y'all, I think that I'm still in shock and recovery mode after such a sweet, sweet title run by the Boston Celtics.  It's been so much so that I still can't truly find the right words to explain the way I feel now and how the series went.  I couldn't have asked for any more, and the joy that I feel right now is (almost) equal to the feeling I had during October of 2004 when the RedSox broke the 86 year-old curse and won the World Series for the first time since 1918.

Continue reading "Sweet 17!"

Continue reading "Celebration: Anniversary of Kobe's ..."

Well, I suppose that I am getting what I wanted.  The Cleveland Cavaliers are in Boston for tonight's opening game of the second round of the Eastern Conference Playoffs against the Celtics.  A month or two ago, I boldly stated that I wanted the Celtics to play Cleveland in the second round because they are so inconsistent and flawed (LeBron James aside) and I thought that the Celtics had a good chance of beating them.  Judging by the way LeBron performed against the Wizards and the way the Wizards performed against LeBron, perhaps I should have been pulling for the upset all along (I was, secretly.  Nobody in their right mind really wants to play LeBron James, right Gil?).

Continue reading "Cross Your Fingers"

I shall recant my previous statement that it would be good for the Wiz if Gilbert did not return next season.  I said that in the heat of the playoffs moment, very much in the same manner that I said Todd Collins should be the starter next year.  Obviously I said that at the conclusion of the Redskins' miracle run, I honestly thought at the time that Collins would give the Skins the best shot at winning.

Continue reading "Maybe Agent Zero should stick around after all..."

I have been watching every minute of every Cavs/Wizards game and something has occurred to me.  The Wizards are just not a very good basketball team.  I mean were talking about hackish, no t

Continue reading "Goodbye Washington"

Sucks to the site server man, I've been getting blocked (like Scalabrine) by the website and unable to post for a few days.  I'm sorry, and it angers me more than it does you I'm sure.  Anyhow, here is my lovely post, it's not even stale yet! 

Continue reading "Rondo On a Roll, Plus Superstars Shining Bright"

Intensity is a word that has been and will be used very often to describe the current series between the Wizards and Cavs. In case you didn't get to watch the game last night, the second half resembled a college game, and for the most part, the entire game was downright brutal to watch if you are a Wizards fan. The team didn't look anything like the team that has been playing short-handed this entire year. Everyone seems to be worried, and playing like they have something to prove. Obviously they want to prove they are better than Cleveland, but they're only slight underdog's in this series if at all, so it's not like they need to dramatically improve their game to win like the Hawks need to do against the Celtics. They just need to stick with that they have been doing, being patient, finding the hot hand, moving the ball around in their swing offense, and playing good help defense. Almost none of these things are happening right now. Caron Butler seems intimidated, Antawn has suddenly fallen in love with the back of the rim, the big men are playing soft(that's not really new, but still an issue), and Gilbert and Deshawn are looking for foul calls. Butler is being guarded a lot of the time by the flat-footed Wally "World" Szerbiak, and is settling for jumpers. The few times he faced him and put the ball on the floor, Wally looked like he was wearing those big metal boots Sonic The Hedgehog used to be slowed down with. Antawn just seems to want it too much. He needs to let the game come to him instead of trying to force baskets when you have several other capable players on the team. The Wizards seem to play with much more level-heads when they play at home, and the entire team in general is a very emotional one, so Washington is going to need to have it's real fans come out for the homestand so that they can stand a shot at evening up this series for a shot to win it. If they don't feel the love, this series is over.

Continue reading "Go Time"

Seeing as its the first day of the NBA Playoffs, I'm going to be doing a bit of live blogging and writing throughout the course of the day.  This way you'll be able to follow my flip-flopping analysis throughout the flow of the games.  As usual, however, I was not out of bed in time to catch the start of the first game, so although I know you're dying to hear my take on the first quarter of the Wizards-Cavs game, you'll just have to settle for the last three.  Without further ado, here goes.

Continue reading "Playoff Extravaganza Part One: Wizards ..."

To kick off the 2008 NBA postseason in dramatic fashion the Washington Wizards and Cleveland Cavaliers gave fans every element to a great game. LeBron James displayed his dominance. There was trash talk building up. A borderline fight to end the first half. Everything a fan could ask for.

Continue reading "Wizards and Cavs put on a show!"

There’s been a huge hullabaloo over the questionable call (and that’s putting it as politely and as PC and as grossly understated as possible), that went in the favor of the NBA’s favorite son, well his team the Cleveland Cavaliers anyway, and effectively screwed over the hard-working, young 76ers, as well as the loud-talking Washington Wizards. Dropping both into situations, that should, quite frankly, not be—or, not necessarily be.   

Continue reading "Crying Foul"

The play of Roger Mason last night(31 points), and throughout the season, has been incredibly encouraging if you are a wizards fan. The almost robotic form on his shot has led to him shooting 40% from downtown this year. He's already come up huge several games this year with clutch shooting, but more importantly, he may be the key to postseason success for the Wizards. The playoffs are unique because you have the best teams with the best players battling for ego supremacy and a championship. So unlike a majority of games when the dominant players on dominant teams can take over games and almost single-handedly carry their squads to victory, the playoffs allow for very little of that. Now, of course that doesn't mean never(how many times did Jordan just say "give me the ball" and the game was over, or when Lebron scored 25 of his teams last 29 points to beat the Pistons in the playoffs last year) but it does mean that it wont happen every game, or even a majority of games.

Continue reading "Best Supporting Wizard - Casting Call"

First of all, today Gilbert Arenas totally backed up my assertion that the Cavs (despite LeBron James) are ripe for the picking in the Playoffs.  I was openly questioning my sanity then, and now I suppose that I should feel a bit vindicated, since I've been backed up by an superstar player.  The only problem is that Gilbert Arenas himself is certifiably nuts, and so I think I actually feel worse about my mental health, but better about my NBA IQ.  Now, on to business. 

Continue reading "Not to Beat a Dead Horse..."

First and foremost I’d like to extend a big thank you to the Boston Celtics for supporting my earlier post. Once again the Boston “Big Three” took on the D.C. “Big Three” and came up short. The Wizards are now the only team in the NBA to have beaten the Celtics three times. Which is all the more amazing since only 12 teams have beaten them even once. The Wizards alone account for nearly 20% of the Celtics losses.

Continue reading "Agent Zero is my Hero"

So Gilbert Arenas is apparently going to opt out of the final year of his contract this summer and test the free agent market.  Honestly, if I were the Wizards, I'd probably say, "Okay, go ahead lets see what happens."  You know why?  Because, look at how well they played this year without him.  They've got a good core nucleus of players and promising young talent in Nick Young and Andray Blatche.  Yes Blatche and Young don't look like Kobe or Garnett right now, but you can see them progressing.  In fact Arenas' injury this season was great for Young, because he got a chance to really get some experience under his belt. 

Continue reading "Gilbert Arenas return a good thing?"

I realize I'm joining the game a little late here, but at the risk of ending my career on this horrible cliche right now, better late than never. With only five games left and only four games separating spots 4-7 in the playoff race things are getting interesting. Unfortunately for the Wizards, 3 of the last 5 games are against the top 3 teams in the East, in decending order. After hosting Boston, they have to travel to Detroit and Orlando. And in between they  come back home to take on the streaking Sixers, right on the heels of the Wizards, led by Andre Igoudala who has been peeved since the all-star break when Dwight Howard got way more credit for doing the same dunk in the dunk contest that Igoudala did 2 years ago( http://youtube.com/watch?v=w6z9-l4hnMM). The funny part about this stretch is that for the Wizards the degree of diffculty goes up instead of down. As has been the propensity of the Wizards the last few years, they seem to excel against harder teams, such as Detroit, and struggle with the weaker ones, the Milwaukee Bucks.  Just look at how the Wizards have done against the top 3 teams they are soon to play.  The Wizards are 2-1 against the top seeded Celtics, 1-1 vs the second seeded Pistons, but 1-2 vs the third seed, Orlando. This is the reason winning the last few games is so important. The Wizards might stand a chance against Detroit and Boston(I can't believe I'm saying that) but if they lose a couple and trade places with the Sixers for 6th place to take on the Magic first round, Howard is going to Superman the Wizards like Soulja Boy.

Continue reading "The Home Stretch"

It's been reported that Paul Pierce has been icing his knees lately and wouldn't mind a rest.  While this may seem troubling to Celtics fans, it's actually just a nice means for me to explain for the 365,872 time why it is soooooo nice to play in the Eastern Conference of the NBA.

Continue reading "God Bless the "Leastern" Conference"

Brandon Roy goes out in the first half, LaMarcus Aldridge doesn't play, Portland blows out the playoff bound Washington Wizards. Without their two top players, playing against a surging team, tonight's game could have easily been a give away. Instead the bench stepped up and not only got the win, but got it convincingly.

Continue reading "What's Possible"

The Bulls got a look at what is possible out of a big man against the Washington Wizards. Aaron Gray showed a great presence in the paint. He scored. He rebounded and he accomplished something that has truly been lacking in the Bulls game. Gray got the ball in the middle and passed the ball to the outside for the shots the Chicago Bulls are used to taking.

Continue reading ""

The Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant, is one of the best plays in the NBA. Ever since his debut he has broken record after record for the Lakers and that’s when people started comparing him to one of the NBAs best of all time, #23 Michael Air Jordan from the Chicago Bulls. This is an honor. MJ was the best of his time and their will never be any other player just as good as him...... until Kobe Bryant. For example, #23 has championship rings but so does #24. #23 was the team leader but so is #24.  #23 won a dunk championship but so did #24. Except for Gilbert Arenas in the Washington Wizards, Kobe Bryant is the only player who can be compared to the greatest of all time and after scoring 81 points in a single game he proved that kobe, 24 is that much better then jordan, 23. People might not agree that Kobe is better the Jordan but if you ever watch a basketball game today you wont see MJ ballen up the court, you’ll see Kobe Bryant taking care of what he does best and that is taking over his team to the next level until he will win another ring and eventually he will have more rings the #23 the 2nd greatest player of all time.

Continue reading "# 23 or 24 ?"