WizBlog RSS FeedTONIGHT: WIZARDS VS. MAGIC
Notes, Courtesy of BAS
Tonight’s game marks the second of four meetings between the Wizards and Magic this season. Washington was defeated in the previous meeting, 106-103, in the third game of the season (November 6) in Orlando. The Wizards and Magic will meet again in Florida on January 19 and in DC in the penultimate game of the season on April 17.
* Washington and Orlando enter play tonight in a virtual tie for first place in the Southeast Division. The Wizards (16-12, .571) are ahead of the Magic (17-13, .567) by just .004 percentage points. The last time the Wizards were in first place in their division this late in the season was at the end of the 1978-79 season, when Washington finished seven games ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers at 54-28.
* Entering the month of December, the Wizards stood at 5-9; six games behind Orlando for 1st place in the Southeast Division. With two games to play in December, Washington is currently 16-12; tied with Orlando atop the division.
* With a win tonight, Washington will improve to 11-3 at Verizon Center this season. The last time Washington won at least 11 of its first 14 home games was during the 1984-85 campaign when the Bullets started 11-3 at home.
* Washington has scored 100+ points in 12 consecutive games and averaged 118.5 points in those contests. During that 12-game stretch, the Wizards have improved their record from 6-10 to the current mark of 16-12. The last time Washington scored in triple-digits in 12-straight games was at the end of the 1989-90 season when the Bullets scored 100+ in the final 16 contests.
* Washington’s 12-game streak of scoring 100+ points is actually a 12-game streak with at least 106 points. The last team to score at least 106 points in 12 consecutive games was the 1994-95 Phoenix Suns (14-game streak).
* Entering play tonight at 16-12, Washington is currently a season-high four games over .500. A win tonight would put the Wizards at five games over .500 for the first time since the end of the 2004-05 season, when they concluded the regular season at 45-37.
* Washington enters play tonight with a season-high four-game winning streak. A win tonight would give Washington its first five-game winning streak since February 4-12 of last season, when the team also won five straight.
* With 39 points scored on Wednesday in Charlotte, Gilbert Arenas improved his scoring average in the month of December to an NBA-high 35.0 points per game. If Arenas can maintain that average through the final two games in December, Arenas will become just the second player in Wizards’ franchise history to finish a calendar month with an average of at least 35 points per game. (Walt Bellamy, 35.7 ppg in January, 1962).
* Washington’s win in Charlotte on Wednesday marked the team’s sixth win in its last seven road games. After beginning the season 0-8 on the road, the Wizards became the first team in NBA history to win six of seven road games immediately following a streak of at least eight road losses to begin a season.
* In other news…Antonio Daniels still leads the NBA in assist-to-turnover ratio (4:1)…DeShawn Stevenson will face his old teammates for the second time tonight. Stevenson appeared in and started a career-high 82 games for Orlando last season, and averaged 11.0 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game…With Gilbert Arenas’ 39-point outing in Washington’s last game, the Wizards improved to 13-1 this season when Arenas scores 30+.
December 29th, 2006 at 4:19 PM
We are playing great. Our biggest achilles heel is our bench output - weak to say the least. I hope Hayes will start getting some consistency soon. Antonio needs to keep bringing it to the hoop.
Stephenson has been shooting the lights out.
Go Wiz! Go Arenas MVP!
December 29th, 2006 at 7:27 PM
Doesn’t look like the Wizards will get to 42 points in the first quarter. Wizards trail Magic 15-20 with 3:30 left.
December 29th, 2006 at 7:33 PM
Hedo Turkoglu is en fuego folks…in the zone…break out the Hibachi….
December 29th, 2006 at 7:34 PM
As you just said Wizardsdotcom it won’t be a 42 points first quarter, but arenas made a nice and 1 !! We’re 22-26 and 1:18 left.
December 29th, 2006 at 7:35 PM
Orlando’s doing something against the Wizards that few teams haven’t in the past two weeks: control the tempo. With the score 26-31 Magic after 1Q, they’ve definitely slowed (at least for one quarter) the run and gun Wizards.
December 29th, 2006 at 7:39 PM
looks like it’s you and me online tonight mehdi. C’mon, everyone out there can’t tell me they have something better to do on a Friday night (on a long weekend) to hang out online with us!
December 29th, 2006 at 7:54 PM
I wanted to say that I hop that the magics will get tired cuz we’re not playing our best basketball…
December 29th, 2006 at 8:00 PM
Wiz can’t seem to cut into the lead - it seems like they get within five and Orlando hits a basket (on cue, Jameer Nelson hits a three to push it to eight…)
December 29th, 2006 at 8:09 PM
Ivan Carter is going nuts over the last Andray Blatche basket
December 29th, 2006 at 8:10 PM
Blatche’s three-point play to end the half was huge, but Jameer Nelson hits a lay-up at the buzzer to push the lead back to four.
Wizards trail 59-63 at the half.
December 29th, 2006 at 8:13 PM
Wow Blatch 3 points was great!! I tought the Wiz would be led by more than 4 at the halftime, it’s not so bad knowing that we can, and I think that we’re going to, play really better…
December 29th, 2006 at 8:26 PM
we look a little off cant point it out but i know we are not playing our tempo and they were going at Haywood but now there playing small ball and i hope they get tired but there bench is deeeeeeeep and i think they can over come that but i think we need to come out and push the ball and make that extra pass
December 29th, 2006 at 8:35 PM
Finnaly we’ve got the lead!! 67-65, more energy on the Wizard’s side and that what we needed!!
December 29th, 2006 at 8:47 PM
That’s what I wanted to see, we’re leading by 8 and even better, Brendan is not injured!!
December 29th, 2006 at 8:57 PM
OK, so there was a bit of a turn around in the third, with the Wiz building the lead as big as seven. But the Magic closed the quarter with a run to pull them within three (including what may be one of the weirdest four-point plays I’ve ever seen: a Howard dunk and one, missed FT, ORL offensive save which led to an easy lay in).
Wizards up 85-82 after three…
December 29th, 2006 at 9:08 PM
Yeah Booth - Big Cal hits a jumper to put the Wizards up 5, 8:30 to go.
December 29th, 2006 at 9:10 PM
I hope there aren’t any Knick fans watching right now - Trevor Ariza is having a great night…
December 29th, 2006 at 9:13 PM
Gilbert…showing signs (I love Marv Albert-isms…)
Arenas has 33, 6:08 to go.
Looks like the Wizards streak of games with at least 106 points will reach 13 games…
December 29th, 2006 at 9:22 PM
And the crowd erupts as Brendan Haywood draws the charge on Dwight Howard! 3:20 left, Wizards up three, 107-104.
December 29th, 2006 at 9:25 PM
Just saw a stat on the screen:
Wizards have just one turnover in the last 8 minutes with AD in the game.
December 29th, 2006 at 9:27 PM
Magic take back the lead 108-107 off a Jameer Nelson layup…
December 29th, 2006 at 9:32 PM
It’s tied with something like 1 minute staying in the regular time. EJ called a time-out. I don’t like to see my man Antawn Jamison so much on the floor and getting fouled….
December 29th, 2006 at 9:32 PM
Caron Butler hits an 18 footer to give the Wizards a two point lead, 110-108
December 29th, 2006 at 9:33 PM
Jamison hits both, 12.7 left.
Crowd on their feet, Cue Rock N’ Roll Part II
December 29th, 2006 at 9:33 PM
Turkoglu (finally) misses a jumper.
Shot clock differential at one
Antawn to the line
December 29th, 2006 at 9:35 PM
Oy - Dooling hits a three, Wizards up one.
FreeeeeeThroows are going to be H-U-G-E
December 29th, 2006 at 9:37 PM
Hmmmmm….Butler to the line for two, but more importantly, Hedo Turkoglu has fouled out…
December 29th, 2006 at 9:37 PM
WOWOWOWOWOWOOOW 3.3 seconds left, Wizards up by 1!! COME ON WIZZ!
December 29th, 2006 at 9:38 PM
Caron misses both.
Ever seen 20,000+ cringe? They just did.
December 29th, 2006 at 9:39 PM
WIZARDS WIN A NAAAAAIL BITER!
December 29th, 2006 at 9:44 PM
Oh my god, there were purhaps 20′000 persons holding their breath in the Verizon center, but what I know is that there was only one man in Europe holding his breath and it was me lol. Wow what an exciting game (if we lost I would have called it a crap game lol). I almost had a heart attack when Caron missed the two, bt finnaly we made it… Great game guys!!
December 29th, 2006 at 9:46 PM
we won! but wow that was close! i have never seen caron miss 2 big ones like that and never in a row but first place is ours !
December 29th, 2006 at 10:19 PM
I would like to say that Orlandos bench is fantastic with Arroyo,Dooling and Arizza coming off the bench on fire.I only wish we “Wizards” had a explosive threesome off the bench such as you guys.I wish you guys well because you fought your hearts out but my Wizards had the Basketball Gods looking out for them this time!We missed some important free-throws down the line and thats just can’t happen when we get into the playoffs.Now we must forget about this hard fought game and go into our 12 hour hibernation period so we can fight again tomorrow with the most dangerous team at home in the NBA today the Milwaukee Bucks and the it’s Preachers Son leading the way!!