WizBlog RSS FeedTONIGHT: WIZARDS-RAPTORS
Notes Courtesy of BAS
The Wizards will host the Toronto Raptors tonight at Verizon Center on Comcast SportsNet and WTEM 980 at 7:00 pm.
Tonight’s game marks the fourth and final meeting between the Wizards and Raptors this season. Toronto was victorious in the first two meetings this season in Canada, before Washington defeated Toronto at Verizon Center in the last match-up on March 6.
* The Wizards have won six consecutive games against Toronto at Verizon Center, having last lost to Toronto at home on March 4, 2003 during the 2002-03 NBA season. Washington and Toronto enter play tonight with the all-time series knotted at 22-22.
* Washington’s 129-109 victory against Toronto earlier this month featured the Wizards’ highest scoring output in a non-overtime game this season. In that game, Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison (25 points apiece) led six Wizards players in double figures in scoring. The Wizards connected on 45-of-88 field goal attempts (.511) in that game, and are now 14-1 this season when shooting .500+ from the field.
* The Wizards are 24-16 to date vs. Eastern Conference opponents, and 16-4 this season vs. Eastern Conference opposition at Verizon Center. Additionally, the Wizards enter tonight’s game with a 26-9 home record to date in 2006-07. Among all Eastern Conference teams, only the Chicago Bulls have a better home record (27-9) this season.
* If the season ended today, the fourth-seeded Wizards would meet the fifth-seeded Chicago Bulls in the first round of the 2007 NBA Playoffs. The Wizards are currently 0.5 games ahead of the Miami Heat in the Southeast Division, marking the first time that the Wizards have been in first place in the division this late in the season since the 1978-79 season.
* Washington (38-32) can overtake Toronto (39-22) for the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a win tonight.
March 30th, 2007 at 6:37 PM
which raptors players will be out tonight? i know garbajosa and bargnani will, anyone else? should be a good game.
March 30th, 2007 at 6:54 PM
The Avery Johnson article “Washington Post” is something ever NBA player and coach needs to read. He tells it all that winning the championship is his only mindset and anything less is failure.Well done Michael Lee you are a fabulous NBA beat writer!Now back to business at hand,we Wizards are going to have our hands filled! Juan Dixon wants payback and he has the stage to ripe off a good one right up our butts. I hope AJ ate his wheaties because there all-star foward is just a beast!Mo Peterson is another concern because he can hit the three ball and can slash toward the basket due to our soft interior!Calderon and TJ Ford attack the basket like no other so we have to be ready for the high pick and rolls with those two and all-star foward Chris Bosh. I definitely will be watching Nesterovic also because he is tough with that mid-range jumper and turnaround jump shot over the small Thomas and soft defense by Haywood!Its going to be full throttle from the jump and whoever gets a lead they definitely will not look back!!!!!!!!
March 30th, 2007 at 6:55 PM
Don’t be too overconfident.
Without Garbajosa and Bargnani the Raptors have beaten the Heat.
By the way Miami is playing in Minnesota tonight.
March 30th, 2007 at 7:33 PM
Getting killed on the boards. Got to get Thomas in.
March 30th, 2007 at 7:46 PM
Can’t trade jump shots with these guys. Got to run the offense & get layups or get it to the bigs inside.
March 30th, 2007 at 7:49 PM
yeah thats for shure the D# is off there is alot we need to work on in the 2ed half but i dont think they can keep this up or i hope they cant
March 30th, 2007 at 8:08 PM
Anybody else notice how much more energy Ruffin is giving? Thomas and Haywood seem like they don’t care that Bosh is putting a clinic on them. Keep Ruffin in the whole game. At least Ruffin runs back on defense and actually uses his head to do smart things.
March 30th, 2007 at 8:09 PM
it was alittle slopy but that was a nice first half we took the lead down to 3 and now comes the real test and thats that 3rd qt
March 30th, 2007 at 8:36 PM
here come the wizards!!!!! there playing on all levels geting steels and easy baskets like there giving them away!
March 30th, 2007 at 9:44 PM
OMG thats all i can say OMG!
March 30th, 2007 at 9:47 PM
whats happening? im on a plane whats happening?
March 30th, 2007 at 10:03 PM
they need to just clean house and start over with the centers. Keep Haywood for a back-up. We have no post. And Ruffins last second “mindless” play has cost the game. Now Gilbert has tried a layup against three Toronto players. Gilbert is by far one of the best players, but his maturity has some improving to do. Even if we make the playoffs, we won’t get far with no post players (i.e. big men)
March 30th, 2007 at 10:07 PM
Michael Ruffin you have definitely made the You Tube not so smart plays of the century.I mean that goes down as a Chris Webber time out dumb dumb play of the college game!I hope you learned because I almost had cardiac arrest from that one play!!!GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
March 30th, 2007 at 10:09 PM
These guys are getting worse as the season’s end grows closer. They will make the playoffs because the rest of the conference is mediocre, not because they are title contenders…..wow, if they don’t get a legit big man…Ruffin, Thomas, Booth, Mike Hall, they can be disposed of, and get a legit big man. C’mon Ernie, we’ve seen this for two years, are the pickings REALLY that slim?
March 30th, 2007 at 10:15 PM
The wizards don’t really suck, they are just a few good players away. They don’t need bench players that can take turns being inactive, spend some money and get a good 7-8 man team. Arenas is not totally mature yet, but after this year, I expect him to be a little more patient. If Daniels had Gilbert’s abilities, along with his own poise and wisdom…WHEW (we are allowed to dream a little :-))
October 26th, 2007 at 9:53 PM
wizards suck and will until the ownership is willing to spend money on decent talent. screw the luxury tax. If you can’t afford the team sell it.