Washington Wizards Blog

EDITOR’S NOTE PT I: In my previous post, I stated that the team had a day off before playing their final six games in Vegas. You’d think after a decade around the NBA I’d know that there are no days off in “The L”. That’s definitely demonstrated by Wizards PR Director, Zack Bolno, who sent me another entry for the blog.

The Wizards conducted a spirited one-hour and thirty minute practice today at Christ Kings Church in Las Vegas. The team boarded their chartered bus at 10:30 a.m. and were on the courts warming up a little before 11 a.m. It is the only time on the six-day trip that the Wizards do not have a scheduled summer league game.

Wizards summer league head coach Wes Unseld said after practice that he continues to be pleased with his team’s overall effort in both the games and practices. Unseld’s goal today was succinct: “Let’s clean up a few details which will help us get an opportunity to get in the game the right way and be in the game late in the fourth quarter.” Washington has led in the fourth quarter in both games, only to find themselves being outscored a combined 58-21 in the final period.

HALL OF CHAMPIONS
It is easy to root for a guy like Wizards’ forward Mike Hall during these competitive summer leagues games and practices. Hall, who led George Washington to pair of NCAA Tournaments appearances and also had a brief stint with the Wizards at the end of the 2006 regular season, is a hard-working and affable gentleman. He is eager to get better and always replies to the coaches and basketball staff with a very respectful ‘Yes, sir.’ Not to mention, Hall has been a very steady influence and a vocal leader on the court for the younger Wizards’ players.

“That is my style of play to be vocal and to be all around the court and help guys be in the right position,” said Hall who is averaging 12 points on 47.3 percent shooting off the bench. “I need to be a defensive leader, and that is what I try to do to help our team win.”

Hall also admits to being much more comfortable in his second NBA summer league appearance. He has drawn from his experience last season in which he had stints with the Wizards, NBDL’s Tulsa 66ers and the Denver Nuggets summer league team.

“I have never been so confident on the court as I am right now,” Hall said. “I have grown so much as a player since last year and now I am just ready to display it. I feel good, and hopefully, I can impress some people and do well.”

Good luck Mike. We will be rooting for you.

THE PHONE BOOTH
Wizards center Calvin Booth has been a fixture with the Wizards’ summer league team this week. Booth attended both of the team’s games and was courtside for today’s practice.

Booth’s presence was not left unnoticed as Head Coach Eddie Jordan asked for his assistance during an offensive drill.

One problem, though, did occur as Booth was working with free agent center Kyle Visser.

“I actually showed Kyle the wrong way to run the play, so after that I stayed quiet and I just decided to shut up,” Booth said grinning. “It was a chin flash – and there are typically six options out of chin flash and most of them you stay high in the post the whole time. Kyle rolled on this option and I thought he should have stayed high – but Kyle was right though. So after that I had to stand back and refresh myself on some of the plays that we run.”

Additionally, Booth has been impressed with the team’s overall effort: “I think they are understanding a little quicker than normal how hard you have to play to be successful in this league.”

Booth also signaled out members of the starting five for their high energy level and their steady play during their first two games: “I like the way Aaron Miles has run the team, Nick (Young’s) ability to score with the ball and Kyle Visser’s physical play and the ability to play hard for a sustained period of time. Dominic (McGuire) has competive instincts and good strength.”

INTRASQUAD SCRIMMAGE
Unseld broke the squad up into two teams for an intrasquad scrimmage today. The white jersey team was comprised by McGuire, Visser, Miles, Lee Humphrey and Kevinn Pinkney while the black team had Young, Oleksiy Pecherov, Jameel Watkins, Mike Hall, Jared Homan, J.R. Pinnock and Brian Chase. The white team won both games convincingly (7-0) and (7-2). Sharpshooting guard Humphrey connected on a pair of three-point shots in the first game and added another trey in the second game for the victorious white team.

WHAT’S NEXT IN VEGAS?
After practice I asked members of their summer league team how they planned on spending their lone afternoon and evening off in “Sin City”:

Lee Humphrey: I planned on going to the Hoover Dam Tour – but I heard it is a 45-minute drive, so I think that I will go and watch the Timberwolves and my former teammate Corey Brewer play tonight.

Nick Young: I am headed to Bank of America and then headed to do some shopping. I’ll visit with my mom and dad … and oh, I forgot, I am going to relax in the Jacuzzi.

J.R. Pinnock: I plan to just sleep and stay hydrated.

Kyle Visser and Jared Homan: Both gentlemen were smiling when asked this question. Homan immediately replied and said: I met a nice young lady last night and I am going to take her out for a nice dinner. Visser fired back with a big grin: Basketball first – on this trip.

And then there is Oleksiy Pecherov who is scheduled to join Wizards’ director player of development Harvey Grant, Washington Post “Bog” writer Dan Steinberg and myself for a feast at Eliseevsky, a Russian restaurant. Look for more of this story in Steinberg’s upcoming blog in the Washington Post and also on updates about the dinner on the blog.

Word is that Pech has not dined there since last summer when he was a frequent customer during last year’s Vegas Summer League. Pech dined with Wizards’ assistant director of player personnel Tim Connelly last summer. I asked Tim to join us but he politely declined. I know he really is fond of Pech – so I am thinking it might be the food that turned Tim away. We will keep you updated on how dinner turned out. (Ed Update: Here’s what Steinberg had to say about dinner.)

EDITOR’S NOTE PT II: I hope you guys are enjoying the Wizards-focused updates from Vegas. Zack’s latest entry is showing me that he might be giving our good buddy Steinberg a run for the money.