3:01 AM EST…Dave Johnson checking in….it’s about 2 in the morning…and yes the loss last night was a tough one…we were right there..frustrating that we had  a 30-16 edge in sceond chance points..but at least four of their sixteen second chance points came very late…there were times we had trouble getting to shooters…but they shot lights out with  16 three pointers–Stephen Jackson made some tough shots and needless to say Baron Davis as well…but consider we shot 51% and only had 12 turnovers.. Caron Butler will be icing his knee tonight…keep your fingers crossed…BLOGCAST with the online audio starts at 8 PM…i’ll check in befor then…

 6:59 PM EST…Dave Johnson checking in courtside…watching Caron Butler warm up.. he is a go..he did bang his knee last night….Grizzlies are 3-9 but have four losses by three points or less..this has not been a fun place to come.. have not won here since the opening game of the 2004 season when we dressed only eight players….radio broadcast starts at 8:00PM..

7:43 EST…starters are in…second night in a row Grizzlies go with a smaller lineup….swift its…navarro starts wth stoudemire in backcourt  gasol center  gay and miller  forwards…..wizards….daniels stevenson  haywood  butler and jamison

7:57 AM…Dave Johnson checking in…it is game day…. BLOGCAST will start at 7 tonight….hope you can join us…a link for listening online will be posted at the top of the page before game time……going for seven wins in a row…. A win against the Warriors will give Washington its first seven-game winning streak since the 2004-05 season, when the Wizards won seven consecutive games from January 2-15, 2005..yes Gilbert is going to be missed…but I am encouraged by our depth….I remember last yearat this time I was wodnering where the scoring would come from beyond the big three……wel are seeing confirmation that Nick Young can create and score off the bench… and how about Blatche… he has averaged 19.0 points (.621 fg%), 10.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.0 blocks  in the last two games…..in short we are in better psotion this year to try and make up for Gil’s lost points…. check back later…feel free to post questions.. and by the way Pecherov is probably two weeks away from coming back.

6:20PM…starters are in…Haywood is back….jamison, butler, stevenson, daniels…..golden state…davis, azubike, jackson, harrington, biedrins….we are hearing blogging..ONLINE radio ..starts at 7 with Eddie Jordan interview…

9:07am….Dave Johnson back from Charlotte….first a big thank you to all Wizards fans who have been so supportive of the team and of the BLOGCAST…I hope everyone has enjoyed interacting with us during the radio broadcast and feel free to post questions for Eddie Jordan…the news about Gilbert Arenas was a smack in the face…but perhaps you heard Caron Butler on the radio post game talking about being so focused on winning last night’s game in Charlotte after dealing with the emotianl strain of the Arenas news. It is going to be a new challenge without Arenas but with this team’s leadership I truly think we will be okay….check back later….

7:54PM…Back from dinner….thanks for all the wonderful comments and I hope everyone had a great day…..when I wrote the note about the Wizards being okay without Arenas that was before I saw Michael Wilbon’s column which is a good read if you grab a Washington Post or online at washingtonpost.com…and when I say okay…I don’t mean the same….we are going to MISS Gilbert in so many ways…..it is going to be a challenge and it’s not going to be easy…Gilbert is an elite player who is a difference maker against the elite competition….but this is a team that has the characheter to accept that challenge..but NO more injuries please….speaking of which I saw the post about Pecherov and I will ask Eddie about his status on Friday.. check back Friday AM

10:06 am….Dave Johnson will be joining us later, but we just received official word that Gilbert Arenas did not make the trip with the team and will be out for tonight’s game. Also, Brendan Haywood is a game-time decision following his ankle sprain last night.

10:20 AM—Good morning from Charlotte..we got here about 1 am last night….Bobcats had last night off..so this is not one that works in favor of us onthe schedule..but it cuts both ways in the NBA and we get the schedule breaks too…certainly a bummer about Gilbert’s knee…he did have that MRI that didn’t show any damage…but it’s ceretianly been frustrating for him and the team..talked to Phil Hubbard in the post game and there was every indication Gil was going to play last night until right before game time….But ttake heart in the way we are playing..just good team basketball…Gilbert is missed…but the team has been managing games well.. and it did start with the Hawks win and Gil’s success in quarterbacking the team in that game…check back later

6:54 PM…Dave Johnson and Glenn Consor here courtside…you have probabaly heard the news ..Gilbert Arenas is expected to miss three months..had surgery a partial tear of his left medial meniscus…Eddie Jordan talks about it at 7PM with the start of the radio broadcast and you can listen online…no Brendan Haywood tonight sprained ankle–though he did dress for warmups…starters…daniels stevenson blatche, butler, jamison…. felton richardson brezec, okafor and wallace

Dave Johnson now here courtside..read below…no Gil tonight….Earl Monroe at half

Hey Everyone, I’m sure Dave will be joining us soon. In the mean time here are some fun facts heading into tonight’s game against the Sixers.

* This game marks the first of four meetings between Washington and Philadelphia this season. The Wizards and 76ers will meet again on November 30 and February 5 in Philadelphia, and on April 12 in Washington.

* After sweeping Philadelphia last season (3-0), the Wizards are looking to extend their three-game winning streak versus the 76ers. Washington has also won three straight at home against Philadelphia.

* Washington hosts Philadelphia with its four-game winning streak on the line. A win against the 76ers will give Washington its first five-game winning streak since December 21-29 of last season (@ SAC, @ PHX, MEM, @ CHA, ORL).

* In 82 games last year, the Wizards held the opposition to 90 points or less five times. This season Washington has already held five opponents to 90 or less; including four straight. The last time the Wizards held five consecutive opponents to 90 points or less was in Dec. ‘01 when they did so to seven consecutive opponents (7-0) from Dec. 11-22.

* Brendan Haywood has recorded four consecutive games with 10+ rebounds for the first time since Nov. 23– Dec. 1, 2004. With 10+ rebounds tonight, Haywood will record his first ever streak of five straight games with 10+ rebounds.

* Haywood is one of just 13 players across the NBA averaging at least 10 points and 10 rebounds per game.

* After losing their first five games this season, the Wizards have since rebounded to win their last four contests. The NBA record for a winning streak immediately following a losing streak of 5+ games to start a season is held by the 2001-02 Philadelphia 76ers; a team that started the season 0-5 and then won seven straight games to improve to 7-5.

* After scoring a season-low 82 points on Nov. 3 versus Orlando, Washington has increased its scoring output from the previous game in each of the last six games…85 @ NJ…92 vs. DEN…101 @ ATL…103 vs. IND…105 @ MIN…109 vs. POR.

* Last season vs. Philadelphia…The Wizards swept the season-series (3-0)….On Feb. 14, 2007, Andray Blatche recorded his first career double-double (11 points and 10 rebounds), as well as a career-high four blocked shots vs. the 76ers…DeShawn Stevenson averaged 17.7 points per game.

* In Washington’s last game (W, 109-90 vs. POR, 11/17)…Washington’s 16 offensive rebounds boosted its league-leading offensive rebounds per game average to 14.2 off. rpg…Antawn Jamison led Washington with a season-high 30 points…Jamison’s 30 points and team-high 11 rebounds marked his fifth double-double of the season…Brendan Haywood’s season-high 17 points along with his 10 rebounds marked his team-leading sixth double-double of the season…Antonio Daniels recorded his first double-double of the season with 10 points and a season-high 10 assists…Rookie Nick Young contributed a career-high 17 points, and was one of five Wizards (Jamison, Haywood, Daniels, Mason) with a season-high in scoring…The Wizards 62 points in the second half marked a new Wizards season-high for points in a half…Washington’s bench contributed a season-best 39 points…Washington also established new season-highs with eight three-pointers and a19-point victory margin; and a season-low with just nine turnovers.

* Wizards-76ers connections…Wizards assistant coach Randy Ayers spent six-plus seasons as a member of the Philadelphia 76ers’ coaching staff and served as Head Coach of the Sixers for a stint in 2003-04…76ers big man Calvin Booth appeared in 77 games over the last two seasons with the Wizards; his second stint with the team…Booth also played for Washington during the 1999-00 and 2000-01 seasons after the Wizards made Booth the 35th overall pick in the second round of the 1999 NBA Draft…76ers’ assistant coach Jim Lynam was Washington’s Head Coach in 1994-95, 1995-96 and part of the 1996-97 NBA season. Lynam’s son, Jim Lynam III, currently serves as Washington’s video coordinator.

6:10PM….Dave Johnson checking in courtside…all set for Sixers and Wizards…as alwways we will be taking your posts during the broadcast….big thrill just momoents ago Earl Monroe is here tonight…he will have his Bullets jersey number 10 retired Saturday December 1st…he told some great stories and relayed his fondness for the Bullets franchise which launched his career….he will be joining us at half time for the radio broadcast if you have any questions…..

6:15 PM…..Gilbert Arenas will not play tonight ..soreness in his left knee…Antonio will start

6:45 PM……Guys Jumoke got some great shots today of the players in the locker room. Andray Blatche shows off his freestyle rapping ability and then we also get to hear Oleksiy Pecherov sing his favorite song.