Game Day Orlando
6:05 AM….Dave Johnson checking in…ahead of another big challenge. It is the Orlando Magic tonght at Verizon Center. BLOGCAST starts at 7—again we are blogging while talking on the radio. Gilbert Arenas of course will not play tonight and there is no specifc date for his return but it is a big boost to have him back going through a full practice. Head coach Eddie Jordan: “What was great was that Gil brings energy. His passing was phenomenal. The way he found people with his passing was phenomenal. His team got a lot of easy baskets in practice, not just Antawn (Jamison) and Brendan (Haywood), but also (Oleksiy) Pecherov and Dominic (McGuire).”
As for the Orlando Magic, Antawn Jamison noted that the team will have to be better on pick and roll defense than they were in the first meeting a 94-82 loss back on November 3rd. Once again the Wizards will have to get it done without Caron Butler. We are waiting on an update on his injury. What we do know is that this Wizards team is just working hard and have an improbable run of four wins in five games to show for it. Defense has been a big factor. It is what triggered the second half run against the Bulls and Sunday the Wizards held the Hornets to 41% shooting. Eddie Jordan gave credit to Randy Ayers and his work on defense. Again BLOGCAST tonight at 7…..
7:08…just a quck add for stat buffs… Five Wizards enter play averaging 20+ points per 48 minutes…multi-year All-Stars Gilbert Arenas (27.2 points per 48 minutes played), Antawn Jamison (26.0 points per 48 minutes) and Caron Butler (25.6 points per 48 minutes), and rookie scorers Nick Young (22.2) and Oleksiy Pecherov (20.9).
6:22 PM….Dave Johnson checking in courtside….dealing with Magic frontcourt will be the challenge…..Howard and Turkoglu on the pick and roll will be the big challenge as Lewis a power forward can hit from the outside…could see Stevenson on Turkoglu
6:42 PM…starters are in….nelson, evans, howard, lewis, turkoglu……..daniels, stevenson, haywood, songaila, jamison…
Posted: March 5th, 2008 under Blogcast, Wizards.
Comments
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 5, 2008 at 11:53 AM
big game tonight — and it’s against Superman! We need a shipment of kryptonite!
As to stats, the question is how many points those guys average per 10 shots. Scoring efficiency is what matters.
(you might also look at how many fouls and turnovers – and how few rebounds – e.g. nick averages. He’s a long way from being a productive nba player)
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 5, 2008 at 12:02 PM
For more on the overwhelming incentive players have to score — much more than the incentive they have to *win* — take a look at this post from Dave Berri.
I note that the Celtics are about to sign Sam Cassell, and that last week they signed P.J. Brown. You can write their name on the championship trophy right now.
Comment from LilGil
Time March 5, 2008 at 12:09 PM
Honestly tonight’s game is one of the most important as for me (among these days games). Not that much that I want to win against them, a win against the Cavs ALWAYS feels better 
but this team is one of the few “important” teams (as for us) that we haven’t played yet (that first game doesn’t count for me). Of course we ain’t “healthy” right now so this game won’t provide really interesting news, but we’re in the middle of the season and we’ve proven that we can compete against certain teams, so are we gonna be able to compete with a non-full roster?? Let’s hope so.
Brendan had a decent game against Superman in November if I remember well, let’s hope he’ll do the same tonight.
GO WIZARDS!!! (hope Gil’s knee feels good!!)
Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 5, 2008 at 12:18 PM
UH OH!!!!!!!!!!!!! Domi.Nick Vlog8 preview.
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time March 5, 2008 at 12:47 PM
nice the Vlog is back cant wait to see that… any word on how Gil is doing this morning?…. anyway i think we got a shot at this game as well as Haywood has played this season i have no dought he can slow superman down at least.. an the guys have been on a high as of late if we get out to a good start its going to be a good game
Comment from kayjay
Time March 5, 2008 at 1:04 PM
I’ve been following this blog for over a month now and love the comments from all of the regulars…reading this blog is like my daily Wiz fix…very entertaining! This is my first time commenting though…I’m very excited about tonight’s game and feel that the wiz can come out with the “W”, but ONLY if they can slow down not just superman, but HEDO Turkoglu and his 3-pt. shot! He seems to really get it going against us!
Comment from SportzWiz
Time March 5, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Shootaround is usually a time for the team to go through the plays for that night, it’s mostly walk throughs. Therefore I would expect that Gil did not go through the shootaround because he isn’t goin to play tonight.
Comment from Reuben
Time March 5, 2008 at 3:18 PM
Very important game tonight we need to stop Superman and lets hope he does not throw anything tooo good on us although it would be nice to see. I hope Gil will come back by the bucks game. If we win tonight and Toronto lose to Miami(no chance of that but we can only hope) and then we beat Toonto on Friday we will only be a game behind them.
BTW I got my Never Flat package
Comment from AUNDRA
Time March 5, 2008 at 4:13 PM
MISSION IMPOSIBLE WE MUST STOP OUR ARCH NEMISIS SUPERMAN AND HIS
LEGION OF DOOM AND SAVE THE WORLD. WILL THE WIZARDS HAVE THE RIGHT
STUFF TO NOT ONLY STOP THE MOST MOTIVATED VILLIAN ON PLANET BASKETBALL
BUT ALSO HIS TWO HENCHMEN TURKOGLUE WHO HAS UNLIMITED RANGE AND RASHARD LEWIS WHO HAS BOTH THE MID-RANGE AND LONG-RANGE ICBMS TO BOOT. THE SUBPLOT IS WILL SUPERMAN HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TWO NIGHTA IN A ROW TO GO TOP AGAINST THE YOUNG AND DETERMINED BENCH OF THE WIZARDS OR WILL THEY FADE AT THE END LIKE MORTALS!STAY TUNED FOR MORE ACTION AT 7 PM!
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 4:59 PM
lets hope for another win tonight, hey DJ….how can we win the NEVER FLAT 2nite? I really want one. I called during the postgame show and they told me I was caller 1, but apparently I wasnt and I even knew the answer, really would love the never flat.
Thanks
GO WIZARDS!
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time March 5, 2008 at 5:39 PM
We need the stop against orlando tonight. personally i think if we play orlando in the first round we have a shot at beating them………i cant believe im saying this but i would also like 2 see us possibly playing cleveland in the 1st round because after losing gooden and hughs, i just dont see them being as much of a threat offensively
Comment from Wizfan4life
Time March 5, 2008 at 5:41 PM
im glad gil is back in practice but i just hope he takes it as slow as possible because were not falling with his absence and if he hurts it again it might hurt his chances down the road (re-signing maybe? i dunno)
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 5, 2008 at 5:55 PM
Looking at the rest of the season, and the focus on keeping the 6th position — which would mean we’d play the same Orlando team we’re facing tonight — the main threat is Philadelphia.
Right after the Kidd trade, I commented in a blog post here that I saw no help for NJ in the trade; I thought they might fade. So far it looks like I’m right. I also said that the sixers were improving, and they are. Their rookie, Thaddeus Young (taken 12th), has really stepped up.
They are 10-3 in the last 13 games; obviously, if they keep playing like that they’ll get by us (winding up w/ 44 wins). I can’t see that happening, so lets assume they go 12-9 to close out w/ 40 wins. What do we need to do to stay ahead of them?
If we have the tie-breaker (which I don’t know), then we need to go 11-12. Makes it obvious how important tonight’s game is. We need to get these guys tonight.
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 6:49 PM
6:22 PM….Dave Johnson checking in courtside….dealing with Magic frontcourt will be the challenge…..Howard and Turkoglu on the pick and roll will be the big challenge as Lewis a power forward can hit from the outside…could see Stevenson on Turkoglu
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 6:57 PM
agent zero is getting closer n closer to a return. can’t wait to see that (in)famous number 0 back on the court screamin HIBACHI!!!
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:01 PM
6:42 PM…starters are in….nelson, evans, howard, lewis, turkoglu……..daniels, stevenson, haywood, songaila, jamison…
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:06 PM
having gil bakc at practice is just such an emotional lift
Comment from neal
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:23 PM
Loved your post Aundra. Welcome back.
Let’s go Wiz.
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:27 PM
Keys: Keep Howaed off the Boards<, screen and Roll D on Hedu and Howard, good rotations!
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:30 PM
gotta contain superman.
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:36 PM
looking like an ugly start
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:37 PM
needed that time out…non rythym jump shots
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:39 PM
12 paint scores for magic
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:40 PM
Nice job by Haywood saying in between him and the basket
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:43 PM
man thats got to hurt he was all over that 3 times
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:47 PM
gotta hit all three of these FTs
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:48 PM
am i the only one blogin? and that was a nice play by Twan just funny because he was waiting on the guy to jump at him like he just knew it was coming
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Wiz needs to be more disruptive with Jameer Nelson
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:56 PM
that’s bullcrap
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:58 PM
magic really efficinet
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:00 PM
mason’s comin out firing!
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:02 PM
I GET BUCKETS SON!
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:03 PM
9-0 run 1:36 by wizards bench
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:06 PM
why is deshawn doing all this dribbling, need to run the offense
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:10 PM
he has to play point wuth daniels out….it has been a good effort by this bunch..need to spread court on offense
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:14 PM
turnovers hurting wiz…14 magic points
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:15 PM
ya i agree he is the PG with daniels on the bench but he doesn’t need to be dribbling 1-on-1, he’s got 4 other guys out there.
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:19 PM
14-3 points off tos ..difference
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:23 PM
i have confidence in our team… we’ve been playing great in the 4th quarter as of late, so hopefully we will pull it out of our butts by then
Comment from ChenierFan
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:29 PM
Wiz D getting shredded so far. Too much dribble penetration leading to lay-ups because the help defense does not want to slough off of Howard. Maybe things can change after the half.
Does Blatche have a problem with stuffing the ball? Does it bother his wrist? If I was 6’11″ I would jam whenever I got the chance. That series of lay-up misses really hurt.
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:32 PM
so how is the never flat going to work tonight?
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:35 PM
just checking out the comments….yeah defense in general has been a problem…need that spark on defense….like we did in the chicago game
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:37 PM
spalding never flat apck will be given away with a trivia question….in the post game with glenn on the radio….listen to win…i will pick a random winner friday from the entries at wizardspomotions@washsports.com
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:40 PM
glenn says need pop on defense…contain dribble penetration…get deflections
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:41 PM
good ball movemnet
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:42 PM
i sent u my email to the following address WizardsPromotions@washsports.com is that right becuase the one you wrote says pomotions. Hope to win, what should have I included in the email….besides my name and address….??
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:48 PM
yes it should be wizardspromotions@washsports.com…just name and address..
still not enough defense
Comment from TAG FLIP
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:56 PM
can we stop this bleeding already?
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 8:59 PM
we can only hope…..it has just not been a good defensive night
Comment from LilGil
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:00 PM
Wow I think I pretty much missed the three first quarter of this one…. Not a comfortable position as far as now…
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:02 PM
blatche tried too much
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:04 PM
when should i call for the never flat, before he announces he is doing it or wait for him to announce it
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:07 PM
just listn to him ask the question and call
Comment from LilGil
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:08 PM
Well as I just arrived, watching at this game from this point it looks like a done game. I mean we’re down by 20, still one quarter to go, you expect good energy and “hope” from our team and I don’t see this… Let’s hope we play better D during that fourth quarter cuz they’re really scoring easily…
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:20 PM
is there a reason y sportstalk 980 is spanish music and not the game?
Comment from wiz-skins07
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:22 PM
horrible horrible game..truthfully we havent played that bad except for the `st quarter and we cant get on the boards
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:23 PM
is the postgame goin to be on 980?
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:23 PM
no it should be the game
Comment from wiz-skins07
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:25 PM
nick having a really nice game….has 10= points and a couple of boards….perfect 5-5 from the field
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:26 PM
nope its spanish music 980am……………………im listen on my radio…….do i win a spalidng pack for having someone fix this because all i hear is spanish music…hehe……..go wizards
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:27 PM
same with me…….lol…but i found a problem……….
Comment from Jason C
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:28 PM
Ouch just checked in, big picture people, remember the big picture.
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:28 PM
natsdude you must be picking up the wrong station…….i can assure you the game is on 980…….
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:29 PM
thank yyou jason c
Comment from LilGil
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:29 PM
you can’t listen to the game through an online broadcast of the radio, so I don’t know if that’s what you’re doing??? It’s either you get it with your radio either you listen to the game through the NBA link.
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:30 PM
i checked on 5 different radios its on 980AM………r u sure its not on ur end, i really want the never flat and i want to hear the post game, its spanish music……….
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:30 PM
no its a regular radio
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:33 PM
help….i wanna hear the postgame show….
Comment from Jason C
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:34 PM
when i mean big picture, I mean at least Rasho Nesterovich isn’t killing us like he is against miami.
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:35 PM
o man its postgame time and no radio except for spanish music NEVER FLAT AHHHGH!!
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:35 PM
natsdude maybe you are outside the listening area…i can only tell you there is not spanish on 980
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:36 PM
we will bounce back..i have no doubt
Comment from LilGil
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Least interesting 4th quarter I ever seen… I hope I can catch the game sometime to understand what went that wrong. Anyway we have to wake up before friday cuz we’ll play another team which was crushed by the Magics (not by as much as us I believe). See ya guys.
Comment from Jason C
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:36 PM
Good thing we harvested those wins against chicago and new orleans.
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:36 PM
there is spanish on 980….im in Montgomery County…
Comment from Jason C
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:38 PM
hey nats im in montgomery county too and i hear the broadcast fine
Comment from Jason C
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:38 PM
worst case nat’s i’ll post the question as soon as i hear it
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:39 PM
ok…i moved to the other end of my house with the same radio and its ok now…..must be something wrong on that end of the house…did i miss it?
Comment from DJ-WizardsRadio
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:39 PM
well i don’t know what to tell you hopefully it will clear up but i had an enegineer check….
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:39 PM
thnx jason
Comment from Jason C
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:39 PM
ah ok nevermind nats, you should be good.
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:42 PM
hopefully they answer me this time…
Comment from natsdude562
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:51 PM
they didnt answer me all man!
Comment from wiz-skins07
Time March 5, 2008 at 9:59 PM
yes….yes…i won it…im Miguel….
GO WIZ
thanks dave and glenn…cant wait
yesssssssssssss
Comment from wiz-skins07
Time March 5, 2008 at 10:01 PM
hey dave can you congratulate me again on the radio but this time use my alias:
wiz-skins07
Comment from GrifonRacing
Time March 5, 2008 at 11:47 PM
The second team did a GREAT job. Why were they off the court so much?
Comment from Bridge
Time March 5, 2008 at 11:56 PM
Welcome Kayjay!
Ok, I’m awful with the flu so I wasn’t able to comment as much, but I did see the game. So I was laying here dying with my flu, and died some more seeing the game, but I still love my Wiz and cheered with an annoying raspy voice (y’all should hear it). They just looked as if they lost energy by the second quarter, but we’ll grab the next W. My favorite part of the game was when Caron just popped out his stray and started chewing – classic!
Damn Natsdude; I’m sure we all want to win, but for some reason, I’m REALLY hoping you win. I’ll be chanting on Friday: Win Natsdude, win!
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time March 6, 2008 at 1:09 AM
i am with you my head is killin me but that was a bad loss no one played hard… no energy… no heart
Comment from Reuben
Time March 6, 2008 at 7:24 AM
I was at the game last night and it was probably one of the worst games I had ever seen. I think after the first 5 minutes of the 1st quarter they did not care who won( at least thats what it looked like). The only real popsitive from last night was Nick “Bean Burrito” Young.
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 6, 2008 at 7:48 AM
I didn’t watch much of the 2d half; it was too one-sided. So I didn’t see Nick’s stretch of good play. I’d be more interested to see him contribute to *a win* in any case.
Comment from wiz-skins07
Time March 6, 2008 at 10:27 AM
man….first you guys bash nick for not playing good and then instead of cnotirbuting to a 30 point los which could of been a 50+ point loss…..you still bash…him
i guess you really dislike nick…..sad..sad..sad
Comment from LilGil
Time March 6, 2008 at 12:49 PM
I do like Nick 
But honestly as Reuben said it, it looked like the win wasn’t at stake… I mean I seen the end of the 3rd and the whole 4th and it was like we were practicing for friday but not really carrying about the game which was taking place!!! Hopefully we can win in Toronto…
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time March 6, 2008 at 7:01 PM
I like Nick a lot — I think he is smart, funny, and talented. I love the vlogs, and I love his shot. He played a good game last night in garbage time — like a pickup game.
But, Nick doesn’t have an NBA game yet. He loses focus on defense pretty easily, he fouls too much because of bad defensive execution, he turns the ball over too much, and he gets too few positive statistics *other than* scoring.
Nor does he score very efficiently, largely because he shoots too often. I see him shoot sometimes, because *he doesn’t know what else to do.* He’s worked himself into a problem by over-dribbling.
For example, does Nick have a catch-and-shoot game at all? Can you remember a single case of him coming off a pick, catching a pass and shooting (ala Rick Hamilton, to whom someone compared him wrongly)? I can’t think of even one instance of that (unless it happened in the 2d half last night).
If you look at his numbers, his productivity is among the worst in the league. It’s just a fact. Now, does that mean he lacks talent? No. He has *lots* of talent. That talent made it possible for him to excel in earlier careers — without actually learning much about the game of basketball! Here’s hoping he learns. He hasn’t improved much so far in his first nba season.
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Comment from aznzero
Time March 5, 2008 at 7:44 AM
happy gil is finally practicing. what does he have to do? get in shape? Then he’ll be back right? I just cant wait to see him on the court!