Off Night-Day Off
2:04 AM….Dave Johnson just back from Indiana.. There will be an audio report that captures Gilbert Arenas reaching the 10,000 point mark. Sadly the game did not match the accomplishment. The turnovers truly were the story. The Pacers had a four point lead after the first quarter even though they were only shooting 29%–but they were helped by the Wizards who turned the ball over 7 times…Turnovers, quick shots, poor ball movement (too much dribbling) all plagues the Wizards. The Wizards had 19 turnovers to only 16 assists. Lost in the loss was the play of Brendan Haywood who had a career high 19 rebounds…and four blocked shots…It’s fun to watch Gene Banks work him out before games….Despite the loss last night I think there is every reason to stay confident….It will also help to get Antawn Jamison back–not sure of a date but he looks close —As Flip Saundersnoted about Antawn’s absence:
“I am totally surprised how effective Gil has been able to be without him. At times when we play Fab (Oberto)and Brendan (Haywood) together neither one of them is a threat outside of really14 feet so when you run pick and roll they are able to extend their defense and chase Gil around,”
DAVE JOHNSON POSTGAME REPORT
Posted: November 7th, 2009 under Wizards.
Comments
Comment from M2
Time November 7, 2009 at 6:30 AM
Although I am surprised that he & CB3 haven’t gotten into the act to a least some extent?
Comment from neal
Time November 7, 2009 at 9:34 AM
Young sure got a quick hook. Reminiscent of Tapscott. I’d like to see him get 25 min for 10+ games. Why not? Crittenton and Miller are hurt and McGuire and Stevenson aren’t playing well. Our surplus at the guard position sure has gone to hell.
After the first few minutes we looked like a team afraid something bad would happen on each possession. So in most cases something bad happened.
We didn’t pick up the option on Crittenton for $2.3M. James will be leaving. I wonder who would be better for our 3rd PG for that much money. Maybe EG figures he has nothing to lose. He can always get Crit for that or less later.
Comment from Aj
Time November 7, 2009 at 9:58 AM
Maybe not expecting a win against the suns will make us win because I certaintly thought we would be Indy and miami even though they have been playing well.
Comment from gray16
Time November 7, 2009 at 12:12 PM
with the way the suns are playing, and the way the wizards are playing, i’m sorry but you would have to be really biased or a fool to think that the wizards are the favorites to win this game.
it’s going to take a monster performance from someone to win this game, and if gil keeps playing tentative, and caron keeps playing poorly, that’s not going to happen.
but i’m liking how brendan is getting back into his role of a rebounder and shot blocker, the wizards need that, now he just needs to get better at converting in the paint, and defending one on one. someone needs to tell him not be skeered and just go up with the ball, instead of his usual tactics of bringing the ball down and pump faking.
and i agree neal, with deshawn playing poorly, and miller out, someone else needs to get those minutes at sg. mcguire or someone deserves them. nick young’s confidence is shot, and he looks like he is making a bunch of poor decisions out there, so i don’t know if putting him out there is the best thing, but mabye he just needs a game to get it going.
Comment from llballa19
Time November 7, 2009 at 12:34 PM
The Suns are going to be really tough to beat. The Wiz need to snap out of their funk and stop feeling sorry for themselves. This is the NBA and if they come out feeling sorry for themselves it is going to be a long afternoon tomorrow. The Suns will certainly run over us if we do not come ready.
Comment from neal
Time November 7, 2009 at 1:47 PM
I agree, IIballa19. Blaming injuries and the refs sounds like loser talk.
Comment from jeffmalone1990
Time November 7, 2009 at 3:34 PM
Are the Wizards Self-Destructing?
Posted: 11/7/2009 8:00:00 AM
Source: Michael Lee of the Washington Post
The frustration could be heard moments after the Washington Wizards’ 102-86 loss to the Indiana Pacers as a voice, shouting expletives, boomed from the locker room. It belonged to Antawn Jamison, who didn’t play on Friday night but was infuriated by the lethargic and listless display of his teammates. Jamison didn’t mince his words, challenging every player in the locker room, young and old, and peppered his speech with curse words to get his point across.
Jamison stormed out of the locker room after his profanity-laced rant and shouted, “Ain’t nothing funny about this!”
The frustration could be seen upon entering the locker room, as a shattered fruit plate rested against a wall, cantaloupe, grapes and strawberries scattered everywhere, symbolizing an already splintered team. Six games into a season that was meant to be about redemption, the Wizards (2-4) are already confused about the path they want to take — and if they want to take it together.
“It’s just going down the tube right now,” Gilbert Arenas said after scoring a season-low 13 points, which allowed him to surpass 10,000 for his career.
“I was trying to get someone to play hard,” Saunders said. “I told those guys, I can’t coach effort. You got to come out and be prepared and play hard.
“I thought our effort was poor. I was extremely disappointed. I told them I take responsibility because evidently right now we’ve got to keep pounding away because we’re not getting through in doing the things we need to do in order to be successful.”
Comment from wizards_fusion
Time November 7, 2009 at 3:55 PM
1. i HEART jamison. thank you captain.
2. jamison isn’t wasting time here. if yall remember, he told WAPO that if he sees no progress here, he’s not staying. i think he’s serious about those comments. jamison isnt looking for money – he’s looking for championships. with the way dc has been playing, the team may be too far behind to make that run when antawn comes back. the bleeding needs to stop NOW.
3. Comment from neal
Time November 7, 2009 at 12:08 AM
“Butler is shooting his FT’s with straight legs. No flex at all that I can see. I’m sure I would have noticed if he had been doing that last year.”
excellent observation @ neal! i noticed the same thing a couple of games ago but didnt have the courage to say it. butler is shooting FTs with his arms and elbows instead of using his knees to spring the arc-motion. this was a man that shot 88% FTs a couple of years ago. speaking of FTs, what about arenas’ struggles? i cant explain his inconsistency at the stripe.
Comment from datonypony
Time November 7, 2009 at 4:20 PM
This is the first time I really feel like we are missing Jamison. Despite everything Arenas says etc, he is not the leader type. He still looks like the person looking for the stats to me.
Comment from neal
Time November 7, 2009 at 5:58 PM
I wouldnt exactly say that Arenas is just looking for stats. But he still doesn’t trust his teammates. He thinks no one can play/shoot as well as he.
I have mixed emotions about Jamison’s outburst. On the one hand I think it’s good, but I think Jamison is part of the non-hustle problem on the defensive end when he plays. And he’s hardly known for giving assists either.
Comment from datonypony
Time November 7, 2009 at 6:57 PM
True. But we as fans are all looking for answers so I was just throwing it out there. Man, they really need to get their stuff together.
Comment from Gotabigboyoffense
Time November 7, 2009 at 9:45 PM
Hold on folks. The “experts” said that we would be 2-4 at this stage of the year because of the schedule…and we are. The only difference is that we beat 2 teams that the experts felt we would lose to and lost to 2 that they thought we should beat. BTW, those predictions were made before AJ and MM got hurt, and Yes, we should beat the teams we are supposed to beat if we want to be champs.
I still say that this is a championship caliber team. True, they are several things that have to get straightened out before we’re even a .500 team, but it will come.
Gil has never before been asked to be more of a true point guard; Caron has never been asked to simply catch and shoot (right now he still feels that he needs to create a rhythm before he shoots and he is stalling the offense).
Gil is pressing, Caron is pressing, AJ is frustrated; the big guys are struggling to compensate for the lack of perimeter defense by fouling; we’ve gotten some really horrible officiating…the list of excuses and complaints goes on and on…BUT.
This is an extremely talented group of players. I believe that they will learn to trust each other; the shots will fall; we will get some important “stops” at critical points of the game; we’ll get some calls fro the officials (unless, of course, we’re playing Cleveland 
). The real fans need to support this group as they learn to work with each other. That doesn’t mean that we can’t be critical. How about constructive criticism?
Suns tomorrow.
Big thumbs up for ‘Dray.
Go Wiz!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Comment from Wizards4Life
Time November 7, 2009 at 11:04 PM
+1 Gabbo well put.. theres alot of things we need to improve as a team things can only get better
Comment from dcbutler357
Time November 8, 2009 at 12:00 AM
LOL….No one on the blog has said that they’re leaving, we are just waiting on some discipline on the court, as well as off the court. With the priviledges, come the responsibility. If you want to be considered a superstar/all-star, you have to carry the responsibility of setting the example, going the extra mile, etc. I don’t see any examples being set, except for “do what you want, even though there supposed to be a system in place”. Heck, allen iverson WAS an all-star, but look at him now…..I rest my case.
NO MATTER WHO is on the court, let’s go WIZ 
Comment from dcbutler357
Time November 8, 2009 at 12:14 AM
Also, Gil is just about the only legit passer on the team besides MMiller, we say he should shoot more, yes that may be true, but he hits people cutting to the basket, etc. Yes, he was hurt, but dang he got an assist playing with one hand, that a lot of the players, playing with two don’t make. IMO he gives us that extra pass that is needed for “easier” baskets. Having Gil being the “only” legit passer burdens our offense. So, unless we have someone “hott”, shooting the jumper, as our only way of winning is not good. AND our defense needs to get it together, the three point shooting by other teams is hurting us at the end of the games, combined with our turnovers, makes for a long night.
Are we better than last year, or the same? We are playing, right now, like we were last year (no set plays, defense giving up the threes). I’m sure that will get better (WITH DISCIPLINE). The players on the floor will dictate that, whether they are all-stars or d-league players.
Comment from datonypony
Time November 8, 2009 at 4:23 AM
Argh I can’t watch the game tomorrow, at school. Damn, ah well, hopefully I come home to good news!
Comment from Tom Mandel
Time November 8, 2009 at 3:39 PM
Gabbo’s right guys and gals — it’s early days. We’re a good team. We’ll get our wins.
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Comment from M2
Time November 7, 2009 at 6:30 AM
Gil & Tawn will run pick & roll like Williams & Boozer, Nash & Stat, etc…
It will be a thing of beauty!