5:27 AM….Dave Johnson checking in…..It’s on the 76ers tonight. It was good and bad yesterday. It was nice that the Wizards rallied from a 15-point deficit to briefly take a lead in the fourth quarter, but the problem was getting behind in the first place. The Wizards scored 29 points in the third quarter, but paid for a poor start to the quarter when the Celtics expanded their lead. It’s not about competing for the Wizards, but completing. Wizards’ head coach Flip Saunders:

“You have to close out with your defense. That’s how you close out games, and get some pushes up the floor and get some open floor stuff if you can. What you have to do is stay aggressive and flatten out the defense.”

The reboot of John Wall’s 2012 season started with the second half of the loss to the 76ers last Saturday at Verizon Center. Wall recovered from a 7-turnovers first half and really has not looked back. After that bad start against the 76ers, Wall only had 6 turnovers in the next ten quarter he played including a win over the Thunder.

As for tonight Wall believes:

“I think the way we are playing now we can make it a good game. They are a tough team to play against. They are athletic and have a deep bench. We just have to keep playing hard and give ourselves a chance in the fourth quarter.”

We invite you  to join the Blog party tonight. We start at 7:00 PM on the Washington Wizards Radio Network and 106.7 FM… Check  out our list of affiliates…http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/broadcasters.html

 Yours truly and Glen Consor  will be ready to connect with you  as the game goes on. We start once we get set at the arena and then tip off  7:00 PM

Wizards and 76ers …..don’t forget Listen Live link…http://player.radio.com/player/RadioPlayer.php?version=1.1.10137&station=114

6:15 PM EST…Dave and Glenn checking in…don’t forget radio.com for 106.7  or tunein for Baltimore station WVIE…..

12:03 AM EST…Dave Johnson checking in….There is a question about the Celtics’ Rajon Rondo and his playing status. Rondo missed Friday loss to the Suns with a sprained right wrist. Without Rondo the Celtics scored only 71 points. This will be the third meetings of the year between the teams. The Wizards lost each game by 8 points, but pushed the Celtics in the game  in Boston. In the road game the Wizards carried a lead into the fourth quarter before they were tripped up by some empty offensive possessions. Andray Blatche had a game-high 28 points that night and it would be good to see him get going this afternoon.  The Wizards have been struggling to get production out of the forward position, but it was a good week for the guards. Over the last three games John Wall, Nick Young, and Jordan Crawford have combined to score 192 points or an average of 64 points per game. Thanks so much for everyone’s activity on the blog. Remember you can list on your phone with a the radio.com app…It is free.

We invite you  to join the Blog party tonight. We start at 1:00 PM on the Washington Wizards Radio Network and 106.7 FM… Check  out our list of affiliates…http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/broadcasters.html

 Yours truly and Glen Consor  will be ready to connect with you  as the game goes on. We start once we get set at the arena and then tip off  1:00 PM

Wizards and Nuggets …..don’t forget Listen Live link…http://player.radio.com/player/RadioPlayer.php?version=1.1.10137&station=114

7:03 AM Dave Johnson checking in….It was a good vibe last night at a get together with season ticket holders who have been with us for more than 13 years. This has not been an easy season, but we have a shared passion and a belief that the Wizards will find a way to navigate through this difficult start. The win over the Thunder was a sign of this team’s perseverance. On Saturday against the Sixers, John Wall had probably the worst half of his career when he committed 7 turnovers in the first two quarters. Since then Wall has only committed 6 turnovers over the last 10 quarters. The win over the Thunder did serve as a blueprint for how the Wizards need to play to get wins. The Wizards need to shoot better than 38 percent from the field, but regardless of their scoring touch defensive energy will have to be the team’s calling card. Things like Andray Blatche not backing down against Kendrick Perkins and Wall and Nick Young taking charges were as important as points and rebounds. Wednesday’s game closed with fans standing and cheering for the final 1:30. Let’s hope for more of the same atmosphere tonight.

We invite you  to join the Blog party tonight. We start at 7:00 PM on the Washington Wizards Radio Network and 106.7 FM… Check  out our list of affiliates…http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/broadcasters.html

 Yours truly and Glen Consor  will be ready to connect with you  as the game goes on. We start once we get set at the arena and then tip off  7:00 PM

Wizards and Nuggets …..don’t forget Listen Live link…http://player.radio.com/player/RadioPlayer.php?version=1.1.10137&station=114

Wizards Report

Listen to today’s Wizards Report for a preview of tonight’s Wizards-Nuggets game from Verizon Center.

Shootaround Report

8:08 AM EST…Dave Johnson checking in….The OKC Thunder are in town and sporting an impressive resume. They also serve as a reminder to us, that building through the draft is rewarding, but only after going through some pain. In Kevin Durant’s second season the Thunder had a 20-59 record. Jeff Green was also with the team then and it was hard to imagine  then that they were about to become one of the league’s elite teams. That is not to say the Wizards’ future is guaranteed, but with hard work , good health, and the right moves the Thunder has demonstrated the possibilities.   The Wizards will need it all to come together. Of late we have seen pieces in games. Nick Young and JaVale McGee had big games on Saturday. On Monday it was John Wall.

In the words of head coach Flip Saunders:

“In this league, you have to have three players that can score for you to win,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders said. “Your three guys have to be in the upper teens or 20s [in points] and then everyone else mixed in there. We have had a couple, now we have to try and get three [players scoring in the same game]. We are at home and we need to give our crowd a reason to get into the game.”

We invite you  to join the Blog party tonight. We start at 7:00 PM on the Washington Wizards Radio Network and 106.7 FM… Check  out our list of affiliates…http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/broadcasters.html

 Yours truly and Glen Consor  will be ready to connect with you  as the game goes on. We start once we get set at the arena and then tip off  2:00 PM

Wizards and Thunder …..don’t forget Listen Live link…http://player.radio.com/player/RadioPlayer.php?version=1.1.10137&station=114

Wizards Report

Listen to the Wizards Report for a preview of tonight’s Wizards-Thunder match-up from Verizon Center.

3:24 AM EST…..Dave Johnson checking in and getting set for our Martin Luther King Holiday matinee. Let’s hope history is on the Wizards’ side because of the day and the opponent. The Wizards are 5-1 when playing on the King holiday and John Wall has some good memories playing against the Rockets at Verizon Center.  When the Wizards played the Rockets last season on November 11, 2010, Wall recorded his first career triple double with  19  points, 13 assists, 10 rebounds. In addition Wall had 6 steals and joined Magic Johnson as the only rookies in NBA history to have a triple-double game with 6 steals within their first six career games. That was then, but Wall should be encouraged after his second half  against the 76ers on Saturday. Wall recovered from a seven-turnover first half to finish with 19 points, 9 assists, and 9 rebounds. Head coach Flip Saunders said of Wall’s second half:

“I would say the second half was the best half of basketball he has ever played with us. He was being really aggressive and put in a great effort. As a point guard, you are the leader of the team. He is the first line of defense. He was a constant asset tonight. He got frustrated at times but we talked him through it and maintained his focus.”

Wall will be challenged with his Houston counterpart Kyle Lowry having a career year. In addition with Samuel Dalembert and Luis Scola leading the way, the Rockets are a good rebounding team. The Wizards won the battle of the boards on Saturday and will have to try and do so again without Andray Blatche who is still sidelined with a sprained right shoulder

We invite you  to join the Blog party tonight. We start at 2:00 PM on the Washington Wizards Radio Network and 106.7 FM… Check  out our list of affiliates…http://www.nba.com/wizards/news/broadcasters.html

 Yours truly and Glen Consor  will be ready to connect with you  as the game goes on. We start once we get set at the arena and then tip off  2:00 PM

Wizards and Sixers …..don’t forget Listen Live link…http://player.radio.com/player/RadioPlayer.php?version=1.1.10137&station=114

Wizards Report

Today’s Wizards Report previews today’s Wizards-Rockets match-up and how the Wizards hope that Wall’s 2nd-half performance from Saturday night will carry over into today’s game.

1:30 PM Dave and Glenn checking in from Verizon Center,,,,starters are in….John Wall and Nick Young at guards…JaVale McGee at center and Trevor  Booker Chris Singleton at forwards…Andray Blatche might try to play……Rockets will go with Kyle Lowry and Kevin Martin at guards,,,,Samuel Dalembert at center and Chandler Parsons and Luis Scola at forward.