I challenge you to watch the range of emotions expressed by Nick Young after scoring a career-high 43 points and not like the guy … he’s made for Hollywood … he’s Nick the Thriller.
No “typical Wizards’ losing ways” from the media…
No ranting writers calling for heads…
No outrage of radio call-in shows…
No bloggy posts about how Nick Young is like the worst passer, ever…
Winning is the big differentiator. The Wizards did so, 136-133 versus the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night … barely.
[BTW, did you know, including Tuesday night's whopping three assists, Young has accrued 17 total assists in the last seven games -- since the Dec. 29 home win versus the Indiana Pacers. Those 17 assists represent 7-percent of Young's previous career assist total ... SEVEN PERCENT! ... Over 261 games!]
Let’s say you order Chinese food — some General Tso’s chicken, a pint of lo mein, perhaps some dumplings — and the friendly telephone operator says that the expected wait is 30 minutes. Standard. But 45 minutes go by and your stomach begins to growl in indignation. After an hour goes by, you begin to wonder if the MSG-laced meal you ordered is ever going to show up.
As previously advertised, this Wizards team runs on emotional highs and lows. Last night’s 116-91 loss to the Sacramento Kings just happened to be a Comedy of Errors. Not so much in a ‘ha-ha’ kind of way, but more reminiscent of when Caron Butler used to say last year that he was laughing to keep from crying.
The Wizards, led by Gilbert Arenas and Kirk Hinrich in the backcourt, because John Wall was a late scratch, along with Al Thornton, Trevor Booker and Kevin Seraphin in the starting lineup (Andray Blatche was still out) — quite a surprise entry by Flip Saunders, who must be desperate by now … either for a win or to get out of “what he didn’t sign up for” — fell to 0-12 on the road for the season and 6-15 overall.
I guess this loss was beyond embarrassing, because the Washington Post didn’t even use “embarrassing” in the title of Michael Lee’s post on Wizards Insider, as the online newspaper did after losses in Boston and Atlanta earlier this season. After the Boston loss, Ted Leonsis responded in his blog, Ted’s Take, writing that he wasn’t as easily embarrassed. One must wonder if seven straight road losses since, low-lighted by take downs in Toronto and Sacramento by a combined total of 44 points, is starting to change that sentiment.
Arenas had one of his better offensive games of the season against Sacramento on Wednesday night. It was just his fifth game getting to double figures in field-goals made (10), tied for his second most free-throws attempted (12) and third most made (10), only the fourth time he took more than three three-pointers and shot fifty-percent or better (3-6), and his sixth time shooting 45% or better when taking 10 or more shots (.455).
All signs of progress for Gilbert.
Of course, the team is pretty much the same. Last night was the fourteenth time the Wizards have shot below 45% this season (43.2%). They are 1-13 when that happens. It was also the thirteenth time the Wizards have tallied less than 20 assists (13). They are 1-12 when that happens.
Despite what anyone might say, the game wasn’t on one man. It hasn’t been on one man all season. Not Caron Butler. Not Antawn Jamison. Not Gilbert Arenas. Not Flip Saunders. Not, etc.
The Wizards win and lose as a team.
Gil: “This is the fourth loss under my belt. I personally lost it at the end.”
[Upside and Motor] (check the great picture too) The Warriors jumped the shark.Two seasons ago they were a darling, last season they took a slight step back (but enough of a step to fall just short of the postseason), and now they’ll find themselves struggling to reach 11th place in the West. Welcome back, lottery balls; the Bay’s missed you. Predicted Record: 30-52
Unfortunately, I probably won’t be able to witness the Wizards handle the Lakers in La-La land tonight. Bummer. Combine my distaste for the Lake-show (mainly as a result of Kobe) along with bragging rights over an LA-bred co-worker, and I hate having to neglect my Wiz this evening.
Remember when the Lakers came to DC? It was the game where Caron Butler probably re-injured himself and ended his consecutive FTs made mark at 73. A truly tragic loss, 103-91, for which I stayed the entire time, and then was forced to watch a SuperBowl between two teams I genuinely dislike. Not the best DC sports Sunday.
Today, I believe, will provide some reconciliation for that February 3rd. And I have a higher mission than the Wizards-Lakers game at 9:30 tonight. I’ll be taking the trusty green line down several metro stops to check out the debut of the Washington Nationals new ball park, Nationals Park and the domestic debut of the 2008 Major League Baseball season on ESPN (8:05 pm).
I’m really looking forward to it. I’m not a sentimentalist, nor some type of baseball purist (basketball is obviously my main squeeze), but there is something about the crack of the bat and a sporting environment which is most conducive to a day of social interaction with family and friends…..awww, screw all that, I’m just ready for the cold weather to be put out to pasture.
And who knows, if the DC metro system doesn’t betray me, I just might be able to catch the end of a game where the Wizards will hopefully have the upper-hand over the Los Angeles Lakers.
“…but I’m hearing that Nick Young will start along with DeShawn Stevenson tonight against Sacramento. Not Mason. The reason, according to the person I spoke with, is that Eddie doesn’t want to put Nick Young, Dominic McGuire and Andray Blatche on the court at the same time. He’d rather have a vet like Mason out there with the young guys.”
Reconsidered, I think this is a great move by Eddie Jordan. Not only is it good to balance out an inexperienced rotation, but I also like how he is putting Bean Burrito aka Nick Young on the spot to perform.
