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Is this wizard killing the supposed curse on the Bullets/Wizards franchise?
If the team lands the number one pick tonight, should they keep the Wizards name?
I want the truth. I can handle it.
{via flickr/Rigphoto, sfist}
Oh yea, I also don’t believe in curses, but I am kinda/sorta superstitious.
7:20:10 PM: Bit of a snow day here in DC, but I made it to the Verizon Center for Wizards-Knicks @ 8 pm.
7:20:54 PM: Of course, I don’t have a car & live a couple metro stops away from Verizon, so getting here is just a matter of putting on boots & walking.
7:21:51 PM: Spoke w both Larry Hughes & Jonathan Bender b/f the game. Gotta get those interviews up along w old ones w Darius Songaila & Erick Dampier.
7:23:28 PM: Before the game, Flip Saunders reiterated that last night’s game tape vs. the NJ Nets is not going into the Springfield Hall of Fame.
7:26:05 PM: On if he plans 2 rest starters more (like they did last nite), Flip said, “Naw, they just played bad & didn’t seem 2 have good energy.”
6:41:17 PM: Saw a Lakers fan in Kobe jersey exit liquor store w small brown package on my way to the Verizon Ctr. Yep, this might get ugly tonight.
6:41:39 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Antawn Jamison has a right foot sprain, but he expects to play 2night. Earl Boykins is doubtful with a left heel injury
6:43:15 PM: With Boykins doubtful, @mikejames7 will likely get some run. He said b/f game that he’ll be ready this time, Flip won’t catch him sleeping.
6:44:22 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Flip on Kobe’s ability 2 score w broken finger: “If ur a shooter, u can have a broken arm & ur still going 2 get shots up.”
6:45:22 PM: A colleague said Kornheiser & @MikeWiseguy were both in Lakers locker room b/f game. No words were exchanged. Wilbon around too.
6:48:53 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Is it a coincidence that Wizards are playing their 44th game the day after the Lakers visited with 44th President?
12:14:41 PM: Dragging a tad on this Sunday, but I’m here at the Verizon Center ready to cover the Wizards-Clippers game.
12:16:54 PM: Happy 2 B here, but get feeling around Verizon that not everyone is exactly thrilled @ another Sunday afternoon game, against the Clippers.
12:19:21 PM: Mike James held court in locker room again today, talked about John Lucas, who is an assist. coach w the Clips & works out James in HOU
12:20:47 PM: James said Lucas is unlike any other NBA coach b/c players gravitate 2 him, opposed 2 others players usually want 2 keep distance from
12:23:29 PM: Before the game, Flip said the Clippers are a “dangerous” team b/c of bigs like Kaman & Camby rebounding & b/c Baron Davis can run the show.
5:49:23 PM: If Mike Miller scores 26 points against the Mavs tonight, he’ll reach 9,000 for his career.
6:04:28 PM: Same starters for Wizards: Foye, Stevenson, Butler, Jamison & Haywood.
6:06:06 PM: When asked to grade the first half, Flip Saunders gave the Wizards an “incomplete.”
6:10:22 PM: In addition to Flip, other active NBA coaches w 600+ wins: Nelson, Sloan, Jackson, Brown, Karl, Adelman, Popovich & Dunleavy.
6:22:58 PM: Ha! RT @macg_og: @Truth_About_It Ask Miller about proposed All White League, 1st question, is he too black?
6:24:35 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Terry is Arizona product like Arenas: “We’re a brotherhood. He’s going through a rough time, but we’re here to support him”
6:25:52 PM: RT @MrMichaelLee Flip: “We’re not where we want to be, no question…since Tawn got hurt in Cleveland, things haven’t fallen into place.”
6:57:50 PM: Your inactives: Javaris Crittenton, Mike Miller & Andray Blatche (team suspension). Your ‘not-in-the-buildings’: Gilbert Arenas
6:59:04 PM: Poor Wiz radio guy Dave Johnson, he has to say things like, “You have every reason to be encouraged … esp. after the last two games.”
7:00:41 PM: Meanwhile, U have a player suspended 4 complaining about not getting shots & more players going 2 court everyday 2 speak on their teammates
7:03:20 PM: Washington Wizards: Where “Encouraging” Is A Fairy Tale
7:03:54 PM: Read the Wiz Insider pregame report from @MrMichaelLee http://bit.ly/88xsYE
7:06:11 PM: Guess the good news is that if this were the playoffs, Mike Miller would be playing, at least that’s what Flip Saunders said. #silly
6:10:27 PM: I finally left the locker room to go eat. They could probably do just fine with one less shark in the water.
6:12:13 PM: BTW. Flip Saunders said that Gilbert Arenas will be available to play tonight.
6:13:49 PM: Flip said Antawn is a bit stiff, but was hoping he could loosen up & play. Jamison seemed loose enuff bouncing around locker room w his ipod
6:18:20 PM: Flip Saunders: “From my standpoint, and as I told the players, we’re still going to get judged by what we do on the court.”
6:21:59 PM: RT @rashad20 Ex Wiz & current Spur Roger Mason said he didnt know how bad defensive habits were until he got 2 the SA & learned right way
6:23:43 PM: Wizards going big tonight. Flip is starting Arenas, Butler, Jamison, Blatche & Haywood.
6:28:28 PM: Flip: “We’ve had two hard, very intense practices and I hope there’s some carry-over from those practices.”
6:48:41 PM: The Verizon Center is dead just like D.C. – 15 minutes until Wizards-Thunder tip-off, but judging from crowd, feels about an hour away.
6:49:24 PM: RT @BulletsForever Flip implied we might see more zone: “In 2 of our last 3 games, our best defense at times has been our zone defense.”
6:50:42 PM: I asked a bunch of the Wizards before the game what was their favorite x-mas gift that they gave someone else. Got some interesting answers.
6:51:38 PM: Yea, riiiight. RT @BulletsForever Don’t expect 2 C Foye at PG. Flip: “Boykins has been most effective player off bench over last 15 gms”
6:53:14 PM: Wizards goals for tonight: Rebound & Run w OKC, go at Durant on D, Swing the ball on O, Contain dribble, & get early help from weakside D.
6:57:02 PM: Overhead JaVale McGee saying that his new year’s resolution is to make the playoffs.
5:24:36 PM: Heading to the Verizon Center with the hope that the Wizards will display some serious effort tonight. It’s going to be an adventure.
6:17:13 PM: Mike James is on the cover of the Wizards’ Game Time magazine/handout tonight. Wonder if it’s the last time we’ll see him in a Wiz uniform.
6:18:04 PM: Randy Foye will start tonight for the Wizards, Lou Williams will come off the bench for the 76ers.
6:20:29 PM: Tonight’s Wizards-76ers officials: #33 Sean Corbin, #39 Kevin Fehr, and #66, former Washington Bullet, Haywoode Workman.
6:24:36 PM: Like Flip has done, Eddie Jordan said he thought about giving up shoot-around 2 help his team, but values it too much as a teaching tool.
6:29:10 PM: I asked Eddie Jordan about defense, he jokingly interrupted “I don’t know anything about defense, from what I understand.”
6:16:02 PM: DeShawn Stevenson on starting: “It’s whatever. I just want to play basketball.”
6:18:41 PM: DeShawn Stevenson: “It doesn’t matter who starts, who doesn’t start. In the end, we just gotta win ball games.”
6:23:49 PM: Tonight’s Wizards-Pacers officials: Scott Foster, Brian Forte & Ed Malloy.
6:25:54 PM: BTW, records show that Tim Donaghy called fellow referee Scott Foster more times than his bookie b/t 10/2006 & 4/2007 (134 times to 126)
6:27:51 PM: Flip Saunders aims to match the energy of the Pacers & have a carry-over from the 2nd half against Boston. Hope he didn’t mean FTs.
6:29:46 PM: Flip Saunders on various his starting lineups: “Right now we’re still in the juggling phase.”
6:31:45 PM: Mike Miller will travel with the Wizards on their 4-game West Coast swing. Also, his family lives out there.
7:35:57 PM: Talked 2 Haywood, he expects Bosh 2 come out aggressive tonight after he played good D on him in Toronto & ATL put 146 on TOR on Wed.
7:38:01 PM: Haywood said the Wizards’ defensive focus against Toronto will be to limit their good looks from 3-point land, important to contest shots.
7:40:39 PM: Javaris Crittenton said he “doesn’t really have a timetable” & “should be practicing in a week & a half, no more than 2 weeks.”
7:42:26 PM: Tonight’s Wizards v. Raptors refs: Bill Spooner, Leroy Richardson & Zach Zarba.
7:43:55 PM: @MrMichaelLee takes a look at the Raptors on Wizards Insider http://bit.ly/50SzoJ
7:45:34 PM: The last time the Wiz started 7-10 was in 06-07. They went 20-7 over the next 27 & had best record in East on Jan. 30, 2007.
7:53:26 PM: Fellow ESPN TrueHoop Networker @Bucksketball previews tonight’s game & picks the Bucks to win 96-93 http://bit.ly/53Uiia
7:53:59 PM: Mike of @BulletsForever is wishy-washy on the game, but soooo wants to pick the Bucks to win. Actually, he kinda did.
7:58:46 PM: Nick Young had his1st career 30 point game last year in a loss against the Bucks on Jan. 12, 09.
7:59:57 PM: Cop-out RT @PDCavsInsider Don’t blame LBJ on dunk contest. Sort of no win situation. He wins, was expected. He loses 2 Nate & it’s a story.
8:02:08 PM: Wiz have lost 4 in a row against Bucks. Last won on 3/11/08 w a starting lineup of Antonio Daniels, Stevenson, Jamison, Songaila & Haywood
8:08:05 PM: If Flip Saunders doesn’t like late-arriving crowds, tonight’s attendance is really going 2 irk him. I’d estimate less than 6,000 here.
8:04:48 PM: Antawn Jamison here to say some words before the game …
8:05:31 PM: Antawn cites Mr. Pollin, thanks the fans….
8:09:21 PM: For more on Nick Young’s smile frequency progression >> http://bit.ly/8IAbmw #wizards
8:12:16 PM: Talked 2 some more Wizards about music & @Wale in the locker room before the game … will report later.
8:13:23 PM: Nick Young starts off on Captain Stephen Jackson … who posts him for a running hook, 1st points of game.
8:22:03 PM: Wizards a tad lethargic on defense early. Charlotte 12 easy points on 6-11 FG. A Nick Young breakaway dunk helps. 12-10 Bobcats, 6:00 1stQ
8:25:41 PM: Too early to bring in DeShawn Stevenson for Nick Young? (6:00 1stQ) @rashad20 wonders. DeShawn’s 1st shot airball doesn’t help his case.
2:02:59 PM: Your Wizards starters: Arenas, Foye, Butler, Oberto & Haywood vs. Nash, Richardson, Hill, Frye & Stoudemire for Phoenix.
2:06:08 PM: Flip Saunders said he’s starting Randy Foye for his “offensive consistency” – [insert jabs at Nick Young here]
2:08:09 PM: Thunder Dan Majerle was wearing cargo shorts during the Suns’ early pregame warmup — just thought you might want to know.
2:09:03 PM: Will the Wizards come out with Energy today? The 1 pm game time makes it more of a challenge to do so.
2:10:58 PM: @craigstouffer advises to get the fruit plate ready in his pregame write-up http://tinyurl.com/y86uabz
2:11:40 PM: RT @DCWIZ DSteve rockin a straw ala Butler
2:14:11 PM: Wizards start 0-2 on jumpers, Jason Richardson starts 2-2 in the post vs. Foye — Haywood is on Frye, Oberto on Stoudemire.
8:10:21 PM: Live from the Verizon Center … not the best crowd on hand, guess the Wizards have a way to go before they can win back DC sports fans.
8:11:01 PM: Not even D-Wade and the hometown boy Michael Beasley could get the house packed.
8:15:24 PM: 1:40 into the game, the Mike Miller on D-Wade mismatch leads to two Miller fouls, 3 D-Wade points, and Randy Foye off the bench.
8:17:32 PM: Wade proceeds to take Foye in the post, Flip already looks frustrated. Wade has 7 of 9 Heat pts – Beasley has other 2 on Oberto. 9-4 Heat.
8:24:39 PM: Wiz down 15-6. Flip takes 2nd T.O. 5:35 into game. Wiz w 2 consec. TOs. Brief boos from very sparse/late arriving crowd. Not looking good.
8:33:48 PM: Hopefully McGee will bring some energy to this place, joins Arenas, Butler, Blatche & DeShawn. Wiz down 27-10. VERY lackadaisical so far.
8:41:05 PM: Wiz down 31-17 after 1. D-Wade on pace 4 52 pts (esp. w Miller/Foye on him) DeShawn gave up 2. Wiz R lifeless, need some1 2 get angry & play
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