<div align="center">@ <font color="Navy">The Washington Wizards (8-5)</font>@<font color="red">The Atlanta Hawks (2-12)</font> Time: 7:30 PM Eastern Place: Phillips Arena TV: Local</div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="red">Atlanta Head Coach</font></font> Michael Woodson</div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="red"> Hawks Projected Starting Lineup</font></div></font> <div align="center"> <font color="red">PG-Kenny Anderson: 6.4 ppg, 3.1 apg, and 3.4 rpg SG-Josh Childress: 7.3 ppg, 1.6 apg, and 3.8 rpg SF-Al Harrington: 16.6 ppg, 3.3 apg, and 6.9 rpg PF-Antoine Walker: 22.1 ppg, 4.1 apg, and 8.6 rpg C- Jason Collier: 7.0 ppg, .5 apg, and 3.3 rpg</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy">Wizards Head Coach</font></font> Eddie Jordan </div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy">Washington's Projected Starting Lineup</font></font> <font color="navy">PG-Gilbert Arenas: 21.6 ppg, 5.5 apg, and 3.3 rpg SG-Larry Hughes: 19.5 ppg, 5.3 apg, and 6.3 rpg SF-Jared Jeffries: 5.4 ppg, 1.2 apg, and 4.5 rpg PF-Antawn Jamison: 23.3 ppg, 2.6 apg, and 9.4 rpg C-Brendan Haywood: 10.3 ppg, 2.6 bpg, and 8.7 rpg</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5">Bench Factors</font> Boris Diaw(Hawks), Kwame Brown(Wizards)</div> <div align="center"><font size="5">Key Matchup</font> (<font color="red">Antoine Walker</font>, <font color="navy">Antawn Jamison</font>) <font color="red">Antoine Walker:</font> 22.1 ppg, 4.1 apg, and 8.6 rpg <font color="navy">Antawn Jamison:</font>23.3 ppg, 2.6 apg, and 9.4 rpg</div> <font size="5">Keys to the Game</font> <font color="red">Atlanta:</font> <ul> [*]Ball Movement- This team has a lot of jump shooters. Walker, Childress, Harrington can all hit the jumper and Harrington and Walker can both post up. If the Hawks are moving the ball well enough there should be wide open shots for these players. [*]Take Smart Shots- Antoine Walker isnt the smartest basketball player there is. He takes a lot of bad shots, he needs to take good shots. He should be able to handle Jamison down in the post, he is bigger and stronger than him. He needs to limit his outside shots and try to get post shots. [*]Stop the Wizards big 3- The Wizards have 3 players who are either at the brink of averaging 20 ppg or are over that brink. Arenas, Hughes, and Jamison are all great players who will take this game over if given the opportunity. Stopping these 3 players is impossible, but limiting them is...the Hawks must make these players take bad shots and keep them from getting 2nd chance points [/list] <font color="navy"> Washington:</font> <ul> [*]Share the Ball- Hughes, Haywood, Arenas, and Jamison all average double digit points, with Kwame Brown back they need to share the ball without being selfish. Someone is going to have to take a hit in their ppg category, they need to put the team above their stats. Though Kwame will be coming off of the bench, I think he will see a fair amount of minutes. There is no need for people to rush and force shots when you have 4 other people capable of scoring. [*]Jamison's D- Jamison is one of the laziest players on D. He needs to keep Walker in check. Jamison isnt as strong as Walker and I think Walker will try to take advantage of that. Jamison needs to box out and do everything he can to disrupt Walker's offensive game. [*]2nd Chance Points- Offensive rebounds are always key, no different in this game. If Washington can do this then they should win the game. Jamison and Haywood are both capable of grabbing numberous 2nd chance points and they need to be active trying to do so. [/list] <font size="5"> Prediction</font> Washingotn is trying to solidify themselves as a playoff team, and they looked great doing so the other night by blowing out the Nets. I think they will blow out the Hawks, they are clearly the better team, even on the road I take Washington by 10+.
This is one of those games that scares me, playing a "garbage" team, the Wizards should win by 10+, but sometimes you never know. Watch out for an Antoine Walker explosion, you never know when he could heat up, even though he's a chucker. This should'nt be a hard game on either end, but Atlanta has guys that can score with Walker, Harrington, and on some nights guys like Childress etc...
As long as the Wiz don't go down the Hotlanta and get off to that sluggish start, things should be just fine. The Wizards are far superior to the Hawks. Easy 'W'
Wizards by 6. The PF matchup will be interesting as they're former teammates that competed for the starting job. (And ultimately, Walker won) I expect Jamison to win this matchup, Walker can't defend him in the post and that area around. Now, I know that Jamison isn't the best defender, but Antoine isn't a reliable shooter so it shouldn't be that bad. If he gets hot though, I'll take Atlanta by 8.
Blowout win by Washington...114-90 7 players in double figures, including all 5 starters. Kwame Brown with 10 points in 20 minutes. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> ATLANTA (Ticker) -- The Washington Wizards were handed the perfect opponent to help continue their recent success. Larry Hughes scored 19 points and Juan Dixon added 17 off the bench as the Wizards posted their sixth win in seven games, a 114-90 triumph over the lowly Atlanta Hawks. </div> Full Recap Box Score
Great game, Hughes & Arenas played really well together. Nobody had to play over 28 minutes either so we should be rested tonight to take on the Bulls. I want to see another blowout, but Chicago will probably still have that preseason fight on their minds. Glad I got my ticket, this is going to be a physical game!
