<div align="center">@ <font color="navy">The Washington Wizards (0-4*)</font> @ <font color="red">The Chicago Bulls (4-0*)</font> * represents the season series Time: 3:30 PM Eastern Place: American Airlines Arena TV: ABC</div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy">Wizards' Head Coach</font></font> <font color="navy">Eddie Jordan</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy"> Wizards' Projected Starting Lineup</font></div></font> <div align="center"> <font color="navy">Playoff Statistics Gilbert Arenas - 23 ppg, 6.2 rpg, 6.5 apg Larry Hughes - 22.2 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 4 apg Jared Jeffries - 7.3 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.3 apg Antawn Jamison - 18.2 ppg, 7.3 rpg, 1.7 apg Brendan Haywood - 9.3 ppg, 7 rpg, 1 apg</div></font> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="red">Heat Head Coach</font></font> <font color="red">Stan Van Gundy</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="red">Heat' Projected Starting Lineup</font></font> <font color="red">Playoff Statistics Damon Jones - 16.5 ppg. 2.5 rpg, 3 apg Dwyane Wade - 26.3 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 8.8 apg Eddie Jones - 16.3 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.3 apg Udonis Haslem -8.8 ppg, 11.8 rpg, 1.5 apg Shaquille O'neal - 18.3 ppg, 8.8 rpg, 2.5 apg </font> </div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy">Bench</font><font color="red"> Factors</font></font> Playoff Statistics <font color="navy">Juan Dixon- 12.2 ppg, 2.3 apg, 1.5 rpg</font> <font color="red">Keyon Dooling- 9 ppg, .3 rpg, .5 apg</font> </div> <font size="5"><font color="navy">Matchup </font><font color="red">Breakdowns</font></font> Point Guard <font color="navy">Gilbert Arenas</font> VS. <font color="red">Damon Jones</font> Gilbert Arenas is the better player in this matchup. He is stronger physically and much more athletic, but it will be no easy task. Damon Jones is a great 3 pt shooter, and Arenas often has problems staying with his opponent. If Damon can get away from Arenas and get some open looks, he will accomplish everything that is needed from him. For Arenas, he needs to have an awesome series. He often struggled in the series with Chicago, if his left wrist is bothering him, he needs to create for other people instead of forcing up shots. Arenas should have the advantage here throughout the series. Advantage: <font color="navy">WASHINGTON</font> Shooting Guard <font color="navy">Larry Hughes</font> VS. <font color="red">Dwyane Wade</font> Dywane Wade is a superstar already at a young age. Larry Hughes is a budding allstar. The clear-cut advantage here goes to Miami, but if Larry can apply defensive pressure to Wade, which I know seems impossible, he can hinder Wade's effectiveness and the Heat's chance of winning the series. Larry is a hawk to the ball, he swarms it and always goes for steals, the Wizards are going to need him to gamble and be rough with Wade, if not, Wade should exploit Larry all game long. Advantage: <font color="red"> MIAMI </font> ADVANTAGE: TOSS UP Small Forward <font color="navy">Jared Jeffries</font> VS. <font color="red">Eddie Jones</font> When Jared Jeffries wants to, he can be an above average defender. He is very lanky and that is going to be key in this matchup. He needs to utilize his length against Eddie Jones, a solid 3 point shooter. Eddie will be sitting out there all night long waiting for the kickout from Shaq, Jeffries can't abandon his man and leave him all alone or it will be gravy all night. Jeffries needs to keep his hands up, and keep his body infront of Eddie, no open looks. ADVANTAGE: <font color="red">Miami</font> Power Forward <font color="navy">Antawn Jamison</font> VS. <font color="red">Udonis Haslem</font> Antawn Jamison had a sub-par series against Chicago, often disappearing in the clutch, when Washington needed him the most. Jamison is a horrid defender, Udonis is average on offense. With that being said, against Jamison, Udonis can look above average on offense. Jamison needs to hold Udonis under 10 ppg for the series and try to keep him under 11 rpg. Jamison needs to up his average to atleast 20 ppg and 10 rpg for him to be fully effective, he also needs to take smarter shots, he settles for that outside jumper to much and it hurts Washington. ADVANTAGE: <font color="navy">Washington</font> Center <font color="navy">Brendan Haywood</font> VS. <font color="red">Shaquille O'neal</font> Wow. Oh God, help the Wizards, please. Shaq is injured, everybody knows that, but I am getting the feeling that that injury has mysteriously disappeared after he found out that Steve Nash was the league's MVP. Shaq is going to come out here and prove exactly why he was supposed to be named the league's MVP. He is going to muscle Haywood everywhere tonight. Haywood needs to man up, he can't backdown from Shaq. Get under his skin, throw him off his game, poison him..do whatever it takes Brendan. ADVANTAGE: <font color="red">MIAMI</font> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="navy">Key</font><font color="red"> Players</font></font> (<font color="navy">Gilbert Arenas</font>, <font color="red">Dwyane Wade</font>) Projected Stats <font color="navy">Gilbert Arenas: 30 points, 6 assist 4 rebounds</div></font> <font size="5"><font color="navy">Keys</font><font color="red"> to</font><font color="navy"> the</font><font color="red"> Game</font></font> <font color="navy">Washington:</font> <ul> [*]<font color="navy">Rebound</font>- Washington had a very good rebounding series against Chicago. They led the league in offensive rebounds per game during the regular season. Offensive rebounds are going to be huge in this series. If Washington can grab some, they open up the opportunity for second chance points, and everybody knows that when you do that, your chances of winning the game greatly increase. [*]<font color="navy">Michael Ruffin, Etan Thomas</font>- Need to team together and take Shaq out before the game starts. Run him over, do whatever it takes. No, seriously, they are going to be huge in this series. They will be put in the game to hinder Shaq. Ruffin is very aggressive, a very good rebounder. We are going to need him to be very aggressive with Shaq, yet try to avoid foul trouble. As for Etan, he has his good games, if he can have some good games while bothering Shaq, it will be a great game and improve Washington's chances of winning. [*]<font color="navy">Ball Movement</font>- In the Chicago series, Washington often settled for the first shot that opened up. That won't work against the Heat, they need to work the ball around and move Miami on defense. Those little on pass and shoot plays need to be thrown out the window, work from the inside out, pass it to Haywood in the post and cut, get open. Just move the damn ball. [/list] <font color="red">Chicago:</font> <ul> [*]<font color="red">Feed the Monster</font>- Pound the ball to Shaq, that simple. He is pissed he didn't win the MVP award, Alonzo Mourning said it best when he said, "I'm glad I'm on his team..." [*]<font color="red">Perimeter Shooting</font>- With Eddie Jones and Damon Jones (no relation) able to hit the 3 with consistency, perimeter shooting is a must for Miami. Washington often has troubles defending it, so if Miami can execute it to perfection, they shouldn't have a lot of problems winning games. [*]<font color="red">Don't Get to Relaxed</font>- Miami has won the last 8 games against Washington, but all of their games this year came before Thanksgiving, this is a new Washington team. There is no way Miami can expect to have an easy series if they sleep on Washington. Arenas and Hughes can get to the basket at will, and Jamison doesn't have much trouble doing it either. I expect Miami to win the series, but don't sleep on Washington. [/list] <font size="5"><font color="navy">Random</font> <font color="red">Movie</font><font color="navy"> Quote</font>*: </font> Napoleon Dynamite: "You know, there's like a butt-load of gangs at this school. This one gang kept wanting me to join because I'm pretty good with a bo staff." - Napolean Dynamite *Idea taken from Supersonic <font size="5"> <font color="red">Prediction</font></font> Washington should come and start the game out strong, just off of emotion and adrenaline from their series win over Chicago, but I expect Miami to win this one. Shaq will be too much in my opinion, Miami wins this game 102-97. They take the series in 6.
Haha, seems like all the Wiz Kidz are hiding away. Anyways, as I responded in the Heat forum, I think the Wizards will put a good fight specially the two games at home, but I don't see them beating Miami twice. Miami wins the first 2 home games.
I think today will be the only Heat loss in the series. 107-99 Wizards, Gilbert Arenas will explode and score 30 points, and Jamison will get 19 and 8, and Hughes will get 23 points. (Heat in 5)
