<div align="center">@ <font color="red">The Chicago Bulls(2-11)</font>@<font color="navy">The Washington Wizards (9-5)</font> Time: 8;00 PM Eastern Place: The MCI Center TV: Local</div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="red">Chicago Head Coach</font></font> Scott Skiles</div> <div align="center"><font size="5"><font color="red"> Bulls Projected Starting Lineup</font></div></font> <div align="center"> <font color="red">PG-Kirk Hinrich: 14.2 ppg, 7.4 apg, and 2.9 rpg SG-Chris Duhon: 3.6 ppg, 3.7 apg, and 1.2 rpg SF-Andres Nocioni: 9.5 ppg, 1.8 apg, and 4.8 rpg PF-Antonio Davis: 5.5 ppg, .9 apg, and 4.7 rpg C-Eddy Curry: 14.1 ppg, .8 apg, and 6.9 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 3.2 rpg SG-Larry Hughes: 19.5 ppg, 5.2 apg, and 6.2 rpg SF-Jared Jeffries: 5.4 ppg, 1.2 apg, and 4.5 rpg PF-Antawn Jamison: 23.2 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> <font color="red">Luol Deng: 15.2 ppg, 1.7 apg, and 5.6 rpg</font> <font color="navy">Kwame Brown (2 games): 8.0 ppg, .5 apg, and 2.0 rpg (17 mpg)</font></div> <div align="center"><font size="5">Key Matchup</font> (<font color="red">Kirk Hinrich</font>, <font color="navy">Gilbert Arenas</font>) <font color="red">Kirk Hinrich:</font> 14.2 ppg, 7.4 apg, and 2.9 rpg <font color="navy">Gilbert Arenas:</font>21.6 ppg, 5.5 apg, and 3.2 rpg</div> <font size="5">Keys to the Game</font> <font color="red">Chicago:</font> <ul> [*]Tyson Chandler- This is his season to prove himself. Wednesday he played a great game against the Lakers and he should get some time in this game against the hobbled Kwame Brown and very weak Jared Jeffries. Do not be surprised to see him go off in this game. [*]SF Play- Nocioni and Deng are very capable of lighting the Wizards up. Deng has been spectacular this year and IMO is right now the front runner for ROY. Nocioni has been a great role player and should be able to just outsmart Jared Jeffries, even though it is his first year in the league. I look for Deng to try to expose Jarvis Hayes' weak defense when he comes in with the second unit, and while he is in there with Jared Jeffries I wouldnt be surprised if he tries to score in the post. [*]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 Bulls must make these players take bad shots and keep them from getting hot [/list] <font color="navy"> Washington:</font> <ul> [*]2nd unit- The second unit needs to play good. They have to worry about Ben Gordon, Tyson Chandler, and Luol Deng. That means Michael Ruffin, Kwame Brown, Jarvis Hayes, and Jaun Dixon need to be on top of their game today. The only exception out of these 4 players would be Kwame Brown as he is still recovering and trying to get into the flow of things after his injury. Give him a shot out there, but if he is hurting more than helping..take him out and keep him out. [*]Larry Hughes- Larry Hughes is really coming into his own this year. With his superb D and league leading steals per game, he is really coming together as a player. He is passing the ball more and also scoring at the same time. We need a good game from him. [*]Well Rested- This is the Wizards 3rd game in 4 days, including one last night. They need to come out looking fresh and not fatigued or this can turn into a long night. Also lets not forget about the preseason fight between these teams, they might want to come out with a little bit of spunk because I have a feeling Chicago is going to want to come in here and play some very physical ball. [/list] <font size="5"> Prediction</font> Washington routed the Nets on Wednesday, routed the Hawks last night. I am calling for another route here. I take Washington by 12+.
I'm sure the Wizards will win after seeing how badly the Bulls played against the Cavs last week. I don't like ahving Jeffries start. I have said that since the beginning. I think we should have Rffin playing the 4 and Jamison playing the 3. I think Nocioni and Antonio Davis will out power our week forwards(not skill but strength in Jamison' case).
Well Jamison's effort on defense is just plain horrible so he better get ready tonight if Kwame's foot is sore and doesnt play a lot. Davis will be pounding Jamison because of the size difference. I think this is Jared's last game in the starting lineup as I think by Wednesday Kwame will be ready to start if he plays well tonight. So starting Wednesday I think our starting lineup will be: Pg- Arenas SG- Hughes SF- Jamison PF- Brown C- Haywood
Nice preview. :thumbsup: I really think the key to this game is to keep the Bulls frontcourt from outrebounding the Wizards. Hinrich will more than likely have trouble against Arenas...especially if GA posts up on him. Other than that...Jamison should have a great game against Chandler. I don't think Tyson is going to make it out of his slump, really. It's possible, but I don't know. EDIT: Whoa, was I wrong about Chandler or what?
Wow, Was I right about Chandler...15 pts and 19 boards. Right now it is 79-79 and by NBA.com it looks like Washington is taking the momentum. Looks like Kwame got very limited minutes so far, only 6 and has 4 points in that 6. I cant wait until he gets healthy.
Wizards win once again, they are now 10-5 and 3-0 in the month of December. They were down by 10 at the half but came surging back in the 3rd and 4th. Like I predicted Chandler had a really big game with 15 points and 21 rebounds. Gilbert Arenas won us this game with 34 points, Jamison led us in boards with 12 but he and Hughes shot horrible from the field. Washington shot a horrible 35% from the field, what killed Chicago in the second half was turnovers for the game they had 29 total turnovers, you wont win like that. I will post the Recap and Box Score once it is available. <div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post"> WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Gilbert Arenas carried the Washington Wizards for three quarters, keeping them close in a sloppy affair. Antawn Jamison did the work down the stretch. Arenas scored a season-high 34 points and Jamison scored seven of his 14 in the closing minutes as the surging Wizards rallied for a 95-88 victory over the Chicago Bulls. </div> Box Score Full Recap
How come you put Nocioni in the starting lineup, Deng has been starting hasn't he? Anyways, yea, Chandler destroyed on the boards with 21, but Arenas lit it up today offensively, didn't do too good in the passing, but that could be due to the team shooting bad, especially Jamison at 5-18. Turnovers killed the Bulls..
Well Skiles has been changing up the starting lineup and as far as I know this is only the second game in a row that Nocioni hasnt started, the first being against the Lakers but that was becuase Nocioni had just arrived from an 11 hour flight... It really looks like Kwame was held back tonight by coaching staff and that is a good thing. I dont want him to be over used and re injure his injury. I think he will see about 25-30 minutes on Wednesday.
