Denver @ Washington--12/8

I'm gonna be at this game - I'll give everyone my notes when I get back.

 

This game is huge for us, not just because winning would put us further into 1st place but because Denver just handled Orlando & Miami pretty easily. A win here would gain us alot of respect, plus that would make it 5 in row & 8 of their last 9! C'mon Wiz!! I think we're going to be ready for this game, I'll take us by 10+.

 

I'm pulling for the Wizards, because I want them to win the Southeast.

<strike><font size=""0"">If not them, the Magic.</font></strike>

 

<div class="quote_poster">Quoting realdealbneal:</div><div class="quote_post">I'm pulling for the Wizards, because I want them to win the Southeast.

<strike><font size=""0"">If not them, the Magic.</font></strike> </div>
lol

I think we can take this one, this is a true test of how good the team can be.
I can see Boykins exploding this game, the guys is just a beast lol.

Jefferies on Carmelo seems like the best matchup to me, so that Hughes can play Andre, and then Boykins when he's on.
Since it's uncertain as to how much Kwame will be playing, then I'll say Jamison will have a tough time on the glass today playing against Kenyon. If Kenyon is also guarding him it will make his matchup pretty hard for him.

The Nuggets have the prototype shut Jamison down players with Kenyon and Nene, 2 quick, strong, and athletic PF's, and also behind them is Camby a good rebounder and shot blocker, Jamison will have a hard time tonight unless his shot is on.

Whoever has Carmelo on them should tear it up though, and they should be getting the ball....

Wizards 105 Nuggets 103

Zone defense anyone? Nuggets are 8-0 when Kmart grabs double digit rebounds, and 2-7 when he doesn't keeping him off the glass will be important.

 

I was at the game and I'll post my notes tomorrow, since I've got some other stuff to do tonight.

But in response to the Kwame question - it was weird. There was a timeout in the first quarter, some fans were doing some shooting challenge on the floor, and most people were watching. Then we see Kwame walk towards one of the shooters away from the timeout huddle. And he's furious at something. Nobody knew what. Walks around furious for awhile, circles back to the huddle, then back out. Didn't think much of it, until I realized that he didn't play the rest of the game. I expect more on this from the Post tomorrow.

 

Well, he wasn't playing badly, but he wasn't dominating. He played solid - although I thought he could have gotten up and down the floor better, but that's another story. I just have a feeling he got into a little fight with EJ, and EJ said "Then you're sitting" and that was that.

Remember the Arenas thing last year, where he sat Arenas? EJ's a tough cookie.

 

FFS, did you think the wizards were getting a fair 4th quarter from the refs? The wizards got a bad calls.

 

Here's what I thought on the refs: I felt that they dictated the way the game was going a little more than they should have. At the same time, the Wizards had nobody to blame for the loss but themselves.

#1 - they had absolutely HORRIBLE defense. I think I wrote in my notes 15 times: "No transition D" or "No half court D". So you can't put this one on the refs.

#2 - they had to take advantage of it. If you see the refs calling a load of fouls, get inside and make them do it in your favor! They failed to do this consistently. In the 4th, when they made their 2 mini-runs, they got to the line, got inside. Then they sat back on jumpers, and the Nuggets pulled away again.

So there were some very questionable calls - if those decided the game, I'd be really upset. But the Wizards lost this game themselves.

 

Personally, I thought that the team got away from the 'EJ' offense. The passing that we've seen for most of the season was almost non-existent. I also thought that EJ did a horrible job of managing the game. He went small-ball for way too long. And we all know that Jarvis Hayes is a defensive liability. You don't need 4 'scorers' on the floor when the game is within 6 points. The absence of Jared Jeffries to rebound and 'D' up Anthony was mind boggling. It is inexcusable to allow Earl Boykins to get 8 rebounds. The guy is 5'5"!!!

 

Here are my game notes - I hope you enjoy! A little long, but an easy read.

PRE-GAME THOUGHTS

-This game shows whether the Wizards are for real this season or not. In past years, they'd get blown out in this kind of game. They made it to their 10-5 in part because their last 7 games were against teams that are a combined 36-94 (that?s 27%!). Now that works in the East ? but if they want to prove themselves, they'll walk out of here tonight with a win.

-Picked up an All-Star ballot on the way in. It raised a couple questions (actually, more than a couple). What happens if you vote for Artest? Or Jermaine even? Why are sports in general so confused about what the All-Star game is? Is it a popularity contest? Should it make a difference (baseball)? Is it based on whether you're having a good season? Because if it is, why could you vote a week into the season? Do you think the cross promo with Fat Albert will scare away people from voting? Will PJ Brown and Mike Dunleavy get even 10 votes at the crowded West Forward position? Combined?

-Denver starting lineups: Kenyon runs out, chest bumps another player (might have been Carmelo) and he falls flat on his back.

-What's with the fire(works) coming out of the top of the backboard before the game? Does this pump any up any more than they would have otherwise? Seems just to make a lot of smoke. And I mean a lot.

GAME

-First thing I noticed: Haywood lined up for the jump ball normally ? facing the Wizards' basket. But Camby faced the sideline, perpendicular to the basket. And he gets called for jumping the gun on the tip. Coincidence?

-Carmelo drains a three over Jamison. This will be interesting. In the past, players like Carmelo just go crazy on the Wizards (think McGrady going off for 60+ last year). They can't even slow the opposing star down ? a speed bump might do a better job. Can't let him get hot.

-Kenyon gets the ball in the post, goes up, fouled in the air, catches the ball as it comes back to him and throws up the shot ? which goes in. At first they said no basket, then it was reversed. What's the right call here? Seems to me it was two separate shots.

-Carmelo rims out a three, Kenyon called for an offensive foul (his second), The Man With One Name comes into the game, and all of the sudden Jamison lights up. Fadeaway jumper in the corner, runner in the lane, offensive board and put back, another jumper, fast break bucket, and another shot drained. Then Melo misses a dunk, Jamison comes back, another runner (goaltending), an assist, and a dunk on the fast break gives Jamison 17 for the quarter ? and the Wizards 28. But Denver has great ball movement, getting some easy fast break buckets, and still leads with 29. End of the 1st.

-Kwame starts the second quarter, plays some good help defense, makes a nice pass out of the post for a Peeler 3, and looks fairly solid, but still slow. During a timeout, however, he gets furious, walks out of the timeout fuming, while everyone else is still huddled. Didn't think much of it at the time, until I realized Kwame, except for another 2 minutes afterwards, didn't play the rest of the game. (And was later suspended a game).

-The Nuggets are just releasing their point guard down the floor after every Wizards' bucket, and the Wizards can't stop it! They work 20 seconds for a good shot, finally hit, and then 2 seconds later Boykins puts it in on the other end. Frustrating.

-Peter John Ramos is now officially my favorite player. I wonder if he understands even 10% of what's going on. During every team huddle, he'd go to the back, and wouldn't listen to a word, just watch the Jumbotron, the cheerleaders dancing, or the other timeout entertainment they had on the court. Just never ending comedy.

-Uh-oh. Here comes Melo. A turn around fadeaway from the right side of the floor, then another from the left. I'm not sure it matters though. The Wizards just have no defense at all.

-Classic Wizards. Jamison grabs a board with 3 seconds left, outlet pass stolen by Andre Miller about 5 feet behind the 3 point line. He barely gets it under control, fires, and hits it. 60-50 Denver at the half.

-As they open the half, they just trade buckets. The Wizards work hard on offense, score, and then just give it right back on D! 71-61 with 6:27 in the 3rd.

-Just no defense. I must have written this 20 times in my notes so far. They have no transition defense at all, and their half court defense isn't much better. If they could get stops on maybe 1 more out of every 10 possessions, I'd be happy. But they can't! 81-73 Denver with 1:30 left in the quarter.

-The Wizards need to get inside. Their offense is stagnant if nobody drives. It's a guard oriented team right now, and they can't just sit around taking jump shots all day. Especially since they can't get a stop on the other end. They need to get inside and get to the line.

-84-78 at the end of the 3rd, Denver ahead. But the big news is the fan hit a 3 pointer to give everyone in the stadium a free pizza! And of course, PJR was watching the whole time.

-Here we go! Jamison with a corner jumper to cut it to 4. Ruffin goes to the line (a 36% FT shooter) and sinks both. The Wizards are getting inside, and with 10:30 left in the game, they're already in the bonus. This could be huge.

-And then Rodney White hits a 3, Boykins a steal and fast break layup to push the lead back out to 91-82 Denver. So close. MCI Center actually got loud for a second there, with chants of "D-Fense" rocking the building. Enthusiasm? At a Wizards game? Maybe this is a different team.

-But the Wizards keep getting inside and scoring, they're still in it. If only they could get a stop! Andre Miller hits a nice turnaround. Quietly scoring. 100-94 Denver with 3:39 left.

-Hughes comes off a pick, hits. It's again within 4. Can they finish off the surge this time?

-A big alley-oop to Melo, then the Wizards miss 3 times, 3 offensive rebounds, and still can't hit. Again, downcourt to Boykins and a fast break bucket. 102-96.

-A huge Hughes 3. It's at 3 now. Get a stop!

-Camby, missed jumper with the shot clock gone, and?Kenyon grabs the offensive board, fouled, hits both free throws. 106-100 Denver with 36.4 left. Quick missed 3 by Arenas, Andre with a fast break bucket and that's game.

POST GAME

-They showed some heart, but left me wondering if they'd ever learn to play defense. They need to be able to get a stop in crunch time if they want to even think about the playoffs (although in the East this year, who knows?).

-I guess to answer my pre-game question, they aren't really a different team, but they're getting there. The last couple years' teams would have fallen apart in that 7 game stretch against the horrible teams ? at least they win the games they need to. They can take a loss to a team like Denver, as long as they can beat a team like Toronto.