vs. Teams: <span style="color:#0000FF">Washington Wizards 30-21</span> vs. Sacramento Kings 23-29Date: February 22nd, 2007TV: CSN, NBALPTime: 7.00 PM EST<span style="font-familyalatino Linotype"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">Washington Wizards Starting Lineup</span></span>PG Gilbert Arenas Stats: 29 ppg, 6 apg, 4.8 rpgSG DeShawn Stevenson Stats: 10 ppg, 2.6 apg, 2.5 rpgSF Caron Butler Stats: 20.3 ppg, 7.6 rpg, 3.8 apgPF Andray Blatche Stats: 3 ppg, 3.1 rpgC Brendan Haywood Stats: 7.1 ppg, 6.9 rpg<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-familyalatino Linotype">Washington's X Factor</span></span>Andray Blatche Stats: 3 ppg, 3.1 rpg'Dray has been stepping it up the past couple weeks without Jamison, he's been bothering other PFs around the league with his length and is continously crashing the boards. The Kings are an extremely poor rebounding team overall so I expect Blatche (as well as Haywood) to crash the boards like crazy against Sacramento's frontcourt.<span style="font-familyalatino Linotype"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">Sacramento Kings Starting Lineup</span></span>PG Mike Bibby Stats: 16.6 ppg, 5.2 apg, 3.3 rpg SG Kevin Martin Stats: 21 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.1 apgSF Ron Artest Stats: 18.1 ppg, 6.8 rpg, 3.1 apgPF Shareef Abdur-Rahim Stats: 10 ppg, 5.1 rpgC Brad Miller Stats: 9.7 ppg, 6.6 rpg, 3.8 apg<span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-familyalatino Linotype">Sacramento's X Factor</span></span>Kevin Martin Stats: 21 ppg, 4.3 rpg, 2.1 apgMartin lit us up for a career high of 40 points last time we met in Sacramento back on Dec. 21. He made 13 FGs, including 5 3PTers. DeShawn needs to keep him in check defensively, as Martin almost brought the Kings back in the 4th quarter. <span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%"><span style="font-familyalatino Linotype">Key Player Matchup</span></span> vs. Gilbert Arenas vs. Mike BibbyThe two great Arizona guards are going at it tonight, and while Bibby hasn't had a great year, he is still a deadly player that needs to guarded closely. It'd be interesting how Arenas will play against an Arizona alum. <span style="font-familyalatino Linotype"><span style="font-size:14pt;line-height:100%">Predictions</span></span>We'll take this pretty easily, just like the Minnesota game, I don't think Sacramento will ever lead in this game. After all, they're a mediocre team and we're at home (where we are obviously most deadly, with or without Jamison). I predict Gil nets 33 points and 8 assists, while Butler gets back into the groove with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists. Andray will probably do well against Sacramento's weak frontcourt, maybe 10 points and 11 rebounds for him. I hope Artest doesn't bother Butler the entire game.. but Washington wins, 114-106.
I, too, think the Wizards should be able to get this one without too much trouble. And if Blatche is on, Sacremento is the perfect team to get some career-highs against, especially when we're talking boards. I'm also looking for a 40+ game from Gilbert; I hope his shot is on, but even more so it's important that he drives cause no one on the Kings squad can stop him in the lane.
Gil explodes for 30 at the half on 9/11 shooting, looks like the slump is over. Our turnovers are killing us though, that's why they're only trailing by 8. Gil has 7 Tos already. Stevenson is also doing real well tonight. Hope he keeps this up. Butler's been plagued by the fouls, but hopefully that won't be a problem in the second half, he's had a bad shooting night against the Wolves, let's pray that doesn't happen tonight. If we keep playing sloppy D like this and not protect the ball well, Kings still has a chance. We need to pick up on D in the second half and put the game away.
Turnovers are really keeping Sacramento in this game.. which is definitely what we do NOT want at all. Gil with 30 at half, but I hope he want turn into a chucker. Other players such as Stevenson, Butler, and Haywood really need to step up in the 2nd half. Gil can not do it all by himself. Go Wizards!
9/11 is not a chucker. He's doing a little bit of everything right now, getting open shots, attacking aggressively, and getting to the line where's he's 9 for 9. Stevenson's stepped up. He's 5 for 9, with 12 pts. Butler needs to step up, same for Andray.EDIT: First half was Gil's. But the second half is caron's and stevenson's. Caron really came up big in the third, and he's still Hot in the fourth going 2 for 2. He has 20 pts. Gil has 34, 11 for 17. He's settled down on shooting, but still attacking aggressively breaking down the defense, and dishing out the ball to open teamates. We're blowing the game open.
Well, this was an ugly game to see to say the least, if you're a Wizards fan. This should not have been one of those 'grind it out' victories. I'm kind of disappointed in Blatche for this game, I had him as the X Factor for tonight, but he just didn't have any flow while he was in the game. He only played 16 minutes, as well. Gilbert had an amazing ass game, but he went quiet in the 2nd half, which was really crucial for us in the closing minutes. My POTG is a tie between DeShawn and Caron, both of them really stepped up when they needed to. Caron kind of screwed us over a bit when he missed that free throw, but he had a great game, overall. Got Chicago tommorow on ESPN, that's going to be hell.
How the hell does someone catch a quarterback-like pass, turn around and shoot a 3 in .7 seconds? Should've been no question about it. Better yet, why is Ruffdawg in there chewing up minutes while Blatche, Etan and Haywood sit? Blowing a 17 point lead in the 4th....it just never ends with the Wiz
We blew a 17 point lead. They went on a 14-0 run mid fourth. That was one of our problems last season. The team tends to relax when they have a big lead. I really thought we solved that problem. But I guess not. I was on my toes the last 6+ minutes in the game. But you know, a little excitement once in a while wouldn't hurt, although that one almost did.Branballs: You went through all the trouble of joining just to post that? lol. But yeah you're right, although EJ corrected that by putting AD in the last few seconds. he figured we needed some low post defenders, because musselman put Brad miller back in the game, I think he should've went with Haywood though.....
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ultimate @ Feb 22 2007, 10:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>We blew a 17 point lead. They went on a 14-0 run mid fourth. That was one of our problems last season. The team tends to relax when they have a big lead. I really thought we solved that problem. But I guess not. I was on my toes the last 6+ minutes in the game. But you know, a little excitement once in a while wouldn't hurt, although that one almost did.Branballs: You went through all the trouble of joining just to post that? lol. But yeah you're right, although EJ corrected that by putting AD in the last few seconds. he figured we needed some low post defenders, because musselman put Brad miller back in the game, I think he should've went with Haywood though.....</div>joining took like 5 seconds....I'm a HUGE wiz fan and I've been looking for a board to post on. I've been reading posts on the ESPN board without the ability to post and someone recommended this site. And how bout us not getting open inbounding the ball during last minute posessions? Seems like we let teams do it easily against us all the time.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Branballs @ Feb 22 2007, 07:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>joining took like 5 seconds....I'm a HUGE wiz fan and I've been looking for a board to post on. I've been reading posts on the ESPN board without the ability to post and someone recommended this site. And how bout us not getting open inbounding the ball during last minute posessions? Seems like we let teams do it easily against us all the time.</div>Who recommeded the site to you?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LakersFan247 @ Feb 22 2007, 10:17 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Who recommeded the site to you?</div>MadsAnderson
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Branballs @ Feb 22 2007, 10:01 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>How the hell does someone catch a quarterback-like pass, turn around and shoot a 3 in .7 seconds?</div>Well last time I checked, it was enough for the Wizards to hold on to the victory. Arenas should've missed that free throw, it would be harder for the Kings to try to rebound the ball and make a full-court shot off in 0.6 seconds, think about it. You'd have the big men trying to get the rebound, so that wouldn't help either.
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ming637 @ Feb 22 2007, 11:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div><div class='quotemain'>Well last time I checked, it was enough for the Wizards to hold on to the victory. Arenas should've missed that free throw, it would be harder for the Kings to try to rebound the ball and make a full-court shot off in 0.6 seconds, think about it. You'd have the big men trying to get the rebound, so that wouldn't help either.</div>clock shouldve started right when he caught the ball. Theres just no way it shouldve garnered the controversy that it did.
It was a frustrating game to watch for sure, but in the end we got the W. We needed that, especially considering we're headed for Chicago tonight, which is such an important game. The positives were Gil's first half and Caron/Deshawn pulling us through it in the second half. Also, even if his numbers aren't reflecting it just yet, I think Songaila's doing much better. I've noticed that he likes to pass it to our centers, and he's especially good at finding Etan. This is something none of our guards have been willing or able to do so far.
