Washington
Philip Maymin
Basketball News Services
The Wizards dropped two important games over the weekend to two depleted teams. On Friday, they lost 93-83to Indiana, whose woes, both injury and suspension, are well documents. On Saturday, they lost106-112loss to the Sixers, playing without Allen Iverson or Chris Webber. In both games, Washington's big three played well. So what gives?
Especially in the Philadelphia game, Gilbert Arenas set a new career high with 44 points. Larry Hughes poured in a solid 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. Antawn Jamison, while still not 100%, put in a very reasonable 14 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists. It's not like the big guys were chumps either: Jared Jefferies, Etan Thomas, and Michael Ruffin each had eight or nine rebounds. Washington even shot better from behind the line.
So what gives? Why is Washington suddenly just two games out of being in the eighth seed? Washington is facing the wrong end of a five-game streak at the most critical time of their season. If they do slip to the seventh or eighth seed, they would be facing Detroit or Miami, both of whom swept the Wizards this season, and against whom they don't, in an extended series, have a very good chance at advancement.
The Wizards start a four game home stand tonight. It has been nearly a month since the Wizards have won a home game by more than a couple points. Now is the time for them to put together a strong finish. There are just six games left, just 24 quarters of regular season basketball.
NEXT GAME
The Wizards (41-35, second in the Southeast) host the Milwaukee Bucks (29-47, fifth in the Central) TONIGHT. The game starts at 7:00pm Eastern and will be broadcast on CSN and NBA League Pass.
TEAM NOTES
The Wizards have justfour home games remainingbefore the regular season concludes. Click here to get your tickets online!Washington's next home game is Monday, April 11thwhen the team hosts the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Wizards have announced that tickets to Game Oneand Game Twoof the first round of the NBA Playoffs are on sale now!
INJURY UPDATE
Anthony Peeler(knee),Jarvis Hayes(knee), andBrendan Haywood (thumb fracture) are all on the injured list.
John N. Mitchell ofThe Washington Timeswrites: The fourth quarter hasn't been kind to the Washington Wizards in their drive for the playoffs.The Wizards (41-35), on a season-high, five-game losing streak that has dropped them from the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference to the sixth in a little more than a week, simply have been outplayed down the stretch in those losses.
Tom Knott ofThe Washington Timeswrites: The Wizards are in the throes of a season-deflating collapse and have no readily available solutions.They lack the interior presence of the injured Brendan Haywood, as the 76ers made all too clear in the team's last outing on Fun Street. The Wizards have been a fundamentally flawed defensive team all season, this reality all the more pronounced with the absence of Haywood, the 7-foot center who might contribute five or six stops a game. Five or six stops can mean everything in outcomes decided in the single digits.
Michael Lee ofThe Washington Postwrites: A fourth-quarter free-for-all for the Washington Wizards' opponents has contributed to the Wizards' free fall in the month of April.Instead of tightening up in the final period, the Wizards have consistently broken down. They have given opposing guards clear, layup-drill quality driving lanes. Their poor rotations and defensive lapses have left shooters open for uncontested three-pointers. And, opposing big men have been rolling right to the hoop for easy slam dunks.