BallHype - Latest Washington Wizards News Articles

The Other Side: San Antonio Spurs

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 18:07:11 +0000

You thought the Wizards were having a rough start? Okay, they are pretty bad right now. But what about the San Antonio Spurs? After electing to pay the luxury tax for the first time in franchise history, the Spurs are just 4-6 and off to their worst 10-game start since Tim Duncan joined the team in 1997. What? I didn't kill a bat! Wasn't me. Really. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) The Spurs have lost three in a row, including a 90-83 loss to the Utah Jazz on Thursday night. They haven't lost four in a row since March 2008. Here's what else you need to know about the Spurs: 1. Manu Ginobili showed tremendous reflexes when he slapped a bat down to the ground on Halloween. But the Spurs really just need him to be healthy. Unfortunately for San Antonio, that is easier said than done. He's out for

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, San Antonio Spurs, Washington Wizards, Tim Duncan, Utah Jazz, Manu Ginobili

Morning brew, weekend edition

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 12:55:39 +0000

There was plenty of offense Friday night on both sides (69 combined points for the Wizards' big three; 35 points by District native Kevin Durant). But that doesn't make up for how poor the Wizards looked on defense. Just when it seems like the offense is showing signs of life and Gilbert Arenas is taking better care of the ball (only 5 turnovers total the last two games), the defense allows a season high for points while the Thunder shoots 52.4 percent from three and 53 percent overall. Michael Lee delves into all this in his late-night postgame thoughts. The Wizards have to shake it off quickly because they have to play at San Antonio on Saturday. Mike Jones of The Washington Times was also on hand. We wonder if the headline writer had this little Garth Brooks ditty on the brain when piecing that together. Here's the recap from

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Kevin Durant, Gilbert Arenas, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs

Thunder 127, Wizards 108

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:22:22 +0000

Whose fault is it now? Who is going to have to take the brunt of the criticism for this 3-8 start? The Wizards had an easy target last season, placing the blame on their miserable start with a group of not-ready-for-prime-time players because Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood, among others, were out with injuries. But on Friday night, the Wizards sent a veteran lineup, featuring their dream starting five of Arenas, Haywood, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Mike Miller, on the court against the Oklahoma City Thunder and got completely outplayed and outworked. The young guys --- JaVale McGee, Nick Young and Dominic McGuire -- sat for all but the final minute of an embarrassing 127-108 loss. The Wizards never led at any point in the game and allowed three players on the Thunder to score 25 or more points, including Kevin Durant, the local kid who scored a

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, Gilbert Arenas, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison

Thunder Fend Off Wizards 127-108

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:58:09 +0000

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- Kevin Durant scored 35 points, Russell Westbrook added 26 and the Oklahoma City Thunder had their highest-scoring output of the season in a 127-108 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook

Durant helps Thunder top Wizards 127-108 (AP)

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:47:05 +0000

Kevin Durant scored 35 points, Russell Westbrook added 26 and the Oklahoma City Thunder had their highest-scoring output of the season in a 127-108 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday night. Rookie James Harden followed his 24-point performance by hitting his first three 3-pointers and finishing with 25 points to set another career best.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Russell Westbrook, James Harden

Durant keys scoring spree as Thunder stop Wiz

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:44:23 +0000

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Kevin Durant, Oklahoma City Thunder, Russell Westbrook, Washington Wizards

Thunder fend off Wizards 127-108

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 03:42:45 +0000

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington Wizards, Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook

Wizards (3-7) at Thunder (6-6)

Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:50:45 +0000

Wizards starters: Gilbert Arenas, Mike Miller, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood Thunder: Russell Westbrook, Thabo Sefolosha, Kevin Durant, Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic Line: Thunder by 4. The Wizards are 0-for-Oklahoma City. They've never won at Ford Center, losing to the Thunder, 88-83, last season and twice against the New Orleans Hornets, who spent two seasons in Oklahoma following Hurricane Katrina. And, I know it doesn't count, but they also lost a preseason game against the Los Angeles Lakers here in 2005 in which Eddie Jordan was ejected. Etan Thomas and Brendan Haywood certainly had their history together, but Haywood might want to give Thomas a hug for what he did this summer. Thomas was the only possible holdup on the Wizards' deal with Minnesota last June. By declaring that he wouldn't opt out of the final year of his contract, Thomas cleared the way for Mike Miller and Randy

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, Brendan Haywood, Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler

The Other Side: Oklahoma City Thunder

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 21:07:51 +0000

The Oklahoma City Thunder had the makings of a disaster at the start of last season, when it won just three of its first 32 games. But the Thunder was a second-half surprise under Coach Scott Brooks, going 20-30 the rest of the way -- including an 88-83 win over the Wizards last March -- and has continued to improve. The Thunder is already 6-6, with wins over Orlando, Miami and San Antonio and it is coming off a 108-94 loss in Orlando on Wednesday. Here's what else you need to know about the Thunder: We don't stink anymore! (AP Photo/J Pat Carter) 1. Folks in Washington already know that Kevin Durant is a budding but low-key star, but few realize that he is also in pursuit of his college degree -- so are Russell Westbrook and fellow D.C. area native Jeff Green. He ranks sixth in the NBA in

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Oklahoma City Thunder, Scott Brooks, San Antonio Spurs, Orlando Magic

Morning brew

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:02:07 +0000

Center Brendan Haywood is having a stellar season, which has been nearly overshadowed by the Wizards' slow start. Michael Lee writes about that -- and previews the game against Etan Thomas and the Oklahoma City Thunder -- for today's newspaper. On the blog, he recounts how DeShawn Stevenson got inside LeBron James's head on Wednesday night. Dan Steinberg examines Earl Boykins's role in the return of Agent Zero and Boykins's uncanny strength. Not to mention the fact that Gilbert tweeted last night. At the Washington Times, Mike Jones says the team hopes the win can serve as a building block to a turnaround. Bullets Forever's Mike Prada offers a final wrap-up of Wednesday's win over the Cavaliers. Truth About it reminds us: Don't call it a statement. Around the League ... The New York Times and Newsday are reporting that the Knicks have dropped their pursuit of Allen Iverson. Last

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Gilbert Arenas, New York Knicks, Brendan Haywood, Etan Thomas

Stevenson pleased to make James lose his focus

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 20:17:08 +0000

DeShawn Stevenson could not stop himself from grinning on Thursday, a day after he managed to sucker LeBron James into some silly quest to dominate him in the fourth quarter. Coach Flip Saunders put Stevenson on James, and the move worked out splendidly for the Wizards, as Stevenson frustrated James and the Cavaliers offense went out of whack. "What I was trying to do was make it a one-on-one thing, so that he would forget about his teammates," Stevenson said. "He's a good player and if he gets into that mode that he's shooting all the time, it's going to be hard for them to win." James wasn't in that mode in the first quarter, as he handed out seven of the team's 13 assists in the period, and the Cavaliers built a 10-point lead. After three quarters, James had 28 points on just 13 shots, but he appeared offended

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, DeShawn Stevenson, LeBron James, Flip Saunders

Morning brew

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 16:28:06 +0000

The Wizards broke out of their month-long funk last night with a 108-91 win over their "rivals," the Cleveland Cavaliers. After the game, Michael Lee took a deeper look at the victory. Michael Wilbon warned not to draw any conclusions from one encouraging game. And Dan Steinberg took a look at LeBron's night, in pictures. Here's Mike Jones's game story in the Washington Times, and his observations after the game. Before the game, Wizznutzz checked in with an epic blog post that is well worth your time. Around the League ... Howard Beck of the New York Times reverses field. Apparently, the Knicks are interested in Allen Iverson and plan on pursuing him as soon as he becomes a free agent on Thursday. Knicks General Manager Donnie Walsh told the New York Daily News that the Knicks are likely to pursue him, but Frank Isola writes that the Miami Heat

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, New York Knicks, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, Michael Wilbon, LeBron James

Antawn Jamison has 31 points in season debut

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Jamison leads Wizards over Cavaliers with a double-double. > Antawn Jamison delivered a double-double in his season debut, and the Washington Wizards defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers, 108-91, Wednesday night to end a losing streak at six games.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, Antawn Jamison

ROUNDUP / Wizards cast spell on James, Cavaliers

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

With LeBron James taking a second-half breather, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler put the Washington Wizards way ahead. When James returned to the court, instead of leading a comeback, he became part of the problem as his Cleveland Cavaliers'...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler

Jamison's double-double debut leads Wiz past Cavs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:41:58 +0000

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards

Jamison's Double-Double Debut Leads Wiz Past Cavs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 07:40:35 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- LeBron James was stymied down the stretch by DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison delivered 31 points and 10 rebounds in his season debut, and the Washington Wizards beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-91 Wednesday night to end a six-game losing streak.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards

Wizards 108, Cavaliers 91

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:27:41 +0000

If one thing stood out from the game tonight, it was how important it is for the Washington Wizards to have all three of their all-stars on the court. Not one. Not two. But all three. The Wizards are not like Cleveland or Miami, teams that are fortunate to have one transcendent superstar to carry them over the course of 82 games. They need that trio to compete with the other big dogs in the NBA and this win served as a friendly reminder. Unfortunately, the Wizards have rarely been able to get those guys on the floor together, which explains why they've never won a playoff series since the so-called Big Three was formed. Gilbert Arenas and Caron Butler have struggled with their shots all season, and it was no different on Wednesday night, as Arenas and Butler combined to shoot just 12 of 38. Any other night,

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, Gilbert Arenas, Miami Heat, Caron Butler

LeBron hurts wrist on dunk

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 05:01:49 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- LeBron James hurt his left wrist by banging it on the basket while dunking late in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 108-91 loss to the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, Washington Wizards

LeBron James left wrist injured in dunk against the Washington Wizards

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:06:42 +0000

LeBron James says he hurt his left wrist by banging it on the rim while dunking late in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 108-91 loss to the Washington Wizards.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, LeBron James, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers

Antwan Jamison's Return Makes Wizards Contenders

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:05:33 +0000

Antawn Jamison made his season debut tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the Wizards looked like a rejuvenated team with him in the lineup. Many preseason prognostications had the Wizards finishing as high as fourth in the Eastern Conference and as a definite playoff team. Through nine and a half games, however, they looked like anything but. Their 2-7 start, though somewhat surprising, can be attributed to two major factors. First, the reintegration of Gilbert Arenas into the Wizards offense was bound to take some time. Remember, Arenas has been mostly inactive from live basketball action for the better part of two years. It should not be surprising that incorporating himself back into the offense alongside three new players would involve some growing pains. Second, the success of this team rests squarely on the shoulders of Antawn Jamison, and Wizards fans now realize how important those shoulders are. The injury he sustained during the preseason was a devastating loss, even for ...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Antawn Jamison, Cleveland Cavaliers

LeBron hurts left wrist on late dunk vs. Wizards

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:04:50 +0000

LeBron James says he hurt his left wrist by banging it on the rim while dunking late in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 108-91 loss to the Washington Wizards.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, LeBron James, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavs' James hurts wrist while dunking (AP)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:45:49 +0000

LeBron James says he hurt his left wrist by banging it on the rim while dunking late in the Cleveland Cavaliers' 108-91 loss to the Washington Wizards. James was icing his wrist in the locker room after Wednesday night's game. He said the injury came on Cleveland's final basket of the game, with about 2 1/2 minutes left.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Washington Wizards

Wizards End Cleveland's Winning Streak At Five

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:22:50 +0000

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Washington Wizards overcame a 34-point performance by LeBron James to crush the Central Division-leading Cleveland Cavaliers 108-91 on Wednesday and snap a six-game losing streak.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James

Jamison's Double-Double Debut Leads Wiz Past Cavs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:10:29 +0000

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards

Jamison returns as Wizards stymie Lebron, Cavs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:05:33 +0000

WASHINGTON(AP) LeBron James was stymied down the stretch by DeShawn Stevenson , Antawn Jamison delivered 31 points and 10 rebounds in his season debut, and the Washington Wizards beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-91 Wednesday night to end a six-game losing streak.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, LeBron James, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison

Jamison, Wizards beat short-handed Cavs (AP)

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:02:02 +0000

LeBron James was stymied down the stretch by DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison delivered 31 points and 10 rebounds in his season debut, and the Washington Wizards beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-91 Wednesday night to end a six-game losing streak. Wearing a white protective sleeve over the right shoulder that sidelined him since October, Jamison looked in midseason form from the start, scoring 13...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison

Jamison's double-double debut leads Wizards past Cavs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 03:00:35 +0000

LeBron James was stymied down the stretch by DeShawn Stevenson's tough defense, Antawn Jamison delivered a double-double in his ...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, LeBron James, DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers

Jamison's double-double debut leads Wiz past Cavs

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 02:51:54 +0000

LeBron James was stymied down the stretch by DeShawn Stevenson's tough defense, Antawn Jamison delivered a double-double in his season debut, and the Washington Wizards beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-91 Wednesday night to end a six-game losing streak.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, DeShawn Stevenson, Antawn Jamison, Washington Wizards

After missing nine games, Wiz's Jamison makes season debut

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 01:16:23 +0000

Wizards forward Antawn Jamison has made his season debut, starting against the Cleveland Cavaliers after missing Washington's first nine games.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Antawn Jamison, Cleveland Cavaliers

Cavaliers (8-3) at Wizards (2-7)

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 23:59:40 +0000

Wizards starters: Gilbert Arenas, Mike Miller, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood Cavaliers: Mo Williams, Anthony Parker, LeBron James, J.J. Hickson, Zydrunas Ilgauskas Line: Cavaliers by 4. What does it say about the Wizards that this is only the second time this calendar year that Brendan Haywood, Caron Butler, Gilbert Arenas and Antawn Jamison played a regular season game together? That foursome defeated the Cavaliers 109-101 on April 2. The Wizards have won the past two meetings between these two teams at Verizon Center. With Jamison making his season debut, Coach Flip Saunders said the vibe around the team is different entering this game. "I think the energy level's up," Saunders said. "There's no question, and it's a combination of when you play one of the best teams your energy level had better be up and against LeBron and those things. And then, too, I think any time you get

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood, Antawn Jamison, LeBron James

The Other Side: Cleveland Cavaliers

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:25:43 +0000

This is it. Unless they meet in the playoffs, this is the only time this season that Washington Wizards fans will be able to express their love and affection for LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers. The last time Cleveland came to Washington, the Wizards snapped the Cavaliers' 13-game win streak as they fielded a team with Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood for the only time all season. I love you, too, D.C. (Photo by Fernando Medina/NBAE via Getty Images) There always seems to be good reason for the Wizards to be upset with the Cavaliers, but here is another: The Wizards' six-game losing streak began on Nov. 3 in Cleveland, when they blew an 18-point first half lead before Shaquille O'Neal knocked them over -- he clobbered DeShawn Stevenson and sent the rest of Washington's big men to the bench in foul trouble. The Cavaliers

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison

Lebron James Comes To Washington: The Fact and The Fantasy

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:06:01 +0000

The Washington Wizards are set to "welcome" LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers to the Verizon Center for their second meeting of the season. The outcome will not be as one-sided as the first, as Antawn Jamison makes his season debut against the Cavs. With LeBron coming to town now, and his impending free agency next summer, it is difficult to overlook the potential impact on the Wizards. The Fact James and the Cavaliers have had the Wizards' number in recent memory. In the playoffs, Cleveland with LeBron has won 12 of 16 against the Wizards. But in the regular season, the Cavs with LeBron are 11-11 against Washington. Cleveland already owns a 12 point victory over Washington this season, but the score does little justice to how badly the Wizards played. Good thing this isn't the playoffs. In their first meeting of this season, the Wizards shot 39 percent from the field and 29 percent from beyond the arc. In comparison, the Cavaliers shot 41 percent from the field and 42 ...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, LeBron James, Cleveland Cavaliers, Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler

Morning brew

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:19:47 +0000

Game day, at long last. Michael Lee checks in with Antawn Jamison, who was available to talk Tuesday, and he had plenty on his mind. Mike Jones of the Washington Times covers similar ground on the team's health front. The Wizards are actually getting healthy. Imagine that. Mike Prada of Bullets Forever was doing some late-night number crunching (note the time stamp) in conjunction with the imminent return of Mr. Jamison. On the other side, Cleveland played Tuesday night, eking out a home win over the Golden State Warriors, 114-108. And in case you're wondering: Shaq did not fly to Washington with the team. Game highlights courtesy of NBA.com: Around the League ... Marc Stein's power rankings are out now on ESPN.com. Wizards are 24th and sinking. Ten was supposedly enough, but what do the New Jersey Nets do about being 0-11? After losing at home to Indiana, 91-83, last

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Antawn Jamison, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Shaquille O'Neal

Featured Advertiser

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:19:47 +0000

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards

ROUNDUP / Wizards cast spell on James, Cavaliers

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 08:00:00 +0000

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler

Cavs big men Shaq, Varejao sitting out (AP)

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:37:41 +0000

Shaquille O'Neal and Anderson Varejao are inactive for the Cleveland Cavaliers' game against Golden State. Varejao is scratched with a hip contusion. O'Neal is missing his second straight game with a strained shoulder, and coach Mike Brown doesn't expect either player back for Wednesday night's game at Washington.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Shaquille O'Neal, Anderson Varejao, Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors, Mike Brown, Washington Wizards

Can the Wizards be the new Mavericks?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 20:31:06 +0000

The Washington Wizards are 2-7 and Flip Saunder points out that the Dallas Mavericks had a similar record last season, but turned it around, finished the season with 50 wins and advanced to the second round of the playoffs. After starting last season 2-7, the Mavericks won their next five games against New York, Charlotte, Houston, Memphis and Indiana. The Wizards' next five games are against Cleveland, Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Philadelphia and Miami. So, there isn't any let-up. But they did get some encouraging signs as Randy Foye returned to practice on Tuesday, joining Antawn Jamison, who practiced for the second time this season. The Wizards' core group is finally intact for the first time since the regular season began. "Ooh, it felt good," Foye said of the mood in practice. "You could see the bounce and the pep in everybody¹s step, like, 'Here we go. Everybody's healthy. Let's

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs

Washington Wizards Get Antawn Jamison Back; Winning To Follow?

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:24:19 +0000

In the long list of things missing from the Washington Wizards this season, Antawn Jamison is at the top. Come Wednesday, he will be scratched off that list. Coach Flip Saunders said Jamison will make his season debut against the Cleveland Cavaliers in a must-win situation for the Wizards. It isn't a must-win because time is short on the season, but because the Wizards need something to end the six game skid they're on. With his return imminent, it is impossible to overlook what the Wizards are getting with Jamison. His career averages of 19.9 points and eight rebounds per game don't do justice to his tenure with the Wizards. Beyond his statistics, Jamison has been a leader for the Wizards through tough stretches. In the absence of Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood, Jamison maintained his level of play and played a big part in what few wins the Wizards could manage. There is some skepticism that comes with Jamison's return. It isn't a foregone conclusion that he will see a heavy load of ...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood, Gilbert Arenas

Morning brew

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:19:56 +0000

Getting closer to actually playing a basketball game this week, not to mention getting closer to seeing Antawn Jamison in uniform again. Michael Lee writes that Antawn Jamison practiced with the Wizards Monday, though he didn't speak with reporters. Here's how Mike Jones of The Washington Times saw it, again without comment from Jamison. Mike Prada of Bullets Forever delves a little deeper into Gilbert Arenas's identity crisis. Also via Bullets Forever, Hoops Addict did a Q&A; with Grant Hill, which included his thoughts on Arenas's comeback from injury. The Cavaliers will come to Verizon Center having played Tuesday night at home against the Warriors, and Shaquille O'Neal is expected to be out for that one. Around the League... Only three games on the schedule, but plenty of action off the court. Allen Iverson and the Memphis Grizzlies parted ways. God chose Memphis for Iverson. The Grizzlies chose to dump

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Antawn Jamison, Gilbert Arenas, Memphis Grizzlies, Grant Hill

Adjusting to offense will take time, but how much?

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:34:19 +0000

It was a beautiful display of basketball, the kind that the Washington Wizards assumed would be a regular occurrence when Flip Saunders took over as head coach. The Washington Wizards scored 27 points in little more than seven minutes in the third quarter of their 106-103 loss to the Detroit Pistons on Saturday. The ball whipped around at a neck-snapping pace, with confidence rising as open shots fell. Mike Miller kicked the ball out to an open Andray Blatche for an 18-foot jumper, then Blatche returned the favor as he found Miller open for a three-pointer. Caron Butler took a pass on the wing from Blatche, then quickly found Gilbert Arenas open at the top of the key for another three-pointer. It's getting harder to score. (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) All in all, the Wizards had eight assists on 10 field goals and turned an eight-point deficit

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Flip Saunders, Detroit Pistons, Andray Blatche, Caron Butler

Late-morning brew: Jackson traded to Bobcats

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:15:26 +0000

The Stephen Jackson trade rumor mill was churning this morning. Earlier today it looked as if he was going to Cleveland. But he is actually Charlotte-bound, as ESPN.com's Marc Stein reports. Brandon Jennings may have wrapped up the rookie of the year award already. The Bucks point guard had 55 points on Saturday and Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski explains why he is so good -- and how he slipped to No. 10 after a year in Europe. Charles Gardner of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel breaks down that remarkable night. The Celtics and the Lakers on losing streaks? Two of the NBA favorites have lost two in a row. Boston is having trouble defending young and athletic teams, like Atlanta and Indiana. The Lakers got pummeled by Denver and Houston. They lost to the Rockets on Sunday as Kobe Bryant got hurt. Those 70-win seasons just got tougher to accomplish. Johnny

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Stephen Jackson, Charlotte Bobcats, Marc Stein, Brandon Jennings

Morning brew

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 13:53:41 +0000

Happy Monday, everyone. In The Post, Michael Lee delves into Gilbert Arenas's identity crisis with respect to the offense. We're all aware Agent Zero is back, for now. That much we've figured out. Mike Jones of the Washington Times also covers the latest Gilbert persona change. His colleague, Tom Knott, gets Cavaliers week (okay, not quite the ring of Cowboys week, but humor us for a second) started with a column on LeBron James putting a self-imposed stop to the free agency talk. Bullets Forever's Mike Prada takes a final look at Saturday's loss to the Pistons and says the little things made the difference. Around the League ... Pretty quiet night in terms of games. In Los Angeles, former Laker Trevor Ariza received his championship ring and his Rockets got a win. Staples Center fans were not happy with the Lakers' performance, according to the Los Angeles Times' Helene

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Gilbert Arenas, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James, Detroit Pistons

Morning brew, Sunday edition

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 12:53:58 +0000

Was it really only two weeks ago that the Wizards were 2-1? Yes, yes it was. The losing streak reached six Saturday night as the Wizards were unable to hold off the Pistons down the stretch, falling 106-103 at Verizon Center. The Wizards are now 2-7 with no letup anytime soon. Washington next faces Cleveland at home, then travels to Oklahoma City and San Antonio. Michael Lee lays it all out on an eventful, though ultimately frustrating, night for the Wizards in his postgame thoughts. And here's the box score, if you want to mull over some positives, such as the return of Mike Miller, the play of Earl Boykins and so forth. The Detroit News was also on hand for the game, and here's how they saw it. As usual, highlights courtesy of NBA.com: Around the league... On a busy night that featured just about every other sport in

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, Cleveland Cavaliers, Oklahoma City Thunder, San Antonio Spurs

Ben Gordon drives Pistons

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:45:56 +0000

Ben Gordon scored 29 points, Charlie Villanueva added 25 and the Detroit Pistons held the Wizards to one field goal over the final 5 minutes to win, 106-103, last night in...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Ben Gordon, Detroit Pistons, Charlie Villanueva, Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards Holding Out For a Hero, Or a Miracle

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 06:20:51 +0000

After starting the season 2-1, the Washington Wizards have lost six straight games. To make matters worse, several players are already battling injuries, making the absence of Antawn Jamison that much more devastating. Despite all the hard work the Wizards put in over the offseason, their tendency towards frailty haunts them. With Jamison's return pending, the Wizards have had to turn to Andray Blatche to fill the void. Though Blatche has performed admirably, he doesn't hold a candle to Jamison in any phase of the game. Especially leadership. If there is one thing that is apparent, it is that the Wizards are lost without Jamison. Not only does he give them 20 points and 10 rebounds a game, but he is the heart and soul of the team. Jamison is the conduit through which the success of the Wizards flows. He also has a hand in keeping Gilbert Arenas in check on the floor. It is apparent that Arenas is not the same player he was prior to his injury, but perhaps it is a mere consequence of ...

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Flip Saunders

Pistons 106, Wizards 103

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:03:40 +0000

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons

Wizards' Jamison to make season debut vs. Cavs

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:36:08 +0000

Wizards coach Flip Saunders says captain Antawn Jamison will make his season debut Wednesday night against the Cavaliers. The two-time All-Star forward partially dislocated his right shoulder trying to block a shot in an exhibition game against Cleveland on Oct. 14. Jamison's shoulder had healed, but he missed Saturday night's 106-103 loss to the Detroit Pistons because of an illness. That was Washington's sixth consecutive defeat and dropped the team to 2-7.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, Flip Saunders, Antawn Jamison, Detroit Pistons

Wizards' Jamison to make season debut Wed. vs. Cavs

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 04:24:18 +0000

Wizards coach Flip Saunders says captain Antawn Jamison will make his season debut Wednesday night against the Cavaliers.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Cleveland Cavaliers, Flip Saunders, Antawn Jamison

Pistons claim third straight as Wizards go cold

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:39:55 +0000

Ben Gordon scored 29 points, Charlie Villanueva added 25 and the Detroit Pistons held Washington to one field goal over the final 5 minutes to win 106-103 Saturday night despite Wizards newcomer Earl Boykins' 20 points.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Detroit Pistons, Ben Gordon, Charlie Villanueva, Earl Boykins

Gordon, Villanueva Lead Pistons Past Wiz 106-103

Sun, 15 Nov 2009 03:10:38 +0000

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Ben Gordon scored 29 points, Charlie Villanueva added 25 and the Detroit Pistons held Washington to one field goal over the final 5 minutes to win 106-103 Saturday night despite Wizards newcomer Earl Boykins' 20 points.

Find more top sports news, videos, and blogs on BallHype: NBA, Washington Wizards, Ben Gordon, Detroit Pistons, Charlie Villanueva, Earl Boykins