Thoughts from Bulls-Wizards/October 16

Last night I went to the Bulls game against the Washington Wizards. Below are some thoughts I had after the game:

-I assumed that Thabo Sefolosha and Adrian Griffin would be out with injuries last night, but I was hoping we would get to see Ben Gordon for the first time this season. Gordon sat out once against with a left ankle injury.

-I was suprised Gordon was out again, considering Skiles said he would possibly play in last week's game against Dallas.

-I like how the Bulls made an effort right from the tip to post-up Luol Deng. With Roger Mason and Mike Hall on him, Deng clearly has an advantage. Considering his height and wingspan, Deng should continue to take advantage of that mismatch.

-I loved the big lineup that Skiles went with mid-way through the first quarter, which included: Kirk Hinrich at point guard, Luol Deng at shooting guard, Andres Nocioni at small forward, Tyrus Thomas at power forward, and Ben Wallace at center. That is a unique lineup that can play many different styles of basketball.

-I really like how Skiles is utilizing the preseason effectively: different lineups, Deng in the post, Thomas Gardner playing with the starters, seeing what Aaron Gray can do in the post, playing JamesOn Curry at both guard positions, and giving significant time to Viktor Khryapa.

-Antawn Jamison got tangled up in the corner opposite of the Wizards bench towards the end of the first quarter. Shortly after, Andray Blatche came up lame after finishing at the basket.

-Washington's rookie guard, Nick Young, really played well last night. He seems like he can play three positions if asked and plays aggresively. Of all the Wizards, he impressed me the most.

-I watched Gilbert Arenas throughout the evening frequently. I like the way he carries himself and leads his team. He did not play his best and only played limited minutes. I would really love to watch him live again during a big regular season game.

-Both Caron Butler and DeShawn Stevenson did not play last night for the Wizards.

-By my account, Oleksiy Pecherov may one day be a signifcant player in the NBA. However, last night I could tell that he is still very raw. He struggled from the perimter and turned the ball over a great deal. He works hard out there but still seems like he is not ready to significantly contribute to an NBA team today.

-At this point, I think I have seen enough to determine who my fifteen man roster that I would go into the regular season would be: Hinrich, Duhon, JamesOn Curry at point guard; Gordon, Gardner, Sefolosha at shooting guard; Deng, Nocioni, Griffin, and Khryapa at small forward; Smith, Thomas, and Noah at power forward; Wallace and Gray at center. I would assume that Khryapa and either Curry or Gardner, probably Curry, would be inactive on game nights.

-Both Jared Homan and Andre Barrett have not played poorly during the preseason, but they lack the talent the players ahead of them have.

-I really like the Joe Smith acquisition John Paxson made in the offseason. He is an experienced veteran, who really wants to win now. I do not think he is "over-the-hill" at this point, and can still be effective. If he can play twenty minutes a night and average ten points and six rebounds, then the Bulls will be in great shape.

Optimism for the Wizards

Since the end of last season, the Washington Wizards have resigned Andray Blatche and DeShawn Stevenson, drafted Nick Young and Dominic McGuire, and signed last season's draft pick, Oleksiy Pecherov. Jarvis Hayes has been the only significant player who has left the team, and he had his least productive season of his career last year.

So why are so many people predicting the Wizards to struggle to make it to the playoffs this season? With the Magic, Celtics, and Bobcats making significant additions and the Bulls, Heat, Nets, and Knicks expected to be better, the Wizards have not made drastic enough changes for many to believe they will improve on their 41-win season.

However, from the start of the season to the last game Antawn Jamison played before going down with an injury on January 30, 2007, the Washington Wizards were 26-17 and had the best record in the Eastern Conference. Jamison sprained his left knee in that game against the Pistons and was forced to miss all of February. During those first 43 games, the Wizards ranked second in points per game, second in turnovers per game, eighth in three-point percentage, and fourth in fast break points. This season, they return a health group of key players.

Additionally, Washington gets consistent scoring from three all-star caliber players in Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Jamison. The Wizards have a strong mix of young, talented players with Blatche, Pecherov, Young, McGuire, and Mike Hall. Darius Songaila and Antonio Daniels will provide valuable scoring off the bench for Washington this season, and Stevenson will guard the other teams’ best guard every night. Washington has a handful of large bodies to rebound and defend the post. Although they may be one talented post player short, the Wizards have plenty to be optimistic about this season.