Wizards starters: Gilbert Arenas, Mike Miller, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison, Brendan Haywood Spurs: Tony Parker, Keith Bogans, Richard Jefferson, Tim Duncan, Antonio McDyess Line: Spurs by 7.5. Back in San Antonio, where he spent his first four years in the NBA, Fabricio Oberto also returned to the Wizards after missing the past two games with a sore left hamstring. To make room for Oberto, Nick Young was moved to the inactive list (That might not sound like a big deal, but Young was the only player to all 82 games during that injury-riddled, 19-63 campaign last season). Oberto used his short time at the AT&T Center to catch with some former teammates and other members of the Spurs' staff. He also spent time in the visiting team locker room for the first time. Oberto said that he wouldn't get too caught up the emotion on Saturday. "It's weird because I
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
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
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
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
