Wizards @ Hornets: 2/25/08 8:00ET

[RickRoll_inDC]

WHO-vs.
WHEN- Monday, February 25, 2008 8:00 ET
WHERE- New Orleans Arena

TV- NBA League Pass/ Comcast Sprtsnet
Live WizFans Chatroom: Click here to chat!

STARTERS

THE WIZARDS

Antonio Daniels**Deshawn Stevenson***Andray Blatche***Antawn Jamison****Haywood
THE HORNETS

Chris Paul*****Morris Peterson***Peja Stjakovic***David West****Tyson Chandler
Injuries-
WASHINGTON
Caron Butler- hip- out- didn't make trip
Gilbert Arenas- knee - out
Etan Thomas- Heart- out

HORNETS
none
KEY MATCHUP

Brendan Haywood
vs.

Tyson Chandler
Two of the top defensive Centers in the NBA face off in New Orleans

X-Factor

DeShawn Stevenson
A tough defensive match up for DeShawn in Chris Paul, who he will most likely be matched up against for most of the night

"Answer me these questions 3"- Old Man from scene 24 ([i]Monty Python and the Holy Grail)


Can we contain Chris Paul?
Who's going to step up and light it up off the bench?
Will Blatche continue his hot streak?


PREDICTION:
Washington 96
New Orleans 89

BIG 3
Jamison 26 points 12 rebounds
Blatche 15 points 11 rebounds
Stevenson 18 points 6 rebounds

[gil2good]

New Orleans 115
Washington 75

Chris Paul with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals
Peja with 23 points 8 rebounds
David West 32 points 11 rebounds

Antawn Jamison with 22 points 9 rebounds
Deshawn Stevenson with 15 points 4 rebounds
Andray Blatche with 12 points 7 rebounds 2 blocks

[MDStar]

Sorry guys but I have to disagree with all the sentiment about us getting blown out. Sure we've been on the short end of the stick for the past month or so. However the Wizards have been in almost every game till the very end. Looking at the 9 losses we've had in the month of February, are average margin of defeat is only 5.8 without our two best players. That's with games against Utah, San Antonio, LA, Phoenix, Denver, Cleveland and Golden State. We

[FreeBalling]

I'd love to say we get the win, but w/o Gil and CB3 no way we win this game.


Wizards 87
Hornets 95

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Depends.

The trade has temporarily stirred the Hornets' chemistry. BJax was an inspirational leader for them. They lost their last game to SA. They usually win with great cohesiveness, good rebounding, and floor generalship by Paul. Paul thinking and hesititating a bit gives AD some hope (not much).

If Bonzi is in he's probably going to defer on offense. Maybe others will force it to him. Could be less good defensive plays from them and more turnovers or forced shots while guys get to know each other on the court.

So, the Wizards have the chance tonight to catch the Hornets at the right time mentally.

Washington will also be peaking with all the bigs on their games. David West could be running into Andray and Brendan not falling for his bully game. Jamison at SF is Peja's worst nightmare defensively. Darius has clearly turned the corner. And then there's Keep It Gangsta, Son. ..

I think the Hornets win a close, hard-fought game.

It wouldn't surprise me if the Wizards shocked everybody and beat New Orleans. The bigs will hold their own, but DeShawn, Nick, Mason will need to step up for the Wizards to win. Keep Paul occupied and the Wizards will win.

I would like to see Mason shooting the ball and making Paul have to concentrate on defense. I don't think AD's a good matchup at all vs Paul.

[closg00]

Just watching tonight to check-out CP3, and to see the BTH vs Tyson Chandler match-up...these two do not like each other, so it should be very physical. I hope EJ throws the kitchen sink at NO complete with tall-ball line-up etc.

[Pass_The_Sticks]

Can't wait to see Chris Paul.

[MJG]

I don't expect a win here, not in the least. But on the bright side, this is a very rare chance to watch the Hornets play, a team I don't think I've seen once this year and I really feel like I should have by now.

[Wizards2Lottery]

Wiz win

[TheKingOfVa360]

I voted for the Hornets. This is going to be an ugly 20 point L for the home team.

[doclinkin]

If the Wiz win, Eddie could call it a season and be almost happy. He hates to get beat by them. And so far they've pretty well had the Wiz' number. In the past they've run elements of the same system, and know how to defend the Wiz version. The X-Factor for the Wiz....


... still thinking. I'ma go with team play. And execution. And playing with energy. No, with Passion. Yeah that's it. The extra pass. And maybe accidentally punching Peja in the nads so he doesn't incinerate the Wiz from threeland.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

any given Monday...

[gowiz999]

I'd really like us to win one of these next two but realistically our chances are slim. I think I'd be more frustrated if we lost a close one than got blown out.

New Orleans 108 Washington 92

[Ruzious]

New Orleans 115
Washington 75

Chris Paul with 27 points, 7 rebounds, 12 assists, 3 steals
Peja with 23 points 8 rebounds
David West 32 points 11 rebounds

Antawn Jamison with 22 points 9 rebounds
Deshawn Stevenson with 15 points 4 rebounds
Andray Blatche with 12 points 7 rebounds 2 blocks

Good calls - except Paul gets 35 points and 15 assists.

There might not be a team that the Wiz match up worse with right now in the NBA. Playing them on the road - forget it.

I'm not completely optimistic.

[JWizmentality]

Holy Frijoles Batman!!! We gonna need butt paste after this one!!!

[Texas Longhorns]

Good luck in the game guys, I hope you guys get this one.

[dobrojim]

back from vacation...I caught some of the ugliness while gone
but didn't get online to put in my 0.02.

I was trying to remember their starting 5. Without the intro
post, I didn't know.

Let's see, they have CP3 who should penetrate at will against
our guards so either they get wide open looks for Peja and MoPete
or maybe BTH gets in foul trouble. Chandler doesn't score much
so BTH might be tempted to leave him when CP3 blows past AD/DS.
Unguarded, TC might get 20 points or more. West killed us a couple
years ago with a last sec shot. MoPete? Can he hurt us if we don't have
Ruff to pass him the ball at a critical moment? Probably so.

AJ should own Peja or whoever but it's hard to see how we're
going to score enough to win, unless some unheralded player
really steps up. We'll need some combo of AB/DS/DS9/N1/RMjr
to go off for us to have a realistic chance. OPec! that's it.
Breakout game for the big Pecher. I doubt it. But you
never know. Every dog has its day.

[dobrojim]

-= original quote snipped =-


Good calls - except Paul gets 35 points and 15 assists.

There might not be a team that the Wiz match up worse with right now in the NBA. Playing them on the road - forget it.

I'm not completely optimistic.

I fear you are probably quite right. But then again, we don't
match up well against a bunch of teams: PHO, DEN, SAN, LAL,
UTA...and we're Oh-fer against that lot as well.

[miller31time]

I have a feeling the Hornets will think they've already got the game won before it starts, so the first 2 or 3 quarters will probably be pretty close.

However, once the sense of urgency sets in, New Orleans will take over and beat us handily in the 4th.

Hornets = 104
Wizards = 92

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Good luck in the game guys, I hope you guys get this one.

Next to where I am right now (sorry guys, but if you're ever in town I'm more than happy to share some aloha) ... next to here, Austin, TX, is my second favorite town away from home.

Love it out there in the rolling hills near Lake Travis. Also, I like the area around the university. Music in the air, good food, good times there...