Washington Wizards @ Miami Heat 11/14/08

[Wiz Fo Champz]

Okay, we're going back into D-Wade town. These guys had beat us 16 straight times and 19/20 times in before last season. Now where heading back into the arena which caused us so much frustration in years past, it's time to show Miami that we're still a playoff team and just because they're not 0-45 like they were when we played them last season doesn't mean they are as good as us.

Washington Wizards (1-5)

PG- Juan Dixon (Daniels is out I believe)
SG- DeShawn Stevenson
SF- Caron Butler
PF- Antawn Jamison
C- Etan Thomas (Not antonio daniels like i previously wrote)

6th man- Nick Young
X factor- JaVale McGee

Miami Heat (4-4)

PG- Mario Chalmers
SG- Dwayne Wade
SF- Yakhouba Diawara
PF- Micheal Beasley
C- Udonis Haslem

6th man- Daequan Cook
X factor- Chris Quinn

----

We must continue to play the defense we played against the Jazz but this time the focus should be on stopping Dwayne Wade. It's going to be a big night for Stevenson, he has a very tough assignment and has to be ready. Wade has been near unstoppable so far this season and we need to make sure he doesn't put up 48 points.

I'm feeling a very close game here, maybe comes down to the final shot but the Wizards pull out their first road victory of the season.

Washington Wizards - 98
Miami Heat - 95

[RickRoll_inDC]

I know that EJ likes small ball, but I don't think AD will start at C.

If we play as well in this one as we did against Utah, there's no reason why we can't win. As long as McGee plays a majority of the game at C and ET and Songaila don't, it should be a good game.

Of course, with our 1-5 record, I'm still nowhere near optimistic.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Being negative and expecting a loss worked against Utah.

Here goes: Miami swarms on the ball and creates a lot of turnovers. Wade will go straight to the hole and either dunk on Thomas or be fouled by Blatche or McGee. Beasley will find the Wizards slow to react to his moves to the basket. Chris Quinn will rain three pointers, as will DeQuan Cook. Haslem will burn the Wizards as he always does. The Matrix will outplay Butler or Jamison.

This will be a loss because the Heat are a quicker, much better defensive team, playing in their house. Wiz won't be able to go to the line 40-19 like they did against Utah.

Wizards will lose 103-99

(Now they could try that kid McGee with Blatche at PF and Jamison at SF ... Miamii's a short team.)

[spaceman_E]

Two is officially a win streak, right? Eddie has seen the light. Count on it.

[keynote]

I see Songaila getting a lot of minutes here, since MIA doesn't have an imposing big to force Eddie to play more traditional 5s at the pivot.

[JWizmentality]

Anybody wanna sport these? I've been board.

[spaceman_E]

I see Songaila getting a lot of minutes here, since MIA doesn't have an imposing big to force Eddie to play more traditional 5s at the pivot.

You are right, we only played Java in the last game because of the dominating force that is Kosta Koufos.

Sarcasm aside, Song probably will play some because Wade will get every call and have Mcgee/Etan in foul trouble at some point. Beasley still looks lost now that he is not the go-to guy anymore. We just need to make sure Young and Dixon stick tight on Quinn or he will rain 3's all night. I think home court keeps the Heat in the game for a bit but we win by about 10 or so.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

We just need to make sure Young and Dixon stick tight on Quinn or he will rain 3's all night.

Of course we'll do this... whaddaya think EJ's an idiot?

[hands11]

Being negative and expecting a loss worked against Utah.

Here goes: Miami swarms on the ball and creates a lot of turnovers. Wade will go straight to the hole and either dunk on Thomas or be fouled by Blatche or McGee. Beasley will find the Wizards slow to react to his moves to the basket. Chris Quinn will rain three pointers, as will DeQuan Cook. Haslem will burn the Wizards as he always does. The Matrix will outplay Butler or Jamison.

This will be a loss because the Heat are a quicker, much better defensive team, playing in their house. Wiz won't be able to go to the line 40-19 like they did against Utah.

Wizards will lose 103-99

(Now they could try that kid McGee with Blatche at PF and Jamison at SF ... Miamii's a short team.)

Always play tall and athletic over short and slow.

[miller31time]

If the Wiz were playing at home, I'd give us a small shot at winning this (which is why I predicted a win against the Jazz despite Utah being much better than us). But we're not at home and we're at a disadvantage at almost every position.

Miami - 104
Washington - 92

[toughjuice03]

Anybody wanna sport these? I've been board.

Do you care if I use your McGee sig JWiz?

[JWizmentality]

Be my guest.

[jholmbe1]

During the second quarter of Washington's win over Utah, Jordan briefly experimented with a lineup that included McGee at center, 6-11 Andray Blatche at power forward, 6-9 Antawn Jamison at small forward, 6-7 Caron Butler at shooting guard and 6-5 DeShawn Stevenson at point guard.

"We'll go with what was good for us [Wednesday], we'll go sort of big, and our bigs can be athletic," Jordan said. "I think JaVale's a little bit athletic. Andray, if he really puts his nose to the grindstone, can be athletic, Antawn at the 3 can be good. We had Caron at the 2 in a pinch and D-Steve play some point, so we can certainly play small or big just as long as we keep the harmony and the rhythm and the chemistry we are trying to develop."

Wow, didn't think I'd ever hear Eddie talking about going big.

[dobrojim]

will EJ really go big? How close will the rotations used against UT
be for tonight?

will our players really continue with their adjusted positioning and
be ready to close out on shooters at the 3 pt line?

the answer to these questions will go a long ways towards determining
who wins this game.

[MJG]

The last win was nice, but we're still a 1-5 team playing on the road against a decent opponent. I don't expect a win here, though hopefully it'll be closer than most of our other losses.

[dobrojim]

I'm probably over-reacting to the W vs UT and should remember
the old adage that you never as good as you look when you're winning
or as bad when you're losing. But I think we're better than a 1-5 team.
The only really bad loss we had was vs ORL, all the other games we
were close enough in the 4thQ to have conceivably have won the
game. I don't see MIA as being that superior on paper with the definite
exception of DWade. He could single-handedly win the game for MIA.
But I think we could pull out another W. But I wouldn't be surprised
either way.

[pancakes3]

I think AJ goes for 30+ since he'll probably be abusing Beasley. The question is if Beasly will have a statement game against Jamison. If Wade decides to get Beasley the ball early in the shot clock and lets him create, yes... but if wade is going to pound the ball and make beasley move without the ball, then no... beasley does not have a big game and 'zards win by 9.

[LyricalRico]

The Heat have to play at a certain tempo to stay in the game so I expect we'll see Dee Brown tonight. Miami also stay small most of the time so EJ has to fight the urge to play Songaila in the middle. On defense, it'll be tough to slow Wade down but we cannot collapse every time he drives and leave their shooters open.

I'd love to predict a win but I've got a bad feeling...

[Wizards2Lottery]

McGee should dominate whatever big man they throw at him.

Would also like to see McGuire get a chance to guard Wade

[charlib1989]

anyone know if the maryland game comes on television tonite.

GO WIZARDS!!!!