We own Martin Luther King Day!

by Mike Prada on Jan 18, 2010 3:27 PM EST in Recaps

It wasn't Gilbert Arenas against the Jazz in 2007 or the Wizards' total team effort against the mighty Mavericks in 2008, but it's nice to know we still rock on Martin Luther King Day. The Wizards are 4-1 in their last five MLK Day games, with the only loss coming last season. If only we could play every game on the third Monday in January.

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Happy with the winning streak

hoping to hear movement on the trade front. Like seeing Jamison and Butler playing well because that increases their value.

"Would you like to shoot me now or wait till you get home." --- Daffy Duck

by George Templeton on Jan 18, 2010 3:28 PM EST reply actions

Yes, It's nice to see some effort...

and some wins resulting even if people are going to get dealt, at least they’re working hard until then.

When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk - Tuco

by ravoriobulleterpitals on Jan 18, 2010 3:30 PM EST up reply actions

build up their trade values before

we ship them out

by Fundefined on Jan 18, 2010 3:31 PM EST up reply actions

Flip best thing we have going for us

imagine if we were relying on Tapscott to get this turned around

by arijordan on Jan 18, 2010 3:29 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

Good thing too have Miller with us again,hope he sticks around for a while.

by chevydumfrie on Jan 18, 2010 3:32 PM EST reply actions

4-4-4-4-4-4

Yep, Miller hit all 4 FGs, all 4 FTs, while grabbing 4 RBs and dishing out 4 ASTs.

by Johnnie Futbol on Jan 18, 2010 4:03 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

BUTLER

… i heard the last 3 minutes of the game on the radio. Sounds like Butler did a stellar job at helping the Wizards win the game, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, shoring up his tattered value on the trade market. We need more games like this out of Caron so that we can get some younger, more athletic players, and maybe some good draft picks. One really has to wonder how the Wizard’s would have fared had all of their players been healthy and on the floor playing together (Gilbert, Miller, Butler, AJ, Haywood, Foye) since the start of the season.

by CVC on Jan 18, 2010 4:22 PM EST reply actions

for whatever reason

butler just seems to be playing harder without gil

by arijordan on Jan 18, 2010 4:25 PM EST up reply actions

He won our last playoff victory against Cleveland in '08...

almost single-handedly, a remarkable performance.

I do agree with the majority who think that this team needs to be pretty much broken up and reassembled, but on the other hand I hate the thought of CB and AJ helping someone else possibly win the whole thing.

And today we also saw the ingerent wisdom of EG’s dumping of the 5th pick for Miller and Foye… They were essential to the win.

by khrabb on Jan 18, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions

Agree

This team hasn’t been athletic in a very long time.

by mogoman on Jan 18, 2010 5:03 PM EST up reply actions

Miller's good

Miller does all the right things — he just makes us look better. He deserves to be a key 6th man on a good team, though. Part of me wants to think that if we resign him, get lucky in the draft, and trade some deadwood we could be pretty good next year…though the rational part of me knows that’s only a fantasy…

by Tbonebullets on Jan 18, 2010 5:25 PM EST reply actions

Good game! I didnt watch the last two but the last few minutes due to my girlfriend and her attention obsession but it certainly seems were competing.

I wonder how this team would have looked with Arenas, Miller, Antwan, Caron, and Foye healthy all season. Oh yea I did it was that Mavs game where we dominated.

PS. One thing I did notice is we seem to look better with Deshawn on the floor, is it his defense? His mentality, I personally think its his pride. I feel like when he is on the floor the other starters remember their former days and refuse to be embarassed or play sloppily. He also seems to assist very well. Just an observation, strange.

by Unxpekted on Jan 18, 2010 5:52 PM EST reply actions

Kind of hard to explain the Deshawn thing, anybody else agree?

by Unxpekted on Jan 18, 2010 5:53 PM EST up reply actions

I completely agree

Bullets Forever: A blog dedicated to the Washington Wizards with analysis, commentary, and more YouTube videos than your eyes can handle.

by Jake Whitacre on Jan 18, 2010 8:35 PM EST up reply actions

Antawn was out for the Dallas game though

You know you'll get devoured by Cheaney, Wallace, and Juwan Howard.

by Mike Prada on Jan 18, 2010 5:53 PM EST up reply actions

I agree with this post... but for DeShawn to be effective overall, he needs to hit at least 40 percent of his shots.

but his toughness on defense is worth having him out on the floor

by CVC on Jan 18, 2010 9:12 PM EST up reply actions

attendance

Anyone who was there have a guess at the REAL attendance? It was announced as 12,209… I would imagine it was quite a bit less than that.

by mfish on Jan 18, 2010 6:52 PM EST reply actions

its always less way less than the announced crowd

remember the post did an article a few years back how the team pads attendence numbers by giving out lots of free tickets in the upper deck and counting those … the team routinely sends me 4 vouchers for upper deck tickets, those probably count in the attendence numbers but my guess is if things dont dramatically change, other than lakers and a few other games, the phrase, “good seats still available” will apply

by wizfan2247 on Jan 18, 2010 7:08 PM EST up reply actions

I think they count the season ticket holders as attendance-

even if they are not there. They have paid for the tickets so in terms of gate receipts, it’s fair to count them

by ooba on Jan 18, 2010 7:42 PM EST up reply actions

It looked like Atlanta out there

but after all, it’s a holiday weekend/weekday. Some people have to work, some people are out of town for the weekend.

by MR on Jan 19, 2010 10:11 AM EST up reply actions

missed the last few games

will be back on the case this week.
really glad to see that the effort is there though. seems like the team having at least some resolution to the arenas situation is helping. plus, mike miller is an mvp type of player. or so i like to tell myself. keep it up wiz – at least you can avoid further embarrassment by playing hard and getting some wins.

"how ironic - you came here with a mouse in a bottle, now YOU are the mouse in the bottle" - B.M. Smith

by little stevie colter on Jan 18, 2010 7:19 PM EST reply actions

They are definitely

playing more cohesively without Arenas. Foye, while not the player Gilbert is, is still doing well. Jamison was pretty much unstoppable, and Miller is such a difference maker.

On the other hand, I couldn’t help but be jealous of the Blazers. They were missing their best player, plus the #1 pick form a few years back, and yet they are still highly competitive. That’s because they have excellent depth, built mostly through the draft. They were a team in complete turmoil a few years back, then they blew the whole thing up, and rebuilt through the draft. Now they are close to being a legit contender, not just now but for a few years to come. Could that be us in a few years?

by CJHutch on Jan 18, 2010 9:24 PM EST reply actions

With the right draft picks. I’m sure leonsis understands the importance of drafting well.

by jones-y on Jan 18, 2010 9:39 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

yep

not to mention VALUING those picks. Just like with the Redskins, I could stomach us being awful for a year or two if we’re rebuilding with youth. What I can’t stomach is the being awful with a team stacked with veterans.

by CJHutch on Jan 18, 2010 9:46 PM EST up reply actions

Anybody else...

…feel like Miller more than makes up for the loss of Arenas?

I don’t know for sure if they’re better, but I definitely LIKE this team much better with Miller instead of Arenas. The team is playing harder and moving the ball better. I can even tolerate seeing Stevenson out there (tho I’d prefer Young).

by steadyhand on Jan 18, 2010 10:18 PM EST reply actions