Andray Blatche And Ronny Turiaf Injury Update: Both Expected Back After All-Star Break

by SB Nation NBA News on Feb 21, 2012 3:12 PM EST in Injuries

(SB Nation DC, Tim Blank) According to a report published by Washington Post Wizards insider Michael Lee, both Andray Blatche and Ronny Turiaf will be expected back after the all-star break.

Blatche has been recovering from a torn left calf muscle and has missed the last 12 games where the Wizards have gone 3-9. Trevor Booker has played well the last 12 games in replacement of Blatche grabbing at least seven rebounds in eight of the twelve games.

Turiaf was acquired by the Wizards at the start of training camp in a three team deal, but he has missed the last 29 games after breaking a bone in his left hand in the team's third game against the Boston Celtics. It was the same hand he injured in the offseason while participating for team France in the European Olympic qualifying tournament.

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What kind of shape could Dray possible be in after a torn calf injury? Ugh

by DCrez on Feb 21, 2012 3:13 PM EST reply actions

Seriously

Honestly, when he realizes those boo birds still infest the Verizon Center he’ll probably end up getting “hurt” for the rest of the year.

I just hope they don’t wind up doing something like that Tyrus Thomas trade, taking on a contract much bigger than the worth of the player. There is no excuse for not just amnestying him at the end of the year.

Ted needs to swallow the cash and amnesty him. And if he sees fit, that would be the perfect time to fire Ernie too. Gives him somebody to blame for the Blatche extension. And FINALLY gives us a feeling that we really have shook all of the old baggage and are finally truly committed to this rebuild.

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by returnofswagger on Feb 21, 2012 4:16 PM EST via Android app up reply actions

As long as Blatche stays coming off the bench we will be fine.

TNT should've treated Lebron's return to Cleveland game like 2k11 and cut the game off after the Cavs were down by 30. lol

by Krobify on Feb 21, 2012 3:16 PM EST reply actions

as up and down (mostly down, obviously) as this team has been in dray's absence

i never once found myself saying ‘man, these guys could really use dray this game…’. turiaf, on the other hand, is going to be helpful

"hindsight is 50-50" - Steve Spurrier

by little stevie colter on Feb 21, 2012 3:37 PM EST reply actions

Agreed

I think he’ll actually help the most on offense. Turiaf’s a really good passer and he can hit a jumper if you really need him to, which should help the second unit get away from iso-Jo(rdan).

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by pantslessyoda1 on Feb 21, 2012 4:11 PM EST up reply actions

Neither one will have much impact when they return

Turiaf will have moments where it appears he’s making the right small plays the things some wish Mcgee would do more often but then will watch him stand around not rebound foul ridiculously and get beat by the man he’s guarding and provide no offense.

Blatche if he never came back it would be a good thing because he’s a ball magnet Wall like he does with Young will dump the ball to him no matter how ineffective he is.

Booker is coming along nicely and at least attempts to do some of the things Blatche refuses to even try. Like weakside defense, passing the ball, blocking the occasional shot running the floor.

by jazzy1 on Feb 21, 2012 4:46 PM EST reply actions 2 recs

We haven't miss Dray at all

Book has been doing just fine and I hope Dray is coming off the bench for the remainder of these season after book and Ves. I’d rather have Vesely play more just so he can get the experience. And hopefully by next year he has some type of offensive game besides dunks.

by Jordo on Feb 21, 2012 4:49 PM EST via mobile reply actions

yeah the worst thing about Dray's return is it could kill Ves' minutes

by DCrez on Feb 21, 2012 4:53 PM EST up reply actions

6 of one, half doze of the other

Effort and no skill, or skill and no effort. We’re screwed either way.

by steadyhand on Feb 21, 2012 5:44 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

Depressing but true.

by YellaFella on Feb 22, 2012 9:53 AM EST up reply actions

Crap.

I really enjoyed not seeing Blatche. Well, as they say, nothing lasts forever…

by ChewinStraws on Feb 21, 2012 4:58 PM EST via Android app reply actions

i've enjoyed the lack of the Blatche-experience also

I mean, we’re still gonna lose with him, might as well get the others some exp

by KurisuDevil on Feb 21, 2012 5:09 PM EST up reply actions

I would not be surprised if the have already decided to amnesty Blatche

and he gets mop-up Seraphim style minutes. I think especially w/ Turiaf there to actually provide backup minutes at the 5, there is no way you waste valuable development time for Ves and Book by playing Andray. I am willing to be that seeing how the team played without him is a good enough reason to let him ride the pine, at a minimum until he puts in enough effort to get in shape for the first time in 2 years.

by Maroon and Black on Feb 21, 2012 5:04 PM EST reply actions

I disagree...

They may play him extensive minutes prior to the Trade Deadline to see if they can entice someone to trade a pick for him….

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by Rook6980 on Feb 21, 2012 5:13 PM EST up reply actions

as long as Vesely refuses to take jumpshots Wittman will be tempted to put Dray in the game.

by DCrez on Feb 21, 2012 5:28 PM EST up reply actions

Not much upside to this, unfortunately

Turiaf is probably already thinking about what other team he’s going to play for next season, and Blatche can’t win fans over no matter what he does at this point (fool me once and all that). They’ll probably both be gone after this year, and will probably just lower our draft position if they play well. If they play poorly, wouldn’t we rather have Seraphin and Vesely out there learning from their failures? I guess a wildly optimistic person could hope they’ll help generate enough wins to build some momentum for next year, and that they’d be back to continue that growth next season. I’m pretty optimistic, as a rule, but I’m not that optimistic.

by steadyhand on Feb 21, 2012 6:00 PM EST reply actions

I'll take better play over more ping pong balls.

by jones-y on Feb 21, 2012 6:29 PM EST up reply actions

Silver lining...

I believe Turiaf can give us some solid minutes where we’re falling apart towards the end of the 3rd / 4th Q.

And Blatche, well, hopefully he can show he’s healthy before the trade deadline.

by Perm on Feb 21, 2012 6:16 PM EST reply actions

This is great news for winning some games

Blatche will be in “shape” for his usual ’well the games dont matter I guess I will start putting up numbers" He has done it for the past 2 years, sucked when we needed him then turned it on once almost no one cared. Look for him to average 20 and 10 for March.

by WDCCTID on Feb 21, 2012 6:52 PM EST reply actions

I wonder if

Wittman will have the same misplaced loyalty towards Blatche that Saunders had. It always amazed me how much Saunders let Blatche get away with without repercussions, after that crap AB pulled on him.

Where do they teach you to talk like this? In some Panama City "Sailor wanna hump-hump" bar, or is it getaway day and your last shot at his whiskey? Sell crazy someplace else, we're all stocked up here.

by CJHutch on Feb 21, 2012 7:05 PM EST reply actions