2011/12 NBA Regular Season
46-19		19-46
April 26, 2012
Verizon Center
8 PM
CSN
Starters:
Mario Chalmers	PG	John Wall
Mike Miller	SG	Cartier Martin
James Jones	SF	Chris Singleton
Udonis Haslem	PF	Jan Vesely
Dexter Pittman	C	Kevin Seraphin
PRE-GAME READING Peninsula is Mightier SB Nation D.C.

It's finally here: the last game of the season. I unfortunately have other SB Nation duties that require me to watch this one on delay. Michael Katz is at Verizon Center and will have your recap.

Let's enjoy this one regardless of result. The end of a season is still the end of the season.

(Also: this is possibly Juwan Howard's final regular-season game. Wouldn't it be something if he starts?).

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
21-43		18-46
April 25, 2012
Verizon Center
7 PM
CSN+
Starters:
Kyrie Irving	PG	John Wall
Anthony Parker	SG	Cartier Martin
Alonzo Gee	SF	Chris Singleton
Antawn Jamison	PF	Jan Vesely
Tristan Thompson	C	Kevin Seraphin
PREGAME READING: Fear the Sword SB Nation D.C. | SB Nation Cleveland

Going to go bullet points on all y'all's ass.

• Kyrie Irving is doubtful to play tonight because he's sick. I'm not a doctor, but I'd diagnose him with a case of tankivitis. UPDATE: Irving is in, and Jordan Crawford is out. Cartier Martin starts instead.
  
• Speaking of tanking, a reminder that the Wizards have already clinched the second-worst record in the league, so there's no reason to lose. Play to win. No excuses. Play like a champion. All that.
• Andray Blatche is hosting an afterparty at Eden, a nightclub in D.C., following tomorrow's season finale. It's clear he just won't change.
• Let's keep the Capitals talk to a minimum in the game thread. If you're looking for more robust Capitals coverage, you should read Japers' Rink if you aren't already.

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
7-56		17-46
April 23, 2012
Verizon Center
7 PM
CSN
Starters:
D.J. Augustin	PG	John Wall
Gerald Henderson	SG	Jordan Crawford
Derrick Brown	SF	Chris Singleton
Byron Mullens	PF	Jan Vesely
Bismack Biyombo	C	Kevin Seraphin
PREGAME READING: Rufus On Fire | SB Nation D.C.

I'm still packing for tomorrow's move, so my only way to follow this is as a passive observer on the TV I'm waiting to pack. Michael Katz is at Verizon Center and will have your recap.

A reminder: a Wizards loss OR a Hornets win clinches the No. 2 spot in the lottery for Washington. This is just a point of reference for all the tanking talk that will surely go on tonight.

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
45-17		16-46
April 21, 2012
AmericanAirlines Arena
7:30 PM
CSN
Starters:
Mario Chalmers	PG	John Wall
Dwyane Wade	SG	Jordan Crawford
James Jones	SF	Chris Singleton
Udonis Haslem	PF	Jan Vesely
Dexter Pittman	C	Kevin Seraphin
PRE-GAME READING Peninsula is Mightier SB Nation D.C. |

The Heat have been resting people as of late, so it is unknown whether we will be graced with the presence of either Dwyane Wade or Chris Bosh. Ronnie Turiaf is questionable with balky knee.

UPDATE: Wade is in, but James and Bosh are out.

For the Wizards, Nene is active, but no one is entirely sure how much time he will get.

I am going for the reverse jinx just like Mike and say that the Wizards are getting blown out of the building tonight. Because, we saw how that worked in Chicago.

GO WIZARDS!!!!

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
29-31		15-46
April 18, 2012
Verizon Center
7 PM
CSN
Starters:
Brandon Jennings	PG	John Wall
Monta Ellis	SG	Jordan Crawford
Luc Richard Mbah a Moute	SF	Chris Singleton
Ersan Ilyasova	PF	Jan Vesely
Drew Gooden	C	Kevin Seraphin
PREGAME READING: Meet the Bucks | Brew Hoop SB Nation D.C.

I'm in SBN meetings, so I probably won't be able to get out to cover this one. Michael Katz will have your recap and any pregame things that are especially important.

The Bucks need a win for their playoff hopes, so they'll be up for this game. Can the Wizards match that? We'll see.

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
	@
14-46		46-14
April 16, 2012
United Center
8 PM
CSN+
Probable Starters:
John Wall	PG	CJ Watson
Jordan Crawford	SG	Rip Hamilton
Chris Singleton	SF	Ronnie Brewer
Jan Vesely	PF	Carlos Boozer
Kevin Seraphin	C	Joakim Noah
PREGAME READING: Blogabull SB Nation D.C. | SB Nation Chicago

I have very low expectations about this game. Stay competitive. Anything else is a bonus.

Sean will have your recap. In the meantime, discuss the game here.

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
19-38		14-45
April 14, 2012
Verizon Center
7 PM
CSN
Starters:
Donald Sloan	PG	John Wall
Anthony Parker	SG	Jordan Crawford
Alonzo Gee	SF	Chris Singleton
Antawn Jamison	PF	Jan Vesely
Tristan Thompson	C	Kevin Seraphin
PREGAME READING: Fear the Sword SB Nation D.C.

I'm out of town for this one, so Sean has your recap. In the meantime, discuss the game here.

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
	@
30-28		14-44
April 13, 2012
Madison Square Garden
7:30 PM
CSN
Starters:
Baron Davis	PG	John Wall
Iman Shumpert		Jordan Crawford
Landry Fields	SF	Chris Singleton
Carmelo Anthony	PF	Jan Vesely
Tyson Chandler	C	Kevin Seraphin
PREGAME READING: Posting and Toasting SB Nation D.C. | SB Nation New York

This game will be quite a challenge for the young Wizards. The Knicks are battling for a playoff spot and playing quite well under new coach Mike Woodson. An injury to Amar'e Stoudemire forced the Knicks to go to a small starting lineup with Carmelo Anthony at power forward, and it's worked tremendously well. Iman Shumpert, the guy everyone thought the Knicks drafted by mistake over Chris Singleton, has been impressive. Tyson Chandler is forever underrated, and Baron Davis has been decent since replacing an injured Jeremy Lin.

This will be a tough test for Jan Vesely and Kevin Seraphin. Seraphin going up against Chandler is a massive challenge, while it looks like Vesely will have to check Carmelo Anthony. I'd expect to see lots of small lineups to prevent that from happening too much.

Game's at 7:30. GO WIZARDS!

2011/12 NBA Regular Season
34-23		13-44
April 10, 2012
Verizon Center
7 PM
CSN
Starters:
Jameer Nelson	PG	John Wall
Jason Richardson	SG	Jordan Crawford
J.J. Redick	SF	Chris Singleton
Ryan Anderson	PF	Jan Vesely
Glen Davis	C	Kevin Seraphin
PREGAME READING: Orlando Pinstriped Post SB Nation D.C. | SB Nation Tampa Bay

Pregame notes:

• As expected, Dwight Howard will not play tonight with a back injury. Stan Van Gundy said that he thinks Howard is feeling better, but with two days off before Orlando's next game, there was no purpose in pushing the injury. "We've got a stretch right here with two days off after this, and he didn't play last night anyway. This way, we get him five days off and really give it a chance to get to 100 percent," he said.
• A couple of you have noticed how Randy Wittman seems to be talking to Kevin Seraphin a lot when he leaves the game, almost like he and Flip Saunders did with JaVale McGee. Wittman was asked about that before the game. "I've taken a keen interest in trying to continue to not let him become satisfied. He's getting time, he's playing good and I want him to keep trying to take his play to another level. He's taken it this far, and I think there's a lot more in there to develop."
• Van Gundy on how Wall is different this year: "He's playing under much better control now and is a smarter guy, which you would expect. I also think he's showing more confidence in his jump shot, which is probably going to be an important thing going forward with the way people play him. I think his game's maturing and I think it will continue to."
• I did point out how Wall is struggling recently with his jumper and asked how that affect a point guard like him. "The more things people have to cover, the more honestly they have to play you and the harder you are to guard." Pretty succinct.
• The Wizards are handing this Wall bobblehead out before Saturday's game against the Cavaliers. Not sure it looks much like him, but they're giving it out regardless.
  

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2011/12 NBA Regular Season
7-47		12-44
April 9, 2012
Time Warner Cable Arena
7 PM
CSN
Starters:
Kemba Walker	PG	John Wall
Gerald Henderson	SG	Jordan Crawford
Derrick Brown	SF	Chris Singleton
Byron Mullens	PF	Jan Vesely
Bismack Biyombo	C	Kevin Seraphin
PREGAME READING: Rufus On Fire | SB Nation D.C.

Let the race to the bottom commence!

I don't put much faith in the "Basketball Gods" rewarding or punishing teams for their actions, but I do believe that the Washington Wizards should try their hardest to defeat the Bobcats tonight. It might take away from the amount of ping pong balls that the Wizards eventually receive, but at this point I think the team needs a win more than it needs vague reassurance that "next year" it will be different with another draft pick.

As such, I would draw up these actions items tonight:

• Beat the bad team;
• Make Jan Vesely take a few jumpers;
• Continue to develop Seraphin's post game;
• Encourage Jordan Crawford to keep distributing rather than chucking;
• Keep John Wall active and invested;
• But most importantly, beat the bad team.