Open Thread and Contest: Game 76

by Mike Prada on Apr 7, 2007 2:15 PM EDT in Game Threads

Regular Season Game 76
Wizards (39-36) at Nets (35-40)
Continental Airlines Arena
7:30 PM
CSN

Previous Results:
Nets 105, Wizards 93.
Nets 113, Wizards 101.

These next two games loom incredibly large for the Wizards, as they have a home-and-home with the Nets starting with tonight's game.

There is still an outside chance that New Jersey can catch the Wizards for the sixth seed. They sit four games back with seven to play, but if New Jersey wins both of these games, suddenly the Wizards probably need to beat Chicago, Orlando, or Indiana in order to hold off the Nets. It's still an unlikely scenario, but you never know.

New Jersey has had the Wizards' number this year, winning both games in the series. We probably all remember the infamous Vince Carter shot to force overtime back in November, which probably wouldn't have happened without the new synthetic ball. In the last game, without Caron Butler, the Wizards were never really in the contest.

Expect to see a lot of the young reserves tonight, as Ivan Carter says in today's blog.

What happens tonight is anyone's guess but I guarantee this: there is no way Eddie Jordan can ask his starters to carry the minutes they did last night. When you look at a stat sheet and see that Antonio Daniels, who leads the league in assist-to-turnover ratio, has seven turnovers, you know fatigue is kicking in. He can't play 44 minutes again tonight and it's probably not a good idea for DeShawn Stevenson to go 42 minutes either. After the game Jordan said guys like Roger Mason Jr., Mike Hall and Donell Taylor will get burn tonight. He really has no choice.

The good news for the future is that Andray Blatche has been cleared to play, and will return for Tuesday's game against these same Nets. His presence will hopefully inject new life into the Wizards attack, and they could really use him defensively. Tonight, however, he won't go once again.

Nets blogs: Hooplah Nation, Nets Daily.

Your lines for tonight:

Wizards at Nets: Nets by 9.
Over/Under on Thomas/Daniels' assists/rebounds per 40 (this is a change): 18.5.

This is an open game thread, so debate who sucks more. Jason Collins or Michael Ruffin.

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Comments

picks

Wiz. The other one's too complicated for my money.

Posting and Toasting: Unabashed Knicks fanaticism with the occasional poop joke.

by Seth @ Bullets Forever on Apr 7, 2007 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

picks

nets, i agree with seth...

by sirnanzy on Apr 7, 2007 2:48 PM EDT reply actions

It's just

Thomas average rebounds per 40 minutes plus Daniels' average assists per 40 minutes.

I got it from the Hollinger stat page.

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

by Mike Prada on Apr 7, 2007 3:48 PM EDT up reply actions

Picks

Wizards (I'm not sure the Wiz can win but I don't think the Nets can cover)
Over

You start feeling good about yourself, and then everything goes wrong. I'm telling you, we don't need a weight room, we need a preacher.

by Jake Whitacre on Apr 7, 2007 2:51 PM EDT reply actions

Need the W

Wizards, Under

What? They don't have TV in the D-League? Don't watch me, watch TV.

by Mac G on Apr 7, 2007 4:37 PM EDT reply actions

Wiz and under

For the picks.

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

by Mike Prada on Apr 7, 2007 5:38 PM EDT reply actions

Let's review

As of when I write this:

SuckFest I
Ruffin- 2 pts. 3 reb.
Collis- 0 pts. 4 reb.

So far it looks like Ruffin holds the advantage, but as Mo Pete would tell you, it ain't over 'til it's over.

While we're at it, Jarvis Hayes where have you been all my life?

You start feeling good about yourself, and then everything goes wrong. I'm telling you, we don't need a weight room, we need a preacher.

by Jake Whitacre on Apr 7, 2007 9:24 PM EDT reply actions

Also

To the New Jersey Nets three-point shooters.

Where have you been all my life?

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

by Mike Prada on Apr 7, 2007 9:28 PM EDT up reply actions

Jamison bank

Are you kidding?

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

by Mike Prada on Apr 7, 2007 9:29 PM EDT reply actions

YESSSSS!!!!!!!

JAMISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!

HOW DID HE MANAGE TO KEEP HIS FEET BEHIND THE LINE!!!!!!!!!

HOLY %^%#!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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

by Mike Prada on Apr 7, 2007 9:57 PM EDT reply actions

Blatche is in?

Huh? Wierd.

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

by Mike Prada on Apr 7, 2007 9:57 PM EDT reply actions

Yep

I was puzzled as hell too...what if the kid messed up in crunch time after playing for the first time in like two weeks? And why didn't we play him before...?

by miestersean on Apr 7, 2007 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions