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Wizards News, Notes and Quotes |
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Written by Media Relations
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Tuesday, 04 December 2007 |
The Washington Wizards will host the Cleveland Cavaliers tomorrow night at Verizon Center at 7:00 pm on Comcast SportsNet and WTEM 980 AM.
* This game marks the first of four meetings between Washington and Cleveland this season. The Wizards and Cavaliers will meet again on January 23 and February 22 in Cleveland, and March 13 in Washington.
* With his 11th double-double of the season in Washington’s last game, Wizards forward Antawn Jamison is now tied for third in the NBA in double-doubles this season. Only Orlando’s Dwight Howard (16) and Utah’s Carlos Boozer have more double-doubles than Jamison. Additionally, among qualified league leaders, Jamison is one of just two players in the Eastern Conference (with Orlando’s Dwight Howard) and one of just five players in the NBA (D. Howard, A. Jefferson, C. Boozer, Y. Ming) averaging at least 20 points and 10 rebounds per game.
* After connecting on 4-of-7 three-point field goals in Washington’s last game, Caron Butler has now made 14-of-18 three-pointers over the last four games. Butler has now hit 23 three-pointers this season, surpassing his total of 18 three-pointers a season ago. Butler leads the NBA with a .535 three-point field goal percentage.
* In Washington’s last game (W, 101-97 vs. TOR, 12/1)…Caron Butler scored a game-high 29 points...Antawn Jamison’s 28 points and game-high 14 rebounds marked his 11th double-double of the season...Butler and Antonio Daniels each had a team-high seven assists...Roger Mason had a season-high 15 points...The Wizards tied a season-high with 10 three-pointers.
* Last season vs. Cleveland…Cleveland won two of three games overall, but the teams split a pair of contests at Verizon Center...Washington’s lone win against the Cavs last season came at Verizon Center on November 18th (111-99)...Seven Wizards averaged in double figures in scoring against Cleveland last season (Arenas, 26.0...Jamison, 21.0...Butler, 17.0...Stevenson, 12.0...Thomas, 11.0...Daniels, 10.0...Songaila, 10.0).
* Wizards-Cavaliers connections...Cavaliers guard Larry Hughes appeared in 189 games over three seasons with the Wizards from 2002-05, and averaged 17.7 points per game...In his third season in Cleveland, Hughes has appeared in 112 games for the Cavaliers, and has averaged 14.7 points per game...Wizards guard Antonio Daniels and Cavs forward Ira Newble were teammates in San Antonio in 2000-01...Daniels attended high school not far from Cleveland at Saint Francis DeSales in Columbus, OH...Wizards center Brendan Haywood was drafted by Cleveland with the 20th overall pick in the first round of the 2001 NBA Draft, but his draft rights were traded to Orlando for Michael Doleac...Wizards assistant Phil Hubbard averaged 10.6 points per game as a player with the Cavaliers from 1981-89...Wizards Head Coach Eddie Jordan was drafted by Cleveland with the 33rd overall pick in the second round of the 1977 NBA Draft...Jordan averaged 2.3 points per game in 22 games as a rookie with Cleveland in 1977-78…Washington and Cleveland met in the NBA playoffs in 2006 and 2007; Cleveland won both series.
WIZARDS HEAD COACH EDDIE JORDAN
On tomorrow’s opponent, the Cleveland Cavaliers:
“LeBron (James) is a major force. He makes them win. He can win any game, against anybody, on any night. He gets everyone else involved. They are a very formidable opponent. Drew (Gooden) has had some terrific games against us. (Daniel) Gibson has been good against us; so they are very good.”
On Zydrunas Ilgauskas:
“That has always been the marquee match-up. It is a challenge for Brendan, and he likes to rise to that challenge. Zydrunas has been an All-Star and is still a very big part of what they do. Last year in the playoffs Zydrunas was the one who hit the perimeter shots with the pick-and-pop. They always put you in a bind that way.”
On Caron Butler’s three-point shooting:
“We think he has the ability to make them at a high percentage. Right now it is good for us. As a coach, you still like the mid-range game that he has.”
WIZARDS FORWARD CARON BUTLEROn Cleveland:“This is the team that swept us last year. Larry Hughes has been out and LeBron (James) has missed games, but if they are not there, you still can’t take them lightly. It is hard to replace a guy who can get you a triple-double, but they have other players who will step up.”
On his three-point shooting:
“I stay in the gym and work on my shot with Wes Unseld Jr. I work hard on getting my shots up, and now I have more confidence. In the past I may have second-guessed myself. I am really comfortable and feel very good about my shot.”
On being a better rebounding team:
“I attribute the success to the coaching staff. They have put us in a position to be successful. We have been successful at attacking the glass and I give credit to the coaching staff.”
WIZARDS GUARD NICK YOUNG
On his increased role in the rotation:
“It feels great. I’m glad the team has a lot of faith in me. The coach has faith in me to put me in. Being a rookie, I just am happy to be out there. I want to stay out there, so I need to continue to play hard.”
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