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Wizards News, Notes & Quotes |
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Written by Media Relations
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Thursday, 20 December 2007 |
The Washington Wizards will play the Atlanta Hawks tomorrow night (Friday, Dec. 21st) at Verizon Center on Comcast SportsNet and WTEM 980 AM at 7:00 pm.
* This game marks the second of four meetings between Washington and Atlanta this season. The Wizards were victorious in the first meeting of the season — 101-90 in Atlanta on November 11th. That win was Washington’s first win of the 2007-08 season. The Wizards and Hawks will meet again on January 11th in Atlanta and March 17th back in Washington
* Dating back to the 2004-05 season, Washington has won 11 of the last 13 meetings between these teams; and has a seven-game winning streak at Verizon Center against the Hawks.
* With 29 points, 11 rebounds and a career-high tying 10 assists in Washington’s last game, Wizards swingman Caron Butler recorded his second triple-double of the season. In doing so, Butler joined New Jersey’s Jason Kidd (6) and Cleveland’s LeBron James (4) as the only players in the NBA with multiple triple-doubles this season — and he became the first Wizard since Gilbert Arenas in 2003-04 (3) with multiple triple-doubles in a season. Other NBA players with a triple-double this season are Baron Davis (GS), Kirk Hinrich (CHI), Andrei Kirilenko (UTA) and Tracy McGrady (HOU).
* Washington’s frontcourt starters Caron Butler (22.4 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Antawn Jamison (21.0 ppg, 10.7 rpg) and Brendan Haywood (10.4 ppg, 8.0 rpg) are each averaging at least 10 points and seven rebounds per game. The Cleveland Cavaliers LeBron James, Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas are the league’s only other trio currently averaging at least 10 points and seven rebounds apiece per contest.
* The Wizards enter Friday’s game with a 13-11 record, while the Hawks stand at 13-12. This marks the first time since January 11, 1998 that Washington and Atlanta met this late in the season with both teams at .500+. Washington was 19-18 while Atlanta was 21-12 entering that game; a game eventually won by Atlanta, 107-102.
* Through 23 games to date this season, the Wizards have connected on 467-of-592 free throws as a team. Washington’s current .789 team free throw percentage represents an all-time franchise high, ahead of the 2002-03 Wizards’ franchise-record .779 team free throw percentage.
* In Washington’s last game (L, 95-84 vs. CHI, 12/19)...Caron Butler recorded his second career triple-double with a game-high 29 points, along with 11 rebounds and a career-high tying 10 assists...Antawn Jamison recorded his 17th double-double of the season with 24 points and a game-high 12 rebounds...Nick Young started for the second consecutive game, and grabbed a career-high four rebounds in a career-high 24:16...Mike Wilks was in uniform for the first time as a Wizard, but did not see any game action...The Wizards attempted a season-high 26 three-pointers.
* Last game vs. Atlanta…The Wizards earned their first win of the season with a 101-90 triumph in Atlanta on November 11th...Caron Butler led Washington with 24 points...Brendan Haywood recorded a double-double with 13 points and 12 rebounds...Antawn Jamison had a double-double with 23 points and 15 rebounds...All five Wizards starters scored in double figures.
WIZARDS HEAD COACH EDDIE JORDAN
On tomorrow’s game:
“We have a team coming in here that just won a big game against Miami. They have been playing well lately. They have good size and do a lot of good things on the defensive end. It is going to be a tough game.”
On the Atlanta Hawks:
“They are unconventional because it seems they are 6’8 or taller across the board. Defensively, they do a lot switching, so we have to be good reading the defense and making plays out of double-teams. They are a very athletic team that can block a lot of shots.”
On today’s practice:
“We scrimmaged for three quarters today. We were able to go five on five for the first time in a long time. It is going to help us. We practiced well and shared the ball. We were able to get some rhythm and flow in the offense, which we didn’t have yesterday. We needed this practice in the worst way.”
On Mike Wilks:
“We are trying to keep it simple for him. I think he is picking it up pretty well.
On the first play of the scrimmage today he got a steal and a breakaway lay-up. It was encouraging to see some pressure on the ball and his quickness. You can see the veteran in him.”
WIZARDS FORWARD ANTAWN JAMISON
On the Atlanta Hawks:
“It would be good to get some distance between us. For us to have a 2-0 lead against Atlanta would be big. You never know how these games will affect you at the end of the season.”
More on the Hawks:“
On any given night, any of their guys can step up and beat you. I really like Al Horford; he has been very steady. You know Joe (Johnson) is going to demand the bulk of the attention on both ends of the floor, but you can’t let Marvin (Williams), Josh (Smith), Zaza (Pachulia) and those guys get it going. We have to be patient because they like to jump out of the gym and run.”
On tomorrow’s game:
“We are going to come out with a lot of energy from start to finish and play hard for 48 minutes. We are going to execute a whole lot better. We have to be patient and get quality shots. Defensively, we need to get back in transition and not get beat off the dribble.”
WIZARDS GUARD MIKE WILKS
On learning the offense:
“The offense is very detailed and has a lot wrinkles. It isn’t an offense you can learn in a day or two, it is a process. I’m just learning day by day and trying to get better. I’m looking forward to helping the team when I get the opportunity.”
On today’s practice:
“It was good to have my first practice and run some plays on the fly. I thought I did pretty decent. They kept it pretty simple for me. We had a good time today.”
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