The second-year guy talked about the hook shot, the stickbacks and the inside-outside game. It’s what he wanted to see. It’s what he used to do.
The experienced guys — otherwise known as coaches — pointed to something much simpler. His conditioning. And now that Andray Blatche is getting into NBA-type shape, his game has bloomed in the desert.
In two Toshiba Vegas Summer League games at Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, the 6-foot-11 Blatche has scored 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds. The 2005 second-round pick has stood out for the Wizards.
“We see better conditioning and better focus,” Wizards coach Eddie Jordan said by phone Saturday night. “He’s showing us a lot of versatility and the fact that he’s staying on his game and staying focused, that’s the biggest improvement.”
And that’s what they need to continue seeing over the next two weeks. For Blatche to crack the Wizards’ rotation, consistency is paramount.
“We have to trust him inthe course of an NBA game,” Jordan said. “Without the conditioning, his skill level goes down and we love his skill level.”
Blatche said he’s emphasized his inside game and needs to show more than his already-solid jump shot.
“I’m pretty much trying to be a dominant force down low,” Blatche said.
He’d like to get back to his high school days — only two years ago — when he used a hook shot and dropsteps to score.
“When they put a big guy on me [in Vegas], I go outside,” Blatche said, “when they put a little guy on me, I go inside.”
Blatche, whose conditioning was hurt last season after getting shot lost September, has also noticed a change in his stamina.
“I’m running the court real fast and real hard,” he said. “My defense has stepped up. Last year was a setback for me. Right now I’m trying to get caught up, but I’m almost back to my old ways.”
Meanwhile, rookie first-round draft pick Oleksiy Pecherov has totaled 19 points and 16 rebounds in the two games. He had four points and eight rebounds Saturday.
“He has a professional game,” Jordan said. “He can shoot the ball, he rebounds the ball and he has a great feel for the game. I want to see him play more and get more shots and I want him to improve defensively. But he’s not afraid of contact.
“We’ve seen good things. But let’s see if he can sustain it.”
Vegas, baby
» The Wizards are 0-2 after losses to Toronto (95-83) and Detroit (80-67). They play Portland on Monday, New Orleans on Tuesday and New York on Thursday.
» The Wizards will play in the Long Beach Summer League next week.
» Cornelius McFadgon has pleased the Wizards with his first two games. In the first, he made five of eight shots for 17 points. Coach Eddie Jordan also has liked Donell Taylor’s playat point guard and Roger Mason’s performance at point and shooting guard.
