If one highlight in Wizard rookie Nick Young’s brief career stands out, it came last month in Cleveland. Receiving a pass in transition, Young loses a defender with a crossover dribble, rises and dunks over LeBron James.
In a brief moment, Young showed the potential the Wizards saw when they made him their first-round pick (No. 16 overall) in the 2007 draft. The flashes have been intermittent, but encouraging as the 6-foot-6 guard feels his way in his first season out of Southern Cal.
Tonight when injury-riddled Washington (25-28) travels to Cleveland (30-24), Young is more likely to play a major role. Starting guards DeShawn Stevenson (knee) and Antonio Daniels (knee, ankle) sat out of practice Thursday.
“Some nights I play 20 minutes, some nights I play two. I just have to be prepared,” said Young. “When somebody goes down it’s an opportunity for me to prove myself.”
Caron Butler (hip flexor) did not practice Thursday and is unlikely to play tonight, according to coach Eddie Jordan. Cleveland may be short-handed as well after making a three-team deal Thursday before the trade deadline.
The Cavaliers sent six players packing, including starters Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes to Chicago, and received four in return — Wally Szczerbiak and Delonte West from Seattle, and Ben Wallace and Joe Smith from Chicago.
The trade is pending league approval and all players passing physicals, making it likely that the Cavs will have a very short bench tonight. The Wizards know the feeling.
“Both are guards are playing on almost one leg,” said Jordan. “It’s been like that and it’s going to remain like that.”
Thus an opportunity for Young.
When Young got a chance to start at point guard, when Daniels was hurt in December, things didn’t go well. But this month, in the five games Young has played double-digit minutes, he has produced double-digit points. He scored a career-high 19-points at Denver. In Tuesday’s loss to New York, Young scored 12 points on 6 of 9 shooting.
Wizards at Cavaliers
When » Friday, 8 p.m.
Where » Quicken Loans Arena
TV » Comcast SportsNet
Radio » 980 AM
» Cleveland handed Washington its second-most decisive loss this season, 121-85, on Jan. 23. LeBron James leads the NBA in scoring (30.2 ppg) and posted consecutive triple-doubles in a loss Tuesday to Houston and a win Wednesday over Indiana.
