Last chance to make an impression before departing for four games on the West Coast next week.
The Wizards will look to snap their three-game skid with DeShawn Stevenson back in the starting lineup, the first time he, Gilbert Arenas, Antawn Jamison, Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood will compose the first five since the playoffs in 2008 — and that was false start Arenas. Go back to January 2007 to have them all at full sp.
Wizards head coach Flip Saunders said he’s turned to Stevenson for, “Help do a lot of the little things, give us that aggressive play, and try to do something to make those other guys better.”
The ongoing rotation debate continues to have tons of variables. With D-Steve in, what does that mean for Nick Young, who played a mere 11 minutes against Boston two nights ago? What about Randy Foye, who saw better minutes vs. the Celtics? What about Earl Boykins, is his time as closer starting to pass?
“Right now we’re still in the juggling phase,” said Saunders. “No matter what, we’ve got to get eight or nine guys here over the next week, and those guys have to know for that at least a couple week span, that’s what we’re going to go with and just play.”
That sounds like a line in the sand. What about Mike Miller? When’s he coming back from his calf injury anyway?
“I think he’s going to travel with us,” said Saunders. “He’s making some progress. I don’t know how soon. It’s one of those things, the way that is, he’s made a lot of progress the last 48 hours, and who knows where he could be in another 48 hours.”
As for the Pacers, Washington needs no motivation. When they played in Indianapolis in November, a fruit tray was among the casualties of the Wizards’ most listless game of the year.
“They really kicked us last time we played so hopefully tonight we’re going to be able to match that energy, and we’ll basically have a little carryover from what we didn the second half against Boston,” said Saunders.
While the Pacers are without injured Danny Granger (foot) for a third straight game, former Georgetown center Roy Hibbert was one guy that played well in the last meeting, registering 12 points, 11 rebounds and 5 blocks. He didn’t exactly carry that swagger with him into the Verizon Center, where Indiana has lost four of the last five.
“Whenever you come back home to play, you get a little nervous, get a little jittery because this is your home town,” said Hibbert, who had a total of 6 points and 3 rebounds in two visits as a rookie last year. “I’m from the area. I played here so hopefully I don’t make any mistakes or anything like that. I’ve just got to stay focused. Last year I think, it got the best of me. I didn’t really play to my potential and help this team out so hopefully I can do that this year.”
Check back later for more from Hibbert.
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