Okay, we’re going to try to approach tonight like it’s just another game, except that it’s difficult when there are two glaring inactives listed for the Wizards: Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Mike James.
Not only inactive. Not present, either.
Big Z did show up at Verizon Center and passed his physical, but don’t expect him in the arena for tonight’s game. James is in Houston.
As for starters, Josh Howard has replaced Nick Young, but I’m most interested to see what happens with Andray Blatche, who had a career-high 33 points two nights ago against the worst team in the Western Conference. Al Thornton is also eligible and active.
The Nuggets are the second best.
“It’s a totally different situation now,” said Wizards head coach Flip Saunders. “Last game he played against a front line that was skilled but not athletic. They more relied on their strength. Now he’s going against as an athletic front line as there is in league, with Nene and [Kenyon] Martin, and then off the bench with [Chris] Andersen. So now, can he be consistent in what he does and be effective having a change of how he’s got to play and who he’s playing against.
“He’s not just going to be able to turn and do some of the things he did last night because they’re so quick and athletic they can recover a lot quicker. He’s still got to be effective doing things, but he’s got to show patience in there. When you play against a team that’s more athletic, you try to do things too quick because you’re afraid you’re going to get shots blocked or whatever. He still has to keep the same patience he had when he played against [Al] Jefferson and [Kevin] Love.”
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