Three thoughts ahead of the Wizards’ first home game of the season – albeit a preseason one – none of which have to do with the reception that Gilbert Arenas might receive in his first game back in Verizon Center since Jan. 2:
Don’t make too much of the three-guard lineup just yet. This is a marriage of convenience, based on the lack of a real standout at small forward – especially with Josh Howard still injured – and known quantities with upside available in the backcourt in Arenas, Kirk Hinrich and John Wall. There are still questions about whether Al Thornton can fit like Wizards head coach Flip Saunders wants him to, enough to stake a claim to the starting job, and there are also unknowns there when it comes to Nick Young, Adam Morrison or Cartier Martin. Hinrich himself quashed the idea that the setup is a long-term solution prior to shootaround this morning.
“I think, more than anything, we’ve just been kind of experimenting with it,” said Hinrich. “We’ve had some injuries and different things like that, and it might be a deal where we do it in spurts. I don’t know if we’ll be able to do it for long periods of time.”
After seeing his first hockey game last night, Yi Jianlian looks like he’ll be getting some time with the Wizards first team tonight. (And where they find a Capitals jersey big enough to fit him?) Yi has impressed so far in preseason, averaging 11.7 points (on 58 percent shooting from the field), 6.7 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.3 blocks. Saunders listed the Chinese big man among those who would get a significant look tonight.
“We’re going to look at a lot of players,” said Saunders, “get Cartier some good time tonight, get Yi some good time tonight, play him with that first group with Andray [Blatche] and those guys, just see how he fits in that situation with more extended time.”
Although it wasn’t clarified, that sounded a bit like it might be Yi with Blatche and the three guards, not necessarily Yi, Blatche, JaVale McGee and a normal two-player backcourt.
Hilton Armstrong (shoulder) should be back after missing the last two preseason games.
“I really haven’t played too much significant ball – I was talking to my fiancée this morning – I haven’t really got good minutes since this time last year, when Byron Scott was [head coach in New Orleans],” said Armstrong. “It just feels good to be back on the court and just have some energy, run around, definitely play defense and be there help-side. It feels good to be part of a team again.”
