There’s only so much that a send-off victory at home can do for the Wizards before three games out West. They’re still a record 0-9 when they don’t play at Verizon Center. “For us, any road trip is tough right now the way we’ve played on the road,” Wizards coach Flip Saunders said after his team’s 83-79 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday. “I don’t care who we play. Hopefully, what it’ll do is give us a little bit of confidence. I don’t think we’re going to hold Phoenix to 79 the way they shoot it and play and everything else.”
After the Suns (10-9), the Wizards (6-12) face the defending NBA champion Los Angeles Lakers on Tuesday before a visit to Sacramento that would be less daunting if it weren’t the second night of back-to-back games.
The bigger challenge for Washington remains establishing a rhythm in its lineup and rotation. John Wall returned to the starting lineup against the Trail Blazers, but in an unexpected move, it was Gilbert Arenas who made room for him by going back to the bench. The two have started just one game together so far this season, and Arenas was asked about the expectation of them playing together.
| Wizards at Suns | |
| Where » US Airways Center, Phoenix | |
| When » Sunday, 8 p.m. | |
| TV/Radio » Comcast SportsNet/106.7 FM | |
“We’re out there,” Arenas said. “It’s right now we’re focused on finding a rhythm that fits us.”
Nick Young missed Friday’s game with a right thigh bruise, but the Wizards did get Yi Jianlian back from a nine-game absence because of a hyperextended knee.
