The Magic of the Wizards

Guess that whole playing smart thing got in the way of a win last night. Like Coach Jordan said, though, "basically who cares." Let me tell you, it sure makes these entries easier to make; if the head coach doesn't care about playing smart, who am I to notice or mind when the Wizards foul up as badly as they did last night?

But wait. How does a team with a Playoff spot pretty much set in storne lose to the Toronto Raptors?! That's not as bad as losing to, say the Bobcats or Hawks, but it's certainly an indication all's not well in DC.

For example: How does a team as fearsomely rotten as the Raptors score 117 points?! How about some defense, guys?! You get into a shootout with a team whose sole strength is shooting, and you're going to lose, simple as that. Why did Jordan allow this to happen?

Was this one of those nights he was too weak to snap Gilbert Arenas back? I'd rather think that, I guess, than believe the other possibility: That he thought a shootout was the best strategy for defeating Toronto. Does he not read his scouting reports?

Also troubling is Gilbert's increasingly obvious exhaustion. Yes, he scored thirty-five in this game, but his tank's getting close to Empty. Unfortunately, he's been allowed to run himself ragged and, in so doing, kept some of his teammates from developing into the sort of players who could take some of the load off his shoulders. Again, I fault Jordan.

Eddie Jordan Dartboard, suitable for framing.

In fact, I fault Jordan for just about everything right now. I won't feel this way in a couple of days, when the bad taste of his Pacers game comments has faded a bit--but right now, this loss in Toronto has EDDIE JORDAN IS AN IDIOT written all over it.

Sidelines: Next game is Saturday against the Hawks at the MCI Center. If the Wizards "play smart," this should be an easy win. But basically, who cares--right, Coach?

After hitting a monster shot, Toronto's Mike James went all-out to intimidate the Wizards' bench--and it worked.

"I love the look on the other teams face when you hit a big shot," James said. "Just that discouragement on their face, it kind of excites me."

Feh. What a sportsman. His coach must be very proud.

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