Time is running out. Game 3 of the finals was Sunday night and Butler has yet to be cleared by doctors.
“It’s a day-by-day thing,” Butler said following a workout Saturday. “I’m always hoping. The last thing you’ll ever hear from me is that I can’t.”
Team officials won’t say it either, apparently out of respect for how hard he’s trying. The facts are hard to ignore: Saturday was the five-month mark since a surgery that requires six months of recovery time.
While sports are filled with stories of players defying medical timetables, especially with a championship on the line, this was a gruesome injury. He snapped the tendon that connects the kneecap and shin bone. The kneecap jerked several inches up toward his thigh.
Because this happened on a night when his wife, mother and grandmother were in the stands, Butler was stoic. He shoved the kneecap back in place and walked off the court by himself.
Despite the small individual match-up advantage that the Wizards have in this game, the Raptors should be ble to emerge with the victory, on their home-court.
Washington plays at home on the Sat Nov 28 [vs Charlotte] then has 2 off days before beginning a stretch of 4 games in 6 days that looks like this:
Tue Dec 01 at TOR
Wed Dec 02 vs Mil
Fri Dec 04 vs Tor
Sun Dec 06 vs Det
only 1 of which is on the road. Expect the Wizards to play well at home in these games and mail it in on the road.
FINAL SCORE: RAPTORS 98, Wizards 100
Complete Game Info
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The Wizards’ [15th place, 19-61/.238] immediate future is so much brighter, in comparison with the Raptors’ [14th place, 30-49/.380], that it’s not even funny.
STARTERS Arenas vs Calderon
Young vs Parker [past his prime]
Butler vs Marion [past his prime]
Jamison vs Bosh [playing out of position]
Haywood vs Bargnani [not a dominating Center]
KEY SUBS
Crittenton vs Ukic [not yet ready for the NBA]
Stevenson vs Kapono [an albatross]
McGuire vs Graham
Songaila vs Humphries
Blatche vs O’Bryant [not an NBA-level player]
EXTRAS
James vs Banks [not an NBA-level player; an albatross]
Dixon vs Douby [not an NBA-level player]
McGee vs Jawai [not an NBA-level player]
Pecherov vs Voskuhl [not an NBA-level player]
Thomas vs ?
UPCOMING DRAFT PICK
No. 1-3 [overall] Selection vs No. 8-9 Selection [if not traded again]
Thinking back to where the Raptors’ player roster was in Jan-Feb/06, before Bryan Colangelo [Pres/GM] was hired, and comparing it to the current one:
is enough to put tears in the eyes of someone who really knows how to go about building a championship calibre NBA franchise, given the assets at their disposal 3 seasons ago.
———-
Where exactly each of these teams go from here will be determined by their respective General Managers, one of whom is already a 2-time NBA Executive Of the Year Award winner … the other of whom has yet to be recognized by his peers in this way [i.e. Ernie Grunfeld].
If the actual wager was …
Which one’s team is going to finish with more WINS during the 2009-2010 season AND go further in the NBA Playoffs?
on whom would YOU be willing to bet a sizable portion of YOUR own hard-earned money?
When Washington (27-29, 2nd Southeast, 6th Eastern Conference) wins a road game, at New Orleans (37-18, 2nd Southwest, 5th Western Conference), it means more than just a W for the visitors.
But, to simply view this collection of players as a ‘hard-working bunch’ is to actually de-value the job that’s beendone, to this point, by esteemed Wizards’ GM, Ernie Grunfeld, in constructing a high fine team that, despite some serious setbacks that might have put a lesser man, down and out for the count.
Grunfeld has put together a group of good sized, very athletic players with terrific complimentary skill sets, comprised of eight (8) 1st Round NBA Draft Picks & five (5) 2nd Round Selections, that can Rebound, Defend & Score the ball with as much proficiency & balance as any team in the NBA … when completely healthy.
Wizards Roster 2007-2008
Num
Player
Draft #
POS
HT
WT
DOB
FROM
YRS
0
Gilbert Arenas *
32
G
6-4
215
01/06/1982
Arizona
6
32
Andray Blatche
49
F
6-11
248
08/22/1986
South Kent Prep (CT)
2
3
Caron Butler *
10
F
6-7
228
03/13/1980
Connecticut
5
6
Antonio Daniels
4
G
6-4
205
03/19/1975
Bowling Green
10
33
Brendan Haywood
20
C
7-0
263
11/27/1979
North Carolina
6
4
Antawn Jamison
4
F
6-9
235
06/12/1976
North Carolina
9
8
Roger Mason, Jr.
32
G
6-5
212
09/10/1980
Virginia
3
5
Dominic McGuire
47
F
6-9
220
10/20/1985
FresnoState
R
14
Oleksiy Pecherov
16
C-F
7-0
234
12/08/1985
Ukraine
R
9
Darius Songaila
51
F
6-9
248
02/14/1978
WakeForest
4
2
DeShawn Stevenson
23
G
6-5
218
04/03/1981
Washington Union HS (CA)
7
36
Etan Thomas *
12
C
6-10
260
04/01/1978
Syracuse
6
1
Nick Young
16
G
6-6
200
06/01/1985
USC
R
* Injured
The fact that this group is continuing to perform at a level which will earn them a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, should they maintain their current pace for the balance of the season … in spite of serious injuries to Gilbert Arenas, Etan Thomas and Caron Butler – 2 starters and, overall, 3 of the top 8 players – is a testament to their outstanding character, the daily work of their coaching staff (Eddie Jordan & Co.) , and the basketball acumen of their GM.
Should the Wizards make it to the post-season, this year, with their full comportment of players … they will be another very dangerous ‘bottom-end’ team for one of the top dogs in the East to contend with.
