The Washington Informer: Sports

By Andre Williams
WI Sports Writer
Thursday, November 10, 2005

The Washington Wizards’ first home game of the 2005-2006 NBA Season took on the air of a "Hollywood Premier." Washington area pro basketball fans came out to see this new Wizard's team - a team with several new players minus all-star guard Larry Hughes and the underachieving big man Kwame Brown. The fans at the MCI Center were treated to a 87-79 victory over the Orlando Magic by the home team and to a great pre-game introduction by the Wizards organization. But, best of all, the win by the Wizards gives Washington a 3-0 start, the best start since the 1978-79 season, which is the last time Washington made it to a NBA Championship Finals.

The "premier" started with the usual fireworks before the team introduction. Then, your attention was caught by spotlights (in the darkened arena) focused on a red carpeted raised platform with red carpeted steps leading down to the basketball court flanked by white roman columns. A huge white curtain was placed on the platform; you could see the outline of players behind the curtain.

The Wizards reserve players were introduced first, many of them to loud ovations. Then each Wizards starter magically appeared on the platform out of nowhere. The Wizards "producers" had each player rise out of an opening in the floor of the platform like space age gladiators. The crowd went wild with the appearance of each player.

Washington experienced many roster changes during the off-season. The loss of all-star guard Larry Hughes was a big blow to the Wizards. Hughes averaged 22 points; 4.7 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game and led the NBA in steals. He was Washington 's best all-around player. Hughes was a relatively young player who could have played in Washington for many years. Hughes left Washington because the Cleveland Cavaliers offered him more money. In contrast, four-year forward/center Kwame Brown was no longer wanted in Washington , the feeling was mutual on Brown's part also. In a trade worked out with Brown's new team - the Los Angeles Lakers - Washington obtained third-year guard/forward Caron Butler and six-year point guard Chucky Atkins. Butler has lots of promise as a scorer and Atkins is a solid backup point guard.

Veteran guard Antonio Daniels, in his ninth year in the NBA, was also signed, as a free-agent by Washington in the off-season. Washington lost former Maryland Terps Juan Dixon and Steve Blake, both going to the Portland Trailblazers. The Wizards re-signed former Wizard Calvin Booth (center) to give the team more frontcourt help.

Before the beginning of the game all-star Wizard guard Gilbert Arenas addressed the crowd and said "On behalf of the Washington Wizards Organization we would like to thank you for everything you did last season, let’s keep it going this year, Thanks."

At halftime Wizards team owner Abe Pollin and Washington Mayor Anthony Williams presented the NBA Community Service Award to Arenas for his charitable work with the Katrina Hurricane survivors. Arenas spent several thousand dollars out of his own pocket on clothes and other needs of the Katrina survivors who were sheltered at the D.C. Armory.

Last year the Wizards won 45 games and made it to the second round of the NBA playoffs. It appears that the new players will make up for the points that Hughes scored last year and they will also bring experience and basketball intelligence to the team. So as a result of the new roster Washington appears to be a more experienced team.