Wizards preview: next game, not next year

December 13, 2:24 PMWashington Wizards ExaminerGeorge Panagakos

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JaVale McGee got posterized by Kendrick Perkins
on Thursday, which made ESPN's #2 spot on their
Top 10 Plays of the day.  As they said, though,
can't knock the hustle of McGee
(AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais).

We're a quarter into the season, the 4-16 Wizards are off their worst loss of the year to the Celtics, but they're ready for a game up in Philly tonight.  No Arenas, no Haywood, a team full of young talent and a recent trade that suggests plans for a future Wizards team.

Let's get something straight, though.  The Wizards, owner's of a four-consecutive NBA Playoffs appearance streak, are not a bad team, just one of misfortune.  We still have three quarters left in the season, and it's next game, not next year.  If they continue to struggle down the stretch, consider the combo of Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood, at best, would add 30-40 points to the outcome.  And Arenas will be back soon.

With that out of the way, and stripping the team down to what it currently is, yes, the Wizards are in danger, ultimately, of being labeled "worst team right now," and, yes, they still need help.  After tonight's 7:30 p.m. ET match-up against the Philadelphia 76ers, I'm going to do a comparison of all of the Wizards guards to try and work things out.

I'm also looking to do an 11 by 11 comparison between the two Eds responsible for the Wiz at helm this season.  Tonight is game 21, so expect that after Monday's game against the Indiana Pacers.  Danny Granger is scoring like crazy this season, and it's going to be a hard game for the Wizards if they can't limit the man to 20 or less.  And if the game gets ugly early, there's always Sarah Connor.

Philly is 9-14 and on a three game losing streak, including two back-to-back losses to Cleveland.  The 76ers combo of "AI" Andre Igoudala and Elton Brand aren't shaping up to be as dynamic as some thought they might be.  Brand has struggled the last five games, averaging only 6.7 points per game.  Of course, he isn't 100%, and missed two games earlier in the month (which the Sixers split, 1-1).

The Wizards are 1-4 in their last five, with a win against Detroit.  Their new duo, I'll call James and Crit, didn't play like Fish n' Chips against Boston.  16 minutes played in between the guys, and they came up with 1 point total.  James was the only guy who got a shot up, going 0-for-6 in his Wizards debut.  And Crit had 4 turnovers in under 6 minutes played, in the heart of garbage time.

I'm willing to give them a second game, but they have a lot to prove to me, especially Crit.  He isn't going to really get the minutes though, unless the Wizards give up 10 or more points to 7 players again.  Ha.  We get it John.  Your team is amazing.

But hey, the Wizards lost to the Celtics last year in their first of four meetings, and went on to win the next three straight.  History could repeat itself.  That block on Scalabrine was just the beginning.

I'll keep telling myself that.  Meanwhile, get pumped for tonight's game against the Sixers, live at 7:30 p.m. ET on Comcast SportsNet (no lie).  And give Mr. Fishman some love if you have NBATV, NYK @ SAC tonight at 10 Eastern.