Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
October 30, 2008, Washington Post

Wizards Are Hoping for Some Magic

It must be Halloween. A black cat has crossed the path of the Washington Wizards' season, and the team is definitely spooked.

The Wizards are starting their season without two key players because of injuries. Gilbert Arenas, the fabulous Agent Zero, will be out for the first two months after a third surgery to his injured left knee. And who knows whether Arenas will be the same high-scoring superstar when he comes back? Brendan Haywood, the Wizards' starting 7-foot center, could miss the entire year with a torn ligament in his wrist.

So is the season over before it starts? No way. Lots of teams, whether they are pros or kids, have to overcome bad luck and injuries. They can't use them as an excuse for losing.

The Wizards have plenty of talented, healthy players returning. Remember, Washington had a winning record last season (43 wins and 39 losses) even though Arenas missed most of the season. Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler made the NBA All-Star team. Together they averaged more than 40 points a game last year and led the Wizards into the playoffs.

DeShawn Stevenson and Antonio Daniels give Washington a solid veteran backcourt. Don't expect Stevenson to join Arenas and Haywood on the injured reserve list: The rugged guard has started 250 games in a row.

The Wizards could use second-year guard Nick Young to pick up some of the scoring while Arenas is out. Young is a high-flying dunker who showed flashes of brilliance in his rookie year. Now, he has to become a more consistent contributor.

But the key to the Wizards' season might be whether Etan Thomas, Andray Blatche and rookie JaVale McGee can replace Haywood underneath the basket. Haywood had his best season last year, averaging more than 10 points and seven rebounds a game.

Root for Thomas to have good year. He is coming back from heart surgery that kept him out all last season. Thomas will give the Wizards a solid rebounder and defender, but not much scoring.

Blatche is in his fourth year since going straight into the NBA from high school. It's time for him to prove to Coach Eddie Jordan that he can help the team by scoring some much-needed points underneath the basket.

McGee, who is 7 feet tall and whose arms measure an incredible 7 feet 6 inches from fingertip to fingertip, should be a good shot blocker. Basketball runs in his family. His mom, Pam McGee, was a star in college and played in the WNBA.

So even with injuries, the Wizards have a chance at another winning season and a trip to the playoffs. But every player on the roster will have to help. And the Wizards will have to stay away from black cats and more bad luck.

Fred Bowen writes KidsPost's sports opinion column and is an author of sports novels for kids.

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