WE Preview: Wizards vs. Bulls - 1/30/12

AT    


Monday, January 30th, 2012
7:00 PM ET
TV: Comcast SportsNet HD
Steve Buckhantz, Phil Chenier  
Radio: 106.7 The Fan - http://bit.ly/5yZqu8
Dave Johnson, Glenn Consor


Game Preview

The Washington Wizards (4-16) host the Chicago Bulls (17-5) in tonight's game in what will sure to be the toughest opponent the team has faced under interim head coach Randy Wittman.  

Wittman has the Wizards playing at a faster pace on both ends, and has mixed up lineups and rotations in order to keep players fresh.  The result has been as many wins for him in 3 games than coach Saunders had all season.  Don't discount the fact that the Wizards played the lowly Bobcats twice in this stretch, but the team appears to be playing harder and with more intensity.  

Chicago is coming off of a tough loss yesterday afternoon against the Miami Heat.  No thanks to Derrick Rose, who did all he could to will his team to a win with 34 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal, and a block.  He just did not get enough help from his teammates down the stretch.  

John Wall vs. Derrick Rose will clearly be the premier matchup to watch tonight.  2 very good, young point guards will go head to head.  Rose has already made the next step to superstar, and whether or not Wall will get to his level remains to be seen.  Expect some good scoring and passing out of both players tonight, in what should appear on paper to be a high pace game.
 
Another good matchup will be JaVale McGee vs. Joakim Noah.  Both players are similar in that they have a limited offensive skill set, but score their points on fast breaks, rebound put backs, and dunks.  Both are also aggressive on the defensive end blocking shots.  McGee is coming off another big game where he had 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 blocks.  According to Michael Lee of the Washington Post, Marc Gasol and McGee are the only players this season with 20-10-5 games this season.  This should also be a good matchup.  

Based on the records, Washington clearly looks to be in for a tough game.  The Wizards will need to start from the beginning crashing the boards, as Chicago is one of the top offensive rebounding teams in the league.  Rebounding will allow the Wizards to get out on the break and push the tempo, which will more than likely be their only chance of keeping this a game.


- Trevor Jackson

_________________


WE's to Watch



WE Spotlight




Bulls' Projected Starting Lineup



Wizards' Projected Starting Lineup




Funniest Looking Bull




Paying Homage






Truly Proud Moment in Bulls' History



 
Friendly Dancers - Wizard Girls












Go Wizards!!!!!!