Wizards (3-2) at Hawks (3-1), Arenas, Miller Out
Wizards starters: Randy Foye, DeShawn Stevenson, Caron Butler, Andray Blatche, Brendan Haywood
Hawks: Mike Bibby, Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams, Josh Smith, Al Horford
Line: Hawks by 5.5.
The flu has wiped out the Wizards' starting backcourt tonight, as Gilbert Arenas and Mike Miller were both sidelined against the Hawks. Arenas was bedridden at the morning shootaround and felt well enough that he asked to join the team on the bus to the game. But the training staff decided it was best to leave him at the team hotel, so that he wouldn't infest the rest of the team. .
Coach Flip Saunders said Arenas won't even travel with the team to Philadelphia for the team's reunion with 76ers Coach and former Wizards coach Eddie Jordan. Arenas will stay behind and fly back to Washington, where he be evaluated further.
"He's not feeling great, but he wanted to test it right away," Saunders said.
Miller participated in the shootaround, but was noticeably under the weather. When Brendan Haywood spotted Miller in the locker room about 90 minutes before the game, he asked, "You feeling better?"
Miller nodded that he was okay, but he obviously wasn't. Because moments later, Miller had his temperature taken and he had a fever that was approaching triple digits. Saunders wasn't sure if Miller would be available for Philadelphia, either.
"If he can get a mask and we can quarantine him in the back of the plane, maybe," Saunders said.
Saunders said it probably wasn't a coincidence that the Wizards are getting hit with the flu bug only a few days after they played the Cleveland Cavaliers, who had several players, including LeBron James, sidelined with Influenza A, which is the same strain as H1N1, also known as swine flu. James, Darnell Jackson and Coby Karl all missed the Wizards' 109-104 win over the Cavaliers.
"When you're going through that, you have that type of contact with players, you're touching them," Saunders said. "That's how that stuff happens. You can wash your hands all the time and everything else."
But Saunders said he wasn't sure if the illnesses were the result of playing the Cavaliers or that the players all received flu vaccines last week. Either way, Randy Foye and DeShawn Stevenson are the starting backcourt tonight.
By
Michael Lee
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October 19, 2009; 6:52 PM ET
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Here's Gilby's show of appreciation to the coach who bent over backwards to accommodate his diva ways:
"Since Saunders has taken over, several of Jordan's former players, including Haywood, Andray Blatche and Arenas have criticized Jordan for various reasons. In his few sessions with the media, Arenas has disparaged Jordan's schemes and claimed that Jordan never allowed Arenas to be a team leader. He has also referred to Jordan as "the last coach" rather than by name. "
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/18/AR2009101801846_2.html
Posted by: DC_MAN88 | October 19, 2009 7:44 PM | Report abuse
DC_Man
If you read that much you must have also read the next paragraph, "You think it bothers me," Jordan asked with chuckle. "It doesn't bother me, disappoint me. Gilbert is a wonderful person. I know Gilbert personally and I know him professionally. He's a heck of a competitor, one of the top players in the league when he's healthy. He did a lot for the franchise. He did a lot for me as a coach.
"Even in professional sports, there is a human side and I think Gilbert is a terrific human being," he said. "I would assume he said some things professionally and you cannot let that affect you."
Posted by: midlevex | October 19, 2009 9:08 PM | Report abuse
Clearly Gilbert is right not to appreciate someone if they did. Assuming Arenas was a diva, and Jordan did bend over backward to accommodate him, why would/should Arenas respect or appreciate him? Further, it seems pretty unanimous that the Wizard players under Jordan thought he had poor schemes.
Jordan was in fact the last coach, maybe Gilbert did not use his name because he wanted to attack the system, not the man.
In the same article Jordan is credited with saying the Wizards lacked the personnel to play good defense. Did he disrespect them by not using their names?
Posted by: Dancy1 | October 19, 2009 9:16 PM | Report abuse
EJ had his problems with lots of players, even though I think most agree he was a player's coach. But there is nothing wrong with the Princeton offense that a few cutters and passers couldn't cure, and you're seeing what an athletic team like Philadelphia can do with it. Let's see what the Wizards do with them Tuesday night. Believe me, we're going to miss Gil big time.
As for defense, EJ said it was his No. 1 priority at the beginning of every season, then he adjusted to reality. I think Saunders will have to run away from that weakness this year.
Posted by: zinger1 | October 19, 2009 9:41 PM | Report abuse
"DC_Man
If you read that much you must have also read the next paragraph, "You think it bothers me," Jordan asked with chuckle. "It doesn't bother me, disappoint me. Gilbert is a wonderful person. I know Gilbert personally and I know him professionally. He's a heck of a competitor, one of the top players in the league when he's healthy. He did a lot for the franchise. He did a lot for me as a coach.
"Even in professional sports, there is a human side and I think Gilbert is a terrific human being," he said. "I would assume he said some things professionally and you cannot let that affect you."
Posted by: midlevex | October 19, 2009 9:08 PM | Report abuse "
The point that you're clearly missing wasn't whether EJ was bothered by Gilby's comments. The point was that EJ seemed to me as a coach who bent over backwards to accommodate Gilby's selfish desires and now he gets it thrown back in his face.
When coach goes against player, everybody knows who wins. EJ is smart and diplomatic to be the bigger man, because who knows, Gilby could somehow be back with EJ down the line.
Only guys like Phil Jackson and Larry Brown probably have the success, the cojones, and the ego to trade barbs with high profile players.
Posted by: DC_MAN88 | October 19, 2009 9:53 PM | Report abuse
Only guys like Phil Jackson and Larry Brown probably have the success, the cojones, and the ego to trade barbs with high profile players.
Posted by: DC_MAN88 | October 19, 2009 9:53 PM
What about Wes Unseld. He had success as a player. Does that count?
LarryInClintonMD.
Posted by: LarryInClintonMD | October 19, 2009 10:25 PM | Report abuse
A bunch of ex-wizards coaches sitting on Philly sideline,Ayers,Lynam and the worst trainer in the history of the NBA Kevin Johnson.
Posted by: jeremydvid | October 19, 2009 11:08 PM | Report abuse
"What about Wes Unseld. He had success as a player. Does that count?
LarryInClintonMD.
Posted by: LarryInClintonMD | October 19, 2009 10:25 PM"
Yeah, go ask Bernard King.
Posted by: DC_MAN88 | October 19, 2009 11:11 PM | Report abuse
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