chungoman
04-27-2005, 12:13 PM
Wizards dare Nocioni to beat them again
April 26, 2005
BY LACY J. BANKS Staff Reporter
WASHINGTON -- For the record, Andres Nocioni's birthday isn't until Nov. 30, but the Washington Wizards weren't being literal Monday when they wished the Bulls rookie birthday greetings.
On a playground, the talk emanating from the MCI Center after practice would be translated as, "Enjoy your career night, Andres, because it's not going to be that easy the next time.''
Nocioni scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds Sunday at the United Center as the Bulls beat the Wizards 103-94 in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Game 2 is Wednesday, and Wizards forward Antawn Jamison basically dared Nocioni to do it again.
''Happy birthday,'' Jamison said. ''That's all I've got to say. Happy birthday. It was a present [from the Wizards].
''We're going to keep making him beat us. If he can [keep] doing that, I'll give it to him. Hey, he was feeling it. He was yelling and clapping and rebounding and shooting shots. I applaud him. But happy birthday.
''It was just one game. We had two main guys who did not play well [Jamison and Gilbert Arenas], and we are anxious to get back on the court and get that bad taste out of our mouths.''
Arenas admitted he inadvertently fired up Nocioni by implying he was a dirty player.
''He got a comment that fired him up, and he's ready to go,'' Arenas said. ''And he showed. If he plays like that the whole series, then congratulations.''
Wizards forward Kwame Brown is expected to play Wednesday after an MRI revealed a bruised right knee, suffered when Nocioni fell into Brown in Game 1. Brown left practice with a slight limp.
Arenas offered a plan to slow down Nocioni.
''You throw one of your wolves [at him], put an active guy on him,'' Arenas said. ''Unfortunately, Michael Ruffin is hurting. But if you throw an active Ruffin on him, you'll have two active guys going at it.''
Arenas said Nocioni did well simply because he was an active guy. But Arenas said it takes more than one game to make or break a best-of-seven series.
''I was always taught that it's easy to play one good game or one bad game,'' Arenas said. ''But that's why it's a seven-game series. And you see what you get from there.
''Can me and [Jamison] have a bad game all series while their young guys have seven good games? Anybody can have one good game and one bad game.''
:lol :lol :lol
April 26, 2005
BY LACY J. BANKS Staff Reporter
WASHINGTON -- For the record, Andres Nocioni's birthday isn't until Nov. 30, but the Washington Wizards weren't being literal Monday when they wished the Bulls rookie birthday greetings.
On a playground, the talk emanating from the MCI Center after practice would be translated as, "Enjoy your career night, Andres, because it's not going to be that easy the next time.''
Nocioni scored 25 points and grabbed 18 rebounds Sunday at the United Center as the Bulls beat the Wizards 103-94 in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Game 2 is Wednesday, and Wizards forward Antawn Jamison basically dared Nocioni to do it again.
''Happy birthday,'' Jamison said. ''That's all I've got to say. Happy birthday. It was a present [from the Wizards].
''We're going to keep making him beat us. If he can [keep] doing that, I'll give it to him. Hey, he was feeling it. He was yelling and clapping and rebounding and shooting shots. I applaud him. But happy birthday.
''It was just one game. We had two main guys who did not play well [Jamison and Gilbert Arenas], and we are anxious to get back on the court and get that bad taste out of our mouths.''
Arenas admitted he inadvertently fired up Nocioni by implying he was a dirty player.
''He got a comment that fired him up, and he's ready to go,'' Arenas said. ''And he showed. If he plays like that the whole series, then congratulations.''
Wizards forward Kwame Brown is expected to play Wednesday after an MRI revealed a bruised right knee, suffered when Nocioni fell into Brown in Game 1. Brown left practice with a slight limp.
Arenas offered a plan to slow down Nocioni.
''You throw one of your wolves [at him], put an active guy on him,'' Arenas said. ''Unfortunately, Michael Ruffin is hurting. But if you throw an active Ruffin on him, you'll have two active guys going at it.''
Arenas said Nocioni did well simply because he was an active guy. But Arenas said it takes more than one game to make or break a best-of-seven series.
''I was always taught that it's easy to play one good game or one bad game,'' Arenas said. ''But that's why it's a seven-game series. And you see what you get from there.
''Can me and [Jamison] have a bad game all series while their young guys have seven good games? Anybody can have one good game and one bad game.''
:lol :lol :lol