By Sam Amico

WIZARDS WITH A CAUSE

How long does it take for greatness to settle in?

We're all about to find out, as Michael Jordan waits for his surgically-repaired knee to heal and Tyrone Nesby becomes the Washington Wizards' starting small forward.

Here is what you can expect:

1) The Wizards realize nobody will pay nearly as much attention to them with Jordan on the sidelines. Not only will they be ignored by television producers and fans, but other teams won't play nearly as hard against them.

It's only human nature to want to show up The Greatest Ever, and that is why the Wizards received everyone else's best shot. That's also what makes their near-.500 record so amazing -- they won 19 games last season, but thanks to Jordan, opponents have competed against the Wizards as if they had won the NBA title.

In some ways, things will be much easier for them now.

2) Remember Jordan's first retirement in Chicago? The Bulls remained pretty strong, as if they wanted to prove to the world that they could win without him -- and they did.

These young Wizards have that same motivation. When they won nine in a row earlier this season, it was because Jordan received lots of help from Richard Hamilton. Actually, Hamilton received help from Jordan.

Anyway, Hamilton has struggled since the All-Star break, and it's no surprise that the Wizards have limped right along with him.

You can now expect Hamilton to rediscover his rhythm, as he'll have the opportunity to take more shots. And one thing that isn't said much -- since Jordan's arrival, Hamilton has become a much better passer and defender.

So, assuming he can overcome his nagging groin injury, expect Hamilton to be better than ever

3) The Wizards are extremely young, which means they won't always look pretty without Jordan. I know what you're thinking. "Gee, no kidding!"

But just because they may not look in sync, it doesn't mean they aren't worthy of your attention. In fact, here's a tip for the TV types: This story is just getting good.

Seriously, if you love pro basketball and want to watch a team that plays extremely hard ... then the Wizards are your team. I'll say it again: The Wizards will play as hard as anyone in the coming weeks.

If there's one thing I can guarantee players such as Chris Whitney, Kwame Brown, Courtney Alexander and my personal favorite, Popeye Jones, have learned, it's that winning is an attitude. So while the Wizards may not have tons of talent, they definitely have the right mindset -- thanks to You Know Who.

I believe Jordan will be back by season's end, although we'll probably all know for sure by the time you read this. But I don't think it's going to matter.

With or without Michael Jordan, the Washington Wizards will make the playoffs.

YOUR THOUGHTS ON LEBRON

Here are some of your responses to last week's edition about Akron, Ohio, high school star LeBron James:

"Geez, I wish people would let high school basketball alone. Let the kids have their fun and their games without the hype that is slowly eating away at the college and pro games. Does anybody remember the fuss that was made over Felipe Lopez? Sure Kobe Bryant, Moses Malone, Kevin Garnett and a few others made the jump, but how many have struggled and weren't as successful as they could have been with some college? I'm positive there have been three times as many early entry applicants (both high schoolers and undergrads) as there have been players that made any kind of impact. Perhaps the NBA should look at rejecting some players. Or maybe the NCAA should consider allowing players under a certain age to return to college if the pro thing isn't working for them. And yes, the kids, their families, friends and hangers on need to be more realistic." -- From Pete Dantley.

"Sam, being from Akron you should know the relative obscurity that this part of the country is in when it comes to high school basketball. For a kid out of Akron to get the kind of attention that LeBron James is getting is as amazing as anything I have seen. And therein lies the difference between James and Felipe Lopez. Lopez came out of New York City, which has a long and storied basketball tradition. We all know that everything from New York is supposedly bigger and better than everywhere else, and that the media machine fueled Lopez's supposed greatness. We know that this isn't the case with James, because beyond pure basketball skills, James has that special 'it' that people saw in Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett. He isn't your average 6-foot-7 athlete who gets compared to Jordan -- like James White or this year's versions, Carmelo Anthony and Lenny Cooke. Those guys are Felipe Lopez, not James." -- From M. Young.

"Your thoughts on Akron scholastic star LeBron James are quite interesting. While I am sure he is a brilliant talent, I couldn't help but think of something I recently read in a newspaper. St. Vincent-St. Mary recently lost to western Pennsylvania's George Jr. Republic 59-57. In that game, James was held to 20 points and GJR coach Bob McConnell said James made little effort to test the box-and-one and 1-3 chaser defenses GJR employed against him. Also, McConnell compared James to another former high school player who didn't even play Division I basketball." -- From Mike Kovak.

"I think this is all too much, too soon for a 17 year old, no matter how mature. The Sports Illustrated you mentioned also has an article about Kareem Rush and his brother, JaRon, who also was considered to be a 'can't-miss' prospect. I hope LeBron reads that article. He'll need a very strong support group (other than his mom and surrogate father, who seem very carried away by their 15 minutes of fame) to help him through the next few years. It's got to be tough to be 17, have everyone blow smoke up your skirt, and still stay grounded." -- From Tom Goodall

For more reader comments on LeBron James and other basketball-related issues, check out the "Rebound: Reader's Respond" link on my Web site (http://www.observer-reporter.com/amicoreport.bsp).

SONIC BOOM

Seattle guard Brent Barry shot three-pointer after three-pointer an hour before a recent game between the Sonics and Cleveland at Gund Arena. It paid off, as Barry finished 4-of-5 on threes in a Sonics rout. That type of desire is yet another reason you have to consider Seattle a second-half sleeper.

It's hard to imagine any team with Gary Payton being called "a sleeper," but besides Payton, the current group of Sonics are relatively new. Still, they move the ball extremely well, consistently finding the open man for easy baskets -- which is why it's no surprise that they lead the NBA in field-goal percentage (through Feb. 27).

Coach Nate McMillan had this to say about his team's newfound love for good ball movement: "The pick and roll is something we've learned to execute. It's simple, but it works." Coaches everywhere should listen in.

A few other thoughts on the SuperSonics:

-- Seattle has never lost at Gund Arena (7-0). The Sonics have also won a whopping 14 in a row over the Cavaliers.

-- European players who come to the NBA are often criticized for treating defense like a bad disease. This can't be said of Seattle center Predrag Drobnjak and forward Vladimir Radmanovic. Both seem to like mixing it up underneath the basket, and they're not too shabby on the perimeter. My only problem with Drobjnak is that he still tucks his jacket into his pants during warmups.

-- If Gary Payton played in New York or Los Angeles, he would have won an NBA MVP by now. And without his timely shots, the Western Conference wouldn't have held on to beat the East in the All-Star Game.

ANOTHER COMEBACK

Michael Jordan isn't the only over-30 player to have made a comeback this season.

As we learn in the most recent edition of Hoop Magazine, former NBA backup Dwayne Schintzius is now playing in the NBDL. Yes, that Dwayne Schintzius, the 7-foot-4 center who once spit on a kid. Don't remember? Well, it happened when the kid asked Schintzius, "How's the weather up there?" Schintzius spit on him and replied, "It's raining."

Anyway, the man who defined the mullet hairdo is now sporting a buzzcut, long sideburns, and -- you guessed it -- lotsa tattoos. Schintzius, who last played for the Boston Celtics in 1998-99, is now 33.

SHORT SHOTS

-- It's clear that the Atlanta Hawks have become a team to watch during the second half of the season. They played extremely well on their Western Conference swing (beating the Lakers in L.A.), and it appears Shareef Abdur-Rahim, Jason Terry and the rest of these young guns are really getting to know -- and like -- each other.

-- Other teams to watch in the final 30 games: Utah, Miami, Chicago, and I still say Cleveland. The Jazz's only problem is that they're still in the West, and so are the Lakers, Kings, Blazers, Mavericks, Timberwolves, and so on and so on. The Heat sure appear primed to make a run at the playoffs, and I wouldn't want to play them if they get there. Chicago and Cleveland aren't any good, but have players very much worth watching in Jalen Rose and Andre Miller, respectively.

-- I still often sit and wonder, "What did Howard Eisley do to deserve this?" My answer usually is, "Boy, do you need a life." Either that or, "Eisley chased the money." Eisley was primed to replace John Stockton as Utah's starting point guard, but ran out of patience and signed with Dallas before last season. He is now in New York, and he can't even get off the bench for garbage time. Maybe he can find his way back to Utah, where he was the perfect fit for the Jazz's deliberate system.

-- I really, really wouldn't want to play the Portland Trail Blazers in the playoffs. They may not be very well-liked -- by even their own fans -- but they are extremely deep, talented, and with enough on the line, aggressive. The Blazers still have the capacity to explode down the stretch, just like they did last season. But I have a hunch things will be different this time ... that the Blazers will finally be at their best when it means the most.

-- Tremaine Fowlkes, once tied for the NBDL scoring lead, signed with the Los Angeles Clippers in late February -- then started in his first game! Fowlkes played in place of injured forward Lamar Odom, but that's not even the best rags-to-riches story. That honor goes to former Weber State guard Eddie Gill (yes, Weber State), who signed with the Memphis Grizzlies, then promptly started, played all 48 minutes, and scored 20 points on 7-of-12 shooting.

WEB SITE STUFF

If I haven't begged enough already, please, check out the Web site. If not to read archived editions of The Amico Report, or more e-mails from readers or my occasional editorials, then at least to check out the other basketball-related links.

The address, once again, is observer-reporter.com/amicoreport.bsp.

Also, please e-mail and let me know what you think of the site, and if you would like to see any additions, subtractions, etc.

SAM'S SLAMS

One trade rumor that I knew wouldn't come true: Cleveland's Lamond Murray to Portland for Scottie Pippen. No way would the Cavs make that deal -- although at least it would bring some people back to Gund Arena for a year or two (assuming Pippen didn't mail it in, sit on the injured list, and merely collect a paycheck). ... This may not be popular opinion, but I like what's become of the Denver Nuggets. I think they will be extremely enjoyable to follow with a frontcourt that features Antonio McDyess and Juwan Howard. They'll miss Raef LaFrentz and Nick Van Exel, but with a lottery pick looming and perhaps another trade or two, the Nuggets could actually win back some fans. ... No surprise here, but I especially like that trade for Dallas. Although I tend to agree with Shaquille O'Neal, who said that the addition of LaFrentz and Van Exel "won't matter" in the long run. While the Mavs will be even better, there's still no beating LA. Not this season, anyway. ... NBC did the right thing by removing Jayson Williams from its NBA studio show. Obviously, the man has more important things on his mind, and the network apparently learned its lesson after allowing Marv Albert to stay during his troubled time.

CONTACT ME

E-mail questions and comments to me at amicoreport@hotmail.com. I will try to answer all questions in the newsletter, but you must include your full name.

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