Washington Wizards Blog – Page 59 – NBA Blog

President Obama gets 12 stitches for lip injury while playing basketball

Tahman Bradley and Stephanie Smith of ABC News report:

President Obama needed 12 stitches on his upper lip after he was inadvertently hit this morning while playing basketball with friends and family at Fort McNair in Washington, D.C.The president was playing defense when Rey Decerega, an opposing player, turned into him to take a shot and his elbow hit Obama in the mouth.

“I learned today the president is both a tough competitor and a good sport,” Decerega, who works for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute, said in a written statement. “I enjoyed playing basketball with him this morning. I’m sure he’ll be back out on the court again soon.” …

The injury occurred in the last of the five games Obama was playing with his friends, which included his nephew, Avery Robinson, personal aide Reggie Love and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

InsideHoops.com says: The picture above is old, but the video below is of Obama after the above incident.

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Elton Brand suspended for foul on JaVale McGee

Elton Brand of the Philadelphia 76ers has been suspended one game without pay for his Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two against JaVale McGee of the Washington Wizards, it was announced today by Stu Jackson, NBA Executive Vice President Basketball Operations.

The incident, in which Brand made contact by shoving McGee during a layup attempt and was ejected following the Flagrant Foul, Penalty Two call, occurred with 3:32 remaining in the 4th period of the 76er’s 116-114 overtime loss to the Washington Wizards at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C.

Brand will serve his suspension tonight when the 76ers face the Toronto Raptors at Air Canada Centre.

InsideHoops.com editor says: It was a dangerous foul, and I absolutely see why the NBA suspended Brand for it. Elton doesn’t usually do things like that. He’s frustrated.

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Wizards sign Alonzo Gee, waive Lester Hudson

Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has signed guard/forward Alonzo Gee. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not announced.

Gee (6-6, 220 lbs.), who appeared in five games this season for the San Antonio Spurs, returns to Washington following an 11-game stint with the Wizards last season. Gee averaged 7.4 points and 3.0 rebounds in 16.5 minutes during those 11 games, including a career-high 19-point effort at Charlotte on March 26.

Gee was initially signed to a ten-day contract by the Wizards last season on March 7 and was inked to a second ten-day contract on March 18 before signing with San Antonio for the remainder of the season. Gee was waived by the Spurs on November 16.

Hudson appeared in six games for Washington this season, totaling two points, six assists and one rebound in 26 minutes of play. Hudson was initially signed on September 24.

Flip Saunders had John Wall watch John Stockton footage

Frank Hanrahan of CSN Washington reports:

John Wall had a homework assignment this week. After turning the ball over too many times in his first 5 games, Wizards coach Flip Saunders told his prized rookie point guard to watch some game film of one the greatest point guards that ever played in John Stockton.

The shorts were super tight but so was Stockton’s game leading the Utah Jazz for 19 seasons. Stockton was the master of the pick and roll and it didn’t hurt to have another Hall of Famer running that two game man game with him in Karl Malone. Stockton left the NBA in 2003 as the all time assist and steals leader and later was a deserved Hall of Famer.

“It was about a 45 minute tape of Stockton that John (Wall) watched the last two days leading up to the Rockets game,” Saunders said. All he (Wall) was talking about was how Stockton was so deliberate and how he played under control.”

John Wall gets first NBA triple-double

The AP reports:

Rookie John Wall got his first professional triple-double with 19 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds to lead the Washington Wizards to a 98-91 win over the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.

Yao Ming missed most of the game after he strained a tendon in his leg in the first quarter.

Washington used a 10-0 run late in the fourth quarter to pull away after blowing an 11-point lead…

Kevin Martin scored 31 points for the Rockets, who have lost six of seven.

Gilbert Arenas to make season debut tonight against Knicks

Sports Network reports:

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas is set to make his season debut Friday against the New York Knicks, according to the team’s Twitter feed.

The post said, “A quick update from New York. Gilbert Arenas will play tonight!” Arenas practiced Friday morning and was earlier considered a game- time decision.

Arenas has missed the Wizards’ first three games of the regular season with a strained tendon in his right ankle and strained right groin.

Gilbert Arenas will miss first two regular season games

Michael Lee of the Washington Post reports (via blog):

Gilbert Arenas will miss at least the first two games of the regular season because of a strained tendon in his right ankle. Arenas missed his fourth straight practice on Wednesday and walked around the RDV Sports Complex in Orlando while wearing a protective boot.

Coach Flip Saunders said that Arenas will be re-evaluated, but ruled him out for the season opener on Thursday against the Magic and on Saturday against the Atlanta Hawks. After practice, Arenas huddled with Saunders and President Ernie Grunfeld for a few minutes.

“He’s going to have a doctor look at it again,” Saunders said. “So he wont be here for these two. We’ll evaluate him and hopefully these days in the boot will let that [heal]. Right now the tendon’s inflamed, we’ve got to get that thing to settle down. Once it settles down and some of that fluid gets out, he’s probably going to have a better chance of playing. That’s at least what the medical staff tells me.”

Wizards waive Sean Marks and Adam Morrison

Washington Wizards President Ernie Grunfeld announced today that the team has waived center Sean Marks and forward Adam Morrison.

Morrison averaged 5.0 points and 2.0 rebounds in five preseason contests for Washington, while Marks did not appear in a preseason game. Both players originally signed with Washington on September 24.

The Wizards roster now stands at 15.

Bobcats waive Javaris Crittenton

Charlotte Bobcats General Manager Rod Higgins announced today that the team has waived guard Javaris Crittenton. In four preseason appearances, he averaged 3.3 points, 1.8 assists, 1.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals in 13:27 minutes.

Crittenton has played in 113 career NBA games for the Lakers, Grizzlies and Wizards, averaging 5.3 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 16.4 minutes. The two-year veteran was initially selected by the Lakers with the 19th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft.

The Bobcats roster now stands at 17.

Wizards fine Gilbert Arenas for lying about injury

The Philadelphia Daily News reports:

The Washington Wizards guard’s latest escapade took place Tuesday, when coach Flip Saunders announced before a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks that Arenas would miss the contest with a sore left knee.

But Arenas revealed after the Wizards’ 107-92 victory that he pretended to have a bum knee to give teammate Nick Young a chance to start. He told reporters yesterday that he was trying to do Young a favor.

“I lied to coach and told him my knee was sore so he’d start Nick,” Arenas said.

Arenas was fined an undisclosed amount by the Wizards for his deception. It was another blow to the image of a player who is still trying to recover from his 50-game suspension and felony conviction for bringing guns into the locker room last season.

InsideHoops.com editor says: So Gilbert, with his years of injury problems, just now coming off suspension and making his comeback, thought that lying to his coach and pretending to be hurt was a smart move. That’s some brilliant decision-making right there! Seriously, what the heck?

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