Lately, Haywood Is Missing in Action

Center Brendan Haywood has been all but missing from recent box scores and the Wizards are clearly looking for more out of him.

Since posting 14 points, 6 rebounds and 2 blocks in a Dec. 21 victory at Denver -- a win that sparked a three-game winning streak -- Haywood has totaled 18 points and 24 rebounds in five games.

On Tuesday night, when the Wizards had a chance to exploit the absence of Houston center Yao Ming, Haywood was 1 of 4 from the field, scored two points and grabbed six rebounds in 21 mostly ineffective minutes. In the fourth quarter, Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan turned to third-string center Calvin Booth and didn't play Haywood or Etan Thomas at all.

"I thought Brendan played better in November," Jordan said prior to Tuesday's game. "We need Brendan to come back and play at a high level for us. I just don't have an answer why there is some slippage there."

Haywood, who is averaging 8.4 points and 5.9 rebounds and leads the team in shooting percentage (55.9), believes his production of late has little to do with performance or confidence.

"I was playing 30 minutes before and I'm playing around 15 right now, so all of those things contribute to where I'm at and where this team is at," Haywood said. "The average guy who is playing 15 minutes is only going to give you so much production. So I'm out there, not a lot of plays are being called for me and I don't expect a lot of plays to be called for me. I expect to go out there and do other things. In 30 minutes, you have more opportunity."