Starters Seem to Be Making The Most of Their Minutes

The only way to gauge success or failure in the preseason is to examine how a team is performing in the first and third quarters, because that is when teams typically match their starters against one another.

So far, the Wizards have been sharp. Washington has outscored its opponents (Toronto, Chicago and Cleveland) by 14 points in the first and third quarters and generally controlled the action.

One key is that guard DeShawn Stevenson, who has made 7 of 9 shots while playing excellent defense, has smoothly blended in with returning starters Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, Antawn Jamison and Brendan Haywood.

Coach Eddie Jordan has been particularly pleased with his starters' defensive approach.

"I see them communicating, I see them helping out on screens, protecting the rim, just doing a lot of things we've emphasized in practice," he said. "Our starters have played very well."

The Wizards fell into a 30-21 hole at the end of the first quarter on Saturday night in Cleveland because of what happened at the offensive end. Arenas, who was focused on defending LeBron James, didn't attempt a shot in the quarter while Jamison (0 for 5) and Butler (1 for 5) missed open shots.

"The preseason is the preseason, so we're really not approaching it like we would a regular season game," Arenas said. "We're just working on the things we want to see when the games mean something. We're getting there."

Refs Give Rules Refresher

In a video presentation to media members before Saturday night's game, referee Joe Forte illustrated a few rules that will be points of emphasis this season. Among the rules covered, Forte talked about hand-checking on the perimeter, rough post play, illegal defenses, illegal screens and flagrant fouls.

"The main thing is, we want to create freedom of movement," Forte explained. "It's about cleaning up the game."

Forte, who worked Saturday's game, provided an example of what he was talking about when he whistled Haywood for impeding Cleveland center Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who was attempting to work his way from the top of the key into the lane in the first quarter.

"On me?" Haywood asked when assessed the foul. "What did I do?"

Forte held up his forearm to illustrate how Haywood had blocked Ilgauskas from moving into the post area. Unless he is in the painted area, a post defender cannot use an extended forearm or use his body to steer or push an offensive player away from the basket.

"Got to let him move," Forte said.

The rules are not new but officials are emphasizing them as part of the league's ongoing effort to create more scoring while getting away from the overly physical style that dominated the game in the late 1990s.

Thomas's Night Tonight

Jordan has been rotating Haywood and Etan Thomas as the starting center in the preseason -- it will be Thomas's turn to start today against the Charlotte Bobcats -- but Jordan tried a different approach during practice at the Bobcats' practice facility yesterday: Play them together. Jordan went with a lineup that featured Haywood at center, Thomas and Andray Blatche at the forwards and Caron Butler and Antonio Daniels in the backcourt.

"We just want to see if it's a possibility," said Jordan, who said he plans to pair Haywood and Thomas during stretches in the regular season.

"Maybe if we have foul trouble, maybe if we're not rebounding, maybe if I want to go big, or maybe people are injured. I just want to make sure that we do it."

The Wizards have outscored their opposition when their starters have been on the floor in the preseason and DeShawn Stevenson has been a factor.