Jordan Satisfied With Camp, Wants Defense to Improve

Coach Eddie Jordan was generally pleased with what he saw during the Washington Wizards' training camp this past week in Richmond, but he had a few things he wanted to work on when the team returned to Verizon Center yesterday morning for its first post-camp practice.

"Coaches are never satisfied but we're going in the right direction," Jordan said following Friday's camp-closing intrasquad scrimmage in Richmond. "I thought we played hard, we played smart and we played with a lot of organization. We still need to get better defensively as far as picking people up and recognizing situations. Right now, the defense knows our offense so maybe when we get back to Verizon Center, our first practice will be going against an offense other than our own so we can play the defense we are looking for."

The Wizards will get their first look at another offensive style Tuesday night when they open preseason play in Dallas. The week also includes games in Memphis on Wednesday night and at Verizon Center against Detroit on Friday night.

The team departs Saturday for Europe, where it will play a pair of games against the New Orleans Hornets, one each in Berlin and Barcelona.

One goal for the preseason, according to several players, will be to build on the cohesion and competitiveness that was on display during camp.

For the team's young players, such as second-year guard Nick Young, second-year forward Dominic McGuire and rookie center JaVale McGee, that will mean adapting to opponents who employ vastly different schemes at both ends of the court.

"For those young guys it's, 'Talk to me after training camp and the preseason,' " said point guard Antonio Daniels, who completed his 11th camp. "But they've done a great job so far.

"It's like I told [McGuire] the other day: 'You've had a great training camp but what the coaches want to see is how well you play in these exhibition games.' Because we have a comfort level playing against each other and what we can do because we're used to playing against each other. But now, we put a different opponent in front of us and you have to show up and show what you really learned in camp."

Dixon Gets a Refresher

Guard Juan Dixon learned Jordan's offense during his first stint with the Wizards but he admitted that he still had adjustments to make during training camp.

"I'm familiar with it but it is a different style than you see with other teams so I did have to get comfortable with everything again," said Dixon, who has played for Portland, Toronto and Detroit since leaving Washington as a free agent following the 2004-05 season. "With other offenses, it's a lot of set plays but with this one, it's all about making the right reads and cuts. I'm feeling good with it, though."

Dixon looked comfortable Friday evening when he scored eight points on 3-for-7 shooting with two turnovers and one steal.

Seventeen . . . for Now

The team is still carrying 17 players, including training camp invitees DerMarr Johnson, Linton Johnson and Taj McCullough, as well as Dixon and Dee Brown, who have partially guaranteed contracts. Teams do not have to cut to the league maximum of 15 players until the end of the preseason, but the Wizards may trim the roster before the European trip. . . .

Center Brendan Haywood (sprained right wrist) is expected to miss at least a week. He was injured during Thursday's practice and did not play in Friday's scrimmage. No other injuries were reported after the scrimmage.