Wizards 'Intense' as Mavs Loom

Near the end of what Wizards Coach Eddie Jordan would later call "an intense" practice at Verizon Center yesterday, forwards Antawn Jamison and Andray Blatche and point guard Dee Brown simultaneously dove for a loose ball.

Jamison, who was on the black team, and Brown, who was on the white team along with Blatche, stayed down for a few moments after the collision, but they both eventually popped back up and action resumed.

The play summarized the level of effort and competitive spirit that has been on display since Washington opened training camp 10 days ago in Richmond, and Jordan expects it to continue tonight when the Wizards open a seven-game preseason slate at the Dallas Mavericks.

"It's been very competitive," Jordan said. "I'm doing everything I can to get the starters [the black team] to win a game, but the white team just continues to keep coming and they keep winning games. I told them after practice: 'This is the most competitive 10-man unit we've ever had here. It's not a problem; it's a good problem. We've got guys pushing each other, challenging each other. You've got to have that peer pressure to make each other better."

Before heading to the airport for a late-afternoon flight to Dallas yesterday, players talked about how eager they were to go against a fresh opponent. Since last Saturday, the Wizards have held 10 practices and one intrasquad scrimmage.

Tonight, Jordan's players will get to test themselves against a veteran Mavericks team that includes perennial all-stars Jason Kidd and Dirk Nowitzki.

"Everybody is going to go out there with a lot of energy," Blatche said. "And we're going to try to win even though it's only a preseason game. You want to go out there and work on the stuff you've been working on in training camp. I know I'm tired of seeing the same faces. I'm ready to go out there against someone different."

Brendan Haywood is out with a sprained right wrist, so either Blatche or veteran Etan Thomas will start at center. Jordan said yesterday that he would consult with his coaching staff and make a decision at this morning's shoot-around.

Thomas, who missed all of last season following heart surgery, has participated in every practice and looked explosive during Friday's intrasquad scrimmage, hustling and muscling his way to nine points and five rebounds.

Tonight, Thomas will pull on a game uniform for the first time since Game 4 of the 2007 playoffs when the Wizards were eliminated in the first round by the Cleveland Cavaliers. "It's going to be great," Thomas said. "I'm just getting my timing back so playing an actual game, it's going to be fun. I can't wait."

Thomas said he is benefiting from intense training he put in over the summer with former Maryland and longtime NBA big man Tony Massenburg, who has been helping the team as a volunteer coach since camp opened.

"I did a lot of rebounding drills and stuff like that with Tony over the summer," Thomas said. "You have to get that back. When you miss a lot of time like that, your feet sometimes feel like they are stuck to the floor, so I had to really work on quickness drills and the movement stuff. It feels good though."

Jordan said his goals for tonight are to see his team stay organized offensively, play solid defense and build on a "strong training camp."

"We're just trying to do what we do," Jordan said. "It will be good to defend against another offense instead of our offense, to see other players. We're on the road; it seems like Washington has done a good job in Dallas this year [referring to the Redskins' win at Dallas last week], and we're going to see if we can do the same."

Wizards Notes: Jordan said the team will carry the current 17-man roster through tonight's game and tomorrow's game at Memphis and then trim to 15 players on Thursday, so Washington native DerMarr Johnson, veteran forward Linton Johnson and rookie Taj McCullough will have at least two games to show what they can do.