Kid Dynamite

"He is best draft choice by this organization in last 10 years," said 7-foot-7 Gheorghe Muresan in halting English. The native Romanian was once the NBA's most improved player in Washington and is now the world's tallest community-relations guest at halftime in the luxury boxes. "He has energy. He work very hard." Laughing, he added, "He might be the best draft choice for a big man since me."

But, Peter John Ramos? "McGee is not lazy," Muresan added.

There were no surprises here. The Wizards were in an entertaining scrap with the physical and disciplined Jazz, a team that plays together as well as Spain or the Spurs, circa 2005.

When people deign to mention that Jordan's job should be at stake, they really need to take a look at what was on the floor. At one point in the first half, their lineup was a gassed Jamison, Nick Young, Juan Dixon, Darius Songaila and Blatche. That's one legitimate NBA starter and four role players trying to hold court against two NBA all-stars and three solid veterans.

The Jazz is Pick-and-Roll and Pick-and-Pop U. of the NBA. Sloan basically turned Deron Williams and Boozer into Stockton and Malone, the sequel. They were playing a back-to-back after Philadelphia and Williams is still slow to return from injury, but when it mattered Utah was right there, in the middle of another scrum.

And the difference was not a Boozer putback or a Kyle Korver bomb from the perimeter; it was a 7-foot, 20-year-old running the floor with passion and purpose.

Proving he is indeed a rookie, McGee was whistled for a phantom foul by Jack Nies with 2:13 left. The kid stood there as Utah's Paul Millsap initiated contact along the baseline.

A veteran referee was the only thing that could thwart his boyish exuberance; veteran players surely couldn't contain it. If not tomorrow or next week, sometime in the next month Eddie Jordan really needs to rethink this one:

Start the kid. Soon. He essentially kick-started a season last night that badly needed a charge.