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Steve Nash points out how many shots DeShawn Stevenson made in 24 minutes of action.

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Lost in all the hubbub about the team's offensive woes is the fact that this team has turned a corner defensively.  Currently, the team is 18th in defensive efficiency.  They're not the kind of defensive numbers that you can win a championship with, but they're a marked improvement over the last few years, where the team has finished 29th (2009), 24th (2008), 28th (2007), 22nd (2006), 19th (2005), and 20th (2004).

Perhaps an increased focus on defense explains why the Wizards have struggled more on the offensive end this season.  If so, I don't really mind.  Offense is about flow and tempo, something the Wizards will get better at as they learn to trust the system and each other more.  Defense, on the other hand, is all about bringing the same product on the court every single night.  While they may not have the bedrock-solid defense of the Celtics, the approach is paying dividends.  As long as it keeps up, I don't mind some offensive hiccups as the everyone grows into their role.

Suns 102, Wizards 90 - Mike Jones, Outlet

The Wizards took solace in the fact that they put on a better performance than they did in Indiana, and that defensively they limited a Phoenix team that was averaging 111 points a game to 102 points on 47.7 percent shooting. But they still can't get into a flow offensively. Their ball movement was prettty weak. And asside from Andray Blatche's 20 points, their bench was anemic. DeShawn Stevenson scored four points, and the only other backup used (Dominic McGuire) went scoreless.

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Among the Colts' many casualties this week was Marlin Jackson, who tore his ACL in practice.  As you probably recall, Marlin tore his other ACL in practice last year.  Several athletes have gone on to have very successful careers after losing both ACLs, including one-man rebounding machine DeJuan Blair, but there aren't too many exceptions to the rule.  Given how much Marlin Jackson struggled to regain his pre-injury form, odds aren't good that he'll be one of the exceptions either.

Granted, Marlin can still go on to play a few more solid years of football, but odds are that those years won't be played in Indianapolis.  Marlin will be entering free agency this season and we all know the track record for players, especially defensive ones, entering free agency under Bill Polian: If you're not producing near or at Pro Bowl level, you better start packing your bags, because you will be replaced by someone younger, cheaper, and odds are, more talented than you.  We've seen it happen with Nick Harper, Marcus Washington, Jason David, David Thornton, Cato June, and a slew of others and it's hard to see why Marlin Jackson will be any different.

Since he probably won't be coming back next year, let's take a look back at Marlin Jackson's greatest moment as a Colt.  If you're having any problem trying to remember what it was, you should probably just stop reading now.

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More photos » by Darron Cummings - AP

We have our classic dejected-players-sitting-on-the-bench shot, now we know its time to get worried.

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I saw this tweet before the game and I had to chuckle a bit:

Washington Wizards are off to best start in 3 years, let's see if they can continue tonight against the Pacers

Keep in mind that the team was 2-3 going into last night's game.  A below .500 record constitutes the best start we've had in three years.  Even with the loss last night, this team has a better record after six games than the last two squads, who both started 1-5.  Even though the team from three years ago started 3-3, you may recall that they didn't pick up their first win on the road until December 6th.  The last time that you can say the Wizards really came blazing out of the gates, was 2005-06 when the team won five of their first six, and even then the Wizards followed up that start by losing their next five.  Slow starts have just been a part of Wizards basketball over the last few years.

In the past, you could blame it on learning the nuances of the Princeton offense.  Not only did it take longer for players to get acclimated to the offense, but it also took away focus from learning on the defensive end.  So essentially the team was playing catch up with the other teams in the NBA on both sides of the ball to start the year.  Instead of learning the Princeton this year, the team is starting from scratch with an entirely new system from a new coach, which takes time to implement.

Returns from the first game of the season were very promising, as we saw last night, there's still a lot that the team has to learn.  Some of it involves developing offensive cohesion, some of it involves coming out of the gates with better execution and focus, where they've struggled in their last two losses.  A lot of us said before the season that Flip Saunders would have some bumps in the road early in the season as he gets acclimated to his roster and vice-versa.  Well, these are what bumps in the road look like.  Let's hope that both can adjust accordingly as the season goes on.

Washington Wizards lose third straight, 102-86 at Indiana - Michael Lee, Washington Post

"I was trying to get someone to play hard," Saunders said. "I told those guys, I can't coach effort. You got to come out and be prepared and play hard. "I thought our effort was poor. I was extremely disappointed. I told them I take responsibility because evidently right now we've got to keep pounding away because we're not getting through in doing the things we need to do in order to be successful."

Listless Wizards fall on the road - Mike Jones, Washington Times

He tried the traditional lineup (although it was his third different one of the season thanks to injuries). He tried a small lineup. He played Gilbert Arenas on the ball. He played him off the ball. He used all 12 players at his disposal. But none of that did the trick. The Wizards put on a listless performance and fell 102-86, their third straight loss. Although the score indicated otherwise, the Pacers' play couldn't exactly be described as dominant.

Wizards lose to Pacers, Jamison chews out team - William Yoder, Agent Dagger

It's only the sixth game of the season and it looks like Flip Saunders may be running out of ideas. The Wizards head coach addressed the criticisms of the past games. Critics said Caron Butler had to get more aggressive offensively, and the former all-star put up 24-12. The Wizards bigmen got into foul trouble early in the teams last two losses, but tonight Haywood played 35 minutes and grabbed 19 rebounds.

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More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

WHY SO SERIOUS???

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Heat 93, Wizards 89 - Michael Lee, Wizards Insider

The man who thrilled the Verizon Center with his fearless, late-game shots, decided it was best that he pass -- to Brendan Haywood; the bemusement of everyone in the arena. Arenas threw a lob that hit the rim and bounced out of the reach of Haywood. Asked about the play afterward, Arenas said, "Obviously it hit the rim. That's it. I mean, it's not rocket scientist." Rocket scientist? Yep. It was that kind of night. Even the words came out wrong.

Last Night's Action: A Fiery Evening - Aaron Morrissey, DCist

It was the Dwayne Wade show at the Phone Booth last night. When Wade was on the court, he poured in 40 to lead all scorers; unfortunately for the Wizards, they couldn't transplant their very good play for the short periods of time when D-Wade was on the bench to when he was playing. Gilbert Arenas had 32 to lead Washington, and Brendan Haywood and Caron Butler both chipped in double-doubles -- although the three were an ugly combined -34 in plus/minus.

Wild East Shootout: Dwyane Wade Outguns Gilbert Arenas -- Chris Tomasson, NBA FanHouse

It was a nostalgic reunion even if Wade, a shooting guard and Arenas, a point guard, didn't guard each other. Wade scored a game-high 40 points and Arenas had 32 as the Heat beat the Wizards 93-89. "There was one time we were both looking at each other (at the free-throw line),'' Wade said. "We just smiled because of all the battles that we've had over the years. I'm happy to see him back as a fan of basketball. Knowing Gil, I'm happy to see him healthy. Hopefully, he'll just keep getting better.''

Heat 93, Wizards 89: Feeling warm and fuzzy - Craig Stouffer, Washington Examiner

DeShawn Stevenson did well guarding Dwyane Wade. That is, as well as one can against a guy who scored 40 points on 26 shots. "DeShawn played a really good game," said Wizards head coach Flip Saunders, "and it’s unfortunate that he missed the two free throws at the end because that is what everyone will remember but there are so many other factors that contributed to the loss."

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More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

6 days ago: Washington Wizards' Caron Butler (3) jumps toward the basket against Cleveland Cavaliers' Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11), of Lithuania, in the first quarter in an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2009, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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If you're looking for a sign that the Wizards can be really special, just take a look at how Washington was able to build an 18 point lead early in 2nd quarter.  Gilbert and Caron were torching Cleveland and everyone was crashing the glass for Washington.  Problem was, no one else got into a rhythm and once Cleveland found a way to limit The Big 2, Washington just didn't have a back-up plan.

Guys like Randy Foye and Andray Blatche, who have both been big in both of Washington's wins, just didn't have it tonight.  Neither one was awful by any means, but without Antawn Jamison in the lineup, the Wizards needed more from them to beat a team as good as the Cavs.

Certainly, Foye and Blatche don't deserve all or even most of the blame for last night's loss.  None of the bigs could stay out of foul trouble, Mike Miller was efficient, but efficiency only goes so far when you only take three shots, and DeShawn Stevenson was a total non-factor: missing all of his field goal attempts, only grabbing 2 rebounds and getting no assists in 17 minutes of burn.  There is still plenty of room for improvement, but as we saw for about 15-20 minutes last night, this team has the capability to be a very, very good team at times and they can get better as the season moves along.

James, Cavaliers outmuscle Wizards - Mike Jones, Washington Times

The good was that for a half, the Wizards managed to hang with the Cavaliers and even build a double-digit game while holding LeBron James and Shaquille O'Neal in check. The bad was that when the Cavaliers started pounding the ball inside, Washington couldn't match Cleveland's physicality and instead found its big men mired in foul trouble. And without Antawn Jamison, a slightly subpar Caron Butler and Gilbert Arenas weren't enough. The bad was also a 102-90 Cleveland victory, which marked the Wizards' fifth straight regular-season loss at Quicken Loans Arena dating back to Feb. 24, 2006.

Cavs' vision finally becomes clear - Patrick McManamon, Akron Beacon Journal

O'Neal said he takes it personally — ''Totally . . . totally'' — every time he's not double-covered, and he should score every time if he's not. ''If not, get rid of me,'' he said. The Wizards kept avoiding the double-team, and O'Neal made them pay. In this kind of game, against this kind of team, it worked.

Cavaliers 102, Wizards 90: Not a rivalry - Craig Stouffer, Washington Examiner

It isn't a rivalry when the Wizards can't stop the 3-pointer. (Augh! The blinding glare of last season!) Cleveland was 42.6 percent from behind the arc. Without Anthony Parker's bricks (1 for 6), they were 50 percent, led by Gibson (4 for 5, 14 points) and Mo Williams (3 for 4, 15 points). Remember last week, when Washington held Dallas and Atlanta to 22.2 and 25 percent, respectively? By the way, the Wizards themselves were 28.6 (4 for 14) from three.

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More photos » by Nick Wass - AP

9 days ago: New Jersey Nets guard Chris Douglas-Roberts (17) is fouled by Washington Wizards center JaVale McGee (34) during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, in Washington. (AP Photo/Nick Wass)

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Let's get a couple of things straight about last night:

1. That was the Andray Blatche that we've been waiting for all of these years.  Those glimpses of talent that have kept us patient through the boneheaded passes, the clumsy attempts at running a fast break, and the run-ins with the law are finally coming together and we're starting to see the whole package come together.  It's a beautiful thing to watch, especially if you've watched since the early days and how he's progressed over time.
2. If you take tonight's game as the mantle by which Andray is judged for the rest of his career, you'll be severely disappointed.  Even Tim Duncan would look inconsistent if he was asked to score 30 points in 27 minutes while shooting over 80% from the floor.  Things won't come as easy as they did tonight for Andray, but the key is to make sure that even when his shot isn't falling that his approach and effort stay up; because on the nights when shots aren't going down, there has to be something to anchor your performance.  If he can maintain that focus on the nights where things aren't going his way, then we'll be able to say with confidence that Andray has turned the corner and realized the potential that he's given us tastes of for the last few years.

Arenas’ Efficiency and Blatche’s Consistency: Wizards Scorch Nets 123-104 - Kyle Weidie, Truth About It

Andray Blatche looked more comfortable than he ever has in a Wizards uniform en route to a new career high 30 points and a Wizards 123-104 win against New Jersey. Sure, he had Yi Jianlian and Eduardo Najera guarding him. But Wiz fans are used to Blatche being his own worst enemy, and not necessarily a Halloween nightmare to whomever is guarding him. After the game, Flip Saunders praised Blatche for his methodical offensive movement, his ability to read the defense, and overall, his consistency to this point of the season. But no one is going to get too excited over the Blatche they’ve seen so far.

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More photos » by Gregory Smith - AP

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Well, you can't win 'em all.  Last night's loss may have dampened some of the praise that the team had been receiving before the game, but I still like where this team is headed.  Considering that the Wizards only lost by 11 on the road despite not having Jamison, not having Butler for most of the game, seven turnovers from Gilbert Arenas, an 0-8 shooting performance from Nick Young, a 3-12 shooting performance from Randy Foye, and no three point attempts from Mike Miller, I don't think you could ask for much more.

The defense continues to be solid, holding the Hawks to 41% from the field and 25% from beyond the arc, figures that might not lead to comparisons with the Bad Boys anytime soon, but they're far better than the numbers we've become accustomed to defensively over the last half-decade.  Oddly enough, the area the team probably needs the most work in right now is offensive cohesion. Brendan Haywood shouldn't be taking the second-most shots for the team, Mike Miller should be shooting more than Nick Young, and Gilbert still isn't fully back in rhythm yet.  All of these things will get better with time, so there's no need to panic at this point (unless you're worried about Caron's knee, which you have every right to be worried about).  With some more time in system and a little bit of guidance, a lot of these quirks should work themselves out fairly quickly.

In other news, Dallas throttled the Lakers 94-80 last night in L.A., which makes Tuesday's performance look even better in hindsight.

Wizards lose on a couple of counts - Michael Lee, Washington Post

The rough night was summed up during a fourth-quarter sequence. Smith extended himself to block a three-point attempt by Arenas. After Hawks point guard Mike Bibby corralled the ball, Smith sprinted down the court and pointed toward the roof. On cue, Bibby lobbed the ball toward the rim and the former slam dunk champion punished the rim with a dunk that gave the Hawks a 93-78 advantage. He screamed and shook his head, then bumped chests with Bibby, as Saunders called a timeout. The celebration started early for Atlanta, while the Wizards are again left to ponder another possible short-handed future.

Hawks 100, Wizards 89 - Mike Jones, Outlet

Flip was pleased with what he got out of JaVale McGee tonight. The coach had hoped to use McGee in certain situations to spark his team with his energy and athleticism, and soon after he took the court, McGee was providing fireworks with a dunk here, a block there. In 10 minutes, he had seven points, two rebounds and two blocks.      His performance will continue to earn him increased playing time, Saunders said.      "JaVale played like he did in practice, so he'll continue to get more playing time," Flip said. "He played well. We played him until he couldn't get any more oxygen out of the arena, so we took him out of the game. But he did a nice job."

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