The Washington Wizards opened up preseason play on Monday night with an 85-81 victory over the Chicago Bulls. Preseason basketball can often lull you to sleep, but this game provided intensity that is usually unparalleled in the preseason. Only a few minutes into the game, newly acquired Paul Pierce got into a scuffle with Joakim Noah after Pierce fouled Jimmy Butler. While the fight was put to rest rather quickly, it was easy to tell that this set the tone for a rivalry between two of the best teams in the Eastern Conference for years to come. This is going to be a very fun rivalry to look moving forward, especially with the return of Derrick Rose.
As for the actual game, the Wiards played efficiently. In his first appearance since signing the big off-season deal, Marcin Gortat had 13 points and 10 rebounds in 26 minutes of action. Paul Pierce, Kris Humphries, and DeJuan Blair all looked good in their first appearance in a Wizards uniform. Humphries looked good from mid range while Blair played a good, physical game inside. They will be important frontcourt pieces off the bench, especially after the departure of Trevor Booker in the off-season.
As discussed earlier, Pierce has already brought a swagger to D.C. that we did not see last year. He's a scrappy, physical veteran who brings more to the team than just his scoring ability. Pierce will have an especially important role in mentoring Glen Rice Jr. and Otto Porter who will see increased roles after the departure of Trevor Ariza. Speaking of Rice, he had a game-high 18 points including 12 in the fourth quarter. He's had a great off-season, which included a Summer League MVP Award, and the Wizards will look for much more of the same from him as a legitimate, perimeter, scoring threat off the bench.
The Wizards will return to the court to face the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:00 PM EST on Wednesday 10/8. As for the Bulls, they will play on Tuesday at 7:30 Pm EST against the Detroit Pistons. Stay tuned for a recap of those games on VAVEL USA!