MVN: Most Valuable Network

6:10pm EST (WASHINGTON D.C.) - The game is starting in about 50 minutes, so get ready for the Wizards.  Gilbert Arenas is one of the NBA's most likable players, despite his middle finger salute against the Celtics last year.  He's the NBA's best blogger outside of Mark Cuban and his postgame souveneers always endear him to fans.  I'm looking forward to seeing him play.

The matchup to watch is Caron Butler vs. Andre Iguodala.  With Butler making his first all-star appearance this year, it's a worthy opponent for Dre.  I understood the Heat trading him for Shaq, but just couldn't figure out why the Lakers dealt him for Kwame Brown.  That was a great move by Ernie Grunfeld - one of the game's best GMs.  Butler and Iguodala would make a dangerous duo, so if Oden and Durant are not available then I would try to pick the closest match to Butler as a complement to our new superstar. 

I'm looking for a big game from Dalembert, and perhaps even bigger for Joe Smith off the bench.  Scratch that last part: Joe Smith is out for personal reasons.    How well the Sixers can hold the big 3 in check will be the key to the game.  It should be a great one, so stay right here for the action!

7:22pm - The Sixers had a nice start to the game, leading 14-6.  Rodney Carney got the start for Willie Green, who is out with a sore knee.  The Sixers secured the first possession with Rodney Carney getting the tip.  They called Steven Hunter's number and he drove in for a running hook in the middle of the lane.  It was good and he was fouled.  He's been making 80% free throws in the previous 7 games.  He missed this one though.

7:28pm - On the Wizards first possession, Arenas found Brendan Haywood under the basket for an open dunk...but he inexcusably drops the ball out of bounds.  He's replaced by Etan Thomas shortly thereafter.  Rodney Carney hits an open jumper on the next possession, and the Sixers have established the tone for the quarter.  The Wizards are turning to jumpshots for the most part, which is a game only Gilbert Arenas is prepared to play.

7:32pm - Andre Miller pushed the ball in transition and demonstrated the veteran move of drawing a foul using your shoulder.  I wonder if Kobe Bryant was watching?  The elbow is not a weapon for DRAWING fouls.

7:34pm - Stevenson makes the first points of the game for the Wizards on a jumpshot.  He turned it over on a double dribble the very next possession.  He seems to be the only other Wizard who showed up besides Arenas. 

7:39pm - The Sixers committed their first turnover when Sam Dalembert wasn't watching for a pass from Iguodala near the basket.  Iggy faked out Thomas and drew the defender while Dalembert got hit in the hands and chest with the ball as it went out of bounds.  The Sixers went on to demonstrate how your defense can key the offense.  Dalembert gets a block which leads to an Iguodala layup in transition.  That is followed by Iggy stealing the ball and finding Carney on the fly.  Carney is fouled and missed both free throws.  The Sixers are now 0-for-4 from the line.

7:45pm - The Sixers went back to Hunter and he got stuck in an isolation where he went back to the same running hook move.  The shot was a line drive and he committed an offensive foul over the back.  Hunter is not a "go-to" guy. 

7:51pm - Sam Dalembert gets involved with an easy basket on a pass from Iguodala.  Then he blocks the shot on the other end, which leads to a Steven Hunter dunk.  The big guys feed off each other.  Dalembert walked after an offensive rebound on one occasion and missed on another conversion when he brought the ball down and attempted to dribble.  Offensive rebounds are only good if you convert! 

7:50pm - Kyle Korver converts 2-for-2 off the bench, including 1 from deep, in the first quarter.  That's a good sign.  The Sixers are much harder to beat when Korver is on.

7:51pm - Sam Dalembert was called for a defensive 3 seconds in the first quarter.  I didn't know refs still called that!  I think it happens on every other possession.  Shortly after, Dalembert was called on a goal-tend after the Sixers team defense put him in a tight spot by double-teaming Butler.

7:55pm - Louis Williams came in late in the quarter for Andre Miller and sinks a jumper with 17 seconds left.  So far, Andre Iguodala has the best on Butler.  He racks up 4 first quarter assists on some nice interior passes (should have been 5 - see first turnover).  The Wizards close the first quarter on a 12-5 run and trail 23-25.  The lane appears open on both ends.

8:00pm - To start the 2nd quarter, Louis Williams forces a turnover on Arenas and then is rewarded with a backdoor feed from Iguodala on the next possession.  Williams appears to be much more comfortable in game action now.  Without Green, he'll get more minutes tonight.

8:01pm - Andre Iguodala gets hot in the second quarter and drains his only 3 point attempt.  He's got a nice rainbow going to his jumper.  Iggy has 11 points and 7 assists.  Unfortunately, the hottest player on the floor was in a Wizards uniform - DeShawn Stevenson.  He's making a lot of plays, which is both up and down, adding up to 18 points.  Louis Amundson gets some minutes in the absence of Smith and has 1 rebound to show for it.  My guess is that Mo's going to play a lot of small lineups in the second half.

8:05pm - Andre Iguodala gets called for a palming violation with 1:46 to go in the second quarter.  I guess they still call that too, but Iggy palms it on every possession.  Rodney Carney has an awesome dunk with 45 seconds to go in the half.  Carney splits the defenders in the middle of the lane and explodes to the rim.  Nice job, rookie!

8:06pm - Antawn Jamison gets an open layup at the end of the half after Kyle Korver misses a 3.  The Sixers forget to play transition D and the Wizards make them pay.  They lead 52-49 going into the half.

8:13pm - Andre Iguodala finishes the first half with 11 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds.  Sam Dalembert has 8 points and 6 boards, while Rodney Carney finished in a flurry to post 7 points with 3 boards.  Gilbert Arenas has 8 points on only 6 shots.  He committed 3 fouls in the first half. 

8:16pm - This has been fun, but it's hard to keep up!  By the time I go to type something, I find myself watching the action again.  Look for less interruptions in the second half and I hope you're enjoying this as much as I am!  Here are the highlights.  I've got to use the bathroom now.

8:31pm - The Sixers start out the 3rd quarter looking for Hunter again and he turns it over on an errant pass.  Don't call plays for him!  He's the type of player who cleans up well and finishes around the basket, but don't ask him to do anything with the ball but score.  Shortly after, he cleans up an offensive rebound with a dunk.  Andre Miller gets Sam Dalembert involved with a nice alley oop around the hoop.  On the next possession, Dalembert takes a shot from the free throw and drains it.  He always makes me nervous when he shoots from the perimeter, but at least he doesn't lack the confidence!  The Sixers grab the lead early in the 3rd...

8:39pm - Arenas is starting to heat up.  You knew that would be a safe bet.  Iguodala is hitting jumpers and hasn't shown any signs of the lower back ailment.  It's evident that Caron Butler is returning from his 6 game absence from a knee injury.  He just doesn't seem as explosive, but DeShawn Stevenson has picked up the slack.  Does Sam Dalembert commit more goal tending violations than blocks?  Sometimes it seems like it.  It's been the case so far in this game, which totally negates his interior defense.  His threat by intimidation is gone and the Wizards are taking it to the rim without fear.  Carney is playing well and made a nice post move on Stevenson, but gave up a Stevenson layup on the other end during the next exchange. 

8:44pm - Caron Butler put a dagger in the Sixers with a 3/4 court heave at the end of the 3rd quarter to give the Wizards the 80-73 lead.  It was Butler's 15th point after a slow start.  Andre Miller took a 3 with too much time on the court leading to the buzzer beater.  Not only is the shot a problem for the Sixers, but Miller doesn't have 3 point range!  That could turn out to be the difference in the game...

8:56pm - The Wizards are 21-0 at home after leading going into the fourth.  Iggy continues to play well.  He hits a deep 3 and forces Arenas to lose the ball out of bounds in one exchange.  Arenas picks up his fourth foul when Iggy tries to hit a corner 3 after an errant pass, but his balance carried the shot away from the basket and Andre Miller flailed after it to draw the foul.  Miller should just lob the ball around the rim and chances are that Dalembert, Hunter, Carney, or Iguodala will drive it home.  Dalembert has been coverting those tonight.

9:07pm - When did Sam Dalembert become a consistent shooter?  He's really scoring the ball and currently has 22 points.  The Wizards push the pace and have 101 with 4 minutes to go.  Stevenson has 26.  They took a timeout after Andre Iguodala drained his 3rd 3 pointer.  He has 21 points, 14 assists, and 6 turnovers.  The Sixers are down 5.

9:34pm - Coming out of the timeout, the Wizards went scoreless in the next 4 possessions.  The first possession was a shot clock violation, Etan Thomas walked in the lane on the 2nd, Caron Butler charged and picked up the offensive foul on the 3rd, and Arenas missed a shot from the perimeter on the 4th that was rebounded by Dalembert.  The Sixers didn't convert on those first 2 stops, but Dalembert converted on the 3rd and Kyle Korver hit a 3 to tie the game on the fourth possession.  The game was locked at 103 after the Sixers' 10-0 run.  Arenas drew a foul and the Wizards won the game on the line.  They went 8-for-8 from the 1:48 mark to close the game with a 111-108 win.  Overall, the Wizards were 15-for-15 from the line in the fourth quarter.  They shot 25-for-28 on the game to have a decided advantage there over the Sixers' 7-for-13 performance.  Iguodala scored the last 5 points and missed a chance to tie it with a 3 pointer.  He shot 4-of-7 from downtown on the game and finished with 26 points, 15 assists, 7 rebounds, and 6 turnovers.  Dalembert & Hunter combined for 35 points and 18 rebounds.  DeShawn Stevenson led the Wizards with a season-high 28 points.  Caron Butler finished with 21 and Arenas had 20.  The Sixers lost on Butler's shot to end the 3rd.  Jamison's layup at the halftime buzzer also made a difference.  It's now time to hit the showers.  That's a wrap.

BONUS: I looked it up, and Sam Dalembert led the league last year in goaltending with 35.  The second highest total was 27 by Atlanta's Josh Smith.  I'd love to know what SammyD's total is for this year.  I bet you he leads the league again with an even higher margin.