The Washington Wizards look like one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference so far this year, but that has done little to draw fans to their games. The poor attendence drew strong critcism from former Washington Post columnist and current ESPN television host Mike Wilbon.
The Wizards defeated the Los Angeles Clippers on Friday, and the arena did not sell out despite the showdown between two of the league's more entertaining teams. According to media reports, Wilbon attended the game, and he aired his grievances during a radio interview this week. "And so you mean to tell me that on a Friday night, people don't have enough interest in the Wizards to go see them play a team that has won nine in a row - the Clippers - at the time?" asked Wilbon.
"I was so angry Friday night when I saw the 4,000 empty seats or whatever it is. ... I was just annoyed," he continued. "The Wizards are really a terrific team. They can win the EasternConference. I'm not betting on that. I know they've lost to Toronto, they've lost to Cleveland. Okay, fine. This is a long season. They're right in the mix. There are four teams, I think any one of those teams could win the East and the Wizards are one of them. And people here don't even want to go see them because...they're cheating on the Redskins? What is it? They can't follow more than one thing? This is a rich area. I don't want to hear that tickets are too much. They're too much in every city. I was so agitated."
The Wizards are 13-2 at home this season, and they are 18-6 overall. The team sits just one game behind the Toronto Raptors for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Wilbon went on to say that most of the guys on the team are great people also, and that they play a style of basketball that would be entertaining even if the team were not winning games.
Wilbon also took care to note the stark contrast between the current state of the Wizards and Washington's preferred sons in the NFL: "But, are the Redskins all that Washington can follow? They can't follow two things, sports fans here? Because the Wizards are on to something... And I have now been around them for a couple of weeks over a period of time to just sort of observe, and listen and have discussion, and they are a delight, the Wizards are, as opposed to the fright that is the other team."
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