Any magic in these Wizards?

By Jared Spinelli Sports Central Columnist

When this season began, Michael Jordan knew what cards he had in his hand to play with. The Wizards were a young team, but the season had a bit of promise to it. After all, the team had landed some veteran free agents such as Larry Hughes and Charles Oakley, and traded for Jerry Stackhouse.

But now, with a 30-33 record (as of March 11), the Wizards are faltering, and not living up the expectations of Jordan, the obvious team leader. After the March 9th 97-96 loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden, Jordan had some stern words for his teammates. The 40-year-old Jordan, in his final game at the Garden, scored an amazing 39 points, and made a diving save on a ball destined for outer bounds -- falling and bumping his mouth on the court.

Following the loss, Jordan chose his words carefully, and said in part, "I'm doing everything I can to try and verbalize as well as physically show what it takes to win," Jordan said. "It's up to them to see that." The truth is not many of Jordan's teammates are listening. It's a crazy idea that a 40-year-old man has more energy and heart than a 25-year-old young kid ... but it's true. Jordan has been leading the Wizards team all year. Hughes has basically been a bust. Brendan Haywood is well on his way to being an all-out seven-foot stiff.

One teammate that is listening is rookie guard Juan Dixon. The undersized point guard, who led Maryland to a NCAA championship last year, was not touted to be much of an NBA player. But what Dixon lacks in size, he has shown to make up in heart. Dixon has heard Jordan's words, has followed Jordan's lead, and his game has been exceptional.

The Wizards have 19 games left in the regular season ... 19 games to try to sneak into the playoffs ... in Jordan's final season of his illustrious career. As Jordan has voiced to his teammates, it is 19 games to prove if they have what it takes to play good NBA basketball. If the Wizards lose three or four in a row, they are done for. It will be career over for the NBA's Greatest. But, if the Wizards players finally listen to their leader, the Wizards can rise up to the challenge and sneak into the playoffs, so Jordan can have one last go-around in the league he revolutionized. It'd be a fitting way to end a career.

But not as fitting as hitting the final shot to win an NBA Championship against the Utah Jazz... I still think he should have never come back. Oh well.

Article courtesy of Sports Central.