Post by caspday on Oct 29, 2012 22:24:11 GMT -5
KANSAS CITY, Mo. Cartier Martin was hardly in unfamiliar surroundings Official Buccaneers Jerseys Storewhen the Washington Wizards arrived on BE1030ZYH Monday in Kansas City, Mo., a town that hasn’t had an NBA team since the Kings left for Sacramento in 1985. Martin played four seasons at Kansas State in Manhattan, Kan., about a two-hour drive west, along Interstate 70.The night before the Wizards played the Miami Heat at Sprint Center, Martin caught up with a few friends in the area and had a nice dinner at one of his favorite restaurants, a Japanese steakhouse a few blocks from the arena a sleek, five-year-old palace that didn’t officially open until Martin had already left in 2007.
I feel like this is my stomping grounds a little bit, said Martin, adding Jeremy Trueblood Jersey that he visited the area last year. Like a homecoming almost. I feel comfortable.Martin had a few supporters in the arena on Wednesday, when he scored one point in a 101-94 win over the Heat, as he continues to develop a comfort level with his role for the Wizards.Trust and familiarity are often what a coach relies upon when deciding which players get minutes, and which ones sit.
This preseason, though, those factors may have contributed to a more Tampa Bay Buccaneers Jerseysreduced role for Martin, who was used sparingly in the first six games sitting altogether in two primarily because Coach Randy Wittman already knows that Martin can handle limited minutes, or go several games without playing, and still hit a shot to force overtime, or have a 20-point game in a pinch.Martin has done both and more during three stints over the past three seasons as a back-end rotation player with the Wizards.
That dependability and nice shooting stroke from beyond the three-point Michael Bennett Jerseyline led him to sign a one-year contract for the veteran minimum last summer.We’ve had a familiarity with Cartier, Wittman said. He’s comfortable obviously because he was with us at the end of last year and he’s doing a nice job.With the additions of Trevor Ariza and Martell Webster, and the starting small forward spot still unsettled, Wittman has used the preseason as a time to see what both players are capable of doing.
Ariza and Webster have alternated starts, forcing Chris Singleton Authentic Buccaneers Jerseylast season’s primary starter at small forward to play power forward and leaving Martin with a front-row seat for the battle.On Wednesday night, Webster matched Heat all-star guard Dwyane Wade with a game-high 23 points in the Wizards’ win.Chris Singleton had 17 points, while A.J. Price and Jannero Pargo combined to score 22 points with 11 assists. Martin played 11 minutes.
We had an understanding, said Martin, who didn’t play against Cleveland or www.officialbuccaneersjerseysstore.comBrooklyn, but finally got a preseason-high 17 minutes in the Wizards’ 102-94 win in Milwaukee. And it’s just about being professional about the whole situation. We’re stacked at every position. So there are a lot of adjustments being made. I understand that he has a lot new faces and he wants to see what those guys can do as well. I’m just waiting on my opportunity and whenever he calls me, I’ll be ready.