Create your own free news widgets.

The Sacramento Bee reports that Shelden Williams strained his left wrist and is considered day-to-day. He played 17 minutes in his last game against Washington, his most since Nov. 3.

According to The Sports Xchange, Wizards C JaVale McGee went for a career-high 18 points against the Lakers.

The Washington Nationals have come up with a recession-friendlier way to pay for season tickets: the installment plan. The move came after they lowered individual-sale ticket prices on 14,000 seats on Thursday.

Washington F Dominic McGuire, after grabbing 23 rebounds in the first two games of the Wizards' most recent road trip, finished with just two in 40 minutes against the Lakers on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Washington Nationals have come up with a recession-friendlier way to pay for ...

Free agent right-hander Ben Sheets met again this week with the Rangers, the team that plays not far from his Dallas home. 'It was part of doing our due diligence,' Rangers GM Jon Daniels said Friday. 'Just continued dialogue, really.' Sheets also met with Daniels at the winter meetings last month. This time, there was a dinner Wednesday night that included team owner Tom Hicks, team president Nolan Ryan, manager Ron Washington and new pitching coach Mike Maddux, who was with Sheets in Milwaukee the past six seasons. Daniels described the meeting as 'positive,' but wouldn't say whether the Rangers have made a formal offer to Sheets. 'I wouldn't say we're in any different position today than we were before that,' Daniels said. 'We're ready to go to camp with the group we've got. We're still looking at some external possibilities, and it's a poorly kept secret that he's on that list.'

By JEFF WILSON Eleven-time Gold Glove-winning shortstop Omar Vizquel said he has never played second or third base, but he is expecting to win the job as the Texas Rangers’ utility infielder.And if he ends up as the Opening Day shortstop, he’ll take that assignment, too.Vizquel and Rangers general manager Jon Daniels, though, seemed convinced Thursday that Elvis Andrus will thrive in spring training and be the everyday shortstop.But Vizquel will prepare as though he will be in manager Ron Washington’s starting lineup each game.'For me, there’s only one way to prepare, and that’s as an everyday player,' said Vizquel, who signed a minor league contract Wednesday. 'I’m ready for the challenge to play whatever position the manager needs me to play.'He is also looking forward to helping groom Andrus, a fellow Venezuelan, for his first big league season. Even though the two are strangers, Vizquel expects to form a bond with the 20-year-old.Daniels said t

Lakers center Andrew Bynum is the first to acknowledge that his two best games of the season came against two of the worst teams in the NBA. It's all about gaining confidence and strengthening his resolve for the postseason so that the 7-foot center can be a dynamic force for the los angeles lakers -- something they decidedly lacked last year in the NBA Finals after he underwent season-ending knee surgery last January. Bynum had 23 points and 14 rebounds Thursday night in a 117-97 rout of the Washington Wizards, only 24 hours after he recorded a career-high 42 points and 15 boards against the Clippers. 'I'm happy for him. If Andrew can continue to have that type of presence in the middle -- no matter who the other team is -- we're going to be a much better team,' Lakers point guard Derek Fisher said. 'He seems to just be getting more comfortable on the court, physically. He came into the season off a serious knee surgery and really hadn't played basketball since last January.'

With Andrew Bynum scoring a career-high 42 points and Kobe Bryant going for a triple-double, Pau Gasol has taken a back seat for the Lakers the past few games. But he came back with 18 points, six rebounds and two assists against Washington on Thursday and is still averaging 16.8 points, 7.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists the past five games.

Wizards forward Caron Butler had 12 points, six assists and three rebounds Thursday at Los Angeles, his former team. Butler now has 19 assists in his past four games and is doing a good job of distributing the ball.