As the season winds down towards the business end each game is becoming more and more important.  Michael Jordan and the Washington Wizards currently reside in ninth place in the East with only the top eight going to the postseason, and with the team delicately trying to balance youth (future) and veterans (present), NBA statesman Charles Oakley believes it is time for the team to simply win.

"This late in the season guys on this team want to play and coach [Doug Collins] wants to play them, but it's time we got to win," said Oakley. "It ain't about keeping guys happy. If they ain't happy this late in the season and don't understand what's going on, they really shouldn't be on the court. We've been patient all year with them. I've been patient with everything -- management, coaches, players -- but I want to play. I think I took my time eating my soup, the soup is gone. Now it's time for the main course. The appetizers, throw them out the window."

Washington have 27 games remaining but sit three games under .500, and with the surging Orlando Magic just ahead of them in eighth place in the East each game could be vital to their cause if they want to send Michael Jordan away having taken the team into the postseason.  The Wizards missed out last year, Jordan's first with the Wizards, after Jordan's season was cut short with a knee injury.  It was the first time in his career he had failed to make the playoffs.

"A lot of guys, that's the problem; they want numbers because they think they're going to be on the court more or get more recognition," Oakley said. "Ain't but two guys on this team that are going to get recognition, that's Mike and Stack [Jerry Stackhouse]. Just get in the game and do what you do best and the people who understand basketball will know what you do."

"Guys have the attitude today that you've got to score to get noticed. Just play your role. It's like being in a band. Sometimes you have two singers, backup singers and instruments. You play your part and the band sounds good and everybody gets credit."

"I'm just keeping it real."

Coach Doug Collins said that the Wizard's younger players will not stop getting opportunities, but they also will not be allowed to simply occupy space.

"I'm always going to give Kwame the first shot," Collins said, whom Washington Post writer Steve Wyche quickly pointed out played just six minutes in the loss to Dallas on Sunday. "If he's struggling to get it going, I'll go to Oak or whoever else is on the bench. We're sort of at the time right now if guys are struggling I just can't leave them out there because every game is so critical. That doesn't mean guys can't make mistakes, but when we go out there we've got to be pretty much in sync with what we've got to do."

Brown said he understands the stakes.

"I don't want to make a mistake, but I'm making mistakes anyway so I need to just go out play hard, make hustle plays and hopefully that will keep me on the floor," Brown said.