--G James Harden was a stud in college, but he's quickly learned that it won't come easy in the NBA. One game after notching a career-high 24 points, the rookie lit Washington up for 25.

"I am just putting in the extra work every single day," he said. "You have to make sure your mechanics are right. You have to do the right things. Sometimes you might be doing everything right and your shot still doesn't fall. You just have to make minor adjustments and stick with it. I had to stop second guessing myself."

--G Kyle Weaver is back on the active roster with Shaun Livingston sidelined. The second-year pro appeared in 56 games as a rookie last season, starting 19.

"The biggest thing is to be ready," said Weaver, who scored 11 on Wednesday but was scoreless Friday. "It was good to get in that first time to get the feel back. It was good to get to play a whole quarter. I made a couple of shots which helped my rhythm."

--F Nick Collison continues to report improvement in the sore ankle that's plagued him since training camp. Despite the difficulties, he continues to log important minutes.

"Hopefully it will keep improving," he said. "It depends on what happens in the game. If I jam it or something it's sore the rest of the night."

MEDICAL WATCH:

--G Shaun Livingston (left knee) is on the inactive list. He's expected to be out for 3-4 weeks, which would put his return at mid-December at the latest.