The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[Going Commando]

The steals Wall gets are good steals too. He's not gambling in the passing lanes or swiping the ball as the guy blows by him. He's getting strip steals and steals off 50/50 balls. Pouncing when the offensive player makes a mistake instead of trying to force it and getting burned.

He's relentless. There are only a few times a game when I've seen him fall asleep or make a mistake reading the ball handler and more often than not, the bigs behind him have had his back. Gortat and Nene have been very good this year. I mean Nene keeps guards in front of him and picks their pockets and forces them to string out possessions for hurried shots. It's pretty spectacular. Hump has been holding his own on D too.

I love that we're not giving up anything uncontested at the rim most nights. When we're on, teams have to work their butts off for scores and make the hard shots.

Also want to praise Pierce's defense, it's been physical and bullying. It really proves you don't have to be a leaper to defend and you don't have to have great foot speed. If you've got length, strength, anticipation, and intensity, you can be an excellent defender.

But Wall is the guy who puts this defense over the edge into elite territory. Everyone is doing their job and playing physical and going for the ball. But Wall's at another level. He's truly destructive and more often than not, he's the one coming up with those critical defensive plays--getting the steal, getting the stop in transition, taking the charge, etc.

This caliber of defense from the leaders on the team trickles down throughout the whole roster. When you've got Rasual Butler, Andre Miller, Kris Humphries, and Drew Gooden out there playing tough D, hustling, fouling people hard, and making big plays, you've got something special. It's the tangible manifestation of great leadership on that end.

It kind of reminds me of how the Grizzlies and Pacers have been. Zack Randolph and David West were atrocious defensive players before they ended up win Memphis/Indy. When you play on a team where great defense is the established culture and high-level performance on that end is a demand, then everyone falls into that style of play and starts competing hard. It's really hard to establish that kind of culture though.

[Going Commando]

he is legit becoming an MVP candidate. He knows how to use his body and length to hound guards now. He really looks like Payton at times.

If he can just become a more consistent scorer. Thats the last part of his game that needs rounding out. (you guys were right about me saying 22-24 a game. I like that, but 20-21 should be enough for dude and he should games where he takes over because he has too)

If he can become a better scorer, then he is beyond Westbrook levels because he is a smarter player than Westbrook.

I don't know, I think he might be beyond Westbrook already.

To me, Westbrook is a flawed player and it limits the ways OKC can win to just a few options. I don't think he has John's balance and ability to dominate a game without scoring.

If John can be at 19-20 a game with 10 assists and his kind of defense, then that'd be enough to make him the best guard in the league IMO. He'd be a rich man's Jason Kidd.

[JoeWolf990]

I don't know, I think he might be beyond Westbrook already.

To me, Westbrook is a flawed player and it limits the ways OKC can win to just a few options. I don't think he has John's balance and ability to dominate a game without scoring.

If John can be at 19-20 a game with 10 assists and his kind of defense, then that'd be enough to make him the best guard in the league IMO. He'd be a rich man's Jason Kidd.

nah, you going too far here.

He cant dominate a game without scoring, but John cant dominate a game with scoring. Plus Russy is a great defender in his own right.

And Russy has been doing this for 4 years now.

[Going Commando]

Westbrook's got a better track record, I agree. His recent injuries have muddied the question of who is better right now. He gets the benefit of the doubt ultimately. But if things keep going as they are today, then I think Wall will end up being better. He's playing at an amazing level. IMO the only PG who has been better so far is Curry.

[Going Commando]

Man, I want to see us play the Warriors or Spurs right now. I want to see us play the well-balanced teams to see how we match up. Really give us a chance to measure ourselves against the real contenders.

I also want to get another shot at Atlanta or Toronto soon.

Atlanta... they've overachieved IMO. That schedule has been as home heavy as ours, but I don't think they're as likely to sustain their success on the road as we are. I think they're peaking and are going to decline as the season wears on.

[Going Commando]

I've been reading a lot of Seraphin bashing on RealGM lately, I don't get it. To my eye, he's actually been pretty good, looks like a real NBA player now. He does make the run sparking/killing mistake sometimes. But he's also been a big boy inside presence this year. And he's been a really useful scorer for the second unit. Sometimes that ball gets to hot-potatoing and someone just needs to nut up and try and score and a lot of times that's been Seraphin. A bench big with the body to play C that can score is valuable. I like the contribution he's giving us.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

nah, you going too far here.

He cant dominate a game without scoring, but John cant dominate a game with scoring. Plus Russy is a great defender in his own right.

And Russy has been doing this for 4 years now.

Lol what the **** is Russy?

[pjfootballer]

We have the Texas three step coming up soon, at the end of the month along with OKC. In fact, we play the Spurs twice within 10 days. January 3rd and 13th.

Edited December 15, 2014 by pjfootballer

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

It's real rich hearing Wilbon going off on Washingtonians for not supporting the Wizards...on Tony Kornheiser's show. And for Kornheiser to mumble agreement? Eat **** old man. Go spend another hour talking about the last off-Broadway musical you saw

[Destino]

It's real rich hearing Wilbon going off on Washingtonians for not supporting the Wizards...on Tony Kornheiser's show. And for Kornheiser to mumble agreement? Eat **** old man. Go spend another hour talking about the last off-Broadway musical you saw

Wilbon never misses a chance to insult Washington sports. I'm glad Bill Simmons pushed him off the ESPN nba show. It was awkward watching him try to be cool.

[Going Commando]

We have the Texas three step coming up soon, at the end of the month along with OKC. In fact, we play the Spurs twice within 10 days. January 3rd and 13th.

It's going to be tough. Really this whole stretch starting after Minnesota is going to be tough.

I'm actually looking forward to it. I want to see us compete against the best to see where we really are. We'll lose more games but we'll get better faster by playing better teams. Also, we're going to beat some of those good teams and keep proving we belong IMO.

The one I really want to get is San Antonio. We haven't beaten them in forever and I want us to finally get that monkey off our back.

[Destino]

Yeah really rough stretch in the schedule coming after Minnesota. No one will be asking who we've played after January. The answer will essentially be "everyone other than Golden State".

If we go .500 against the western conference between now and the end of Jan I'd consider it a win. I'm also interested in how we do against the new look bulls.

[Going Commando]

Well, I think the NBA as a whole lacks a mainstream following outside of a few markets like LA and San Antonio.

I don't think the NBA has broad appeal among white audiences. And outside of those specific markets like LA, I think the NBA is a man's league with very little appeal to women. White people are 70% of the population and women are 50%, so in those overlapping demographics, that's a huge part of the country that the league does not appeal to.

I don't mind that though. I love the NBA as is. I hope they stay true to their identity and don't sell out and lose all the fun and water down the product to appeal to the masses like the NFL did.

To Wilbon's point, it's going to take time to get a strong and consistent fan presence at the Verizon Center. Very few teams in the league have really fervent home support. San Antonio has been good forever and they're the only game in town. The second part is true for OKC and Portland too. And it would be true for Sacramento if their crowds were still good. Golden State fans are an anomaly, they're just crazy.

I mean damn, we just got legit good for the first time in forever. And DC is a transient city. Give it some time.

[Going Commando]

LOL this part of this WaPo article about last night's game made me laugh: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wizards-insider/wp/2014/12/14/wizards-understand-theyre-now-a-target-for-lower-teams/

BOOKER RETURNS TO WASHINGTON

Trevor Booker noticed the boos from the Verizon Center crowd when he stepped to the free-throw line in the fourth quarter Sunday. He wondered why they cascaded in his first game back in Washington after four seasons with the Wizards. And then he realized the reason: If he missed both shots, the fans would get free Chick-fil-A.

“They wanted me to miss two so they could get a sandwich,” Booker said. “I hope that was all that it was, anyway.”

Booker disappointed the crowd by making the second free throw after missing the first. He finished with eight points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench.

I like Booker, I enjoyed his time here and truly wish him well. The boos were just about the sandwich. The only former player we boo is Blatche. McGee and Young catch some of that too but not too much.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

To Wilbon's point, it's going to take time to get a strong and consistent fan presence at the Verizon Center. Very few teams in the league have really fervent home support. San Antonio has been good forever and they're the only game in town. The second part is true for OKC and Portland too. And it would be true for Sacramento if their crowds were still good. Golden State fans are an anomaly, they're just crazy.

I mean damn, we just got legit good for the first time in forever. And DC is a transient city. Give it some time.

Yeah I actually agree with Wilbon. **** the Skins disaster, support the Wiz (and Nats). Coming from Wilbon though, it's like another parent correcting my kid. Don't ****ing talk to my child like that. And then for him to do it on Kornheiser's show, like criticizing my parenting to someone who just did ten years for child abuse.

Btw, whites are less than 50% of the population now. Just officially passed that a few years ago.

Agree with you on the NBA staying the course. I really think the NFL is slowly but surely hitting a major decline. NBA is by far the most primed to reap the rewards from that.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

LOL this part of this WaPo article about last night's game made me laugh: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wizards-insider/wp/2014/12/14/wizards-understand-theyre-now-a-target-for-lower-teams/

I like Booker, I enjoyed his time here and truly wish him well. The boos were just about the sandwich. The only former player we boo is Blatche. McGee and Young catch some of that too but not too much.

Yeah I haven't seen a single bad thing said about Booker, ever, by anyone (teammates, coaching, front office, fans, etc). And idk, we just played Denver and the Lakers and Swaggy and Pierre were defintely catching serious **** from the crowd. Esp McGee's dumbass

[Burgold]

The problem that the NBA, NHL, and MLB also share (at least for me) is the number of games they play.  It makes the game you play or watch less important.  With the NFL, every game is an event.  You lose two, three games in a row and you're probably finished. In basketball, every team goes through a 6 game lose streak once or twice a season and it's no big deal. I can't really devote 82 nights a year to a sport, but it's easy to put life on hold for 16.

 

Now, the playoffs are a different story, but the regular season often lacks heat. They even say that a lot of teams loaf during the regular season and turn it up come playoff time.

[Going Commando]

Yeah I haven't seen a single bad thing said about Booker, ever, by anyone (teammates, coaching, front office, fans, etc). And idk, we just played Denver and the Lakers and Swaggy and Pierre were defintely catching serious **** from the crowd. Esp McGee's dumbass

I support booing McGee and Young. Although Young seems like the type that would enjoy boos.

Those two and Blatche are the only former Wizards I would boo. I wouldn't boo Big Balls Crawford, Singleton, Booker, Vesely, Alonzo Gee, Shelvin Mack, or Shard. Definitely wouldn't boo Haywood or Caron. Come to think of it, is that the entire list (aside from Vesely) of former Wizards still active in the NBA?

Edited December 15, 2014 by stevemcqueen1

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Wizards have two of the top four players in the league in 3-point percentage: Rasual Butler (third at 51.5 percent on 3s) and Bradley Beal (fourth at 48.2 percent).

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Wizards have two of the top four players in the league in 3-point percentage: Rasual Butler (third at 51.5 percent on 3s) and Bradley Beal (fourth at 48.2 percent).

Chicken or the egg: shooters maximizing the perfect PG or the PG maximizing the perfect shooters?

Hopefully that makes sense.

[Sticksboi05]

Yeah I actually agree with Wilbon. **** the Skins disaster, support the Wiz (and Nats). Coming from Wilbon though, it's like another parent correcting my kid. Don't ****ing talk to my child like that. And then for him to do it on Kornheiser's show, like criticizing my parenting to someone who just did ten years for child abuse.

Btw, whites are less than 50% of the population now. Just officially passed that a few years ago.

Agree with you on the NBA staying the course. I really think the NFL is slowly but surely hitting a major decline. NBA is by far the most primed to reap the rewards from that.

 

Whites are 63% of the population. Not sure what you're referring to.

The problem that the NBA, NHL, and MLB also share (at least for me) is the number of games they play.  It makes the game you play or watch less important.  With the NFL, every game is an event.  You lose two, three games in a row and you're probably finished. In basketball, every team goes through a 6 game lose streak once or twice a season and it's no big deal. I can't really devote 82 nights a year to a sport, but it's easy to put life on hold for 16.

 

Now, the playoffs are a different story, but the regular season often lacks heat. They even say that a lot of teams loaf during the regular season and turn it up come playoff time.

 

Yes, but the NFL has turned into a commercial-filled soft overexposed league.  Not as fun as it was 10 years ago IMO.

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

I support booing McGee and Young. Although Young seems like the type that would enjoy boos.

Those two and Blatche are the only former Wizards I would boo. I wouldn't boo Big Balls Crawford, Singleton, Booker, Vesely, Alonzo Gee, Shelvin Mack, or Shard. Definitely wouldn't boo Haywood or Caron. Come to think of it, is that the entire list (aside from Vesely) of former Wizards still active in the NBA?

Pretty sure Crawford is in China playing with Baltche. Can't recall seeing Mack or Singleton recently.

Whites are 63% of the population. Not sure what you're referring to.

My bad. It's new births. Minority births now outnumber white births

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/05/17/minorities-now-surpass-whites-in-us-births-census-shows/

Sorry for the FoxNews link

[JoeWolf990]

Westbrook's got a better track record, I agree. His recent injuries have muddied the question of who is better right now. He gets the benefit of the doubt ultimately. But if things keep going as they are today, then I think Wall will end up being better. He's playing at an amazing level. IMO the only PG who has been better so far is Curry.

 its not that muddled. His numbers since he has come back are insane. He is shooting like 52 or 53 percent.

I think Wall can end up being the better player, but Russy got him right now. Thats all Im saying. Just chill.

 

Lol what the **** is Russy?

[G.A.C.O.L.B.]

Was thinking that Russy is a name for some special needs character on TV or something (Corky, Charly, Benny, Russy). That picture works

[CRobi21]

JMichael - Wall is East's player of the week #WizardsTalk #NBA @CSNWizards