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The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

BRAVEONAWARPATH

By BRAVEONAWARPATH
in The Tailgate

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Going Commando

Going Commando

Posted
Posted (edited)
We have a 2 game lead on New Orleans for 2nd worst record in the league.

Not many games left. I want as many chances as possible for that top spot. Charlotte won't be caught though.

This season's Charlotte could very well be the worst team ever. They should not be given Davis for such utter ****titude.

Teams that deactivate their best players for bull**** reasons should also not be given Davis.

The Wizards are legitimately trying to improve, win games, and build something for the future. That should not be punished when **** like Portland deactivating LaMarcus Aldridge for no reason happens.

New Jersey has their pick top three protected. I so hope they finish with the fourth overall pick after the late season tanking their retarded front office is trying to pull.

And New Orleans getting the first overall pick would be beyond shady. The fact that we all expect it to happen is evidence of how the NBA has 0 credibility regarding the draft lottery.

I hope we lose all of the rest of our games, but I won't cry when/if we win.

Edited by stevemcqueen1
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Going Commando

Going Commando

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Posted
If you're one player away Anthony Davis isn't that player. He's going to be a really good NBA player but I don't see him ever being a "give me the ball and let me take over" player that all championship superstars are in the NBA. There is a reason Tyson Chandler and Marcus Camby have bounced around from team to team. There is a reason Rajon Rondo has been hard to trade.

No matter what else you do well offensive dominance is what every team values the absolute most out of a player. Anthony Davis is going to be good and maybe very good. He won't be Tim Duncan.

I disagree with your point about offensive dominance.

Special defensive potential is what separates the franchise caliber superstars from the other gifted offensive players.

I think almost any truly elite athlete can eventually learn a few unstoppable go to moves that he can efficiently bang out every game to get his points. I think almost any NBA player can eventually learn to shoot well from spots. But being a truly great defender takes something special in between the ears. It's about more than just skill. It's a type of commitment that takes constant work, effort, toughness, perseverance, preparation, intensity AND skill. It's about the will to compete and dominate that a champion has. About being able to weather the physical toll playing great defense has on your body and maintain unwavering focus and intensity. About buying into the team above all else because true defensive brilliance is not adequately marked in individual statistics.

Those characteristics are what separate the Duncans and the KGs from the Loves and the Griffins of the world (although I'm not about to write off Griffin's potential to become a dominant defensive force).

Monta Ellis is a brilliant scorer. One of the most gifted scorers in the league. But he's a disposable trade chip that can never lead a team to pasture on his own.

What's most valuable is a player who is never a liability on either end. A Dwight Howard or Tim Duncan big that can absolute lock down the lane on one end then run down the floor and assert his will on the other. A LeBron James or Kevin Durant that can get any shot he wants against anybody on offense and then guard every single position on defense. A Dwayne Wade or Kobe Bryant that can get in front of anyone and get to the rim at will yet also keep in front of every other perimeter player they face, particularly in crunch time.

Or maybe a John Wall that could one day put it all together and shut down every perimeter player with his length and speed and also use his freakish athletic gifts to defend above the rim? I haven't given up on John Wall the defender yet. LeBron was not a good defender for several of his first years in the league either and now look what he's become.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 09:04 PM ----------

You gotta be careful with Carmelo. Dude is one of the fastest and most dangerous pull up shooters in the NBA. He might be the best now that Kobe is old.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 09:07 PM ----------

Another Wall alley-oop. Even Baron Davis had to shake his head in rueful admiration there. Remember when Baron Davis was fit to blow the NBA away with his ridiculous ability to play above the rim?

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 09:28 PM ----------

BJ Novak is case in point why you don't have to take a shooter who can't create his own offense ahead of guys who can't shoot as well but get to the rim early in a draft.

Spot up shooters are, without a doubt, the easiest and cheapest thing you can find in the NBA.

What's the delta between Roger Mason and Cartier Martin and a guy like Brad Beal or Harrison Barnes as pure spot up shooters? If anything, Mason and Martin would be signficantly more skilled and better pure spot up guys next year.

How much did J.R. Smith and B.J. Novak cost the Knicks in terms of long term resources?

Brad Beal's high draft value doesn't stem from his shooting. It stems from the fact that he's got a terrific NBA body with excellent defensive potential, and is an elite rebounder for his position. But he does not create his own shots, and Florida was a mediocre offensive team with him as their best creator and offensive player.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 09:34 PM ----------

Wall is breathtaking and careless all in one. He plays too fast and intense.

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Going Commando

Going Commando

Posted
Posted

That third and first half of the fourth quarter was unreal. True offensive and defensive futility. I don't know if I should feel good or bad about the fact that we literally could get nothing to go down despite the fact we were actually trying.

We're not intentionally tanking. We're just so bad it happens organically.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 10:16 PM ----------

Good teams use us as light fare to rest their starters and still blow us out.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 10:18 PM ----------

Whitman and Ernie can not be brought back for next year. There's just no way. After this season, and then a game like that. Why? What possible reason could there be to bring them back? They're gone. That change is the first one anyone would make. Ted would have to be an utter moron to extend either one.

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StillUnknown

StillUnknown

Posted
Posted

If Ernie is still in charge of this cluster**** next season, I'm watching from afar.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 10:26 PM ----------

In some form of good news, New Orleans won so we have increased our hold on the 2nd worst record the league. (Eric Gordon went 11/18, 25pts, 6 assts against 2 to's)

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Going Commando

Going Commando

Posted
Posted
If Ernie is still in charge of this cluster**** next season, I'm watching from afar.

If that happens we should riot. The man who built this disgrace has now business being in charge any longer. You can't be 9 years deep and have this season happen and get an extension. That's just absurd. It violates every law of sports possible.

If Ernie gets an extension, I encourage everyone to email Ted and say you will no longer support an Ernie Grunfeld team. We deserve to have a first rate organization to root for. We do not deserve to root for this joke. They may as well rename us the Washington Generals because we ain't nothing but a mother****ing jobber. I will not follow and support a second rate filler team that is not serious about winning. I'll become a fan of the NBA writ large and follow the teams of my favorite players to watch.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 10:34 PM ----------

Basketball Gods--if you have any room for justice in your pitiless black ****ing hearts you will give the Wizards Anthony Davis.

---------- Post added April-13th-2012 at 10:51 PM ----------

Can someone give me Ted's email address. I can't readily find it and I want to email him.

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Destino

Destino

Posted
Posted (edited)

Mike Prada looks at the 2010 draft class and has Wall as one of the least improved players. I included the Wizards portions click the link to read about the rest.

http://www.sbnation.com/nba/2012/4/13/2945812/2010-nba-draft-demarcus-cousins-john-wall

MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS

Kevin Seraphin: A fouling machine that could barely stay on the court last year, Seraphin has made unbelievable strides in his second year. He may well be the most skilled post player in his class, tossing in lefty and righty hook shots over confused defenders. He must improve his rebounding and show he can do this for longer than a two-week stretch, but his emergence means the Wizards have much more ammunition in their frontcourt than anyone expected.

MODERATE IMPROVEMENT

Trevor Booker and Jordan Crawford: The two other Wizards' second-year players have each made subtle improvements. Booker has upped his percentage on 16-23 foot jumpers from 18 to 34 percent, while Crawford has at least become slightly more efficient from the same spot (attempts are down, shooting percentage is up). They are both fundamentally the same players and always will be, but there has been some growth.

MINIMAL IMPROVEMENT

John Wall: Many people have opined that Wall has either "not gotten better" or "taken a step back." I think that's a bit unfair. He started off horribly, had a torrid stretch from late January to early March, then fell back again after the trade deadline. Wall's challenge is the very definition of the phenomenon we discussed at the top of this piece. Teams have learned he has no confidence in his jumper and adjusted their defensive schemes to play way off him. Not having a jumper has closed off Wall's driving and passing lanes, and he's struggling to adjust. Not everyone can use space as well as, say, Rajon Rondo, especially in their second year. Wall has also been victimized by poor teammates and having to carry too heavy a scoring and leadership role.

This summer is going to be a critical one for Wall. He must make that jumper passable enough to open driving lanes, and he must improve his defensive intensity. He'll have stretches where he locks players down and supplies incredible help defense, and he'll have stretches where he's victimized by a simple hesitation dribble. Improve those areas, and he'll have the kind of breakout next year that many expected he'd have this year.

If the season ended today Wall has regressed. His ppg are the same as last season. Rebounds are the same. Fg% is slightly up but that's mostly due to the incredibly disturbing fact that he entirely abandoned the three point shot. He shot .296 his first season from behind the arc and instead of working on it he simply stopped shooting threes almost entirely, 38 attempts all season. His assists are down and his turnovers are the same.

I don't see growth this season. I think neutral might even be charitable. Season three is now HUGE for him. It will literally determine the direction of the team and his career. He'll either be the guy worth building around or fade to a good second tier player.

Edited by Destino
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G.A.C.O.L.B.

G.A.C.O.L.B.

Posted
Posted (edited)

Good to see Seraphin bounce back

---------- Post added April-14th-2012 at 08:23 PM ----------

Anyone else notice that every single time Seraphin comes off the floor, Whitman pulls him to the side and coaches him up? I like seeing that. Tells me they really believe in his potential

Phil talking about it now actually

---------- Post added April-14th-2012 at 08:26 PM ----------

Tied game. Really Want them to win this. Would love to see the Caps, Nats and Wiz all win on the same day. Can't remember the last time that happened. If ever

Edited by G.A.C.O.L.B.
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Destino

Destino

Posted
Posted

I think Vesely will be the most improved player next season if this team gets a new coach and GM. We might be better along the front court than I would have expected. Booker, Seraphin, Nene, Vesely, and potentially a high draft pick. How do we get the best players on the floor though?

Nene Vesely

Seraphin Booker

????? Singleton

????? Crawford

Wall Mack

Need shooters and natural scorers at the question marks and Wall will either learn to shoot or the team is screwed.

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No Excuses

No Excuses

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Posted

I wouldn't trade him because the guy replacing him will absolutely not have the ceiling Wall does.

This entire team needs guidance. There is absolutely no plan with this team right now. What is our identity? We have none. Get some real NBA coaches in here.

---------- Post added April-14th-2012 at 10:37 PM ----------

By the way, it is completely unacceptable for Seraphin to be this bad at rebounding. This HAS to improve next year.

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