The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[Rocky21]

I don't know who was supposed to be covering Drew Gooden but that dude went off last night. Blatche? McGee? Yi? He had 25 points in 28 minutes! Good grief.

[StillUnknown]

I don't know who was supposed to be covering Drew Gooden but that dude went off last night. Blatche? McGee? Yi? He had 25 points in 28 minutes! Good grief.

that man has always killed us

[Gator Bait]

if Flip can somehow turn Yi into a physical player, that may be his greatest accomplishment in life

he's still very young though and its obvious he has skill, we just have to add some beast to his personality

He was pretty physical in the lone preseason game I saw. Been good on the boards.

[Upark25]

The funny thing is, I remember having this exact same convo with Kosher YEARS ago. Multiple times. Kosher is like an NBA bully. He roots for the Lakers for whatever reason--not because they win, cause he's no bandwagoner--and the Wiz suck (like we don't know this) so he talks ****. To get his kicks? To feel better about himself? Cause he's just a dick? I don't know.

Meanwhile nobody gives a **** and just wishes he would leave the thread and let us enjoy the little bit of hope we have started to get with Ted and Wall.

Anyway, here's that pic of Yi I forgot to post awhile back:

Haha is that Wang Zhi-Zhi there in the background?? Talk about blast from the past.

[No Excuses]

I'm not happy with Blatche's play either. He's shooting too many jumpers for my liking. However, I really don't like how our guards only look into the post when they have no other option. Saw Blatche posting up Gooden and Ilyavosa a few times last night but the guards just refused to dish it in.

McGee has impressed me with his rebounding and effort lately. He also looks good on defense. He's not playing like a headless chicken anymore. Flip calling him out may have worked. Flip called out Yi and Blatche for shooting too many jumpers as well. Let's see if that works.

By the way, nice to see the crowd give Arenas a great ovation yesterday. Gil was genuinely appreciative of it. Need more support for him rather than people hating. He's our best player and a damn good one at that.

And Morrison is a ****ing loser. God he sucks. There was one play where he got a rebound right below the basket. Instead of going straight up with it and slamming it home or at least drawing a foul, he passed to Blatche or Mcgee (I forget which one) who was like 24 inches to his right and made them do some bull**** fadeaway hookshoot. They made it but still. That's not an NBA play. It was ugly. Dude is a *****. Scared.

Everyone in the crowd wanted Morrison to shoot so badly haha. He passed over a lot of good looks to covered guys. Worse than his offense is his horrific defense. Just an awful defender.

Edited October 15, 2010 by No Excuses

[pjfootballer]

I guess some guys just don't have it at the pro level (Morrison). He was an aggresive scorer in college. I wouldn't call him great, but he was a good player.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

I guess some guys just don't have it at the pro level (Morrison). He was an aggresive scorer in college. I wouldn't call him great, but he was a good player.

I think Morrison's biggest problem is his lack of athleticism.

[WALL-LE]

I think Morrison's biggest problem is his lack of athleticism.

yea hes a narp, when i watched him last night i was like how did this guy tear up the ncaa?

[DoGood28]

And now ESPN says that Gil has been fined $50k for his latest headline. It took all of 4 preseason games for the Wizard of Odd to cause a stir again. I wouldn't be so sore if he didn't miss two whole seasons, so long that I forgot what he looked like. For the better part of 5 years this relationship has been very disfunctional. If not for the Caps and Skins I would be a very depressed VA fan. The Wizards have been bad since before I was born.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizardsinsider/2010/10/gilbert-arenas-beginning-to-re.html#more

Gilbert Arenas starting to reconnect with Wizards fans

Gilbert Arenas didn't participate in the Wizards' open practice on Saturday at Verizon Center, as he is still recovering from a mild groin strain, but he was certainly a marquee attraction afterward. As players took free throws at the conclusion of practice, a group of four boys yelled from the stands for Arenas's attention. When Arenas waved, they giggled and gave each other high fives.

It's not exactly the glory days when Arenas captivated the crowd and connected with fans through his underdog story and post-game jersey tosses. But Arenas doesn't have to search far to realize that there is a significant portion of the Wizards' fan base that will always side with him.

That was evident as Arenas headed off the court and stopped to sign autographs and pose for photographs with dozens of fans. He hadn't signed 10 autographs before a fan climbed down five rows and asked to take a picture with him. Arenas didn't turn down any fan, signing T-shirts, jerseys, posters and scratch paper for about 10 minutes -- about eight minutes longer than any other player, including No. 1 overall pick John Wall. One woman even asked him to sign her forearm.

Arenas repeatedly heard, "We still love you, Gil."

This has been a wild week in Arenas world, with him cavalierly admitting to faking an injury in order to let Nick Young start, getting fined $50,000 for lying to Coach Flip Saunders about it, and really getting hurt in his first home game since returning from a 50-game suspension for bringing guns into the locker room.

Arenas was nervous about the reception that he was going to receive on Tuesday against Atlanta, which may have also contributed to his "sore knee." But he was pleasantly surprised by the applause he received from the sparse crowd in his three-minute performance against Milwaukee -- the day after his reputation took another hit for his ill-conceived means to assist Young. But his interaction with fans is starting to help Arenas break out of that gloomy persona that he took on the first few days of training camp.

The Wizards held an event for season-ticket holders at Six Flags on Friday night, and I heard from a few witnesses that Arenas was perhaps the most engaging player. One person said that fans repeatedly approached Arenas to ask him to smile more, that they couldn't wait for him to get back on the floor. They showed him jerseys that Arenas had tossed their direction several years ago. Arenas traded jokes and laughter for several hours, even though it was a rather chilly evening.

As he signed autographs on Saturday, Arenas joked with fans and made fun of himself in the process. As security encouraged fans to stand behind a barrier, one woman managed to get through to get to Arenas.

"You ain't going to get in trouble?" Arenas said. "All right. I don't want them yelling at me. I already got enough trouble by myself. I don't want no extra pressure."

When Wall finally came over to sign autographs, the fans slowly drifted away from Arenas. The crowd had finally dwindled down, so Arenas walked back toward the locker room. He was asked to talk to reporters, but declined by saying, "Nah. I'm happy right now."

Then Arenas turned around, possibly realizing that he walked off with a pen or something. He returned to sign a few more autographs. Arenas finally left.

Edited October 17, 2010 by BRAVEONAWARPATH

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

And now ESPN says that Gil has been fined $50k for his latest headline. It took all of 4 preseason games for the Wizard of Odd to cause a stir again. I wouldn't be so sore if he didn't miss two whole seasons, so long that I forgot what he looked like. For the better part of 5 years this relationship has been very disfunctional. If not for the Caps and Skins I would be a very depressed VA fan. The Wizards have been bad since before I was born.

Were you asleep during that three year run when the Wiz were making the playoffs and the Skins and Caps sucked?

Let's be real. They've all sucked for the last decade and a half. I don't think any of them have really trumped any of the others in any type of way. I don't follow hockey much but if my memory serves me correctly, two and a half years ago, the Caps were total **** and fired their coach midway through the season and brought on Bruce from the minors. The Skins are the Skins. I don't think I even need to even say anything there.

Ultimately it ended in disappointment but there were a couple of years there where the Wiz weren't really that far off from where the Caps are now. There was that one season where we were the #1 seed in the East at the All Star break. I don't know about you, but a lot of us thought we were legitimate contenders. And without a doubt Gil was a legitimate MVP candidate for a stretch. When he was hitting daggers every other night.

That's why Gil's downfall has been so heartwrenching. I mean damn. He was DC sports. And now he's just a freak show that everyone is waiting to get bounced out of town. Hell I remember when I got his autograph for my little 6 year old brother. My dad was like, "That's so awesome. He's gonna be in the HOF one day." It doesn't even make me angry. Just sad. Hopefully he turns it around but I'm not holding my breath. He is what he is. His success on the court blinded us to it.

[chipwhich]

Were you asleep during that three year run when the Wiz were making the playoffs and the Skins and Caps sucked?

Let's be real. They've all sucked for the last decade and a half. I don't think any of them have really trumped any of the others in any type of way. I don't follow hockey much but if my memory serves me correctly, two and a half years ago, the Caps were total **** and fired their coach midway through the season and brought on Bruce from the minors. The Skins are the Skins. I don't think I even need to even say anything there.

Ultimately it ended in disappointment but there were a couple of years there where the Wiz weren't really that far off from where the Caps are now. There was that one season where we were the #1 seed in the East at the All Star break. I don't know about you, but a lot of us thought we were legitimate contenders. And without a doubt Gil was a legitimate MVP candidate for a stretch. When he was hitting daggers every other night.

That's why Gil's downfall has been so heartwrenching. I mean damn. He was DC sports. And now he's just a freak show that everyone is waiting to get bounced out of town. Hell I remember when I got his autograph for my little 6 year old brother. My dad was like, "That's so awesome. He's gonna be in the HOF one day." It doesn't even make me angry. Just sad. Hopefully he turns it around but I'm not holding my breath. He is what he is. His success on the court blinded us to it.

GACOLB please.

The Wizards/Bullets have sucked for the most part as a "contender" since they won the championship.

Don't sell it otherwise.

NBA hoops you need all stars. We have never had them.

Thanks.

[No Excuses]

GACOLB please.

The Wizards/Bullets have sucked for the most part as a "contender" since they won the championship.

Don't sell it otherwise.

NBA hoops you need all stars. We have never had them.

Thanks.

How is he selling it otherwise? He brought out the example of one season where the Wizards were truly dominant in the East until Gerald Wallace decided to ruin it (not his fault though). I don't see him painting the entire franchise as having some great history of being contenders.

Chipwich, you're reading comprehension needs serious help. You turn every ****ing Wizards debate into "We aren't contenders blah blah blah". It's not that serious.

[chipwhich]

It's not that serious.

You are right. We are a second tier franchise at best. Why try to oversell it

[No Excuses]

You are right. We are a second tier franchise at best. Why try to oversell it

I don't see anyone doing it.

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

You are right. We are a second tier franchise at best. Why try to oversell it

They're plenty of "first tier" franchises for you to root for.

Edited October 17, 2010 by BRAVEONAWARPATH

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Click on the link to read the rest

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/16/AR2010101603720.html

Wizards' Hilton Armstrong trying to get over his lack of confidence

Hilton Armstrong was in the place he wants to be - on the court, being loose and carefree. He slid over to the foul line, made a jumper and immediately started shouting instructions to his Washington Wizards teammates as he backpedaled on defense in practice on Saturday. He leapt into the lane to catch a lob from Al Thornton, made a difficult shot off the glass in one motion. And, he later tried to chase down a loose ball and hurdled a row of chairs in front of him.

Through an undistinguished first four seasons in the NBA, Armstrong always grappled with thinking too much and worrying about what he could do wrong instead of accomplishing something on the floor.

The 6-foot-11 2006 lottery pick was blessed with athleticism and talent, but no matter what encouraging words he heard from Byron Scott, his former coach in New Orleans, or his father, Hilton Sr., Armstrong could never get over his own lack of confidence. But Armstrong said he is starting to feel that wall coming down in Washington- a place close to his native New York, that his fiancee and daughter have already come to enjoy, and where the Wizards provided him with "a new beginning."

"Here, everyday, Coach [Flip Saunders] would tell me, 'Don't worry about anything, just play. We have confidence in you,' " Armstrong said after practice, as the Wizards prepared to face the New York Knicks on Sunday. "I'm very grateful that I'm here in this situation with these coaches and this front office. I'm very appreciative."

Saunders praised Armstrong during training camp at George Mason - the same school that cut short his career at Connecticut in the Elite Eight in 2006 - claiming that he had outplayed expected starting center JaVale McGee.

Armstrong has been limited some, and missed two preseason games, after developing a bizarre right shoulder injury that he still cannot explain. He just knows that he woke up one morning with some soreness and swelling that may have been caused by sleeping the wrong way or absorbing a hit in a game or practice that had a delayed impact. "I'm not really sure," how it happened, Armstrong said.

As for his battles with confidence, Armstrong said those began in college, where he struggled under a demanding, hard-nosed coach in Jim Calhoun, who gave him little room for error. "Coach Calhoun, he's a great coach. He knows how to win, get players to the NBA. But for me, personally, talent-wise, he didn't work with me," he said. "My confidence was broke. It's not even a secret. Any time I'd mess up on the court, I'd come straight out. That really messed up my mind a little bit."

Edited October 17, 2010 by BRAVEONAWARPATH

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

Lol, Jesus Christ...I swear, it's like I banged Chipwhich's mom or something.

I was speaking toward the general suckiness of DC sports. I brought up a three year window in which the Wizards didn't suck. One year in which we were dominant for half a year. To compare it to the two years that the Caps have been relevant and the stray year that the Skins matter. So, ignoring any said bang of moms, my point was that in recent history (recent as in the last two decades) all teams in DC have sucked pretty much equally. Not that the Wiz have been more dominant than anyone else. Hardly.

I'm literally sitting here dumbfounded. I know I kind of rambled in my post but wtf Chipwhich? How did that go Apollo 9 over your head?

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Lol, Jesus Christ...I swear, it's like I banged Chipwhich's mom or something.

I was speaking toward the general suckiness of DC sports. I brought up a three year window in which the Wizards didn't suck. One year in which we were dominant for half a year. To compare it to the two years that the Caps have been relevant and the stray year that the Skins matter. So, ignoring any said bang of moms, my point was that in recent history (recent as in the last two decades) all teams in DC have sucked pretty much equally. Not that the Wiz have been more dominant than anyone else. Hardly.

I'm literally sitting here dumbfounded. I know I kind of rambled in my post but wtf Chipwhich? How did that go Apollo 9 over your head?

Its no different than how he went on about the Bullets being Baltimore's team

Honestly, I didn't know what his point was then either.

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

Its no different than how he went on about the Bullets being Baltimore's team

Honestly, I didn't know what his point was then either.

That's what I'm saying. It's like he's following me around waiting for a chance to have a debate with me. It doesn't matter if there is no debate to be had or he has to (intentionally?) misconstrue what I'm saying to have one. I don't know what I did to him.

[No Excuses]

Al Thornton has been a huge disappointment so far. He really had a chance to cement himself at the 3 spot but he's stunk it up big time.

[Gator Bait]

yeah...I wouldn't be surprised if Yi starts at the 3 till J ho gets back

[BRAVEONAWARPATH]

Click on the link to read the rest.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/10/24/AR2010102402775.html

Cartier Martin, Lester Hudson, Hamady Ndiaye can breathe easier as 'cut day' nears for Wizards

Cartier Martin grabbed a seat near Lester Hudson in the locker room at Toledo's Huntington Center after the Washington Wizards concluded their preseason with a loss to the Detroit Pistons. The topic of conversation was the same one they'd addressed several times this month, in hotels, on the team bus or the team plane: whether they would survive.

"We just weren't sure," Martin said. "We didn't know which way they want to go."

Their uneasiness after the loss was understandable, with Hudson missing all five of his shots and committing two turnovers and Martin playing just 28 seconds. For two players on non-guaranteed contracts, those weren't the final impressions they wanted to leave with the Wizards.

"You're nervous," Hudson said. "We kind of joked about it. 'Cut day coming up.' "

Coach Flip Saunders gave the team the next day off, but there was still plenty of anxiety for both players - and rookie Hamady Ndiaye - until they arrived at practice on Thursday and received word that the Wizards had cut Adam Morrison and Sean Marks. And now Martin, Hudson and Ndiaye can rest a little easier because their names will be on the Wizards' 15-day opening day roster that will be submitted to the league office by 5 p.m. on Monday.

"I've been working really hard for this opportunity," Ndiaye said after practice on Sunday. "It's not the end of the road, it's just kind of like the beginning of it. The hard work starts now, because now we're getting to the real stuff, the reason season. It's not, 'Yes, we made it, I'm on the team.' It's 'What's the next step? What do I want to accomplish? What am I learning?' And that's what I'm looking forward to."

Ndiaye, the 56th pick of last June's draft, took a definite risk coming to the training camp; a decision he made only after failing to get the opportunities that he had hoped for overseas. Had the Wizards cut him, they would have lost his rights altogether and Ndiaye would have had to seek employment elsewhere, something Martin and Hudson have both had to encounter during their careers.

"It was yes, a stressful time, and really mentally, physically, I give it everything I can, to stay on the team and stay with these guys," Ndiaye said.

Martin was undrafted out of Kansas State in 2007, and had to play in Turkey, Italy and NBA Development League while trying to latch on to an NBA team. He had an advantage of ending the regular season with the Wizards, participating in summer league, and getting familiar with Saunders's system. But he has never been able to get settled in Washington, since it has basically become another city for him to rest his head on a hotel pillow.

"You [are] living from bag to bag, you never get to unpack your suitcase. You're always kind of concerned about where your next move is," Martin said, when asked to explain life on a make-good contract. "But it's all in the love of the game, putting in that work

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

I'm happy for all three of them. I'm real curious to see how they develop too. It probably won't happen but I do think they all have a possibility to develop into a big contributer down the road.

Also for an example of how bad 106.7 is, Friday night a host on there said that he didn't understand why we didn't cut Yi instead of Morrison. That Morrison hit "40% of his 3's." Worst thing I've ever heard in my life. I'm embarrassed that that is the radio home of our Wizards.

[Gator Bait]

yeah...no one on that station knows **** about basketball or hockey. It is absolutely painful to hear LaVar try to talk about basketball or hockey ( or football for that matter) how does he still have a job?