The Official Washington Basketball Thread: Wizards, Mystics etc

[Destino]

While that stat line is meaningless without including the stats that speak to efficiency, as a wizards fan I'm more than happy to look at the bright side! It gets even better if you look at february:

John Wall

19.2ppg 8.6apg 4.6rpg

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 06:06 PM ----------

I enjoy this actually. Call me vindictive but I was on your side in the Wall debate and I like seeing you rub egg in the faces of his now quiet detractors. I don't even remember who it was specifically, but I remember the knee jerk sentiment being big, even around here, but particularly in the national conversation.

That said, LeBron is averaging 27.8, 8.4, and 6.8 so making the cutoff point at seven assists seems a little self serving for Wizards fans.

But the larger point hinted at is a good one. John has quietly become one of the best rebounding point guards in the NBA. That alone is extremely encouraging to me. Not only does it speak to his length and athleticism, but it demonstrates heart, hustle, and IQ IMO, things that will dribble over into the other parts of his game as he continues to gain skill and experience.

I don't really care so much about PG rebounds because to me that's deep on the list of strengths I'm looking for. Scoring (points and efficiency), passing (assists and A:T ratio), floor leadership, and perimeter defense are all above rebounding on my list for a star potential point guard. Wall's scoring is improving but he still can't shoot. His assist number is improving and will explode once he gets more help but his turnovers are still high. His leadership isn't something I've been all that impressed with so far and I don't see him thriving as a team captain just yet. His perimeter defense is crap more often than not but the entire team suffers similarly so I'm not prepared to say it's all on him.

Having said that if you watch this kid play and think bust you're out of your mind. I don't think his ceiling as high as the physical freaks in the league like Durant, Dirk, and Lebron all of which do things human beings their size simply aren't supposed to be able to do on a basketball court. I do think he has the potential to be just below them however in the list of superstars that God didn't bless with superpowers.

I'm in the same boat. I liked both of them.

Given the choice though, I probably still take Singleton over Faried today even with early season hindsight. Singleton's speed is so rare and he's long for his position. Faried has looked better early, but he's undersized and has less upside.

Singleton concerns me more than most on this board. I've not been impressed with this defense as much as I was expecting.

[Gator Bait]

what a made up stat lol. i bet you if you change the criteria only a little to say 16 8 and 5 it would be more lol

key number is the assists number .....bring that down a few tenths of a point

[Going Commando]

Those are all tall scoring forwards Destino. They have a different role than Wall. I think Wall can be the PG version of them because he's got absurdly good physical tools for the position. 6'9 reach with god given speed and explosiveness. The first step and agility and top end speed with natural handles has to be the finest collection of such traits in the league. This is something that was really hammered home to me watching the rising stars game. The whole game was a track meet full or springy, explosive young athletes like Kemba Walker, Blake Griffin, and Paul George and John was clearly the fastest and springiest of them all and it didn't seem close.

The turnovers and perimeter defense actually worry me more than the shooting does. But I expect all three of those to improve dramatically as he ages and gains experience.

Shooting comes to most NBA players in time. The turnovers should decrease as he gains experience, especially as the team play around him (hopefully) improves.

Someone pointed this out the other day in an article I read, and I think it makes a good point for thinking about Wall: LeBron James was considered a terrible perimeter defender his first few years in the league and now he's transformed himself into one of the premier defenders in the NBA.

With his length and speed, Wall can get there too, and he's already shown a real penchant for getting into passing lanes and getting steals in transition, defending 2 and 3 on ones (and sometimes more) in transition, getting strip steals and then exploding up court for momentum changing buckets, recovering after getting beat initially and then catching his man at the rim and blocking shots, etc.

He does some truly spectacular things on the defensive end from time to time that suggest he can become a holistic, impact defender in time. If you're like me and grew up watching Stockton and Payton as the epitome of great PG play/defense, the kind of stuff that Wall can do at the rim is downright amazing. I've never really seen anything quite like it at the PG position.

[Gator Bait]

I'm looking forward to this game tonight....likely a high scoring afair with no defense. Wizards 115 Warriors 110. Wall: 25-11-8, Crawford: 32-5-5, Blatche: 24-10

Ellis: 41-5. Lee: 31-15

yeah....crazy....I think Blatche is going to have a good night tonight.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 06:56 PM ----------

Out of the Warriors' 34 games this season, their opponents have scored in the triple digits in 25 of those games. The Wizards have given up triple digits 25 times as well...in 36 games.

This is going to be a barn burner!

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 07:29 PM ----------

JaVale looking really good early. Wall has 5 assists in the 1st quarter, but the GS guards are picking him apart on the other end. John's defense is very extremely underrated (not in a good way) he is TERRIBLE on defense

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 07:33 PM ----------

If Andray ever gets a decent attitude and work ethic....and better shot selection, he's going to be a really solid player.

I have a feeling this will happen in a couple years when he is playing elsewhere.

Edited March 6, 2012 by Gator Bait

[SuperBash]

I'm pumped to have GS as one of my fantasy teams tonight.

[Gator Bait]

GS scores 41 in the first quarter hahaha

[Destino]

I'm waiting for someone to blame the interior defense in the face of another amazingly bad display of perimeter defense. Wow.

[Gator Bait]

I'm pumped to have GS as one of my fantasy teams tonight.

I bet...hahahaha

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 07:44 PM ----------

I'm waiting for someone to blame the interior defense in the face of another amazingly bad display of perimeter defense. Wow.

Wall and Crawford are revolving doors

[Skin'emAlive]

I'm waiting for someone to blame the interior defense in the face of another amazingly bad display of perimeter defense. Wow.

Its McGee's fault damnit!

[SuperBash]

If they can't overcome GS's defense, that says A LOT.

[Gator Bait]

If they can't overcome GS's defense, that says A LOT.

it isn't our offense or their defense....it is our lack of defense.

at 6:00 in the 2nd quarter, we have 32 points...that's about right. Problem is, they have 56...which is ridiculous

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:01 PM ----------

wow...Mason just missed a wide open transition shot and then a layup.....that's 2 gimme assists off Mr. Wall's stat sheet.

I'm not exaggerating....if Wall was playing on a playoff caliber roster, he'd be averaging at least 12 assists per game this season; maybe more.

[SuperBash]

it isn't our offense or their defense....it is our lack of defense.

at 6:00 in the 2nd quarter, we have 32 points...that's about right. Problem is, they have 56...which is ridiculous

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:01 PM ----------

wow...Mason just missed a wide open transition shot and then a layup.....that's 2 gimme assists off Mr. Wall's stat sheet.

I'm not exaggerating....if Wall was playing on a playoff caliber roster, he'd be averaging at least 12 assists per game this season; maybe more.

Yeah I always think, switch Rondo and Wall in terms of their teams and Wall would be regarded as the next superstar in this league. It's amazing how he can average close to 8 assists with these finishers and shooters on the Wizards.

[Going Commando]

It'd have to be a pacey team for him to average that many. Wizards play a generally fast pace without a lot of complex half court offense.

Golden is even worse rebounding than we are. The downside of stocking up on all of those three point shooters.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:32 PM ----------

John's offensive development has come along way faster than I expected. Unfortunately, his defensive development came along slower than expected.

Singleton is having a nice game.

The girl who got to play Wall in horse was cute. Looked like she can shoot better than I can.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:35 PM ----------

Well we've just seen Blatche's dunk for the year.

At least we're pressuring their shooters behind the line now. Seems like it's started working.

Need to coral those long rebounds though.

[SuperBash]

GS just keeps drafting guards and big time project big men. They need to draft some productive big men that scrap.

[Going Commando]

BTW I've seen a lot of talk about GS wanting a center bad. I've also seen speculation they're not married to building around a Curry/Ellis back court.

Ellis seems like the odd man out.

I don't particularly want to trade for such a one dimensional player like Ellis, but what if it were Curry who was offered?

What would you all give up for Curry?

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:40 PM ----------

Well, we're going to lose our next four games.

[MonkFan8]

Poor John Wall.

[Gator Bait]

GS just keeps drafting guards and big time project big men. They need to draft some productive big men that scrap.

they need to trade us Curry for McGee, Crawford, and 2013 first

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:42 PM ----------

wow...that was the worst reverse layup in the history of basketball

[Going Commando]

Unbelievable pair of shots by Curry. Goddammit.

This is a bit off the wall, but has anyone noticed a difference in Wall's demeanor the past few weeks?

He seems happier for one. But for another thing he seems... more commanding. He seems like he's growing comfortable with his stardom and really commands the floor well on offense now. I like his "mound presence" for lack of a better term.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 08:49 PM ----------

they need to trade us Curry for McGee, Crawford, and 2013 first

I just asked about that before you wrote it. Interesting offer. Top three to five protect that lotto pick and I'd make that deal in a heart beat. Or make them take Blatche in the deal and throw Udoh in and I'd make the deal with unprotected picks.

Blatche might actually be a good fit for their offense and, sadly enough, he could probably be one of their best defensive bigs right now.

[Gator Bait]

Well I was dead wrong about this game....Blatche was terrible, Crawford got an ice chest dumped on him before the game, and Lee didn't kill us like I thought he would.

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

Yeah I always think, switch Rondo and Wall in terms of their teams and Wall would be regarded as the next superstar in this league. It's amazing how he can average close to 8 assists with these finishers and shooters on the Wizards.

Well I was gonna write a post about Zeke's stats and then looking at his Pistons teams he was on and comparison them to John's current squad. With links and all. But the pain pills and the. Ambien is kicking in so let me get out of here before start going on some mind**** rants.. But yeah, govlool at Zeke's numbers and then go look at who he was playing with. John has hof pptential

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 09:54 PM ----------

God this **** hits fast. For those who don't know, I just got sent wisdom teeth out some I'm ****ed. And they have me some ambien cause of

Anyway. Bad mixes. Mind trips. Look at Zeke's and the Bad Boy Pistons. The should be our model? And we're. Far from kt. Goodnight

Edited March 6, 2012 by G.A.C.O.L.B.

[Going Commando]

- The downside to Curry is he does seem to get hurt a lot.

- Only JaVale gets that foul called on him. Dwight and Griffin can take your head off with their elbows and you'll be called for the foul.

- It's sad how ill equipped GS is to deal with JaVale's length. It looked like rec league basketball on that free throw attempt from Vesely. The tall kid head and shoulders above everyone else, just standing in the middle of the swarm tipping the ball to himself and playing keep away.

- Vesely needs to devote this summer to learning to shoot free throws. It'll make him orders of magnitude more valuable as a finisher.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 09:01 PM ----------

LOL GACOLB! Classic.

Did I just hear that right? Klay Thompson is 11th in the NBA in 3PT %?

Brandon Rush, Monta Ellis, Klay Thompson, Nate Robinson, Dorrell Wright. The Warriors do not need Steph Curry like we do, and we don't need JaVale like they do. Mutually beneficial trade.

Also, I might take back what I said about Udoh in trade. He's older, skinnier, and shorter than I thought. The wingspan is good but he's a markedly worse offensive player than McGee... not very good.

[Gator Bait]

- The downside to Curry is he does seem to get hurt a lot.

also no D

[Going Commando]

Ellis gets left off AS teams because he's stuck behind Kobe, Nash, Paul, Westbrook, and Parker/Ginobli, the Warriors suck, and he's a very weak defender.

---------- Post added March-5th-2012 at 09:15 PM ----------

Lakers, Blazers, Spurs, and Mavs up next guys. Prepare yourselves gentlemen. The next eight days are going to be rough.

[MonkFan8]

EG has really built a mess of a team.

Vesley I knew was going to be a project, but Singleton has been a huge disappointment. The length that helped him in college seems to be entirely mitigated by the speed of the NBA game. On defense he moves like a pigeon, very rigid and awkward looking. On offense he's been worse than Vesely, which is really saying something. So far this draft class has contributed almost nothing.

[Going Commando]

Wow. Not a fan of Wittman's pressers. For some reason his "that's on me" coming from him sounds an awful lot like him actually throwing the team under the bus. He's not taking the weight for the loss when he talks like that. His combative tone with the media is also misplaced. He doesn't strike me as overly bright.