Um... isn't there a Zards/magic game today?

[80sballboy]

Crawford on the bench=1 win.

He's a poor man's Jamal Crawford. Keep starting Beal. We aren't going anywhere and he'll be much better when he can run with Wall, if he returns in 2013. Brad just needs to attack the basket more and move inside the three-point line. He' no JJ Redick obviously. He's not even Gary Neal. But he might be having diffculty adjusting to the longer distance.

[TheBigThree]

Looking at the box score that's basically exactly how I figured the game would go.

I think he should keep starting, but Beal needs to be better ASAP. Crawford is the perfect guy off the bench, but if Beal doesn't pick it up you've got to put Craw or even Temple in there, unfortunately.

Every game I expect to see at least a respectable shooting game from Brad, but each time I am disappointed. Makes me wonder what he does in practice. Needs to watch some Ray Allen workout tapes.

[Mickstix]

Finally a good game to watch!! Thought they were going to choke it away at the end of the 3rd quarter but they sucked it up and kept diggin..

Beal is struggling bad at his shot, but his dribble/ball control looked better to me? He had a decent move or two too the basket as well.. Think he should be coming off the bench though for sure.. That early hole they dig every game is a killer, especially when playing teams that are "good".

Crawford is a baller.. Unorthodox lookin, but balling none the same.. Good to see Nene play all 12mins of the 4th.. Had to be over his usual 26 or whatever, "limit"? They're a different team when he's on the court.. It's going to be interesting (moreso than I had figured) when Wall returns.. Really hope it's not enough to keep EG in house though.. His days of handcuffing this franchise (by making any significant trades/picks/ets.) should be over and done with..

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Crawford on the bench=1 win.

He's a poor man's Jamal Crawford. Keep starting Beal. We aren't going anywhere and he'll be much better when he can run with Wall, if he returns in 2013. Brad just needs to attack the basket more and move inside the three-point line. He' no JJ Redick obviously. He's not even Gary Neal. But he might be having diffculty adjusting to the longer distance.

It took Gary Neal quite a while to be … Gary Neal.

First, he experienced something Dez Wells of Maryland also experienced. Neal was dismissed from his first college for a rape charge when he was around the same age Beal and Wells are now. (Chauncey Billups had a similar accusation as a pro, as did Nick Anderson.)

I will get to Beal but a little about Neal first …

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Neal

As a freshman, Neal was the Atlantic Ten Rookie Of The Year. He led the La Salle Explorers in scoring with an 18.6 average during his two seasons for the Explorers.[1] Before the 2004–05 season, Neal was dismissed from the team due to a rape allegation by a University of New Haven women's basketball player who was working at La Salle camp.[2] Neal was later acquitted after prosecutors failed to convince a jury that the woman was too drunk to consent to sex.[1]

Neal sat out the 2004–05 season to transfer to Towson University.[1] He initially joined Towson with no athletic aspirations, but was given a walk-on spot on their basketball team in 2005–06 conditional on the result of his rape case. Neal was activated as soon as he was acquitted, and received a scholarship for his senior year in 2006–07. That year, he returned to high scoring numbers averaging 25.3 points per game, 3.5 assists per game, 4.2 rebounds per game, and he led the Tigers to the 2nd round of the 2007 CAA conference tournament, before losing to Old Dominion University. He became the fourth basketball player in NCAA history to score at least 1,000 points with two different schools.[3]

Next, Neal played a long time overseas before he came to the NBA.

2007–2008 Pınar Karşıyaka (Turkey)
2008 FC Barcelona Bàsquet (Spain)
2008–2010 Pallacanestro Treviso (Italy)
2010 Baloncesto Málaga (Spain)
2010–present San Antonio Spurs

The bottom line is Gary Neal is a 28-year old man who didn't sniff the NBA until he was 26 years old. People see Beal struggle mightily and forget that he's 19-years old.

Bradley Beal and Austin Rivers, in retrospect, were perhaps overrated in last year's draft. Beal is a lot better than Austin Rivers IMO. However, both young guys run a risk of becoming the next Jerryd Bayless. Slight risk for Beal, but Rivers might want to talk to Jonny Flynn about living with expectations.

I think Beal will be a solid to good pro but no superstar. I am not worried about him but I can see why some are. Beal can do like Chauncey Billups. My very first thought about Beal is he's better than Wall and he's going to be a star some day. I trust my instincts. Beal will figure it out in time.

[AFM]

+! CCJ. I think Beal will be a very good SG. His game is much more complete than I first thought. Amazing how much group think there is amongst scouts/GMs. Everyone billed him as a jump shooter ala Ray Allen. Instead he's pretty good at everything. Boards, dimes, good in transition. Just waiting for that outside jumper to fall...

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

http://espn.go.com/nba/dailyleaders

Thanks for posting this, hands. Mea culpa time for me ...

The guy who I said before the season the Wizards should trade -- even for a second round pick -- because I thought Beal was already better; that guy had a good night. The man who I said was a net negative and a cancer to a team had a pretty good night.

Jordan "Big Balls" Crawford was 6th on ESPN Daily Leaders tonight.

BBC alias "Steez" finished just behind Kyrie Irving and Brook Lopez, and just ahead of James Harden and Chris Bosh.



The Lesson: I have to be very mindful to not give up on players or to think I know it all. I was clearly wrong about Jordan Crawford's potential. He is really better. I thought Wittman was CRAZY to have faith in Crawford. Now, I think for a player on a rookie contract he is expanded his game without a doubt. Let's see.

(EDITED TO ADD: Nene is the player name abbreviated N. He finished 15th tonight. )

[AFM]

He's a complete and utter beast. His "herky jerky" awkward harlem shake style has never been seen before and thus no one can guard him.

[DaRealHibachi]

Maybe I'm just not easily impressed, still have no faith whatsoever in Crawford... Supposedly, he has "improved", yet manages to still be nothing more than below average...

Dude actually said "we are supposed to win, we have good players" after the game... wow :-|

Nah dumbass, we are 4-23, we freaking suck... And this after those foolish comments he had earlier this week...

Colour me unimpressed by this delusional chucker...

Sent from my HTC One X using Tapatalk 2

[dangermouse]

I only hope Wall can come back and show a similar level of improvement. That would dispel all "Wall is a bust" talk forever.

[Jay81]

I looked up crawford stats today and I was surprised his fg percentage was still very low at 39

[Zonkerbl]

"We are supposed to win. We have good players."

That is exactly what he should say. Good for him.

I don't want accountants on my team who always tells the truth. I want winners on my team who believe they can win.

[DaRealHibachi]

"We are supposed to win. We have good players."

That is exactly what he should say. Good for him.

I don't want accountants on my team who always tells the truth. I want winners on my team who believe they can win.

Our GM and owner use that same line of thought (thinking that this roster can win/reach the playoffs), it's the reason why we're 4-23 now...

I'll take my chances with the accountants

[hands11]

+! CCJ. I think Beal will be a very good SG. His game is much more complete than I first thought. Amazing how much group think there is amongst scouts/GMs. Everyone billed him as a jump shooter ala Ray Allen. Instead he's pretty good at everything. Boards, dimes, good in transition. Just waiting for that outside jumper to fall...

But its going to take 3 years like it does most rookies.

In the mean time, they need help at SG because they are going to win now with Wall and Nene.

[hands11]

I looked up crawford stats today and I was surprised his fg percentage was still very low at 39

Look over the last 5 games.

Randy has been change the line up contently and moving Crawford around from back up SG to starting PG.

Its takes a few games to adjust between those two positions. The fact that he can do both should give him props, not criticism.

He started the year with great numbers, then faded with all the moving around and changing line ups. But he keep bringing it no matter what Randy does.

If he could tighten up on the 3 ball, he could really impress. I already hear him talked about on sports shows now. Some people are calling him the best 6th man in the league.

Crawford has never gotten his props and some of that may have been deserved. But this team always needed him to play balls out because they had nothing else for scoring. Lets see how he adjusts once they have more scoring options. So far he seems to have adjusted to everything else. Why count him out.