Kool-Aid Drinking, Season Turnaround Thread

[doclinkin]

This season could go down in history as the worst season ever. The team starts 4-28 to virtually eliminate any chance of the playoffs, then goes 37-13 to finish the season at 41-41, and then misses the playoffs because there are 8 teams in the east with better records, meaning the Wizards end up getting the worst player in the lottery.

This post could come only from a Wizards fan. It somehow combines delusional optimism with soul-crushing pessimism.

This belongs in the HoF.

Done.

[mohammed10]

Just curious - is the Kool Aid still on ice?

[hands11]

Good one. Caution though, a return to 500 ball (potentially) should not be confused with a serious attempt to build for a championship, many on the board stated that at the beginning of the season. I don't think we should settle for anything less than that.

I agree. Right now a lot of fans are thinking if only the Wizards hadn't been injured to start the season, what might have been. I don't mind the fans having that attitude, but it irritates me that ownership has adopted that attitude as well.

I wish that the ownership's attitude was what might have been if only the Wizards had acquired a back up PG capable of giving the team quality minutes while Wall was out, if the team hadn't invested $20 million and a 2nd round draft pick in 2 players who are incapable of carrying the team through injuries, if the team had made sure that their 3 best young front court prospects would not regress all at the same time when the team needed them the most, and if they could have done more to help their new SG get off to a faster start.

I can't go along with that. It was more then Wall being injured that was the problem. They had tones of injuries. Besides, they weren't looking for a Wall replacement, they were looking for a back up.

The move to get Trevor and Okafor was made way before that and for totally different reasons.

Things just broke the wrong way. It happens. Not saying they couldn't have done anything different but I'm not going off the cliff saying there made an obvious blunder given Ted wanted something from the Lewis contract.

Besides, if they wanted to win more games, all they had to do was start Crawford at PG. He was actually healthy and on the roster.

[hands11]

leswizards, you're right. Those seven teams will be over .500. I had not considered how solid those teams are.

Milwaukee is the team to walk down and catch in order to make the playoffs. I like their talent a lot but there is some potential slippage because they depend on perimeter scoring and young guys in the middle. The Bucks figure to stay an up-and-down team. They seem like a pretty good lock for the eighth seed, but time will tell.

If Doug Collins is still coaching, I believe Philly could make the playoffs. However, with Bynum not in the mix and with a roster that includes Kwame Brown, Nick Young, and Philly struggling right now there is a good chance Collins steps down under the pressure. Philly is 16-23 now but that is only 5 games in the loss column better than Washington. If they're 17-24 and the Wizards are something like 10-31 at the midway point in the season, I believe Washington could catch Philly. If Collins steps down Philly will plummet. They have lost 6 of 7 and I see Collins in serious trouble. Only him sticking around and Bynum returning puts them in the playoffs.

I think Detroit can finish with a better record than the Wizards. They are 14-24 but they're trending upward and they have a bunch of good, young talent. The Pistons are my darkhorse team to make the eighth spot in the east.

Orlando has the talent and the leadership with Nelson, Davis, Vucevic, Harkless, and Nicholson -- they also can get the eighth spot.

As of right now, those are the teams in the East I see ahead of the Wizards and it is not impossible to catch them IMO. IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, the Wizards will NOT contend for a playoff spot unless they continue on an extended win streak the next several games.

Thanks, leswizards, for educating me. It probably will take 41 wins to make the playoffs in the east.

Wait. I thought Charlotte was your dark horse.

[AFM]

No, they are the bobcats. Maybe you are thinking about the Mavericks.

[leswizards]

Besides, if they wanted to win more games, all they had to do was start Crawford at PG. He was actually healthy and on the roster.

I don't think that absolves the Wizards. If that is all it took, then they should have been doing it. It might absolve the front office some.

And, as I said, I don't mind you as a fan having that kind of outlook on the season, but it irritates me that the front office shares your views. The front office seems to use injuries as an excuse to avoid looking to see what could have been done better to prevent themselves from getting into the situation they are in now.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

leswizards, you're right. Those seven teams will be over .500. I had not considered how solid those teams are.

Milwaukee is the team to walk down and catch in order to make the playoffs. I like their talent a lot but there is some potential slippage because they depend on perimeter scoring and young guys in the middle. The Bucks figure to stay an up-and-down team. They seem like a pretty good lock for the eighth seed, but time will tell.

If Doug Collins is still coaching, I believe Philly could make the playoffs. However, with Bynum not in the mix and with a roster that includes Kwame Brown, Nick Young, and Philly struggling right now there is a good chance Collins steps down under the pressure. Philly is 16-23 now but that is only 5 games in the loss column better than Washington. If they're 17-24 and the Wizards are something like 10-31 at the midway point in the season, I believe Washington could catch Philly. If Collins steps down Philly will plummet. They have lost 6 of 7 and I see Collins in serious trouble. Only him sticking around and Bynum returning puts them in the playoffs.

I think Detroit can finish with a better record than the Wizards. They are 14-24 but they're trending upward and they have a bunch of good, young talent. The Pistons are my darkhorse team to make the eighth spot in the east.

Orlando has the talent and the leadership with Nelson, Davis, Vucevic, Harkless, and Nicholson -- they also can get the eighth spot.

As of right now, those are the teams in the East I see ahead of the Wizards and it is not impossible to catch them IMO. IN ALL LIKELIHOOD, the Wizards will NOT contend for a playoff spot unless they continue on an extended win streak the next several games.

Thanks, leswizards, for educating me. It probably will take 41 wins to make the playoffs in the east.

Wait. I thought Charlotte was your dark horse.

Charlotte, even after losing 18 straight, still has two more wins than Washington. Charlotte has more wins than they had all last season. They finished 7-59 last year and they are 10-30 now. I said they would be much-improved.

I also said the Bobcats would finish with a better record than Washington, but I seriously doubt that now.

If you want to talk about predictions, my best was not buying the hype about the Lakers, and that they were too old to compete for a title this season or ever without trades. They're terrible. Charlotte is 3-7 their last 10 games. Washington is 4-6. LAL is 2-8. Who saw that coming? (No, I didn't think they'd be this bad!)

I don't feel bad for saying Charlotte would do well this season. They sure have done well against the Wizards.

[dandridge 10]

I will be interested to see how the Wizards play the next couple of games against less than stellar opponents. While I think the Wizards are playing better with Wall back in the line-up and Beal gaining some confidence, I'm still not sold that they are a .500 type team. All year long the Wiz have been pretty competitive. They just haven't been able to close games due to poor shooting, turnovers, and choking at the free throw line. The Kings and Clippers games were more examples of that. I think the lack of a closer that can create his own shot, and the inconsistency of our younger players will continue to hamper this team. However, if the Wizards can rattle of some more wins in the next couple of games, I might be a little more optimistic. We shall see.

[hands11]

Gotta admit. I didn't see LAL sucking this bad. lol.

Injuries really set them back.

But now its just poor defense and lack of depth.

[hands11]

I will be interested to see how the Wizards play the next couple of games against less than stellar opponents. While I think the Wizards are playing better with Wall back in the line-up and Beal gaining some confidence, I'm still not sold that they are a .500 type team. All year long the Wiz have been pretty competitive. They just haven't been able to close games due to poor shooting, turnovers, and choking at the free throw line. The Kings and Clippers games were more examples of that. I think the lack of a closer that can create his own shot, and the inconsistency of our younger players will continue to hamper this team. However, if the Wizards can rattle of some more wins in the next couple of games, I might be a little more optimistic. We shall see.

They have a lot of roles to work out. Players have to learn each other. Randy needs to work out the rotations.

Last game was good for one thing if not anything else.

Booker established himself as an enforcer and that was something I recently posted about. The team needed one. Lets see what he does next time someone takes Beal out.

I'm not talking about a dirty player, but you need some player or players on your team that will dish it back. If you do, opposing team will think twice. Kind of like what happens in baseball. You throw at our players. We are going to through at yours.

Mark Booker down as one of the tough guys. Do we have another ?
I think Wall will do it. I also think Ves will as well. But who we really need to do it is Kevin. Big boy needs to throw his weight around and put on that game face a little more.

[leswizards]

The Wizards have won 5 out of their last 7. It is a small sample size, with an arbitrary start point. Yet it is also exactly the pace the Wizards need to play at the rest of the season to break even. Heartbreak city here we come.

[leswizards]

I have decided this season could actually get worse. At the trade deadline in a foolish effort to bloster the Wizards mad dash for breaking even on the season, EG could trade away young assets for old overpaid veterans.

[mohammed10]

I have decided this season could actually get worse. At the trade deadline in a foolish effort to bloster the Wizards mad dash for breaking even on the season, EG could trade away young assets for old overpaid veterans.

I don't think we've ever seen that. Oh wait...

[TheBabyMaker]

Gotta admit. I didn't see LAL sucking this bad. lol.

Injuries really set them back.

But now its just poor defense and lack of depth.

How did LA injuries effect them any worste than the WIZ. I mean Kobe missed what? how many games. He averages 29+ per and they are still losing. Injuries effect all teams, heck even causled the Wis 5-10 games. I think the injuries gimmick gets played out of poportion.

Changing Coatches didn't help them either.

[dobrojim]

12 games until the AS break. I wonder how far back in the loss
column we'll be then.

BTW- BOS is currently in 8th. They currently have 10 fewer losses than
we do.