Wizards @ Nuggets - 1/18/13 - 9:00 PM EST Nene vs McGee

[closg00]

Whoot, fun times are back, we are no-longer a laughingstock.

[popper]

Love our effort and result but our TO's are an area where Wittman really needs to focus on. Some of our recent wins would have been blowouts if we valued the ball more.

[thebigE]

4 of 5? Oh my...

This is not a fluke.

At the start of the thread I predicted this win. Randy Wittman is a good coach. I love the way he gets multiple players involved.

Agreed. Witt is a sick coach who seems to love what he does and appears to be more than capable. Most importantly, the players are responding to Witt. Good sign.

[jivelikenice]

My issue with Witt has to do with his slow trigger when it comes to substituting when teams are on runs. Lawson was eating up Price and AJ wasn't even contesting shots which indicated fatigue, yet he kept waiting to bring Wall in....I've also seen numerous instances where we need to get someone into the game down the stretch, and he waits 2-3 minutes for a dead ball versus calling a TO. He also at times has ice'd out his own ht players by waiting to long to reinsert them back in......

He seems like a decent patch, but needs to be better with game mgmt....

[nate33]

My issue with Witt has to do with his slow trigger when it comes to substituting when teams are on runs. Lawson was eating up Price and AJ wasn't even contesting shots which indicated fatigue, yet he kept waiting to bring Wall in....I've also seen numerous instances where we need to get someone into the game down the stretch, and he waits 2-3 minutes for a dead ball versus calling a TO. He also at times has ice'd out his own ht players by waiting to long to reinsert them back in......

He seems like a decent patch, but needs to be better with game mgmt....

Wall was on a minutes cap. I think he had to wait. I suppose he could have brought in Temple though.

These criticism are always easy to make in hindsight, but I think they're generally a bit unfair. Yes, Lawson was hot, but he could just have easily have missed his last few shots. You only know it's a 23-point quarter for him after the quarter is over.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

The win probability section at Basketball Reference pegs the Wizards chances of winning tonight at 19%. 1-in-5 chance? That seems about right.

Seems right to me but I am leaning toward the 1.

The points they're giving seem very generous, and like easy money if you care to wager.

Good call, CCJ!

Dude, I'm going to Vegas.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

My issue with Witt has to do with his slow trigger when it comes to substituting when teams are on runs. Lawson was eating up Price and AJ wasn't even contesting shots which indicated fatigue, yet he kept waiting to bring Wall in....I've also seen numerous instances where we need to get someone into the game down the stretch, and he waits 2-3 minutes for a dead ball versus calling a TO. He also at times has ice'd out his own ht players by waiting to long to reinsert them back in......

He seems like a decent patch, but needs to be better with game mgmt....

Noted, jivelikenice. I wonder if there's a discipline or planned rotation pattern that Randy believes in sticking with? That might be the only way to get so many players decent burn. It could explain why he's slow to switch combinations that might seem to not be working. I don't know...

Washington has dropped a lot of close games that might have been wins. At the same time, Randy has held it together under duress and he's shown that he can string some wins together with a patchwork lineup.

Ultimately, wins and losses will determine Randy's coaching tenure with the Wizards. Expectations are going to rise. Right now, I'm just ecstatic with the team chemistry, the defense, the emerging talent of Beal, the players who are reviving their careers, and the way Randy has been a stand up guy throughout. jive, I'm not evaluating Randy on the wins and losses per se.

Perhaps he can become a better game manager?

[doclinkin]

My issue with Witt has to do with his slow trigger when it comes to substituting when teams are on runs. Lawson was eating up Price and AJ wasn't even contesting shots which indicated fatigue, yet he kept waiting to bring Wall in....

Um, you do like still having a franchise PG right? Or you would rather have him on the bench with a blown out knee. We just got the dude back, let the coach massage his minutes a little so we can keep him alive and upright, srsly.

[dobrojim]

just noticed the wiretap feed with the Karl wants McGee to play
like Duncan. Well, I remember Glen Consor euphemistically saying
JaVale 'struggles with concepts'. So no, I don't think he's likely
to resemble The Big Fundamental any time soon. Nothing personal.

Long as we are at it, I'd like every other big man ON THE WIZARDS to play like Duncan starting with Seraphin and Vesely.

fixed

[tontoz]

Watching the 4th quarter now and just saw Seraphin use a drop step. I don't think i have ever seen him do that before.

[thebigE]

Chemistry. Chemistry. Chemistry. That's what Witt brings to the table. He's tinkering with the lineup while learning along the way. Let's not forget he's new to this head coaching thing himself. Arguably, the greatest asset for a head coach is the ability to connect to a team through adversity. Witt is proving himself quite capable in this regard.

[MikeTheKid]

So I was drunk and partying at Inauguration parties but I did see the last 2 mins of the game and I shed tears last night I was so happy for Nene, Wall and the team. S*** we really could've been very good this year. Now EG needs to solidify that bench and were set.

[tontoz]

Nice to see Seraphin actually make a contribution to a win. It's been awhile.

The Wizards outscored Denver by 11 in the 4th quarter. There haven't been many tight games when the Wizards had the upper hand in the 4th.

Scary to see Beal bounce off the floor. Ugh

Too many carely turnovers.

[jivelikenice]

My issue with Witt has to do with his slow trigger when it comes to substituting when teams are on runs. Lawson was eating up Price and AJ wasn't even contesting shots which indicated fatigue, yet he kept waiting to bring Wall in....

Um, you do like still having a franchise PG right? Or you would rather have him on the bench with a blown out knee. We just got the dude back, let the coach massage his minutes a little so we can keep him alive and upright, srsly.

Where did i say play him above his minutes cap? You can manage the minutes differently if Price is getting lit up, or give Temple some run as Nate mentioned.

Or you can ask Wall how he feels and let him decide how much he wants to play

Sincerely,

Mike Shanahan

[barelyawake]

Mentality is something statistics are awful at capturing/predicting -- whether personal development or team unity. Of course, part of what Wall brings to the table is the thought that winning is possible. When a team of players who haven't developed chemistry play together, they need to learn they can win. And when that team is based around a star pg whose job is to create spacing for a group who can't create their own shot, then it's hard to believe you can win. Ball movement is awful. Spacing is horrible. Every move gets blocked. Desperation sets in.

We better sell high on our players this offseason and not be happy with what we got. This isnt a finished product. We still need a high draft pick or a trade for a star (like Cousins). But, this is the team I've been expecting when I said next year we will have the best collection of talent we have had in decades. Hope people are changing their minds on some of the moves we have made. Vets do matter to a young, developing team.

[Dat2U]

We better sell high on our players this offseason and not be happy with what we got. This isnt a finished product. We still need a high draft pick or a trade for a star

This is the only part of your post I agree with. i'm not seeing the talent on the roster your seeing.

And frankly the whole "learning to win" thing is a bunch a bull to me.

IMO the best way to learn how to win is to acquire the talent to do so consistently. We don't have the talent yet IMO, so learning how to win is going to be an exercise in futility.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Mentality is something statistics are awful at capturing/predicting -- whether personal development or team unity. Of course, part of what Wall brings to the table is the thought that winning is possible. When a team of players who haven't developed chemistry play together, they need to learn they can win. And when that team is based around a star pg whose job is to create spacing for a group who can't create their own shot, then it's hard to believe you can win. Ball movement is awful. Spacing is horrible. Every move gets blocked. Desperation sets in.

We better sell high on our players this offseason and not be happy with what we got. This isnt a finished product. We still need a high draft pick or a trade for a star (like Cousins). But, this is the team I've been expecting when I said next year we will have the best collection of talent we have had in decades. Hope people are changing their minds on some of the moves we have made. Vets do matter to a young, developing team.

We better sell high on our players this offseason and not be happy with what we got. This isnt a finished product. We still need a high draft pick or a trade for a star

This is the only part of your post I agree with. i'm not seeing the talent on the roster your seeing.

And frankly the whole "learning to win" thing is a bunch a bull to me.

IMO the best way to learn how to win is to acquire the talent to do so consistently. We don't have the talent yet IMO, so learning how to win is going to be an exercise in futility.

doclinkin is fond of this quote: "First you win, then you get good." For the life of me I don't know who said it first. I did find a nifty link that applied it to the (then) 4-3 Redskins. http://www.bgobsession.com/blog.php?b=165

Dat, I agree with ba on this. OKC was a really bad team that had talent but they needed time to get better, get good, and now they are great. The personnel the Thunder had were very young 3 years ago. The acquisition of Kendrick Perkins didn't make them better nor did Jeff Green leaving. They matured and got great. The difference is the level of talent was better to begin with in OKC.

I have posted many positive comments about Vesely in the Vesely thread and about Seraphin in the Seraphin thread. I have cited the last 15 games of last season. Five losses followed by and 8-2 finish. All of which Wall, Seraphin, and Vesely started. It wasn't a feel good finish and it wasn't teams resting stars for the playoffs that let them win 8 of 10. It was young, emerging talent, and as barelyawake pointed out, guys developed a feel for playing with one another. I posted the positives because many people looked at 4-28 as the Wizards record as proof positive Vesely is to blame and Seraphin sucks.

Beal is growing into a confident player. Crawford thinks the same but is clearly improving (I still want him traded but he's grown by leaps this season). Vesely plays terribly EXCEPT when he's on the court with Seraphin and Wall--and he plays with confidence then.

I am all for upgrading talent! By all means, there's a good deal for Cousins that can be made. I'm just saying right now I would leave the roster alone. Wait and see how this team plays. Get good trade offers for someone who would obviously make a huge difference but don't overpay. I would even try and make sure Vesely is showing his best play and try and get value IF he's traded. I don't even want him traded right now.

Singleton, Crawford, and mostly because of injury history and upcoming contract, Booker would be the chips I would bargain or trade with. I STILL would look at Wall trades that rob other teams of Fort Knox. There's always an offer too good to refuse, but right now that deal would have to be so good I don't think another team will come forth with a good enough offer for John Wall.

I think the wins are legit and not Fool's Gold. I am content with players whose stock will rise. No one says rest on you laurels but at the same time don't sell these players short, either. ba, the mentality is improving to where they expect to win. I won't be surprised if John Wall can expect to make a three one day, or if Vesely can expect to approach 65-70% on FTs sooner than later. Things are changing for the better.

This is the time having veterans like Okafor and Nene with Webster and Ariza really can provide young guys with good mentoring. Don't be in such a hurry to disrupt a good thing.

[Kaner]

It's gonna be fun to watch Wall and Beal develop off of eachother in the coming years, they compliment each other's game almost perfectly... I can't wait to see Irving+Waiters vs Wall+Beal after they've all had at least a full season to mesh. Hopefully in the future, we can have some more exciting playoff series against eachother, cheers

[payitforward]

I have no idea what "learning to win" or "learning how to win" or any similar phrase means. I also don't see how you "win first and then get good." Good play wins games; nothing else does. If your players play better you win more games. So we're winning because our players are playing better.

Okafor and Ariza are producing at their career levels -- they are solid journeymen in the 2d half of their career and don't help build a title contender, but they can help you be an average (or "respectable" or "mediocre" -- whatever word you prefer) team, and that's what they're doing.

Bradley Beal is on a tear -- 24 of 37 the last 3 games, including 11-18 from 3 point range.

In his 4 games back, despite bad shooting, John Wall is producing overall at a higher level than last season -- he's doing other things very well.

Lets see how the rest of the road trip goes, but right now these guys are playing very well. So we're winning more games. Cool!

[barelyawake]

These are robots playing basketball games, after all. Good robots play good basketball. Bad robots play bad basketball. If good robots develop to play good basketball, it's because they are good robots. It has nothing to do with confidence, coaching, system or work ethic. Good robots develop into good basketball players because they are good robots. And if they don't develop into good basketball players, it's because they were bad robots. I swear sometimes you stat guys kill me.

If a guy needs space to get his shot off, and starts consistently getting that space (thus regularly making his shots), his confidence level goes up. Thus, his shot improves. Thus, he starts "playing good basketball." There is a reason our players are "playing good basketball."