Official Thread: Preseason Wizards vs Raptors (10/21/16)

[80sballboy]

I'm not comfortable with this back court at all. With the news that Sato is going to be out of the rotation to start the season (and I don't blame Brooks for this, he's probably struggling to adapt to the NBA travel schedule and the three point line.) We're most likely going into the season with Thornton and Burke as our backups. Just awful. I hope Sato gets up to speed soon, because that backcourt is going to get destroyed on a nightly basis.

I hope Brooks knows what he's doing in that regard. That reserve backcourt is bad. Brooks doesn't care that this organization and fans waited forever to get Sato and he's not even going to play early in the season. I do like the decisions to keep House and McLellan, even if he didn't play them as much as he should have in preseason. I'm guessing that was his call to go with younger, more athletic guys, even if they are raw.

[80sballboy]

http://www.csnmidatlantic.com/washington-wizards/scott-brooks-credits-wizards-front-office-decisions-rookies-fit-our-dna

[payitforward]

House is a lot younger than Eddie; that's a reason to prefer him. They ate Eddie's partial guarantee (can't have been much).

We kept 3 undrafted rookies. Something odd about that from a GM who consistently downplays Round 2 of the draft, throws away R2 picks, etc. Maybe that does indicate Brooks has some input.

Btw, given the coincidence that this is the year Satoransky comes over, we've got 4 rookies. That has got to be a first during the EG era, no?

Hmmm, actually, we had 4 in 2010 -- I'm sure all of you remember N'diaye. And 3 in 2011. But those were the first 2 years of a rebuild. We had only 1 in '12, 2 in 2013, none in 2014, and 1 in 2015.

This is a caboose rebuild as the train's leaving the station. Different doesn't necessarily bode well, but at least it's different.

Actually, I might say they're rebuilding the caboose in the wake of their train wreck. Hope the 3 all turn out to be worth something, but our problems are different from anything they could provide and go to the heart of the roster.

[gambitx777]

I'm not comfortable with this back court at all. With the news that Sato is going to be out of the rotation to start the season (and I don't blame Brooks for this, he's probably struggling to adapt to the NBA travel schedule and the three point line.) We're most likely going into the season with Thornton and Burke as our backups. Just awful. I hope Sato gets up to speed soon, because that backcourt is going to get destroyed on a nightly basis.

Did I miss an interview or news report or something?

[dangermouse]

The starting unit was on fire. You could tell they were just so focused on both ends of the court. Some beautiful cuts to the basket particularly by Beal. Kief had some nice passes to find him cutting. Great awareness from all 5 really.

I know its just pre-season, the last game of pre-season even, but either the Brooks regime is working wonders, or the Raptors are in big trouble with their defense. We ran rings around them.

Hopefully Beal keeps playing at that level and he could be an all-star if we are placed high in the East.

[mictic]

I wouldn't put too much into that game just yet. Apparently Brooks gave them a day of before the game so they were well rested. If Toronto did put in more work before the game that could very well explain the differences in fg℅ defense and rebounding.

Now, the fact that Brooks understands the value of rested legs is a very good thing.

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[gambitx777]

there was an article about brooks and how he is going to practice them less and smarter. I'd link it but i am sitting in my clinical bio chem class and I should probably pay attention.

[Ruzious]

I'm not comfortable with this back court at all. With the news that Sato is going to be out of the rotation to start the season (and I don't blame Brooks for this, he's probably struggling to adapt to the NBA travel schedule and the three point line.) We're most likely going into the season with Thornton and Burke as our backups. Just awful. I hope Sato gets up to speed soon, because that backcourt is going to get destroyed on a nightly basis.

Did I miss an interview or news report or something?

Yeah, I hadn't heard anything about an announcement that Sato is going to be out of the rotation. The best players should play. It's not as if they're depending on him for starter's minutes. 15 to 18 minutes a game isn't a whole lot to ask for, imo.

[fishercob]

I'm not comfortable with this back court at all. With the news that Sato is going to be out of the rotation to start the season (and I don't blame Brooks for this, he's probably struggling to adapt to the NBA travel schedule and the three point line.) We're most likely going into the season with Thornton and Burke as our backups. Just awful. I hope Sato gets up to speed soon, because that backcourt is going to get destroyed on a nightly basis.

Did I miss an interview or news report or something?

Yeah, I hadn't heard anything about an announcement that Sato is going to be out of the rotation. The best players should play. It's not as if they're depending on him for starter's minutes. 15 to 18 minutes a game isn't a whole lot to ask for, imo.

Satoransky didn't play until late in the Toronto game; Burke and Thornton got the primary minutes at the backup guard spots. Asked after the game about his rotation (not Saty specifically), Brooks said something to the effect of "this is representative of our rotation" and that he likes to play a 9-man rotation.

If this is indeed the case, it's annoying, but something that will hopefully work itself out with a little bit of time. I doubt Thornton can stay healthy playing regular rotation minutes. He doesn't keep himself in very good shape and has missed a a decent amount of time every years he's been in the league.

[tontoz]

It shouldn't take long for Brooks to see that Burke should only play as a last resort. I don't think Sato will have any problem beating out Thornton either.

[gambitx777]

Did I miss an interview or news report or something?

Yeah, I hadn't heard anything about an announcement that Sato is going to be out of the rotation. The best players should play. It's not as if they're depending on him for starter's minutes. 15 to 18 minutes a game isn't a whole lot to ask for, imo.

Satoransky didn't play until late in the Toronto game; Burke and Thornton got the primary minutes at the backup guard spots. Asked after the game about his rotation (not Saty specifically), Brooks said something to the effect of "this is representative of our rotation" and that he likes to play a 9-man rotation.

If this is indeed the case, it's annoying, but something that will hopefully work itself out with a little bit of time. I doubt Thornton can stay healthy playing regular rotation minutes. He doesn't keep himself in very good shape and has missed a a decent amount of time every years he's been in the league.

More likely than not his comments were misinterpreted and that he probably saw enough of sato and wanted to rest him. He is fine and will be playing a lot of minutes he is the best guard on the team not named wall or beal.

[payitforward]

Agreed. Plus, I wouldn't try to read tea leaves from an off the cuff remark like Brooks's.

Anyway, after you just stomped a team that won 56 games last year, it does seem likely you'd point happily to that game's rotation. Can't see it meaning much.

[Illmatic12]

It sounds like Brooks is giving Burke first dibs at the backup PG, and will stick with a 9 man rotation..

Read on Twitter

If Sato is as competitive as we think he is, it shouldn't take much for him to earn himself rotation minutes over Burke and Thornton.

[krii]

Satoransky will be our 6th man by the third game, mark my words.

[FAH1223]

It sounds like Brooks is giving Burke first dibs at the backup PG, and will stick with a 9 man rotation..

Read on Twitter

If Sato is as competitive as we think he is, it shouldn't take much for him to earn himself rotation minutes over Burke and Thornton.

Burke is terrible.

Sato should be able to play over him. In fact, Sato has looked better.

Bad move by Brooks already.

[popper]

I only saw two preseason games but Sato didn't seem to have much of an outside shot. If that's the case his defender will just pack the paint. Maybe Brooks wants to give him more time to work on his shot. OTOH, Wall existed his first few years without a shot either so maybe Sato can too.