Tapscott is an Idiot Playing Jamison & Butler 40 Mins

Chocolate City Jordanaire · Post #1 » by **Chocolate City Jordanaire** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:22 pm

I used to think Eddie Jordan was a fool when it came to playing injured players too many minutes. I will never forget Gil averaging 40 minutes a game after the second knee surgery. Most coaches would have eased him back in, like Kidd was after his microfracture surgery. Or like Amare. Not so EJ. I recall predicting another injury would ensue. That, and saying the obvious before Gil got hurt more seriously--that he was not completely healed.

Forward to this season, with Jamison. Different scenario in that he hadn't been injured...yet...and that he was playing to his capability. The hapless Wizards team that's losing almost every game has a coach who is playing a 32-year old player 40 minutes plus night in and night out.

How smart do you have to be to figure out the minutes would wear the player down OR just by virtue of playing too many minutes an injury to Jamison would occur?

A prudent coach MIGHT figure playing him 32-36 minutes reduces his chance of injury (at least) 10 to 20 percent. It would keep the player fresher. It would allow younger players to play and gain confidence. I would protect the years the Wizards have invested in Jamison by keeping him as healthy as possible. Why break down a guy that they'll be depending on for the next few years if he isn't traded?

But no...Tapscott has to prove a point to the young guys by grinding the veteran players, apparently.

Jamison played 41 minutes in the loss to Detroit. Apparently many of them while injured.

Lunacy is too strong, but to me not that far off of how the coach is thinking. What's the point? Play him minutes because of his contract? Inflate his stats? Why on earth does Jamison play 41 minutes and McGee play 2?

Lunacy.

closg00 · Post #2 » by **closg00** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:29 pm

This is indeed insane and its driving me insane having to watch it yet again! I ended up watching the Celts vs Hawks game to escape the misery.

Post #3 » by **nate33** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 3:44 pm

Oddly, I can live with Jamison getting the big minutes because he has been so durable and he's not a high flyer so he doesn't put himself in position to get hurt. It's Butler who must play fewer minutes. I'm sure all of us on this board anticipate with conviction that Butler is going to get hurt at some point this season. We know it's gonna happen. It's just a matter of when.

Butler's minutes must be scaled back to 34-36. I can live with Jamison playing 38. (40 is too much though.)

keynote · Post #4 » by **keynote** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:45 pm

nate33 wrote:Oddly, I can live with Jamison getting the big minutes because he has been so durable and he's not a high flyer so he doesn't put himself in position to get hurt.

I agree with Nate here. Everything about Jamison's game is designed to avoid contact. He doesn't draw fouls, but he rarely gets hurt either.

closg00 · Post #5 » by **closg00** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 4:58 pm

Why risk-it though? and the point about playing an injured player was kind of glossed-over. Dude had a sprained thumb, this was not a must-win playoff game.

jimij · Post #6 » by **jimij** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:15 pm

Didn't understand it under EJ, don't understand it now. The excuse for EJ was always that his top players were always hurt, but of course, if they're on the active roster he always plays the Big 3 40 minutes a night so its not surprising that they wear down.

And even though Jamison's game does make him a better candidate to avoid injury with the big minutes, I still don't think its prudent for him to continue to play 40 a night, especially given the fact that this season is now virtually a write off and we need to develope the kids.

Post #7 » by **LyricalRico** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 5:30 pm

And it's not just about whether Jamison gets hurt or not during this lost season. We just invested $50M in this guy in the hopes that he'll stay productive into his mid-30's. Why put unnecessary miles on his legs? He may not ever have a catastrophic injury but his decline could definitely be hastened.

That's what happened to AD, he just got to the point where he physically couldn't do it anymore. I'm sure that having to carry the load all of last year had something to do with that. At least he was still tradeable. Who's going to want a run-down Jamison making $12-15M per year in the last couple seasons of his contract?

This organization's short sightedness is bordering on the comical.

closg00 · Post #8 » by **closg00** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:54 pm

Per Ivan's blog

Antawn Jamison has a strained left thumb. He did not practice today and will be a game time decision for tomorrow's game

I thought EJ deserved to be fired for the sole reason of not only playing injured players, but playing them heavy minutes. Now you have son of EJ doing the same thing. This a a fireable offense in my book. :evil:

JWizmentality · Post #9 » by **JWizmentality** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 7:57 pm

Yay!!!

One down, one to go. Our youngsters will get PT one way or the other. :devil:

Post #10 » by **WizStorm** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:11 pm

I say we take the Miami Heat approach and sit Jamison for at least a month to let that strained thumb heal completely. Then once AJ develops hemorrhoids sitting on the bench, deactivate him for the rest of the season.

Post #11 » by **W. Unseld** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:22 pm

Does anyone think there might be an implicit understanding that you don't take Jamison out until he's got his double-double?

Mel Proctor · Post #12 » by **Mel Proctor** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:17 pm

Clos - I also watched the Celts/Hawks b/c I was deriving no enjoyment out of watching the Wiz.

Why oh why oh why was Jamison even in the game with 2 minutes to go, team down 15, when he had been hurt earlier in the game??

Drives me nuts.

Post #13 » by **LyricalRico** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:19 pm

WizStorm wrote:I say we take the Miami Heat approach and sit Jamison for at least a month to let that strained thumb heal completely. Then once AJ develops hemorrhoids sitting on the bench, deactivate him for the rest of the season.

FreeBalling · Post #14 » by **FreeBalling** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:28 am

Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:

How smart do you have to be to figure out the minutes would wear the player down OR just by virtue of playing too many minutes an injury to Jamison would occur?

CCJ, I'm right there with you. Tap is a front office man for the Wiz. Fire him now!

FreeBalling · Post #15 » by **FreeBalling** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:30 am

FreeBalling wrote:
Chocolate City Jordanaire wrote:

How smart do you have to be to figure out the minutes would wear the player down OR just by virtue of playing too many minutes an injury to Jamison would occur?

CCJ, I'm right there with you. Tap is also a front office man for the Wiz. Fire him now!

Post #16 » by **nate33** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:42 am

Jamison being hurt is a bad thing. I know people want the youngsters to get some burn, but this team is simply terrible without Jamison. It might be a blessing in disguise for certain other veterans to get a minor injury (*cough* Deshawn Stevenson *cough*) but not Jamison.

Post #17 » by **miller31time** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 1:49 am

nate33 wrote:Jamison being hurt is a bad thing. I know people want the youngsters to get some burn, but this team is simply terrible without Jamison. It might be a blessing in disguise for certain other veterans to get a minor injury (*cough* Deshawn Stevenson *cough*) but not Jamison.

Why again is this bad? Don't we want to be terrible (this season, at least)?

Post #18 » by **nate33** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 2:26 am

miller31time wrote:
nate33 wrote:Jamison being hurt is a bad thing. I know people want the youngsters to get some burn, but this team is simply terrible without Jamison. It might be a blessing in disguise for certain other veterans to get a minor injury (*cough* Deshawn Stevenson *cough*) but not Jamison.

Why again is this bad? Don't we want to be terrible (this season, at least)?

We're bad enough as it is. We don't want to develop a culture of losing like OKC. I'd rather risk accidentally winning a few extra games then be blown out for the next 50 games.

Post #19 » by **LyricalRico** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 3:40 am

The problem is that even with Jamison being out we still probably won't see a McGee/Blatche frontcourt for any length of time. Songaila will probably start at PF and Etan will be taken out of the bubble wrap to the tune of 20 minutes per game. And Pesh likely will still never see the floor.

:nonono:

hands11 · Post #20 » by **hands11** » Fri Dec 19, 2008 6:14 am

LyricalRico wrote:And it's not just about whether Jamison gets hurt or not during this lost season. We just invested $50M in this guy in the hopes that he'll stay productive into his mid-30's. Why put unnecessary miles on his legs? He may not ever have a catastrophic injury but his decline could definitely be hastened.

That's what happened to AD, he just got to the point where he physically couldn't do it anymore. I'm sure that having to carry the load all of last year had something to do with that. At least he was still tradeable. Who's going to want a run-down Jamison making $12-15M per year in the last couple seasons of his contract?

This organization's short sightedness is bordering on the comical.

The Wizard... Where short sighted coaching happens...

I like it. We need a sig made up.

But, I'm still hopefully we will see some decent ball and some player growth before the year is over.