FLEB RON: Wiz vs. the Crabwalkin' Traveliers

[hands11]

What we want is the best of both worlds. We want Chauncey Billups for 3 quarters and Hibachi in the 4th. I think we'll have it next season. Gil is a little heavy right now from not being able to work out. Once he lightens up a bit and gets his basketball rhythm back, he'll be fine. Give him one more training camp and we'll have the old Hibachi back, only smarter.

I see it slightly differently.

It usually takes about a year to regain all the strength and confidence, timing and game from an injury and long layoff. Which means, ideally, Gil would be just about peaking this time next year. Time enough for him to captain the team from the PG spot, develop confidence with all his personnel and any new players, make it a habit to play the responsible big brother--- THEN unearth his inner Hibachi in time for the playoffs when a team needs players to reach that 'nother level'.

The problem with Gil and this squad in the past was that they always peaked too early and burned themselves out. Teams like the Spurs (and any Phil Jackson-coached team) understand that _pacing_ is key. You develop your young guys throughout the season by spoonfeeding them success and putting them in win/lose situations with a veteran safety net, while resting your starters. Easier to do with semi-experienced youngsters than raw rooks, and you can't do it without depth or solid vets to take up the slack-- and you damnsure can't do it when everyone is injured-- but the teams that win are those that can find a cruising gear, use depth to preserve late-season legs. Then whumpf, kerosene, fire up the Hibachi, get hot late, and feast.

Health is the key as always. Depth and experience will do nothing but help. But a Gil who only turns it on when needed is a key player in this thing. Been saying it for years, Gilbert does the thing you say he can't do. And he's a student of the game. The layoffs allow him to see the game from the outside, the best thing about young players is that eventually they become veterans, learn how to win. That's what we're looking at with Gil. Why I said never worry, we'll get there. The patience, chemistry, continuity thing.

Maybe it's all the grand plan though, we need the final piece in a high draft pick. Never know. Team of 'density' and all that.

I call that the EJ effect.

The best team at the ALL Star break wins you no trophy.

This was one of the main reason I wanted him out of here.

Next, we get to see if we can actually stay healthier without him here.

[doclinkin]

I call that the EJ effect.

The best team at the ALL Star break wins you no trophy.

This was one of the main reason I wanted him out of here.

Next, we get to see if we can actually stay healthier without him here.

Except we never had depth. First we were overloaded with crap vets and injuries. Then raw rooks and injuries. Coach EJ had two main flaws: less insight on the defensive match-up (deferring to offense when in doubt) and overlooking Haywood for too long. Okay that and a distrust of stat analysis (which could have solved both of the above).

But you can't blame the guy for Larry Hughes crystal skeleton, Butler's broken thumb in the first Cavs playoffs, Darius Songaila's slipped disc, etc. etc. Nor for the overall suck of his bench. Can't make chicken salad out of chicken shxt.

Players get injured, it happens, thing is you have to have depth to make up the difference. We've seen this year that our young talent doesn't have a solid clue how to win. We've got a couple slow-learners on the roster. Before that we had next to Nuffin. And the Coach got killed on here if he played his bench; then got killed if he played his starters too long. But we've seen the indelible suck that our ex-players have maintained. We've seen how ill-prepared our rooks were to succeed. We've seen how our best vets are a defensive liability despite solid stat totals. No point lobbing blame and horse manure.

Frankly I'm tired of the bullshxt. Can the haters just agree to shut the hellup about it? It's a dead topic. Really idiotic. Serves no purpose except to restart the uncivil wars. Got to remember to be gracious in triumph. Look, the Legion of Good could cite EJ texting Gil and tellign him to take it easy, let the game come to him, not force the issue and credit him (as Gilbert did) for the encouragement and 20-to-1 assist ratio. But what's the point, better to just let it slide.

Soon we get a new coach and we'll see where that takes us, but seriously hands, stifle it. It's pointless. Or confine it to one thread, or something. This shxt's like a plague of zombies pounding pointlessly against a locked tomb. Why open it up again? Let it die and stay dead.

[doclinkin]

Can't even enjoy a nice win.

[Tyrone Messby]

Awesome win. May the only other win this season come from a victory over Cleveland at Cleveland.

[miller31time]

Can't even enjoy a nice win.

Got yourself all worked up....why don't you take that nice troll....er, stroll.

[hands11]

I call that the EJ effect.

The best team at the ALL Star break wins you no trophy.

This was one of the main reason I wanted him out of here.

Next, we get to see if we can actually stay healthier without him here.

Except we never had depth. First we were overloaded with crap vets and injuries. Then raw rooks and injuries. Coach EJ had two main flaws: less insight on the defensive match-up (deferring to offense when in doubt) and overlooking Haywood for too long. Okay that and a distrust of stat analysis (which could have solved both of the above).

But you can't blame the guy for Larry Hughes crystal skeleton, Butler's broken thumb in the first Cavs playoffs, Darius Songaila's slipped disc, etc. etc. Nor for the overall suck of his bench. Can't make chicken salad out of chicken shxt.

Players get injured, it happens, thing is you have to have depth to make up the difference. We've seen this year that our young talent doesn't have a solid clue how to win. We've got a couple slow-learners on the roster. Before that we had next to Nuffin. And the Coach got killed on here if he played his bench; then got killed if he played his starters too long. But we've seen the indelible suck that our ex-players have maintained. We've seen how ill-prepared our rooks were to succeed. We've seen how our best vets are a defensive liability despite solid stat totals. No point lobbing blame and horse manure.

Frankly I'm tired of the bullshxt. Can the haters just agree to shut the hellup about it? It's a dead topic. Really idiotic. Serves no purpose except to restart the uncivil wars. Got to remember to be gracious in triumph. Look, the Legion of Good could cite EJ texting Gil and tellign him to take it easy, let the game come to him, not force the issue and credit him (as Gilbert did) for the encouragement and 20-to-1 assist ratio. But what's the point, better to just let it slide.

Soon we get a new coach and we'll see where that takes us, but seriously hands, stifle it. It's pointless. Or confine it to one thread, or something. This shxt's like a plague of zombies pounding pointlessly against a locked tomb. Why open it up again? Let it die and stay dead.

Nice. Post a page of your venting BS about it and then tell someone to stifle it. Maybe you could take your own advice.

Go Wiz

[doclinkin]

Can't even enjoy a nice win.

Got yourself all worked up....why don't you take that nice troll....er, stroll.

Why? So you can snitch on me?

[doclinkin]

Go Wiz

Go Wiz

Woo! Wiz win!

[pancakes3]

http://basketball.realgm.com/src_wireta ... le_double/

vomit.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I call that the EJ effect.

The best team at the ALL Star break wins you no trophy.

This was one of the main reason I wanted him out of here.

Next, we get to see if we can actually stay healthier without him here.

Except we never had depth. First we were overloaded with crap vets and injuries. Then raw rooks and injuries. Coach EJ had two main flaws: less insight on the defensive match-up (deferring to offense when in doubt) and overlooking Haywood for too long. Okay that and a distrust of stat analysis (which could have solved both of the above).

But you can't blame the guy for Larry Hughes crystal skeleton, Butler's broken thumb in the first Cavs playoffs, Darius Songaila's slipped disc, etc. etc. Nor for the overall suck of his bench. Can't make chicken salad out of chicken shxt.

Players get injured, it happens, thing is you have to have depth to make up the difference. We've seen this year that our young talent doesn't have a solid clue how to win. We've got a couple slow-learners on the roster. Before that we had next to Nuffin. And the Coach got killed on here if he played his bench; then got killed if he played his starters too long. But we've seen the indelible suck that our ex-players have maintained. We've seen how ill-prepared our rooks were to succeed. We've seen how our best vets are a defensive liability despite solid stat totals. No point lobbing blame and horse manure.

Frankly I'm tired of the bullshxt. Can the haters just agree to shut the hellup about it? It's a dead topic. Really idiotic. Serves no purpose except to restart the uncivil wars. Got to remember to be gracious in triumph. Look, the Legion of Good could cite EJ texting Gil and tellign him to take it easy, let the game come to him, not force the issue and credit him (as Gilbert did) for the encouragement and 20-to-1 assist ratio. But what's the point, better to just let it slide.

Soon we get a new coach and we'll see where that takes us, but seriously hands, stifle it. It's pointless. Or confine it to one thread, or something. This shxt's like a plague of zombies pounding pointlessly against a locked tomb. Why open it up again? Let it die and stay dead.

This is the second great thing I've heard about EJ since he was fired.

First was his Christmas conversation the Brendan and the mutual respect they have for each other.

Now, it comes out that he and Gil are still tight.

Bottom line about EJ is injuries did him in.

IF EJ had had Dominic at SG and a more enlightened approach about Brendan's minutes the guy would be fine at coach now.

[infinite11285]

The Redskins Dante Hall IS good for something

[doclinkin]

This is the second great thing I've heard about EJ since he was fired.

First was his Christmas conversation the Brendan and the mutual respect they have for each other.

Now, it comes out that he and Gil are still tight.

Bottom line about EJ is injuries did him in.

IF EJ had had Dominic at SG and a more enlightened approach about Brendan's minutes the guy would be fine at coach now.

Well, sorta. I'd say if he and Ernie hadn't both mismanaged the whole botched Thibodeaux thing he would have been fine. Teams can't just rely on the old rahrah motivational methods alone to get maximized performance out of their players. Everybody else is playing the chess game, no point deliberately ignoring useful battlefield intel. I really get the impression that in fact what galled GMEG most was EJ's stubborn refusal to consider any advanced metrics of success. Ernie was an early adopter on the stat revolution, with Riles in NY.

You need both. A human touch and good principles proven true. It's a game of slim margins and narrow %'ages. Might as well take every advantage you can get.

[dobrojim]

Didn't watch the game. How did the wiz get across the timeline during the 15 min that Gil sat.

And DMAC with some heavy minutes. And the crunch time. Who did he primarily guard? CB3 was on LeTrav...

that was one of the best parts of the game

McGuire and Young survived significant minutes on natl TV as the backcourt.
Say what you want about Dom not being able to score (it's true sometimes),
considering everything else he does, I'll keep him. He can apparently play
4 positions (not full time but you can spot him at 4 different positions).

Great team effort tonight (duh).

LR is going to hate me for this but maybe (roster) continuity wouldn't
be such a horrible thing. As long as we get a really solid coach (FU Barkely,
you don't know JackS#!t), we can potentially win the east in another year
or 2, when Nick and McGee really come on. Or maybe even sooner if we
ever got truly healthy for a whole season. I'm not saying we'd be odds-on.
But we'd have a shot. With a good coach.

[tkunit]

A few things from the game, which I actually stayed up to watch and now am hurting at work but it was worth it.


It is so nice to have a real C on the floor. And I am in love with our big line up. I really don't see why Dom can't start at the 2, he just needs to work on his J. Really even our second unit is big with Blatche, young, crit ( I know we didn't see him) and songs.

I love how the fans let Lebron know how we feel about him in DC. Even better that Reggie pointed it out. Oh and **** Charles, he completly dissmissed us to bad the cavs couldn't win ****.

Other than the AJ throw down, the other play that really stood out was in the 4th when big Z got that rebound on the ft. The Czar pointed out how Haywood was telling young to move into that space because he is goign to seal Z and the board might go over his head. And looked what happened it did and Young didn't go to the spot....That is why we missed wood all year.

[BigA]

<snip>
I loved how pumped SOngaila was! I can't ever remember seeing him display that type of emotion.
<snip>

As bad as it's been for us fans, imagine how hard it's been for a guy like Songaila to try to hold things together over a long season, show up and play out of position, and know that the team is overmatched just about every night. To be able to show up close to full strength and compete against one of the best teams in the league must provide a lift for everyone.

[pancakes3]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/recap?gameId=290402027

7th paragraph

MVP candidate James scored 22 of his 31 points in the second half and finished with six assists and nine rebounds for the Cavaliers, but -- how's this for a statistical oddity -- he was responsible for all five of his team's turnovers until Daniel Gibson traveled in the final minute of the third quarter. James finished with six turnovers -- one fewer than the Wizards -- and had a 3-pointer stuffed in his face by Butler with in the final half-minute.

inbound pass = three pointer?

just to straighten the facts for people who didn't see it, Butler was guarding the inbound and stole it - NOT a jaw-dropping perimeter block. Defensive dagger.

[TheSecretWeapon]

This is the second great thing I've heard about EJ since he was fired.

First was his Christmas conversation the Brendan and the mutual respect they have for each other.

Now, it comes out that he and Gil are still tight.

Bottom line about EJ is injuries did him in.

IF EJ had had Dominic at SG and a more enlightened approach about Brendan's minutes the guy would be fine at coach now.

Well, sorta. I'd say if he and Ernie hadn't both mismanaged the whole botched Thibodeaux thing he would have been fine. Teams can't just rely on the old rahrah motivational methods alone to get maximized performance out of their players. Everybody else is playing the chess game, no point deliberately ignoring useful battlefield intel. I really get the impression that in fact what galled GMEG most was EJ's stubborn refusal to consider any advanced metrics of success. Ernie was an early adopter on the stat revolution, with Riles in NY.

You need both. A human touch and good principles proven true. It's a game of slim margins and narrow %'ages. Might as well take every advantage you can get.

Don't oversell Ernie's adherence to advanced metrics. They have a couple guys in the front office who are interested in advanced stats, but the team has been unwilling to actually pay for said stats. They get an "advanced" stat report from a consultant (who also supplies reports to 10 or so other teams) periodically. I saw a couple of those reports when I was doing a small project for the team, and they were unimpressive to my eye. I think there's better work being done by a number of people at the APBRmetrics board. Not even counting the APBRmetrics guys who have been siphoned off by teams.

[Ruzious]

I smell a "Look what we can do when we're healthy!" speech from Grunfeld.

You got it. It was just 1 game, but they're likely going to milk it long after the te..., um... for a lot more than it was worth.

[P'Oed]

The Redskins Dante Hall IS good for something

Deangelo Hall. I mix the names up sometimes too.

That being said, gotta love how Cavs fans rip on us for using injuries as reasons why we lost to them in the playoffs so many times. Meanwhile, they think a party the night before the game was the only reason they lost. I'm sure NBA players never go out the night before a game. At least our excuse has a little more to do with actual basketball.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

I call that the EJ effect.

The best team at the ALL Star break wins you no trophy.

This was one of the main reason I wanted him out of here.

Next, we get to see if we can actually stay healthier without him here.

This shxt's like a plague of zombies pounding pointlessly against a locked tomb. Why open it up again? Let it die and stay dead.

I sympathize with you but I'm still glad EJ is gone. I think you have to include an inability to teach defensive fundamentals, or at least a failure to understand basic defensive fundamentals, to his list of flaws, and to me that's just unforgivable. Lousy perimeter defense is a part of his basic defensive philosophy, for gawd's sake!