Remember We Were 4-9 Three Years Ago!

[dlts20]

I think alot of people forget that the year we were in 1st place, we started off the season 4-9. We had just come off of that great series with the Cavs and everyone had us as one of those teams to watch out for the following year, along with the Cavs. Then the season came and we sucked. I think we lost to the Cavs in game 1 of the season and Gil was the worst road player in the league. Remember when he was playing great at home but then we shoot like 20% and score only like 14ppg on the road. Everyone ripped us and said that we sucked. Everyone said Gil is the only supposed star in the league that cant play on the road and is always garbage. I said we had to be patient and you definatly cant diss Gil like that. I said that people act like Gil has no history. They act like he always plays bad on the road which is a joke. Its only been a handful of games and we need to stop overreacting because obviously he's not that bad. Fast forward 31 games later and the Wiz go 23-8 over that stretch while Gil in turn drops many games of 30, 40, 50, and even 60 points in that stretch, all on the road. Thats how we got to 1st place and in that stretch we beat great teams like the Spurs, Lakers, 15 game win streak Suns, 13 game win streak Mavs, and the #1 team in the East, the Pistons twice.

I hear alot of people like Steinberg say that the Wiz talk about being in 1st place too much because they were only 27-17. Another guy the other day said that we were only on pace to win 49 games. If you want to look at it that way then fine but the truth is we were 4-9 and then 23-8 which was a 60 win pace and we had no signs at all of slowing down. The only thing that changed was that AJ got hurt in that final game against Detroit where we took over the #1 spot and we havent been healthy a day since. Literaly. When he came back then Caron went out for like 10 days. Caron came back and then broke his hand and was gone for the year, shortly followed by Gil who hurt his knee and was gone for the year. Played basicaly the whole next season without Gil and then played the following season without Gil, Wood, DS for a long stretch, and Caron for a long stretch. We finally get healthy this year and add pieces. Everyone says we will really see what they look like and guess what? We still havent been healthy. We literaly havent been healthy one single day since we were in 1st place all those years ago. The #1 thing people clowned us about was how we have a team full of guards, way more than anyone in the league. Weve been so injuried that 8 games in, we are already adding another guard even smaller than anyone on our team and maybe in the leauge.

Before the season started all of the Wiz fans said most likely that we would start slow as we build chemistry and adjust to the new system. We said that even when we thought we would be 100% healthy. Now everyone is clowning us like we had to be the #1 seed from the jump, there clowning us even knowing that weve had injuries, and again people are clowning Gil. There saying Gil needs to go, he's not worth 111mil, he's not anywhere near Wade's level and so on. Come on now. This team is obviously struggling with the system, weve had guys in & out the lineup, Flip is trying to figure out the rotation while making the mistake of starting Oberto for so long, and Gil hasnt played in 2 years while coming off of 3 knee surgeries, trying to learn a totally different system that is the complete opposite of the Princeton, and doing it while always rotating lineups, and playing with a ton of guys that he's never really played with before. Where doing all of this while adding 5 new guys to the roster and a brand new coaching staff. Again, he's never ever played with Oberto, Foye, Miller, Davis, Boykins in years, he's never ever played with Young, McGee, McGuire, Critt, James, and Blatche. On top of that the guys he has played with he hasnt done it in 2 years and there games changed some without him so they all have to figure that out while learning a new system and still not having the whole group together.

I think this season will be just like that one 3 years ago. We start off slow but then we will make up for it by starting to win at a 60 win pace. We're about to get the troops back very soon and Gil will definatly turn it up as long as his knee stays fine. Stop going crazy about 8 games espically when we have some legitmate exuses. This isnt made up stuff, its legitmate. Atleast wait until we get either totally healthy or that Flip and the players have enough time together to get a feel for eachother, learn the system, and know what to do. Again, Im super encouraged by the fact that our O has been the ugliest thing in the league, we turn it over all day, look completely out of sync, and still manage to play some good D. Weve never done that before. You guys think we are going to score 80 something points forever? Hell NO. That 80 will start to turn into 110 on a consistent basis very soon and thats when we will take off and our D will look even better because the flow is better, were not giving teams easy baskets off of turnovers, and we are not depressed from the Offensive end. Do you think Gil has went from being a beast in the Preseaon and the first 3 games to looking like a garbage clown? Thats not going to stay that way. We will start hitting on all cylinders very soon. Watch

[daSwami]

now that's what I'm talking about! let's get the chants started now: "FOUR AND NINE! FOUR AND NINE!"

[DallasShalDune]

In this league, momentum is more important than defense or coaching, and it hurts to think where we could have been if AJ didn't get hurt, and then Gil and Caron. We could have won the East that year, though would have likely gotten crushed in the Finals. Granted, momentum is a fickle byotch and it could have easily ended, but in reality, we don't know.

There was a good chance of success, and it does give hope that we might get healthy and go on another run with an improved defensive scheme and more intelligent coach (though as I said, they're nothing w/o momentum).

Go Wiz. Three years ago was the zenith of my happiness with the franchise. I don't remember being happier with the Wiz than I was that year, until Gerald Wallace shelved Gilbert for awhile.

[Mel Proctor]

The way we're playing now, how are we even going to get to 4-9?

[LyricalRico]

Another optimism thread? Really?

[doclinkin]

[miller31time]

I copied this topic and merged one of the threads with the official optimism thread.

-miller