Washington @ Orlando 7PM 11/8

[Benjammin]

Since I moved to Richmond a few years ago, I haven't listened to 980 but they are insufferably bad when it comes to Wizards basketball. They fawn all over EJ and would constantly bash Haywood because he wasn't a 25 year old Shaq while ignoring all the other weaknesses on the team. That's why I always dream of a lineup with Haywood and another big man who can play defense because together that would really be something special.

[hands11]

So basically we don't have Haywood so we suck. We need to give that kid a raise.

But here we go.

McGee is our best big man by far. Even as raw as he is, he is our best talent there. His alley opps are insane and he can actually shoot from the outside. He should start and get 25-35 mins until Haywood returns.

Dixon is our best all around PG. He is a leader, mature, fast, can hit the 3 and dished out 10 assists the other night and has and endless motor.

Nick Young is the best player on this team at creating his own shot and the kid can shoot.

So if that is all true, and I think it is, then they all have to start.

Add CB as your best all around player and you have 4 position cover.

McGee, (PF), CB, NY, Dixon

Just pick your PF from there. You can plug is AJ, ET or Blatche. AJ would be the easiest safest bet. There shouldn't be much argument about this and the fact that EJ doesn't get this means he should be fired. It's really not that difficult to figure out.

The only problem with that plan is that we're likely to have a second unit without any of Dixon, Young, Butler or Jamison on the court. Who is gonna score?

Keep Young on the 2nd unit. Just bring him at the 7-8 minute mark in the 1st and 3rd and play him the entire 2nd and 4th quarters, so he still gets 30-32 minutes.

You start your best players. If you want to plug in AB to start at PF or Etan or DSong, then fine, you can make that argument but I don't think most would agree nor would EJ ever do it. You have to start the game strong and you do that with your best players. We need to get a rhythm going and that starts with your starters.

McGee, AJ, CB, NY, Dixon then you start to rotate lesser players to play against lesser players.

You can go with lots of different line ups. Like I said before, depending on what you need rotate to

McGee, ET, AJ, CB, Dixon
McGee, DSong, AJ, CB, Dixon
McGee, AB, AJ, CB, Dixon

Any of those would be fine as a first rotation. Of if you want to move 2 players in just switch Dixon for AD or D Brown.

You have AD and D Brown as your other PG
DS can shots the 3 and would work ok in the 2nd unit so you start rotating players out. With the first switch I made, NY is already resting or NY and Dixon.

You can run something like this as second units. There are several combination that could work.

AB, DSong, AJ, DS, D Brown

[hands11]

You want to do someting radical, then use the starting lineup of:

PG: Dixon (30 minutes)
SG: Young (40 minutes)
SF: Butler (40 minutes)
PF: Songaila (18 minutes)
C: Javele (30 minutes)

Jamison should be the 6th man and play 32 minutes strictly as the PF.

Deshawn gets 26 minutes as the 3rd guard.
Mguire and Opec get spot duty as SF.
Blatche gets 18 minutes as backup center.

AD and Etan get DNP-cds. Dee Brown gets spark duty if needed.

That is one version of what I'm saying and I hardly find it radical. It's common seen. But even praying that EJs eyes open to this idea, I don't he would not start AJ so you can do the numbers with AJ starting and you will get to a more probable solution.

[dandridge 10]

I'm not going to regurgitate what everyone else said and I don't have time to read these threads. This will be a record-setting team. Whether EJ starts Young and/or McGee, it doesn't matter right now because we are going nowhere. The defense is beyond bad and that's a combination of things, though Haywood is definitely missed. I was hoping preseason wouldn't carry over, but I guess I was wrong. When we get crushed by Utah at home, something needs to change.

Glad to see you admit you were wrong about the preseason. Normally, I don't get too excited about preseason losses. But, you could tell something was majorly wrong in this preseason when the Wizards were basically getting blown out every game.

[LyricalRico]

What I'm wondering is how's the defenivese improvement Ayers supposedly was to provide?

This is the part of continuity that made no sense in keeping. Last year this was the league's worst perimeter defense and the Wizards made no changes. O'Koren, Ayers, Hubbard -- I say none of them's coaching much defense.

I think that the combination of allowing guys to slack on defense for 5 years and having idiotic "protect the paint" schemes has finally come home to roost. You can't instill bad defensive habits for half a decade and then expect guys to do a complete 180 once you feel like the team should be ready to contend. This team has been conditioned to be bad defensively and I think it's beyond the current regime's grasp to change it.

[hands11]

Nate, my plan is strictly so that the best players on the team (Young and Butler) get the most PT. N1 getting 30 minutes isn't enough. He should be playing 40. Reward your best players. Besides, I think DS would be better served as a 3rd guard.

Jamison can be a fine 6th man. He's done it before. I'd start Songaila because he'd be a reliable open shooter who sets picks and passes the ball. He'll body someone too. DS can play uptempo. Just stand behind the 3 point line and finish.

I've wanted that for years but its not going to happen. AJ isn't going to be a 6th man on an EJ coached team. Best you can hope for is NY starting and DS going to the bench.

Better late then never. But as I laid out, you could see DSong first off the bench. That is a scenario worth looking at.c

McGee, AJ, CB, NY, Dixon to
McGee, DSong, CB, NY, Dixon

This way AJ is still starting but you get him out somewhat early so you can bring him back with the 2nd unit. Or if he is hot, you can make other adjustment. The point it, we have to get our starting line up changed first. Every goes from there.

We have lost the first quarter of each of these games. That is the first thing that needs addressed.

[The Consiglieri]

Anyone know the quality of the '09 draft? I hate to sing that song a week into November, but something smelling rotten in Denmark, and it's not just the horrible Arenas signing or our current record. That pick, and McGee's development are my focus at this point.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

Ugh. This team's best starting five is Dixon, N1, Butler, AJ, and McGee.

That's a lottery team, folks. With the way they're playing defense, that's a lottery winning team. And it's a shame because it's obvious what's wrong with the zards defense is very fixable.

I have been on the EJ fence a long time. It is obvious the dude just does not understand defense one iota. Other teams' three point shooters DROOL at the thought of playing the wizards, because their defense is SO PREDICTABLE and SO EASY TO BEAT. How many jumpers from the left corner were left wide open because of bad defensive strategy by the coach and bad defensive spacing by the players? Do not double down EVERY PLAY. FAKE A DOUBLE TEAM and get back and get the other team out of rhythm. DO NOT DO THE SAME DAMN THING EVERY TIME!!! DO NOT HAVE SONGAILA GUARD DWIGHT HOWARD!!!! The team just does not communicate on defense, probably because they have no idea what they're supposed to be doing.

Sad. EJ is a good guy, you can tell. The guys like him (obviously because he doesn't make them play defense, but still) and his offense works well, when run by a starting five with three allstars on it. Players consistently put up better numbers playing for EJ than they do anywhere else. The dude does know how to get mediocre players to reach their fullest potential on offense. But man, the dude cannot handle good defensive players, he doesn't understand their contribution to the team, he doesn't know how to teach defense to young players... I mean his lack of defensive knowledge is causing more and more problems for the team each year that he's there. Look at Blatche. I think he is not improving because he is only a mediocre offensive player. To reach his potential he has to learn to use his body to play good defense, and he is just plain not learning that from EJ. And he never will. Probably the same thing is going to happen to McGee.

I'm worried about firing EJ. The next coach coming in probably will not be able to get as much offensive production out of the zards as EJ does. And EJ was a good fit for the zards a few years ago when the team consisted of Gil, Butler, AJ, and a bunch of talentless scrubs. Since Gil and AJ can't play defense, you might as well get a coach who doesn't give a crap about it. But EG has put together a roster with some amazing athletic talent that could transform into an absolutely fierce defense, which will generate fast breaks and easy buckets for Blatche and McGee and N1. But that's just not going to happen with EJ as the coach. And the longer he stays on as the coach the more damage he'll do.

[Ji]

Anyone know the quality of the '09 draft? I hate to sing that song a week into November, but something smelling rotten in Denmark, and it's not just the horrible Arenas signing or our current record. That pick, and McGee's development are my focus at this point.

blake Griffen is the #1 pick..could be that power forward we have been looking for. Not a great draft as of yet from what I hear but its early

[Ji]

looks like he is the next Karl Malone

NBA Comparison: Karl Malone/Carlos Boozer
Strengths: Griffin is very long and athletic; an excellent physique and build ... He excels at getting up and down the floor very quickly ... A ridiculous athlete and a monster on the boards and around the rim, currently just smashing on anyone that gets in his way ... Attacks the glass with reckless abandon ... Griffin has grown into his aggressiveness over the years as the team has relied on him more and more ... Can take long, driving steps to the basket but needs to be sure to keep the ball with him and not mishandle or leave it behind ... He has grown a good four or five inches since his freshman year, and is definitely adapting to his new size well ... Could create terrible matchup problems at the next level if he could expand his game out to the perimeter successfully, being able to drive by larger slower defenders or posting hard on smaller defenders ... Being the best player on the floor at any given time, he has learned to effectively pass out of double and triple teams ... A coach's son, Griffin definitely has the mental game and winning attitude it takes to become a great player. His high school team is seeking its fourth straight state championship this year and has lost only a couple games the past three seasons ... A fiery, emotional leader, the team undoubtedly goes as he goes ... He has an almost mindless killer instinct and intensity level, giving 110% every time he steps foot on the court ... Has incredibly intimidating size for an NBA small forward, but is probably going to be more comfortable playing in the post for the time being ... An excellent ball handler capable of facing the basket and getting by defenders ...

[dandridge 10]

What I'm wondering is how's the defenivese improvement Ayers supposedly was to provide?

This is the part of continuity that made no sense in keeping. Last year this was the league's worst perimeter defense and the Wizards made no changes. O'Koren, Ayers, Hubbard -- I say none of them's coaching much defense.

I think that the combination of allowing guys to slack on defense for 5 years and having idiotic "protect the paint" schemes has finally come home to roost. You can't instill bad defensive habits for half a decade and then expect guys to do a complete 180 once you feel like the team should be ready to contend. This team has been conditioned to be bad defensively and I think it's beyond the current regime's grasp to change it.

Maybe your right LR. In the pregame interviews the last two games, EJ has said that he was telling his players not to help in the paint and just play your man straight up. However, maybe the players are incapable of following that instruction because the previous "protect the paint at all cost scheme" has been ingrained in their heads.

Personally, I don't think the Wizards scheme has much to do with our poor defense. I think the Wizards poor D is more due to the Wizards not having the personnel that can play defense or care about defense. I mean, the vast majority of our players don't play D, either because they can't or won't:

AJ is a tweener who is too slow to guard opposing 3s and too short to guard opposing 4s.
AD is too slow;
Etan and Sangalia are either too slow to guard 4s or too small to guard 5s
Gil, until the beginning of last year, couldn't care less about playing D;
Blatche plays with a lack of effort and isn't the smartest player in the league;
Dee Brown is too short;
Butler also is slower than most 3's. He also has been playing very lazy this year. I swear half of the three pointers that have been made this year were the result of him not getting out to the shooters.
Dixon tries but is to slight of build, etc.

Right now, we only have four guys on this team that seem to have the capability and the desire to play D. And three of the four are either rookies (McGee) and a second year players (Young and McGuire), who are still learning defensive concepts in the NBA. The other player, Stevenson, is only an average defender.

On top of all of the above, the Wizards most effective defensive player and defensive communicator is probably out for the season.

Given the above, its not really surprising that the Wizards are back to the bottom of the league in defense. IMHO, the only way the Wizards are going to improve is to make some moves to bring more experienced defensive minded players to this team, or somehow get more effort out of the players that are not "bringing it" on the defensive end and at the same time continue playing the youngsters with the hope that they can learn the defensive concepts.

Unfortunately, I don't think there is a chance that the Wizards will be able to make any moves this year. We either have bad contracts to trade or we have players that nobody is going to want (or pay greater value for). And after watching the first five games of the season, I'm skeptical that we are going to get any more effort out of the players who are not "bringing it" on the defensive end. In fact, after tonights game, it appears to me that some of the players on this team seem to already be mailing it in. So, my only hope at this point is that our youngins learn on the fly this year, we make some moves over the offseason using our expiring contracts, and we get healthy for next year.

Overall, the writing is clearly on the wall for me. Without Haywood, I don't see this team turning the season around like they did last season. This is going to be very, very long season, irregardless of whether or not EJ changes the rotations the way you want him too.

[yungal07]

Since I moved to Richmond a few years ago, I haven't listened to 980 but they are insufferably bad when it comes to Wizards basketball. They fawn all over EJ and would constantly bash Haywood because he wasn't a 25 year old Shaq while ignoring all the other weaknesses on the team. That's why I always dream of a lineup with Haywood and another big man who can play defense because together that would really be something special.

Aww man, I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

Big ups to Glenn Consor -- he's a good guy but a rampant Wizards homer. Never admits that Jamison is a no defense chucker. Never gives enough credit to Haywood but has a boner for Etan Thomas and his faux tough guy act. I like Wizards fans, but homers annoy me.

[LyricalRico]

What I'm wondering is how's the defenivese improvement Ayers supposedly was to provide?

This is the part of continuity that made no sense in keeping. Last year this was the league's worst perimeter defense and the Wizards made no changes. O'Koren, Ayers, Hubbard -- I say none of them's coaching much defense.

I think that the combination of allowing guys to slack on defense for 5 years and having idiotic "protect the paint" schemes has finally come home to roost. You can't instill bad defensive habits for half a decade and then expect guys to do a complete 180 once you feel like the team should be ready to contend. This team has been conditioned to be bad defensively and I think it's beyond the current regime's grasp to change it.

Maybe your right LR. In the pregame interviews the last two games, EJ has said that he was telling his players not to help in the paint and just play your man straight up. However, maybe the players are incapable of following that instruction because the previous "protect the paint at all cost scheme" has been ingrained in their heads.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

N1 scored 20!

[fishercob]

A few unconnected thoughts:

1) 0-5 may be an underachievement for this team, but as rico alluded to, there's not a lot of talent (or mature enough talent) on the court right now. While he's not a setup man like Paul or Nash, we've known for years that Gil makes things easier on his teammates because he puts so much pressure on the D. Without him and Haywood, the Wizards just aren't very good.

2) I have always objected to the internetty invective towards Eddie Jordan, but it's becoming clearer that sooner or later this team is going to need a new voice. My biggest beef with him is his stated defensive philosophy predicated on disruption/turnover created instead of on forcing misses (which all good defensive teams focus on).

3) Be careful what you wish for WizFans! Our friend Ji has been praying for major injuries and a 15 win season so we can win the lottery. And I think a lot of us preferred a 15-20 win season than a 33-38 win season because it increases our chances of getting better faster. But if we can psychologically deal with a terrible year, we'll be going into the offseason with some tools to reshape a roster -- a lotto pick, big expirings, young talent, and the need for change.

4) As much as some people are upset with the job EG has done, you have to credit him on the Dixon signing (which I was none too thrilled with myself). He's doing just as well as Mason would (better passing, worse shooting) at a fraction of the price. He also seems to vibe well with JMac and enjoy mentoring him.

5) Let's Go Caps. I had the good fortune of missing the Orlando game because I was at Caps-Rangers last night. I'm hoarse and it was a total blast. For you locals, if you haven;t been to a game in a while -- GO! You will not be disappointed. Others, see if you can catch them in HD on Versus. I'm not suggesting abandoning the Wiz, but perhaps channeling some of that fan energy into a team that is really on the upswing. The in-game experience is phenomenal. The crowd is genuinely loud all game long. Nate & Dat -- Caps are in Columbus Saturday night 11/29. You should go and piss off the home crowd.

Hope everyone out there is doing well.

-fish

[WizarDynasty]

I think the most encouraging sign to see this game was that blatche was able to 6 free throws which means that he slowly starting to earn respect from the officials. He was fouled on almost all of his shot attempts and didn't get the calls but he did get to line more than our supposed 2 best stars on team jamison and butler. What does that mean, Blatche more times than not forced his opposing team to foul him because he achieved a superior offensive position. Caron butler is a mid range jump shooter, lets call it what it is. He doesn't really have the speed to beat his man off the dribble unless some one hits him with a pass that gives him an offensive advantage. Rarely can caron create an offensive advantage off the dribble against the average SF or SG. Blatche on the other can create an offensive advantage against most powerforwards off the dribble and once he is inside, does have an a physical advantage that jamison does not. I think that blatche needs someone ta challenge his jumpshots in practice in order to improve his shot. He hits his free throws nicely but its apparent that he doesn't practice shooting jump shots with a hand in his face in the paint or on the perimeter. Dixon has nice passing ability but like someone said, he doesn't have the strength to and quickness to stop stop dribble penetration. Jamison kills any momentum this team has on defense. As soon as the team makes an offensive shot, jamison is flat footed while his man is burying an open jumper. I would rather see pecherov out there over jamison at this point. Jamison and Caron are essentially useless without gilbert. Gilbert penetrates on each play causing the defense to collapse and this is where caron and jamison game thrives. They use the offensive advantage that is created by Gilbert's drive. Nick and been pretty impressive with his perimeter defense and offensive awareness. I think he is the only one of wizards guards this season that has a blocked shot on the perimeter. I think eddy needs to continue developing blatches ability to draw fouls. Without a big that can draw fouls, wiz will never be able to close games in crunch time on the road. Blatche though needs to get to point where he he can finish through fouls. apparently eddy doesn't work on this blatche when designing his offense since his offense relies solely on low percentage shots from jamison and caron shooting his jumper even though he has an hand in face...when normally he is wide open due to gilbert's drive.