The season started Nov 25 - December forecast

[hands11]

Now that we have a new coach who will line our players up the way most of us wanted, lets see what it will look like climbing out of this hole. This will not be easy. 1-10 is a deep hole but we need to get a move on. No time to waste if we are to save this season.

I hope we get on a hot run right away to erase the damage done. I'm calling for an 8 game winning streak but I know that probably won't happen. But it is important that we get hot right away.


ORL - Home game. We should still be on a high with the big win and new confidence. This will be a tough game but I like our chances. I'll be optimistic and call it a win. And if we do, this team will have a lot of confidence moving forward which they will need. This is a huge game to get this turned around.

3-10

ATL - Another Home game off a days rest and feeling good. REVENGE GAME. We can take them

4-10

@ NY Off more days off and practice. Huge REVENGE GAME. Team is feeling good. First road game for Tapps and the boys. Rack it up.

5-10

Portalnd - At home the next night. We are on a 4 game win streak coming home. Its a back to back but the crowd is going crazy for their boys. Tough win but we full it out.

6-10

Lakers - At home off a days rest. While I would like to say we win every game we won't. Energy is high. We are on a 5 game win streak but the lakers take us. But if they don't, this would be such a huge win. They will be flying high and moving forward, any game could be a win. This would be an extra huge win but I'm calling it a loss.

6-11

@ CHI - Tough game. Back to back on the road coming off a loss. This will be big to keep things moving forward. I would easily see a loss here but we need it to be a win and because we have DET and Boston at home coming up. Tapps will have them ready.

7-11

At this point we have two tough games. I will re-evaluate our chances once I see what we do to get here. To tough to call without seeing some more ball from the boys. I would like to call a split but we could go 0-2 here. 7-13 at worst but hopefully 8-12. If we took that LA game, we would like our chances better. We need something like this to happen if we are going to stand a chance because the schedule start getting harder with road games and a west coast wing. This is a critical time for us.

Dec 11 we are 8-12. That an 8-2 run. We are going to need something like this and we can do it. We got on a run last year just because we changed some line ups so with Tapps as coach, I like our chances even better.

So hopefully by Dec 11 we are 8-12 and then we need to be playing really good to close out the month. This is going to be really tough.

And for all of that, 8-12 will only put us at .400% which would currently put us at #13 out of #15 teams in the conference. Only better the Indi and Charlotte. But it would get us a lot closer to striking range of the .430% to .500% pack of 7 teams where we can start to move up slot more quickly.

At this point we will start the GA watch. When will he return? Well need a health update.

We don't have much margin for error. This is going to be really tough.

[nate33]

If we can beat Orlando, it looks like the schedule is favorable for us to put together 4-game win streak. That would sure go a long way to rebuilding our confidence and get us back into the playoff race. We'd be 5-10 going into the Portland game. It's hard to predict what'll happen after that. By then, scouts will have a better handle on what Eddie T is doing and things might get a little harder.

But even if we only go 2-3 in the subsequent 5 games (Portland, LA, @Chi, Det, Bos), we'd be sitting with a 7-13 record. I can live with that. If we can stay around 5 or 6 games behind .500 through January when Arenas gets back, we should be in pretty good shape.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

If we can beat Orlando, it looks like the schedule is favorable for us to put together 4-game win streak. That would sure go a long way to rebuilding our confidence and get us back into the playoff race. We'd be 5-10 going into the Portland game. It's hard to predict what'll happen after that. By then, scouts will have a better handle on what Eddie T is doing and things might get a little harder.

But even if we only go 2-3 in the subsequent 5 games (Portland, LA, @Chi, Det, Bos), we'd be sitting with a 7-13 record. I can live with that. If we can stay around 5 or 6 games behind .500 through January when Arenas gets back, we should be in pretty good shape.

That seems about right. I found myself thinking last night that if we can get to about 13-17 or so at the 30 game mark, we'll be alright... one decent run and we'd be right in the mix. Going 11-7 over the next 18 doesn't seem impossible.

[chisox05champs]

bulls fan here...I happen to be big into fantasy basketball and I've been checking this Wiz boards often for roster updates. And granted, I'm aware that stats and fantasy nonsense have nothing to do with actual NBA success...but I've watched the Wizards on several occasions and am very impressed with the potential of this team. I'm surprised that so many posters here doubt that Washington can compete right now. McGee, a guy I was down on during the draft (I didn't get to check out many Nevada games), has shown a much higher basketball IQ than expected. His talent and hustle is a winning combination (especially for a seven footer). And if the game last night was any indication, the E.J. departure really lit a fire under Blatche. If the Wiz get production that those two bigs are capable of combined with the Jamison / Butler duo, and then combined with a healthy Arenas (I love that he's not rushing back to the court. Let that thing heal and come back January), and I see the Wizards making a playoff push this year. Too bad that does conflict with getting the #1 pick, but it should make for a much more fun season. Real bright future in Washington.

now get healthy Gilbert.

[hands11]

If we can beat Orlando, it looks like the schedule is favorable for us to put together 4-game win streak. That would sure go a long way to rebuilding our confidence and get us back into the playoff race. We'd be 5-10 going into the Portland game. It's hard to predict what'll happen after that. By then, scouts will have a better handle on what Eddie T is doing and things might get a little harder.

But even if we only go 2-3 in the subsequent 5 games (Portland, LA, @Chi, Det, Bos), we'd be sitting with a 7-13 record. I can live with that. If we can stay around 5 or 6 games behind .500 through January when Arenas gets back, we should be in pretty good shape.

That's pretty much exactly what I was thinking. I should have started a thread and laid that all out in detail.

Orlando is playing tonight so they will be coming off a back to back. Both away games. That should give us a better shot. ORL is by no means a much win game for us but if we could win, it would be a great confidence builder.

[hands11]

"Most of my focus," Tapscott said, "has been on the defensive end. We've scored some points this season; we need to prevent some people from scoring. I want to see some charges taken. I want to see some fouls at the rim. I want them to get back in transition."

"When rookie JaVale McGee delivered a hard foul early on a Golden State player, Tapscott turned to the bench and screamed that this was exactly what he wanted to see more frequently, that "you can't just drive the ball on [the Wizards] without there being a response."

- Hey, Etan may come in handy after all. If nothing else, Etan will slam somebody.


"Tapscott also talked last night about the Wizards developing "a signature, a team has to have a signature. We're still in the developmental stage." He was talking about beating the opposition in hustle points, second-chance points, defensive stops. "We do not want to be a one-dimensional team," he said."

"Yes, Blatche is that skilled. How else do you put up -- get this -- 25 points, 12 rebounds, 5 assists and 5 blocked shots in 29 minutes?

That's a line that Kevin Garnett puts up. "

- Hmmmm, me thinks I recall a poster who used to call him KG Jr. With EFJ gone, could the talent I saw finally be realized ?

"Some things under Tapscott won't be a surprise. He plans to ride Caron Butler (35 points, 8 rebounds, 6 assists) and Antawn Jamison (25 points, 11 rebounds) as much as is reasonable and keep one of the two on the court at all times. He wants to moderate the expectations for McGee, who played only two years of college basketball, and plans to play the 20-year-old rookie 20 to 24 minutes (he played 20 last night) per game until his conditioning improves. When Golden State's Don Nelson, the master of the matchup, started to go after Washington's diminutive Dee Brown, Tapscott countered with a huge lineup of 6-5 DeShawn Stevenson, 6-7 Butler at shooting guard, 6-9 Jamison at small forward, Blatche and McGee. They helped the Wizards win the rebounding battle, 54-40."

[hands11]

bulls fan here...I happen to be big into fantasy basketball and I've been checking this Wiz boards often for roster updates. And granted, I'm aware that stats and fantasy nonsense have nothing to do with actual NBA success...but I've watched the Wizards on several occasions and am very impressed with the potential of this team. I'm surprised that so many posters here doubt that Washington can compete right now. McGee, a guy I was down on during the draft (I didn't get to check out many Nevada games), has shown a much higher basketball IQ than expected. His talent and hustle is a winning combination (especially for a seven footer). And if the game last night was any indication, the E.J. departure really lit a fire under Blatche. If the Wiz get production that those two bigs are capable of combined with the Jamison / Butler duo, and then combined with a healthy Arenas (I love that he's not rushing back to the court. Let that thing heal and come back January), and I see the Wizards making a playoff push this year. Too bad that does conflict with getting the #1 pick, but it should make for a much more fun season. Real bright future in Washington.

now get healthy Gilbert.

You nailed the high points. Only, firing EJ didn't lite a fire under ABs, it removed the handcuffs.

[toughjuice03]

Now that we have a new coach who will line our players up the way most of us wanted, lets see what it will look like climbing out of this hole. This will not be easy. 1-10 is a deep hole but we need to get a move on. No time to waste if we are to save this season.

I hope we get on a hot run right away to erase the damage done. I'm calling for an 8 game winning streak but I know that probably won't happen. But it is important that we get hot right away.


ORL - Home game. We should still be on a high with the big win and new confidence. This will be a tough game but I like our chances. I'll be optimistic and call it a win. And if we do, this team will have a lot of confidence moving forward which they will need. This is a huge game to get this turned around.

3-10

ATL - Another Home game off a days rest and feeling good. REVENGE GAME. We can take them

4-10

@ NY Off more days off and practice. Huge REVENGE GAME. Team is feeling good. First road game for Tapps and the boys. Rack it up.

5-10

Portalnd - At home the next night. We are on a 4 game win streak coming home. Its a back to back but the crowd is going crazy for their boys. Tough win but we full it out.

6-10

Lakers - At home off a days rest. While I would like to say we win every game we won't. Energy is high. We are on a 5 game win streak but the lakers take us. But if they don't, this would be such a huge win. They will be flying high and moving forward, any game could be a win. This would be an extra huge win but I'm calling it a loss.

6-11

@ CHI - Tough game. Back to back on the road coming off a loss. This will be big to keep things moving forward. I would easily see a loss here but we need it to be a win and because we have DET and Boston at home coming up. Tapps will have them ready.

7-11

At this point we have two tough games. I will re-evaluate our chances once I see what we do to get here. To tough to call without seeing some more ball from the boys. I would like to call a split but we could go 0-2 here. 7-13 at worst but hopefully 8-12. If we took that LA game, we would like our chances better. We need something like this to happen if we are going to stand a chance because the schedule start getting harder with road games and a west coast wing. This is a critical time for us.

Dec 11 we are 8-12. That an 8-2 run. We are going to need something like this and we can do it. We got on a run last year just because we changed some line ups so with Tapps as coach, I like our chances even better.

So hopefully by Dec 11 we are 8-12 and then we need to be playing really good to close out the month. This is going to be really tough.

And for all of that, 8-12 will only put us at .400% which would currently put us at #13 out of #15 teams in the conference. Only better the Indi and Charlotte. But it would get us a lot closer to striking range of the .430% to .500% pack of 7 teams where we can start to move up slot more quickly.

At this point we will start the GA watch. When will he return? Well need a health update.

We don't have much margin for error. This is going to be really tough.

You are being highly optimistic about our upcoming schedule I see us beating Orlando only because its their 2nd game in as many days. I see us going into the Portland game on a 3 game winning streak then to lose the next 2 before beating Chicago. I see us being 6-12 going into our game vs Boston which will most likely result in a loss(although we took the series last yr.) I see the Detroit game being a more winnable game for us.

[hands11]

Man the window to turn this around was really small.

Every next game is just so huge. It's like taking a wrong turn, the longer you drive down the wrong road before you realize it, the longer it takes to get back on track. And if you don't turn around soon enough, you'll end up being to late to make it to the party.

The sad truth is simply this season is riding on the success of McGee and Blatche in the post.

We could get away with a weaker post game when you have CB, AJ, and GA but without all three, this team needs a solid big man in the post to win.

Once Haywood went down, the only option for this team to be .500 was to have a solid productive center.

Etan just isn't a good enough center to pull it off against most teams. He has the beef which is good. If you wanted Etan down there then you needed a long athletic PF to play along side of him. We didn't do that. Also, Etan didn't play all of last year. So starting him with AJ was just dumb given the other options.

Then there is McGee. That's putting a lot on McGee's shoulders. The kid is a great talent but he is just so raw and hasn't even played once against any of the centers he would be facing.

In hind site, the smarter move would have been to start Blatche at center. Actually, I can't believe that hasn't happened and I can't believe I missed this. I was so focused on starting him with McGee I guess I missed just starting him at center period.

Blatche has only start 1 game
McGee has started 5

The right move would be to start Blatche there. He is much more likely to put it together quicker then McGee. He is only 1 inch shorter but 10 lbs heaver and has a lot more NBA experience at the position and has at least played against the other starting centers.

Orlando is a great example. McGee has never gone up against anything like a Howard. At least Blatche has some idea of what that is like.

This is what we need to do ASAP.

Blatche, AJ, CB, DS, AD

We need to stabilize the team right now. That line up gives you the best chance to do it.

[nate33]

Blatche has played better than McGee lately, but I'd hesitate to start him just yet. McGee just came off his worst game as a pro. I'd continue to start him for a few more games to get his confidence back. Bench him now and he'll be second-guessing himself for the rest of the season.

Another problem with starting Blatche is his propensity to commit fouls. Veteran starters know all the tricks to draw fouls. Inexperienced backups aren't as good at drawing fouls from Blatche. Utilizing Blatche as a reserve will help to keep him on the court for more minutes.

The best formula seems to be to start McGee and have him play at full speed. Let him sprint down the court after every defensive rebound and try to force the opposing center to chase him around a bit. Put McGee at the high post and have him attempt those aggressive slashing moves to the lane where he can hopefully draw a few fouls. Basically, do anything to utilize McGee's quickness and energy in an attempt to tire the opposing starter a bit and get him in foul trouble. Then bring Blatche in after about 6 minutes to play against the tired starters and then against the opposing backups.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I think the Wizards should start both Blatche and McGee. Max out both their minutes that way.

Sit Stevenson.

[hands11]

I think the Wizards should start both Blatche and McGee. Max out both their minutes that way.

Sit Stevenson.

Well you know no one would love to see that more then me. That would be one way to roll the dice but you would have to pull one of them quickly so you can go back to having one or the other on the court at all times.

What we are really missing and have been for a while is that 3rd big. Where missing Charles Jones
We need that center vet who can defend if McGee or Blatche get in foul trouble. If Haywood was healthy we could be looking so set down there. And all we have as a 3rd option is another inexperience playing in OP.

Losing Haywood from the start of the season was probably the worst thing that could have happened to us. It gave McGee zero time to get his legs under himself before becoming so needed by this team. We just need to buy this kid like 30 days.

So yeah, playing both could work but if you were to start only one, it would have to be Blatche right now for all the obvious reasons. This team really needs to make a move to get another center if Haywood is out for the year.

Who is out there we can get? A vet who doesn't need to start would be idea. Hell, I'd even take Kwame back. Or, bring back Calvin Booth. We just need something as a 3rd option that is better then Etan or OP. That shouldn't be to hard.

[hands11]

Blatche has played better than McGee lately, but I'd hesitate to start him just yet. McGee just came off his worst game as a pro. I'd continue to start him for a few more games to get his confidence back. Bench him now and he'll be second-guessing himself for the rest of the season.

Another problem with starting Blatche is his propensity to commit fouls. Veteran starters know all the tricks to draw fouls. Inexperienced backups aren't as good at drawing fouls from Blatche. Utilizing Blatche as a reserve will help to keep him on the court for more minutes.

The best formula seems to be to start McGee and have him play at full speed. Let him sprint down the court after every defensive rebound and try to force the opposing center to chase him around a bit. Put McGee at the high post and have him attempt those aggressive slashing moves to the lane where he can hopefully draw a few fouls. Basically, do anything to utilize McGee's quickness and energy in an attempt to tire the opposing starter a bit and get him in foul trouble. Then bring Blatche in after about 6 minutes to play against the tired starters and then against the opposing backups.

Both get fouls but Blatche is more likely to adjust and figure it out before McGee.

I'm very happy we got McGee. This is nothing against him. It's just we need to give the kid a little breathing room. Not starting him isn't going to affect his head at all. The kid isn't wired like that and besides, he is 2 weeks into his NBA career. I'm sure he doesn't think the starting position is his. It's not like he beat out Haywood or anything. He is starting because Etan sucked at center so we wanted to try something different and he was well enough to get a chance.

I'm sure he wouldn't think anything of Blatche starting. He may actually be happy. This way he can take a few week ( twice his NBA career ) to get his feet settled and he won't feel the weight of the whole team on his shoulders. The kid would be happy as long as he is playing and contributing. I don't think starting is the biggest thing to him right now.