Wizards vs. Raptors (Tuesday, December 1)

[Hoopalotta]

I do think though that had Bosh gone more to his faceup game on iso's, he could have gotten Wood into foul trouble; there was a point in the first half where it looked like this might have been a problem. He went to his post game too much for whatever reason, which obviously wasn't working.

The Raptors are bad as is, but they can be a loopy mismatch maker kind of team in a rock-paper-scissors kind of way.

[nate33]

From the Raptors' Board

Mr. Bosh's 4th quarter performance

10:56 Bosh Jump Shot: Missed
07:16 Bosh Jump Shot: Missed
06:49 Bosh Driving Hook Shot: Missed
05:31 Bosh Turnover : Lost Ball (3 TO) Steal:Jamison (1 ST)
04:33 Bosh Layup Shot: Missed Block: Haywood (2 BLK)
02:17 Bosh Driving Layup Shot: Missed Block: Haywood (3 BLK)

[DaRealHibachi]

From the Raptors' Board

Mr. Bosh's 4th quarter performance

10:56 Bosh Jump Shot: Missed
07:16 Bosh Jump Shot: Missed
06:49 Bosh Driving Hook Shot: Missed
05:31 Bosh Turnover : Lost Ball (3 TO) Steal:Jamison (1 ST)
04:33 Bosh Layup Shot: Missed Block: Haywood (2 BLK)
02:17 Bosh Driving Layup Shot: Missed Block: Haywood (3 BLK)

@ their gamethread... They're absolutely drooling about having Wood on their team... Funny stuff...

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

How do you explain this team? Give Flip some credit on adjusting the lineups at the end. Playing D-Mac, no D-Brick again. We make FTs and we win this in double digits. Good win.

I'm not sure how good the Wizards will be, but Flip has this roster dialed in now, as far as I'm concerned.

When he started using Young and McGee about 4 games back, that was all I needed to see. Flip's playing a deeper bench now. He'll play all 11 healthy guys. He's seen the light about not using the short bench with lots of DeShawn and Fab without utilizing energy and athleticism a McGuire can provide.

Flip got off to a slow start IMO, but I really like him as a coach now.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

This was a very good win. Basically, we destroyed Toronto except we missed a ridiculous number of free throws. If the Wizards hit 78% of their free throws and don't let Turk hit that meaningless 3, they would have won by 12.

Obviously, Haywood and Jamison were huge, but I'm even more happy that Butler and Arenas both broke out of their funk. Butler finished with 19 and 7 with a TS% north of 65% while shutting down Turkaglu (3-11, 4 turnovers). Arenas had 9 assists to 1 turnover, but then looked like the Arenas of old, scoring 12 points in the 4th quarter.

Young didn't get many shots, but he looked pretty good out there too. His defense was solid again. DeRozan had just 2 points and Belinelli had 5 (at least 3 of which happened when Young was sitting).

The only guy who really didn't play well was Blatche, but at least he hit the clutch free throws down the stretch.

You know, it was weird, but this was about the first game ever where Young just kind of blended in. He's usually such a love-hate kind of guy, but it seems that here he was just focused on doing what the coaching staff told him and eased back on his hero-work. His Man-D, especially on the ball, is looking pretty good. He doesn't look like a guy in danger of playing in Helsinki next year.

As to Butler, the numbers are OK, but it really just feels off. It's like him against the world. Though yes, it's true, he's been good on the glass and D-ing up.

For Blatche, I thought he brought good energy early, so nothing to really be alarmed about I'd say. Though I hated that O-board he gave up off the free throw (I was worried when Flip subbed out Wood).

The good win cancels one tough loss they just gave up to Charlotte.

Nick blending in bodes very well for the Wizards. Just letting the game come to him is huge growth for Nick.

Wasington's probably going to be fine when Miller gets back. Butler's struggles will become minimized--if he's even struggling when Miller comes back.

[dobrojim]

loved the W for a number of reasons already stated

Haywood's pwnage of Bosh

the return of a Gil much closer to the old one, but maybe even
better in the respect that his a:to was outta sight. Nice job
Gil. No one will care that much what your statline is
when the team wins. But nice statline tonight, very nice.

I liked Caron tonight with the exception of the one charge
which someone earlier pointed out, you could see coming
a mile away. He had a couple nice defensive plays late
after coming back in for Dom (or maybe one was earlier).
The block on the layup and the steal at the end of the shot
clock. And his shooting stroke is back.

AJ didn't slump too long. And notice how we don't
notice that AJ is a bad defensive player anymore.
How did that happen? (Flip).

7DD may have had an awful +/- but I think that he was
a victim of not being able to play through the bad
stretches due to fouls. Stepping up and knocking
down BOTH FTs was obviously a huge clutch, MATURE
moment for him. We may need a fresh 7DD tomorrow
if Bogut gets Haywood in foul trouble.

McGee and Dom both played OK, Dom maybe a little
better than Javale tonight. Dom was really solid defensively
and on the glass. The one miss on the weird looking scoop
shot by McGee taints my view of his overall game more than
it should perhaps. They were making a run then and we
coulda really used that bucket.

NO DS! But DS might be the guy to D up Redd tomorrow.
Then again I'm forgetting about Nick who as others have
pointed out, blended in nicely and was effective. Much
more mature and seems to understand what needs to
be done, when to force the issue a little, when to let
the game come to him. Maybe the alien from Baltimore
on our bench has been whispering to Nick.

Flip may have been badly outcoached against LB but
he sure wasn't tonight. Flip has said that he wants
our identity to be kind of a grind it out, we'll out-
execute you kind of team that plays solid D and
in their Ws, that's just what they've done.

Finally Earl got better as the game went on with his D
on their PG. And was ice at the close when the FTs
were most critical (although not as critical as 7DD's were).

Very solid road W. Re the argument in the CHA game
thread and/or elsewhere on EJ vs Flip, I wonder if
EJ would have won this game, especially since he
would have probably gone small against TOR's size
and only played Haywood 24-26 minutes.

[ErikChowbay023]

Great win...I cant wait till Gil finds his stroke again..He will easily drop 25 to 30 a night..

Great defensive effort..Flip has really changed this teams..They do a lot of little things on that end of the floor..and against a high scoring finesse team like the Raptors it really is necessary...I was worried coming into the game that they were a high scoring team..but I am glad they gave the effort they did..

The offense looked ok...I like the way gilbert attacked but also played in the flow of the game...and that one turnover is great..If a 75% gilbert can get 22 and 9 like that..Im afraid for the rest of the league when hes 100%...

I really liked the rotations...and that Flip made the necessary decisions...I was somewhat hesitant to like the move bringing in Caron for D-Mac in the 4th...because Mac brings some much defensive versatility and rebounding...I really like him for this team...but Caron did pretty good we he came in. he played very tough defense..

Haywood played great d on Bosh and never made it easy for him..he worked for everything and Jamison was a solid as always...

Who would have thought...we would be this good a defensive team, after the last 5 years a lot would have thought it would have never been possible...but defense one this game...as well as some good offensive possessions down the stretch..we been closing out games well...

Big game tomorrow..We really need to win ...Great win...

[doclinkin]

You know, it was weird, but this was about the first game ever where Young just kind of blended in. He's usually such a love-hate kind of guy, but it seems that here he was just focused on doing what the coaching staff told him and eased back on his hero-work.

The one instance of N1-on-5 was when he was matched against fellow USC alum DeRozan. They have a bit of friendly war of the words, jawing about who is better. Nick shut him down at one end, then dribbled to death, but actually hit the shot at the other end, which makes it bearable. Other than that, yeah, kid played within himself and concentrated on 'D' first.

[AlohaWiz]

How do you explain this team? Give Flip some credit on adjusting the lineups at the end. Playing D-Mac, no D-Brick again. We make FTs and we win this in double digits. Good win.

I'm not sure how good the Wizards will be, but Flip has this roster dialed in now, as far as I'm concerned.

When he started using Young and McGee about 4 games back, that was all I needed to see. Flip's playing a deeper bench now. He'll play all 11 healthy guys. He's seen the light about not using the short bench with lots of DeShawn and Fab without utilizing energy and athleticism a McGuire can provide.

Flip got off to a slow start IMO, but I really like him as a coach now.

Maybe I'm giving Flip too much credit, but his management of the younger players vs. the veterans could have been calculated (at least in part--injuries to just about everyone played another part).

Maybe he intended to use the younger players more extensively all along (he did mention in preseason how tough it would be to settle on a rotation). But he played the vets early on to: (1) get a feel for what the vets can provide and (2) to let the younger players sit and learn. By sitting on the bench, rather than just being given playing time, they learn to appreciate their mintues more. I know, it sounds familiar. EJ and Tapscott allegedly followed the same philosophy about "earning minutes", "paying dues", etc. The difference being that Flip actually rewards good play with more playing time. And he doesn't send a player to the doghouse indefinitely for making a mistake.

Anyway, again maybe I'm giving Flip too much credit, but he's won an awful lot of games for it all to have been from luck or chance.

[JonathanJoseph]

How do you explain this team? Give Flip some credit on adjusting the lineups at the end. Playing D-Mac, no D-Brick again. We make FTs and we win this in double digits. Good win.

I'm not sure how good the Wizards will be, but Flip has this roster dialed in now, as far as I'm concerned.

When he started using Young and McGee about 4 games back, that was all I needed to see. Flip's playing a deeper bench now. He'll play all 11 healthy guys. He's seen the light about not using the short bench with lots of DeShawn and Fab without utilizing energy and athleticism a McGuire can provide.

Flip got off to a slow start IMO, but I really like him as a coach now.

Maybe I'm giving Flip too much credit, but his management of the younger players vs. the veterans could have been calculated (at least in part--injuries to just about everyone played another part).

Maybe he intended to use the younger players more extensively all along (he did mention in preseason how tough it would be to settle on a rotation). But he played the vets early on to: (1) get a feel for what the vets can provide and (2) to let the younger players sit and learn. By sitting on the bench, rather than just being given playing time, they learn to appreciate their mintues more. I know, it sounds familiar. EJ and Tapscott allegely followed the same philosophy about "earning minutes", "paying dues", etc. The difference being that Flip actually rewards good play with more playing time. And he doesn't send a player to the doghouse indefinitely for making a mistake.

Anyway, again maybe I'm giving Flip too much credit, but he's won an awful lot of games for it all to have been from luck or chance.

I don't think you are giving Flip too much credit, I do think you are overthinking this though.

I seriously doubt Flip was interested in being 6-10 at this point, so I'm sure he would have played NY1 and JM right off the bat if that would have been the best lineup.

But Flip's patience and flexibility in terms of the rotation have been pretty smooth so far. He's slowly but surely figuring out roles and players who plays well together and I have suspect that the Wizards will be a killer squad coming down the stretch (assuming relative health). It's coming together, just a little slower than anyone thought. And Kudo's to Flip for how he's handled it.

[AlohaWiz]

Heh, I have to agree that I don't think Flip intended to start 6-10. But I think he (like many NBA coaches who tend to rely on their veterans for consistency) probably would like to have brought the younger players along more gradually. Due to injuries and inconsistent play from vets (such as Stevenson and Oberto who are roleplayers at best) Flip needed to change the timeframe. To his credit he brought Young, McGee and McGuire into the rotation (some more than others obviously) sooner rather than later. Also, to his credit these guys seem to be actually getting it, so he seems to be doing a good job coaching 'em up. Some coaches may have stuck to their guns with the vets, but Flip didn't. Also, you're right that I'm probably overthinking it too, but that's why we're here right?