Magic @ Wizards - 01/14/13 7:00PM CSN

[Zonkerbl]

If only we hadn't thrown away our second round pick on a euro stash and gotten Crowder instead. Could've gotten Cousins for Crowder and trash easily.

[Ruzious]

If only we hadn't thrown away our second round pick on a euro stash and gotten Crowder instead. Could've gotten Cousins for Crowder and trash easily.

Well, we could have gotten Marcus Cousin http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/4812 for clam chowder.

[nate33]

if shot selection is so easily fixable, then why are so many here in such a hurry
to unload Crawford. Obviously one is a big (DMC) and one isn't (Craw), but it seems
to me that DCZards is right, Cousins just doesn't seem like the kind of personality
that would be good long term.

Because with Crawford, there is no obvious area where he can improve his efficiency. He's not much more efficient even when wide open. He's not big enough and athletic enough to consistently finish at the rim in traffic. He doesn't get to the free throw line. And it's not like you can tell your shooting guard to refrain from shooting perimeter shots. Basically, for Crawford to become more efficient, me must actually become a better shooter, not just a smarter one. Also Crawford isn't an elite rebounder and he is 2 years older than Cousins.

Cousins has an insanely high usage rate based primarily on the fact that he shoots way too many long 2's. If he simply cut his number of 16-23 foot shot attempts in half, he would be shooting 46% instead of 43% from the field and his TS% would rise to a respectable 54% and he would only shave 1.2 PPG off his scoring average. He would average 19 and 12 per 36 with a TS% of .540, rather than his current averages of 20.4, 12 and .506.

[nate33]

I concur. Just looking at his per game stats in his 8 January games, 21.8 points, 12.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists/2.8 to's, 50.8 FG%, 79.4 FT%, and 8 foul shot attempts. He's doing what his upside is.

Yes. His recent run has made him much more difficult to acquire.

He needs another meltdown and/or he needs to request a trade (hopefully to the Wizards). We also need Seraphin and Vesely to continue to look like they looked against Orlando.

[dobrojim]

if shot selection is so easily fixable, then why are so many here in such a hurry
to unload Crawford. Obviously one is a big (DMC) and one isn't (Craw), but it seems
to me that DCZards is right, Cousins just doesn't seem like the kind of personality
that would be good long term.

Because with Crawford, there is no obvious area where he can improve his efficiency. He's not much more efficient even when wide open. He's not big enough and athletic enough to consistently finish at the rim in traffic. He doesn't get to the free throw line. And it's not like you can tell your shooting guard to refrain from shooting perimeter shots. Basically, for Crawford to become more efficient, me must actually become a better shooter, not just a smarter one. Also Crawford isn't an elite rebounder and he is 2 years older than Cousins.

Cousins has an insanely high usage rate based primarily on the fact that he shoots way too many long 2's. If he simply cut his number of 16-23 foot shot attempts in half, he would be shooting 46% instead of 43% from the field and his TS% would rise to a respectable 54% and he would only shave 1.2 PPG off his scoring average. He would average 19 and 12 per 36 with a TS% of .540, rather than his current averages of 20.4, 12 and .506.

You don't think that taking better shots wouldn't improve Craw's efficiency?
It's not that you can have your SG not take perimeter shots, it's the quality of
those shots that he takes. Are they clean looks or are they off balance fade-aways?
Are they long 2s with 18 sec on the clock?

I'm not saying outright no to DMC. I'm just saying the grass ain't always greener.
And if DMC is fixable/changeable, then maybe Crawford is too. DMC's potential
ceiling is clearly higher. No argument there.

Bottom line is probably what Fish says - we probably can't put together the
best deal the Kings might be offered if/when they decide to unload DMC. Moot point.

[dobrojim]

to reiterate a point already made by someone earlier, apologies to whoever
that was, I thought it was significant that we won without getting squat
from Nene. Nene has actually been in a bit of a funk lately. I'm guessing
his efficiency lately is well below career norms. So the question is will
his funk continue, is it related to his less than ideal health, or is it just
part of the normal ebb and flow in performance one sees in most players?

[nate33]

to reiterate a point already made by someone earlier, apologies to whoever
that was, I thought it was significant that we won without getting squat
from Nene. Nene has actually been in a bit of a funk lately. I'm guessing
his efficiency lately is well below career norms. So the question is will
his funk continue, is it related to his less than ideal health, or is it just
part of the normal ebb and flow in performance one sees in most players?

I hope it's not his foot bothering him. Hopefully, he is just being passive since the rest of the team is playing well and he'll be ready to re-assert himself when needed.

[tontoz]

Ted's blog said Nene wasn't feeling well. maybe he was sick.