GT #65: Suns @ Wizards 7 PM CSN

[hands11]

Wizards now 9th from the bottom of the league.

This is not very effective tanking

Two games ago they were 3rd worse.

[hands11]

I'm trying to keep cool about this but it's four games in a row of ridiculous numbers put up by Wall. He looked absolutely dominant in stretches tonight. Really controlled the game. The jumper looks butter. This is the Wall I thought we were getting when we drafted him.

Now that Wall can shoot the Wizards are good.

Wall has been miraculously better the last 5 games. Even more dramatically improved than Beal from December to January.

I think Webster has been a fantastic addition and he must be paid to stay. Temple is our Thabo Sefolosha, rock solid in his role. Beal came back looking like a veteran. Booker is playing like healthy Booker. Seraphin is starting to play with a lot of intensity.

The only hurdle for the Wizards now is to overcome teams with dynamic frontcourt players.

Wall looks like he's all world good all of a sudden.

Yeah, teams with athletic bigs are going to give them problems unless Kevin S can really get it going. They just don't have athletic size in the front court. Booker helps but he isn't tall enough. Now if Ves all the sudden can play, then his length would really help a lot.

But most likely they will need to add this off season to help them in that area. Withey would help.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I know he's young age-wise but has played since he was 18. Maybe he's a late bloomer.

Yeah but its not like he played big minutes in Portland, he was injured a whole year there too. In Minnesota he also didn't play starter's minutes.

He definitely is healthy this year and you see the difference.

We are now 18-14 with Wall in the lineup.

The Wizards with Wall (18-14) are playing at a 46-36 pace.

However, this last 5 games the Wizards with turbocharged, super-efficient Wall they've played MUCH better than the 46-36 pace.

[hands11]

I know he's young age-wise but has played since he was 18. Maybe he's a late bloomer.

Yeah but its not like he played big minutes in Portland, he was injured a whole year there too. In Minnesota he also didn't play starter's minutes.

He definitely is healthy this year and you see the difference.

We are now 18-14 with Wall in the lineup.

The Wizards with Wall (18-14) are playing at a 46-36 pace.

However, this last 5 games the Wizards with turbocharged, super-efficient Wall they've played MUCH better than the 46-36 pace.

Well before the season ... before we know Nene would be out and Wall was injured, I thought they could be as good as 4th or 5th in the conference. Min 6th to 8th.

Its just nice to see a more stable core of player coming together so the younger player can develop. Beal was first to step up. Now Wall is. Booker is getting back to being Booker. All that adds up. Now maybe Kevin can make the leap.

This is how things start to snow ball. You can't have 6 player trying to develop all at once. Developing that way is a crap shoot and if it does happen, it takes longer. Playing right helps other player play right.

[Illuminaire]

The domino effect on defenses when they have to respect Wall's shot is pretty amazing. The floor just opens up for everyone else, because both a guard and a big have to keep their eyes on Wall for the entire possession.

[montestewart]

How hard is it from some of you to get your head around the fact that we are a good 3 pt shooting team.

I've watched almost every game this year with my father-in-law. He doesn't say much during the game. His most frequent comment: "They just can't make a shot." Recently, his most frequent comment: "Another 3-pointer."

[dobrojim]

so stat guys, how far up have we risen on the 3 pt efficiency chart
as a team? Considering where we started the year as a team, I'd
guess we're doing a fair bit better. It's definitely a mutually
beneficial relationship btw a respectable outside shooting
Wall, interior presence guys (OkaNene) and 2 dead eye 3 point
shooters. As long as they don't turn it over...

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

so stat guys, how far up have we risen on the 3 pt efficiency chart
as a team? Considering where we started the year as a team, I'd
guess we're doing a fair bit better. It's definitely a mutually
beneficial relationship btw a respectable outside shooting
Wall, interior presence guys (OkaNene) and 2 dead eye 3 point
shooters. As long as they don't turn it over...

Wizards are now one spot from being top 10 in 3 point shooting and went from being dead last in points per game all season to 28th all from last night's game.

[closg00]

We need to bottle-up the home-court magic and take it on the road.

[nate33]

so stat guys, how far up have we risen on the 3 pt efficiency chart
as a team? Considering where we started the year as a team, I'd
guess we're doing a fair bit better. It's definitely a mutually
beneficial relationship btw a respectable outside shooting
Wall, interior presence guys (OkaNene) and 2 dead eye 3 point
shooters. As long as they don't turn it over...

Wizards are now one spot from being top 10 in 3 point shooting and went from being dead last in points per game all season to 28th all from last night's game.

Since January 1st (the day Beal transformed from an awful shooter to an awesome one), the Wizards have shot .411 from 3-point range. That leads the league by a country mile. The next highest team, the Warriors, are at .396 and everyone else is below .390. No team has shot that well since the 2009-2010 season.

Since January 1st, Beal is shooting .500 from 3 on 4.2 attempts per game; Webster is shooting .474 on 5.2 attempts per game; and Ariza is shooting .369 on 3.8 attempts per game. Webster's and Beal's numbers are so ridiculously insane that it's hard to believe it's actually happening. In the history of the league, only 4 players have ever shot .470 or better with at least 4.0 attempts per game, and nobody has exceeded .480. We've got two players exceeding .470, with Beal at an unprecedented .500. (Of course, they've only done it over a 37 game stretch, not the entire season. A few other players have probably managed it over 37 games.)

[tontoz]

Major props to Webster. He has been good all year so it was fitting he was the first to 30.

With Beal back, Wall on a tear and Webster still on fire the tank is really on life support.

[DCZards]

Major props to Webster. He has been good all year so it was fitting he was the first to 30.

With Beal back, Wall on a tear and Webster still on fire the tank is really on life support.

^^^ Pull the plug on the tank.

[hands11]

[AWIZZINGBULLET]

so stat guys, how far up have we risen on the 3 pt efficiency chart
as a team? Considering where we started the year as a team, I'd
guess we're doing a fair bit better. It's definitely a mutually
beneficial relationship btw a respectable outside shooting
Wall, interior presence guys (OkaNene) and 2 dead eye 3 point
shooters. As long as they don't turn it over...

Wizards are now one spot from being top 10 in 3 point shooting and went from being dead last in points per game all season to 28th all from last night's game.

Since January 1st (the day Beal transformed from an awful shooter to an awesome one), the Wizards have shot .411 from 3-point range. That leads the league by a country mile. The next highest team, the Warriors, are at .396 and everyone else is below .390. No team has shot that well since the 2009-2010 season.

Since January 1st, Beal is shooting .500 from 3 on 4.2 attempts per game; Webster is shooting .474 on 5.2 attempts per game; and Ariza is shooting .369 on 3.8 attempts per game. Webster's and Beal's numbers are so ridiculously insane that it's hard to believe it's actually happening. In the history of the league, only 4 players have ever shot .470 or better with at least 4.0 attempts per game, and nobody has exceeded .480. We've got two players exceeding .470, with Beal at an unprecedented .500. (Of course, they've only done it over a 37 game stretch, not the entire season. A few other players have probably managed it over 37 games.)

It's amazing where Beal's field goal % is right now when you remember where it was. He may finish the season around 43%. Beal is on track for 40% behind the 3-point line, never would've believed that he could surpass Cartier Martin's mark this season.