GT #73: Raptors @ Wizards 6 PM CSN

[DANNYLANDOVER]

Where I'm at is that the Raptors seem like they're a team for whom dribbling is problematic, and you just take that for granted in an NBA team. Losses like that represent a dire enough state of affairs that potential improvements in your draft stock just turn to ash in your mouth.

I believe their pick is only top 8 protected and then it goes to the Thunder.

their pick is top-3 protected this year and top-2 next year!...pretty much no reason to tank for OKC.

[willbcocks]

Fantastic game by John Wall. He didn't score 35 point, drop 16 dimes, or block four shots, but that was one of his best games in the NBA. He ran the team beautifully and he didn't force anything. He probed and broke down the defense and made smart plays. He controlled the game from the tip and never let go. It reminded me of watching Chris Paul play.

Beal, as always, is just fun to watch. He plays heady, beautiful basketball. This backcourt has the chance to be very special. We just have to figure out a way to get another long-term building block, preferably a big man, next to them. Could you imagine if we had Jonas V with Wall and Beal?

[Ruzious]

Beal is showing why he was compared to Ray Allen. His 3 point shooting in April was even better than when he shocked us by shooting over 50% in January. The jab step forward step back 3 is becoming a popular move, and I noticed he used it last night. Unless the defender is ready for it, it's really hard to defend.

[fishercob]

Fantastic game by John Wall. He didn't score 35 point, drop 16 dimes, or block four shots, but that was one of his best games in the NBA. He ran the team beautifully and he didn't force anything. He probed and broke down the defense and made smart plays. He controlled the game from the tip and never let go. It reminded me of watching Chris Paul play.

Beal, as always, is just fun to watch. He plays heady, beautiful basketball. This backcourt has the chance to be very special. We just have to figure out a way to get another long-term building block, preferably a big man, next to them. Could you imagine if we had Jonas V with Wall and Beal?

Couldn;t have said it better myself. I love watching Wall use his size and athleticism by making two hard dribbles to his right and then making that jump pass to the opposite wing or corner on the money. And then when the defense overplays it, he makes the easy pass to the high post or drives it to the cup. He's becoming very hard to defend.

[closg00]

Vesley almost got a double double....

Yeah 9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block, and a steal in 19 minutes. I missed the game, how did Vesley look?

Meh. He was assisted on every FG. He was active, grabbed some good rebounds, missed FTs, got pushed around. He looked like the Ves of last year.. more or less.

Exactly.

[deneem4]

Vesley almost got a double double....

Yeah 9 points, 8 rebounds, 1 block, and a steal in 19 minutes. I missed the game, how did Vesley look?

Meh. He was assisted on every FG. He was active, grabbed some good rebounds, missed FTs, got pushed around. He looked like the Ves of last year.. more or less.

Sound like the bench mob asik

[Higga]

Maybe there is hope for Jan Vesley....




April Fools

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

am I the only one who thinks Vesely's form isn't all that bad? I think its a confidence issue more than anything. I think he just needs a series of 3 ways to up his morale.

Vesely is much better than he's played this season. He was a useful sub who started a lot of games his rookie season. Forget where he was picked, because he's not responsible for being drafted way too high.

I think it is confidence with him and once he gets confident we could see him transform his game in similar fashion to Wall and Beal. What is important is that he puts the work in and he believes in himself.

[Ruzious]

Vesely doesn't come across to me as someone who lacks self-confidence. I question whether he did work hard in the offseason, because he looked sluggish and lacked lift in preseason and early in the season. He has since regained the lift, but he hasn't dug himself out the doghouse that he put himself into. I'd like to see him get more time to show one way or the other if he's worth holding onto.

[Ruzious]

Speak of the devil in the not literal or literary sense, here’s a link to a most excellent blog article on Vesely. http://broomonthewarpath.sportsblog.com/ A single digit PPA can’t be a good thing, but at least it hasn’t reached Joe Alexander territory.

[dlts20]

was this already posted?



KYLE LOWRY: "The floor is a little bit more spaced for him. Having two bigs in Nene and Emeka [Okafor] definitely clogged the paint and closed up his driving lanes. It's unfortunate that Nene is out, but it gives John the opportunity to get into the paint a little more and use his speed."

[TGW]

was this already posted?


KYLE LOWRY: "The floor is a little bit more spaced for him. Having two bigs in Nene and Emeka [Okafor] definitely clogged the paint and closed up his driving lanes. It's unfortunate that Nene is out, but it gives John the opportunity to get into the paint a little more and use his speed."

I've been saying this since last year. I HATE the Nene/Okafor frontcourt because of this very reason. They both clog the paint and make it tougher for Wall to drive and dish. That's why I wanted Nene to play center, where his jumpshooting would draw opposing centers out of the paint. Instead of Okafor clogging the paint, you'd have a Ryan Anderson or Ilyasova spreading the floor and opening up even more space. The whole offensive dynamic of the team would change.

[nate33]

was this already posted?


KYLE LOWRY: "The floor is a little bit more spaced for him. Having two bigs in Nene and Emeka [Okafor] definitely clogged the paint and closed up his driving lanes. It's unfortunate that Nene is out, but it gives John the opportunity to get into the paint a little more and use his speed."

I've been saying this since last year. I HATE the Nene/Okafor frontcourt because of this very reason. They both clog the paint and make it tougher for Wall to drive and dish. That's why I wanted Nene to play center, where his jumpshooting would draw opposing centers out of the paint. Instead of Okafor clogging the paint, you'd have a Ryan Anderson or Ilyasova spreading the floor and opening up even more space. The whole offensive dynamic of the team would change.

Yup. The solution is right there in front of them. Acquire a high quality stretch four and run a 3-big rotation. Start Okafor and the stretch four and bring Nene off the bench. Wall plays with the stretch four to open the floor, Okafor crashes the offensive glass. Nene plays with the second unit when Wall sits and you run the offense through him as he abuses backups. Bring Nene back in during crunch time with Okafor sitting so that you get even more spacing and skill on offense and better free throws.

The end result is that Wall always plays with a stretch four. Nene gets fewer minutes to keep him healthy. Okafor and Nene would share the court together only when Wall sits. The backup PG could be a guy with 3 point range and we can run a more inside-out offense.

[DCZards]

Yup. The solution is right there in front of them. Acquire a high quality stretch four and run a 3-big rotation. Start Okafor and the stretch four and bring Nene off the bench. Wall plays with the stretch four to open the floor, Okafor crashes the offensive glass. Nene plays with the second unit when Wall sits and you run the offense through him as he abuses backups. Bring Nene back in during crunch time with Okafor sitting so that you get even more spacing and skill on offense and better free throws.

The end result is that Wall always plays with a stretch four. Nene gets fewer minutes to keep him healthy. Okafor and Nene would share the court together only when Wall sits. The backup PG could be a guy with 3 point range and we can run a more inside-out offense.

I like this strategy. It gives the team offensive options that include Nene, Okafor and a stretch four. And it values the important role that Okafor plays as a rebounder (and defender) and Nene's ability to be a focus of the offense. I guess finding that stretch four--either through the draft or a trade--is the challenge. Too bad Singleton is not a better shooter.

[fishercob]

I like the strategy too -- nate had a great similar post on it yesterday.

I just don't want to overreact to one thing that Lowry said. Bear in mind that the Nene/Okafor duo played a huge role in our defense being so good. We have to be careful not to "rob Peter to pay Paul" when it comes to changing offensive schemes at the expense of our defensive prowess.

[tontoz]

Little late but Beal's 3 point display was actually more impressive than it looked in the box score. It wasn't like he was getting wide open catch and shoot looks. Plus two of his misses were off by only a fraction of an inch.

[DCZards]

Good point, Fish. I guess having Nene and Okafor on the court also clogs up the paint for opposing guards like Lowry...and that's a good thing.