GT: Wizards @ Raptors (Part 2) 1-30-08

[I_Like_Dirt]

I bring up Arenas, because he is the best player on the Wizards. We have been through it many many times, and Im not going to repeat it now, but the wizards are NOT a better team without GA.

The Wizards are a lot worse offensively without Arenas, but with him they're a lot worse defensively. Last season the Raptors went at him every chance they got and it worked out pretty damn well. This season the Wizards have committed a lot more to defense. Hopefully Arenas will, too, when he comes back rather than just gambling for steals all the time because if he doesn't it creates an immediate crack in what is actually a pretty solid defense this season.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

-= original quote snipped =-



The Wizards are a lot worse offensively without Arenas, but with him they're a lot worse defensively. Last season the Raptors went at him every chance they got and it worked out pretty damn well. This season the Wizards have committed a lot more to defense. Hopefully Arenas will, too, when he comes back rather than just gambling for steals all the time because if he doesn't it creates an immediate crack in what is actually a pretty solid defense this season.

Totally agree, but Jamison was horrible on D last year too. As it stands right now, our weakest defender is still at the PG position, so I cant see it being worse when Arenas comes back.

Also, for all the talk about our ball movement and getting everyone, just check out the assist numbers between Daniels and Arenas.

[miller31time]

Through defensive tracking, Arenas has shown up as a much better defender than AD. Especially in the small time he got this season.

[Kosta]

Toronto is like us last year, excellent at home, putrid on the road, no defense.

Road records:

Toronto: 11-12
Washington: 9-12

Not that P.A is a great indicator of good defense, but since neither team is really up-tempo, don't think the pace should skew it too much. We average 95.2 points against, you guys 97.9.

As someone else pointed out already, we're 8 spots ahead of you in defensive efficiency.

[I_Like_Dirt]

Totally agree, but Jamison was horrible on D last year too. As it stands right now, our weakest defender is still at the PG position, so I cant see it being worse when Arenas comes back.

Also, for all the talk about our ball movement and getting everyone, just check out the assist numbers between Daniels and Arenas.

Jamison isn't a great defender but from the chances I've had to see over the past few seasons he's taken a lot of flak for trying (and failing) to cover some of the other holes defensively on the team. He's a tweener defensively which causes him some troubles but he's always been a pretty smart defender who knows where to be and what to do. Those are usually the kinds of defenders who get exposed when the team is breaking down defensively because they're smart enough to get to the point of the break but not physically talented enough to cover it up.

Edited to add:

And while Daniels isn't a world-beater on defense he's pretty smart at covering the passing lanes and doesn't gamble nearly as much defensively as Arenas does which helps maintain the defense quite a bit.

I think the Wizards are a better team with Arenas than without, but not by as much as a person might at first think unless Arenas completely changes his approach to defense.