Official John Wall Appreciation Thread 2.0

[tontoz]

Dang, fish beat me to the comment I was going to make. Jake's article doesn't actually demonstrate WALL's statistical impact, it shows the change since Wall returned (which is not the same thing).

Maybe you should write a TIC article about how the team has improved since Price returned.

[Higga]

Wall will be on ESPN 980 in a couple minutes.

[GhostsOfGil]

Wall will be on ESPN 980 in a couple minutes.

Is there an online stream? Can't find one.

[nuposse04]

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/affPopup?s=wtem-am

i think this it...

[GhostsOfGil]

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/affPopup?s=wtem-am

i think this it...

Thanks. At work with no radio.

[TheKingOfVa360]

Here's an archived link for the people that missed it

http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=65&c=425&f=76987

[DCZards]

Well now we're 8-7 with Wall, with another win over a contender.

The stats are great and all, but all I know is what I see and the team plays better with Wall. Numbers don't explain everything.

+1

[crackhed]

Well now we're 8-7 with Wall, with another win over a contender.

The stats are great and all, but all I know is what I see and the team plays better with Wall. Numbers don't explain everything.

he influences the game significantly by his ability get to the rim effortlessly with little room and tremendous speed... he forces the opposing team to be on the back of their heels when he's in the lineup. even before putting up the shot, the opposing team has to think about court balance bcuz if there's a long rebound, its 2 points if they dont.

[tontoz]

Anyone still think Wall's weight is a problem?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Mike Prada at his best with a fantastic breakdown of Wall coming through in the clutch last night.

Even cooler that Wall broke the play down with him and is quoted in the piece.

Mike Prada really has helped one person who tends to fixate on Wall's shooting and decisionmaking whoas. The developing chemistry between Wall and Nene is good to see. Let's see more of that halfcourt composed play and good execution!

Wall is growing in this case by having a teammate who can actually lighten the load on him at the end of games. Nene as a secondary passer or threat at the rim off screen roll is a boon to John Wall. Having options like Webster setting up for his corner three or Bradley Beal up top for a kick out is adding new dimensions to the Wizards.

Thanks for posting that here, fish. I don't visit Bullets Forever as often as I should. Mike Prada is fantastic and it's nice to see progress like this. Wall isn't doing much different, but good decisionmaking is easier and easier these days in part due to his teammates. OTOH his teammates have him alone to thank for his superior court vision. Wall is using the threat of his speed to the rim the right way now, thanks to himself and his teammates.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

i will give him props for his ability to drive, collapse the d and kick to open shooters but that's about all he can do on offense other than go coast to coast fast break. and he really isn't even that good at finishing at the basket imo. i don't know the exact numbers but he seems to miss a lot of layups.

he did make his free throws last night which was good to see but overall he's disappointing in that department as well.

overall i just see the same exact player he was when he came out of college. what part of his game has he developed? where has he shown any sign of improvement? i thought year 3 was going to be the make or break year for wall and so far he isn't taking that next step i thought he would.

as others have mentioned i think the only way wall can be an all-star is if he plays with 1 or 2 other elite scores that he can dish to because he simply isn't good enough offensively to get to that level on his own. maybe Beal can be that guy eventually? he needs other players to make him look good and mask that offensive scoring deficiency.

I agree that he is what he has been.

I think Wall could concievably make the all stars with healthy Nene, improved with age Beal, and just one elite scoring swing player or stud scoring PF added to this team.

At the very same time, because I agree with you ST21, Wall doesn't have enough game to get by without having elite teammates around him IMO. His limitations are the same as they have always been.

The good news is who cares if the team around him becomes a 50+ win team without Wall becoming anywhere near an elite player?

[DCZards]

Wall is using the threat of his speed to the rim the right way now, thanks to himself and his teammates.

CCJ, you used the one word that sums up Wall's game the best--threat. Opponents know John is still not a good jumpshooter. Opponents know he commits a lot of turnovers. And opponents know that Wall will sometimes play too fast and out of control. But they also know that he's ALWAYS a threat to blow by his defender and create for himself or his teammates. When Wall has the ball in his hands, defenses and defenders are on their heels. That's a major key to his effectiveness on offense...as well as to the Zards recent success.

[AFM]

Didn't know which thread to put this in:

Wizards Have League's Best Defense With Wall In Lineup
Feb 09, 2013 10:15 PM EST


The Washington Wizards have allowed 95.1 points per 100 possessions since John Wall returned, a mark that would rank 1st overall.

“That’s one thing coach (Randy Wittman) prides us on is doing it on the defensive end because we can score in various ways and get out in the open court. They was doing a good job of making it tough on teams,” Wall said of his teammates before his return. “The main thing to be good in this league, especially a young team, you got to come out and play hard and that’s what we try to do every night and create offense off of our defense.”

The Wizards have held opponents to less than triple digits in 14 of Wall’s first 16 games, and only five opponents have shot better than 45 percent during that span.

“Our guys have bought into the system and has worked their tails off to do the things night in and night out that we need to do on the defensive end,” Wittman said. “Are you going to make mistakes? Yeah. But I like our mistakes now being made now because they’re aggressive. We’re overaggressive. We’re trying too hard. You take those as a coach.”

[B-easy]

Wall defense has been mostly patchy but he has had his great moments.

[Illmatic21]

"Patchy" would probably describe the defensive efforts of 90% of the starting PGs in the league. Wall is near the top of that list compared to most, and he will only get better.

[TheKingOfVa360]

"Patchy" would probably describe the defensive efforts of 90% of the starting PGs in the league. Wall is near the top of that list compared to most, and he will only get better.

Yeah Wall's been playing border line all-NBA caliber defense this year. To call his defense patchy is not accurate.

[Higga]

With his length and athleticism, Wall has always reminded me of the great Gary Payton. Looks like his D is ahead of his O right now. If he ever gets a consistent jump shot, he'll be the best PG in the league easy.

[TheKingOfVa360]

With his length and athleticism, Wall has always reminded me of the great Gary Payton. Looks like his D is ahead of his O right now. If he ever gets a consistent jump shot, he'll be the best PG in the league easy.

I agree, Wall has high potential. He needs to work with Dave Hoopla again this summer and keep improving his game.

[GhostsOfGil]

I agree, Wall has high potential. He needs to work with Dave Hoopla again this summer and keep improving his game.

Dave Hoopla got signed as a full time shooting coach in Boston I think.

"Patchy" would probably describe the defensive efforts of 90% of the starting PGs in the league. Wall is near the top of that list compared to most, and he will only get better.

At times Wall looks like a defensive stud but he has a ton of trouble staying in front of quick guards. His help defense is very good but his man to man defensie is indeed patchy.

There have also been a handful of players who have lit him up; His counter part numbers this year are considerably worse than they were last year.

[Zonkerbl]

He doesn't have to stay in front -- just force them to the sidelines, into the teeth of our frontcourt d.