Is Wall Top 5 PG?

[Nivek]

Wall at 5
http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_ ... position/1

Beal - uh, hmmm
http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_ ... position/2

Gortat - what?
http://espn.go.com/nba/statistics/rpm/_ ... position/9

...Nene

Nene fares surprisingly well in this, coming in at 13 overall and 3rd for DRPM.

Something about our offense is breaking this metric. From looking at where our players come in for ORPM, you'd think we have one of the worst offenses in the league. But we actually have a pretty good offense that scores points against almost anyone and generates a ton of assists. All five of our regular starters can score and pass. And we can score in crunch time, when a lot of other higher ranked offenses can't. Well... isn't that the bottom line for offensive performance?

We show up well as a team defense across the board in DRPM. That might actually reflect reality. When Nene plays, we're one of the best and most physical defenses in the league this year. We have our lapses from time to time, especially when Nene is out. So does everyone.

But we're not such a good defense that 15-6 comes entirely from that. We're not Indy or Chicago from last season, on either end.

I'm kinda puzzled by the claim that the Wizards have a "pretty good offense..." etc. Their offense (so far) has been average -- 106.0 points per 100 possessions vs. a league average of 106.1. It's a bit below average if we account for quality of competition (league's 4th easiest schedule so far), but forget about that for now.

Generating assists doesn't mean a lot. There are good offenses that generate assists and good offenses that don't, and bad offenses that get lots of assists and bad offenses that don't. This year, the correlation between offensive efficiency and assists is moderate (about 0.46).

As I posted over in the game thread, the Wizards shoot the ball pretty well (10th in efg), but are pretty average in turnovers and offensive rebounding, and below average at getting fouled.

And, the Wizards starters really haven't been good offensively. The current starting group -- Wall-Beal-Pierce-Humphries-Gortat -- is scoring about 103 points per 100 possessions. Replace Humphries with Nenê and the ortg falls to 100 (albeit very small sample size). Replace Beal and Humprhies with Temple and Nenê and the ortg was 92.

The starters as a group have truly been getting the job done on defense. The bench on the other hand has been crappy on defense and pretty good on offense.

As for Nenê, I think he's benefiting from some coattail effects. So far this season, most of his minutes have been played with other starters. That GROUP has been good defensively, and that's been true with Humphries in his place. RPM is supposed to filter that out, but it's tough for adjusted plus/minus models with only a quarter of the season played.

[Zonkerbl]

The Wizards are 26th in the league in strength of schedule.

http://espn.go.com/nba/stats/rpi/_/sort/SOS

They have also had some narrow escapes, including the last 2 games. The Wizards are 6-2 in games decided by 5 points or less.

They have been slowly moving up on offensive efficiency, now up to 13th.

Yeah we've been gathering our nuts, as EJ says.

So far this season, both times we've faced a real opponent we've come apart at the seams. Hope that changes tonight.

[milellie111]

Wall showing up in a head to head against Chris Paul is a huge leap. He's defintely top 5.

[hands11]

Gotta say.

That duel makes a statement.

Until they meet again, Wall has the bragging rights and that game does a lot to help ice putting him into the top 5 PGs

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

Yes. He is.

[dangermouse]

CP3 Ain't Sh*T

Top 5 PG's

1. John Wall
2. John Wall
3. Chris "3rd to John Wall" Paul III the 3rd
4. Kyle Lowry
5. Who cares
6. Irrelevant

[hands11]

http://www.monumentalnetwork.com/videos ... l-12-12-14

So much more mature. Confident and calm. I remember the days when he spoke a mile a minute and was just a ball of nerves and energy. Now he has control of all that and knows how to direct it. He is playing defense all game now. So awesome. And still so humble.

He is becoming the best defensive PG in the league. Add that to his passing, pace management, speed and improving jumper and

I'll let this top 5 PG thing settle in and enjoy that for now but if he keeps that up, he can start getting into a legit conversation for top 10 player as the season moves on. Love the booth chanting MVP. Never to early to start getting the word out.

I always say I don't only want a team that wins but I want to like the players on the team and this team offers both.

Once they landed Beal, it was clear to me I liked the design of this rebuild and that this team would be better then any Gil, CB, AJ built team. That is not even debatable anymore. This is the best team in 40 years. And I like all player.

True passing PG that defends, is a leader and fast as lightening and big
A pure shooting smart strong SG that also defends
Bigs that are strong and smart.
The Truth a SF
And all the rest.. Rasual, Miller, etc.

Love this team. Humble. Defensive. Though. United. Mature.

This is awesome.

[jangles86]

2 blocks away from a 5X5. He has entered the MVP conversation fully now.

[Higga]

I predicted before the year that Wall would be a fringe MVP candidate. I don't think he'll win it but at this rate, he should at least get votes to finish like 4th or 5th in the race.

[nate33]

I predicted before the year that Wall would be a fringe MVP candidate. I don't think he'll win it but at this rate, he should at least get votes to finish like 4th or 5th in the race.

It's a possibility because Washington is unlikely to have any other All Stars on the roster. The handful of players better than Wall also happen to have superstars alongside them, detracting from MVP consideration. Chris Paul splits the vote with Griffin. Westbrook splits it with Durant. Harden splits it with Howard. Lilliard splits with Aldridge. Nowitzki splits with Ellis. If Kevin Love gets it going, he could detract from Lebron's chances.

Curry is the clear frontrunner. He's indisputably the best player on indisputably the best team. But after him, it gets a little murky. The only other winning teams that have an obvious best player are Toronto with Lowry, Cleveland with Lebron, and Washington with Wall. I figure whichever of those 3 teams pulls ahead of the pack will end up with the runner-up MVP. (And if it's Cleveland that pulls ahead, it may be due to a surge from Love or Lowry, impacting Lebron's chances.)

Curry looks like a lock unless he gets hurt or Golden State fades in the 2nd half of the season.

[jmrosenth]

He has sorta been the JJ Watt of the NBA, to a lesser degree. Meaning he signs his massive extension and gets BETTER. And that's before we get to intangibles like health, leadership, and the community outreach.

Remember there was debate about whether he was worth a max extension?

And we still haven't seen his best yet.

[Brenice]

In the real world, Wall is top 5. In Realgm(outside of the Wizards Forum), all the stat geeks give lil acknowledgement to PG defense and its impact on the game and they don't rate him as high.

In reality though, he still has to make his mark in the playoffs. He has to be able to not lose confidence in his jumper in the playoffs. Teams will do him just like they do LeBron, go under the pick and leave him open. That's his test. He is fine in the regular season. When the playoffs start and games are really pressurized, he can't be reluctant.

[nate33]

In the real world, Wall is top 5. In Realgm(outside of the Wizards Forum), all the stat geeks give lil acknowledgement to PG defense and its impact on the game and they don't rate him as high.

In reality though, he still has to make his mark in the playoffs. He has to be able to not lose confidence in his jumper in the playoffs. Teams will do him just like they do LeBron, go under the pick and leave him open. That's his test. He is fine in the regular season. When the playoffs start and games are really pressurized, he can't be reluctant.

There are some really good PG's in this league right now. It's really hard to fault someone if they think that Curry, Westbrook, Lowry or Paul are better than Wall. All are putting up significantly better numbers for teams doing just as well, if not better than us.

And then there's a few other guys who are also playing very well and one could argue are comparable if not better than Wall. That list includes Lilliard, Teague, Irving and Parker.

[FAH1223]

I predicted before the year that Wall would be a fringe MVP candidate. I don't think he'll win it but at this rate, he should at least get votes to finish like 4th or 5th in the race.

It's a possibility because Washington is unlikely to have any other All Stars on the roster. The handful of players better than Wall also happen to have superstars alongside them, detracting from MVP consideration. Chris Paul splits the vote with Griffin. Westbrook splits it with Durant. Harden splits it with Howard. Lilliard splits with Aldridge. Nowitzki splits with Ellis. If Kevin Love gets it going, he could detract from Lebron's chances.

Curry is the clear frontrunner. He's indisputably the best player on indisputably the best team. But after him, it gets a little murky. The only other winning teams that have an obvious best player are Toronto with Lowry, Cleveland with Lebron, and Washington with Wall. I figure whichever of those 3 teams pulls ahead of the pack will end up with the runner-up MVP. (And if it's Cleveland that pulls ahead, it may be due to a surge from Love or Lowry, impacting Lebron's chances.)

Curry looks like a lock unless he gets hurt or Golden State fades in the 2nd half of the season.

Don't forget about the 2013 Defensive MVP, Marc Gasol.

[nate33]

Don't forget about the 2013 Defensive MVP, Marc Gasol.

You're right. Another indisputably best player on a very good team.

[stevemcqueen1]

I think Curry and Gasol are the MVP front runners so far.

I'm not so sure Lowry is the clear cut best player on his team when DeRozan is healthy though.

Isn't it strange that Memphis trades Pau Gasol to LA for Marc in a deal that is widely panned, and then Marc emerges years later as a potential MVP candidate and arguably the better, more impactful player?

[deneem4]

curry- historic start his team is elite but someone have to get it..
harden - keeping them pacing with howard out respect it or not
wall - 2nd in the league in assists and steals...leads his team in points assists steals and 2nd in blocks...


the rest dont matter
gasol is awesome and be killing it but that team is a complete effort where gasol can be off but it won't kill the offense or defense but il still have him 4th
lowry is good but hes going to split votes with derozan not to mention loui Williams been a 6th man canidate

[dckingsfan]

I think Curry and Gasol are the MVP front runners so far.

I'm not so sure Lowry is the clear cut best player on his team when DeRozan is healthy though.

Isn't it strange that Memphis trades Pau Gasol to LA for Marc in a deal that is widely panned, and then Marc emerges years later as a potential MVP candidate and arguably the better, more impactful player?

Agreed on Curry and Gasol. And you are right, the trade was good for Memphis - put them in the hunt for a very long time and you have to argue that they are a top 4 team in the NBA now.

[dckingsfan]

John Wall player of the week in the East

[hands11]

I predicted before the year that Wall would be a fringe MVP candidate. I don't think he'll win it but at this rate, he should at least get votes to finish like 4th or 5th in the race.

Well good call then.

The season is early. If he keep bringing it he should at least get first team all NBA defense which is also a high honor.