GT: 3/9 LoLCats @ Wizards Gonna Wiz 8PM CSN

[Ruzious]

Wall needs a full training camp & preseason to work out the kinks. I think he works hard but certainly the results make me question the efficiency of his efforts. He definitely needs to keep working on that corner 3. If nothing else get the corner 3, be aggressive and attack but and treat the ball like gold, not like balloon filled with helium and he'll be one of the best all-around Gs in the league in a year or two.

For 1 reason or another, the corner 3 is a much higher percentage shot than other 3's, and I think the Wiz have been consciously taking advantage of that - much to their credit. So the corner 3 is Wall's best bet. But even on the one he made last night, he hesitated before shooting, so obviously he has no confidence in it. I'm worried less about his mechanics than his confidence. And both should be fine if he simply works very hard on the 3 this offseason.

[nate33]

Having Wall develop the corner 3 should enable much more flexibility in the offensive set. For now, all offensive plays have to involve Wall as the ball handler because if you put him off the ball, his defender leaves him and plays help D. With Wall having a corner 3 in his repertoire, we could see some new looks, like a Beal/Nene pick and roll. It'll allow the team to exploit defensive mismatches more effectively.

[tontoz]

Just sick blocks tonight by Wall. Absolutely disgustingly sick.

Agreed. He is absolutely amazing at this. With the exception of Lebron, there's nobody better than Wall at chase-down blocked shots.

Unfortunately, he gets far too many opportunities because of his own turnovers.

Josh Smith says hi. He is the best i have ever seen at this.

[stevemcqueen1]

Anthony Davis is nasty at the chase down block. Guard fluidity plus absurd hands, timing, and length.

Wall has to be the best guard at doing it though and one of the best shot blocking guards in the NBA. Athletically, Wall is the LeBron of the PG position.

He always gets the chase down when his man goes for the lay up. Last night he would have had a third if the lay up attempt wasn't horribly off because he felt Wall coming.

Wall is a brilliant transition defender. He's comfortable playing at that speed and just free styling. I've never seen a PG make so many plays against opponents with scoring numbers. He blocks and alters shots and takes charges and makes it look easy. I'm no longer shocked when he successfully defends a 2 or 3 on 1.

His defensive potential is through the roof if he improves his effort level and focus. I would love for him to work with Gary Payton this summer.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Early this season, TGW and Illuminaire were calling me crazy for saying Charlotte was going to be competitive. Ruz, I was saying back then that Ramon Sessions would help them win.

I got real cocky when Charlotte beat Washington and had a record of 7-5. Washington was something like 1-10. I just KNEW I was right.

I remember Illuminaire and/or TGW (forget which) saying they still thought Charlotte would come back down to earth and be a terrible team. Turns out they were right and I was wrong. Charlotte is now 13-50.

How does a team go 6-45 after being 7-5?

[stevemcqueen1]

Charlotte only has two or three players other teams would really want. I think any team would like to have Kemba Walker and MKG. Some teams would like to have Jeff Taylor or Bismack, probably not that many. Some teams would like to have Gerald Henderson. And some teams would like to have Sessions but his salary isn't very good. No teams would want Gordon at his current salary except as an expiring deal.

[Ruzious]

CCJ, I think it goes to show that even the terrible teams have streaks where they look good. Washington was 2nd worst in the NBA last season but finished strong enough to fool some into thinking they were a real up and coming team. The one player on Charlotte that I really thought would be better is Biyombo (sp?). But he's still just 20 (unless his age was phonied up), and I think you need to surround him with better front court players.

[stevemcqueen1]

Yeah I really liked Bismack as a prospect. He's the shot blocker we thought he would be, and he's a pretty good per minute rebounder. But he's a useless offensive player. Incredibly raw.

[montestewart]

How does a team go 6-45 after being 7-5?

Toward the beginning of the season, the Bobcats had many new players, so maybe the book on facing them was still being written. That may have worked in their favor.

Toward the beginning of the season, the Bobcats faced the Mavs without Nowitzki, the Wolves without Love and Rubio, the Wizards twice without Nene and Wall, and with many new players still figuring out their roles or how the hell they ended up on the Wizards. That may have worked in their favor.

Finally, as the season progressed, the Bobcats remembered that they were 7-59 last year, including a 23 game losing streak to end the season. That may have worked against them.

At the beginning of the season, they were this Bobcat


But now, they're this Bobcat

[SUPERBALLMAN]

If I get depressed being a Washington Wizards fan I can always look at the Bobcats and feel better. They are even worse, spend less money, in a smaller market Charlotte, and have an even worse team name Bobcats.

As bad as it may be being a Wizards fan, it could be worse.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Nice pics, monte.

I was driving on a highway in West Virginia years back and I saw a bobcat very nearby. The one I saw was not as big as the one in the picture above. That one is huge. Even a small one can be pretty ferocious.

[jivelikenice]

Having Wall develop the corner 3 should enable much more flexibility in the offensive set. For now, all offensive plays have to involve Wall as the ball handler because if you put him off the ball, his defender leaves him and plays help D. With Wall having a corner 3 in his repertoire, we could see some new looks, like a Beal/Nene pick and roll. It'll allow the team to exploit defensive mismatches more effectively.

Wall had a couple of effective minutes at the end of the first half playing off the ball with Price. I think Wittman wasted a good opportunity to experiment with that some more in the second half.

The one play I'm waiting on is for Wall to cut for the back door alley oops when he's sitting in the corner. After he kicks it in and goes to the corner, his defender isn't payin any attention to him....it's there every time.

[penbeast0]

If I get depressed being a Washington Wizards fan I can always look at the Bobcats and feel better. They are even worse, spend less money, in a smaller market Charlotte, and have an even worse team name Bobcats.

As bad as it may be being a Wizards fan, it could be worse.

And for all the crap this board gives the Wiz for the nickname, Charlotte has the worst nickname in professional sports notable only for a complete lack of originality.

[sfam]

If I get depressed being a Washington Wizards fan I can always look at the Bobcats and feel better. They are even worse, spend less money, in a smaller market Charlotte, and have an even worse team name Bobcats.

As bad as it may be being a Wizards fan, it could be worse.

No doubt. Just take a look at MKG's box score. I could barely notice him in the game. Its hard to understand how they could put together a team as bad as the bobcats. I really feel sorry for Haywood being there - and he's not even starting for pete's sake!

All in all it was a relaxing game to watch. We thought about giving them the option to make it exciting in the 4th, but the Bobcats were having none of that.

[pancakes3]

The corner 3 would help but it's not going to keep the defense honest like good old fashion heat checks that Arenas would throw up. A corner 3 is still easy to funnel to. The dead-on 3 would do a lot more to help spacing than the corner 3. Whatever spacing the corner 3 allows for is partially negated because Wall won't be the one handling the ball. Now with Wall AND Beal out there stretching the floor, it'd be a VERY open court for someone like Nene to operate out of the high post with.

[nate33]

The corner 3 would help but it's not going to keep the defense honest like good old fashion heat checks that Arenas would throw up. A corner 3 is still easy to funnel to. The dead-on 3 would do a lot more to help spacing than the corner 3.

Yes, the straight-ahead 3 would be better, but it's a more difficult shot because it's 2 feet further out. Wall has shown very little aptitude at hitting that shot, but he has hit the corner 3 at a decent clip. In the only season where he has a sample size that matters (his rookie year), Wall shot 40% from the corner and 28% from the rest of the arc.

FWIW, this year, he is 50% from the corner 3 (2-4) and 0% (0-14) from everywhere else. I don't think the sample size is meaningful, though.

[nate33]

Our next game is @ Cleveland. Key tank game. Gotta lose that one. Better sit Nene out.

[hands11]

The corner 3 would help but it's not going to keep the defense honest like good old fashion heat checks that Arenas would throw up. A corner 3 is still easy to funnel to. The dead-on 3 would do a lot more to help spacing than the corner 3. Whatever spacing the corner 3 allows for is partially negated because Wall won't be the one handling the ball. Now with Wall AND Beal out there stretching the floor, it'd be a VERY open court for someone like Nene to operate out of the high post with.

Seems Randy got away from the high post, not sure why. I like it a lot better then watching Nene force shots from the low post.

Its taken most of the season but it finally appears Randy is getting a handle on the roster. The Webster at SG experience seems over. If Beal is out, Temple will start at SG.

The team simply needs more guard help. They have Beal. They traded Crawford. Now what? Martin isn't the answer. I fully expect this to be his last year with the team. That should have been the case last year. I would have just brought back Mason. He would have been another piece of that vet support core.

[hands11]

Our next game is @ Cleveland. Key tank game. Gotta lose that one. Better sit Nene out.

The surgical tank demand a lose against Cleveland.
Then they come back and beat MIL at home.
Then a hard core tank against NO and evaluate things. Seem if there is room to beat PHX or not.
They can always come back after the PHX lose and take the Cats on the road to make things look honest.

CLE L
MIK W
NO L
PHX L or W - have to see at the time.
CATs W

[nuposse04]

20 and 0 or we don't go, lolz.