Magic at Wiz Game Thread

[tontoz]

Crawford hit some timely shots tonight but I still hate him. Isolate. shoot. repeat. Truth about it recently had a post about his poor play so I did some digging.

Per 36 minuts Jordan takes 5.7 3PA while shooting 30% from 3. Since the beginning of the NBA 3 point era there has never been anyone who shoots that many 3s, while being that inefficient (who played over 25 minutes per game).

So basically, he shoots a lot, misses a lot and continues to shoot a lot... and miss.

Yup, for the season Crawford is shooting 30% from the 3 pt line. But for the last 8 games he's shooting 40% on 3 pointers.

I think Crawford's value as a player depends heavily on his ability to shoot from 3. Since he doesn't get to the line much and has dubious shot selection making 3s is the key to becoming an efficient scorer.

[verbal8]

I think Crawford's value as a player depends heavily on his ability to shoot from 3. Since he doesn't get to the line much and has dubious shot selection making 3s is the key to becoming an efficient scorer.

His efficiency is actually respectable this season. If he could bump his 2 PT% up a little and improve his 3 point shot, he could be a decent starter.

This season he is, similar to Nick Young and Marshon Brooks.

http://bkref.com/tiny/CirZL

[tontoz]

I think Crawford's value as a player depends heavily on his ability to shoot from 3. Since he doesn't get to the line much and has dubious shot selection making 3s is the key to becoming an efficient scorer.

His efficiency is actually respectable this season. If he could bump his 2 PT% up a little and improve his 3 point shot, he could be a decent starter.

This season he is, similar to Nick Young and Marshon Brooks.

http://bkref.com/tiny/CirZL

Young is having a bad year and Brooks is a rookie. Among shooting guards Crawford is 4th in the NBA in usage rate but 59th in TS%.

[montestewart]

Crawford's recent 10 games or so gave those number a bump. It's hard to overcome the impression last year and earlier this year left, but he has been playing better. I still see him recklessly throw possessions away, and he still seems very streaky and playing out of control, but if the last 10 games are an indicator, he might eventually be a keeper as a third guard. I've seen little of Brooks, but Jordan shares the ball and looks for cutters more than Young did.

I still don't mind seeing him traded, but not in a Blatche-like "please take this contract" transaction.

[tontoz]

I haven't given up on Jordan but his shot selection is a huge flaw that won't be easy to correct. It is possible though and since he has 2 years left on his rookie deal I don't see why there would be a sense of urgency to make a final call now.

He does have legit skills and is cheap so he is worth keeping around for at least two years unless a good trade offer comes along.

[jivelikenice]

I haven't given up on Jordan but his shot selection is a huge flaw that won't be easy to correct. It is possible though and since he has 2 years left on his rookie deal I don't see why there would be a sense of urgency to make a final call now.

He does have legit skills and is cheap so he is worth keeping around for at least two years unless a good trade offer comes along.

+1

No reason to deal him on his rookie deal but its naive to think shot selection is easy to fix. He's been in an environment where he's treated like a go to scorer. He's not that player and will never be that player on a good team. I'm not sure how his game will mix with other capable starters. His game seems situated for a bench role where he can carry the scoring load, but the problem is his shooting. All the top 6th men types are good shooters, Jordan isn't. He may get hot and get us in a few games, but there will be others where he puts us in a hole based on bad shot selection. I'm curious how his shooting would look if he just cut back on his 3 pt attempts and focused more on the mid-range game.

[dobrojim]

No reason to deal him on his rookie deal but its naive to think shot selection is easy to fix. He's been in an environment where he's treated like a go to scorer. He's not that player and will never be that player on a good team. I'm not sure how his game will mix with other capable starters. His game seems situated for a bench role where he can carry the scoring load, but the problem is his shooting. All the top 6th men types are good shooters, Jordan isn't. He may get hot and get us in a few games, but there will be others where he puts us in a hole based on bad shot selection. I'm curious how his shooting would look if he just cut back on his 3 pt attempts and focused more on the mid-range game.

I don't agree with either:

shot selection completely unfixable

or that we know with the kind of certainty the word never implies
that his shooting will never be good enough.

I also question the idea that 6th men are always (you used the word ALL)
good shooters. If that were true, in many cases they would not be bench players.
I'm thinking of guys like Vinnie Johnson and Freddie Brown. Bench players are
notoriously streaky in many cases.

[jivelikenice]

No reason to deal him on his rookie deal but its naive to think shot selection is easy to fix. He's been in an environment where he's treated like a go to scorer. He's not that player and will never be that player on a good team. I'm not sure how his game will mix with other capable starters. His game seems situated for a bench role where he can carry the scoring load, but the problem is his shooting. All the top 6th men types are good shooters, Jordan isn't. He may get hot and get us in a few games, but there will be others where he puts us in a hole based on bad shot selection. I'm curious how his shooting would look if he just cut back on his 3 pt attempts and focused more on the mid-range game.

I don't agree with either:

shot selection completely unfixable

or that we know with the kind of certainty the word never implies
that his shooting will never be good enough.

I also question the idea that 6th men are always (you used the word ALL)
good shooters. If that were true, in many cases they would not be bench players.
I'm thinking of guys like Vinnie Johnson and Freddie Brown. Bench players are
notoriously streaky in many cases.

Confused, I think shot selection is a tough fix as well. In regards to the top 6th men, I'm looking at the current crop. Jason Terry, Jame Harden, Lou Williams, JR Smith, & Jamaal Crawford are all better shooters than Jordan. I'm sure there are a few exceptions but those exceptions are also more versatile players than Jordan is. Microwave shot 46% from the field so Crawford has a long way to go to catch up to him.

[JonathanJoseph]

It's no surprise that Walls assist numbers have gone up since our spot up shooters have started hitting open threes. If They were doing that from start of season Wall would be averaging 10apg easily

Except Wall's assist numbers aren't really up. It's his shots that are down.

Just not far enough.

[jivelikenice]

8.25 apg in the 4 games since most people on this board torched him after his performace v. Indiana.
He played great versus Detroit in a game where he shot 18 times.
He played great v. the Bobcats in a game where he had a huge impact without having to shoot the ball.
He played very well last night as well. Was patient and got teammates involved. He easily could have had another 5 assists if Ves & some others did a better job of finishing.

He's proven he can impact a game playing as a scorer and fascilitator or just as a fascilitator alone. What's the gripe now? Or did you just wantto take a subtle jab at his game since you haven't had much to rant about him over the past week. Is he still at only 3 good games this year?

[cdouglas]

With a late-season run, Ernie might save his job.

You know what? I would prefer Ernie and Whitman to D'Antoni and Walsh.

There's really no need to change what IS working, all of a sudden.

When I'm wrong I'm wrong. Vesely can play. Seraphin is very good. Ernie wisely got Singleton and Martin back in Wizard uniforms.

Wittman is a heck of a lot better coach for this group than Flip Saunders.

The way they've played since that trade--even without Nene, has been very encouraging.

The team has a post game with Seraphin. The key to the Wizards improving is going to be Kevin at C and Nene at PF, with Booker and James Singleton off the bench. That is a pretty solid group. They need some height, but the biggest needs are on the perimeter.

Really impressive game.

I agree. Bring them both back for at least 1 more year. I have a really bad feeling about changing to D'Antoni and Walsh. I want to see these two finish what they started. Randy is a good coach and EG has assembled a nice core. Bring back James. Add a draft pick. What Im seeing is something headed in the right direction. If Nene and Booker were on the court also, they would be pretty deep. Add another SG and back up PG and there is nothing wrong with this product.

I haven't posted in a while and would like to know if it's just speculation that D'Antonio and Walsh will be replacing Grunfield and Whittman and is there an article out about it?

[DCZards]

Confused, I think shot selection is a tough fix as well. In regards to the top 6th men, I'm looking at the current crop. Jason Terry, Jame Harden, Lou Williams, JR Smith, & Jamaal Crawford are all better shooters than Jordan. I'm sure there are a few exceptions but those exceptions are also more versatile players than Jordan is. Microwave shot 46% from the field so Crawford has a long way to go to catch up to him.

As was pointed out, Crawford is in his first full season as an NBA regular and most of the guys you named are either in the 6-10 year range (Terry, Jamal, JR) or have at least 3 years of experience. And I'd take Crawford over JR, who is as streaky as it gets. I say be a little more patient with Jordan the Chucker.

[JonathanJoseph]

8.25 apg in the 4 games since most people on this board torched him after his performace v. Indiana.
He played great versus Detroit in a game where he shot 18 times.
He played great v. the Bobcats in a game where he had a huge impact without having to shoot the ball.
He played very well last night as well. Was patient and got teammates involved. He easily could have had another 5 assists if Ves & some others did a better job of finishing.

He's proven he can impact a game playing as a scorer and fascilitator or just as a fascilitator alone. What's the gripe now? Or did you just wantto take a subtle jab at his game since you haven't had much to rant about him over the past week. Is he still at only 3 good games this year?

We'll have to agree to disagree. He was pretty mediocre vs Orlando and his horrific shot selection down the stretch gave Orlando hope. Even if you believe that Wall should still be trying to find his offense, pull-up, off balance 20-foot jumpers early in the shot clock with <3 minutes left when you have a 7 point lead is bad PG play. Period. And that's indicative of my gripe with Wall.

8.2 assists is exactly 5% above his season average of 7.8. Given Seraphin's at almost 60% during that time and Crawford has been hot at times too I'm not sure that a 5% increase is indicative of anything. I'd say 4 good games now (Charlotte), maybe 5.

Kevin Seraphin's play won this game without question. He owned the paint on both ends of the floor. Seraphin also won the Lakers game with his play and this a guy with 13 career starts. Wall's got 122 career starts. Name me two games Wall took over and won.

[jivelikenice]

He didn't have a good game versus Detroit?

[7-Day Dray]

PLEASE GOD DON'T LET EG AND WITTMAN GET RETAINED!

[Higga]

NO WAY on Wittman. EG I can at least kinda understand bringing him back even though I'd be against it, but really they both need to go.

[Dat2U]

He didn't have a good game versus Detroit?

Only God knows to the standard to which JJ holds Wall to. If Wall scores too much, it's fools good. Even in +10 assist games, Wall apparently shoots too much, but if his numbers aren't impressive apparently Wall didn't take over or was only mediocre.

Bottom line. Dump Wall ASAP we'll probably see a much happier JJ.

[hands11]

8.25 apg in the 4 games since most people on this board torched him after his performace v. Indiana.
He played great versus Detroit in a game where he shot 18 times.
He played great v. the Bobcats in a game where he had a huge impact without having to shoot the ball.
He played very well last night as well. Was patient and got teammates involved. He easily could have had another 5 assists if Ves & some others did a better job of finishing.

He's proven he can impact a game playing as a scorer and fascilitator or just as a fascilitator alone. What's the gripe now? Or did you just wantto take a subtle jab at his game since you haven't had much to rant about him over the past week. Is he still at only 3 good games this year?

We'll have to agree to disagree. He was pretty mediocre vs Orlando and his horrific shot selection down the stretch gave Orlando hope. Even if you believe that Wall should still be trying to find his offense, pull-up, off balance 20-foot jumpers early in the shot clock with <3 minutes left when you have a 7 point lead is bad PG play. Period. And that's indicative of my gripe with Wall.

8.2 assists is exactly 5% above his season average of 7.8. Given Seraphin's at almost 60% during that time and Crawford has been hot at times too I'm not sure that a 5% increase is indicative of anything. I'd say 4 good games now (Charlotte), maybe 5.

Kevin Seraphin's play won this game without question. He owned the paint on both ends of the floor. Seraphin also won the Lakers game with his play and this a guy with 13 career starts. Wall's got 122 career starts. Name me two games Wall took over and won.

JJ

I don't think your positions are whacked most the time. I also understand the part you are talking about where Wall forced two shoots in the forth, but I think you are overreacting on this one. KS did have a great game. Actually, Crawford turned it on in the forth and that made a huge difference as well. J Singleton and Martin also had an effect on the win. But Wall did play a great game against CHA and the game against ORL was very good. Not amazingly great but very good none the less. He pushed the ball. He made some great passes. He drove pretty well. He had a few coast to coast moves that were under control. He played winning PG the last two games and we won both games.

Being objectively critical is fine, but give some credit were credit is due.

[hands11]

Confused, I think shot selection is a tough fix as well. In regards to the top 6th men, I'm looking at the current crop. Jason Terry, Jame Harden, Lou Williams, JR Smith, & Jamaal Crawford are all better shooters than Jordan. I'm sure there are a few exceptions but those exceptions are also more versatile players than Jordan is. Microwave shot 46% from the field so Crawford has a long way to go to catch up to him.

As was pointed out, Crawford is in his first full season as an NBA regular and most of the guys you named are either in the 6-10 year range (Terry, Jamal, JR) or have at least 3 years of experience. And I'd take Crawford over JR, who is as streaky as it gets. I say be a little more patient with Jordan the Chucker.

44 career starts. Perceptive. 17 PPG .416 as a starter this year. His shooting % is getting better. Not saying he is the answer, but he doesn't suck. He does a lot of things this team needs. He drive a lot for on thing. Something Nick never did enough of.

[jivelikenice]

Still early so I'm open to seeing if he can bring that fg% up. I think he has to do a few things:
1, Get stronger- He 3 is extremely erratic. He'll hit one then be 2 feet off on the next. Maybe its strength? Adding some muscle will also enable him to finish stronger on drives which could help him get to the ft line. It seems like he gets muscled and tries to work around contact versus going through it which is needed to get the call.

2. Shot selection. This is the obvious one. If he just improved here slightly he might get to a 44-45% level which would be fine. The shot that kills his % is the long 2. Worst shot in the game

3. Make quick aggressive moves. When he holds the ball down for 5-10 seconds and then makes his move late in the shot clock its going to be a contested shot or he's going to set a teammate up for a contested shot. He has to be quicker in his decision making and make a move or swing the ball.

4. Go to his right more- He's very left dominant and if you've noticed, all of his offensive calls come when he goes left and pushes off with his right shoulder for room to shoot.

Exit interviews for our players are key. I'd love to hear what the coaches, FO tell our players to work on when the season's up.