3rd Place in the east

[dobrojim]

2 road wins, even against teams that have crappy records feels good.
Both of those crappy teams were starting to play much better than
they had up to that point. Until they had to play us.
That crappy Nyets (I like that) team had just stomped the livin
crap out of PHL who after a surprising start,
now does look like a team that is all in on getting a high pick.

We really need to do no worse than a split vs DET coming up.
To me those will be games that can tell us something.

The other glimmering ray of hope is that we're continuing to
see less absolute suck from the bench. Maybe Book should continue
to start (Nate's idea) thus allowing Nene to play less and influence
in a positive way the suckiness of the bench. We got something like
45 freakin points off the bench last night (OK I don't expect anything
like that every night, it was an outlier) with Nene and Webster
now playing from there.

[Ruzious]

Welcome to the darkside. There's plenty o room on the train headed nowhere, and Naysayer t-shirts are available for inflated prices. Raffle tickets for the Wiz 2nd round pick are on sale for 5 cents a ticket and 10 tickets for a dollar (our EG special).

Btw, we're currently in 4th place... in the Southeast division. Cheers!

[Higga]

Fully healthy we are the 3rd best team in the East.

Our worst nemesis is injuries.

[Dat2U]

Fully healthy we are the 3rd best team in the East.

Our worst nemesis is injuries.

Bleh. Our worst nemesis is our own GM and the fact we lack of depth which forces Witt to run our starters into the ground which is the causation for our injury woes.

This is not a case of bad luck. Not at all.

[montestewart]

If you watched the Nets game tonight and your enjoyment was somewhat muted by who the general manager is or whether we have a first round pick next year, you're doing it wrong. That was effing awesome. Excellent collective effort. Seriously, if you couldn't get pumped up watching that game, just go be a Heat fan and leave the rest of us alone.

The Nets are 9-16 in the weak East.

I love the cheap thrill of good play when we're healthy, and like seeing signs that the squad may be developing chemistry. But it wears off afterwards, wishing to see more of it, and realizing this was only the 6th time we've been able to get Nene on court with all other starters.

If we could keep this squad upright and playing with this much energy all year, then great. But we didn't beat the Spurs here. Nor Indiana. Nor your Heat. Hey I'm Mr Happy thread, but I enjoy _hope_ most of all. We were one lotto pick away from sustainable wins. This year has yin in the yang for me all year round. Will always root for wins, am always looking for reasons that this crew will stun and surprise. Can still drop nuggets in the Optimism thread, strip mine clouds for silver. But yes, that oil hasn't burned for 8 miraculous days in the darkness yet. It flickers. Three fifths of our starters this game are on expiring contracts. Our rookie #2 overall pick played 3 minutes. Our 2nd rounder (we finally used one) is getting wrist surgery, out for 6 weeks. And mostly: the Nets suck.

Two questions:

1. Where is the REAL doc?
2. What have you done with him?

Dude, since when have you turned into Negative Nancy? It's as if we don't know you any more.

You've changed.

The other day I was about to attach doclinkin to the phrase "reasonable positiveness," but paused and thought that, in light of some of his recent posts, maybe not so much. It's just a phase, doc. You'll pull out of it as soon as the Wizards win the championship.

[TGW]

Doc is just being realistic. Everything he said was right on the money.

[doclinkin]

Look once we get into the playoffs it's a new day and I am my rah-rah alter ego again. Then I'll fanatically exhort the Wiz to catch fire and stun the world.

I like this team, enjoy the chemistry and camaraderie, effort, defense, passing. In that respect I suppose we get to credit Ernie and Ted's Plan. It is easy to root for these guys. Nobody on the squad drives me nuts for being a doofus-- well except Kevin Seraphin, who ought to be much better than he is, but seems a bit slow. I like Wittman, a lifer, who never sells his player out to the media unless he would say the same thing to the player's face.

I'm soured on Ernie. He's not bad, he's competent, but I hate that we seem not to take full advantage of advanced metrics and proper scouting. And he sucks at drafting unless there's a sure thing.

But if ever there was a year to tank, this year gave us the best options at finding that sure thing in the lotto-- except that the competition for the bottom of the barrel in the East is fierce. We had a chance to contend for a top lotto slot when Okafor went down, but there is no chance Ernie could allow that.

Due to our lack of depth we still teeter on the edge of lotto-eligibility if a player goes down at any position other than SF. If that is the diabolical plan well then it's genius. Injuries may still allow us to collect a lotto ticket, and in the mean time while watching games I can root for wins.

My fear is, in the tanktastic East, we're likely aimed at the worst case scenario though: good enough to lose that draft pick, but we'll keep Ariza through the season, lose him after the season, use cap space to retain Gortat. And that's it. Not enough for long success.

[hands11]

If you watched the Nets game tonight and your enjoyment was somewhat muted by who the general manager is or whether we have a first round pick next year, you're doing it wrong. That was effing awesome. Excellent collective effort. Seriously, if you couldn't get pumped up watching that game, just go be a Heat fan and leave the rest of us alone.

The Nets are 9-16 in the weak East.

I love the cheap thrill of good play when we're healthy, and like seeing signs that the squad may be developing chemistry. But it wears off afterwards, wishing to see more of it, and realizing this was only the 6th time we've been able to get Nene on court with all other starters.

If we could keep this squad upright and playing with this much energy all year, then great. But we didn't beat the Spurs here. Nor Indiana. Nor your Heat. Hey I'm Mr Happy thread, but I enjoy _hope_ most of all. We were one lotto pick away from sustainable wins. This year has yin in the yang for me all year round. Will always root for wins, am always looking for reasons that this crew will stun and surprise. Can still drop nuggets in the Optimism thread, strip mine clouds for silver. But yes, that oil hasn't burned for 8 miraculous days in the darkness yet. It flickers. Three fifths of our starters this game are on expiring contracts. Our rookie #2 overall pick played 3 minutes. Our 2nd rounder (we finally used one) is getting wrist surgery, out for 6 weeks. And mostly: the Nets suck.

Two questions:

1. Where is the REAL doc?
2. What have you done with him?

Dude, since when have you turned into Negative Nancy? It's as if we don't know you any more.

You've changed.

Nah.. He always went back and forth. I think most of us do to some degree.

[long suffrin' boulez fan]

The Nets are 9-16 in the weak East.

I love the cheap thrill of good play when we're healthy, and like seeing signs that the squad may be developing chemistry. But it wears off afterwards, wishing to see more of it, and realizing this was only the 6th time we've been able to get Nene on court with all other starters.

If we could keep this squad upright and playing with this much energy all year, then great. But we didn't beat the Spurs here. Nor Indiana. Nor your Heat. Hey I'm Mr Happy thread, but I enjoy _hope_ most of all. We were one lotto pick away from sustainable wins. This year has yin in the yang for me all year round. Will always root for wins, am always looking for reasons that this crew will stun and surprise. Can still drop nuggets in the Optimism thread, strip mine clouds for silver. But yes, that oil hasn't burned for 8 miraculous days in the darkness yet. It flickers. Three fifths of our starters this game are on expiring contracts. Our rookie #2 overall pick played 3 minutes. Our 2nd rounder (we finally used one) is getting wrist surgery, out for 6 weeks. And mostly: the Nets suck.

Two questions:

1. Where is the REAL doc?
2. What have you done with him?

Dude, since when have you turned into Negative Nancy? It's as if we don't know you any more.

You've changed.

Seriously. I never thought they'd get to doc, but it looks like one of those hate zombies that he and Nivek are always talking about sunk his teeth right into doc's bony frame. Damn shame if you ask me.

Pierce looked fantastic last night -- exhibit A for why HGH should be legalized. Brook Lopez was borderline unstoppable for stretches. 7-layer Dray was coming off two 20 point games. Joe Johnson had just gone off for 10 3's. As a whole the Nyets are starting to play better and I expect that to continue.

But even if they don't, watching Wall dismantle and emasculate a supposedly elite PG like Williams (who is on a true MAX contract) is joyous. Beal played a pretty mediocre game overall, but hit a dagger three when it we needed it. Booker breasted on the boards. Nene was insanely efficient. It was just FUN to watch.

It's nice watching Dray suffer after talking smack to the wizards last year. It's great watching Father Time finally score a standing 8 count on KG, who has spent the last 15 years bullying our guys. Winning two games in New York is ALWAYS a good thing.

If Otto isn't getting any burn because the team is playing this well, that's what we call on of them good problems -- to paraphrase Marlo Stanfield. If we can't get him on the floor with actual rotation quality guys instead of complete scrubs, that is going to speed his development -- his upside and well as this squad's.

Health and wins are good for this franchise!!




Sent from my iPhone using RealGM Forums mobile app

Now if you had written that Glen Davis breasted on the boards, I'd have been with you.

[doclinkin]

Nah.. He always went back and forth. I think most of us do to some degree.

Nope. I've most always been rah rah. My dark side is reserved for fans of other teams, or players who leave here then badmouth the squad. Or occasionally a few select posters on our boards who happen to get on my last nerve on a given day. Rare though that may be.

This year is the first that I'm writing off Ernie. I'm pissed at Ted for letting Ernie dangle and backing him into that corner where he made the same mistake as last time when Uncle Abe was sick. Ernie doesn't suck, he's decent -- but the times have just passed him by: low tech, trusts his instincts and assumptions as a former player. He doesn't trust the stat geeks and advanced analysis that has any schmuck thinking they can do his job even when they haven't played a single quarter at this level. But because of that he can't avoid his own biases, to whit: Trusts scrappy Euro types (like himself); trusts veterans more than rooks (who take time to season); when in doubt selects the physical talent over demonstrated skill, upside over track record), thinks he can see talent better than you.

But I'm more pissed at Ted because he betrayed his own plan. Showed cowardice; was not resolute. The mandate should always be: 'win a championship' then contend for dynasty status. Not 'win, um, something, and sell a few more tickets'. I have higher expectations for Ted than for Ernie. Ernie is comfortable, is a master at saving his butt though so needs to be held to the fire to make things happen. Good enough ain't good enough. And we were so close. One more year to add that top talent and we'd have a potentially complementary 3 star base to build on.

But no I can still plot out the 'reasonable optimism' blueprint to win, even with the situation we have now. It's just tougher to convince myself there's an actual plan instead of a desperation patchwork job.

[Kanyewest]

Nah.. He always went back and forth. I think most of us do to some degree.

Nope. I've most always been rah rah. My dark side is reserved for fans of other teams, or players who leave here then badmouth the squad. Or occasionally a few select posters on our boards who happen to get on my last nerve on a given day. Rare though that may be.

This year is the first that I'm writing off Ernie. I'm pissed at Ted for letting Ernie dangle and backing him into that corner where he made the same mistake as last time when Uncle Abe was sick. Ernie doesn't suck, he's decent -- but the times have just passed him by: low tech, trusts his instincts and assumptions as a former player. He doesn't trust the stat geeks and advanced analysis that has any schmuck thinking they can do his job even when they haven't played a single quarter at this level. But because of that he can't avoid his own biases, to whit: Trusts scrappy Euro types (like himself); trusts veterans more than rooks (who take time to season); when in doubt selects the physical talent over demonstrated skill, upside over track record), thinks he can see talent better than you.

But I'm more pissed at Ted because he betrayed his own plan. Showed cowardice; was not resolute. The mandate should always be: 'win a championship' then contend for dynasty status. Not 'win, um, something, and sell a few more tickets'. I have higher expectations for Ted than for Ernie. Ernie is comfortable, is a master at saving his butt though so needs to be held to the fire to make things happen. Good enough ain't good enough. And we were so close. One more year to add that top talent and we'd have a potentially complementary 3 star base to build on.

But no I can still plot out the 'reasonable optimism' blueprint to win, even with the situation we have now. It's just tougher to convince myself there's an actual plan instead of a desperation patchwork job.

So do you think the mandate for winning now is coming Ted- ie the Gortat trade? Taking Porter, a player who can play now vs waiting on Noel? Signing Eric Maynor to that awful deal?

Or do these moves have longer term implications? Gortat helps save Nene in the long run by lowering his minutes, saves Wall from going insane with lack of depth. Is Porter the longer safe bet in terms of a prospect than Noel who slipped all the way to 6th?

I share your sentiment that I don't have the confidence that EG can find quality players in the mid to late first round (although I suppose EG did find value in McGee and Blatche). Part of me though is intrigued to find out how the Wizards can finish the season- I was impressed by the Wizards beating the Nets - who were kind of decent winning 4 of their past 5 games- and the refs were keeping the Nets in that game.

I'll be interested to see how the Wizards play going forward and staying healthy. At least I hope that Leonsis would let EG go if the season ended right now.

[dckingsfan]

over under to get back to the third position

[queridiculo]

Oh snap, not this thread again.

[BarnabyJones]

.500 record for the first time in 4 years…...

[Kanyewest]

Wizards are .500 through 28 games for the first time in 6 years(apparently according to NBA.com).

[Jay81]

we might have home court for the first round this year LOL

[verbal8]

we might have home court for the first round this year LOL

I am not sure if the 3rd seed really has a huge advantage over the 5th, since the 4th seed will very likely be the Titanic...er I mean Atlantic division winner. I guess 3rd seed should have an easier 2nd round match up if they advance, but at this point I don't see a huge gap between the 1 and 2 seeds.

If the Wizards keep playing well, I think the 3rd seed is very attainable. With Horford's injury, I think the Hawks will really struggle. They really don't have much size.

[dobrojim]

agreed verbal

if we can stay healthy, the door is open to getting a playoff series with
home court advantage and to the 2nd round.

[LyricalRico]

agreed verbal

if we can stay healthy, the door is open to getting a playoff series with
home court advantage and to the 2nd round.

Also, finishing in the top 4 (perhaps with a big drop-off to 5-8) would go along way to actually being a good team and not just squeaking in due to a weak conference.

[dobrojim]

with atlanta losing Horford apparently for the season, it will be interesting
to see just how many wins it takes to finish 4th or higher.