RealGM

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No John Wall. No Josh Howard. No Yi Jianlian. Gilbert Arenas still working himself into shape after a couple of leg injuries in preseason and early season. Andray Blatche still working himself into shape after breaking his foot.

But, representing the most powerful city in the world, YOUR Washington Wizards get it done tonight.

Here are your POG nominees:

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G Gilbert Arenas
24 points (7-15 fg, 2-6 3pts. 8-10 ft); 3 boards; 4 dimes; 2 blocks; 5 turns in 39 minutes


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G Kirk Hinrich
22 points (6-12 fg, 1-5 3pts, 9-9 ft); 2 boards; 6 dimes; 2 steals; 1 turn in 41 minutes


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C Javale McGee
10 points (4-7 fg, 2-2 ft); 12 boards; 2 dimes; 3 steals; 3 blocks; 1 turn in 38 minutes


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F Andray Blatche
17 points (6-15 fg, 5-6 fg); 9 boards; 1 dime; 1 block; 4 turns in 38 minutes


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Head Coach Flip Saunders


Or name your own player of the game in comments.

Go Wiz!

Tough calls tonight but Ill go

1- Kirk
2- Gil
3- McGee

1. McGee - He was just awesome tonight. He was Ben Wallace in his prime. Dude was everywhere on D and on the offensive glass. Easily his best game of the season and perhaps the best game of his career.

2. Gil - Led the team in on/off differential. He was the only guy who could hit from outside. I love the 10 free throws.

3. Kent - He was terrific in the second half but a lousy first half bumps him to third. He came through when it mattered though. A very nice game.

1) Mcgee The hustle was outstanding and he changed tons of shots

2) Kip Thought we were in for a long game when he took the pounding up a notch in the first, but he played well, especially in the second half

3) Gil Nothing spectacular, but solid play. Scores 25 points so easily you don't even notice.

1. McGee
2. Arenas
3. Hinrich

honorable mention for 1st half HIlton and 2nd half Andray (even though he was putrid for 5/8 of the game)

Gil
Kurt
McGee

Our team is more stable with Gil in instead of Wall, thanks to his experience, but I'm excited for these two to develop CHEMISTRY. Wall's amazing, and Gil's still a great player. If he can put up 24 alongside Wall's 20 or so, We'd have an elite backcourt.

Hinrich and McGee and Blatche (late game) willed us to the win as well.

Hinrich was just great in the 3rd quarter. His energy level, intensity, etc...that was leading us by example.

McGee was great on D. His very presence in the game meant that guys would throw up wild shots in the paint rather than get it blocked. He played aggressively, but not wildly and out-of-control (on D).

Gil is #3 for me. Solid floor game. Every game that goes by, he gets more and more comfortable with attacking the rim. Gil got 10 FTs tonight, Hinrich got 9. That's playing aggressively.

Gil
Java
Heiny

you could make a case for any order of these three .. but clearly they stood out.

Honorable mention to the incredibly sucky Violet Palmer... Who was the usual suck tonight but gave a few whoppers to us.

I also want to note that McGee is listed for only one turnover. And he personally erased that TO with an end-to-end sprint to block the layup attempt.

1. Gil
2. McGee
3. Hiney

I thought Gil was solid the entire game. Kirk continues to the pound the ball but at least he knew how to run into people on the perimeter and the Griz kept falling for it (plus he abused Vasquez in the 3rd Qtr).

McGee still gave up a few too many offensive rebounds and inside scores when he tried to go for the block or steal but he hustled his @ss off tonight.

HM to Neck who was the only Wiz big man to truly challenge the physical duo of Zbo and Gasol. He's not great but for the money he's a fairly solid pickup. He definitely seems to be playing with more confidence now as well.

McGee
Kirk
Gil

What if tonight becomes the normal game for McGee? His physical talent is there and probably still improving. McGee for POTG.

Then Gil, then Kirk. Love the veteran backcourt duo's stat line and the 1-11 for Mayo.

Also, I assume Thornton/Young/Booker and McGee's shotblocking had something to do with Rudy Gay only having 11 points with 6 turnovers. Gay was average nearly 25 a night IIRC coming into the game.

Didn't see the game, but I'll give Flip Saunders an honorable mention. He's got to be doing things right when this team rebounds well and holds Memphis to under 90 points.

gil - when the defense tightened up, it always seemed like we would miss a string of shots until gil sank one.
mcgee - hustle
kirk - kirk played pretty poor in the first half and missed a handful of wide open shots but had a nice run in the 3rd

Im going with Kirk for this one.

McGee a close second, if only he could control himself from throwing up these crazy shots after he secures a rebound then we'd be money!

1. Kirby
2. Gil
3. Java

McGee, he really stepped-up his game and proved he could be a difference-maker worthy of being played more than 27 minutes per game. Those bone-headed mistakes he makes should decrease with experience.

Grievis Vasquez

Gil
Kirk
McGee (still doesn't box out on defense and it costs us so many defensive boards).

Scabs, I hope you will check my last post in the Javale McGee thread. McGee is dramatically improved. His defensive rebounding percentage is perhaps the most-improved aspect of his game.

This is actually probably the toughest choice so far.

1.Gil-He didn't really have one dominate stretch, but he was consistent throughout the course of a game where no one else was consistent.

2.McGee-Other than a few early defensive breakdowns he played excellent. He blocked, I think, three shots but altered close to a dozen others. 10 points 12 rebounds with some blocks and steals with solid/great defense is good to see.

3.Hinrich-As others have pointed out he pounded the ball early in the game and it really hurt the flow of the offense at time. His third quarter was big for us. I think we were down like 55-47 and they looked like they may pull away from us but Kirk went on a rampage and got us back the lead. I still think he is playing to many minutes, but I won't complain in a win.

Other notes:

Although Young's shot wasn't falling, I though he took good shots and played well.

Blatche has got to be more decisive on offense. I don't think he knows half the time whether he wants to shoot a jumper or post up. I mean it's good to have other options if your intial attempt is not going to work, but have some method.

Someone in an earlier thread posted this, and I'll say it again. We do a terrible job as a team of getting Al Thornton good looks. Half of his possesions seem to be on the deep perimeter or in the corner that don't play to his strengths. He has absolutely no three ball, so why do we camp him around that area. IMO we should be putting him on the block more he's quick enough to get around big men and strong enough to over power guards and most wings. When he gets into the lane he has a nice fadaway. We need to get him more quality looks.