Tank at Tank Game Thread: The Ship Be Sinkin 2/6/12 7pm

[dlts20]

Craptors



at

Generals







Starting Lineups

PG


SG

WTF?

SF


PF

“If we lose, it can’t be 20s or 30s. If we lose, it’s got to be fives, twos, ones. And we’re capable of doing that.” - James Johnson

C









Starting Lineups

PG

Leonsis: "the only way for us to get to the top is if you tank right now".

Wall: "Ill look like a bigger bust than Kwame & Ill make JV do the same"

SG


SF


PF
Question


Answer


C




KEY MATCHUP


Young vs Bayless

Alot of key matchups in this one with our bench vs there bench, Derozan vs Shard, and Wall vs Calderon, but Im still going with NY vs Bayless. Again, all these teams are playing small in the backcourt against us and Wittman wont post NY up. I dont get it. He should kill Bayless in the post. I would go to that every play until it fails a couple of times. We should atleast get a double out of it.




Game Preview

The Washington Wizards haven't earned many wins this season, but recorded a decisive one at home against the Toronto Raptors last month.

The Raptors turned the tables on the Wizards in lopsided fashion last week.

That loss is part of a four-game skid that Washington will try to end when Toronto visits the Verizon Center on Monday night.

Washington (4-20) ended an 0-8 start with a 93-78 home victory over Toronto on Jan. 10, but fell 106-89 at the Air Canada Centre on Friday.

Friday's win was the only one in the last four games for the Raptors (8-17), whose comeback attempt in Miami fell short Sunday in a 95-89 defeat. Toronto cut a 15-point deficit to three with 3:23 remaining but missed six of its final eight shots.

"It just shows that we can play with anybody, even the best players in the league," said swingman DeMar DeRozan, who had a team-best 25 points. That was a challenge for us and we definitely stepped up. It (stinks) that we didn't get the win, but it just shows what we're capable of."

The Raptors will try to bounce back by snapping a three-game losing streak at the Verizon Center. These teams have split their last six overall meetings since the start of last season.

Washington heads into this one after suffering another blowout defeat Saturday. One day after the loss to Toronto, Washington fell behind by 24 points at halftime in its return home en route to a 107-81 defeat to the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Wizards scored just 38 points in the first 30 1/2 minutes Saturday, and were outrebounded 53-32 for the game. Their 17 assists were barely half the Clippers' total of 32.

"We all should have been embarrassed. We were on our home court -- and they came out and did what they wanted," said starting forward Rashard Lewis, who finished with two points to match his season low. "As a unit, none of us came to play."

Lewis scores 15 points in last month's win over the Raptors, when he was one of four Wizards in double figures. Toronto's leading scorer from that game, Andrea Bargnani, is now out indefinitely with a strained left calf.

Toronto's bench shined during Friday's victory over Washington, with Leandro Barbosa scoring 19 points despite dealing with flu-like symptoms. Amir Johnson added 18 points and 13 rebounds, and starting guard Jose Calderon had a season-high 17 assists.

The Raptors topped 100 points for only the third time this season, but have done so only once in their last six visits to Washington. They've scored at least 102 in 12 of the last 14 matchups between these teams in Toronto.





Predection

Ive gone back & forths on this. We killed them at home earlier while they killed us on there floor 2 games ago. I think we will win because we're home and they just lost a tough late one to the Heat last night but I could see us losing because they are playing better with Klezia back, the last win over us and a close loss to the Heat gives them confidence, and I could see them beating us twice in a short span just like we beat the woeful Bobcats in a short span.

Overall I will go with us because I think we're due to play better. Wall cant get owned by Calderon again, McGee cant continue to suck, we cant look like the generals forever, and Craptors suck as bad as we do. However, Wittman is horrible so I wouldnt put anything past it. This is basically a win, win situation in my book. Get the good win or continue the tank for a top pick.

[closg00]

Can we at-least not get turned-out like prison bitches tonight?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

No. I think the Wizards will play the angriest game we've seen them play in years. Since they have been pretty weak lately I'm thinking there has to be pent up rage in there, somewhere.

Bayless, Kleiza, and Amir Johnson aren't better talents than the Wizard players. Neither are James Jones and DeMar Derozan. All the thuggery that Jones, Johnson, Magloire, and Evans got to do in Toronto will be called fouls in Verizon. Calderon won't punk the hometown PG in DC. No more 37 assists, or whatever he got.

This team the Wizards will spank the Raptors by 15 or so. They can't crush a team by 20, but they can outrun and outwork a team. The Raps just played a tough game against the Heat, yesterday.

I will say the Wizards win, 102-87, with a monster game by Javale McGee, of all people. If McGee is benched, Seraphin will be the guy to have a huge game.

[FAH1223]

[dlts20]

I was actually going to talk about this. I was going to say that another reason why we might lose is because I think nobody might not eve be at the game.....lol

Thats what they deserve though and maybe this will give Leonsis a reality check to make changes

[dobrojim]

I guess you can blame me and like thinkers if you want but season tix
are a little ahead of where they were last year.

that said, re-sale of tickets does seem to be a buyer's market

[miller31time]

To be honest, I'd rather attend a Wizards/Raptors game than a Wizards/Bulls or Wizards/Lakers.

I don't want to (A) watch my team get man-handled and (B) pay a lot of money for it.

I'd rather pay pocket-change and watch a competitive game.

[BigA]

Looking at those prices, maybe I'll go tonight.

[fugop]

I think we should try to put together a trade package for James and Amir Johnson. Neither has three point range, but both shoot over 40% on jumpers, if iwith very low usage.

James Johnson shoots 43.8% on jump shots, which comprise 70% of his attempts.
http://www.82games.com/1112/11TOR9.HTM
http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... sja01.html

Amir Johnson shoots 48% on jump shots, which comprise 45% of his attempts.
http://www.82games.com/1112/11TOR10.HTM
http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... sam01.html

I've been looking for potential Fs who shoot > 40% on jump shots with > 17.5 rbd rtg. Both Johnsons fit that bill.

Does anyone has a source for more granular stats on shooting range?

[tontoz]

Nice game thread.

[Zonkerbl]

It's weird, you look at the players individually and think, well, not great, but...
I mean we have John Wall at PG. He's good.
We have Nick Young at SG. He can shoot and defend. Has some weaknesses but, you know, a legit NBA player.
We have Booker at PF. Undersized but active.
We have McGee at center. Slender but athletic.
And we have nobody at SF. But you know, so what, you're playing four on five the whole night with a ball stopping SG and a PF who tries hard and a center who has the occasional lapse. Not great, yeah.

But worst team in the history of the NBA bad? I just don't see it. Somehow they manage to do it though.

[Nivek]

It's weird, you look at the players individually and think, well, not great, but...
I mean we have John Wall at PG. He's good.
We have Nick Young at SG. He can shoot and defend. Has some weaknesses but, you know, a legit NBA player.
We have Booker at PF. Undersized but active.
We have McGee at center. Slender but athletic.
And we have nobody at SF. But you know, so what, you're playing four on five the whole night with a ball stopping SG and a PF who tries hard and a center who has the occasional lapse. Not great, yeah.

But worst team in the history of the NBA bad? I just don't see it. Somehow they manage to do it though.

Thing is, all those players are deeply flawed.

- Wall is good, but he can't shoot and he's too careless with the ball.
- Young doesn't rebound or pass, and he's a poor team defender.
- Booker is limited offensively and uses so few possessions he's almost a self-check. And he doesn't rebound well for his position.
- McGee is a poor defender with a limited offensive repertoire.

And, there's basically no one at SF. And there's no bench.

[Zonkerbl]

I guess it's some sort of perfect storm of incompatibility, instead of working together to maximize their strengths and hide their flaws, somehow they're able to do exactly the opposite, so the team on the floor looks like it has no talent whatsoever.

[Severn Hoos]

It's weird, you look at the players individually and think, well, not great, but...
I mean we have John Wall at PG. He's good.
We have Nick Young at SG. He can shoot and defend. Has some weaknesses but, you know, a legit NBA player.
We have Booker at PF. Undersized but active.
We have McGee at center. Slender but athletic.
And we have nobody at SF. But you know, so what, you're playing four on five the whole night with a ball stopping SG and a PF who tries hard and a center who has the occasional lapse. Not great, yeah.

But worst team in the history of the NBA bad? I just don't see it. Somehow they manage to do it though.

Funny - I haven't seen any games for a few weeks, and only get brief scans of the box scores (hence the actual stats may not back up my impressions). But it seems to me that the players on the Wiz keep having good games coming off the bench - then get inserted into the lineup - and immediately stink up the joint.

I mean, Booker will have a few 13 & 9, 14 & 7 type games, and everyone clamors for him to start. And he puts up 4 & 4. Singleton has some good games at the start of the season, gets the starting gig, then promptly loses it again. (He's shooting .450 from 3 as a reserve, .167 as a starter. Booker shoots .640 as a reserve and .425 as a starter. And so on.)

Here's the good news: I think these guys are showing that they are very good role players / reserves. If and when we get our top spots on the roster filled, these guys will make very nice complementary pieces (especially Booker and Singleton, not so sure about Vesely). Unfortunately, they are now being asked to be primary options, and they simply can't do it.

Can't wait to see Booker backing up A Davis, Singleton as the role playing SG wedged between Wall & Harden......

[tontoz]

I guess it's some sort of perfect storm of incompatibility, instead of working together to maximize their strengths and hide their flaws, somehow they're able to do exactly the opposite, so the team on the floor looks like it has no talent whatsoever.

What "strengths" are they not maximizing?

[dangermouse]

Game thread of the year

[queridiculo]

At the rate the Wizards are winning games, a loss tonight may very well guarantee a bottom 3 finish.

For the tank, this is pretty important week with the Pistons game looming heavily.

[jigga_man]

Great game thread.

Raptor troll here, I hope you beat the everlovin jeebus out of us were we lose all moral and go on a 20 game losing streak.

[dangermouse]

hi jigga_man

now i have pearl jam in my head.

now i know what ill be listening to if the game gets boring.

[tontoz]

Great game thread.

Raptor troll here, I hope you beat the everlovin jeebus out of us were we lose all moral and go on a 20 game losing streak.

Your tank isn't even our league. Don't delude yourself into thinking you can compete.