Why Arent You Guys Acknowledging The Small Ball Trend?

[dlts20]

We were down 25 to the C's. Basically for the first time all year Witt went small and Wall dominated. He looked like the best pg in the league and did things he was criticized for like got to the rim because of spacing. We talked about it alot after the game.

However, in the last 2 we have won late with Wall beasting down the stretch and no one is really talking about it. Last game I was screaming for it while we were collapsing in the 4th, in the OT, and double OT especially since we were playing the same exact team who it worked against the night before. Sure enough Witt waits until we get down 7 in double OT, takes out Gortat, and then Wall again instantly looks like the best PG in the league while getting to the rim. I made a lot of post about it last night but people seem to not think it was a big deal and instead just talked about Wall playing well.

Then comes tonight and I miss most of the game but saw that we made a comeback late. Again everyone is talking about how clutch Wall was and how great he's playing but I check the play by play and see that we are again down by 6 and not looking to great as some suggested in the game thread. At 6:39 in the 4th again Witt decides to go small. On the very next play Oladipo hits a J to take the lead to 8 but then we immediatly finish strong with Wall looking like the best PG in the league and getting to the rim but I dont see much talk about it in these threads

Basically what Im seeing in that 4th quarter 2 games ago, the double OT last game, and the 4th this game is Wall seems to have like a million to 1 turnover ratio, finding guys open left & right, got to the rim more in those few minutes then he has in probably the rest of the season combined, our D has actually locked every single team down in that time frame with our quickness, and Wall looks like a super elite player because of the spacing. I was upset that Witt waited so long in the 2nd C's game because I thought it looked obvious since Hump-Gortat couldnt get a board late anyways but the good thing is that for the 1st time in his reign, Witt is completely open to going small and has no problem benching our top players like Gortat or Nene (even though it helps that Nene is limited anyways).

I also think something clicks in Wall's head or they have convos about when we go small then its his time to takeover. I dont see it being a regular lineup for Witt but with its success, I think its clear that it is an option that has came to the top of the list and he will go to it for now on whenever he thinks we are in trouble. Wall-Beal-Butler-Pierce, and one big which is normally Hump who also has range. Look it up though, all 3 games have conincided with us being totally out of it until we are forced to go small and then Wall dominates. We seem to basically score at will while shutting the other team down

[nate33]

Good post, though I don't think there's any need to attack the board because we are somehow refusing to acknowledge it. I think most of us have advocated for more small ball and we're as glad to see it as you are.

That said, I'm not convinced that it's the "magic bullet" that you make it out to be. I think what we're seeing is a shift in Wittman's strategy and it's working real well because opponents haven't scouted it. I wouldn't be surprised to see small ball grow a little less effective over time. Nevertheless, it's really good to see Wittman add it to the offensive repertoire. You are right that Wall looks like the best PG in the league once he gets that added spacing.

I'm a little curious why Wittman favors Humphries over Gortat as the big man though. I think the Wall/Gortat pick-and-roll would work just as well as the Wall/Gortat pick-and-pop on offense, but Gortat provides a better defensive presence at the other end.

[hands11]

Agreed. It has been talked about a lot. Actually for many years.

As of right now, the only real differences on the board is how much to do it and how much to change the roster to suit it more.

There are advantage to going power ball as we saw from that late Nene poster dunk on VO

Given this roster, the easy move is to use Gooden a little more often during the game and Paul to close the game. And even with Hump who has shown pretty decent range, the floor opens for the Wall/Gortat PnR

Pretty sure they have Beal, Raasul and Paul out there to close last night. Adding Webster should give them even more options. He played some S4 for them last year as well.

I think were we are is Randy learning when to go to it quicker and how to mix it in. This team has the option of playing either way which is an advantage because they can dictate to other teams and keep them off balance.

Might want to change the title of the thread. Its not accurate to the boards overall position.

[Dat2U]

I've called for it all season, moreso with Pierce at the 4 & Gortat at the 5.

I'm 100% in agreement that spreading the floor makes it easier for Wall to take the leap to superstardom.

[20MexicanosIn1Van]

The NBA has changed so much in the last ten years. I've said this in another thread, but I'll never forget the days this entire board (myself included) was harping on Eddie Jordan's small ball incessantly. Was he a visionary?

[Dat2U]

The NBA has changed so much in the last ten years. I've said this in another thread, but I'll never forget the days this entire board (myself included) was harping on Eddie Jordan's small ball incessantly. Was he a visionary?

Problem was Jamison defending PFs. He was never good at it and it pretty much offset any benefit to having Jamison as a stretch 4. EJ a visionary? No, it was born out of necessity as Kwame got hurt & never developed and Jamison slid from the 3 to the 4 when he got to DC.

[Nivek]

I thought the Wizards should have played more small ball last season with Ariza in the S4 spot. There's even more reason to do it this year with Pierce.

I still think the Wizards PF/C rotation should be Gortat, Humphries, Nenê and Pierce.

[Dat2U]

I thought the Wizards should have played more small ball last season with Ariza in the S4 spot. There's even more reason to do it this year with Pierce.

I still think the Wizards PF/C rotation should be Gortat, Humphries, Nenê and Pierce.

Violent agreement. I actually like Humphries at backup C instead of Seraphin or Blair. In the past he's defended 5s better anyways. And I think he's a perfect fit alongside Nene at PF with the ability to space the floor a bit and grab the rebound opportunities that Nene helps facilitate.

Of course that also means starting Pierce at PF & Porter at SF so that will likely never happen.

[Nivek]

I'd keep starting Gortat and Humphries, and bring Nenê off the bench. It wouldn't matter much to me whether Nenê or Humphries was the "center" when they played together.

[nuposse04]

For the draft gurus, are there any decent stretch 4s that will be available in the 22+ range this upcoming draft?

Also, something to...well maybe consider....Webster apparently has a 8'10 standing reach....That is only 1 off of Ariza's.

For end of game possessions, I really wouldn't mind

Wall
Beal
Porter
Webster
Pierce

mostly for the spacing and lulz...more so lulz

[Nivek]

Also, the misspelled word in this thread title is driving me nuts.

It's...

Acknowledging

[FAH1223]

My only gripe is I'd rather Gortat be the 5 man but Humphries isn't a liability on defense, he just isn't the 7 footer who can protect the rim.

Wall
Beal
Butler
Pierce
Gortat

Is a good closing lineup right now

[payitforward]

Also, the misspelled word in this thread title is driving me nuts.

It's...

Acknowledging

Must make it hard for you to read Hands' posts, huh?

Keep in mind that "correct spelling" is a fairly recent concept -- it began w/ typesetting machines a couple of hundred years ago (I did say "fairly recent"). You can look at a Shakespeare quarto and see the same word twice on a page -- spelled two different ways.

[dobrojim]

The NBA has changed so much in the last ten years. I've said this in another thread, but I'll never forget the days this entire board (myself included) was harping on Eddie Jordan's small ball incessantly. Was he a visionary?

Problem was Jamison defending PFs. He was never good at it and it pretty much offset any benefit to having Jamison as a stretch 4. EJ a visionary? No, it was born out of necessity as Kwame got hurt & never developed and Jamison slid from the 3 to the 4 when he got to DC.

My recollection is somewhat different. EJ in the post game " we couldn't get any rebounds or
stop their post players when we had to" (paraphrase)

This after playing Ruffin and Etan at 4/5 for major minutes against an imposingly
large lineup like CLE in the playoffs.

re spelling - most of us make mistakes/typos from time to time. Some of us actually
proof our posts once they're up and make regular use of edit feature. Others not so much.

[dlts20]

Also, the misspelled word in this thread title is driving me nuts.

It's...

Acknowledging

yeah, I wrote it on another board and spelled it right but rushed it quick on here. Tried changing it but it wont let me

[dlts20]

Good post, though I don't think there's any need to attack the board because we are somehow refusing to acknowledge it. I think most of us have advocated for more small ball and we're as glad to see it as you are.

That said, I'm not convinced that it's the "magic bullet" that you make it out to be. I think what we're seeing is a shift in Wittman's strategy and it's working real well because opponents haven't scouted it. I wouldn't be surprised to see small ball grow a little less effective over time. Nevertheless, it's really good to see Wittman add it to the offensive repertoire. You are right that Wall looks like the best PG in the league once he gets that added spacing.

I'm a little curious why Wittman favors Humphries over Gortat as the big man though. I think the Wall/Gortat pick-and-roll would work just as well as the Wall/Gortat pick-and-pop on offense, but Gortat provides a better defensive presence at the other end.

You cant tell someone's tone through typing all the time but I wasnt attacking the board. It was moreso excitement like do you see what is happening and how great it is?

I dont think its a magic bullet but I wouldnt say that teams would figure it out. Icould see Wall killing it and us winning a ton of games like the nash suns or even how hot the nets got last year. That is also the team who beat that Raps team who we struggle with and our only win coming gainst them when we went small late. That could be our answer to them.

I say stick with the bigs but dont ever be afraid to pull the trigger on small ball if we are struggling

[Nivek]

Also, the misspelled word in this thread title is driving me nuts.

It's...

Acknowledging

yeah, I wrote it on another board and spelled it right but rushed it quick on here. Tried changing it but it wont let me

I'll PM pine to see if you can be banned.

[BigA]

Also, the misspelled word in this thread title is driving me nuts.

It's...

Acknowledging

Must make it hard for you to read Hands' posts, huh?

Keep in mind that "correct spelling" is a fairly recent concept -- it began w/ typesetting machines a couple of hundred years ago (I did say "fairly recent"). You can look at a Shakespeare quarto and see the same word twice on a page -- spelled two different ways.

I think standard spelling emerged even later--in the 19th century with the advent of industrialization and near-universal primary education/literacy. You look at old letters from the Revolutionary War period and see lots of alternative spellings.

My hypothesis is that we are now seeing standard spelling go away as we enter the "post-literate" age. Correct spelling can now be automated and is not a skill people will need to have outside of a small minority. Most of the written communication people need to do on a day to day basis (e.g. texting, message boards) doesn't require correct spelling.

[Zonkerbl]

Well, it's all part of a "standard language" thing that has helped us a lot since Shakespeare. We can still understand Shakespearean English from 400 years ago. 100 years ago Russians were speaking old church slavonic and it's a completely separate dialect - Russians can't understand it. It's because cyrillic was only invented in the 19th Century. Printed words are what prevent languages from completely mutating every 100 years. It aids the retention of knowledge. Same reason Latin was the official language of the Roman Catholic Church for a thousand years.

[dobrojim]

sometimes spelling can be really important to meaning like the recent joke
I read circulating around the internet about the guy who's autospeller
changed wifi to wife in a message.