RealGM

Even before the Milwaukee game, this question's been on my mind.

Who should be playing more minutes most of the time, Blatche or Songaila?

IMO...Blatche...Cus he's backup center at this stage...Songaila has been playing like balls this year anyway.

OPec.

EDIT: Ah, that was a rather incomplete post, don't you think?

What I was planning to say is that I don't even think this should be a question - Blatche can play center, Songaila can't, we need someone to play backup center when Haywood sits, Blatche obviously should play over Songaila. I don't think it should even be a question.

What I think is a valid question, on the other hand, is who should be playing more between Songaila and OPec. And at this point, with as bad as Songaila has been playing, I think his minutes should go to OPec. OPec has shown some ability in his very limited court time, enough so that I'm more than willing to give him a shot with a consistent 12-14 minutes for a few weeks. If he flames out in being given the bigger role so quickly, then we can revert back to Songaila.

Again though, on the other original question: I see no reason whatsoever that Songaila should be playing over Blatche, triply so because we're probably talking about the center position.

Songaila is by far the worst move of EG's Wiz tenure.

Gilbert0Arenas wrote:Songaila is by far the worst move of EG's Wiz tenure.

Bigger than matching the Bucks offer for Etan? I mean, I don't like Songaila either, but the Thomas signing supersedes all.

miller31time wrote:-= original quote snipped =-



Bigger than matching the Bucks offer for Etan? I mean, I don't like Songaila either, but the Thomas signing supersedes all.

I'd rather have Etan on the court than Songaila

definitely blatche. he brings more size and defense than songaila. DSong has a better offensive game with his shot from 18 feet, but doesn't have much for a low post presence like Blatche sortof does.

When Blatche is actually hustling and trying out there, he looks pretty good, but when he's not, i would have DSong playing more.

Oh and as to the question: No question Blatche should be getting more minutes. Songaila has been a complete and utter detriment to this team (this season). His jumper isn't falling, he seems to turn it over a lot, his defense is some of the worst in the NBA and he is a foul-machine because he isn't remotely athletically gifted.

With Blatche, you get a few of the same problems (foul trouble, an inconsistent jumper, a few turnovers), but Andray A) gives you above-average post defense/shotblocking and B) will only get better.

Songaila is useful if his jumper is falling, he is starting to show signs, but his D really stinks so far this year. Also AD having to start hurts Songaila's game, I don't think he spends much time paired with AD. Or maybe we see so much of Song because EJ is trying to pair him up with AD, I don't know.

Blatche....he needs to play and get the experience.

The issue shouldn't be who is playing more unfortunately...Songailia is a forward and Blatche is a center so one shouldn't be getting minutes at the expense of the other. Unfortunately, our coach wants to play Song at center where he's overmatched and doesn't really provide utility except for the ability to spread the floor.

So my answer is both should be getting playing time, but not at the expense of the other.

yungal07 wrote:The issue shouldn't be who is playing more unfortunately...Songailia is a forward and Blatche is a center so one shouldn't be getting minutes at the expense of the other. Unfortunately, our coach wants to play Song at center where he's overmatched and doesn't really provide utility except for the ability to spread the floor.

So my answer is both should be getting playing time, but not at the expense of the other.

I think you're right. Blatche should be out backup C and Pecherov should should fill in whatever minutes AB and BH don't cover.

I do think there's a place for Etan on this team when he's healthy, but not for Songaila.

Better questions:

Who should play more minutes? Blatche or OPEC?

Who should play less minutes? Songaila or Songaila?

Blatche should see at least as many minutes at F as Songaila sees at C. Pech complicates the situation, but on nights where Blatche is not playing like crap, he should play more than Songaila.

Let's make this simple. Between the power forward position and the center position, there are an available 96 minutes.

Antawn will take up 33 of those minutes (he plays the other 7mpg at small forward). That leaves 63 minutes remaining. Haywood will take up 28 of those minutes. That leaves 35 minutes remaining. On the season, Blatche and Songaila are each (approx.) averaging 18 minutes each. That effectively takes care of all the pf/c minutes.

Since there are only 17 available minutes at power forward, Songaila should get a portion of those (as Blatche seems to play best at center). The problem is that Songaila is absolutely pitiful on offense when playing the power forward position, posting a PER of 5.20....This is why Pecherov should take at least half of the available power forward minutes that Jamison doesn't use (8-9 per game). That leaves 20 minutes per game for Blatche at center, and Pesh to get some minutes under his belt while reducing Songaila's role (something we all can be happy about).

Blatche

Let's make it really simple:

Songalia does nothing on the basketball court better than OPEC.

OPEC is young, athletic, with mad range.

Every minute Songalia plays takes away from OPEC's development.

Songalia should not be in the rotation at all.

As an 11th or 12th man, a savvy veteran who can fill in in odd circumstances... you need extra hard fouls to give in a playoff series for example... Songalia is perfect.

Keep him... but please Eddie, please, please, please bench him.

Coach, and let Opech and Blatche play through their mistakes. I wish we had a big-man coach like the Lakers have Jabar.

closg00 wrote:Coach, and let Opech and Blatche play through their mistakes. I wish we had a big-man coach like the Lakers have Jabar.

I'm fine with this. but you can't have it both ways, though. This will lead to some losses in the short term. Can you live with that?

This is an absolute no-brainer. Had Blatche been in the game during the second half rather than Songaila I am confident that the Wizards would have won against the Bucks.