Designed to beat the Best

[hands11]

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/standings

We are still one of the hottest teams in the conference. There is only one team I would say is hotter then us and they just cleaned our clocks.

It looks like its going to come down to

Boston, Cleveland, Detroit, Toronto, Orlando and Us.

How do we stack up? In the end, you have to be able to match up against the best teams in your conference to get threw the playoffs.

So lets see what people have to say about how we match up with these teams in a playoff race and a series.


Boston
We have shown we can beat Boston as is. Though they are on top, we match up well with them kind of like Cleveland matches up we against usl. They are older and I think they will start to fade. I'm not overly worried about them.


DET
Wed, Jan 2 Detroit L 93-106
AD, CB, AJ and BH all played well but we still lost.
They have been a problem for us for years.


Cleveland
I think they will end up being #1 or #2 in the conference so we
have to figure out a way to match up with them. We still have our work cut our here.


Orlando
Awesome big man that is hard to handle


Toronto
I have to go to work so I couldn't finish fill this in.

[nate33]

We're definitely built to beat Boston. And I agree that Boston will probably tire a bit by the end of the year. I'm not afraid of them.

Detroit is tough to figure out. We've owned them over the past 2 years because they simply don't have an answer for Arenas. However, they're a little different this season with Rasheed Wallace at center and McDyess and Maxiell crashing the glass from the PF spot. Did they crush us earlier this year because of their new look, or was it because of the absence of Arenas?

I think we match up just fine with Cleveland, especially when we have Arenas. They could barely beat us in the playoffs last year without Arenas, Butler and Haywood. They killed us last game, but I consider that an aberration. It would have been an entirely different game if Z shoots a more-human 4 for 8 in the first half (instead of 8 for and Arenas was there give us a few more points on offense. Instead of being down 6 at half time, we'd could have just as easily been up 6 and in position to weather their 3rd quarter onslaught.

We match up well with Orlando. Haywood and Etan combine to handle Howard better than any frontcourt in the league. Jamison is better than Rashard Lewis. Butler is better than Turk. Stevenson is better than Bogans. And when Arenas is back, he'll destroy their PG's.

We match up poorly with Toronto. I don't want any part of them. Bosh routinely kills Jamison, and his speed and outside shooting skills are too much for Haywood to handle if we switch up. Also, they have a bunch of guards who are deadly from the perimeter. They're just a bad, bad matchup.

[RickRoll_inDC]

We match up poorly with Toronto. I don't want any part of them. Bosh routinely kills Jamison, and his speed and outside shooting skills are too much for Haywood to handle if we switch up. Also, they have a bunch of guards who are deadly from the perimeter. They're just a bad, bad matchup.

why not Blatche on him? Jamison is too bad of a defender, and Wood is too slow, But Blatche has about the same build and is a good enough defender to handle him when he actually feels like trying on defense. granted, i do hate playing Toronto because they always seem to destroy us no matter what. i do believe though that we can play with any team in the east right now WITHOUT Gil. With Gil, we can be a dominant force in the East.

[fishercob]

The problem with Blatcheing him for extended minutes is that it means sitting Stevenson. Same problem with going big vs. the Cavs.

Vs. Cle it means Caron on LBJ and then Jamison on HUghes. Ouch.

Jamison's defensive improvements will be wiped out if he has to chase a quick guy on the perimeter.

Our best counter against Cleveland's size would be AJ scoring effectively on Gooden or Varajeo. The fact that he didnt the other night put no pressure on Brown to adjust. With Arenas back and CLe having to account for him, I expect Jamison to have much more success offensively.

Toronto's just a touch matchup. Blatche isn't ready for big minutes on Bosh. He'll foul out in a quarter. We'd probably go with Haywood and take our chances with Jamison on Bargnani who gets to the line a lot less and floats to the perimeter more.

Great thread.

[LyricalRico]

We have to take Stevenson out to put Blatche in?

[fishercob]

We have to take Stevenson out to put Blatche in?

Can't play with 6 guys. Not taking out the big 3 or Haywood. Right, smartass?

[Donkey McDonkerton]

we da besttttttttt

[Joe_Wiz]

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Can't play with 6 guys. Not taking out the big 3 or Haywood. Right, smartass?

If he could stay out of foul trouble, Blatche could play 10 minutes at PF and 20 at C. After the first 6-8 minutes, EJ could try to have him on the floor most of the time that Bosh is. I don't know if it would work, but it's not a crazy idea.

[Ruzious]

Eh, I wouldn't be worried about Toronto. Without Ford, they don't have a penetrator or anyone who can create on offense. They've got a bunch of jump shooters who play with good fundamentals and Moon. And without Gargajoso (sp?), they lost depth up front. Bosh would basically have to beat the Wiz by himself, and he's mostly playing center. Just get him in foul trouble, and you win.

[Test of Wills]

Hey guys, Toronto fan here. Thanks for the respect there. I feel you guys are team flying under the radar and are built for the playoffs you guys don't have a problem with Boston. As I watched the two games you guys won Caron has totally smothered Pierce with great defense he couldn't do anything about it. The only worries you guys should have is Detroit because that team is strong 1-12 even there IR players are great. I still feel they are the best team in the east. GL guys the rest of the way hope to see you guys in the playoffs. This team can be a scary team when Caron, Jamison and Hibachi are clicking on all cylinders.

Great Thread BTW.

[LyricalRico]

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Can't play with 6 guys. Not taking out the big 3 or Haywood. Right, smartass?

You were making the point that we would bring in Blatche against the Cavs to matchup against their big lineup. I'm assuming that Blatche would be playing PF next to Haywood in that scenario...so why would Stevenson have to come out? I'm thinking that either Jamison or Butler would.

Now if you're thinking that the Wiz would to ultra big and move Jamison to SF and Caron to SG that's a different story. That's not the impression that I got from your post, nor do I think it would be a good idea.

I only see Cleveland as a problem when they play Z and Verajao together. In that circumstance, taking Jamison out and putting Blatche in would be the proper move IMO.

[TheKingOfVa360]

The only teams I don't want to see in the playoffs are the Raptors and Pistons. We can beat both teams but they both give us match up problems. Last year we owned the Pistons and we usually split the season series with the Raptors but I prefer to not have to play either of them in the playoffs.

[hands11]

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You were making the point that we would bring in Blatche against the Cavs to matchup against their big lineup. I'm assuming that Blatche would be playing PF next to Haywood in that scenario...so why would Stevenson have to come out? I'm thinking that either Jamison or Butler would.

Now if you're thinking that the Wiz would to ultra big and move Jamison to SF and Caron to SG that's a different story. That's not the impression that I got from your post, nor do I think it would be a good idea.

I only see Cleveland as a problem when they play Z and Verajao together. In that circumstance, taking Jamison out and putting Blatche in would be the proper move IMO.

Cleveland still worries me. I don't think what they did was an aberration. Maybe the point spread was exaggerated but the W wasn't and what they did to cause mismatches wasn't.

Verse our last starting line or even with GA in there, they just outsize us to much and Lebron is to talented and big. AJ does seem to be one of the main issues. I just don't like him against Gooden or V. Both cause him problems with their D and rebounding, and Gooden is a problem to score also. AJ didn't just not score enough, he was way off on his rebounding.

But I also don't like the idea on pulling AJ off the court. Its a tough call. Maybe with GA in you can pull him. GA, DS, CB, BIG, BIG

We should look at several options and see which works the best. I think we need to always have bigs a C and PF when they do, so that's BH, OP, and AB. What we do for SF, SG and PG can be adjusted. I hope we get busy trying on some different shoes to see which ones fit the best. Time to start giving some investment in line up to beat the teams that will give us the most problem come playoffs.

[fishercob]

Maybe for a few minutes here and there, but the Wiz are going to lose a lot more on O than they'll gain on D by subbing Jamison for Blatche.

Everyone advocating the big lineup in the Cleveland game thread wanted AJ on the floor with Haywood, AD, CB and either Pesh or Blatche. So to me, "going big" to match up with the Cavs means sliding Butler to G and Jamison to SF.

[hands11]

Once GA gets back

GA, NY, CB, AJ, BH

[GilArenas88]

I really don't want to see the Raps either there biggest strength on offense, the three, is our biggest weakness on defense.

[BruceO]

At this moment we have atleast one good gaurd defender in deshawn. He can make some of the elite players struggle. At the small forward spot Caron is capable of some of that but his offensive output suffers. I watch how cleveland plays us, and how Boston plays us and I think we can make some changes that make us a better team.

I read clydes book the game within the game and he says the missing piece is always a defensive piece. Theoretically if we had a Big defensive small forward like Artest or kirilenko while still retaining Caron to play the SG or SF depending on need we can be alot better. This way we have one good guard defender, one good bigger defender and one good post defender. Then the player who gets more time depends on what assignments are needed.

Defensively lets look at how we'd do against Detroit, Orlando, Boston and Cleveland. We have our elite defenders in Deshawn, (artest) and Haywood. Bostons threat comes out of the SF and PF spot. Thats what drives their engine. Caron is capable of making pierce suffer offensively but Artest more so. That can allow Caron to still be in the game at the SG causing Havoc. Pierce can't switch to defend Caron because the Big small forward on the SG would be a mismatch. Garnett doesnt put up alot of points but he does work hard for rebounds and assists.

Against cleveland the other day I watched Lebron defend Deshawn while they made Pavlovic defend Caron. Then caron or deshawn had to work hard to defend Lebron and I felt our whole defense suffered from having to make adjustments. We will be dealing with Lebron for a long time. I think an (Artest) puts someone equally as big and strong on Lebron while not tiring Caron.

Orlando Killed us last time due to Turkoglu. A defensive SF solves that somewhat or makes him work hard while Caron punishes the SG.
In the case of Detroit depending on who goes off their forwards or Gaurds I think we can make decisions on whether to play Deshawn or an Artest.

I just think we have some matchup issues currently and teams cheat in the way they defend us. Cleveland puts hughes or Pavlovic on caron, sometimes they put hughes on Arenas cause the other guard spot isnt putting pressure on them. My point is I'd take a line up of Arenas, Caron, Artest, Jamison, Haywood over any in the league including Rondo, Allen, pierce, Garnett and Perkins. The guy allows caron to do what he does, allows us to play caron at SG while allowing us to plug in a suitable SF replacement which we don't have cause Jamison struggles defensively against some SF. Players like Josh Howard, Pierce, Tmac, vince, kobe and even jordan have seesawed between the gaurd and Forward spot to take advantage of matchups

[fishercob]

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Cleveland still worries me. I don't think what they did was an adoration. Maybe the point spread was exaggerated but the W wasn't and what they did to cause mismatches wasn't.

That belongs in the Hands HOF.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

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That belongs in the Hands HOF.

you dont think it was done because they worship us?

[LyricalRico]

Maybe for a few minutes here and there, but the Wiz are going to lose a lot more on O than they'll gain on D by subbing Jamison for Blatche.

This will only be true until Gil comes back.

Haywood
Blatche
Caron
Stevenson
Arenas

I don't see any offensive problems with that lineup.