Why No Respect For The Wiz?

[dlts20]

Its long but its filled with facts. Im reading this board and people say that Boston vs Wiz may be like a Dallas-GS situation and they are asking why do the Wiz have Boston's number. What are people talking about? This is no way like Dallas-GS. I dont mean it as a diss to GS because they are certainly a great team but that was a 1 seed vs a 8 seed. I saw in that same thread how people were saying that even if the Wiz are healthy, the C's wouldve won a ton more games then them. How do you figure?

The Wiz will probally finish this season with 45 wins. Thats 45 wins with Etan out all year, Gil missing nearly 70 games, Caron missing 23 games, and AD missing 11 games when they have no other PG. They also started 0-5 and had like a 0-8 stretch when Caron 1st went out and they had to adjust. You make them healthy and you dont think they could "atleast" get another 10 wins to make them a 55 win team? If that was there record then no one would be acting like this is a fluke. Do people realize that by the time the season ends, they wont have a losing record against any of the top 8 the East. Do you realize that not only have they beat Boston 3 staight times but theyve won like 7 of 10 against Detroit, swept NO this year, swept Dallas, beat Orlando on the road, and so on? People forget that the Wiz were the #1 seed in the East last year until the injuries hit. When Detroit made the trade for Webb, everyone said they were unbeatable and they were killing everyone. Then the Wiz play them twice in 4 days and beat them. They also were beating all the best teams in the West. The problem was that in the last game where they beat Detroit and took over 1st place in the East, AJ got hurt and was out for a month. After that they havent been healthy again until now.

They think they wouldve won the East last year instead of Cleveland if they were healthy but no one will give them the benefit of doubt because they are the Wiz. People even act like the Cavs own the Wiz. They make it sound like they beat them a hundred straight times. The reality is that everyone knows the win last year didnt mean anything. They beat the Wiz 2 years ago but that was a crazy tough series and people make it sound like the Cavs destroyed them. Do you realize that the Cavs blew them out in game 1 but the Wiz led with under 2 seconds left in every single game after that. Every single game they had the lead at the end. I wont even talk about the travels but if you do take those away then the Wiz win. Even the Gil FT's have been distorted for Lebron's legacy. Everyone now swears that Lebron wispered to Gil and he missed both FT's when the truth is that Gil had already missed the 1st FT before Lebron had even said anything. Chances are that Gil was going to miss the 2nd one anyway. Now you can say that he choked because that goes with the territory but I just think he missed them. Either way it had nothing to do with Lebron. You could say that if Lebron had did it before the 1st one but he didnt and the Wiz still had a 2pt lead at that point. People also forget in the game before that Gil hit 2 FT's with just 2 seconds left to put the Wiz up by 1 "in" Cleveland, so its not like he just got shook all of assudden. Still, people make it sound like the Cavs own the Wiz and Lebron cant lose to them when they really only for winning one super tough down to the wire series that couldve gone either way.

My whole point is that the Wiz think they have been the best team the past couple of years if healthy. They also are a way better team now. People who dont follow them think they are better because they have Gil but you are so wrong. They had been average in the past because of 3 reasons. No D, No Depth, and the big men suck. Now there way better in those 3 spots. There D is better because they brought in Randy Ayers. There stats are actaully better with Gil on the floor. We use to get killed on pick & rolls but now we always stop them with Ayers. Our Depth has always been guys like a injuried Hayes who sucked, Jared Jeffries, Donnel Taylor, Ruffin, Calvin Booth, and a bunch of D-leauge guys. It sucked. Now we have guys like Mason, Nick Young, McGuire, Blatche, and Songaila who are all beast. Our front line is now great with AJ, Wood, Blatche, and Songaila. Wood is having a career year and its not because Gil is gone. He was our best player early when Gil was playing. Blatche wasnt ready to play in the past but now is and he's way better when Gil is on the court to push the tempo and Darius is a beast. Dave Hoopla has also helped a ton with guys like Wood shooting 75% from the line instead of 55% like his whole career.

This team is foreal and there way better then people think. If they beat Boston then it wont be nothing like the GS-Dallas series. The Wiz could legitmatly bet the best team in the East and may be defending Conference champs if it werent for the injuries and then people would be looking at them totally different. They give Boston & Detroit hell

[Flash3]

Let them do something worth noting in the post-season and they'll get the respect they deserve.

Regular season success is one thing, post-season success is another; see the Atlanta Braves.

[TheKingOfVa360]

DLTS we will get our respect once we win the East (probably this year)

[Philly Fresh]

People who keep up with the NBA, and not just a select few teams, recognize the success of everyone. That's why when Philly was blazing, barely anyone knew that they were on such a streak. Philly is known as a bottom feeder, and no one cares to keep up with them.

The Wizards definetly have my respect, I've watched them play throughout the season and defeat various elite teams mutiple times.

[Manocad]

Why? Because regular season success does guarantee playoff success. Different teams, different format. If the regular season were made up of all 7-game series against 12 other teams that included all other 7 playoff teams in the same conference and 5 playoff teams from the other conference, one might be able to infer a more direct correlation between the two.

As was already stated, respect is earned. If you haven't done it yet, done expect to be treated like you have.

[gizzardsfan]

I agree with almost everything in the original post, but every team has a story, and reasons why they aren't getting the respect they deserve. I'd guess that 50% of your post was lost on anyone who isn't a Wizards fan already.

the Clif Notes:

1. The Wiz have lost their best players to injuries more than any other team in the NBA over the past two seasons.
2. They've beaten the best in the NBA (Celtics, Hornets, Mavericks, etc.).
3. If the stars align (everyone stays healthy) they could make a serious run in the playoffs.

[MagicalMan]

if respect has to be earned in the playoffs first, then you should apply this same logic to Boston who has proved nothing in the playoffs as of yet.

[gizzardsfan]

^^^ Beat me to it...

Regular season success does not guarantee playoff success. But nobody has guaranteed anything. Besides, every expert and RealGM poster would pick the Celtics to make the ECF, at least, but they've never played a postseason game together. To discount the regular season would be just as foolish as to say it guarantees a particular outcome in the playoffs.

[prekazi]

DLTS we will get our respect once we win the East (probably this year)

do you really believe you can win the East?

[JoshB914]

If the Wiz figure out how beat Lebron this year, they will get the respect they deserve. But as of now, they are just an above average team in an awful conference.

[nate33]

I don't think the Wizards are being disrespected. They are a 43-45 win in a terrible Eastern Conference. Yes, they've had injuries and now they're getting healthy. That makes them a "dangerous" team, but not a favorite.

I think everyone is pretty aware that the Wizards are a dangerous team. My guess is that teams would rather avoid a first round matchup against the Wizards. I consider that respect. And it's about all the respect they deserve right now until they win a playoff series.

[MagicNolesFSU]

Wiz would have to beat Lebron and solve the celtics D to get to the ECF. Washington isnt really giving up anything to the celtics in terms of talent. But Lebron always blows you guys up, and it would be harder to stop him in the playoffs.

[Dtown84]

The only way to get respect without playoff success, is an absolutely dominant regular season. The wiz are a good team, but beyond a possible upset (would it be an upset?) of Cleveland I can't see them doing much.

[ilikecb4]

their D is not good and they can't get past 1sr round in playoffs

those are 2 main reasons pretty much

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Wiz would have to beat Lebron and solve the celtics D to get to the ECF. Washington isnt really giving up anything to the celtics in terms of talent. But Lebron always blows you guys up, and it would be harder to stop him in the playoffs.

Brendan Haywood can do more to stop Lebron if the coach allows it. The last game the Wizards beat the Cavs in the playoffs (2 years ago) he gave a hard foul. Same thing this season in a game they won.

Also, a subtle coaching move would slow Lebron's roll completely. Jamison at SF would force the King to have to defend. James totally outplays Butler, but Jamison hits the boards and presents a tougher matchup for James.

And also this season DeShawn Stevenson's said Lebron is overrated. Genuine dislike there.

Washington won't stop James at all but they can't stand him and they have some dudes that can rough him up a bit.

[cdouglas]

The Wiz series against the Cavs 2 years ago was extremely close. It was anyone's game. Last year the Cavs struggled against the Wiz and they were without Arenas and Butler so I really don't expect it to be smooth. Should be an interesting series though.

So does this make the Wiz and Celtics rivalries??

[og15]

The Wiz series against the Cavs 2 years ago was extremely close. It was anyone's game. Last year the Cavs struggled against the Wiz and they were without Arenas and Butler so I really don't expect it to be smooth. Should be an interesting series though.

So does this make the Wiz and Celtics rivalries??

Well I wouldn't call it a struggle, lol, but they didn't beat up the Wiz as they should've considering the circumstances. One could also argue they weren't neccesarily looking to blow them out, but just to get their wins though.

[legacyinthemakin89c]

I love the Wizards and was defending them at the beginning of the year when all of the so called experts said they weren't even going to be good enough to make the playoffs.

I'm really rooting for them this year because they have the best chance of beating Boston before the EC finals.

[Wizards2Lottery]

We play decent defense and our offense can spot up 100+ on any defense in the league.

I agree that we need to prove it in the playoffs and I bet you we will this year. The chemistry and the talent on this team is amazing. IMO I think where we are underrated is in terms of how people perceive the talent on our squad.

The talent is there (which is why we're in the playoffs despite our 2 best players missing a ton of games), and now it just needs to work it out in the playoffs. The good thing is, the core is so young that we will be a playoff show up for the next 5+ years.

[eyejayem]

Is this a topic of Wiz against Boston or Cavs. I respect the Wiz because I am an avid basketball fan. And when they beat Boston twice in the same week I loved it. I think that Boston loses the second rd whether it is to the Cavs or the Wiz because both teams give them fits and seem tougher and certainly has more experience. When healthy I think that the Wiz is easliy top 4 team in the East. If Gilbert is healthy I think they beat Boston easier but they have to get through the Cavs and psychology is a big part of every sport. I have heard people talk about other players all the time but when Deshawn said Lebron was overrated,no matter if you think it is true or not, he sounded more like he was trying to convince himself then the media. I wouldnt waste my time about someone if I didnt give a damn about him.

But with that said. Love the Wiz and they did their part by making Boston look like just another sorry team from the East let alone a week before the playoffs. Oh and Antawn, Loved that facial leaving Garnett stuck in the mud.