Wizards vs. Raptors GDT (Sponsored by Earl MVP Boykins)

[Wizards2Lottery]

Keeping the same simple template. Inching closer and closer to .500

[miller31time]

The Raptors are in free-fall mode. Their defense is absolutely awful and they just gave up nearly 150 points to Atlanta.

We're at home. We're not playing on a back-to-back. We should win.




















Boykins for MVP.

[JWizmentality]

[DaRealHibachi]

Gil goes off for 30+ points and 10 asts... All around good game, we blow them out by 20+....

Oh yeah, and Boyk for MVP....

[Zerocious]

i could care less whether he scores 30 or 20 or 10 for that matter. as long as he has a good game.

30 points on 35 attempts is going to loose the game. 15 points on 7 for 10 is a better chance for a win.

low/no TO's. 8+ assists. 40% 3's or better.


Let's roll.

[ZonkertheBrainless]

huh, why are there two game threads?

[w dumseld]

Remember when Gil used to elevate and dunk... I hope that returns some day. Of course I remember when they'd call a foul when he took contact around the bucket. Wish that would return too. But as they say, win first and get better later, so 4 out of 5 is a good trend. Perhaps tonight could be our first blow out win of the season. And Gil will slowly round out to form. Mid range jumper seems back on track, maybe 3-ball next. Go Wiz!

[Donkey McDonkerton]

huh, why are there two game threads?

bc some ballboy created one trying to ruin the mojo, good thing we got the Squirrel

[fishercob]

Lots of bad juju around this team right now. Here's what Hollinger had to say about Triano:

OK, we need to stop mincing words and call this what it is: Jay Triano is in over his head, and if the Raptors don't do something about it, it will cost them their best player this summer. The 146 points Wednesday night by Atlanta was the latest ridiculous example of Toronto's defensive ineptitude, and while the roster composed by Bryan Colangelo is far from ideal in this respect, this should not be the worst defensive team in history. Right now it is.

Getting defensive effort from players is one of the basic measuring sticks for an NBA coach, and Triano has failed miserably in this respect. The carping in the locker room following Wednesday's defeat spoke volumes -- players were basically begging the coaching staff to go through the film and go over the mistakes so they could correct them. Which makes one wonder what on earth the Raps were doing for the first quarter of the season while opponents conducted layup drills at their expense.

There's an added urgency for the Raps because of Chris Bosh's impending free agency -- if the Raptors can't show substantial improvement, he's probably a goner after the season. And it appears there's no chance of Toronto's showing that kind of progress under Triano. It would be a desperation move to change conductors at the 20-game mark, but I'm not sure the Raptors' situation gives them much of a choice.

Then there's the thread over on the Raps board that asks whether Bargnani could be the worst rebounding center of...all time:

So far in his career, the stats say he is right up there. These are just the cold, hard stats. I'm not going to get into any theories about "stolen rebounds" or "fake rebounds", or excuses like "Bargs isn't asked to rebound".

AB stat page: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... nan01.html

Per 36 min rates

In the modern 3pt era, the lowest career per 36 minute total rebounding rate for a center who averaged at least 30 mpg is 8.3, and 6.5 for a single season: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... i?id=JVqjX (you can switch between single and career season by pulling down the search form)

For DRB, it's 5.6 and 4.2, wrt career and single season rates: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... i?id=kMU4N

Bargnani's TRB per 36 min was at 6.1 last year and he's at 6.9 so far this year.
Bargnani's DRB per 36 min was at 5.1 last year and he's at 5.5 so far this year.


Rebounding percentage

In the 3pt era, the lowest career TRB% for a center who averaged at least 30mpg is 12.9%, and 10.3% for a single season: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... i?id=W6qbV

For DRB%, the lowest is 17.9%, and 12.8% for a single season: http://www.basketball-reference.com/pla ... i?id=TsLCH

Bargnani's TRB% was 10% last year and 11.2% this year.
Bargnani's DRB% was 16.4% last year and 17.5% this year.

Now, combine these stats with the empirical evidence we see every game where AB fails to rotate, box out, and release from box outs, and we have one of the worst rebounding big man ever to play 30+ mpg and probably THE worst.

I believe the idea of a big man not being able to improve his rebounding is a myth. For example, just check out our former big man Marcus Camby. However, at 24 and in his 4th season, AB still fails to perform basic big man duties and it's hard to believe that will improve, whereas other big men who struggled with rebounding early in their career improved drastically by their 4th season--KG, Camby, Dirk, Nene, even Aldridge.

And while his defensive rebounding in particular has improved to a non-puke-inducing level, his poor off the ball D and awful offensive rebounding (which I didn't even get into; it's even worse than the other numbers. he's going to obliterate records in this category) nullify that improvement.

So, this is a must win!

[LyricalRico]

Add in the comments from Jack and Wright and you've got a team on the brink of true disaster. Very ripe for the picking.

Longterm, TOR fans can take comfort in that Colangelo isn't afraid to make moves. Nothing he can do to help them tonight, though.

[nate33]

Regarding Bargnani's rebounding, I don't think it's quite as bad as the numbers. On offense, Bargs' role is to camp out on the 3-point line to provide spacing. It's pretty damn hard to get offensive rebounds from the 3-point line. Bargnani's offensive rebound percentage is only slightly worse than that of Mehmet Okur or Brad Miller (in his Sactown days). Bargnani might be the worst offensive rebounding center of all time, but that goes hand-in-hand with being one of the most prolific 3-point shooting centers of all time. If they told him to play like a normal center, I'm sure his ORB% would rise quite a bit.

The defensive rebounding numbers are bad, and he doesn't have an excuse for that; but they're not historically bad. His DRB% of 16.4 is going to put him near the bottom of the list every year, but he won't be dead last. For example, his current ranking has him ranked right alongside Mark Blount of 06/07 and Brendan Haywood of 07/08, and well ahead of Eddy Curry of 06/07.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

WE CANT FAIL TONIGHT, or we'll look like this

[Wizards2Lottery]

To everyone complaining about my lack of innovation on the game theads:

I didn't see you go on a winning streak

[nate33]

Wow. Raps fans are apoplectic. That Atlanta loss totally demoralized them.

I don't like it. The Raptors are now a team with nothing to lose. They'll either rally and give us a tough game, or they'll capitulate and it will be a blowout. The one thing I don't expect is a 6-10 point victory. We're going to win by 15+, or it'll be a tight game decided by 4 or fewer points.

I hope Haywood can contain Bosh again. If Bosh is smart, he'll quit trying to post Haywood up. That just ain't gonna work. But if Bosh faces Haywood up at 15 feet, he can be effective with the jumper or the pump-fake-and-drive.

Defensively, we've got to do something about slow, white PG's running off the high screen and killing us with jumpers and uncontested drives to the basket. Calderon and Ridnoir abused us in the last two games. Can we please put a stop to it? If Arenas can't guard Jose freaking Calderon, then sit him and play Boykins more.

[PowerHouse]

Even though the Raptors are on a freefall, I'll say they take this 1. In the last 7 or so meetings the road team has won the game.

[dobrojim]

I was worried as well that TOR would have to step up and
show a little pride after such a horrible defensive performance.
That said, when our guys got it going, as they are starting
to show signs (Marv A), a poor defensive team is unlikely
to slow them down much.

Agree with you about Bosh. He'd be crazy to post Haywood.
He needs to play away and either shoot jumpers which he
CAN do and drive to draw fouls.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

To everyone complaining about my lack of innovation on the game theads:

I didn't see you go on a winning streak

Hey, I did...but I'm not complaining. I hope your steak demolishes my puny 2 game win streak.

[dobrojim]

looking ahead is almost always a bad idea but if we
can win tonight, which we should at home, I like
our chances for revenge against DET on Sunday.
That would make the TNT/BOS game on THU a lot
more interesting.

[eltacoman]

the WIznizz Swag Movement is in effect !!!

Caron Butlers Swag is starting to Habachisize
Player of the Game type of night from Tuff Man Juice tonight baby !!!!

[closg00]

Classic trap-game. Toronto is on a 5-game losing-streak and they are desperate for revenge and a win.

Edit: Raps will have a different rotation tonight.
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