2-24-10 Griz v Wiz GT

[GhostsOfGil]

Wiz looking to make it 4 straight wins at the Verizon center when they host the grizzlies. Blatche has been a beast averaging 25 ppg and 11 rpg since the trade deadline. it will only get harder for him now that teams have been scouting him. Al thornton is expected to start in place of howard who is now out for the season with a torn ACL. keys to the game will be AB and AT consistency; if they can play at the level they have been playing since the trade deadline, wiz are heavy favorites. the next 5 games, starting tonite, are against teams under .500 so this is a great time to get some wins.

2-24-2010
wiz host griz at the verizon center
7:00pm tip off CSN

nba.com game preview
http://www.nba.com/games/20100224/MEMWA ... 0020900847
wiz board chat room
http://www.chatzy.com/558512860594

"Washington (20-34) was one of the more active teams before the NBA's trading deadline, dealing Antawn Jamison and Caron Butler among others. The higher-profile players the Wizards acquired in those trades were Howard, Al Thornton and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, who has yet to play for the team and is seeking a buyout.

Those new additions seemed to revive the struggling club as it's topped 100 points in four straight games, including a 101-95 home victory over Chicago on Monday.

Andray Blatche had 25 points and 11 rebounds, but Howard had to be helped off the floor after colliding with the Bulls' Flip Murray in the first quarter."

I know i just did a GT so if anyone else would like to create one feel free to make one and mods can lock this.

[montestewart]

Now that the Wizards seem to be trying to transform into a younger, faster, grittier TEAM, it will be interesting to see how they play against teams like the Thunder, the Kings, the Grizzlies, and other younger and possibly up-and-coming teams.

I'll be driving back to DC in the snow tonight, and will only get to read the box score late.

[closg00]

The Griz are on a b2b, coming off of a dagger delivered by Kobe last night so that might help. I am afraid that we won't match-up well against the Griz front-line with Wood gone. Gasol & Z-Bo & Gay should all do well tonight. We've been getting by, but we need some size in the middle.

Allow me to present my candidate for a 10-day contract.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/playerfile/g ... ohn_bryant

[nate33]

Good point about the Griz front line closg00. Gasol is going to have a field day against McGee. McGee needs to compensate by running Gasol into the ground. McGee needs to get two or three easy dunks due to Gasol being slow getting back.

I'm anxious to see the Randolph/Blatche matchup. Can Blatche contain Randolph without foul trouble? Offensively, Blatche should be able to score, but he needs to do it without all the up-and-under dipsy-do moves. Randolph is a position defender. He's not going to bite for pump fakes. Blatche just needs to turn and shoot over him.

[dobrojim]

quick reminder - I have a single ticket to unload for tonight

lwr lvl sec 107 - make nominal offer RealGM Wiz board special

[Ed Wood]

The Griz are on a b2b, coming off of a dagger delivered by Kobe last night so that might help. I am afraid that we won't match-up well against the Griz front-line with Wood gone. Gasol & Z-Bo & Gay should all do well tonight. We've been getting by, but we need some size in the middle.

Allow me to present my candidate for a 10-day contract.
http://www.nba.com/dleague/playerfile/g ... ohn_bryant

Man ol' John have a phat ol' ass,
Yeah the type to make you tell he just clean that glass.

Echoing the interest in the Gasol vs. McGee matchup. I'm sure we will see a few pump fakes bitten on and a few easy finishes for Gasol, if McGee can answer back with some blocks and by attacking Gasol with his quickness I'll be pretty satisfied overall. McGee vs. Thabeet would also be interesting if the big dog can get off the bench. Tonight might be a nice opportunity to get a sense of how willing Blatche is to answer physicality, which he'll be getting from Randolph, with some physical play of his own. Forgive me but while I don't think we're any worse than we were two weeks ago I'm still not convinced that we're all that good, but I wouldn't mind being pleasantly surprised.

[GhostsOfGil]

Good point about the Griz front line closg00. Gasol is going to have a field day against McGee. McGee needs to compensate by running Gasol into the ground. McGee needs to get two or three easy dunks due to Gasol being slow getting back.

I'm anxious to see the Randolph/Blatche matchup. Can Blatche contain Randolph without foul trouble? Offensively, Blatche should be able to score, but he needs to do it without all the up-and-under dipsy-do moves. Randolph is a position defender. He's not going to bite for pump fakes. Blatche just needs to turn and shoot over him.

very informative post. any thoughts of fab starting over mcgee?

[dobrojim]

Good point about the Griz front line closg00. Gasol is going to have a field day against McGee. McGee needs to compensate by running Gasol into the ground. McGee needs to get two or three easy dunks due to Gasol being slow getting back.

I'm anxious to see the Randolph/Blatche matchup. Can Blatche contain Randolph without foul trouble? Offensively, Blatche should be able to score, but he needs to do it without all the up-and-under dipsy-do moves. Randolph is a position defender. He's not going to bite for pump fakes. Blatche just needs to turn and shoot over him.

very informative post. any thoughts of fab starting over mcgee?

I'd say let McGee start; if he can stay out of foul trouble, he'll get minutes.
If Gasol schools him and gets him in foul trouble, we can always put in FO then.

[Spence]

Mike Harris to wear #33 tonight. So much for putting Brendan Haywood's jersey in the rafters.

And the board explodes with righteous indignation in 3...2...1...

[dobrojim]

he (wood) probably holds the record for most games played as a Wizard since
he was the longest tenured player. He did miss most of one year
but was generally healthy and played a lot the rest of the time.
If not for EJ, he might have had the record for most games started.

[jholmbe1]

I don't think we are "heavy favorites" against anyone but if we play with the same energy and enthusiasm as we have been we should be able to pull out another close win.

[closg00]

Damn! I totally forgot about Thabeet, Haddadi, & Hunter, 3 more 7 footers in-addition to Zach and the recently returned Daryl Arthur (6'9). We are in big trouble if Blatche gets into foul-trouble. If their coach is smart, they will go at Blatche. McGee could crack 25 minutes tonight.

[dlts20]

This is a weird game for a number or reasons. The Grizz have been up & down lately, its the 2nd night of a back to back, and the lost at the end which could deflate them. On the flip side I think losing Howard’s speed, ball handling, and slashing ability really hurts us, the Grizz fans seem to think Mayo will start playing alot more aggressive now after missing those 2fts, and they have some of the hardest matchups in the leauge for us.

The whole starting lineup may be hard for us to matchup with. Despite what I said about OJ, I think they will go inside early & often. I think they look Gasol’s size on McGee and they probably feel that Z-Bo could get Blatche in quick foul trouble or make him lose some steam on O with his style and by being a lefty which is always much harder to guard.

If I know Flip like I think I do then he is going to go to Blatche early & often. The #1 thing I love about Flip is that he’s doing what Ive been asking for our coaches & players to do for years. He goes after the mismatch every single game. If you watch, he thinks of one matchup he likes before every game and starts with it. Thats why against Toronto he went to Howard on every play with Turk guarding him and got 2 quick fouls on him. I think he will go to Blatche every play to wear Zack down some on the other end and hopefully he can make him get 2 fouls which will totally change there team.

I use to always get so mad that our coaches didnt recognize a mismatch or a good matchup. NY would come in and sometimes be guarded by a 6ft guy but we never isolate him or post him up. If Flip see’s that now he immediatly calls for it. The only problem is that it didnt work when we had the other guys here because AJ was a hog and would never pass out and Caron got phased out in every game because he never had the good matchup which also made him a hog when he finally did get it. I also dont like it when Flip does it every play because how do you know if this isnt the game that one of your other guys may be capable of going for 40 but you never gave them a shot because you singled one guy out for such a long period and now this other guy has cooled.

Either way, we are taking advantage of it way more with this group, even though last game I thought Flip sucked at it since Blatche had by far the best matchup and we never really went to him yet he still scored 25. There is no doubt that he wouldve scored 35 or had a bunch of assist if we wouldve went to him more befcause all there 4’s were too small. I wouldnt be shocked if both teams pick the 4 and its Blatche vs Z-Bo right from the jump with both teams havign the same exact goal about wearing out the best player and maybe getting him in foul trouble. If Blatche holds his own in this one then he has officaly arrived. Z-Bo isnt a great defender but his O could give Blatche hell and keep him in foul trouble

[dobrojim]

last chance to hit me for the tix tonight

703-581-2193

[Tyrone Messby]

Gasol abusing McGee early.

[Rafael122]

We're getting destroyed in the paint. I believe like 20 of their 25 pts have come in the paint.

[Tyrone Messby]

Blatche is an animal.

[Tyrone Messby]

Boykins with a dumb decision to drive with the layup instead of pass to a wide open Nick Young, finds him the 2nd time around as I'm typing this. awesome.

[JWizmentality]

Singleton is a mofo BEAST!!! 4blks already!

[ZonkertheBrainless]

Put Varlamov in darnit!