Game Thread: Washington @ New Jersey (12/16/2010 7PM EST)

[fugop]

(A work in progress...)


We travel, Thursday, to New Jersey, to face a team in the midst of roster changes, perhaps on the cusp of a larger deal for one Mr. C. Anthony. They've dealt Terrance Williams, a Louisville Cardinal who just couldn't get his act together, despite massive physical gifts. He played in only ten games this year, didn't produce, and apparently couldn't show up to practice or team events on time. They received Sasha Vujacic from the Lakers, along with a smattering of mediocre firsts.

Vujacic will probably see the court on Thursday. The AP's got a pretty basic fact wrong here, but the gist is clear:

Johnson will insert Vujacic into his regular rotation, quite possibly as early as Thursday when the Nets face the Los Angeles Clippers in Newark. Vujacic was set to arrive in New Jersey Wednesday afternoon for a physical. He boarded a flight from Indianapolis, where the Lakers are playing the Pacers tonight.

“We know he can shoot the ball,” Johnson said. “It’s nice to add someone with the capability to make a shot. We’re excited to have him. We also acquired valuable picks, which gives us some flexibility. We need Sasha to play right away, because we need help at that position. I know he can come here and make shots.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news?slug=ap-nets-vujacic

With the turmoil, we've got probably our best opportunity to date to pick up our first road win. Without further ado...



Projected Starters

Kirk Hinrich

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)      3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
23  33:42    3.8/8.3(46.1)  0.9/2.6(35.0)  2.0/2.4(85.2)  10.6

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
23  33:42    0.4/2.6/3.0  4.5  1.7  1.1  0.1  2.7


Gilbert Arenas

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
20  34:12    6.1/15.6(39.2)  2.2/6.8(32.6)  2.8/3.4(83.6)  17.2

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF   
20  34:12    0.3/3.1/3.4  5.4  3.4  1.4  0.6  3.5 


Al Thornton

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)       PTS
20  25:23    3.6/8.3(42.8)   0.1/0.9(11.1)  1.8/2.6(69.2)   9.2

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
20  25:23    1.3/2.5/3.8  1.2  1.1  0.7  0.2  2.4


Trevor Booker

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
20  13:11    1.8/3.3(54.6)   0.0/0.0(00.0)  0.6/0.8(68.8)  4.2

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
20  13:11    1.1/1.3/2.3  0.5  0.7  0.6  0.4  1.8   


Javale McGee

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
23  28:00    4.1/7.2(57.6)   0.0/0.1(00.0)  1.8/3.0(60.0)  10.1

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
23  28:00    3.9/4.7/8.5  0.5  1.3  0.8  2.3  2.9   


Key Reserves

Nick Young
Cartier Martin
Kevin Seraphin
Hilton Armstrong

Injuries

Yi Jianlin is out for 2-4 weeks with a strained MCL. Amputation is probable.

Yi will stay behind as the team hopes to end a 12-game road losing streak against the Nets on Thursday after an MRI revealed that he has a sprained right medial collateral ligament. Yi said he would likely miss the next two to four weeks, which puts his availability for the Wizards' next game against New Jersey on Jan. 7 in doubt.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizard ... two-t.html

John Wall is not expected to play, but will be a game time decision. Andray Blatche did not fly with the team, but is expected to take the train up tomorrow. He is not expected to play.

Coach Flip Saunders said the Wizards will also likely be without John Wall and Andray Blatche against the Nets. "I don't think we're going to have John. He didn't do anything today, just a little bit of shooting but not much. His thing's a little bit different, because of the tendinitis, doing things, he could wake up tomorrow and be a lot better. He doesn't have anything structurally, where Dray's had more fluid and those things. It swelled up a little bit last night after our game, sitting around for three hours...it's always scary when you have to go fly, up in the air the pressure and the thing might balloon up on us. We'll have to make a decision on that."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizard ... two-t.html



Probable Starters

Devin Harris

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
23  30:53    5.1/11.3(45.26)   0.8/2.4(32.1)  5.3/6.3(84.0)  0.2/2.4/2.6  6.7  2.9  1.1  0.1  2.5   16.2

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
23  30:53    0.2/2.4/2.6  6.7  2.9  1.1  0.1  2.5   


Quinton Ross

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
12  09:00    0.4/1.2(35.7)   0.0/0.1(00.0)  0.0/0.2(00.0)  00.8

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
12  09:00    0.2/0.4/0.6  0.3  0.2  0.2  0.1  0.9   


Stephen Graham

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
15  09:57    0.7/2.4(27.8)   0.0/0.3(00.0)  0.8/1.0(80.0)  2.1

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
15  09:57    0.2/0.6/0.8  0.5  0.3  0.3  0.0  1.1   


Kris Humphries

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)      PTS
25  24:35    3.2/6.2(52.3)   0.0/0.0(00.0)  1.2/1.6(73.2)  7.7

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
25  24:35    2.6/6.2/8.8  1.0  0.8  0.3  1.1  2.4   


Brook Lopez

• Shooting Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   FG/FGA(%)       3P/3PA(%)      FT/FTA(%)       PTS
25  35:45    6.9/15.5(44.7)   0.0/0.0(00.0)  5.4/6.7(80.8)  19.2

• Other Stats
  

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  GP  Min/GM   ORB/DRB/TRB  AST  TO   STL  BLK  PF
25  35:45    2.6/3.7/6.3  1.2  2.1  0.6  1.4  3.4   


Key Reserves

Jordan Farmar
Sasha Vujacic
Travis Outlaw
Derrick Favors

[hands11]

Not so sure that will be our starting line up.

We will need to wait and see.

Say it with me. Repeat.

Seems to be what we have had all season.

Gil/Kirk
Nick/Martin
Booker/Gee/AT
Dray/McGee
Seraphin/Armstrong/Hamady

I hope we do something like this. With Hamady needing a lot before we get ride of him, hopefully he gets some minutes. Also, Seraphin has a monster rebounding game so give him more run. We can also get a look at McGee at PF behind Dray.

Come on Flip. Mix it up brother.

[dlts20]

Dray didnt even make the trip. The funny thing is that the NJ players just had a team meeting like Miami did right before we played them so you know they will be motivated.

The bottom line is if Gil plays like this then we will be crap, espically with injuries

[hands11]

Yeah, just read Dray isn't playing.

Hmmm.

Gil/Kirk
Nick/Martin
Booker/Gee/AT
McGee/Booker
Seraphin/Armstrong/Hamady

Out. Wall, Dray, Yi, Howard.

May as well do it like this then. McGee is PF/C. Time to play him there. We have more players who can hold down the center then we do the PF at this point. McGee can move to center if needed and move Booker to PF with Gee or AT at SF but I don't think we will need it. Seraphin and Armstrong should be able to do enough to hold it down. Besides, if they need help, we get to see Hamady before need to decide on him.

I think this would give us the best chance and would be most interting. But I doubt we will see it. One can dream at least.

[fugop]

Honestly, I'm not sure whether we're starting Seraphin or McGee. I'd be very surprised if we started anyone else at PF -- at this point, we don't have a second PF on the roster. Thornton and Gee will probably see some time there. The only thing that makes me think we might start Seraphin is the Sacramento game, and the fact that Flip seems to treat Booker and Serpahin as a pair.

Blatche didn't take the flight, but he's taking the train up tomorrow, apparently:

Andray Blatche will take the train up later & meet the team for the game in NJ.

http://twitter.com/MrMichaelLee/status/ ... 5013578752

The knee has a lot of fluid, and I'd frankly rather him not play under those conditions. Wall should probably tough it out if there's really no chance of exacerbating the injury, but if there's the slightest possibility, he should sit. We have three point guards, after all.

If they play Favors next to Lopez, we could probably get away with Seraphin and McGee on the court at the same time. Big minutes for Armstrong is more likely.

[fugop]

Artest on McGee:

"He [McGee] potentially could be a really good player," Artest said. "I think he got to go to school a little bit more. He's got to work on that IQ a little bit. He got to watch more tape. I don't think he watches tape. I think he plays video games. I do. I don't think he watches tape. I think he plays video games and I think he could possibly have an Atari. He should upgrade to a Play Station."

Atari? He's that out of date?

"Possibly Atari," Artest said. "He could potentially become a force, if, if he wants to. But if he doesn't, he can continue to play Atari."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizard ... .html#more

More evidence that Booker will get the start:

With Yi and Blatche down, the Wizards called on Trevor Booker and he continued to provide the hustle and rugged play that Saunders demands of his big men. He scored nine points and added a career-high nine rebounds. "I just wanted to bring a lot of energy and play great defense, and take what comes to me on the offensive end," Booker said. "They tried to not let me get easy baskets. I still got a couple, but they did a pretty good job of keeping me away from the basket."

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/wizard ... .html#more

[tontoz]

(A work in progress...)

I know what you mean. They take a long time. Looks good.

I would like to see a three big rotation of McGee/Booker/Seraphin with Armstrong getting hardly any minutes. Probably just wishful thinking though.

Defensive rebounding is a huge weakness on this team and i think the only guys who can really make an impact are Seraphin and Booker. At this point there is no reason not to play them big minutes.

[JonathanJoseph]

Defensive rebounding is a huge weakness on this team and i think the only guys who can really make an impact are Seraphin and Booker. At this point there is no reason not to play them big minutes.

This.

I think Seraphin is showing really big-time promise and Booker is coming into his own. So far, the two brightest spots in an otherwise dim early season.

[verbal8]

I think Seraphin is showing really big-time promise and Booker is coming into his own. So far, the two brightest spots in an otherwise dim early season.

There is also this John Wall guy that might be pretty good.

[Donkey McDonkerton]

I think Seraphin is showing really big-time promise and Booker is coming into his own. So far, the two brightest spots in an otherwise dim early season.

There is also this John Wall guy that might be pretty good.

Wall is kind of pissing me off.....he took a game off because of a bruised shin! Gimmie a freaking break.

[dlts20]

Im not holding my breath on Flip starting NY over Kirk like he should. I think we will run the same lineup of Kirk-Gil-Al-Book-McGee. I could see Seraphin getting a start against Lopez but who knows. Again though, if Gil has another one of his games where he either cant or doesnt move, never goes to the rim, and has 0fts again then we will struggle to win. Might as well not be playing if he's going to do that. We could have Hinrich do that. He cant play that way, espically with NY not starting. He needs to score & be aggressive "if he can"

[LyricalRico]

Flip's crappy rotations continue and half of the Nets have career highs.

Nets 110
Wiz 95

[closg00]

This is a statement game isn't it? The Knicks had theirs last-night with the Celtics and we'll have ours tonight against the Nyets

[hands11]

Defensive rebounding is a huge weakness on this team and i think the only guys who can really make an impact are Seraphin and Booker. At this point there is no reason not to play them big minutes.

This.

I think Seraphin is showing really big-time promise and Booker is coming into his own. So far, the two brightest spots in an otherwise dim early season.

The two brightest spots ? Really ?

Guess you have been missing what Nick has done. Actually, it time to start pumping up Nicks minutes. He has been getting a pretty steady diet of 32 minutes. Its time to raise that to 35-36 minutes.

Nick is the most potent offensive weapon on a team that has trouble scoring. He most resembles that talents embodied in those star SG/SF type players. He can shoot from outside with the best of them. He can create his own shot. He can drive and score with contact. And he can defend pretty well.

As awesome as Nick has been this year, I want to see him step it up another notch and in that light, I want him to get more minutes.

He is the team leading scorer per 36 and doing it with .468 FG%. Unless the beast.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WAS/2011.html

[hands11]

Yeah, just read Dray isn't playing.

Hmmm.

Gil/Kirk
Nick/Martin
Booker/Gee/AT
McGee/Booker
Seraphin/Armstrong/Hamady

Out. Wall, Dray, Yi, Howard.

May as well do it like this then. McGee is PF/C. Time to play him there. We have more players who can hold down the center then we do the PF at this point. McGee can move to center if needed and move Booker to PF with Gee or AT at SF but I don't think we will need it. Seraphin and Armstrong should be able to do enough to hold it down. Besides, if they need help, we get to see Hamady before need to decide on him.

I think this would give us the best chance and would be most interting. But I doubt we will see it. One can dream at least.

Ok, I changed it up a little.

Gil/Kirk
Nick/Martin
Booker/Gee/AT
Seraphin/Booker
McGee/Armstrong/Hamady

Out. Wall, Dray, Yi, Howard.

I defend this as our best line up.
http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/WAS/2011.html

PG
Gil is the most dynamic PG we have right now and he is just finding his 3 ball away from playing a lot more effective. All the Gil bashing I have read is kind of overacting at this point. From what I have read, this is the time of year Gil starts getting hot. Kirk is the obvious back up at PG. Gil get 36 minutes and Kirk get 12. Depending on Gils play you adjust. 32 and 16 maybe.

SG
Nick is the best scorer and leads the team in scoring per 36 with 20 pts and .468 shooting.
Martin should be the back up SG. He has the second best per 36 of the SG and .446 shooting and a .448 % 3 Ball. With Nick getting 36 minutes, that leaves 12 for Martin. No reason to play Kirk here, we know what Kirk can do and besides, he is a better PG then SG. Kirk shouldn't be taking minutes from Nick at SG nor getting in the way of us looking at Martin. Martin is 6-7 220, more athletic and more powerful and can hit the 3.

Pretty clear to me, this is how the guards should go.

SF
Start Booker 6-8 240. He will rebound offensively and defensively. He will set picks for Gil and Nick. He can finish with monster dunks. And he can test his range a few times from 15. He can make that shot so give him a few to get comfortable. The kid used to actually score in college.
at 6-8 240 he is going to be putting a body on your SF.

Gee 6-6 220 backs him up. We got him and started him immediately because he is a slashing finisher and amazing leaping ability. He is the finesse to go with Bookers power. I don't see AT as anything more than a back up and he has had his chances. Keep him in the wings in case he is needed. 20 min booker and 20 min for Gee. AT 8. I say 20 because I want Booker backing up at PF also.

PF
I initially had McGee here but McGee hasn't looked great making decisions on post ups but this is a part of Seraphins game so Seraphin could be the PF with McGee cleaning up his misses with put backs with offensive rebounding at the center. Seraphin can also set bone crushing picks for pick and rolls. He is nimble on his feet. I want to see someone get in his way as he goes to the hoop. Booker back him up so we are covered there. Seraphin 32 minutes 14 for Booker. That puts Booker at 34 total minutes.

Center.
This is actually not so bad. We can cover the position. McGee has been the starter there so play him. If he can get his rebound thing going again great but he doesn't have to be off the charts with Booker and Serpaphin also on the floor. This should allow McGee to play his game of blocks, offensive rebounds, runs the floor and get put backs. Armstrong can be effective rebounding in short minutes so you roll him in and you can even find some minutes for Hamady. McGee 32 minutes, Armstrong 10, Hamady 6 minutes. I would even consider rolling in Hamady first to see how he does and keep Armstrong in the wings in care of emergency.

I would actually be excited to see these line ups play not only for developmental reason but glass half full as the thinking my be, I actually think they may be effective. Lots of young athletic players and power to go along with Gil floating around at PG. Gil has been playing more like a PG with his passing and he likes to play with Nick. They move it around between them well. Booker and Seraphin add much needed power and McGee is still a freak athlete at 7-1 who is more fineese so that added power could compliment his game.

Kirk with as the second PG keep things stable and organized and you can roll in and out and mix and match another line of athletic players. Martin can shoot. Gee can leap. Booker is powerful and we get to see some Hamady to see how he is coming along.

I think I will email Ted to forward this to Flip.

[closg00]

Nick should be starting and Kirk's minutes reduced.

Loving Seraphin getting all the minutes he can, I don't even think the beast in him has been unleashed yet.

[tontoz]

Nick should be starting and Kirk's minutes reduced.

Loving Seraphin getting all the minutes he can, I don't even think the beast in him has been unleashed yet.

Nick is the only guy in the rotation other than Martin who hasn't started one game.

[hands11]

Im not holding my breath on Flip starting NY over Kirk like he should. I think we will run the same lineup of Kirk-Gil-Al-Book-McGee. I could see Seraphin getting a start against Lopez but who knows. Again though, if Gil has another one of his games where he either cant or doesnt move, never goes to the rim, and has 0fts again then we will struggle to win. Might as well not be playing if he's going to do that. We could have Hinrich do that. He cant play that way, espically with NY not starting. He needs to score & be aggressive "if he can"

Nahhh

I think you are way off on this.

The finishers should be Nick, Martin, Gee, Booker, Seraphin and McGee
The slashers should be Nick, Martin, Gee and Booker

Gil should be shooting, setting up players, driving and dishing 90% of the time. He doesn't need to be going in there with the bigs and getting hammered. That is how your smaller guards get injured. And with Gils contract and past injured knee, that would be a bad move and way to risky. You save that for special situations during the game and the playoffs if you make them.

Nick is healthy and has a body that is nimble and flexible and healthy enough to do it.

I don't want to see Gil risking injuring doing that on a loosing team. If you read my line ups and minutes, it gives us that without risking Gil. Besides, you will just be upset waiting for him to do it a lot. He either won't or he wont do it to your liking and he isn't getting calls from refs anyway.

Nick does a better job of playing off contact. Booker can do it with power. Gee can do it with leaps.

[dlts20]

The only hope about Gil is everytime you think he looks done or is tanking it, he always seems to get his confidence back, starts playing more aggressive, and throws up some big games while looking solidly explosive. The Nets roster is perfect for him to do that against if he wants to but IDK if he has it in him, espically mentally. Its up to him.

I would actually start NY at the 2 right now with Gil at the 1, espically since you never know if Gil will just coast again. We need more scoring. It would also be good to keep Wall out even one more game and have NY matched up against Wade. Then Wall, Dray, & Howard all come back for the Bobcats game for us to finally start seeing what we have.

[hands11]

This is a statement game isn't it? The Knicks had theirs last-night with the Celtics and we'll have ours tonight against the Nyets

THE BATTLE FOR THE BOTTOM

And I'm not talking about any of the hot cheerleaders.

http://www.nba.com/wizards/girls/


6-17 vs 6-19