Road Losses:McGee Fouls ... What Flip Should Do

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Comments from previous thread:
viewtopic.php?f=35&t=1082568&start=210

My observations are the Wizards are 9.4 points better per 100 possessions when McGee is on the court. The team has a better effective field goal percentage and they hold opponents to a lower effective field goal percentage when McGee plays. When McGee plays they outscore opponents by one at the line per 100 possession. When Javale sits a huge disparity the line occurs. Instead of outscoring opponents by one, the Wizards give opponents an extra 7 free throw attempts and are outscored by 4. A five point per 100 possessions occurs at the line. Javale is playing exceptionally well but still routinely plays 24-28 minutes.

http://www.82games.com/1011/10WAS16.HTM

I think McGee would play a lot closer to 30+ min a game
if he wouldn't start so many games off by committing 2 fouls in the first 5 minutes

Excellent observation, jim! McGee's fouls and road minutes seem to be very causal to losing.


McGee's fouls and Flip's propensity to leave him on the bench are very likely the main reason the Wizards are 0-20 on the road. Check out the splits of home vs away games for McGee.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/s ... yerId=3452

Minutes at home/away: 29.5/24.8
*Personal fouls at home/away: 2.7/3.1 *Note he still has fouls to give
Points home/away: 10.2/7.8
Rebounds home/away: 9.3/6.9
Blocks home/away: 3.25/1.95

In Wins Javale plays 30 minutes. In Losses he plays 25 minutes.

Here's what I think Flip should do: LEARN. You keep McGee on the court and you greatly increase your chances to win!

What I would prescribe for Flip as a consultant to the coach:

1. Maximize McGee's effectiveness by playing him at least 30 minutes, even on the road. Allow McGee to play with even four or five fouls. This alone will win games. McGee needs to average at least 33 minutes a game, regardless.

2. Instruct McGee to run and rebound on the road, but to avoid block attempts until the second half--then try to block EVERYTHING. By running the court after rebounds he can receive lobs. His rebounding and presence on the court help the team win. If he can score on the road early, referees will call less fouls late. At home he is a blocking machine who gets benefit of a doubt. McGee needs to start off road games by playing the refs as much as the opponents.

3. Set a goal between McGee, Wall, and Blatche for Javale to take roughly 9 shots a game. This is guaranteed to get McGee between 12 and 15 points a game. With his added scoring he will block shots, rebound and excite crowds.

If Saunders follows this advice Washington will play .500 ball the rest of the season, barring injuries.

Play McGee through fouls. Play him more minutes on the road. Have him adjust on the road. Make him an offensive threat by allowing him 8-10 shots a game, with 4-5 attempts coming off plays for Javale.

And like the mom in Blind Side said to Big Mike's coach, Flip can thank me later.

[WizarDynasty]

Teams are intentionally trying to get cheap fouls on mcgee because the guy is game change defensively. let's be honest. We need someone to protect mcgee from cheap fouls because small initiating contact with mcgee and flopping just to try and get those 2 fouls on mcgee in first 8 minutes.

McGee should be highly aware of trying to do the reverse. Get the other big man in foul trouble. It all comes down to coaching.

[Wizards2Lottery]

What offensive plays can they call for McGee? Besides wide open dunks, he can't do anything. His offensive repertoire is horrible.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

I say Seraphin with McGee just for 2-3 minutes with Kevin as goon would achieve your purpose of protecting Javale, WD.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

What offensive plays can they call for McGee? Besides wide open dunks, he can't do anything. His offensive repertoire is horrible.

Plays (thanks, Zonkerbl) like finger rolls, half hooks, and jumpers near the basket. Start him from mid to high post. Allow Blatche the option of drawing and kicking to McGee. Run the lob with Wall at least three or four times a game. Play four perimeter shooters and then lob to McGee. Let him face up from 10-12 feet.

ANYTHING but insist he back guys down in the paint.

[Zonkerbl]

In other words, don't be afraid to let McGee foul out on the road. Squeeze every minute you can out of him because it's worth it.

[WizarDynasty]

i have a problem with the fact that coaches have not had mcgee and wall practice a real pick and roll. i have yet to see mcgee catch a pass from wall with mcgee still on the ground. you watch amare run the pick and roll and pass normally isn't a lob. Normally the pass is a pin point pass that the big catches in stride on his way to the basket. i haven't seen this happen all season with any of our bigs. This has got to be a result of poor coaching.

[WizarDynasty]

Really you need a goon in their to suck up fouls midway in the first quarter because that's when the other teams starters are looking to sub out and instead of calling a time out they just ram into mcgee and fall to the floor, successfully changing the dynamics of the game. We need our small to start intentionally fouling their men when they get blown by instead of putting mcgee in a force foul position. its better for our small to get fouls that to pile all the fouls on mcgee.

Its all boils down to flips poor coaching.

[Ruzious]

Just a point of courtesy to your fellow Zards fans - If you're going to start a thread with the same discussion as what's in another thread, at least put all the comments that were made in the other thread - into the new thread.

[hands11]

Just don't start McGee on the road. Let him sit and watch the first 5 minutes so he will calm to F down and watch the other players set the tone. This should also teach him to play smarter because he is hosing the team by getting in early foul trouble. Then he can come in and do his thing. If can make it 5 minutes without fouling, we are looking good. If he get one with in five minutes, sit him. I would rather he be available later in the game to close then early. He should have not more that 1 foul in the first quarter and no more than two going into the half.

He wont get two fouls in the first 5 minutes because he wont be out there.

Flip has been letting him hand himself by leaving him out there. This is not Flips messing up, this is McGee not being a pro. Flip is giving him a chance to prove he can manage his own actions and McGee is failing. At some point Flip needs to manage it for him if he isn't.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Just a point of courtesy to your fellow Zards fans - If you're going to start a thread with the same discussion as what's in another thread, at least put all the comments that were made in the other thread - into the new thread.

I will add the link to the other thread.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Just don't start McGee on the road. Let him sit and watch the first 5 minutes so he will calm to F down and watch the other players set the tone. This should also teach him to play smarter because he is hosing the team by getting in early foul trouble. Then he can come in and do his thing. If can make it 5 minutes without fouling, we are looking good. If he get one with in five minutes, sit him. I would rather he be available later in the game to close then early. He should have not more that 1 foul in the first quarter and no more than two going into the half.

He wont get two fouls in the first 5 minutes because he wont be out there.

Flip has been letting him hand himself by leaving him out there. This is not Flips messing up, this is McGee not being a pro. Flip is giving him a chance to prove he can manage his own actions and McGee is failing. At some point Flip needs to manage it for him if he isn't.

Hands, note that Javale is only committing three fouls all game on the road. His foul rate on the road is 6 per 48 minutes. At home he commits 4.5 per 48. If McGee played 40 minutes on the road he would commit 5 fouls. There is no reason to limit McGee to 25 minutes.

Start Seraphin on the road. That works, too. McGee played well in two games off the bench.

[DCZards]

Do we really need this thread? I thought there was already a thread dedicated to telling Flip how to coach and/or calling for him to be fired.

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

You probably did not read detailed information about road minutes, home minutes, wins and losses. This thread is real specific and helpful information for Flip.

However, he probably should just be fired, DCZards.

There is virtually no way a different coach gets less from this group.

[Kanyewest]

A telling comment Kyle Weidie from truthaboutit.net

"It's still pretty ridiculous that JaVale McGee doesn't know the offense.. The coaches are ALWAYS getting on him. Maybe he pays no attention?"

[DaRealHibachi]

A telling comment Kyle Weidie from truthaboutit.net

"It's still pretty ridiculous that JaVale McGee doesn't know the offense.. The coaches are ALWAYS getting on him. Maybe he pays no attention?"

Nah, McGee has L33T skillz, HOF type player, Stuff of Legends... It's pretty obvious that McGee should have even more shots, even if he doesn't know the offense; He's *that* awesome...

I mean, he has mad post skills, his big-man coach sucks b/c he's not a HoF'er thus being unable to teach him and it's Flip's fault for holding him back, not running plays for him, his back problems, his asthma, the economical crisis, cancer...

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

For those who saw the win over Boston, please note my first post in this thread.

When McGee gets FGAs and minutes good things happen.

McGee does not need to go to the gym. It is not a disaster when he shoots. His free throws and his jump shot are much better when he has freedom from fear of Flip flipping out and benching him.

The guy is so tall nobody will block his face up. His hook is effective and his touch around the rim us good. He is also a very good ball handler for a C.

[penbeast0]

Gee, the coach wont play the big because of fouls/not listening/effort issues but the team is a lot better with the big out there . . . this sounds a lot like Brendan Haywood, the sequel.

[Ed Wood]

Except that Brendan came into the NBA as a twenty two year old center and was having a significantly positive impact on the team and particularly the team's defense within a couple of years, and yet continued to average in the low twenties in minutes per game even into his mid twenties (23.8 and 22.6 as a 26 and 27 year old respectively) despite the fact that the team was contending for at least a playoff birth regularly and he was easily the team's best option at center.

JaVale came into the NBA as a 21 year old moron and wasn't anything even remotely approximating a center for at least his entire rookie year. He was also not a positive influence on the team (going by +/-) while on the court until this year. This year his minutes have increased significantly, in part because of that improvement, and he's playing as many minutes as Haywood ever did for the Wizards (Haywood only played more minutes during his last two years here, one with the Grunfeld/Tapscott combo and the partial year under Flip, when he played more than ever before, hmmm).

So in the first season that JaVale has actually had a positive effect on the team his minutes have gone way up, but Flip recognizes that he still has a number of issues and continues to try to work to improve them.

How is this like the Haywood situation?

[Chocolate City Jordanaire]

Bottom line is all you have is name calling, Ed. Moron is subjective.

I started this thread with observations about minutes, shots, road vs away for McGee. When a guy has a +9.4 points per 100 possession effect on a team, he needs to play as many minutes as a coach has available.

Further, however his shot looks, when he attempts more than eight shots the team wins more often. I recommend he gets 8-10 FGAs. The ATTEMPT matters. It gives opponents a new wrinkle to have to game plan against. It opens the Wizards up, too.

You can call him all kind of morons but do notice I haven't stopped saying the same thing since last season. He should have played more then. As far as the plays go, what makes Flip's system or his harping right?

The bigger picture is win games. One size does NOT fit all. I remember Dennis Rodman as Spur. That coach couldn't CONTROL him. They let Rodman go to Chicago. Ed, if your "moron" played with Orlando. Atlanta, Utah, or just about any contending team he would improve their championship hopes.