Game Thread: BULLS @ WIZARDS - 2/28 - 7PM

Post #1 » by **nate33** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:09 pm

I'll take a hit for the team. The Bulls come to town to face the Wizards. The Bulls are on a 2-game winning streak after beating Miami at home and Milauwkee on the road.

The Wizards have lost 14 of their last 16. Hinrich is gone via trade. Bibby might be bought out before tipoff. Blatche has been out with a "strained hip" for two games, though not coincidentally, the Wizards have looked better without him. Howard complained about soreness in his knee against Dallas so he is questionable. Lewis has been playing on one leg for a month. On the bright side,the Wizards have had two "moral victories" in the past two games, playing Miami and Dallas close until the end.

Wizards starters:
PG John Wall - has played great for about 6 or 7 games now.
SG Nick Young - hot and cold lately. Played real well against Dallas on Saturday
SF Josh Howard - sore knee. A shadow of his former self
PF Rashard Lewis - sore knee. Has been pretty ineffective for a month now
C Javale McGee - has been inconsistent.

Bulls starters:
PG Derrick Rose - MVP candidate
SG Keith Bogans - he sucks
SF Luol Deng - he's good
PF Carlos Boozer - he's real good
C Joakim Noah - he's real good

The prognosis is grim. The Wizards usually play real bad against well-disciplined teams that know how to defend. Thibs will probably figure out a scheme to shut Nick Young down, and then the rest of the offense will sputter.

Post #2 » by **montestewart** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:12 pm

I'm predicting a moral victory led by Wall and the bench.

AceDegenerate · Post #3 » by **AceDegenerate** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:24 pm

I expect 3 competitive quarters and a collapse in the 4th as usual. It's alright though, we're well on our way to another Top 3 Pick, which we need in the worst way (regardless of how bad this draft is "projected" to be.) :thumbsup:

closg00 · Post #4 » by **closg00** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:33 pm

What!?! No Luv-a-Bulls?

We have played two very competative games against Miami & Dallas which I attribute to:

*Wall being a lot more aggressive (or back to %100 health)
*The Flip "system" clamp-down has not begun yet because of the new guys
* No Blatche. (Still hoping to see AB become effective or utilized in a way that benfits the team)

Da Bulls match-up better with us than Miami and Boston so I am expecting a very tough game. Just hoping we maintain our current level of play.

Post #5 » by **pineappleheadindc** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:44 pm

.
Flip thinks Blatche will play tonight. But Rashard is questionable because he's sick.

FYI.

Post #6 » by **pineappleheadindc** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 4:46 pm

closg00 wrote:What!?! No Luv-a-Bulls?

I *could* bring back my arsenal of Luv-a-Bull photos based on popular demand of this board.

My job as moderator is to serve you'all.

:nod:

Post #7 » by **nate33** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:02 pm

pineappleheadindc wrote:Flip thinks Blatche will play tonight.

NOOOOOOO!

I have enjoyed watching the Wizards play these last two games. I just can't stand Blatche's style of play anymore. I'd rather see Booker start. Use Blatche on the second unit as the primary offensive threat. Maybe he can score with more efficiency against backups.

DallasShalDune · Post #8 » by **DallasShalDune** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:03 pm

-Lewis and +Blatche sucks, but we still need Blatche's size, so if we lose Shard I'm glad Blatche is at least back. Optimistically speaking, Blatche is a better rebounder than Shard, which is a must against Chicago. Too bad Blatche cannot play within the offense like Lewis does.

I'm not going to love all of his failed isos tonight against Boozer and Noah. . .

dlts20 · Post #9 » by **dlts20** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:06 pm

I wish we could hurry up and get this buyout thing going with Bibby. I really like Bibby but he's not needed with us and I just would like to see a nice 3 guard rotation of Wall, NY, and Crawford the rest of the year. Very young & explosive

Post #10 » by **pineappleheadindc** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:15 pm

nate33 wrote:
pineappleheadindc wrote:Flip thinks Blatche will play tonight.

NOOOOOOO!

I have enjoyed watching the Wizards play these last two games. I just can't stand Blatche's style of play anymore. I'd rather see Booker start. Use Blatche on the second unit as the primary offensive threat. Maybe he can score with more efficiency against backups.

I'm there with you, Nate.

Post #11 » by **pineappleheadindc** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:19 pm

.
P.S. For tonight, unless there's some board uprising for me to post Luv-a-Bull pictures, our good lunch charm will be the one, the only, Buffy!

Go Wizards!

:nod:

Post #12 » by **miller31time** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 5:25 pm

I liked the idea of playing Blatche with the 2nd unit until I actually saw what the 2nd unit would look like (assuming Booker would get the start in Blatche's place)...

Bibby/Crawford/Thornton/Blatche/Seraphin (or Yi)

If you put Yi in there for Seraphin, that's 5 players who are looking to get "their own" with the possibly exception of Bibby. I don't know how well that group will mesh.

Post #13 » by **nate33** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 6:12 pm

miller31time wrote:I liked the idea of playing Blatche with the 2nd unit until I actually saw what the 2nd unit would look like (assuming Booker would get the start in Blatche's place)...

Bibby/Crawford/Thornton/Blatche/Seraphin (or Yi)

If you put Yi in there for Seraphin, that's 5 players who are looking to get "their own" with the possibly exception of Bibby. I don't know how well that group will mesh.

What? Do you think it'll help to add Nick Young, Yi, or McGee to the mix?

The problem is, outside of Wall, Booker and Rashard Lewis (and sometimes Howard), everybody on this team is looking to get their own.

Post #14 » by **nate33** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 6:15 pm

Man, that one Buffy post by Pine makes up for all those Luvabulls posts. I'm starting to feel good about our chances tonight.

DallasShalDune · Post #15 » by **DallasShalDune** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 6:53 pm

I just realized how tough this part of our schedule is. We really have been playing well. I think we will lose, but I have no doubt we'll continue our competing ways.

AceDegenerate · Post #16 » by **AceDegenerate** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:21 pm

nate33 wrote:
pineappleheadindc wrote:Flip thinks Blatche will play tonight.

NOOOOOOO!

I have enjoyed watching the Wizards play these last two games. I just can't stand Blatche's style of play anymore. I'd rather see Booker start. Use Blatche on the second unit as the primary offensive threat. Maybe he can score with more efficiency against backups.

Oh how quickly things can change in a year right? This time last season everybody was talking of Blatche as the cornerstone of this franchise. Might be something to think about with all the praise Nick Young has gotten this season.

Post #17 » by **miller31time** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:26 pm

nate33 wrote:
miller31time wrote:I liked the idea of playing Blatche with the 2nd unit until I actually saw what the 2nd unit would look like (assuming Booker would get the start in Blatche's place)...

Bibby/Crawford/Thornton/Blatche/Seraphin (or Yi)

If you put Yi in there for Seraphin, that's 5 players who are looking to get "their own" with the possibly exception of Bibby. I don't know how well that group will mesh.

What? Do you think it'll help to add Nick Young, Yi, or McGee to the mix?

The problem is, outside of Wall, Booker and Rashard Lewis (and sometimes Howard), everybody on this team is looking to get their own.

Well, Wall and Howard are both fairly passive, McGee doesn't actually get the ball much and Lewis is a spot shooter. I don't think it would make much difference but Blatche, in my opinion, is better suited for the starting lineup.

Post #18 » by **nate33** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:43 pm

AceDegenerate wrote:
nate33 wrote:
pineappleheadindc wrote:Flip thinks Blatche will play tonight.

NOOOOOOO!

I have enjoyed watching the Wizards play these last two games. I just can't stand Blatche's style of play anymore. I'd rather see Booker start. Use Blatche on the second unit as the primary offensive threat. Maybe he can score with more efficiency against backups.

Oh how quickly things can change in a year right? This time last season everybody was talking of Blatche as the cornerstone of this franchise. Might be something to think about with all the praise Nick Young has gotten this season.

True enough. But to be fair, I don't think anybody views Young as a cornerstone. He is considered, at best, to be a solid starter, but not somebody that's irreplaceable.

I was truly shocked and dismayed at Blatche's regression this year. I thought for sure that he'd be able to give us 16, 9 and 3 with average efficiency and average or better D. I really thought he'd be an above average PF in this league with a real chance at being a star.

With Young, all I really expect is that he'll be a legit starter - not somebody to carry you to the next level, but not a guy that you're always looking to upgrade either. And if he regresses to the point where he's really only a 25-minute, sixth man type of player, it wouldn't really suprise or disappoint me that much.

If Nick Young

closg00 · Post #19 » by **closg00** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 7:45 pm

Bull poster:

rsr38 wrote:Keys to the game:

Nick Young not making his once a week appearance as Kobe Young.

Andrey Blatche plays.

AceDegenerate · Post #20 » by **AceDegenerate** » Mon Feb 28, 2011 8:07 pm

nate33 wrote:True enough. But to be fair, I don't think anybody views Young as a cornerstone. He is considered, at best, to be a solid starter, but not somebody that's irreplaceable.

I was truly shocked and dismayed at Blatche's regression this year. I thought for sure that he'd be able to give us 16, 9 and 3 with average efficiency and average or better D. I really thought he'd be an above average PF in this league with a real chance at being a star.

With Young, all I really expect is that he'll be a legit starter - not somebody to carry you to the next level, but not a guy that you're always looking to upgrade either. And if he regresses to the point where he's really only a 25-minute, sixth man type of player, it wouldn't really suprise or disappoint me that much.

I sure don't consider Young a cornerstone, but some here have expressed the sentiment that we should be building around Wall/Young. I definitely agree that he can be a solid starter, however even if we are able to lock him up on a decent contract, I think it's important to keep in mind that no one is untouchable on this team outside of Wall and maybe our high lotto pick next year (depending who that is.)